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RE: Options menu names


From: Drew Adams
Subject: RE: Options menu names
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 08:03:21 -0800

I said:
    If "Highlight Syntactically" and "Highlight Syntax" are not
    clear, and "syntax highlighting" is a well-recognized name,
    then the menu item should be called "Toggle Syntax
    Highlighting".  It should not be called "Syntax Highlighting".

FTR - My bad. "Toggle <whatever>" would make sense if there were no
indicator of the current state as part of the menu item. Since we use the
presence or absence of a check mark to indicate the state, I should have
suggested "Use Syntax Highlighting", which says what the item means in the
checked state.

As was pointed out, this particular item is no longer present, but the
example still serves.

"Use" is however a weak verb; it relies on the clarity of the noun that
follows, such as "Syntax Highlighting". If foo is not clear, then neither is
"use foo". Strong, active verbs are generally clearer than weak verbs
because they are more specific - "highlight" is more specific than "use".

"Use Foo"'s advantage over "Foo" is that it is consistent with other items
(parallel construction). "Use" can be used when the wording might be
strained with a stronger verb. Thus: "Use Case-Insensitive Search", "Use
Completion for Query-Replace".

With a noun phrase there is no indication of what the action is. For
instance, "Syntax Highlighting" could be about defining syntax highlighting
(choose what colors to use...). Some languages typically use a noun phrase
where a verb phrase might be used in English. French, for instance, might
use "Modification" where English would use "Edit". Verbs drive English -
"you can verb any noun" is not just a catch phrase.

Admittedly, if a check mark is present, then the toggle nature becomes
clear: although "Syntax Highlighting" is unclear, "[X] Syntax Highlighting"
is clear. Since not all items in the Options menu are toggles, however, the
unchecked state is ambiguous - you must try the item to find out what it
means.

Given that we use a check mark to indicate the state, the main argument in
favor of verb phrases is that parallel structure is easier to read: each
item is implicitly introduced with the same contextual meaning - "click me
to..." (use syntax highlighting, highlight matching parens,...).

This is an argument for consistency, and, no, consistency is not an end in
itself. Sometimes it is clearer to be inconsistent. The point is not to
insert "Use" everywhere to render things 100% parallel. The point is to be
aware of an inconsistency and be sure it is the best choice in context. If
half the items in a menu use verb phrases and half use noun phrases, then it
is likely that some of the noun phrases could profitably be turned into verb
phrases.

Likely, but not sure. And people can disagree about the details - whether a
particular item is clearer than another. Other things being equal (that's an
"if"), consistency helps.






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