SJC-style-and-production-guide-2012

Oobliged/obligated both are verb forms. The first is preferable.of often used unnecessarily. Avoid its use in situations where it is redundant. (See ‘that’ also)For example: ‘Nearly half of the Melbourne Cup field are overesas owned’. Or, ‘Minister ofDefence’ rather than ‘Defence Minister’.offence (n); offensive (adj) (see defence/defensive). Note that this is different from theAmerican spellings.officialese Reporters of government, especially local government, and the law must avoidthe bureaucratic language to which these organisations or their servants cling. ‘Re yourCorrespondence of the fifth Ultimo’ or the like from someone’s ‘most Humble and ObedientServant’ still may be found in bureaucratic writing, and everyone is familiar with impenetrablelegal documents. Reduce the language to simple English and eliminate the pomposities. Localgovernment bodies that like to refer to themselves grandly as ‘Council’ should be reported as‘the council’.one and won are sometimes confused. ‘It was the one race she had to win, and she won itconvincingly’.online lower case.only, nearly, almost It is important to recognise that such a qualifying word as ‘only’, as well assimilar qualifiers ‘nearly’ and ‘almost’ need to be associated clearly with the words they are toqualify.‘He only grows apples and pears’ is understood in speech, since stress can be placed on wordsto affect their content. In writing, though, it is not clear whether the grower grows only applesand pears or if he only grows them; that is, he does not sell them, eat them or do anythingbut grow them. In its present place, ‘only’ appears to qualify ‘grows’, rather than ‘apples andpears’. The best way to ensure that ‘only’ is correctly placed is to insert it as close as possibleto the word it is to qualify.onto, on to Note the difference between ‘We walked on to the next bridge’ and ‘We walked ontothe next bridge’. The Oxford English Dictionary gives ‘on to’ as the only correct form, butschool style is to use both terms, as in the examples.optician makes, repairs and dispenses spectacles. An optometrist tests eyesight, with a viewto prescribing spectacles. An ophthalmologist (or oculist) cares for eye health and is also amedical practitioner.ordinance a decree or command, authoritative with force of law; ordnance military equipmentand ammunition..orient to place a thing or person in a conscious direction. Earlier, the Orient was the lands tothe east and south east of the Mediterranean. Thus one sense of orientation meant to align achurch facing east. Now orientation can be in any direction, but is an alignment with purpose.Orientate similar.over (See more than, fewer/less.) Planes fly over water.UQ SJC STYLEBOOK 2012 – PAGE 50