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Re: English usage bug in bytecomp.el
From: |
David Kastrup |
Subject: |
Re: English usage bug in bytecomp.el |
Date: |
Tue, 08 Mar 2005 11:33:11 +0100 |
User-agent: |
Gnus/5.11 (Gnus v5.11) Emacs/22.0.50 (gnu/linux) |
Miles Bader <address@hidden> writes:
> On Tue, 8 Mar 2005 08:02:35 +0000 (GMT), Alan Mackenzie <address@hidden>
> wrote:
>> [Discussion of "`foo' is an obsolete function since 21.4;"]
>>
>> >I think "is ... since" is pretty common usage actually, and certainly
>> >makes sense.
>>
>> <Gnashes teeth>
>>
>> Yes, it does make sense and it is regrettably common usage, but it is
>> WRONG. It is something that a native English speaker would never say.
>> In this case, it is just as easy to be correct.
>
> Hmm, I'm a native English speaker (and I certainly appreciate fine
> language), but I don't mind this at all. It simply doesn't register
> very high on the "feels wrong" scale, though it does a little.
>
> I also agree with Nick that the "correct" form is less clear (and
> requires a funny little twiddly bit in the code).
>
> However, a variant which might be even clearer, and maybe less
> objectionable would be "FOO is an obsolete function (since 21.4)".
This does not help really. If my language sensors are correct, a
non-objectionable phrasing might be
"As of 21.4, Foo is an obsolete function."
But I still don't see that "has been" is something that even a
non-native speaker has any possibility of avoiding to see quite a lot,
anyhow.
--
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum
- English usage bug in bytecomp.el, Alan Mackenzie, 2005/03/07
- Re: English usage bug in bytecomp.el, Bill Wohler, 2005/03/08
- Re: English usage bug in bytecomp.el, Andreas Schwab, 2005/03/08
- Re: English usage bug in bytecomp.el, Nick Roberts, 2005/03/08
- Re: English usage bug in bytecomp.el, Miles Bader, 2005/03/08
- Re: English usage bug in bytecomp.el, Bill Wohler, 2005/03/08
- Re: English usage bug in bytecomp.el, Richard Stallman, 2005/03/09
- Re: English usage bug in bytecomp.el, Richard Stallman, 2005/03/08
- Re: English usage bug in bytecomp.el, David Kastrup, 2005/03/09
- Re: English usage bug in bytecomp.el, Miles Bader, 2005/03/09