Introduction
Why do we need an English style guide at AU?
At Language Services, we translate all kinds of texts from all corners of AU, and we work closely with freelancers and translation agencies. The AU English Style Guide grew out of our own need for a common frame of reference. In writing it, our aim has been to provide each other, our colleagues and our suppliers with a framework for written English communication, from emails to profile brochures. The AU Style Guide provides guidance on typical pitfalls and problems that Danes experience when they express themselves in English. It also provides guidance to the many translators and editors who write for AU in English in a variety of media and contexts.
You will find the AU Style Guide an indispensable tool when working with:
- Web texts and PR material
- Press releases and internal news
- Administrative casework and reports
- Letters and emails to students and employees
- Conference/event materials
- Reports, memos, minutes…
What this guide is for
This guide has been designed to:
- Help AU employees to express themselves correctly, consistently and above all clearly in British English in official and formal situations.* The
symbol indicates sections that are particularly relevant for non-native speakers of English.[1] - Provide external translators and editors with clear standards and guidelines for their work for AU.
What’s not included in the guide
The AU Style Guide can’t teach you how to write well or teach you the basics of English grammar and usage. Neither does it pretend to contain the answers to all the finer points of punctuation or usage. It occupies a happy middle ground.
Our standard general reference for English grammar and usage is Michael Swan’s Practical English Usage (3rd ed.). We also refer to a variety of good online sources of help throughout the guide.
We'd like to emphasise that this style guide is not a guide to academic writing. Individual disciplines and fields are governed by their own style guides, and students and members of academic staff are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the relevant standards for their academic text production in English. This is not to say, however, that the style guide can only be used in non-academic contexts. Many of our recommendations apply to good writing in all situations.