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I haven't read Fowler's original work, but I found the samples in this article to be hard to understand (i.e., a tad bit unreadable). Still, as someone who run
by m52go 9y ago
I haven't read Fowler's original work, but I found the samples in this article to be hard to understand (i.e., a tad bit unreadable).
Still, as someone who runs a couple of services to help people write more concisely, I agree with most of his advice.
And although it has nothing to do with Fowler, the title of the article itself was confusing. I almost didn't click on it because I thought it was talking about personality, not writing (since it mentions "oneself," not one's writing). Then the double-negative.
A better title would be something like "On Making Your Writing More Readable."
But then it wouldn't be accepted for publication in The Paris Review, would it..."literary critics’ words" (!).
- yesenadam 9y agoShouldn't that be "a tad unreadable"?
- tome 9y ago> the title of the article itself was confusing Isn't it a joke?
- m52go 9y agoAh, maybe. But I think a title is a risky thing to make into a joke, especially in this day and age (clicks), if it obfuscates its own meaning.
- Bobbleoxs 9y agoThink that's deliberate. PS; you need to consider the context, the author is an heir to Samuel Johnson and was active in late 1800 to 1930s. For that period, I think his entries were probably considered 'plain' English.