From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.1 (2015-04-28) on archive.lwn.net X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-6.0 required=5.0 tests=HEADER_FROM_DIFFERENT_DOMAINS, MAILING_LIST_MULTI,RCVD_IN_DNSWL_HI autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.1 Received: from vger.kernel.org (vger.kernel.org [209.132.180.67]) by archive.lwn.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id E71A97D089 for ; Tue, 20 Nov 2018 10:34:07 +0000 (UTC) Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1728198AbeKTVCd convert rfc822-to-8bit (ORCPT ); Tue, 20 Nov 2018 16:02:33 -0500 Received: from mga14.intel.com ([192.55.52.115]:23850 "EHLO mga14.intel.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1726569AbeKTVCd (ORCPT ); Tue, 20 Nov 2018 16:02:33 -0500 X-Amp-Result: SKIPPED(no attachment in message) X-Amp-File-Uploaded: False Received: from fmsmga001.fm.intel.com ([10.253.24.23]) by fmsmga103.fm.intel.com with ESMTP/TLS/DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384; 20 Nov 2018 02:34:06 -0800 X-ExtLoop1: 1 X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="5.56,256,1539673200"; d="scan'208";a="109634058" Received: from jnikula-mobl3.fi.intel.com (HELO localhost) ([10.237.72.61]) by fmsmga001.fm.intel.com with ESMTP; 20 Nov 2018 02:34:03 -0800 From: Jani Nikula To: Will Deacon , linux-doc@vger.kernel.org Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, Will Deacon , David Howells , Liam Girdwood , Chris Wilson , Michael Halcrow , Jonathan Corbet Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation: Use "while" instead of "whilst" In-Reply-To: <1542625365-21886-1-git-send-email-will.deacon@arm.com> Organization: Intel Finland Oy - BIC 0357606-4 - Westendinkatu 7, 02160 Espoo References: <1542625365-21886-1-git-send-email-will.deacon@arm.com> Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2018 12:34:35 +0200 Message-ID: <87in0sf35w.fsf@intel.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8BIT Sender: linux-doc-owner@vger.kernel.org Precedence: bulk List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-doc@vger.kernel.org On Mon, 19 Nov 2018, Will Deacon wrote: > Whilst making an unrelated change to some Documentation, Linus sayeth: Reference? > > | Afaik, even in Britain, "whilst" is unusual and considered more > | formal, and "while" is the common word. > | > | [...] > | > | Can we just admit that we work with computers, and we don't need to > | use þe eald Englisc spelling of words that most of the world never > | uses? > > dictionary.com refers to the word as "Chiefly British", which is > probably an undesirable attribute for technical documentation. > > Replace all occurrences under Documentation/ with "while". It's an innocent enough change I guess... but seriously? Do we now need a documentation style guide too...? Should we block an otherwise good patch with "whilst" in it from now on? Personally, I'd accept that our documentation is a hodge podge of regional dialects, written by native and non-native speakers with incredibly diverse backgrounds and different levels of education and experience. If we can keep the documentation understandable and mostly typo free, I'd be happy. Even good grammar seems to be a stretch goal... ;) BR, Jani. -- Jani Nikula, Intel Open Source Graphics Center