Principles of linguistics and cognitive psychology applied to technical English

Abstract

It is argued that cognitive psychology and linguistics applied to the design of technical English can play a significant role in helping systems achieve their purpose by making them easier to use. In this discussion of human-computer interface language, the author makes three points: design teams should use professional writers to design the English language of the interface; cognitive science provides theoretical background for good interface language design; and because there are no realistic guidelines, designing good interface language requires much compromise and common sense. The author concludes with a discussion of several screen revisions based on principles of cognitive psychology and applied linguistics. >