> > > > We haven't really talked about the terminology for this feature. > > I think it is open for discussion. Good names help in so many ways. > > > > > Yep, all your examples are right to have "-or". > > And also function-->functor. > > > > I'm convinced. Substitutor it is (unless the decision is made > > to rename > > it completely :-) > > > English is strange, isn't it? Substitutor but Expander and Resolver. > > How consistent (not)! > >
I was thinking this topic of agent terms (-er -or) was not too relevant to this list, or to any list full of techies. But on second thought, I realize that it would be useful to have an idea of the naming patterns, since we are all coining so many terms every other day. Further, I have often winced at misnaming found in the technical terminology (implementors and adaptors and the like.) I am thus tempted to include here an old article in which I explained then whens and whys of -er and -or. It also has an answer for Simon's musing (on consistency.) Ash Here goes.. -er v/s -or. ------------- Which comes when? What is the pattern? I attempt to answer the questions. -er is the native (Old) English and common Germanic (Dutch, German, etc) suffix for agent (the doer, the nomen agentis). -or is the originally the Latin suffix for the same function. -or is mostly found in latinate words, i.e., words derived from Latin, either as emprunt or constructed in English using Latin elements (roots, prefixes and suffixes.) actor, doctor, investigator, professor, etc. -er is the general suffix for unlatinate words (anything not part of the above definition.) Sometimes, you also find -ar, -eur, and -eer. killer, seller, buyer, Englander, trainer, entertainer, experiencer, etc. There are however some historical "aberrations" to this pattern. wrongly -or: advisor, ... I can't recall the examples now. wrongly -er: motor, but promoter (motion, promotion) The rule for making an -or agent-noun is this: Get the -ion form. Remove -ion and add -or. seduce: seduction -> seductor destroy: destruction -> destructor (used in programming terminology) translate: translation -> translator When there is no acceptable -ion form, use the -er formation. Sometimes, the -er form is preferred, usually when the -ion form is longer, or less attractive (English likes to shorten the words it will use, you see.) adapt: adaptation -> adapter (there is also the exceptional 'adaptor', which is incongruous with the pattern) implement: implementation -> implementer (-or here is incorrect) revolve: revolution -> revolver (rather than revolutor) produce: production -> producer (rather than productor) consume: consumption -> consumer (rather than consumptor, cf. Latin emptor) Ashwin S --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
