Writing and Indexing
I read this on A Word A Day AWADmail, which is a collection of e-mails people have sent in re the choice of words, info about etymology, etc.
From: David Mezzera
Subject: This week's (non)theme
You reminded us of books, manuals, and annual reports with a "blank" page
bearing the text: "This page intentionally left blank." There is also the
practice among academicians writing books to place in the "index" the name
of a friend or colleague who does not appear in the actual text of the book.
The single page reference for that person's name is then listed as the index
page itself on which the name appears! How's that for a tautology? Or should
I say a redundant tautology?
To the academics, librarians and students on my flist - is this normal? I've never heard of this 'indexing' of a name before. It might help a person's quotation ranking but that's all.
From: David Mezzera
Subject: This week's (non)theme
You reminded us of books, manuals, and annual reports with a "blank" page
bearing the text: "This page intentionally left blank." There is also the
practice among academicians writing books to place in the "index" the name
of a friend or colleague who does not appear in the actual text of the book.
The single page reference for that person's name is then listed as the index
page itself on which the name appears! How's that for a tautology? Or should
I say a redundant tautology?
To the academics, librarians and students on my flist - is this normal? I've never heard of this 'indexing' of a name before. It might help a person's quotation ranking but that's all.