The Flow of Consciousness

I read a very informational article on the differences between and the logic behind A4 and US Letter paper sizes. The A series of paper is based on the ratio of 1:sqrt(2), or 1:1.414, as a paper with dimensions of that ratio can be folded in half length-wise and the resulting size retains the ratio. The US series does not keep its ratio, but skips between sizes.

From TFA:

Which raises the question, why the difference at all? If both sizes are arbitrary, why bother with maintaining a difference. The answers are long and involved, and mostly outside the scope of this article. At the core, however, it comes down to one thing: A4 isn’t an arbitrary size.

I stumbled upon (probably via Digg) an article on WikiHow regarding things to remember in order to avoid colloquial (informal) writing.

• Know the meaning of colloquialism.
• Understand basic English punctuation.
• Avoid using common colloquial words/expressions (list at the end of the article).
• Avoid using “filler” words.
• Avoid contractions.
• Limit your use of subjective pronouns.
• Avoid splitting infinitives.
• Avoid ending your sentences with a preposition.
• Avoid clichés.

Of those items, I probably have the most difficulty avoiding clichés, especially when I’m writing an editorial for The Holcad. Clichés are more acceptable in editorials because similes and metaphors add flavor when one must write at an elementary school level, but it is still better to avoid them when possible.

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George Orwell was not only one of the greatest opponents of totalitarianism in the twentieth century, but one of the greatest writers, as well.

In his book, Politics and the English Language, Orwell outlined a twelve tips for writers. These six questions should be asked of every sentence the writer scribes:

1. What am I trying to say?
2. What words will express it?
3. What image or idiom will make it clearer?
4. Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?
5. Could I put it more shortly?
6. Have I said anything that is avoidably ugly?

He then adds six maxims to remember:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

Courtesy of WritingClasses.com.

The Probabilist wrote an article about the 10 most misspelled words in blogs, or, rather misused words.

From the article:

1. Your – You’re
2. Then – Than
3. Its – it’s
4. To – Too – Two
5. Were – Where – We’re
6. There – Their – They’re
7. A – An – And
8. Off – Of
9. Here – Hear
10. Lose – Loose

In the comments, others mention "Alot – A lot" and usage of the possessive "’s" and the contraction of "is".

Another one I see often is "ahold", which should be "a hold".

A story I wrote for ThinkComputers.org made the front page of Digg!

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