We have a lot of opinions on language and how it is used. The most important of which is word-choice, as that directly affects how we talk, and how we perceive how other people talk.

Style

We use mostly formal English with a few specific quirks when typing:

• Capitalizing words that we feel are Important or Notable to The Sentence, in the style of AA Milne

• Wrapping blocks of text in <xml tags></xml tags> to signify a certain intent or property about a message, for example:

  <Wrong>
  Have you tried overloading the Nuclear Reactor?
  </Wrong>

• Sentences starting on a new line is generally equivalent to ending the previous line with a period, but slightly less formally.

Tone/Intent/Content

• We are very matter-of-fact and can be quite blunt. If we say something that upsets you please tell us. We are autistic and can have trouble understanding, we won’t mind if something sounds wrong, we’d rather know.
• We talk and type quickly due to having ADHD, so if we are going through tangents too quickly or anything like that, please let us know! We can slow down.
• We regularly ask for clarification, as we do not necessarily understand all of the subtleties of neurotypical speech.
• We try to have all relevant information included in the original message, and will clarify as necessary
• We avoid asking to ask
• We avoid round-trip due to introductions, “no hello”
• We also try to keep in mind the XY problem, though sometimes we do strange things anyways because we really specifically want to do the strange thing

Word Choice

• We avoid swearing most of the time, saving it for special circumstances that deserve the emphasis. Sometimes enthusiastic, sometimes angry, frustrated, or upset.
• We avoid using words that are derived from derogatory terms, particularly those about people who are neurodivergent or have mental illness. “Crazy”, “Insane”, “Psycho”, “Schizo”, any words that contribute to saneism, all can and should be avoided. The more you look, the more you find it everywhere. Even if it is meant in a positive way, it is better to reword it in a way that doesn’t use words like this.
• We avoid slurs entirely. Invented slurs count, and includes “Clanker”¹. Reclamation of slurs is a different topic, whether you reclaim slurs that describe you is your decision, however we don’t personally do this.