International Negotiations

Sometimes writers are told what page formats to use and are even forced to enter their text into boxes on forms. With the exception of such cases, International English should use lots of white space. A 4½- or 5-inch column of text is far more likely to be read with understanding than a 6½- or 7-inch column.

By now, everyone can use readable, proportional typefaces with good x-heights (the height of the lower-case x). Although the Times New Roman font is not an especially readable typeface, it is a safe choice for electronically shared documents because nearly everyone has it installed.

Since almost every document is likely to be stored or transmitted elec-tronically, there is a recurring conflict between choosing the most read-able fonts and choosing those that are found on most of the world’s computers. Word, Adobe Acrobat, the various ML languages, as well as other publishing programs, give authors the option to embed their fonts within the document. This practice ensures the desired look of the pub-lication but makes the file considerably larger. Where file size is not a problem, authors should take responsibility for the look of the received document. In other situations—slow Internet connections, for example—

the larger files may be a significant inconvenience.

(Nowadays, most E1 business writers use the words typeface and font interchangeably; technically, this is an error. A font is an instance of a typeface; Arial is a typeface; Arial 12-point bold is a font.)

All companies, especially those that produce sophisticated publica-tions with many graphics, should refrain from using elaborate, ornate, or high-concept typefaces. Though pleasing to the E1 eye, they are frus-trating to the E2 reader and sometimes even impenetrable. Similarly, odd combinations of colors, like black text on dark red backgrounds,

simply make everything harder to process, especially for those men with the most common form of color blindness. This tactic also applies to signs, package art, and store designs. International customers cannot be expected to choose your products and services if they cannot decipher the artistic lettering over your storefront or on your website.

A well-made International English page also uses frequent, helpful section names and subheadings. Wherever possible, the E2 reader is guided through the material with navigational aids. Long sections are shortened; cryptic chapter headings (Introduction) are enlarged to con-tain substance and information (How to Register). Consider these alter-native Tables of Contents:

Before:

Introduction

Scheduling Alternatives Decision Schedule Attachments After:

A Plan to Increase Tourism

What We Can Accomplish This Year Approval Needed by July 1

Attachments: Scope of Work and Contract Forms

Generally, headings that contain one noun or a short string of nouns are clear only to their author and do not help the reader find needed passages or anticipate what is coming next. These headings are best replaced with fuller language: clauses, even whole sentences (for ex-ample, We need a decision before July 1) as a heading or subject line.

Exceptions are documents localized for German readers of English, for whom a noun string is a familiar part of their syntax.

In International English documents, the more side headings and mar-ginal glosses the better. Marmar-ginal glosses contain a terse summary of the adjacent paragraph, or sometimes a “pull quote” or “call out”—that is, a sentence or passage from the text that distills its meaning. Material in the margins serves many functions: it points the readers to the right paragraphs, it allows them to gloss over information they do not need to read, and it reinforces the central theme of the paragraph.

The use of side headings and marginal material also has the added benefit of forcing the main text into a narrower column. Consider the following example, a specimen culled from an old project file, chosen

because it is made difficult to read by both its scientific content and its administrative/bureaucratic terminology. The exhibit is rendered even more unnecessarily burdensome by its format: a mono-spaced (nonproportional) typeface in a long, justified paragraph.

Before:

Currently our regulations 7 CFR 319.37 prohibit the importation of plants in growing media, with some exceptions. The prohibition on plants in soil and growing media goes back to the early days of plant quarantine in the U.S. as soil has histori-cally been regarded as a dangerous agent for pest dispersal. We currently allow nine different kinds of plants to be imported in growing media under specific criteria found in 319.73–8 which must be met by the exporting country. None of the kinds of plants China wishes to export in media are cur-rently approved. They originally asked that we consider in excess of 24 different types plants for shipment to the US. We asked that they priori-tize their request and limit it to 5 or 6 of the more commonly exported types. Currently they ex-port significant numbers of bare rooted penjing plants to the U.S. Shipping losses are realized from shock to root systems when media is removed and quarantine treatment at ports of entry due to the presence of quarantine pests. Prior to adding new kinds of plants to the already approved list APHIS must complete a pest risk assessment (pra) and follow the assessment with rulemaking provided that the assessment is favorable. Our experience with admitting new plants in media over the years has been unfavorable. Industry has challenged ev-ery attempt to add new genera of plants to our regulations. The Professional Plant Growers Asso-ciation (PPGA) is seeking a court reversal of our last revision to Q-37 to add four additional gen-era to the list of approved plants to be imported in a growing medium.

The revision below does not alter a single sentence of the original; the changes are:

• Proportional typefaces

• Side headings

• Short paragraphs

• Boldface emphasis of key phrases

• Transitional words and phrases

After:

Plants in growing Currently, our regulations (7 CFR 319.37) media are prohibit the importation of plants in grow-prohibited ing media, historically regarded as a

dangerous agent for pests. We currently allow nine exceptions, plants that may be imported in growing media under specific criteria that must be met by the exporting country (319.73-8 ).

China requests None of the kinds of plants China wishes exceptions to export in media is currently approved.

They originally asked that we consider more than 24 types of plants for shipment to the U.S. We asked that they select their 5 or 6 most commonly exported types.

Currently they export significant numbers of bare rooted penjing plants to the U.S.

Shipping losses result from shock to root systems when medium is removed, and also from quarantine treatment at ports of entry when we detect pests.

Plant industry Before adding new kinds of plants to resists all the already approved list, APHIS must exceptions complete a pest risk assessment (pra)

and, if the assessment is favorable, follow with rulemaking. Our experience with admitting new plants in media over the years has been unfavorable. Industry has challenged every attempt to add new genera of plants to our regulations.

For example, the Professional Plant Growers Association (PPGA) is seeking a court reversal of our last revision to Q-37, which added 4 genera to the list of plants approved to be imported in a growing medium.

Most readers will agree that, asked to edit or translate the passage above, they would clearly prefer the revised version. Again, all of the improve-ments involve format and presentation, not the diction or grammar.