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:: FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
These questions and answers were created by the
STEMG to assist you in understanding the concepts of ASD Simplified
Technical English, Specification ASD-STE100 (STE). Please contact the
STEMG for any further information you may require.
SUMMARY OF QUESTIONS
GENERAL
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What is ASD Simplified Technical English (STE)?
·
What is the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD)?
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Who created STE? And why?
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Why does any industry need STE?
·
Who needs to write in STE?
·
Why aren’t all technical documents written in STE?
THE SPECIFICATION
·
How can I get a copy of the Specification?
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How is the STE Specification maintained?
·
When will the next issue of Specification be published?
·
Why is the Specification itself not written in STE?
·
Who do I complain to about STE?
·
How can I make suggestions to improve STE?
WRITING RULES (Part 1 of the Specification)
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Why does STE not allow “-ing” forms?
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Do conditional clauses always need to precede the main clause?
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Why can’t I use passive sentences in procedures?
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Why can’t change the language in Warnings and Cautions. How
do I make them compliant with STE?
DICTIONARY (Part 2 of the Specification)
·
Does the STE Dictionary include all the words that are necessary
to write technical documentation?
·
If I submit a Change request (Change Form) for a new word or
meaning, can I use it immediately?
·
How were the words for the STE Dictionary chosen?
·
Can Technical Names and Technical Verbs contain vocabulary that is
explicitly unapproved in the STE Dictionary section?
TRAINING, SOFTWARE AND MISCELLANEOUS
·
Where can I get STE Training?
·
How is STE related to U.S. reading grade levels?
·
Is STE simple to write?
·
Is STE “baby English”?
·
Is STE just for non-native speakers of English?
·
Does STE eliminate the need for translation?
·
If translation is necessary, does STE help the translation
process?
·
Will STE change the meaning of maintenance procedures?
·
Can government employees use STE?
·
Can I speak STE?
·
Do readers need training for STE?
·
Can STE be used to teach English?
·
Can STE be applied to documents other than maintenance documents?
ANSWERS
GENERAL
What is ASD Simplified Technical English (STE)?
STE is a controlled language. It
includes a set of Writing Rules (approximately 60) and basic Dictionary
(approximately 870 approved words) for writing technical documentation.
The Writing Rules regulate the use of
words, layout, sentence length, and how to write Warnings, Cautions and
Notes.
The Dictionary includes general
words, such as “disconnect”, “general”,
“hold”, and “sharp”, that you need to make
sentences.
Besides these general words in the
Dictionary, you can use two additional families of words, called “Technical Names ” and
“Technical Verbs”.
STE (which is not “technical
jargon”) does not control Technical Names (for example, words such
as “bolt”, “grease”, and
“corrosion”), or Technical Verbs (such as
“drill”, “anneal”, and “upload”). It
simply helps you decide, through its categorization, whether a word can
be a Technical Name or a Technical Verb. Then, company policies or
projects will define their preferences.
What is the AeroSpace and Defence Industries
Association of Europe (ASD)?
The AeroSpace and Defence Industries
Association of Europe, ASD, represents the aeronautics, space, defence
and security industries (in Europe) in
all matters of common interest with the objective of promoting and
supporting the competitive development of the sector. ASD pursues joint
industry actions, which require to be dealt with on a European level or
which concern issues of an agreed trans-national nature, and generates
common industry positions.
ASD has 28 member associations in 20
countries across Europe and represents
over 2000 companies with a further 80 000 suppliers, many of which are
Small and Medium Enterprises (SME). The industry sectors employ around
676 000 people.The ASD Secretariat is based in Brussels
and has an office in Paris.
For more information, please visit www.asd-europe.org
Who created STE? And why?
The STE project was started in 1979.
At that time, there were far more aircraft manufacturers than there are
today, and, although they all wrote in English to the same ATA
Specification (known as ATA 100 at the time), their writing styles were
very different. There was documentation written in American English
(Boeing, Douglas, Lockheed…), in British English (Hawker Siddeley,
British Aircraft Corporation, …) and by companies whose native
language was not English (Fokker, Aeritalia, Aerospatiale, and some of
the companies that formed Airbus at the time).
On top of that, some European
airlines had to translate parts of their maintenance documentation into
their local language for their mechanics to be able to understand it.
This was a source of problems for the
European airline industry and led them to approach AECMA in 1979, to ask
the manufacturers to investigate the possibility of using a controlled
form of English – and of course, of all manufacturers using the
same! After investigation into types of controlled languages that existed
in other industries, AECMA decided to produce its own controlled English,
and in 1983, set up a project group, under the leadership of Fokker. The
project was not limited to European industry, though. The American
aerospace industry, through the AIA (Aerospace Industries Association of
America) was invited to participate, especially as some AIA companies had
already done some standardization along the same lines.
The result of this collaborative work
was a Guide, known as the AECMA Simplified English Guide. This Guide is
now a Specification and in 2004, after the merger of AECMA with two other
associations to form ASD,
changed its name to become ASD Simplified Technical English,
Specification ASD-STE100. In 2006, the Specification got the European
Community Trade Mark.
Why does any industry need STE?
STE
addresses difficulties in English comprehension related to complex
sentence structures, confusing word forms, and ambiguous vocabulary. STE
was created for the aerospace industry, but its benefits are indeed
applicable to all industries. For example, it can be used for land and
sea vehicles, as detailed in S1000D Specification (www.s1000d.org).
Who needs to write in STE?
STE was developed to make maintenance
documentation easier to read, so authors of such documentation use it
when they write these procedures.
It is not a language that you can use for “general”
writing, for example international correspondence. However, its basic
principles (for example, short sentences, one topic per sentence, active
voice etc., can be easily adopted.
Why aren’t all technical documents written
in STE?
AECMA
developed STE to improve the procedures and descriptive text in aerospace
maintenance documents. . Contracts and standards such as the ATA
Specification i2200 and S1000D require the use of STE in the documents
they regulate, but there is no requirement for all technical documents.
However, STE can improve maintenance documentation in other industries,
but it is possible that some documents (for example, those which are
analytical, too descriptive, or legalistic in nature) will not get this
same benefit.
THE SPECIFICATION
How can I get a copy of Specification?
You can get copies from:
ASD-STAN – Standardization,
Brussels, Belgium
E-mail: contact@asd-stan.org
/ sales@asd-stan.org
Web: http://www.asd-stan.org/sales/asdocs.asp
Air
Transport Association (ATA) of America, Inc. , Washington,
DC, U.S.A.
Web: http://www.air-transport.org
How is the Specification maintained?
The Specification is maintained by
the ASD Simplified Technical English Maintenance Group (STEMG). This
group consists of representatives from ASD member countries in Europe,
from the AIA in the US,
the AIA-C in Canada,
and ANAC in Argentina.
In addition, the STEMG has associate members representing the users
(airlines and militaries).
When will the next issue of Specification be
published?
The
frequency of issues is usually three years. The current Specification is ISSUE 5, 15 April 2010.
Why is the Specification itself not written in
STE?
The
Specification is not written in STE because it is not a Technical Manual
giving information and instructions to maintenance operators. It is
a document telling authors how to write manuals related to maintenance.
However, expressions, wording and examples obey the spirit of the
ASD-STE100 Writing Rules: they are simple, clear, and easy to understand.
How can I make suggestions to improve STE?
The
Specification needs feedback from its users if it is to continue to
improve.
You
should send any query to the STEMG. If you have a STE National
Coordinator in your Country, send the queries directly to him/her. If
there is no National Coordinator, addressed the queries to the STEMG
Chairman at info@asd-ste100.org.
There is a Change Form in the
Specification and in this web site. Use it to write your recommendation
or change proposals. You may
send the Change Form to the STE National Coordinator in your Country or
at info@asd-ste100.org.
The STEMG has a record of all Change
Forms produced and their assessments. The Change Forms are discussed
within the STEMG and, if
approved, the changes are included in the next issue of the Specification.
The originators of the Change Forms are always notified of the
assessments and decisions taken. When the Change Forms are rejected, the
reason(s) for the rejection are also explained to the originator.
If I submit a change proposal (Change Form) for
a new word or meaning, can I use it immediately?
No. The STEMG will review the
request, and changes will occur in a future issue of the specification if
the request is approved.
WRITING RULES (Part 1 of the Specification)
Why does STE not allow “ing”
forms?
One of the purposes of STE is to avoid ambiguity, and
the use of words with an “ing” ending can easily lead to
misunderstandings. “Ing” ending words can have different
parts of speech, and can also be used in verbal constructions
difficult to understand by non-native readers with a basic English
knowledge. Moreover, verbal tenses with “ing” forms imply a
duration that is not always clearly expressed. Since maintenance
documentation requires clarity, precision and unambiguity, it has been
decided to avoid these “ing” forms. There are words with
"ing” endings in the Dictionary, but these are always nouns,
adjectives and prepositions. Examples, OPENING (n), REMAINING (adj), DURING (pre).
Do conditional clauses always need to precede
the main clause?
No. This is not always the case, but
if you give a condition in a work step that the operator must know before
he does the work step, it is often more logical (and safer) to put this
condition at the beginning of the sentence. Here, in the example, " If
hot oil touches your skin, it can cause burns." It is more logical
to write the condition first and then the result that follows from that
condition.
Why can’t I use passive sentences in
procedures?
When we write procedures, we use the
kind of language that we would use if we were standing next to the
mechanic doing the job. So we mostly use the imperative (or command) form
of the verb and write, for example,
"Install the component". If we write "The component
must be installed.", this is not a direct instruction to the
mechanic and ambiguity could occur.
Procedures must be as direct as possible, not narrative as passive
text. In descriptive texts, we can use the active voce as much as
possible (i.e. “A” does “B”) and we can use the
passive voice when it is absolutely necessary (for example, when we are
describing an item that during its operation “receives” the
action of another item (i.e. “B” is done by
“A”)).
Why can’t I change the language in
Warnings and Cautions. How do I make them compliant with STE?
In some companies, legal departments
control the content of Warnings and Cautions. This is because of
perceived liability issues. Technical staff can often work with lawyers
to develop language that reduces liability risks and complies with STE
requirements. Individual company policy will determine the extent to
which this is possible.
DICTIONARY (Part 2 of the Specification)
Does the STE Dictionary include all
the words that are necessary to write technical documentation?
The STE Dictionary has a controlled
general vocabulary with sufficient words to write any technical sentence.
The Dictionary does not include Technical Names and Technical Verbs which
are applicable to specific projects or industry. We use the STE Dictionary
words for basic sentence structure, but we must refer to the Writing
Rules for the recommendations about the Technical Names and Technical
Verbs and their categories.
How were the words for the ASD-STE100 Dictionary
chosen?
The criteria used to choose the
approved words in the Dictionary (the general words) were basically
simplicity, flexibility and frequency of use. For example,
“do” is simpler, more flexible and much more frequent than
“achieve”, “carry out”, or “accomplish”. In most cases, the general words
that are approved have only one approved meaning and one part of speech.
For example “about” is only approved with the meaning
“Concerned with”. You cannot use it to mean
“approximately” or “around” (these words are
themselves approved and defined). “Check” is only approved as
a noun (as in “do a check”), not as a verb (as in
“check the lights”).
Can Technical Names and Technical Verbs contain
vocabulary that is explicitly unapproved in the Dictionary?
Yes. Technical
Names and Technical Verbs are not listed in the Dictionary. They are
defined in the Specification by the categories they belong to. If an
unapproved word in the Dictionary is used with a Technical Name or
Technical Verb to complete it, it automatically becomes part of that
Technical Name or Technical Verb, and as such acceptable. This is the
only way to use these unapproved words, but it is advisable to limit this
use as much as possible.
TRAINING, SOFTWARE AND MISCELLANEOUS
Where can I get STE Training?
Some current and former members of
the STEMG provide ASD-STE100 training. They are reliable trainers,
because their courses are based on the work done in the STEMG, and on
their knowledge and experience in using the Specification. It is possible
that you will find training courses given by other providers who are not
linked to the STEMG. In this case it is important to know that these
providers are not endorsed,
authorized or certified by ASD, the STEMG, their representatives and
companies they belong to. These providers have not received any
authorization to use in their training material the ASD Logo, the
Copyright and the Trademark of ASD-STE100, nor to distribute within their
material copies of the Specification. They are not authorized to release
certificates of attendance carrying ASD Logo or the ASD-STE100 Logo, as
protected by the European Community Trademark.
Where can I get checkers or software products
that support STE?
There are
commercial companies who sell software products (such as grammar
checkers, online dictionaries etc.) that support STE. STE users are free
to adopt these software and checkers bearing in mind that they should not
substitute the Specification. As for the training provider, ASD, the
STEMG, their representatives and companies they belong to DO NOT endorse
or certify "commercial companies” or providers that sell their
software products or checkers which they declare to be
ASD-STE100"fully compliant". These commercial companies or
providers have not received any authorization to use in their material
the ASD Logo, the Copyright and
the Trademark of ASD-STE100, nor to distribute within
their software packages copies of the Specification.
How is STE related to U.S. reading grade levels?
STE simplifies language with words
that have restricted definitions and simpler sentence structures. When
this is done, the resulting language is simpler and easier for readers of
lower reading grade levels to comprehend, but STE does not guarantee
compliance with reading grade levels.
Is STE simple to write?
STE was created for the maximum
benefit of the reader.
This does not necessarily mean it is
simple to write.
To write in STE correctly you must:
- Have a good technical knowledge of the unit
that is the subject of your writing.
- Have a good command of the English
language.
- Have a good understanding of the ASD-STE100
Writing Rules and its Dictionary.
- Be able to identify which words you can use
as Technical Names and Technical Verbs.
- Be able to structure thoughts and ideas
logically and understand your reader’s needs.
Is STE “baby English”?
No. Its purpose is to describe
complex systems and complex maintenance tasks in a clear and simple
form. This means that
technicians with a limited
knowledge of English can easily understand what they read and do
the work correctly.
Is STE just for non-native speakers of English?
No. Although ASD-STE100 was created
to help non-native speakers of English, it also improves communication
among English mother tongue.
Does STE eliminate the need for translation?
If translation is necessary, does STE help the
translation process?
Will STE change the meaning of maintenance
procedures?
No. If properly used, ASD-STE100 will
not change the meaning of maintenance procedures, because it requires a
high standard of professionalism (both linguistic and technical) on the
writer’s part.
Can government employees use STE?
Yes. They can use the principles of
ASD-STE100 in documents for which a translation into a non-English
language might be required. The discipline of ASD-STE100 would create
better, shorter, more concise and more precise documentation files. The
primary advantage would be the standardization of government
documentation with the maximum benefits of the readers.
Can I speak STE?
No. ASD-STE100 is not intended for
oral communication. Nevertheless, a text written in ASD-STE100 is a very
useful start for an oral, computer-based training.
Do readers need training for STE?
No. ASD-STE100 is not a new language.
It is a carefully structured version of English which removes confusing
word usages and complex sentence structures. Readers with normal English
skills will notice immediately that the words and sentences are less
confusing or ambiguous with ASD-STE100. It is not necessary to know
ASD-STE100’s rules to enjoy the reading benefits of ASD-STE100.
Can STE be used to teach English?
No. The ASD-STE100 Specification is
not an English grammar book. Although the language is conventionally
controlled in ASD-STE100, it must not overrule the English language and
its grammar.
Can STE be applied to documents other than
maintenance documents?
Yes.
Although STE was created to improve maintenance documentation, its
principles can dramatically improve the reading quality of documentation
in any industry. Only 3% of the current STE contents are related to
aerospace, the remaining 97% is applicable in all contexts, without the
need of adaptation.
Simplified Technical English, ASD-STE100, is a Copyright and a
Trademark of ASD, Brussels, Belgium
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