Bernard Dixon is merely copying the great essay by George Orwell 'politics and the english language'. Its well worth a read.
In it, Orwell lays out about six simple rules for writing good english prose.
Three of them are:
never use the passive voice.
Always use the anglosaxon word instead of the Latin one:
Break any of the rules above rather than say something outright barbarous.
Ie. I froze the crystals. Not the crystals were vitrified.
Other languages have different rules - habits - for what makes for clarity of thought in prose.
I think anyone who uses vitrified should ask themselves 'why I trying to write a simple idea in a way that a layman can't understand'?
Just thought some short chain liquid hydrocarbon should be ejected in a parabolic arc under the force of gravity (g=9.81 m/s/s, ie the current planet at h=0 above mean sea level) in the direction of an inflammatory ongoing situation.
Adrian
Sent from my iPhone
On 16 Nov 2012, at 21:01, Ed Pozharski <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> On 11/16/2012 12:54 PM, Kendall Nettles wrote:
>
>> I wouldn't go into the lab and say "did you cryo-cool those crystals yet?" or "check out this nice crystal. Its ready for vitrification".
>
> If we speak the way scientific articles are written...
>
> By Bernard Dixon, published in New Scientist, 11 April 1968, p.73, an imaginary conversation at breakfast:
>
> "Daddy, I want cornflakes this morning. Must I have porridge?"
>
> "Yes. It has been suggested by mummy that, in view of the external coldness, the eating of porridge by you will cause an increase in bodily temperature. Furthermore, in regard to the already-mentioned temperature considerations, your grandma-knitted gloves and wool-lining-hooded coat will have to be worn."
>
> "May I have some sugar on my porridge?"
>
> "The absence of sugar in the relevant bowl has been noted by daddy at an earlier moment. However, further supplies of this substance are now being brought by mummy from the appropriate vessel that is present in the kitchen."
>
>
>
> --
> Oh, suddenly throwing a giraffe into a volcano to make water is crazy?
> Julian, King of Lemurs
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