[Gllug] Star Office/ Open Office.org

[Rev Simon Rumble]

On Thu 06 Nov, Doug Winter bloviated thus:

> Americans are taught to use the active voice because they think it
> sounds better. 

No.  The active is almost always clearer.

> The natural writing style for Brits is in the passive
> voice, especially when writing professional documents.

No, the natural writing style for Brits is ungrammatical because
grammar is barely taught.  Most Brits (and Aussies, for that matter)
would think nothing wrong with:
"Find out the person you need to give it to." and
"If a person is in need, they need to call for help."

The passive voice tends to move the action away from the subject,
results in longer sentences and is more difficult for non-native
speakers (mainly due to the less common verb forms).  In long
sentences, it can get very confusing.

I can assure you that professional technical writers try to avoid the
passive voice in almost all circumstances.  Professional writing,
particularly when you're trying to remove any uncertainty, requires
precise use of language.  It can't be sloppy like emails or speech.

There are exceptions, but after all this is English we're discussing.

-- 
Rev Simon Rumble <simon at rumble.net>
www.rumble.net

In politics, what begins in fear usually ends in folly.

- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

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