Re: [PATCH v4 08/10] intro.3: wfix

[Alejandro Colomar <alx.manpages@gmail.com>]

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Hi Branden,

On 1/9/23 00:08, G. Branden Robinson wrote:
> Hi Alex,
> 
> At 2023-01-07T20:47:20+0100, Alejandro Colomar wrote:
>> See a few comments below (as you asked in another email).
>>>> +The Linux
>>>> +.I man-pages
>>
>> The Linux man-pages is a singular noun that denominates the project.
>> Using it as a plural noun that refers to the pages contained in it
>> sounds weird.
> 
> In English this is a slippery area.  In U.S. English nouns referring to
> collections tend to be singularized, whereas in Commonwealth English
> they tend to the plural, but exceptions are seen in both dialects[1] and
> the meaning is usually clear.

Ahh, didn't know that about Commonwealth English.  I'm way more used to US 
English (and the man-pages also uses US).

> 
>> I find the new wording more confusing than the original.
> 
> I'll recast, then.
> 
>>>> +organize section 3 into subsections
>>>>    that reflect the complex structure of the standard C library
>>>> -and its many implementations:
>>>> +and its many implementations.
>>>> +.IR libc 's
>>>> +difficult history frequently makes it a poor example to follow
>>>> +in design,
>>>> +implementation,
>>>> +and presentation.
>>>>    .IP \(bu 3
>>>>    3const
>>>>    .IP \(bu
>>>> @@ -87,11 +93,6 @@ and its many implementations:
>>>>    .IP \(bu
>>>>    3type
>>>>    .PP
>>
>> The list of subsections seems more connected to "organize section 3
>> into subsections", rather than with the comment about libc's
>> organization being crap.  I think that is fine after reading the list,
>> stating that what you just read is crap, but necessary crap due to
>> libc's history.
> 
> It read more poorly to me that way.  My presentation was grounded on my
> recollection that we agreed that these new subsections of yours would
> not be necessary if the standard C library were not (1) huge and (2)
> disorganized.

I still agree on that.  However, think about a reader: it when it's reading the 
list, it needs to remember that you said two paragraphs above that you were 
going to show a list.  If the list is shown right after you say you're going to 
show it, there's less cognitive load, isn't it?

Cheers,

Alex

> 
> I'll take another crack at it, supplying a bit more motivation but
> trying not to recapitulate our discussion, which doesn't demand that
> degree of preservation.  :P
> 
> Regards,
> Branden
> 
> [1] https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=877

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<http://www.alejandro-colomar.es/>

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