The hollow laughter of the weary proofreader

[devi]

IMGP5200
Originally uploaded by Deirdre Ruane

Comments

[lanfykins.livejournal.com]

I feel that proofreader's pain :)

Suggested amends

[specialknives.livejournal.com]

- academics certainly know how to write ^so as to clearly illustrate the art of disappearing up one's own bottom -

Re: Suggested amends

[bluedevi.livejournal.com]

...though I'd be fine with them demonstrating that if they really did do it clearly. And grammatically. And with proper spelling.

They have a duty to instruct the world in the art of auto-bottom-disappearing, damnit.

Re: Suggested amends

[verlaine.livejournal.com]

auto-bottom-disappearing

autoinfundamentation

Re: Suggested amends

[specialknives.livejournal.com]

The auto-bottom-disappearing I was referring to is the way in which academics seem to feel compelled to explain what they're talking about in a way that is incomprehensible to mere humans. I think it renders the value of the auto-bottom-disappearing in the other sense (academia per se) much lesser because it is so impenetrable to the people who could benefit from it.

Not all academics, of course.

Re: Suggested amends

[bluedevi.livejournal.com]

I do know what you meant - and to be fair to this lot (people who wrote papers on theory of education for a conference) very few of them are being wilfully obscure. In fact, I've been able to pinch a lot of their ideas to apply to my own teaching. They just can't flipping write.

Except, ironically, the guy whose paper I took the photo of. His paper is a marvel of lucidity and clarity. And he's Swedish, so no one else has any excuse.

Re: Suggested amends

[specialknives.livejournal.com]

Theory of education you say? Exactly my area.

I have edited some great education writers. And some terrible ones.

Which university?

Re: Suggested amends

[bluedevi.livejournal.com]

(Actually, comment deleted because I want free rein to slag them off in public :) )

Re: Suggested amends

[triskellian]

Muahaha. And many and various other comments, most of which you can imagine!

Re: Suggested amends

[specialknives.livejournal.com]

LOL - fair enough.

Re: Suggested amends

[bluedevi.livejournal.com]

Heh - no slagging off the university in the deleted comment, just mentioning its name and the name of the conference. And it's just the writers I wanna be free to take the piss out of.

Though, mind you, that seems to have been enough!

Re: Suggested amends

[triskellian]

Oh god, no criticism intended. I totally feel your pain.