Technical writing requires a balance between brevity and clarity. Here are some short, simple ways to fix the meaning of confusing or ambiguous terms.
My first job in 1977 was with a chemical company. I handed in a text to a manager and got it back with a chemical term (abbreviation) crossed out and underlined with dots and STET written next to it. My supervisor and I were both puzzled. What did STET mean? Perhaps, sulphated tetra-ethyl toluene? After much guessing we phoned the manager. He laughed at our lack of classical education. Stet is the Latin word for “let it stand”.
There are numerous abbreviations and symbols taken from Latin that are frequently used in English texts. Below I will describe their meaning. I also list ambiguous symbols used in scientific writing and suggest simple ways to pin down their meaning by supplying context.
Latin abbreviations
In an English text written by a non-native speaker, I came across the abbreviation “f.e.”. I assume the writer tried to abbreviate “for example”. Life is, however, not that ...
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