Posts in category: Uncategorized

July 8, 2004: Issue 77

SIM Style: Is ‘www’ still fit to print?
All Web addresses published in SIMs should begin with either “www” or “http:// .”

I know many of you are eager to drop the “www,” and I know some other publications have done so. But don’t be too quick to jump on this bandwagon: The issue is more complicated than it appears on the surface. We’ve arrived at this style after researching the technical aspects and consulting with IT. For the time being, this style provides the best service to your readers.

The computer world is still trying to figure this out. There’s actually a pretty good debate going. We will periodically evaluate this style as the technology changes, and we may at some point revise it once we’re confident reader service won’t suffer. But not yet.

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July 22, 2004: Issue 78

SIM Style: Just dial 800/SAY-WHAT?
When we publish phone numbers like 555-SILK or 555-TILE, we may think we’re helping readers by giving them a handy way to remember those numbers. If we were producing 30-second television or radio spots, that might be the case.

But our readers don’t need tricks to trigger their memories—because they don’t need to remember phone numbers at all. The numbers are printed right in front of them. Making readers hunt down the appropriate buttons on their telephone keypads can actually create frustration.

Try it out. Tell a friend to dial 800/4-KOHLER while you dial 800/456-4537 and see who connects first.

When it comes to phone numbers, make them just that—numbers.

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January 31, 2002: Issue 8

SIM STYLE: Fee, fi, faux, fum
The French word “faux,” meaning “false,” shows up in nearly every SIM at one time or another. But when used without the necessary qualifiers, it can convey unintended meanings. To say an item features a “faux finish,” for example, means the finish itself isn’t real. Always specify the material emulated, and you’ll avoid this faux pas.
incorrect: The mantel’s faux finish lends an air of elegance.
correct: The mantel’s faux-marble finish lends an air of elegance.

GRAMMAR: Terrible twos
“Couple” can be singular or plural, depending on usage and what sounds most natural. Just don’t mix and match. In each given situation, pick one and be consistent.
incorrect: The couple enjoys [singular] the new space; they [plural] say the style suits them.
correct: The couple enjoy [plural] the new space; they [plural] say the style suits them.

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February 24, 2005: Issue 80

SIM Style: Use! With! Caution!
Contrary to popular belief, copy editors do not strike every exclamation point they see. We do, however, believe exclamation points are like fine perfumes: Used sparingly, they draw attention. But overused, they turn people off, and fast. Before you use an exclamation point, ask yourself, Is this statement worth yelling across the room? And never use more than one exclamation point at a time.

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March 2, 2005: Issue 81

SIM Style: French twist

This is a change in SIM style: To conform with standard design industry usage, we’ll refer to the style rooted in rural France as “country French” (no longer “French country”) beginning with fall 2005 issues.

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December 6, 2007: Issue 216

A suffix can change a noun to an adjective. Function becomes functional, for instance. Instinct becomesinstinctive.

To take the word back to its noun form, delete the suffix. Don’t just tack another one on.

incorrect: Built-in storage packs a room with functionality.
correct: Built-in storage packs a room with function.

incorrect: Her instinctiveness told her something was wrong.
correct: Her instinct told her something was wrong.

Next week: More suffix pileups to avoid.

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August 28, 2008: Issue 253

As the nation turns its attention to Denver, we turn ours to some grammatical quirks at the top of the Democratic ticket.

In his first speech as the vice presidential nominee, Joe Biden demonstrated a fondness for the word literally.To his credit, he used the word correctly. (It means actually. It’s not simply a word of emphasis.) Still, three times in one paragraph and twice in one sentence is a bit much for any adverb. By the eighth time he said it, we were paying more attention to that word than to the content of his speech.

The presidential nominee, Barack Obama, has a habit of repeating the word is unnecessarily. Some examples, all actual quotes from Obama:

• “The truth is, is that our challenge is to get people persuaded that we can make progress when theres not evidence of that in their daily lives.”
• “The fact is, is that Im mindful that weve got to keep our capital gains tax to a point where we can actually get more revenue.”
• “Part of my message is, is that both sides of the Atlantic are going to have to do some hard work.”

In all those cases, a single linking verb is enough:

• The truth is that our challenge is …
• The fact is that I’m mindful …
• Part of my message is that …

We believe in equal time here at Style on the Go. The Republicans’ turn is coming.

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SIM STYLE: How do I credit multiple photographers on one spread?
SIM has adopted the following style (please note punctuation and italicization):
Photographers: above, Ross Chapple; right and far right, Jay Graham; below, Jim Hedrich, Hedrich-Blessing.

For more information, see credits section in the SIM stylebook or Issue 63.

GRAMMAR: Is there a difference between e.g. and i.e.?
Yes. “E.g.” is short for the Latin exempli gratia, which means “for example.”
“I.e.” is much more specific, short for the Latin id est, meaning “that is.” Both phrases should be set off with commas.
 correct: Several Craftsman characteristics distinguish the home, e.g., clean lines and geometric patterns.
correct: One feature stands out in the foyer, i.e., the majestic Palladian window.

While these abbreviations can establish an air of authority in somewhat
technical writing, they tend to sound pretentious in conversational writing. Use them sparingly.

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February 7, 2002: Issue 9

SIM STYLE: The 411 on phone numbers
SIM style uses a slash, not parentheses, to set off area codes in phone numbers. Omit the initial 1 that signifies long-distance and toll-free numbers.
However, do include the 011, set off by a slash, to signify an international number.
incorrect: 1-800-474-5568
incorrect: (800) 474-5568
correct: 800/474-5568
correct: 011/44-870-1600-333

It’s also SIM style to use numerals, not letters, in phone numbers. Acronyms can be helpful for remembering phone numbers, but readers seeing a number in print need not rely on memory. Forcing them to search for letters on the keypad is probably more frustrating than it is helpful.
incorrect: 800/845-SILK
correct: 800/845-7455

For more information, see Telephone numbers in the Numbers section of the SIM stylebook.

GRAMMAR: A(n) obvious choice
In most cases, the choice between the articles “a” and “an” is clear. But for those words that muddy the waters, pay more attention to how the word sounds than how it is spelled in choosing the proper article. Use “a” if the word starts with a sounded h (as in history or hotel) or a long u (as in university or European). Use “an” if the word starts with a silent h (as in hour or honor) or a short u (as in uncle or umbrella).
incorrect: Tucked into an historical area
correct: Tucked into a historical area

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