On Sat, Apr 21, 2012 at 08:47:04AM +1000, Rod Whitworth wrote:
> On Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:26:22 -0600 (MDT), Jason McIntyre wrote:
>
> >CVSROOT: /cvs
> >Module name: src
> >Changes by: j...@cvs.openbsd.org 2012/04/20 10:26:22
> >
> >Modified files:
> > usr.bin/ssh : ssh.1
> >
> >Log message:
> >use "brackets" instead of "braces", for consistency;
> >
>
> Square braces become square brackets.
> So we have changed a contradiction to a tautology
>
no. we have changed an inconsistency to a consistency.
> For the benefit of those who didn't dig that:
>
> ( and ) are parentheses
> [ and ] are brackets
> { and } are braces
>
> I thought that you were a fine pedant, jmc, and now you have let me
> down.
>
the trouble is, those terms mean different things to different people.
here's Collins COBUILD (a dictionary for advanced learners) on brackets:
Brackets are a pair of written marks that you place round
a word, expression, or sentence in order to indicate you are
giving extra information. In British English, curved marks like
these are also called brackets, but in American English, they
are called parentheses.
i think a little redundancy for the sake of clarity is fine. wasn;t it
thomas jefferson was said, "a little tautology now and then is a good thing"?
jmc
