advanced technology for clear documentation - simplified technical english

Advanced Technology for Clear Documentation

SimplifiedTechnicalEnglish3rd edition

Simplified Technical English Advanced Technology for Clear Documentation


Simplified Technical English3rd edition

PART I Introduction

Published by Tedopres International B.V., the Netherlands, 2010

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CIP DATA ROYAL LIBRARY, THE HAGUE

André N. Verduijn2010, © Tedopres International B.V., Best, the Netherlands

Published by Tedopres International B.V., Best, 2010

Simplified Technical English 3rd editionAdvanced Technology for Clear Documentation

ISBN/EAN : 978-90-807094-5-4Initiator : André N. VerduijnAuthors : Berry Braster

André N. Verduijn Editor : Berry BrasterProof-reader : Petra van Dongen

Alexandra ArtsGraphic Designer : Piet le FeberIllustrator : Theo van KampenPrinting / Binding : Stige, Torino, Italia

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in an electronic database, or made public in any way or form, whether electronically, mechanically, by photocopying or any other means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

This is a publication of Tedopres International B.V., Best,the Netherlands. Tedopres International B.V. produces technical documentation. The purpose of this publication is to inform interested parties about developments in the field of simplified language use: writing and reading. The publisher would welcome it if this publication were also to serve an educational purpose.In acquiring the illustrations, Tedopres International B.V. has done its very best to identify all copyright holders. Those who still believe they have certain rights are requested to contact the publisher.

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Table of Contents

PART I Introduction 5CIP DATA ROYAL LIBRARY, THE HAGUE 7Misunderstandings and disasters 10Introduction 12Initiative 13

PART II The history of written languages 15In the beginning 17Putting it down in writing 18Earlier languages: Sumeria 19Earlier languages: Egypt 21From hieroglyphs onward 22Earlier languages: Cuneiform 25Writing routine changes cuneiform 26Earlier languages: Native American 30Earlier languages: The Inca Empire 32What history tells us 34The development of Standard English 35How the printer’s craft contributed to the development of Standard English 38The Industrial Revolution 39Globalisation 39

PART III Simplifying Technical English 41Simplifying a language is not an easy task 43Previous attempts to control English 45Caterpillar develops into a global company with its own controlled language 47ILSAM 51Unambiguous language use in aerospace: 52the development of ASD Simplified Technical English 52Simplified Technical English and structured authoring 57Other industries are joining in 59Simplified Technical English explained 59

PART IV Simplified Technical English in practice 61How to implement Simplified Technical English 63Dictionaries 65The basic Simplified Technical English dictionary 65HyperSTE Features 69

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Simplified Technical English in practice: industry examples 72Example Medical Industry 76Example avionics industry 78Benefits of Simplified Technical English & HyperSTE 82Cost savings 82Simplified Technical English, an ideal source for translation 82Automated translation 83Experiences from the industry 90Simplified Technical English in Russia By Valery Strekoz 92Make it simple By Karen Toast Conger 94The world a safer place … 97

PART V Simplifying the entire information process 99Optimising information processes 101Structure as a basis 102Information creation and reuse 102Structure from the start 102Illustrations 103Simplified Technical Illustrations 104HyperSTI – Simplified Technical Illustration software 104Efficiency 104Combining Simplified Technical Illustrations and Simplified Technical English 108Benefits Simplified Technical Illustrations 109Content Management 110Reuse for various manuals 110Reuse for various end users 110XML 111Content Management System (CMS) 111HyperDoc 112

PART VI Acknowledgements and references 115Register 117A shorter introduction to English literature 121References 123Company profile 124Mission Statement & Vision 125Partners & Memberships 126Memberships 127Offices: 128

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Misunderstandings and disasters

We live in the age of globalisation. Virtually all fields of industry cater for a global market, while manufacturing is also internationalised. On our small planet roughly 6000 languages are spoken, not counting dialects. In addition, since the invention of the wheel, technicians have developed an extensive technical vocabulary of their own. And in all the specific sciences people speak and write their own jargon.Therefore, it will surprise no one that this situation has led to lack of comprehension and has caused misunderstandings, misinterpretations and calamities, sometimes with fatal results.

As companies worldwide increasingly need to deal with people speaking different languages, while products and processes become more and more complex, there is an evident need for clear and effective communication and documentation.

A controlled language is neededAs a result, in the twentieth century linguists and manufacturers from various industries exerted themselves to construct a single, internationally applicable, “controlled language”. The development process of this language started in the 1930’s and still continues to the present day.

Today there are a few controlled languages available. For instance, ASD Simplified Technical English (formerly AECMA Simplified English), initiated by the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), Caterpillar’s Technical English (CTE) and the International Language for Service and Maintenance (ILSAM). For the purpose of this book, we will be using “Simplified Technical English” as a generic term, except when specifically referring to “ASD Simplified Technical English”.

Simplified Technical English is based on the English language as this is the most commonly used language in global communication. Furthermore, Simplified Technical English, as the name implies, focuses on technical text, and facilitates global communication, as it results in clear and concise text, that is understandable also for people who have a limited knowledge of the English language.

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As there is the increasing demand from customers who require technical documentation to be translated into their native language, using Simplified Technical English as a source can help save considerable translation costs. Where necessary, it even provides an excellent basis for computer-aided or automated translation.

This book gives a short overview of the history of written language in general and of the development and implementation of controlled language in particular. We hope that you will find it interesting to learn how complex information can be conveyed with a clear and easy-to-understand language.

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Introduction

The necessity for a clear unambiguous language for technical documents is obvious and Simplified Technical English has been created to fill this need. With its controlled lexicon and grammar rules aiming to keep writing straightforward and uncomplicated, this style of expression is already used in many areas of industry and business.

We now have computer software at our disposal which can analyse the language of our written documents and tells us at the flick of a button the different words used and their frequency, or give us all collocations in a body of text of any word we select. With such powerful tools we can today more easily apply the ideas of Simplified Technical English to our sphere of communication.

At a time when, in the European Union at least, we are moving towards a multiplicity of languages with all the complexity of translation and interpretation this entails, it is timely that the virtues of having just one language tailored for ease of communication be explained.

Fiona A. Robertson President of the International Aviation English Association Paris

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Initiative

The wish to write a book about controlled language is not without reason. During discussions with numerous experts, I noticed that it is not so easy to explain the significance of a new, universal language for documentation.

From more to less Through education, many have familiarised themselves with the richness of various languages. People have discovered the beauty of their native language and of foreign languages. So, at first it may seem difficult to relinquish such a wealth of knowledge. Languages actually can be reduced to a remarkable simplicity, without losing the power of communicating comprehensibly. Although it is not a human characteristic to want to go from more to less, writers and readers who already work with a controlled language fully realise its power.

A saying There is an old saying that illustrates the power of simplicity: ‘simplicity shows the master’. A skilled illustrator is able to sketch the essentials of a situation with only a few lines, whereas a poet can evoke a large scale of emotions with only a few words. The same goes for the use of Simplified Technical English. With fewer possibilities to choose from, communication becomes clearer. So in fact there is more.

Working for you with pleasure We, the initiator and a number of Tedopres International B.V. employees, have enjoyed working together to tell you more about Simplified Technical English. By reading this book you will get familiar with the possibilities of a controlled language. And with the advantages it has to offer you and your company.

André Verduijn President of Tedopres International B.V.

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Meet Mr. Language and Ms. Information*

To illustrate this book, we have chosen two recognisable figures who were also present in previous editions of this book. These little characters will illustrate the text and support the contents.

Keep a close watch on Mr. Language and Ms. Information, they will guide you.

* Mr. Language and Ms. Information are property of Tedopres International B.V.

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PART II The history of written languages


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Spectacular cave paintings marked the birth of a world-shattering

phenomenon: writing. The significance of these paintings is still

uncertain.

The explanations for their nature differ. They could have something to

do with magic, maybe they were intended for amusement or perhaps

they were the first historical documents. One thing is certain though,

cave paintings were images intended to communicate something.

In the beginning

After the last Ice Age, around 10,000 BC, the world population increased. Fertile regions in the Middle East, like Mesopotamia and Egypt, became more densely populated. Until that time, most peoples were nomadic. But from that time, the peoples settled down and developed from nomads into farmers. Crops were sown and the harvests were traded. Eventually these peoples began to build towns and permanent housing. To guide and control their developing society, rules and agreements were introduced.

Need for measures and systems All these activities led to a need for other means of communication, besides spoken language. People developed measures for length and volume. The measurement units they used were simple. They restricted themselves to the tried and tested parts of their own body: fingers, thumbs and feet. Gradually, counting systems came into use. At first, a distinction was made between the “digits” one, two and many. But the use of ‘many’ led to misunderstandings. One of the first counting systems was based solely on ‘one and two’. So the product of three was two plus one. The product of five was two plus two plus one.

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Putting it down in writing

Clay was most commonly used to record data. The countless clay stones, tablets and envelopes that have been found by archaeologists give us a good image of the way in which administration and accountancy were conducted in these days. These findings mark the beginning of the development of the first written languages.

A clay tablet and a clay envelope

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Written languages appeared at various times in history and in various

parts of the world. Around 1700 BC, the Chinese ideogram appeared.

Roughly a thousand years later, the Mayans developed a completely

different form of writing on the other side of the world. The art of

writing is therefore called an independent invention.

Earlier languages: Sumeria

Sumeria Before the people of Asia Minor started writing, they already had a need for methods to record their business affairs. Their administration consisted of a sort of bookkeeping with three-dimensional objects: clay stones. This primitive method can be considered as the predecessor of the later writing systems.

seat robe robe wool sheep ewe

The markings on the clay stones indicate certain values. Both rows show the same signs. The first row shows the symbols on stones (three-dimensional). The second row shows the written symbols (two-dimensional).

Stones with symbols For a long period of time, from 10,000 BC onwards, people used stones in a variety of shapes to record written data. These stones were shaped like balls, disks, squares, cylinders, cones or rectangles. All stones were marked with symbols. Each symbol had a meaning and indicated ‘what’ it was about: sheep, chair, wool, bread, cow, etc. The number of stones matched the quantity: units, measures or weights. For counting abstract matters, they had stones that only expressed a number.

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1 10 10 100 or 3600 3600 1 60 600

Stones for numbers. Both rows show the same signs. The first row shows stones with signs (three-dimensional). The second row shows the written signs (two-dimensional).

At the beginning of the third millennium BC, trade increased enormously. Production, stock taking, shipping, taxation and salary administration imposed new demands on traditional bookkeeping. This development came to expression in the increasing number of symbols. The variation in the shape of the stones also extended greatly.

dog grain lion

Increasing trade demanded innovation. This resulted in stones with new symbols and shapes.

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Archaeological finds indicate that the development of Egyptian icons

started around 3400 BC. These icons were the predecessors of the

later hieroglyphs. Before that time there was only spoken language.

Earlier languages: Egypt

Breakthrough Written language evolved from attempts to develop a means of accounting. Ancient Egyptians tried to keep track of their live stock, for instance. Therefore they started counting with stripes and collecting these stripes into numbers. They then recorded these numbers on clay tablets, stone or papyrus. This was an important breakthrough for the development of writing.

The digits 1 to 10 in hieroglyphics

Hieroglyphs for larger numbers

The use of stripes presumably originated in the depiction of extended fingers. Right to this very day fingers are used to learn counting. The Latin word for finger is ‘digit’ and this word is still used in modern languages.

Symbols for words The Ancient Egyptians discovered that individual words could be represented by individually stylised symbols. This form of writing was quite straight-forward: - the image of a sitting man signified ‘sitting man’;- the image of an eye signified ‘eye’.

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Sitting man Eye

This visual language is the predecessor of the hieroglyphic writing that the Egyptians used for a long time. This written language steadily became more complex, mostly due to assigning additional meanings to existing icons. Where at first the depiction of an eye solely signified an eye, later on it also meant ‘sight’. Thus a sitting man with his hand by his mouth could be interpreted in many ways: call, complain, thirst, whisper, swallow, bite, etcetera.

Sitting man with his hand by his mouth

From hieroglyphs onward

Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphs were mainly used as inscriptions on religious objects, such as temple walls and coffins. The term ‘hieroglyph’ is deducted from two Greek words: ‘hieros’ meaning holy and ‘glypho’ meaning inscription. When using hieroglyphs to write on papyrus or linen, people gradually wanted to actually ‘write’, rather than ‘draw’ their text.

By trying to write hieroglyphs quicker, the symbols used became more and more distorted. The symbols grew from mainly pictorial signs towards a sort of stenography called ‘hieratic’.

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Hieratic characters

By writing in hieratic, people still used a brush to write. To write even quicker, they started using a pen. And by using a different ‘tool’ for writing, the characters they wrote changed along. The characters grew even more abstract and evolved from ‘stenography’ into actual characters. This type of writing is called ‘demotic’.

Demotic

These three ‘types’ of writing did not evolve one out of the other, but existed along side of each other for a long period of time. All three were applied in different situations, depending mainly on the time a writer had available for his writing and the purpose that his text served.

The Stone of Rosette The Stone of Rosette is a basalt slab measuring 114 x 72 x 28 cm. It was found in 1799 in the small Egyptian village of Rosette, located in the western Nile delta. The stone contains the inscriptions of a single text in three different scripts.

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The Stone of Rosette

The text on The Stone of Rosette appears in hieroglyphs, demotic, and Greek. The representation of a single text in three different script variants enabled the French scholar Jean François Champollion to decipher hieroglyphs in 1822.

Today the Stone of Rosette is kept at the British Museum in London.

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Around 2000 BC, the Asiatic peoples were in turmoil due to extensive

migrations. From the Far East they migrated to the West: to Persia and

Anatolia. In the same period the Semitic peoples came to Mesopotamia.

The Acadians ultimately assumed the power in Mesopotamia.

They started to write their own language in the existing Sumerian

cuneiform.

Earlier languages: Cuneiform

Learning another language The age of the migration of people was a troubled time, in which tribal conflicts and wars had the upper hand. The migrations dispersed all sorts of languages and led to increasing language confusion. The independent cultures and various languages as such continued to exist. But alongside these, people had to learn to understand and read the language of possible intruders or oppressors. Even if it was for no other reason than that laws, government, trade, taxes, banking, etcetera, all used the language of the oppressor.

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Meaning Original Cuneiform Early Assyrian pictogram pictogram Babylonian writing writing

A few examples of the development of cuneiform writing from pictogram to Assyrian writing.

Writing routine changes cuneiform

In the third millennium BC, the Sumerians already wrote their ideograms with a certain routine. Because the ideographs were pressed into the soft clay with the slanted edge of the stylus, the curved lines disappeared. As a result, the ideographs developed into collections of nail-shaped stripes: cuneiform. Finally the ideographs disappeared and pure Assyrian cuneiform remained.

Bird

Fish

Cow

Grain

Orchard

Ploughingcultivating

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Hammurabi’s rule One of the finest examples of cuneiform writing is the Code of Hammurabi. Hammurabi was the most famous of all Babylonian kings (approx. 1728 to 1686 BC). He brought the whole of Mesopotamia under one rule. From that moment until the beginning of our calendar, Babylon remained the political and cultural centre of the whole of Asia Minor.

The Code of Hammurabi is inscribed on a stele of black diorite stone. The stele measures 2.25 m in height and 1.8 m in circumference. It was discovered during excavations at Susa, in 1902.

The top of the stele is engraved with picture of Shamash, the sun god. Shamash is seated on a throne handing a sceptre and ring to Hammurabi. This symbolises the divine origin of the Hammurabi Code.

The Code of Hammurabi is kept at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

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Writing changes, but the message remains One of Hammurabi’s laws perfectly illustrates how the content -the message - of written language survived for many centuries while the writing itself changed. In the cuneiform from 1700 BC, we can still see a combination of nail-shaped stripes and ideographs. In the translation into Assyrian signs, around 700 BC, we see pure cuneiform without ideograph or pictogram.

The development from pictogram to cuneiform

The same law, represented in two different forms of writing: on the left

pictograms and cuneiform shapes (1700 BC), on the right Assyrian cuneiform

(700 BC).

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±1700 bc pictograms ±700 bc and cuneiform shapes

If a merchant

to a trade name

silver as a loan

has given

(and) where he went

loss

has seen

the price of the silver

he must hand back.

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History tells us how language has become an important verhicle

of culture.

By studying history carefully, we can form an impression of the future.

Earlier languages: Native American

At present, virtually no-one one writes in ideographs and cuneiform anymore. Certain written and spoken languages fall into disuse and disappear with the passage of time. A language is thus not only tied to a certain culture, but also to a specific time. Language is a phenomenon that develops in conjunction with the needs of a specific civilisation.

Signs are also language Several archaeological schools of thought believe that various types of writing owe their origin to drawings. How signs can tell a story can be seen from an image story from the North American Sioux Indians. The story is composed of pictograms and ideograms. Pictograms are signs that actually depict a tangible subject: ‘buffalo’ or ‘meat’, for example. Ideograms are signs that are more abstract and that depict less concrete subjects: ‘White Beaver’ or ‘two years’, for example.

Today’s signs Signs, especially pictograms, are still used in our time. In factories, offices, airports and public buildings we find all sorts of signs that tell us something. Even traffic signs are considered pictograms. Although it would be hard to write an entire story using only pictograms, these signs are little stories in their own right. The use of pictograms and signs in general is so common, that we do not realise what a great part of our daily lives is governed by these signs.

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A story from North American Sioux IndiansThe entire story is composed of pictograms and ideograms. The story starts in the middle.

1. Two brothers, the one the chief called Spotted Elk and the other called White Beaver, lived through a severe winter.

2. Three members of their tribe froze to death. 3. During the great famine, their women hungered and a two-year-old daughter

contracted whooping cough. 4. The medicine man came, but the daughter of White Beaver died and

everyone had much grief. 5. The chief visited the wise man of the village and learned that the sun would

come soon. 6. The weather would improve. The buffalo would come close to the camp.

There would be food in abundance. 7. Three days later the sentries did indeed see the buffalo. 8. They gathered a great quantity of meat that they hung to dry on sticks. 9. They held a feast, but did not forget to put a flag on the grave of the young girl.

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When studying the history of language, it often seems that the need

for administration and bookkeeping marks the beginning of the

development of a way of writing. We thus find such a development in

the great civilisations of the Andes, of which the Inca Empire was the

last. Around 1000 BC, a system of knotted cords called ‘quipus’ was

used.

Earlier languages: The Inca Empire

The ‘quipu’ was a quite sophisticated way of bookkeeping. A quipu could indicate precisely how much was paid in taxes, for example. Even after many years this information would still be available. The Incas could also keep an eye on supplies using quipus. Heads of livestock and quantities of gold and silver were also accurately recorded by tying knots. Even the Spanish conquerors were impressed by this reliable administration system.

An Inca inspects his storage rooms and receives a bookkeeping overview, a fully corrected quipu, from his accountant.

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A quipu, as it was used in the Inca Empire. Quipus consist of knotted cotton cords. Combinations of flat knots, figure-of-eight knots and slipknots were used. The knots were tied from top to bottom in decreasing value. To classify their bookkeeping, the Incas used cords in different colours.

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What history tells us

Language is based on mutual agreement Illustrated by stories from the past, it is now quite clear that each culture that existed in the last 5000 years experienced an independent development of spoken and written language. The diversity of the systems and languages discussed so far indicates that the proper use of a language should start with mutual agreement. A sign, groove, print, gesture, knot or stone only has a meaning, as long as this meaning is agreed upon.

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At the end of the Middle-Ages, the activities of Geoffrey Chaucer

(approx. 1340-1400) made an important contribution to the

development of written English.

A century later, when the Renaissance reached its peak an event took

place that would have a profound effect for years to come: this was the

time in which Gutenberg produced his first printing press. The printers’

craft spread quickly throughout Europe. This marked the start for the

development of mass communication media.

The development of Standard English

Geoffrey Chaucer was a poet and writer and had connections in the English Court. Due to his knowledge of Europe and various languages, he was regularly sent on government commissions to Flanders, Italy and France. As a writer, his work is generally divided into three periods: the French period, the Italian period and the period in which

he wrote his best known masterpiece “The Canterbury Tales”. Chaucer wrote prose, with a beauty that sometimes becomes briefly visible in a word or a few lines, but nevertheless leaves a deep impression on the reader.

An illustration from the story: ‘The Knight’ by Geoffrey Chaucer. That language already played an important role in those days becomes evident from the writer’s story. Somewhere, halfway through the story he writes the following: “He had fought in many battles, yet he was ‘as meek as is a mayde’. Bad language he never used …”.

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Chaucer is also known for is interest in the writing of technical texts, such as a treatise of the ‘astrolabe’, an ancient astronomical instrument. He also translated a few works of the Roman philosopher, scientist and statesman Boethius.

The astrolabe, an angle gauge made of copper, was made by an astrologer from Baghdad, Ibn al-Husayan bin Ahmad.

The works of Chaucer were certainly influenced by the literary, sometimes poetic, qualities of both Arabic and Latin manuscripts. Chaucer is considered to be an influential Renaissance writer and is therefore also considered to be the founder of Standard English.

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A new era of communication A century later, the Renaissance had ended. Leonardo da Vinci (1453-1519), an extremely gifted artist, researcher, inventor and writer, then made a statement about text and writing. His statement looked almost like a warning for the future. As if he already felt that the complexity of language was a fact of ever increasing importance.

He wrote: “An attempt to describe mankind in all his dimensions and proportions, the form of limbs and all functions in detail, solely with words must be discouraged. The reader will become increasingly more confused as the writer describes more and more detail. It is absolutely essential to draw as well as to write.”

The Vitruvian Man illustrates Da Vinci’s study on human anatomy and physical proportions. Five centuries later we can only conclude that Da Vinci’s vision was remarkably accurate.

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How the printer’s craft contributed to the development of Standard English The discovery of book printing made it possible for many people throughout the world to learn how to read and write. From 1500 onwards, there has been a noticeable progress in the field of technology and communication.

But printing was already known before that time. A print has been discovered that was based on a woodcut from China. The illustration belongs to a Chinese translation of a Sanskrit text. This print dates from the year 868 AD.

Old woodcut, China, 868 AD, “The Learning Buddha”.

The printer’s craft spread rapidly throughout Europe. The Bible was the first book that became widely available. From then on, everyone could now peruse the contents to form their own opinion. Since then, the quantity of print increased and printed media have grown to play a significant part in our lives.

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The Industrial Revolution Ever since the art of printing was used throughout the world, developments succeeded one another rapidly. Due to The Industrial Revolution (1850), this flow of developments received an additional impulse. The Industrial Revolution led to an enormous expansion in mass production.

During the past five hundred years countless new products were invented. Over that same period of time all sorts of scientific and industrial specialisations arose. These developments caused the creation of new terminology. But the variety and diversity in terms and jargon words also created increasing language confusion and misunderstandings. This, of course, is a breeding place for chaos.

One conclusion is that people can easily be confused by the multiple meanings and synonyms that words can have, as well as by complex sentence structures. But if we look closer at the users of technical information, we can also conclude that in today’s world of globalisation our audience has changed, and we need to adapt to that.

GlobalisationOver the past decades products and processes have become more complex, while companies worldwide increasingly export their products and consequently having to deal with different markets and different languages.

English is the main language used for technical documentation, but we are often required to provide the documentation in the official language of the countries to which we export to. However, if the English (which is very often used as a source language for translations) is difficult to understand and sometimes ambiguous, we can’t expect the translations to be perfect either. They are bound to contain errors, ambiguity and misinterpretations due to the issues in the original.

Therefore, in order to avoid confused and frustrated consumers, but more importantly to avoid the risk of dangerous situations, damage and sometimes even product liability claims, we need to:1. Provide our audience with information in his/her language2. At his/her educational level3. Using unambiguous terminology that he/she understands

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Today, we have a language at our disposal that allows us to write technical documentation that is clear to read, write and understand: Simplified Technical English. The next chapter of this book tells all about its origin, development, and success.

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PART III Simplifying Technical English


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Simplifying a language is not an easy task

If we were to simplify a language, to make it easy to read, write, and understand, why choose English? The answer is quite simple: of all languages, English is the most widely spread language throughout the world. This distribution started when England established colonies in many parts of the world. Later on, the industry and international business ensured further spread. Nowadays, in a major part of the world, students learn English as a second language to their native language.

English is the major language in most industries. It has grown to become the language mostly used for writing technical documentation and for international communications in general. Therefore, it was an obvious choice to use English as a basis for a simplified language.

Many meanings In English, many words may have multiple meanings. The word ‘axis’, for example, means: 1. a straight line around which a body rotates;2. the second vertebra of the neck;3. a main line of direction;4. a wild animal found in India.

An inventive writer might even succeed in combining these meanings into a single sentence: “Turning on his axis, he grasped the axis along its axis and snapped its neck at the axis.” This example shows how much confusion there can be. Most people reading this sentence would have to reach for the dictionary to unravel part of this linguistic puzzle. Even by doing so, the puzzler is not likely to get any certainty about the actual meaning. The dictionary actually gives a lot more possible meanings than the four variations selected. In a random dictionary ‘axis’ is mentioned 11 times as an entry. One of these entries has 4 different meanings. At another of these entries there are another 4 different meanings. The other 9 entries also have multiple meanings.

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Potential confusion Communication should not be a problem, as long as we all stick to the agreements. But because language is a living phenomenon and a certain word sometimes acquires another, an extra or a new meaning, the agreements must be revised regularly.

In our world of globalisation this is of great importance. If people all over the world wish to understand what they are reading, one unambiguous language is needed. A single language, in which each word has only one meaning and in which each word is only one part of speech. One word must no longer give rise to any misunderstandings. A word must be functional. The meaning of a word must no longer be derived from the context as in this example:

- terminal as in terminal building, a place where passengers or cargo are loaded or unloaded

- terminal meaning computer workstation- terminal meaning an electrical connection point

In a simplified language, the word bolt should be used in only one way. The other possibilities are no longer valid for example:- the sound made the horse bolt- a bolt of cloth- a bolt of lightning

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In history, there have been several attempts to produce a version

of controlled English. This chapter describes some of the major

developments.

Previous attempts to control English

The creation of BASIC English by Ch. K. Ogden Charles Kay Ogden made the first attempt to provide the world with a controlled version of the English language that would be easier to understand. In 1932 he published his basic language: ‘BASIC English’. In this respect BASIC means: British, American, Scientific, International Commercial. Ogden developed a system with rules and a simple grammar. His BASIC English contained 850 words that could be learned within a month. In the early 1930’s, the system was approved by the Orthological Institute as the International Second Language. Under the leadership of E.C. Graham, preparations were made at this institute to further elaborate the system. The rules and grammar of BASIC English were defined and the entirety was published in book form with an official list of words.

Ogden’s basic word list

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In order to arrive at a simple and clear base language, a list of basic words was compiled, where the words had to meet previously determined requirements. The three criteria for the word selection in Ch. K. Ogden’s word list were: - actions; - things; - quality.

The system contained: - 100 words related to an action; - 600 words concerning things (of which 400 general and 200 pictured); - 150 words falling under the concept quality (of which 100 general and

50 opposites).

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Let’s look at the years, from 1850 onwards, in which the Industrial

Revolution showed its true colours. In France, England and America,

pioneers were experimenting with steam engines. Gradually, trains

were used and the car was invented. In America, around 1890, two

pioneers, Benjamin Holt and Daniel Best, were working independently

on the manufacture of farming machinery.

Caterpillar develops into a global company with its own controlled language

The first tracked tractor In the 1890’s, farmers were not entirely happy with their horse-driven machines. Horses sank deep into the sodden ground, so that they completely churned up the top layer. Benjamin Holt developed a steam engine tractor with a track construction instead of broad steel wheels. The test he held on November 24, 1904, exceeded his expectations. The first usable tracked tractor was born: Caterpillar.

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No knowledge of the English language Shortly thereafter, the fame of the tracked tractor spread throughout the world. Manufacture, sales and export gained momentum and soon Caterpillar exported its products to all the corners of the world. The instructions and manuals that accompanied these products were written in English. However, maintenance and repair had to be carried out on-site, often by the local population. Moreover, most of the tracked tractors were used in places where no-one spoke English.

From BASIC English to a language for all the corners of the world In 1970, Caterpillar developed Caterpillar Fundamental English (CFE). In many ways this language was similar to Ogden’s BASIC English. The similarity with BASIC English was the limited number of words. The difference was that Caterpillar simplified its own version of ‘technical writing’ with it. The result was that non-English speaking dealers, mechanics and drivers in all the corners of the world could better understand the technical documents.

This remarkable outlook on providing service has contributed to Caterpillar growing into a global company. In fact, Caterpillar is the largest supplier of a variety of earth-moving machinery today. For Caterpillar, the establishment of its own language yielded various positive results: globalisation, better understanding, optimal co-operation and cost reduction.

In 1972, Caterpillar published ‘A Dictionary of Caterpillar Fundamental English’. The results of this language service were excellent: someone who had never read or spoken a single word of English was able to understand Caterpillar’s Fundamental English within a month.

The development of Caterpillar Technical English (CTE) Thanks to the success of Caterpillar’s Fundamental English (CFE) other major manufacturers also became interested. All of the language developments they subsequently initiated were actually variations, adjustments, additions or changes to Ogden’s principle. Meanwhile, world trade still grew and the English language was increasingly spoken by more and more people. At the same, time the number of different products and accompanying parts still increased too.

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In an attempt to facilitate machine translation, Caterpillar developed a more restrictive controlled language. At the beginning of the 1990’s the company came out with a new controlled language: Caterpillar Technical English (CTE).

The impulse towards automatic machine translation Caterpillar Technical English included 8,000 general words and 50,000 technical terms. These 58,000 words may seem a lot. But actually it was a selection from the approximately 1 million possibilities that were in use by Caterpillar at that time. CTE also included a number of carefully chosen syntax constructions. These constructions were assembled in such a way that they could be translated into 10 other languages easily. With this, Caterpillar gave the impulse to automatic machine translation.

Syntax constructions Caterpillar Technical English was developed at the same time as a number of other controlled or simplified languages. Companies such as Hyster, Eastman/Kodak, Ericsson, Digital, Xerox, IBM and Scania for example were all attempting to standardise English or other languages to some extent. Besides the basic rule “one word = one meaning”, Caterpillar set a second goal: the promotion of good syntax constructions. Syntax is the study of the use of logic and parts of sentences. The wish to promote good syntax constructions therefore applies to ‘the logical sequence of the actions in language’.

The following three examples of pieces of procedural text have roughly the same content and meaning.

1. Example of a random sentence With the cover removed, tighten the screw using an Allen key while

holding the nut with a spanner before replacing the cover.

2. Example of a better syntax While the cover is not fitted, tighten the screw using an Allen key

while holding the nut with a spanner. Refit the cover.

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3. Example of a better syntax and clear style - Remove the cover. - Use a spanner to hold the nut and use an Allen key to tighten the

screw. - Refit the cover.

Although the first example is correct, it is quite difficult to understand. The second example is correct and easier to understand. The third example obviously is easiest to read.

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Using the first Caterpillar CFE language as a model, E.N. White

developed a controlled language for service and maintenance:

the International Language for Service and Maintenance (ILSAM).

ILSAM

ILSAM was characterised by a consistent word use. Research showed which word was the most easily recognised in a specific meaning. Let’s take the words ‘right’ and ‘left’ as examples. Please note that not all meanings of right and left are used in this example.

- Right, as in ‘being correct’. - Right, in the sense of: ‘traffic from the right’. - Right, in the sense of: ‘politically oriented’. - Right, in the meaning of: ‘turning clockwise’. - Right, as in right-handed. - Right is the opposite of left. - Left is the opposite of right. - Left, as in left-handed. - Left, as: ‘being located on the left side’. - Left, in the meaning of: ‘turning counter clockwise’. - Left, in the sense of ‘remaining behind’.

Research shows that ‘left’ and ‘right’ are most often used as opposites. Therefore, in ILSAM the other meanings are excluded.

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Another industry that required an unambiguous language was the

aerospace industry, particularly for maintenance documentation.

English is the most used language for technical documentation in the

aerospace industry. However, many endusers are non-native English

speakers. Especially these endusers are easily confused by complex

sentence structures and by the number of meanings and synonyms of

English words.

Unambiguous language use in aerospace:

the development of ASD Simplified Technical English

Before the 1980’s, some manufacturers in the aerospace industry already made an effort to standardise written technical documentation. McDonnell Douglas had produced a Technical Dictionary, whilst Airbus Industrie had created a list of standard sentences. However, these efforts were individual and were only part of the solution.

In the late 1970’s, the Association of European Airlines (AEA) (i.e. the operators of aircraft) asked AECMA, the European Aerospace Industries Association (i.e. the manufacturers of aircraft, now known as ASD, the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe) to go beyond these individual efforts by investigating the possibilities of creating an industry-wide controlled language. This controlled language would have to standardise both grammar and general vocabulary. And consequently this would result in improved readability of maintenance documentation, especially for non-native speakers. Thanks to the improved readability of texts written in controlled language, the translatability of these texts also improves.

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About ASD ASD (the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe) was established in Paris in 1950 and was until 2004 known as AECMA, which stands for “Association Européenne de Constructeurs de Matériel Aérospatial”, or “The European Association of Aerospace Industries”. ASD assembles all matters of common interest at the level of aircraft/systems, engines, equipment and components. ASD advises in the area of economic, financial, legal and technical problems. ASD is a central organisation that makes a major contribution to the standardisation of products, services and quality standards. Current members of ASD are the national aerospace and defence associations of all members of the European Union. The largest European aerospace and defence companies are ASD members too, and they also form the Council of ASD.

Creating a controlled language for the aerospace industry At the end of the 1970’s AECMA began to investigate existing versions of Controlled English. Based on these findings, AECMA finally decided to develop its own version of Controlled English and named it “AECMA Simplified English”. AECMA asked the Dutch company Fokker to do some initial investigation, which resulted in a list of standardised verbs. After that AECMA set up a project group in 1983. This group included representatives of the AECMA members, these were:

- Fokker (The Netherlands), who chaired the group. - British Aerospace (UK), military division. - Aerospatiale (France), nowadays Airbus France, a subsidiary of

Airbus SAS. - Aermacchi (Italy). - MBB (Germany), later DaimlerBenz and now part of Airbus.

Although the original request for Simplified English came from the civil aircraft industry (AEA), it was clear right from the start that AECMA Simplified English was also applicable to military aircraft. The project group therefore included a member that represented a military aircraft manufacturer. In 1984, the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) of America also joined the group, where McDonnell Douglas made a significant contribution by providing the Technical Dictionary they had worked on.

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The birth of AECMA Simplified EnglishThe combined forces of European and American representatives resulted in the first issue of the AECMA Simplified English Guide in 1986, entitled:AECMA Simplified English, PSC-85-16598 “A Guide for the Preparation of Aircraft Maintenance Documentation in the International Aerospace Maintenance Language”.

After the merger of AECMA with EDIG and EUROSPACE to form AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) in 2004, the Simplified English guide was renamed to ASD Simplified Technical English and became an official specification: ASD-STE100. Later on, it also received European Community Trade Mark No. 004901195, and is now known as:

SIMPLIFIED TECHNICAL ENGLISH, Specification ASD-STE100European Community Trade Mark No. 004901195

International specification for the preparation of maintenance documentation in a controlled language.

At the time of the printing of this booklet, issue 5 in April 2010 is the latest release.

What is ASD Simplified Technical English? ASD Simplified Technical English uses the English language as a basis. However, ASD Simplified Technical English is characterised by a defined set of grammar and syntax rules, and a restricted vocabulary. When writing text for technical documentation in Simplified English, the text becomes concise and more precise. ASD Simplified Technical English is a controlled language. It uses a restricted vocabulary of approximately 1000 words and it has a set of rules that apply to style and syntax.

The need for ASD Simplified Technical English is evident, considering the way in which the complexity of aircraft increased ever since the invention of the aircraft. Parallel to the increase in complexity, the volume of the technical documentation accompanying the aircraft increased.

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The history of ASD Simplified Technical English A brief and not exhaustive overview of the history of ASD Simplified Technical English

1979 The Association of European Airlines (AEA) asks AECMA to investigate the readability of its aircraft manuals.

1980 Fokker offers to develop Simplified English writing rules. 1981 ATA (Air Transport Association of America) discusses

Simplified English with AEA / AECMA. 1982 After analysis of existing texts, a draft list of verbs is

identified. 1983 AIA joins forces with AECMA. 1986 A basic AECMA Simplified English document is issued,

including Simplified English writing rules and dictionary. 1987 ATA iSpec 100 (now ATA iSpec 2200) makes AECMA

Simplified English a mandatory requirement for support documentation on commercial aircraft.

1987-1989 The Simplified English dictionary is extended, a.o. with various examples of terms.

1995 Complete revision of Simplified English Guide and official release of Issue 1 of the Simplified English Guide.

1998 First revision of Issue 1: updates and amendments. 2001 Second revision of Issue 1: updates and amendments.

2004 Complete revision of Issue 1 and official release of Issue 2 of the Simplified English Guide.

2004 Release of Issue 3 with no content changes except that the Simplified English Guide has been renamed to ASD Simplified Technical English and has become an official specification: ASD-STE100.

2007 Release of Issue 4: ASD-STE100 receives European Community Trade Mark No. 004901195 and is renamed to “International specification for the preparation of maintenance documentation in a controlled language”.

2010 Release of Issue 5: extensive modifications, including the approval of some new words and the revision of more than 200 examples in the dictionary.

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ASD Simplified Technical English rules A brief overview of the rules of ASD Simplified Technical English. Please note that this overview is not intended to be exhaustive.

- Use only words that are in the dictionary.- Use the approved words only as the part of speech given and with

the approved meaning of the words. - Make instructions as specific as possible. - Use consistent spelling. - Use the approved forms of verbs only to make:

- An infinitive- An imperative- The simple present tense- The simple past tense- The simple future tense

- Use the active voice, avoid passive verb tenses.- Keep to one topic per sentence.- Keep sentences as short as possible:

- Maximum 20 words in procedural text - Maximum 25 words in descriptive text

- Identify commands correctly, especially in warnings or cautions.

The success of ASD Simplified Technical English ASD Simplified Technical English proved to be a success, resulting in advantages, such as: - Improved readability, resulting in:

- Fewer errors and misunderstandings - Reduced time for maintenance, repair and overhaul - Reduced time for training

- Increased maintainability. - Increased reusability. - Faster, cheaper and better translations, sometimes up to 40% per

language.

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ASD-STE100 required for maintenance documentation in aerospace industryASD Simplified Technical English is currently used by many aerospace manufacturers around the world, like for instance Boeing and Airbus. Aerospace manufacturers as well as their suppliers apply Simplified Technical English to products for both civil and the military purposes.

S1000D and ATA iSpec2200 require ASD Simplified Technical EnglishThe above mentioned advantages have also resulted in ASD Simplified Technical English becoming a requirement for certain standards in the aerospace industry: the ATA (Air Transport Association of America) calls for Simplified Technical English in ATA iSpec 2200 (formerly ATA iSpec 100), for use in preparing technical documentation in support of aircraft maintenance, and so does the S1000D specification.

Simplified Technical English and structured authoring

S1000DThe S1000D specification, another publication of ASD, is produced to establish documentation standards for any civil or military vehicle. It is based on XML for the production and use of electronic documentation. In addition, the S1000D defines a Common Source Data Base (CSDB) to provide source information. This information is used to compile publications and for use in electronic logistics information systems to deliver information modules directly to the user.

DITAS1000D’s equivalent for industries other than aerospace and defence is DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture), an XML-based architecture for authoring, producing, and delivering technical information ASD Simplified Technical English is required by S1000D. In addition, Simplified Technical English facilitates structured authoring standards like S1000D and DITA as it facilitates reusability.

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ASD (AECMA)

Simplified Technical English(The ASD Simplified Technical English Guide, available since 1986)

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Other industries are joining in Although ASD Simplified Technical English was originally intended for aircraft maintenance documentation, and more specifically, for maintenance documentation, several industries outside aerospace, such as the medical, machinery, software, semiconductor, banking and insurance industries have seen the advantages of using a controlled language. This has led to the development of other controlled languages, where in many cases ASD Simplified Technical English is used as a basis.

Simplified Technical English explained

Various aspects are characteristic for the English language: - English knows many forms: speech and writing styles depend on

the country in which the language is taught and used. - Even the most perfect English is difficult to understand if the

grammar is complex and the word use is ambiguous.

Simplified Technical English was developed to prevent misunderstandings and misinterpretations that are caused by language problems. Simplified Technical English helps users to understand technical documentation. Although this particularly applies to non-native speakers, it also benefits native speakers.

How does Simplified Technical English work? Simplified Technical English is a controlled language. It comprises 57 rules that govern the style and grammatical constructions that can be used, as well as general dictionary with approximately 900 approved words and 1500 non-approved words. The rules of Simplified Technical English impose the following on writers:

- Simple syntax.- Approved vocabulary.- Approved meanings for these words, where most words have only

one approved meaning.

The objective of Simplified Technical English is to obtain a brief and above all unambiguous text.

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How Simplified Technical English works in practice The writer will apply rules such as:

- Avoid writing in the passive voice.- Write short and simple sentences. - Limit to one topic per sentence.- Be as specific as possible.- Be consistent.- Only use approved words (general dictionary or approved

nomenclature).

Example This example shows the differences between non-standarised text and text written in Simplified Technical English.

Non-standarised text It is equally important that there should be no seasonal changes in the procedures, as, although aircraft fuel system icing due to water contamination is more often met in winter, it can be equally dangerous during the summer months.

Text in Simplified Technical English Use the same procedures all the time because water in the fuel system can freeze during summer or winter.

Note that to master the writing rules of Simplified Technical English, one needs training.

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PART IV Simplified Technical English in practice


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The richness and complexity of our languages is enormous.

Literature and especially poetry still give testimony to the lyrical use of

language. With the right choice of words, writers and poets can evoke

a wide range of emotions.

However, when we need to transfer technical information, we want to

avoid any misunderstandings in translation and interpretation.

We should therefore communicate as unambiguously as possible.

We can do so by using Simplified Technical English.

How to implement Simplified Technical English

The implementation of Simplified Technical English includes a few steps.

Step 1. Standardise company and industry specific terminology.Step 2. Train authors on the rules of Simplified Technical English.Step 3. Use checker software for quality assurance.

Step 1. Standardise company and industry specific terminology Every company has its own culture, terminology and language use, which often vary from department to department. Within a company, there often are various terms (including acronyms) in use that describe the same concept. Or the same word is being used to describe two different concepts. In order for the communication to be streamlined, this issue needs to be taken care of.

Finding the right words A good way to find company-specific terms is to analyse the existing documentation of a company. For this purpose, the documentation will be ‘mined’. Text mining results in a list of all terms used in the documentation of a company.

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What documentation to analyse? It is necessary to analyse as much of the existing documentation as possible. This includes for instance:- Training material for instruction, maintenance and use.- Service manuals.- Operation manuals.- Application notes.- User manuals.- Parts lists.- Software strings.- Software documentation.

Once text mining has been completed, the result of the analysis is a list of terms that are industry and company-specific. This list needs to be scrutinised to ensure that each term has only one meaning.

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In order to write Simplified English, dictionaries must be complied

based on the results of text mining. These dictionaries should

obviously comply with the most important condition: ‘one word = one

meaning’.

Dictionaries

When writing in Simplified Technical English, a writer must use 2 dictionaries: 1. The basic Simplified Technical English dictionary2. A technical dictionary, containing all company-specific terms.

The basic Simplified Technical English dictionary The basic Simplified Technical English dictionary contains approximately 900 general-purpose English words that are approved and approximately 1,500 non-approved words, each with one or more approved synonyms.

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Examples The verb ‘multiply’ is in the basic dictionary, and it is an approved verb. About the word multiply, the dictionary tells us: - that the word multiply is the part of speech verb. - that the word multiply is approved. - that you can only use these forms of the verb:

- multiply - multiplies - multiplied

- that the meaning of this word is ‘to use multiplication to get a result.’The dictionary also offers an approved example: “Multiply the indicator value by the scale value.”

The nouns in the dictionary are described in virtually the same way. About the noun liquid, the dictionary tells us:- that the term liquid has the part of speech noun.- that the term liquid is an approved term.- that the meaning of this term is ‘a material that is not a gas or a

solid.’The dictionary also offers an approved example: “The converter changes the liquid into a gas.”

In the case of a non-approved term the dictionary will not only mention that the term is non-approved, but it will also offer an approved alternative.

The technical dictionary This dictionary contains additional terms that are specific to an industry, a company, a product or even a project. A technical dictionary will normally contain:- Common industry terms.- Company specific terminology.

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Examples Not all words are described in the basic Simplified Technical English dictionary. It is therefore necessary to include company or industry specific words in the technical dictionary. Of course, when adding new terms to the dictionary, careful consideration must be given to whether or not the dictionary already contains a term that has the same meaning. And whether the term that is going to be added, is the simplest and most commonly used word.

Once it is clear that a term must be added, all attributes that describe the term must be entered correctly, to make the dictionary as clear and user-friendly as possible. Attributes are, for instance: - part of speech. - status: approved or non-approved. - in the case of a verb, which forms of the verb are approved. - the meaning of the term.

As with the basic dictionary, the technical dictionary also consists of approved and non-approved words.

New terminologyOften new terminology is required to describe new products. Every writer can keep a list of new terms that can regularly be collected and then added to the main dictionaries.

Step 2. Train authors on the rules of Simplified Technical English The next step is to train the authors, because writing in Simplified Technical English is possible only after having learnt the rules and pitfalls. Moreover, writers should fully understand the reason why they should be writing in Simplified Technical English: to adapt to the needs of their audience. During training the rules governing style, grammar and syntax are covered. Additionally, training will comprise hands-on instruction, with a special focus on any specific problems found during the analysis of existing documentation. Text mining tends to indicate various company-specific problems that occur regularly.

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Step 3. Use checker software for quality assurance Even the most experienced technical writer will sometimes suffer from a writer’s block or inadvertently use words and phrases which do not comply with the rules of Simplified Technical English. This is where a checker tool comes in handy. A checker tool can help by taking care of the mechanical aspects of Simplified Technical English checking, thus taking the routine work away from the writer. This allows the writer to focus on those aspects of technical writing where his expertise is most needed.

Very much like the spelling and grammar checker that is incorporated in most word processors, a Simplified Technical English checker tool checks text for compliance with the Simplified Technical English rules. This check includes a grammatical check and a check performed on terminology. The checker tool points out any problems in the text to the writer.

HyperSTE – Simplified Technical English softwareHyperSTE is the leading quality assurance software for standardised documentation. HyperSTE ensures compliance with corporate terminology and style guide rules as an interactive checker tool for the author and as a quality measurement tool for the editor.

HyperSTE – Tailored to Your Controlled Language NeedsIt is important to use clear and consistent terminology throughout all types of documents; however, for technical English you may opt to use stricter rules than with other types of documentation. Based on the writing rules of the Simplified Technical English specification, HyperSTE’s profile manager allows you to select different rules for various types of documentation: apply up to 57 writing rules for technical content, but be more flexible with other types of documentation. In addition, HyperSTE allows you to use up to 3 dictionaries at the same time. In addition to the corporate technical dictionary, you can add dictionaries that are product or project specific.

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HyperSTE Features

General- Checks for terminology, grammar, style and spelling. Depending

on which editing tool you use, checking can take place on element, paragraph, page, page-range or document basis.

- Based on the Simplified Technical English specification, but rules can be configured to customer-specific needs.

- Supports multiple dictionaries.- HyperSTE’s Profile Manager allows you to create, save and load

different profiles for different types of documents.- Automatically differentiates different types of text (eg, procedural

vs. descriptive).- Feedback and reports available in multiple languages, including

German, French, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese.- Available as fixed licenses as well as concurrent licenses.

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Interactive Checking- Integrated into various authoring tools, including Arbortext (Epic)

Editor, Adobe FrameMaker, Microsoft Word, JustSystems XMetal.- Available as a stand-alone version for PDF files.- Flags issues using colors (each color represents a different issue).- Gives feedback in the form of corrections, suggestions, and

explanations.- Automatically rechecks sentence after correction has been made.- Export interactive feedback to HTML to share feedback.- Automatic correction of terminology through ‘replace all’ feature.- Automatic conversion of units of measurement.- Automatic conversion of American English to British English, and

visa versa.

Reporting- Check one or multiple files.- View results in Microsoft Excel or XML.- Compliance rating.- Shows metrics per enabled rule, including frequency and context.- Create management reports.

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Terminology Management- Update and maintain dictionaries with new terminology using

HyperSTE DMT (Dictionary Maintenance Tool).- HyperSTE DMT links to Terminology and Translation Memory

systems, including MultiTerm.- HyperSTE DMT allows easy imports from various types of files.

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Efficient Conversion of Existing (Legacy) DocumentationAs it is hard to find time or a budget to convert existing documentation to comply with the corporate terminology and style guide rules, HyperSTE allows this process to be less tedious: the report will give insight into where the biggest problems are. Based on these problems, you can create various profiles (eg. start with terminology, and gradually add more rules based on where the biggest problems are) which allows for a more efficient conversion rather than having to rewrite everything over again.

Simplified Technical English in practice: industry examples

To demonstrate the benefits of Simplified Technical English, we will be showing you a few examples from various industries.

Example computer network security

BEFORE

The firewall is the world’s first key-upgradeable integrated security appliance. Its Intelligent Layered Security architecture delivers multiple layers of protection that work together to detect and block threats from attacking your network. Stateful firewall, VPN, intrusion prevention, application filtering, spam blocking, and content filtering are all integrated into a single appliance and managed through a common interface. The firewall X is a superior security device designed with the future in mind. This platform has a streamlined 1 U form factor, increased processing power, higher memory and port count compared to existing firewall devices. There is an LCD display and front panel controls that allow access to status information without going to the management station. The firewall X even has an external hard drive bay for storage expandability in future applications. As your security requirements grow, the firewall X platform is fully upgradeable to a higher performing model by simply entering a license key. Additionally, you can purchase a license key to activate additional network ports and high availability functionality to support your network and reliability requirements.

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As new security services become available for the firewall X to combat against future threats, a simple download and license key is all that is needed to enable your firewall X to provide added layers of defense. The firewall X is a rack-mountable device that is easily installed into your network. For information on installing the firewall X, see the firewall QuickStart Guide or the “Getting Started” chapter in the User Guide.

AFTER

The firewall is the first security device that can use upgrades by a license key. The device has different layers of protection that find and prevent damage to your network. The firewall has these components: - A stateful firewall.- A VPN. - A protection against intrusion. - A software program filter. - A spam filter. - A content filter.

You can control all the components from the same interface. With the front panel controls you can find the status information from an LCD display. The firewall X also has an external hard-drive bay to get upgrades. You can upgrade the performance of the firewall X with a new license key and new software. You can enable: - A new network port.- The high availability software. - A new security layer.

You can install the firewall X in a rack. The firewall X is easy to install on the network. For more data on the installation of the firewall X, refer to the firewall QuickStart Guide or the “Getting Started” chapter in the User Guide.

The BEFORE example has 248 words, the AFTER example not only has only 176 words (reduction of almost 30%), it also has better structure and is written in a clear and concise way.

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Example computer network security

BEFORE

Cabling the Firewall Use the following procedure to cable your firewall: 1. Shut down your computer. 2. If you connect to the Internet through a DSL modem or cable

modem, disconnect the power supply to this device. 3. Disconnect from your computer the Ethernet cable that connects

your DSL modem, cable modem, or other Internet connection to your computer. Connect this cable to the WAN port (labeled WAN 1) on the firewall.

4. Connect one end of the straight-through Ethernet cable supplied with your firewall to one of the seven numbered Ethernet ports (labeled 0-6) on the firewall. Connect the other end to the Ethernet port of your computer.

5. If you connect to the Internet through a DSL modem or cable modem, reconnect the power supply to this device. The indicator lights flash and then stop. The modem is ready for use.

6. Attach the AC adapter to the firewall. Connect the AC adapter to a power source. The power light on the firewall goes on and the WAN1 indicator lights flash and then stop. The firewall is ready for use.

7. Restart the computer. During restart, your computer will communicate with the firewall. One pair of the Ethernet port indicator lights flash and then stop. Your computer is now connected to the firewall.

If you circled HP Enabled = Yes in the TCP/IP Settings table on page , your firewall is now fully installed. You should be able to test this by opening your Web browser and browsing to your favorite Internet site. However, if you circled HP Enabled = No, please continue to enable HP on your computer and configure the firewall for a static IP or PPPoE address.

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AFTER

Connecting the Firewall Use this procedure to connect your firewall, Ethernet and power cables: 1. Shut down your computer. 2. If you use a DSL or cable modem to connect to the Internet,

disconnect its power supply. 3. Find the Ethernet cable between the modem and your computer.

Disconnect this cable from your computer and connect it to the firebox external interface (WAN 1).

4. Find the Ethernet cable supplied with your firebox. Connect this cable to a trusted interface (0-6) on the firewall. Connect the other end of this cable to the Ethernet interface of your computer.

5. If you use a DSL or cable modem, connect its power supply. 6. Find the AC adapter supplied with your firewall. Connect the AC

adapter to the firewall and to a power source. The firewall power indicator light comes on and the external interface indicator lights flash and then come on. The firewall is ready.

WARNING: Only use the AC adapter supplied with the firewall. 7. When the firewall is ready, start your computer.

The BEFORE example has 282 words, the AFTER example not only has only 173 words (reduction of almost 40%), it is also written in a clear and concise way.

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Example Medical Industry

BEFORE

Complete tasks below before each startup- Switch off the power to the hardware if power is on.- Remove any obstructions (tubes, tips, screws, etc.) on the track.- Ensure all drawers are empty.- After a fast shutdown (Exit Immediately), remove any sample tubes

from the output trays and fill any partially processed input trays.- After a fast shutdown, an accidental shutdown or power loss, remove

the tip from the transfer arm.

Press the Power On/Off button on the Input/Output module to turn on the power to the hardware.

Select from the computer screen to start.

CAUTION

When the system is started or the drawer is unlocked, you must verify all drawers are empty. If not, the system can put a sample tube in a location in use which can cause a biohazard condition, loss of sample, or cross contamination.

Select at the dialog box to confirm all drawers are empty.

Ensure the system is in Ready mode to process samples.

- Wait for the system to home and activate all components and modules.

- The hardware is ready when the green button above each drawer flashes.

Open and close all drawers until the lights do not flash presentative.

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AFTER

Complete these tasks before each startup- Make sure that the power of the hardware is OFF.- Make sure there is no blockage (tubes, tips, screws) on the track.- Make sure that all the drawers are empty.- After a fast shutdown (Exit Immediately), make sure that the output

trays are empty and the input trays are full.- After a fast shutdown, an accidental shutdown or a loss of power,

remove the pipette tip for the liquoter from the transfer arm.

Push the Power ON button on the Input/Output module to start the hardware.

Select X to start the device.

CAUTION

Make sure that all the SIQ drawers are empty when you start the system or when the Priority/SIQ drawer is unlocked. If the SIQ drawers are not empty, there is a risk of injury, loss of sample, or cross contamination.

Select X at the dialog box to make sure that all the drawers are empty.

Make sure that the system is ready to process the samples.

Activate all components and modules. The hardware is ready when the green button above each drawer flashes.

Open and close all drawers until the lights are off.

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Example avionics industry

BEFORE

CompactPCI supervision unitThe CompactPCI rack is provided with a Chassis Monitor Module (CMM) that is hot swappable. The CMM can supervise the air temperature in the rack, the power supply voltage, the power supply and fan units operation. The CMM is also provided with digital input/outputs. The digital input provides the rack ID to the Single Board Computer (SBC). The CMM is provided with an Ethernet interface to the system. It is also provided with an RS232 port for configuration of the unit.

Fan unitThe CompactPCI rack is provided with a hot swappable fan unit and air filter that can be cleaned or replaced during operation.

The fan unit is supervised by the CMM. Thus malfunctioning fans can be detected and replaced before making any impact on system operation.

AFTER

CompactPCI rackThe CompactPCI rack has a Chassis Monitor Module (CMM) that is hot-swappable. The CMM monitors the air temperature in the rack, the power supply voltage, the power supply and the operation of the fan units. The CMM has a digital input and outputs. The digital input sends the rack ID to the Single Board Computer (SBC). The CMM has an Ethernet interface to the system. It also has an RS232 port to configure the unit.

Fan unitThe CompactPCI rack has a hot-swappable fan unit and an air filter. You can clean or replace these during operation.

The CMM monitors the fan unit. Use the CMM to find the malfunctioning fans and replace them before they have an effect on the system operation.

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Example IT industry

BEFORE

Managing the System RemotelyYou can configure, manage, and monitor the system from a computer using the system’s web interface, VXX Web. You can also use the XYZ Global Management System, SNMP, or the API commands.

Your choice of management tool depends on your network environment:• VXXWebrequiresonlyawebbrowser.• XYZGlobalManagementSystemrequirestheGlobalManagement

System application to be installed on your network. • SNMPrequiresnetworkmanagementsoftwareonyournetwork

management station.• FormoreinformationabouttheAPIcommands,refertothe

Integrator’s Reference Manual for the VXX Series.

Using VXX WebYou can use VXX Web to perform most of the calling and configuration tasks you can perform on the local system.

Accessing VXX WebTo configure your browser to use VXX Web:1. Be sure that you use Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or later as your

web browser and that you have Java 1.2 or later installed.2. Configure these settings:

• Allowcookies:Enabled• Forcepagestoreloadoneveryvisittoapage:Enabled

To access the system using VXX Web:1. On a computer, open a web browser.2. In the browser address line, enter the system’s IP address,

for example, http://10.11.12.13, to go to VXX Web. If Security Mode is enabled on the system, you must use secure HTTPS access, for example, https://10.11.12.13. Click Yes in the security dialog boxes that appear.

3. Enter admin as the user name, and enter the remote access password, if one is set.

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AFTER

How to Manage the System remotelyYou can use the web interface, VXX Web, to configure, manage, and monitor the system from a computer. You can also use the XYZ Global Management System, SNMP, or the API commands.

Use the correct management tool for your network:• ForVXXWeb,onlyawebbrowserisnecessary.• FortheXYZGlobalManagementSystem,theGlobalManagement

System application must be on your network. • ForSNMP,networkmanagementsoftwaremustbeonyour

network management station.• FormoreinformationabouttheAPIcommands,refertothe

“Integrator’s Reference Manual for the VXX Series”.

Use VXX WebYou can use VXX Web to do most calling tasks and configuration tasks that are available on the local system.

Get access to VXX WebTo configure your web browser to use VXX Web:1. Be sure that you use Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher as

your web browser. Make sure that you have Java 1.2 or higher.2. Configure these settings:

• “Allowcookies”:Enabled• “Forcepagestoreloadoneveryvisittoapage”:Enabled

Use VXX Web to get access to the system:1. On a computer, open a web browser.2. In the address bar of the web browser, enter the IP address of the

system, for example, http://10.11.12.13, to go to VXX Web. If Security Mode is enabled on the system, you must use

“secure HTTPS access”, for example, https://10.11.12.13. Click Yes in the security dialog boxes that show.

3. Enter admin as the user name, and enter the remote access password, if one is set.

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Example IT industry

BEFORE

XYZ Client Installation1. To install the XYZ Client, run the XYZ.EXE file from the CD. On the Welcome to Setup Wizard screen the default is

C:\Program Files\XYZ\. Do not change the default. Click on the Next button to proceed with the installation. Click on the Cancel button to exit the install.

2. On the Backup of replaced files screen select the ‘No’ button for the first time installation of UniTrack.

3. On the Setup summary screen click on the Next button to continue.4. On the Setup completed screen click on the Done button to

complete the installation.Installation of the XYZ software is now complete!!

AFTER

Installation of the XYZ client1. Put the installation CD into the CD-ROM drive.2. Use XYZ.exe to install the software.3. Read the notes.4. Do one of these steps:

- Click Next to install the software.- Click Cancel to stop the installation of the software.

Note: You must not change the directory for installation:

5. Click No to install the XYZ software.6. Click Next.7. Click Done to complete the installation.

Results:- Clearer instructions.- Consistent use of words, reuse increase by 11%.- Less words (from 109 to 76, reduction of 30%).- Cheaper, better and faster translations.

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Benefits of Simplified Technical English & HyperSTE

All the examples show the benefits of Simplified Technical English: standardising terminology and style will result in technical text that is easy to understand.

A survey amongst HyperSTE users in 2009 showed that the use of HyperSTE and Simplified Technical English has resulted in the following benefits:- Up to 30% in cost savings on translation and localisation.- Up to 40% in reduced word count.- Quality improvement in writing and translations.- Quality assurance and quality measurement for content.- Up to 30% in reduced product cycle time.- Up to 40% reduction in overall documentation cost.- More efficient authors and editors.- Improved safety.- Improved customer service.- Reduced time for maintenance and operation.- Facilitates DITA, S1000D, SCORM, CMS and XML.- Efficient conversion of legacy documents into STE.

Cost savingsSimplified Technical English will result in cost savings thanks to:- Reduced risk of damage to the product. - Reduced risk of liability claims. - Reduced product life cycle cost. - Time savings for you and your customer. - Cost savings on translations: easier, faster, cheaper and better.

Simplified Technical English, an ideal source for translation Although Simplified Technical English is much easier to understand than ’standard’ technical English, technical documentation will often still need to be translated into the languages of the countries in which your products are sold. Even if it were only to meet certain international standards that require technical documentation to be supplied in the language of the country to which products are exported.

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The translation process can be time-consuming. Besides, there is often a risk of misinterpretation. The possible misinterpretations often derive from ambiguous text. The use of Simplified Technical English as source text for translation will help to eliminate the possible risk of any misinterpretations.

Automated translation As the source text is easier to understand, it also is easier to translate, especially after a multilingual dictionary has been set up. Additionally, the level of consistency in terminology that is achieved by writing in Simplified Technical English, greatly improves the yield from computer-aided translations. Computer-aided translation makes use of a translation memory system and thus reduces cost (sometimes up to 40%!) and processing time. Moreover, it improves the level of consistency in the translations too.

Depending on the type and scope of the text to be translated and on the target language, it may even become a feasible option to use machine translation without the need of extensive checking and post-editing. The restriction of the general vocabulary (‘one word = one meaning’), the rules concerning grammar and syntax and the omission of ambiguities thus provide an important time and quality gain during translation.

Translation Cost Savings Example The following example will show cost savings obtained for a manual of about 300 pages containing approximately 54,000 words that needs to be translated into several languages.

The differenceSource text: 54,000 words Without STE With STE Difference Words to be translated: 54,000 45,900 - 15% Translation memory finds (perfect matches): 30% 40% + 10% Words to be translated manually: 37,800 27,540Translation costs (approx. € 0.15 per word): € 5.704,32 € 4.210,33 - 27%

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Translation Cost Savings: For 1 manual, 1 language € 1.493,99 For 1 manual, 4 languages € 5.975,95 For 1 manual, 12 languages € 17.927,86 For 4 manuals, 4 languages € 23.903,82 For 4 manuals, 12 languages € 71.711,45

Volume reductionTypically, Simplified Technical English will result in a word count reduction of 15%. This means that only 45,900 words will have to be translated, instead of the original 54,000.

Terminology Management, not only for Simplified Technical English Although unambiguous terminology is an essential part of Simplified Technical English, managing a company’s terminology is important beyond the scope of English language documentation alone. How often does it happen that different people within different departments use different terms while referring to the same thing?

The introduction of consistent and unambiguous terminology therefore not only facilitates the use of Simplified Technical English, but also allows all departments within a company to enjoy benefits, such as: -improved readability -improved translatability -clear communication, both internal and external -improved search results (when looking up terms for example on the Internet, intranet or in databases) to share their experiences in the field of Simplified Technical English.

Optimum reusabilityThanks to the use of consistent style and terminology the yield of a translation memory will increase by approximately 10% (perfect matches) in addition to the 30% that is normally recognized.

Compliance with ASD-STE100, S1000D and ATA iSpec 2200ASD Simplified Technical English is required for certain platforms in the aerospace and military industries. In addition, standards such as S1000D and ATA iSpec 2200 also call for the use of ASD Simplified Technical English.

Standardised way of writingEven if you don’t have to comply with ASD-STE100, Simplified Technical English helps you standardise your technical documentation, which will lead to greater efficiency, regardless of your industry.

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Quality Assurance / Quality ControlIn addition to Simplified Technical English improving the quality of your product documentation, HyperSTE provides extensive reports for validation purposes. HyperSTE has helped our customers improve their cycle time by 30%!

Improved safetyClear documentation is essential to ensure the safety of you and your customer, for instance during the operation of a lift truck or while performing maintenance on an aircraft engine.

Improved customer experienceAs a result of using Simplified Technical English, your product manuals will be easier to understand by your customers. One of the benefits: you will receive fewer phone calls from customers with problems.

Reduced time to marketCreating technical documentation more efficiently as a result of using Simplified Technical English will save time and reduce your time to market, up to 30%!

Reduced time for maintenance and operationMaintenance manuals are clear and easier to understand, which saves time during maintenance and operation.

Efficient authoringNot only will your technical documentation increase in quality, your technical writers will also become more efficient and increase their level of writing skills.

Support for structured authoring standards DITA and S1000DSimplified Technical English results in optimum reusability of terminology and sentences, thus facilitating structured authoring standards like DITA and S1000D.

Support for Content ManagementSimplified Technical English enforces the use of clear and unambiguous terminology with its key principle: one word has one meaning. This will limit the use of inconsistent terminology that has the same meaning, facilitating optimum reusability which will not only apply to terms, but also to phrases and sentences. Simplified Technical English therefore fully optimises the use of Content Management Systems.

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Case studies

Case Study - Rolls-Royce North America - Aircraft, Industrial and Marine Engines

Rolls-Royce North America, located in Indianapolis, is a trusted leader for land, sea and air power solutions worldwide. Rolls-Royce uses HyperSTE to ensure compliance of its technical publications with ASD Simplified Technical English (ASD-STE100).

The challengeTo standardise documentation in compliance with the Simplified Technical English specification ASD-STE100 to improve quality and readability of manuals to reduce cycle time.

The solutionTedopres developed a dictionary containing Rolls-Royce standardised terminology and trained Rolls-Royce technical writers and editors on the rules of ASD Simplified Technical English (ASD-STE100) and how to use the HyperSTE software.

As part of the implementation process, Rolls-Royce uses the HyperSTE checker software to ensure that all manuals comply with ASD Simplified Technical English (ASD-STE100), including the use of standardised and consistent Rolls-Royce terminology.

The resultsImplementing ASD Simplified Technical English and HyperSTE yielded the following results for Rolls-Royce:- Compliance with ASD Simplified Technical English (ASD-STE100),

a requirement for aircraft maintenance manuals and component maintenance manuals.

- Better quality and readability of manuals. - Reduced cycle time. - Better reusability of text. - Standardised terminology and style.

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Case Study - WatchGuard - Computer Network Security

WatchGuard is an American manufacturer of computer network security products, and can be considered an early-adopter of Simplified Technical English in its industry. WatchGuard adapted the Simplified Technical English standard, and renamed it to WatchGuard Standardised English (WSE).

The challenge• Tostandardiseitsdocumentationbyusingconsistentterminology

and a controlled vocabulary. • Toenhancethereadabilityofitsmanuals,thusimprovingthequality.• Toreducelocalisationcosts,asWatchGuardtranslatesitstechnical

documentation into a number of Asian and European languages.

The solutionWithin weeks Tedopres developed a dictionary containing WatchGuard and industry-specific terminology. Next, training was given to teach WatchGuard’s technical writers the rules of how to write clear and concise technical manuals. As part of the implementation process, WatchGuard uses HyperSTE, our checker software, to ensure that all manuals comply with Simplified Technical English, including unambiguous and consistent terminology.

The resultsImplementing Simplified Technical English and HyperSTE yielded the following results for WatchGuard:• Overallconsiderablyimprovedqualityofthemanuals,resultingin

customer satisfaction. • Volumereductionof10-30%permanual.Theoriginallyprojected

word count for a particular manual was estimated at 500,000. Thanks to the use of Simplified Technical English and HyperSTE the word count turned out to be 375,000 (25% volume reduction).

• Reusabilityoftextincreasedto25%,thankstothestandardisationof terminology and writing style.

• Translationcostdecreasedby40%.Theuseofatranslationmemorynormally recognises 30% of the text. Simplified Technical English not only resulted in less volume to be translated, but increased the translation memory to 40%. This resulted in an initial saving of $35,000 for the first manual in Simplified Technical English.

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Case Study - Elekta - Medical Equipment

Elekta is a human care company pioneering significant innovations and clinical solutions for treating cancer and brain disorders. Elekta provides intelligent and resource-efficient technologies that improve, prolong and save patient lives.

The challenge- To standardise documentation in compliance with corporate style

guide EASE (Elekta Approved Simplified English).- To improve quality and readability of manuals. - To save translation cost.

The solutionTedopres developed the EASE dictionary containing Elekta standardised terminology and trained Elekta technical writers in the UK, Sweden and US on the rules of EASE and how to use the HyperSTE software. For IMPAC, Tedopres developed the IMPAC dictionary containing IMPAC specific terminology which can be used together with the EASE dictionary. Elekta uses HyperSTE to ensure compliance with EASE.

The results- Up to 30% in translation cost savings after one year.- Better quality and readability of manuals.- Reduced cycle time.- Overall documentation cost reduced by 20%.- Better reusability of text in XML environment.- Standardised terminology and style.

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Case Study - Electrolux - Household Appliances

Electrolux is a global leader in household appliances and appliances for professional use, selling more than 40 million products to customers in more than 150 markets every year. The company focuses on innovations that are thoughtfully designed, based on extensive consumer insight, to meet the real needs of consumers and professionals.

The challenge- To standardise terminology and style guide.- To improve quality and readability of manuals. - To save translation cost.

The solution- Tedopres developed the Electrolux

dictionary based on thousands of pages of content, including translation memory software.

- Electrolux uses a server based solution for HyperSTE.- Tedopres trained Electrolux authors worldwide in France, Poland,

Sweden, Germany and Italy.

The results- Up to 50% in translation cost savings in over 30 languages.- Better quality and readability of manuals, from 40% to 95%.- Less phone calls to Customer Service.- Time to market reduced by 30%.- Overall documentation cost reduced by 20%.- Reduction of words by 25%.- Standardised terminology and style.

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Experiences from the industry

Below you find reviews about Simplified Technical English in actual practice. Mr. Richard Wojcik of The Boeing Corporation, Mr. Valery Strekoz of BETA AIR / Beriev and Ms. Karen Toast Conger of WatchGuard were kind enough to share their experiences. Both Boeing and BETA AIR are major players in the aerospace industry, whereas WatchGuard is active in the ICT business.

Simplified Technical English at Boeing By Richard Wojcik Associate Technical Fellow with Boeing Phantom Works

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After the AECMA SE guideline had become mandatory in the late 1980’s, Boeing Customer Services needed to rewrite its maintenance manuals for its 737, 747, 757, and 767 commercial aircraft in AECMA Simplified English, now ASD Simplified Technical English. We have learned quite a bit about writing Simplified Technical English documents over the past decade. First of all it is very important to get good training. It takes about a month for a competent technical writer to write instructions as quickly as before he started writing in STE. It can take even longer to master STE in descriptive text. A checker can help by providing feedback on the mechanical aspects of the STE standard, thus taking the burden of most routine work away from the writer. The writer can thus focus on those aspects of technical writing where his expertise is most needed: content-related knowledge and creativity aimed at providing the audience with accurate information.

Richard Wojcik

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Simplified Technical English in Russia By Valery StrekozHead of Tech Pubs with BETA AIR Head of the Maintenance Division of Beriev Aircraft Company

Traditionally, all technical documentation in the Russian aerospace industry is written in Russian and translated into English where necessary. For companies aiming at export, this process is far from ideal, as the translation takes a lot of time. Moreover, it is often difficult to combine the important aspects of readability, technical accuracy and grammatical correctness.

As head of the tech pubs department of BETA AIR, I realised that the use of ASD Simplified Technical English could be a solution for the above problems and in addition would prepare us for possible exports to countries where ASD Simplified Technical English is a requirement. In early 2002, it was decided to work together with Tedopres for the implementation of Simplified Technical English within our company and to write all technical documentation for our Be-200 amphibious aircraft in Simplified Technical English. BETA AIR thus became the first Russian company to produce its documentation in Simplified Technical English.

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We have now gained a lot of experience and have had very positive feedback from suppliers, potential customers and certification institutes regarding the quality and readability of our documentation.

The success of the program caused us to think about similar concepts for Russian-language documentation. Together with Tedopres (which has worked on other simplified languages in the past), I started working on a draft specification and discussed it with professionals from other Russian companies, who very much welcomed the initiative.

We aim to make Simplified Russian compatible with Simplified Technical English to facilitate translation between these languages.

Beriev has recently adopted Simplified Russian as a corporate standard. This decision is supported by AR IAC (the State Civil Aviation Authority of Russia), the Russian equivalent of the FAA (the Federal Aviation Administration (US)). We have reason to believe that Simplified Russian will soon become a nationwide formal reality and that it will bring the industry many advantages similar to those of Simplified Technical English.

Valery Strekoz

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Make it simple By Karen Toast Conger Director, Product Training & Publications WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.

In November 2003, Abbey National, a British investment and banking firm, published a report charging that over 75% of Britons believe that “Jargon is used to ‘confuse and deceive”1. Over half felt that use of industry-specific terminology and acronyms was merely a device to provide the illusion of expertise. For those of us in Information Technology, the most disturbing survey result is that we are deemed second only to lawyers as the worst deceivers.

It should not, however, come as a surprise. The computer revolution from its inception was the province of a special breed of individual2. For a long time, the cant of binary, command line interface, and computer programming languages defined our communication. Our interactions, dominated by an electronic medium, evolved into an argot of acronyms, abbreviations, and arcane terminology sprinkled with inside jokes. Computer professionals speak in emoticons3 and argue finer points of netiquette. They routinely create new technologies requiring a concurrent creation of new nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs to accurately describe their behaviour. An entire industry has evolved to capture terminology and render it accessible to the layman4.

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However, the widespread adoption of computer technology in every profession requires that we develop a common, simple language to describe our products. We must adapt to product globalisation, recognizing that often the majority of our customers are non-native speakers of English. In short, we need to create a Simplified Technical English lexicon for the Information Technology industry. Fortunately, we possess several advantages over other industries as we grapple with our own palette of words. First, we are a community of professionals accustomed to rules about syntax and language. Programming is the exercise of using an extremely narrow range of words to describe and control events. Perhaps Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)5 provides the best example of this. HTML and its successors use symbols and simple English words to create virtually all of the variations in display and content you see on the World Wide Web. Training our interface designers and technical writers to apply the same degree of discipline and logic to customer-facing projects as they do to the underlying code is merely a new application of a familiar skill set.

Another advantage we possess is that we are a relatively new industry. We do not yet have a lengthy history of intellectual investment in the words we use. If we start now to clarify our speech and documentation, we stand a chance of building a common, easily used and easily understood lexicon. Finally, we are a highly computerized, technically savvy group. We will adapt quickly to tools used to enforce Simplified Technical English. The learning curve will be shallow as we adopt new dictionaries, document storage, and compilation applications.

There are those would argue this exercise is already underway. Technical writers and user interface (UI) developers, for example, are routinely referred to the Microsoft Manual of Style6 as the definitive source for both UI design and terminology usage. The guide itself, however, is internally inconsistent and routinely falls back on assumed knowledge of audience training and background.

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To get there, however, we must first emerge from our self-imposed mantle of socially inept “geekhood”. The cult of the computer professional carries baggage in the form of words no one but us can understand or appreciate. All we lose by discarding our acronyms and jargon is our ignominious position as deceivers second only to lawyers. Make it simple.

Karen Toast Conger

1 http://www.abbeynational.com//home/media_centre/media_centre-press_releases/media_centre-press_releases-archive.htm?startpos=0&id=9555&start=1&end=2&page=1

2 For an excellent history of the early evolution of the computer technology field, see Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution, S Levy, Penguin Books, 1994: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0141000511/qid=1080946479/sr=1-1/ ref=sr_1_1/102-0687009-0623340?v=glance&s=books

3 http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci212057,00.html4 See http://www.webopedia.com/ for an example. 5 http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/ 6 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0735617465/102-0687009-0623340?v=glance

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The world a safer place …

Simplified Technical English is a long-term and comprehensive initiative designed to standardise the way technical publications are written. It facilitates document structuring by specifications like DITA and S1000D in a reliable, cost-effective and efficient way, and facilitates content management through optimum reusability.

In addition, the use of Simplified Technical English can help you save translation costs of up to 40% per language. Cheaper translations are one aspect, but avoiding costs as a result of clear and unambiguous communication to your customers can be tremendous. However, it is the overall result that often convinces companies to switch to Simplified Technical English: readers understand what they are reading.

Mr. Language and Ms. Information

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PART V Simplifying the entire information process


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Even though the use of Simplified Technical English has many

advantages, it is only one part of a complete documentation solution.

This chapter discusses all aspects that are involved in the creation

of technical documentation and demonstrates the possibilities of

simplifying other aspects too.

Optimising information processes

To efficiently create technical documentation, the entire information process needs to be simplified. This would involve optimisation of the following components:

- Structure - Illustrations- Text- Content management

Nowadays the solutions are available to optimise the information process. This chapter describes how text, illustrations and content as a whole can efficiently be created and managed by making use of Simplified Technical English, and Content Management Systems.

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Structure as a basis

The creation of technical documentation begins with defining the structure. This often requires a thorough analysis of a company’s products, services and target groups.

Information creation and reuse When information is set up in a structured way, it becomes easier to use and reuse. This is valid for both texts and graphics. In practice, working in such a structured way means that information is set up modularly from the start. Information is split up or combined to form chunks of information that by themselves form logical entities or modules. These modules combined can form a manual, or at least a part of it. Writing a manual would then become a matter of selecting the appropriate information modules. These can then be edited, extended or rewritten in order to become fully applicable to the purpose of the manual.

Structure from the start In the past, certain standards have been defined that can be used as a basis for a modular set-up of information. Most of these standards have been internationally acknowledged by one ore more industries or official bodies. Sometimes complying with these standards is mandatory, in other cases they form a solid basis for a structured information set-up. Depending on your product and industry, S1000D and DITA are great standards for structured authoring. Simplified Technical English facilitates both standards as it results in optimum reusability.

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Illustrations

Before starting to actually write a manual, the extent to which illustrations can be used should be analysed. After all, a single picture can sometimes tell more than a thousand words.

In technical documentation, often a balance needs to be found between the amount of text and illustrations. Illustrations have certain advantages over text. Illustrations do not need to be translated and are very useful in multilingual documentation. On the other hand, illustrations have their limitations. Illustrations often offer too much information, which makes them difficult to understand.

Illustrations can be simplified too, they must meet the above conditions by setting the following objectives:- Simplify the content.- Minimise the required paper space.- Allow reusability.

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Simplified Technical Illustrations The basic purpose of a Simplified Technical Illustration is to convey its information as clearly and comprehensibly as possible to the user of a manual. This makes not a phenomenon in itself, but rather a technique for creating technical illustrations. Very much like the method for writing Simplified Technical English, the technique also follows basic guidelines, such as: • Useafixedpointofview.• Startwithoneortwobasicillustrations.• Useisometricrepresentation.• Limitthenumberofproceduresassociatedwitheachillustration,

to preferably 3 to 5.• Marktheobjects.

Define the elements of focus in each illustration. • Useamodularapproachforassemblies.

A modular approach makes the illustration suitable for different product configurations and it facilitates the reuse of certain modules.

• Minimisethelevelofdetails.• Showonlytherelevantparts.• Eliminaterepeatedinformation.• Avoidtheuseoftextintheillustrations.• Useastandardformatforallillustrations.• Createabalancebetweentextandillustrations.

HyperSTI – Simplified Technical Illustration softwareTedopres’ Simplified Technical Illustration (STI) technology is based on the creation of illustrations in such a way that they can efficiently and effectively be reused. HyperSTI ensures optimal reuse of illustrations, by creating illustrations that consist of separate components. These components are structured using XML and are stored in a database. From this database, the separate components can be assembled to form an illustration.

EfficiencyNormally, a technical illustrator has to create many different illustrations, based upon one single source illustration. However, by using SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), it is possible to use a scripting language to switch layers on and off. This allows the use of only one drawing, containing all variants to the original, without the need to copy the rest of the illustration numerous times.

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Illustrations can be changed and configured by a technical author to show exactly what is needed in the current context. Provided that the differences between versions are not too complex, it is even possible to automate the creation of new versions partly or completely.

Text in SVG files is not embedded in the graphic itself, but is stored in a separate XML file, which can be edited and translated separately. Any changes to the (translated) text are automatically updated in the graphic, which makes the process of authoring, editing and translating easier, faster and cheaper.

Thanks to its many levels of detail, a Simplified Technical Illustration can be perfectly tailored to any type of application and for different purposes. By using component illustrations, Simplified Technical Illustrations can be stored in a database in different configurations. Each configuration can be linked to related text.

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The following example shows how various illustrations can be configured in HyperSTI from one source by selecting the applicable layer.

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The below example shows how the same technique can also be used to display different languages in addition to different configurations of an illustration.

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Combining Simplified Technical Illustrations and Simplified Technical EnglishMost benefits can be obtained when, in addition to a Simplified Technical Illustration, Simplified Technical English is used to author the content. In addition, the use of XML allows the content to become interactive resulting in additional benefits.

Example:

3.2 Copying

3.2.1 Make a copy with the platen glass1. Open the feeder.2. Place the original on the

platen glass, vertically (A) or horizontally (B). The face must point down.

3. Make sure that the original is aligned to the top edge of the platen glass.

4. Close the feeder.5. Change the copying settings if

required. Refer to §3.2.3.

6. Press [X]. Ready appears when the original is copied. Or: Press [Y] to cancel a job.

7. Open the feeder.8. Remove the original and the copy.9. Close the feeder.

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Benefits Simplified Technical Illustrations

Efficiency in illustration creationThe use of Simplified Technical Illustrations will help save a lot of time and make the overall process of content creation much more efficient. This will result in:- Reduced time to market.- Reduction in documentation cost.- Improved customer experience thanks to quality improvement.- Improved safety.- More efficient illustrators.- Facilitates Content Management, DITA, S1000D, and SCORM.

Cost Savings for Translation & LocalisationThe translation process for illustrations can be very time-consuming. With HyperSTI the translation process is kept outside the illustration as the text is stored in separate XML files. After the text has been translated the illustrations are updated automatically. There are even more benefits when illustrations have to be updated because of a product change. The translation and publication process is often not affected and can be reused. For new languages only the text needs to be translated, there is no need to change or edit the illustration itself.

The following example is based on a document with 30 illustrations, which has to be translated to 1 language.

No. of illustrations Translation Translation Difference with HyperSTI1 15 minutes 1 minute -14 minutes30 7,5 hours 30 minutes - 7 hours

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Content Management

To obtain maximum benefit from the investment of time and effort that is put into documentation, a technical writer should be able to reuse the information as much as possible. Information reuse not only facilitates the creation of new manuals, it also allows information to be provided in various forms and to various endusers.

Reuse for various manuals Documents or elements of documents such as safety instructions and warranty information can often be reused in multiple manuals. Reuse of information becomes even easier if the actual product described is built out of functional modules. To each module of the product one or more information modules can be linked. A manual can then be configured much in the same way as the product itself is configured.

Reuse for various end users The information in a manual is often consulted by different users, such as service engineers or helpdesk operators. While a service engineer may require a paper version of a manual, the helpdesk operator would prefer an online manual. In addition, the demand for information that is integrated into software products also increases.

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This would allow for a scenario in which technical documentation can be used for firmware that not only signals system errors, but also instantaneously provides the technician with the necessary information to correct the errors.

These applications would require a lot of additional work if information had to be created over and over again for different manuals and different purposes. Today, a better solution is at hand: information that can be reused for various manuals and for various endusers.

XML XML (eXtensible Markup Language) technology makes it possible to store information in such a way that it can easily be reused. In XML, content is separated from layout. In this respect, content means both text and illustrations. Separating content and layout offers the advantage of creating the content while the actual output format is determined at a later stage. Whether the information will be published to paper or on the Web, provides a solution.

If the information is published to paper, content tables and page references are generated automatically. Should the information be published on the Web, hyperlinks would be included instead. As content and layout are separated, any information can be published through a stylesheet in XSL (eXtensible Stylesheet Language). Only then, the definitive layout of the production is determined.

Content Management System (CMS)After text or illustrations have been created, they are stored as modules and saved as files in a database. The database is managed by a Content Management System, which offers insight into which modules are available and where they are used.

When a writer wants to create a user manual for a certain type of machine, he only needs to know the features of the product. These features correspond with certain modules in the Content Management System. He can then import these modules and the user manual is generated automatically.

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The writer then can organise the information in a proper way and adjust it to meet the specifications. At this point in time, both text and graphics can be edited or deleted. Once the writers thinks the manual is ready, it can be published. It is only at this stage that the writer decides upon the output format. This can still vary from anything like a paper manual to an electronic help file.

HyperDocHyperDoc is a standardized XML-based software application supporting the creation, management, and publication of your multilingual product information. HyperDoc’s editing and content management solutions offer wide-ranging functionality and are used in many areas and branches of industry, from the creation of marketing material, product catalogues, technical documentation for engineering and electronics to the creation of packaging and package inserts in the life sciences industry and context-sensitive online help for software.

HyperDoc’s solutions range from standardized solutions to freely configurable systems.

We offer powerful out-of-the-box tools, attractive especially to mid-sized companies and small editorial offices. Customers profit from the advantages of HyperDoc and can quickly begin production. Standard functionality for quality assurance, version and variant management, and preconfigured templates in line with today’s standards (see below) ensure a high degree of process safety.

HyperDoc simplifies the translation process. Instead of correcting the layout during translation, translators can concentrate on the text. The layout is simply taken from the source language, by this alone saving up to 50% of translation costs.

HyperDoc is noteworthy for its flexibility, allowing customers to realize complex projects for company-wide information management. Standards such as PIM or SPL can be implemented easily, as can interactive fleet management systems for the automotive industry. Standardized interfaces to related systems (e.g. for resource planning, translation management or layout design) allow successive integrations of HyperDoc into your company’s IT landscape. The new generation of multilingual information logistics solutions is now available.

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As shown in this chapter, the entire information process can be simplified and optimised using Simplified Technical English, Content Management Systems, and technologies. Doing so results in optimised quality control, improved customer support and considerable cost savings. This shows the true power of information.

HyperSTE, HyperSTI and HyperDoc are part of our HyperVision software suite, which offers the following products:HyperSTE - Simplified Technical English checker software HyperDoc - Content Management SystemHyperSTI - Simplified Technical IllustrationsHyperTerm - Terminology Management SystemHyperSales - Sales Support SystemHyperParts - Parts Catalogue SystemHyperSIS - Service Information SystemHyperVoice - System for Voice SupportHyperTraining - Application for Training

To ensure consistent use of terminology throughout the organization, Tedopres developed HyperTerm, an online multilingual terminology information system. HyperTerm allows you to share and manage your terminology in multiple languages throughout the organisation.

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PART VI Acknowledgements and references


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Tedopres International B.V. would like to express its gratitude to everyone who supported the authors and producers of this book, with advice, information, documentation, and illustrative and historical material.

Register

AEA Association of European Airlines - the operators of aircraft. page 52, 53, 55

AECMA/ASD ‘Association Européenne de Constructeurs de Matériel Aérospatial (European Association of Aerospace Industries). Later became AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD). page 10, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 84, 86, 91, 92

AIA The Aerospace Industries Association of America. page 53 , 55, 123, 127

ATA The Air Transport Association of America. page 55, 57, 84, 104, 105, 123

BASIC English The second international language: developed by Ch. K. Ogden. page 45, 48, 122

Caterpillar Presented the first tracked tractor in 1904 and published the Caterpillar Fundamental English (CFE) in 1972. Caterpillar Technical English (CTE) published in 1990. page 10, 47, 48, 49, 51, 122, 123

Chaucer, The founder of Standard English. Geoffrey page 35

Checker tool Software that helps a technical writer to check his texts for compliance with the rules of Simplified Technical English. page 68

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Content A database system that centrally stores informationManagement (e.g. text and graphics) modularly so that the modules System (CMS) can be reused and kept up-to-date.

page 82, 85, 101, 111, 113

Controlled A product-specific and simplified language. English page 45, 53, 121, 122

Cuneiform A form of writing shaped like spikes (wedges). The symbols were made by pressing a stylus into soft clay. page 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

Hieroglyphics The pictorial writing of the Egyptians that developed Hieroglyphs from icons. Hieroglyphics were complex and were

not decoded until around 1800 by Jean François Champollion. page 21, 22, 24

HyperSTE Customisable Simplified English checker that supports ASD Simplified Technical English and company-specific ‘dialects’ of Simplified English. page 68, 69, 71, 72, 82, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 113, 126

Icons Small, stylised drawings of everyday objects. Icons have existed since the beginning of our civilisation. A few icons together make up a story without text. page 21, 22, 94

Ideogram An abstract sign that depicts less concrete subjects. page 19, 26, 30

ILSAM International Language for Service and Maintenance. page 10, 51, 122

Ogden, Ch. K. Published BASIC English in 1932. page 45, 46, 48, 122

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Papyrus A water plant of the Nile. From the kernel of the stems, the Egyptians made a material on which you could write. page 21, 22

Part of speech The grammatical function of a word. page 44, 56, 66, 67

S1000D AECMA/ASD Specification 1000D International specification for technical publications, utilising a Common Source DataBase. In Europe often referred to as ASD S1000D. page 57, 82, 84, 85, 97, 102, 109

SGML Standard Generalised Markup Language – an international standard and often an requirement in technical documentation. page ??????

Simplified Developed by ASD to improve the readability of Technical aircraft maintenance manuals. English page 7, 10, 12, 13, 40, 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 63,

65, 67, 68, 72, 82, 84, 85, 86, 87, 90 ,91, 92, 93, 95, 97, 101, 102, 104, 108, 113, 126

Simplified Developed by Tedopres to create illustrations that Technical are easy to understand and that facilitate reuse of Illustrations information.

page 104, 105, 108, 109, 113

Standard The English language in general use. English page 35, 36, 38

SVG Scalable Vector Graphic – an international standard for graphics that is used in Simplified Illustrations. page 104, 105

Text mining The process of finding and analysing all terms that are used by a company in its technical documentation. page 63, 64, 65, 67

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Terminology The basis for the consistent use terminology within management a company. page 39, 63, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 94, 95, 113

XML Extensible Markup Language – an international standard for text in technical documentation. page 57, 70, 82, 88, 104, 105, 108, 109, 111, 112

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A shorter introduction to English literature

17th edition, Wolters-Noordhoff N.V. Groningen, the Netherlands

AECMA Simplified English (AECMA document: PSC-8S-16S98) A guide for the preparation of aircraft maintenance documentation in the international aerospace maintenance language. AECMA, Gulledelle 94 -b.5, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium

Allen, Jeffrey Different Types of Controlled Languages, TC-Forum magazine, vol.1-99

Atlas van de Bijbel Luc. H. Grollenberg, 1954, N.V. Uitgeversmaatschappij Elsevier Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Brockmann, Daniel Controlled Language & Translation Memory Technology, a Perfect match to Save Translation Cost, TC-Forum magazine, 2/97

Brusaw, C.T. Dismantling the Tower of Babel, journal of Technical Writing & Communication, Farmingdale N.Y.

De bakermat van de Bijbel Drs. J.H. Negenman, ©1986, N. V. Uitgeversmaatschappij Elsevier Amsterdam/Brussel, D.1968/0199/44

Grote Culturen der Oudheid Ur, Assur en Babylon, Dr. Helmuth Th. Bossert, Dr. Hartmut Schmokel Uitgeversmaatschappij Holland, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Journal of Technical Writing & Communication, Charles H Sides Baywood Publishing Company, Inc. New York

Kirkman, J. Controlled English avoids multi-translations, February 1978 Using ‘controlled’ language in technical communication, 1992

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Kirkman, J., Snow, C. and Watson I. Controlled English in International Technical Documentation, 39th congress of the International Federation for Documentation. Edinburg, U.K., Sept. 1978

Kirkman, J., Snow, C. and Watson, I. Controlled English as an Alternative to Multiple Translations, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communications, Vol. PC-2I, No.4, December 1978

Ogden, Ch. K. (1889-1957) BASIC English: International Second Language, a list of 850 words; BASIC English: A General Introduction with Rules and Grammar: Paul Treber & Co., Ltd London, 1930

The ABC of BASIC English, A simple account, step by step, for learners and teachers: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, London 1932 Part of the collection of the UCL Library, Manuscripts & Rare Books

Science and Technical Writing A manual of style, Philip Rubens, Henry Holt and Company, New York ISBN 0-8050-1831-X

White, E. N. ‘ILSAM - International Language’,The Communicator of Scientific and Technical Information, No 23, April 1975

Verbeke, C.A. Caterpillar Fundamental English, a basic approach for multinational technical communication in an industry. Training and Development Journal, February 1973

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References

Karen Toast Conger Director, Product Training & Publications WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. Seattle, USA

John Kirkman Communication Consultancy Consultant on Technical Communication. Former Director of the Faculty of Communication Studies at the University of Wales for Science and Technology, Cardiff; UK Ramsbury, Marlborough, England

Anton van Klooster Sales manager, Caterpillar, Geveke Zwaar Materieel B.V. Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Frank van der Oord Customer Services Stork/Fokker Fokker Services B.V. Nieuw Vennep, the Netherlands

Valery Strekoz Head of Technical Publications with BETA AIR Head of the Maintenance Division of Beriev Aircraft Company Taganrog, Russia

Richard Wojcik Associate Technical Fellow with Boeing Phantom Works US Chairperson of the ATA/AIA SETG Seattle, USA

Jozien ten Zijthof Language Co-ordinator, Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (KLM) Schiphol Airport, the Netherlands

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Company profile

About TedopresTedopres (short for Technical Documentation and Presentation) has been offering professional technical documentation services since 1974.

We specialise in all assets that come with technical documentation, including technical translation in over 50 languages, technical illustrations as well as software development to support the creation, management and publication of technical documentation.

We have an outstanding reputation of providing our customers with cost-effective, high-quality service that meets industry-specific standards.

We provide technical documentation services in the following industries:

Aerospace Office equipmentDefence Medical equipmentMachinery SemiconductorElectronics Laboratory instrumentsProcess technology Power toolsTelecommunications Automotive

Because Tedopres focuses on maintaining the quality and accuracy of documentation, industry leaders including Boeing, Black & Decker, NACCO Industries, Philips and Siemens trust us to handle their most complex documentation projects. More than 500 additional multinational corporations have done the same.

www.tedopres.com

www.simplifiedenglish.net

www.technical-translations.net

www.technical-illustrations.net

www.patent-documentation.com

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Mission Statement & Vision

Mission statement Tedopres supports companies in managing all aspects of their information processes. We specialise in simplifying information and information processes. Our professional integrity is based on creativity, efficiency and quality in achieving customer-specific targets.

Vision Tedopres’ method of working is based on a thorough vision. A vision that has been strengthened by many findings and experiences over the past three decades, a vision that applies to Tedopres’ entire field of activities. We base our vision on the application of ‘hyperlinking’ in technical documentation, and accordingly classified our products in a range called Tedopres HyperVision.

The key principle of Tedopres HyperVision is ‘connectivity’. By organising information, it becomes interactively manageable and reusable. All elements are tuned to one another, stored and made accessible in such a way that all elements can be mutually connected or disconnected.

By means of systematic text analysis, efficient visualisation techniques and applied information management techniques, Tedopres makes technology transferable.

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Partners & Memberships

PartnersTedopres is an active member of the Product Support Alliance (PSA), an international partnership organization for companies that are active in the field of technical documentation.

It is PSA’s objective to: • bringtogetherknowledgeandexperience• stimulatequality,and• ensurecompliancewithinternationalguidelines.

Within the PSA Tedopres cooperates with partners in:• Europe• USA• Russia• Korea• Japan

With our international partners we collaborate in the areas of:• productdevelopment• marketing• tenderingforinternationalprojects• co-production• knowledgeexchangeinthefieldoftechnologyandinternational

standards.

Technology partnersTedopres’ HyperSTE software (Simplified Technical English) integrates seamlessly into a number of authoring applications, including MS Word, Adobe FrameMaker, Arbortext Epic and XMetal. HyperSTE is also available as a stand-alone version (HyperSTE Generic) to check PDF and text files. Consequently, Tedopres established technology partnerships with the following organizations:• Microsoft• Adobe• JustSystems• PTC

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Memberships

Tedopres is member of the following industry associations:• AIA(AerospaceIndustriesAssociationofAmerica),

www.aia-aerospace.org • CIDM(CentreforInformation-DevelopmentManagement),

www.infomanagementcenter.com • ISTC(InstituteofScientific&TechnicalCommunicators),

www.istc.org.uk • LISA(LocalisationIndustryStandardsAssociation),www.lisa.org• NIDV(StichtingNederlandseIndustrievoorDefensieenVeiligheid),

www.nidv.nl • STC(SocietyforTechnicalCommunication),www.stc.org

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Offices:

Tedopres International B.V. (headquarters)P.O. Box 336 5680 AH BestThe Netherlands Tel.: +31 (0)40 84 84 050Fax: +31 (0)40 84 84 059

Tedopres International, Inc.611 West 5th Street, Third FloorAustin, Texas 78701 USA Tel.: +1 512 306 8601Fax: +1 512 306 9320

Tedopres Asia Pte. Ltd.19 Keppel Road#03-10 Jit Poh BuildingSingapore 089058Tel.: +65 65154318

Tedopres Japan K.K.B2139, 21st floorWorld Business Garden Marive East2-6 Nakase, Mihama-ku Chiba-shi, Chiba-Ken261-7121 JapanTel.: 81-(0)43-297-2589Fax: 81-(0)43-295-1751

Tedopres also has agents in:France Finland Italy Korea Russia Spain Sweden

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For more information, please visit our websites:www.tedopres.comwww.simplifiedenglish.netwww.technical-translations.netwww.technical-illustrations.netwww.patent-documentation.com

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The Power ofCombination

Since the origin of our civilisation, language has developed itself into roughly 6,000 variants, not counting dialects. Unfortunately, this wide variety has led to misunderstandings, misinterpretations and calamities in today’s business communication.

Lack of understanding and incorrect interpretation of language, sentences or words are common causes. The result often entails frustration and unnecessary high cost. As a result, linguists and manufacturers exerted themselves to develop a single, internationally applicable language. The complete development process extends over a period that started well over 70 years ago to the present day.

At this moment a very reliable “basic language” is available: Simplified Technical English. Having played a leading role in its industry since 1974, Tedopres International has taken the initiative to inform the industry about Simplified Technical English and its benefits.This book shows that the need for a single international language is evident. Moreover, this book shows that Simplified Technical English fulfils this need as it is already being used successfully throughout the world.

www.tedopres.com © Tedopres International B.V., The Netherlands