Re: 9 August 2001 WCAG WG telecon minutes

>   >3.3
>   >JM Checkpoint 3.3 Write as clearly and simply as is possible and
>   >appropriate for the site's content.
>   >Action WC: change 3.3 to read: Write as clearly and simply as is possible
>   >and appropriate for the site's content.

Charles, I just don't like that sentence. I try to diagram it in my head 
and it doesn't work .... maybe:

"Write as clearly and simply as is possible and as is appropriate for the 
site's content."

or

"Write as clearly and simply as possible and appropriate for the site's 
content."

                                                 Anne


At 06:57 AM 8/10/01 -0400, Charles McCathieNevile wrote:
>I don't think so. Appropriate is grouped with possible in describing the
>clarity and simplicity of the writing.
>
>In plain English I would say there are a number of steps implied here:
>
>The writing must be as clear as possible. It must be as simple as possible.
>It must be as simple as appropriate. It must be as clear as is appropriate.
>Which brings up an intersting question. Is it appropriate to eschew
>sesquipedalianism exclusively in popularisation of the more refined external
>to the academe and other exceptionally accepting milieux, or does it make
>sense to write clearly and simply even to explain complex ideas to people in
>universities?
>
>Actually i would argue that it is not any more appropriate to obfuscate
>meaning through terminology when the audience is a Masters degree seminar in
>philosophy than when the audience is a school class. Specifically, it will
>make it difficult for people who have lingistic processing difficulties, but
>who would otherwise be perfectly capable of understanding and processing the
>concepts required.
>
>There is a balance. Some terminology is used for being precise, instead of
>using many more, but simpler terms, to convey a rough sense. In other words
>some jargon is used to reduce the amount of language needed to express an
>idea.
>
>Assessment of this reqiuires some intelligent thinking to be done well. It
>also requires some language skill. But it is important. The big question is
>how much we can successfully codify the requirements beyond this initial
>vague statement - either in terms of requirements or in terms of procedures.
>
>chaals
>
>On Fri, 10 Aug 2001, Anne Pemberton wrote:
>
>   In the following, the word should be "appropriately" instead of
>   appropriate. The verb is "write". Clearly, Simply and Appropriately are
>   adverbs that describe the act of writing.
>
>                                                            Anne
>
>   >3.3
>   >JM Checkpoint 3.3 Write as clearly and simply as is possible and
>   >appropriate for the site's content.
>   >Action WC: change 3.3 to read: Write as clearly and simply as is possible
>   >and appropriate for the site's content.

Anne Pemberton
apembert@erols.com

http://www.erols.com/stevepem
http://www.geocities.com/apembert45

Received on Friday, 10 August 2001 07:14:10 UTC