Dear Gasification List (Gas
-L) participants;
My apologies to the technically-minded that this
email is off-subject. Hopefully it will aid clearer communication.
If you are interested read-on.
I have enjoyed the humourous contributions about
acronyms. I note that humour is typically founded in double-meanings and
misunderstandings. Hence acronyms have the potential to lead to
misunderstanding and thus poor communication.
Can I therefore make a plea for all Gas-L
communications to follow the simple rule for acronyms. PLEASE DEFINE
ALL ACRONYMS THE FIRST TIME THEY ARE USED IN A DOCUMENT AND THEN USE THE
ACRONYM FREELY THEREAFTER.
I would also like to make a similar plea for
units to be defined as clearly as possible, the first time that they are used,
with clarification of the basis of units where appropriate. (For
example; the thermal efficiency of energy conversion systems needs to
make clear whether it is on higher or lower heating value basis)
If this constraint offends the literary style of
writers of formal documents, devices such as footnotes or glossaries can rid
text of clutter. Emails are equally valid pieces of written text and therefore
need to obey the same simple rule of clear communication to allow them to
be understood as stand-alone items. This need for clarity of
communication to all readers is perhaps more important with emails, which tend
to be forwarded to readers other than the intended recipients.
As a Briton, I am somewhat dismayed by the
comment in Roberto's email "PLEASE
BE KIND AND DO NOT USE ACRONYMS UNCOMMON OUT OF USA" I ask
why should the particular conventions of the use and extensions of
the ENGLISH language adopted by residents of the USA, have any
preference over conventions used in other parts of the
world. The GAS-L is international, as evidenced by the
number of contributors for whom English is not their mother
tongue. In respect for other readers from other cultures, it should
not be assumed that common usage in the USA is recognised or understood in
other situations. What are "customary" units in some parts of
the world are not necessarily customary in others.
In my experience, misunderstanding of acronyms
and the definitions of units is one of prime causes of error in technical
communication. In particular, I note that technical data emanating
from the USA has a tendency to be ill-defined; based on the false
assumption that everyone uses the same units and conventions.
There is a term here in New Zealand for
Britons who complain about the culture not being the same as where they came
from. They are called "Whingeing-Poms". In this instance, I plead
guilty.
Happy and accurate communicating.
