02-22-2012, 10:31 PM
Author’s Intent doesn’t matter, and other inanities.
People are fond of saying that the intent of the author does not matter. Of course it matters. It matters a great deal if I write bog, when I intended to write dog.
“I have had my bog for ten years and he is getting where he can’t see well.”
“His mind was as crooked
as a bog’s hind…”
The thing is that people are fond of picking up these sayings, and then repeating them without ever considering the impact; often offering them up as though fact.
I would ask people to consider what they say before they say it. The intent of a site like this is to help people become better writers; spreading misinformation does not help in that endeavor.
There are other catch phrases like this I could point out, but I will limit myself to this one and allow someone else to highlight another.
Dale
People are fond of saying that the intent of the author does not matter. Of course it matters. It matters a great deal if I write bog, when I intended to write dog.
“I have had my bog for ten years and he is getting where he can’t see well.”
“His mind was as crooked
as a bog’s hind…”
The thing is that people are fond of picking up these sayings, and then repeating them without ever considering the impact; often offering them up as though fact.
I would ask people to consider what they say before they say it. The intent of a site like this is to help people become better writers; spreading misinformation does not help in that endeavor.
There are other catch phrases like this I could point out, but I will limit myself to this one and allow someone else to highlight another.
Dale
How long after picking up the brush, the first masterpiece?
The goal is not to obfuscate that which is clear, but make clear that which isn't.
The goal is not to obfuscate that which is clear, but make clear that which isn't.