Re: Fix typos - "an" instead of "a"
On Thu, Dec 09, 2021 at 07:30:48AM +1100, Peter Smith wrote: > Some regex exposed a bunch of typos scattered across PG comments and docs. > > They are all of the "uses-an-instead-of-a" (or vice versa) variety. > > PSA a small patch to fix them. Good catches. - # safe: cross compilers may not add the suffix if given an `-o' + # safe: cross compilers may not add the suffix if given a `-o' # argument, so we may need to know it at that point already. On this one, I think that you are right, and I can see that this is the most common practice (aka grep --oids). But my brain also tells me that this is not completely wrong either. Thoughts? -- Michael signature.asc Description: PGP signature
Re: Fix typos - "an" instead of "a"
On Wed, Dec 8, 2021 at 5:12 PM Michael Paquier wrote: > On Thu, Dec 09, 2021 at 07:30:48AM +1100, Peter Smith wrote: > > - # safe: cross compilers may not add the suffix if given an `-o' > + # safe: cross compilers may not add the suffix if given a `-o' > # argument, so we may need to know it at that point already. > On this one, I think that you are right, and I can see that this is > the most common practice (aka grep --oids). But my brain also tells > me that this is not completely wrong either. Thoughts? > > I would read that aloud most comfortably using "an". I found an article that seems to further support this since it both sounds like a vowel (oh) and is also a letter (oh). https://www.grammar.com/a-vs-an-when-to-use David J.
Re: Fix typos - "an" instead of "a"
On Thu, Dec 9, 2021 at 11:25 AM David G. Johnston wrote: > >> - # safe: cross compilers may not add the suffix if given an `-o' >> + # safe: cross compilers may not add the suffix if given a `-o' >> # argument, so we may need to know it at that point already. >> On this one, I think that you are right, and I can see that this is >> the most common practice (aka grep --oids). But my brain also tells >> me that this is not completely wrong either. Thoughts? >> > > I would read that aloud most comfortably using "an". I found an article that > seems to further support this since it both sounds like a vowel (oh) and is > also a letter (oh). > > https://www.grammar.com/a-vs-an-when-to-use > What about the "-" before the "o"? Wouldn't it be read as "dash o" or "minus o"? This would mean "a" is correct, not "an", IMHO. Regards, Greg Nancarrow Fujitsu Australia
Re: Fix typos - "an" instead of "a"
On Thu, Dec 9, 2021 at 11:12 AM Michael Paquier wrote: > > On Thu, Dec 09, 2021 at 07:30:48AM +1100, Peter Smith wrote: > > Some regex exposed a bunch of typos scattered across PG comments and docs. > > > > They are all of the "uses-an-instead-of-a" (or vice versa) variety. > > > > PSA a small patch to fix them. > > Good catches. > > - # safe: cross compilers may not add the suffix if given an `-o' > + # safe: cross compilers may not add the suffix if given a `-o' > # argument, so we may need to know it at that point already. > On this one, I think that you are right, and I can see that this is > the most common practice (aka grep --oids). But my brain also tells > me that this is not completely wrong either. Thoughts? Personally. I read "-o" as "dash oh" and so the "a" instead of "an" seemed right for me. YMMV. (But it is not worth spending more than 30 seconds debating on this so I really don't care whatever is decided) -- Kind Regards, Peter Smith Fujitsu Australia
Re: Fix typos - "an" instead of "a"
On Wed, Dec 8, 2021 at 5:32 PM Greg Nancarrow wrote: > On Thu, Dec 9, 2021 at 11:25 AM David G. Johnston > wrote: > > > >> - # safe: cross compilers may not add the suffix if given an `-o' > >> + # safe: cross compilers may not add the suffix if given a `-o' > >> # argument, so we may need to know it at that point already. > >> On this one, I think that you are right, and I can see that this is > >> the most common practice (aka grep --oids). But my brain also tells > >> me that this is not completely wrong either. Thoughts? > >> > > > > I would read that aloud most comfortably using "an". I found an article > that seems to further support this since it both sounds like a vowel (oh) > and is also a letter (oh). > > > > https://www.grammar.com/a-vs-an-when-to-use > > > > What about the "-" before the "o"? > Wouldn't it be read as "dash o" or "minus o"? This would mean "a" is > correct, not "an", IMHO. > Yeah, I was treating the leading dash as being silent...the syntax dash(es) for single and multi-character arguments seems unimportant to read aloud in the general sense. If one does read them then yes, "a" is correct. Lacking any documented preference I would then just go with what is prevalent in existing usage. David J.
Re: Fix typos - "an" instead of "a"
On Wed, Dec 08, 2021 at 05:47:39PM -0700, David G. Johnston wrote: > Yeah, I was treating the leading dash as being silent...the syntax dash(es) > for single and multi-character arguments seems unimportant to read aloud in > the general sense. If one does read them then yes, "a" is correct. > Lacking any documented preference I would then just go with what is > prevalent in existing usage. Interesting, I would have thought that the dash should be silent. Anyway, I missed that as this comes from ./configure we don't need to change anything as this file is generated by autoconf. I have applied the rest. -- Michael signature.asc Description: PGP signature
Re: Fix typos - "an" instead of "a"
On Thu, Dec 9, 2021 at 5:22 PM Michael Paquier wrote: > > On Wed, Dec 08, 2021 at 05:47:39PM -0700, David G. Johnston wrote: > > Yeah, I was treating the leading dash as being silent...the syntax dash(es) > > for single and multi-character arguments seems unimportant to read aloud in > > the general sense. If one does read them then yes, "a" is correct. > > Lacking any documented preference I would then just go with what is > > prevalent in existing usage. > > Interesting, I would have thought that the dash should be silent. > Anyway, I missed that as this comes from ./configure we don't need to > change anything as this file is generated by autoconf. I have applied > the rest. Thanks for pushing. -- Kind Regards, Peter Smith. Fujitsu Australia