Metaglossia: The Translation World

A previous article ("Recent trends in the revision of European patent translations") referred to four Supreme Court judgments which dealt with the possibility of revising European patent translations originally applied for ...

The ubiquitous software is great, of course, but it's designed to do just so much. Beyond that, you need a set of eyeballs—or maybe more—advises this university admissions consultant.

Most readers wouldn’t likely notice a minor change, and the ability to edit almost instantly makes it easy for authors, or anyone else with access to the body of work, to quickly make updates and corrections. Continual revision would benefit textbooks, for example, which require constant updating to reflect current knowledge.

But as with other forays into the digital realm, electronic publishing’s benefits come with some drawbacks. Printed books traditionally serve as reliable historical records, but if authors and publishers maintain the power to alter e-books periodically to make them more commercially attractive to consumers, the texts’ validity such texts could be compromised.

For example, a book that doesn’t do as well as expected by its publisher may be changed according to consumer feedback. Chapters might be added or deleted, or an unpleasing ending could be modified. If a book can be continuously changed, it isn’t really ever complete, and may not be a reliable reference.

Share your favorite book on writing. Used copies are fine. Marked up copies are better. Maybe it's your old copy of William Strunk and E.B. White's "The Elements of Style" from college. Maybe it's William Zinsser's classic "On Writing Well," Rosalie Maggio's helpful "How to Say It" or Stephen King's lively "On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft." (For some of my other favorites, Google "Wilbers recommendations.")

The biggest hurdle that most new writer's face is finishing that first draft. Until we type "FADE OUT" that first time, we're not a screenwriter (hobbyist, amateur, or professional). You've got to ...