error · Section 1: Words
Rule 1.1: Use approved words only
Every word in the text must be either an approved word from the STE dictionary, a technical noun that fits one of the 22 approved technical-noun categories (rule 1.5), or a technical verb that fits one of the 4 approved technical-verb categories (rule 1.12).
What a checker looks for
A clear deviation from the rule.
- Resolve each word against dictionary.json (and the configured termbase, if any): flag it if dictionary.json explicitly marks it not-approved and it is not used as a valid technical noun (rule 1.5) or technical verb (rule 1.12).
- Flag a word that is absent from dictionary.json and cannot be resolved as a technical noun, technical verb, or approved termbase entry — return it as needing review rather than assuming it is technical because it 'sounds' technical.
- Flag general-vocabulary words that could be replaced by a simpler, clearly-approved synonym (e.g. 'utilize' instead of 'use', 'completely' instead of 'fully').
What this rule does not cover
- Words used correctly as technical nouns or technical verbs (e.g. 'engine', 'ream', 'actuator') are not violations even when they are not in the general dictionary.
- Before flagging an unfamiliar word, resolve it against dictionary.json and the configured termbase; only flag it once that resolution confirms it is not approved and not a valid technical-noun/technical-verb use — do not decide by impression alone.
- 'Maximum' is approved as both an adjective and a noun; do not flag it.
How to fix it
Replace any non-approved, non-technical word with the closest approved STE dictionary synonym, or restructure the sentence so only approved words, technical nouns, and technical verbs remain.
Constraints on the fix
- Do not change the technical meaning of the sentence when substituting a synonym.
Examples
Not STE: The technician is utilizing a new tool to examine the engine.
STE: The technician uses a new tool to examine the engine.
Related rules
- Rule 1.12: You can use technical verbs from approved categories
- Rule 1.2: Use approved words as the specified part of speech
- Rule 1.3: Use approved words with their approved meanings only
- Rule 1.5: You can use technical nouns from approved categories
- Rule 1.6: Use non-approved words only as technical nouns
Where this fits in AI governance
A rule a checker can test is a rule a model can be held to. The same discipline, on the governance side of this site.
- Hallucination
An approved word used in an unapproved sense is the controlled-language version of a plausible wrong answer. - Misinformation and confabulation
The register entry for text that reads correctly and is not. - Output validation guardrails
A controlled language is a checkable output constraint. This is the control that treats model output as something to be checked rather than trusted.
Source
ASD-STE100 Issue 9, Section 1 - Words, page 1-1-2.
This page is commentary and does not reproduce the standard. About this rule pack.