If it’s work for hire – that is, you don’t retain the copyright – then yep.

Moral rights? They exist to an extent, but many publishers expect you to waive ‘em. It’s the whole “moral right to be identified as the author of this work” stuff.

To some extent, sure. But, if they lower the quality significantly and leave your byline on it, haven’t you got a case against them for spoiling your reputation? Maybe journalists need an equvalent of Alan Smithie.

There’s a podcast I listen to by a bloke that’s a technical translator in Japan. He insists that all those manuals are perfect when he’s finished with them, then they let a technical bod with some engrish give it a quick check over.

There are plenty of absolute rules in language, which is why “Jumped waterfall salmon up did does” doesn’t make sense and “I will do it tomorrow” can never refer to something I did last week.

> But writing, especially in English, is subject to aesthetic judgments

Yeah, and? Coren’s not complaining about anyone’s aesthetic judgment: I’m sure he knows that not all his readers will get his joke. What he’s complaiing about is having his writing changed by someone who doesn’t understand it and knows demonstrably less than he does about language.

> On the other hand, there are some people who feel that split infinitives are not a good idea. And there are others who feel that using “less” of countables sounds wrong.

Oh, come on, Stephen: you know as well as I do that the people who correct these things do it because they think they breach rules, and most would object to the suggestion that it’s a matter of mere personal preference.

On the other hand, there are some people who feel that split infinitives are not a good idea. And there are others who feel that using “less” of countables sounds wrong.

The point is that if you want to work in a field where rules are absolute then you might want to look into mathematics. But writing, especially in English, is subject to aesthetic judgments that, regardless of whether they appear in someone’s rulebook or not, will be made about your writing. And if these judgments are made by people with the authority to enforce changes, then becoming seriously angry is perhaps your only option.

Tolkien apparently spent hours going through The Lord of the Rings changing back every instance of “try and” that American subs had changed to “try to”. This is fucking Tolkien, and the bloody subs still thought they spoke better English.