On Aug 27, 2009, at 4:00 PM, Calum Benson wrote:
On 27 Aug 2009, at 16:22, Brian Utterback wrote:
I find the designations "log-in" and "log-out" kind of odd. Aren't
they usually either "login" and "logout" or "log in" and "log out"?
Yes, "Log In/Out" is the verb form, "Login/logout" is the noun
form. So the website should really say "Log In" and "Log Out".
I'm sure there have been many pedantic rants by linguists on this very
topic but, personally, the verb form of 'log in' is awkward, easily
confused with the noun/adjective 'login' and makes me think of a
Beavis and Butthead skit about logs. :)
If one wants to be correct, the hyphenated log-in/log-out forms are
indeed wrong.
In my more pedantic moments, I prefer the use of 'sign in/sign out'
because it makes sense, it's easily understood outside the relms of
the old vt100 crowd and cannot be confused with login, e.g. can you
get logged in with your login when you log in? vs. did you sign on
with your login with you signed on/in? It's the kind of thing Dr.
Suess would love.
I also reserve 'sign in/on' for the web and use log in, usually
incorrectly without the space, for for shell logins.
It is one of those bits of language brought about by computing that is
wildly abused and, after looking in a few of my modern usage guides
and the more regional/specific dictionaries I have on hand, is
surprisingly left out so there's little to guide those who might be
looking for a definitive answer.
e.
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