Syntax for if/then statement

[Stuart Rogers]

Beck, Charles wrote:

> However, in the case of a conditional construct, I stand by my statement
> and conviction that most readers could not care less whether we say, "If
> such-and-such is true, then do this," or "If such-and-such is true, do
> this."

As always, consider your audience. Perhaps you write only for native 
speakers of American English. I write for an international audience; 
probably 80% of my readers have English as a second language. I always 
write "If..., then..." because it is the clearest way to signal the 
relationship of the clauses. It may be redundant in casual speech, but 
as signal theory tells us, redundancy helps ensure the right message is 
received.

And to Tammy -- good luck with that "editor".


-- 
Stuart Rogers
Technical Communicator
Phoenix Geophysics Limited
Toronto, ON, Canada
+1 (416) 491-7340 x 325

srogers phoenix-geophysics com

"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in 
moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification 
for selfishness."

John Kenneth Galbraith, 1908-2006
"The smartest export Canada ever sent to the United States."


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