Random comments on common errors in technical documents

[Pano]

Originally Posted by sofaspud

Then there are the words such as who/whom, that/which, etc.

And the worst one of all, the eternal "And I" mistake. Seems that so few people in America can get that one right that it's going to have to change. Stupid, but that's the way it is. It seems we have a generation or two of English teachers that has failed us.

"And I" or "And me" - how hard can it be?

[Osvaldo de Banfield]

I believe that a bad source to degrade a language are the SMS´s. The last week I saw a girl here in Buenos Aires messaging with who knows who, writing:

avia

This would be "había" (the past of "haber", there is/are in English). So 1) omit the initial H, 2) the accent, and 3) replace a B with a V. 3 errors in a single word !!!

[jackinnj]

Originally Posted by Osvaldo de Banfield

who knows who

It's "who knows whom"

Texas Instruments has a mistake on their LM317 datasheet. I've pointed it out twice. They've acknowledged the error but haven't changed the info.

One of my friends is a partner in a major NY law firm. One of the first things they do with the new associates is learn them the difference between (among?) THAT and WHICH.

[HarryDymond]

Originally Posted by jackinnj

learn them

teach them

[popilin]

Originally Posted by Osvaldo de Banfield

I´m 42, and since 16 my mother make me study English.

tengo 42, y estudio desde los 16 mi vieja me hiso estudiar Inglés. ¿Por dónde andás?

Yo estudié Inglés en el cole, a veces ando mas perdido que caballo arriba del techo.
I studied English at high school, sometimes I'm more lost than horse above the roof.

Vivo en Traslasierra, Córdoba.
I live in Traslasierra, Córdoba.

[DF96]

Originally Posted by jackinnj

between (among?) THAT and WHICH.

Between - as the choice is made from two options.

[Pano]

Fewer not Less - is another common error.

[jlsem]

Originally Posted by HarryDymond

CBS240, I see you've slipped in some deliberate mistakes!

lose/loose

I once read a technical paper by a well-known and respected Ph.D. who posts often on these forums and he didn't seem to know that a loose cite was not the same as to lose sight.

John

[MarcelvdG]

What I find more problematic than small linguistic errors is the fact that electronics terms often get redefined, and then have contradictory meanings.

For example, according to the original definition, a linear circuit/system has output signals that are directly proportional to its input signals. But then what's the use of a linear voltage regulator?

[Wavebourn]

It is the case when the same word in different contexts has different meanings. Like, "linear system" VS "linear voltage regulator". Not the same term, but the same word.


Most confusing is "current feedback" when feedback by voltage applied to emitter instead of base causing relatively higher current through feedback resistor. Somebody invented this ugly term, now it lives confusing novices.