A reversed "replace"

[Brian Hitchcock]

Regarding Joel Berson's example   ".hit replace (n for _n_)  ":

As a technical writer focused on achieving maximum clarity, I see this
construction as a particular case of the general confusion of "replace" with
"substitute", as well as the misuse of the prepositions "with", "by" and
"for".  I leave it to you dialect scholars to comment on which of the below
constructions are common in writing or speaking.



If one wishes to clearly, unambiguously convey "remove X and put y in its
place," I view these constructions as the top three:

1.            Replace X with Y

2.            Substitute Y for X

3.            Replace X by Y



The following constructions strike me as awkward, weak, vague or ambiguous.

          Substitute X with Y  (this confuses the reader by using
"substitute" to mean "replace")

          Substitute X by Y                (ditto)



          Replace Y for X       (this confuses the reader by using "replace"
to mean "substitute")

          Replace X for Y       (ditto, but worse. this is Joel Berson's
example, ".hit replace (n for _n_) "



I believe the below constructions are ALWAYS misleading. They can and will
be taken as the OPPOSITE of the intended sense.

          Substitute Y by X

          Substitute X for Y



I might have phrased the example this way:

      Click* [Replace] to replace "n" with "_n_"

where [Replace]  is an actual image of the button (assuming it is a button).
Lacking an image, or if it's not a button, I would show the text to be
clicked, exactly as it appears on screen, matching the font style, font
size, case, color and background as closely as possible.



*Note that IMHO, tech manuals for computer users should not employ the verb
"hit". For clarity, I generally tell users to "Press" (a key), to "Click" (a
button)", to "Click on" (link text) or to "Select" (an option/item) "from"
(a menu/drop-down list).  House styles vary (e.g. one might prefer "Choose"
over "Select"), but consistency of usage and syntax is vital. Simplicity is
nice, too; in the context of the example, one could easily phrase the
instruction thus, obviating any preposition:

Click [Replace]

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org