Snuffy -

It's quite true that you do have to manage the exceptions. You do that during the typing where a Ctl-Z backs out the change. As long as you watch what's happening, repeated Ctl-Z will back up anything resulting from the last character typed, if you do it before you continue typing.

My experience with "technical manuals" would indicate that very little translation actually is needed. I've worked extensively with Brit/Canadian/Italian "owned" US companies in which "deviant English" of all kinds appears, and if the manuals are technically sound there seems to be very little problem with proper usage by all concerned.

The aircraft industry, and to some extent a few others, do use a "standard simplified English" for repair manuals, identical for all users, and Japanese and Chinese maintenance workers, at the repair line level, seem to have no problems with it. Use of this "language" is mandatory for ATA certified equipement. Separate US/UK manuals are not (usually) produced for shared NATO hardware.

There is a link near the bottom of the page linked above to "help programs," or a Google (I used "Simplified English International") will find a number of "checker programs" specific to the use of this Simplified English version. The system is quite good for describing "objects" and "processes" but comes up a bit short for discussing philosophy and metaphysics.

Of course different people have different definitions of "technical," and the one with the checkbook gets to say what's wanted.

John