2006-03-20 13:59:47

by Pavel Machek

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: SubmittingPatches typo

Hi!

I'm not 100% sure with my english, but this seems wrong...

Signed-off-by: Pavel Machek <[email protected]>

diff --git a/Documentation/SubmittingPatches b/Documentation/SubmittingPatches
index c2c85bc..8fd6d4e 100644
--- a/Documentation/SubmittingPatches
+++ b/Documentation/SubmittingPatches
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ NO!!!! No more huge patch bombs to linux
Kernel Documentation/CodingStyle
<http://sosdg.org/~coywolf/lxr/source/Documentation/CodingStyle>

-Linus Torvald's mail on the canonical patch format:
+Linus Torvalds' mail on the canonical patch format:
<http://lkml.org/lkml/2005/4/7/183>
--
Last updated on 17 Nov 2005.

--
Picture of sleeping (Linux) penguin wanted...


2006-03-20 19:57:08

by Jan Engelhardt

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: SubmittingPatches typo

>Hi!
>
>I'm not 100% sure with my english, but this seems wrong...
>
>Signed-off-by: Pavel Machek <[email protected]>
>
>-Linus Torvald's mail on the canonical patch format:
>+Linus Torvalds' mail on the canonical patch format:

Neither. (It would have been correct in German, though.)
Correct is - in English:
Linus Torvalds's mail on the canonical patch format:



Jan Engelhardt
--
| Software Engineer and Linux/Unix Network Administrator

2006-03-20 20:47:47

by Matheus Izvekov

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: SubmittingPatches typo

On 3/20/06, Jan Engelhardt <[email protected]> wrote:
> >Hi!
> >
> >I'm not 100% sure with my english, but this seems wrong...
> >
> >Signed-off-by: Pavel Machek <[email protected]>
> >
> >-Linus Torvald's mail on the canonical patch format:
> >+Linus Torvalds' mail on the canonical patch format:
>
> Neither. (It would have been correct in German, though.)
> Correct is - in English:
> Linus Torvalds's mail on the canonical patch format:
>

I agree with Pavel. i think its a rule in english that when the word
ends with s, you dont repeat another s after the '

2006-03-20 20:53:46

by Chris Boot

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: SubmittingPatches typo

Matheus Izvekov wrote:
> On 3/20/06, Jan Engelhardt <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> Hi!
>>>
>>> I'm not 100% sure with my english, but this seems wrong...
>>>
>>> Signed-off-by: Pavel Machek <[email protected]>
>>>
>>> -Linus Torvald's mail on the canonical patch format:
>>> +Linus Torvalds' mail on the canonical patch format:
>> Neither. (It would have been correct in German, though.)
>> Correct is - in English:
>> Linus Torvalds's mail on the canonical patch format:
>>
>
> I agree with Pavel. i think its a rule in english that when the word
> ends with s, you dont repeat another s after the '

When a word ends with an 's' *because it is plural* (i.e. the s denotes
plurality) then you omit the second 's'. If the word ends with 's' in
singular form you do the whole whack: ..s's.

I can't quote a source for this, but it's something I've known for years.

HTH,
Chris

--
Chris Boot
[email protected]
http://www.bootc.net/

2006-03-20 20:56:09

by Pavel Machek

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: SubmittingPatches typo

On Po 20-03-06 20:53:36, Chris Boot wrote:
> Matheus Izvekov wrote:
> >On 3/20/06, Jan Engelhardt <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>>Hi!
> >>>
> >>>I'm not 100% sure with my english, but this seems wrong...
> >>>
> >>>Signed-off-by: Pavel Machek <[email protected]>
> >>>
> >>>-Linus Torvald's mail on the canonical patch format:
> >>>+Linus Torvalds' mail on the canonical patch format:
> >>Neither. (It would have been correct in German, though.)
> >>Correct is - in English:
> >> Linus Torvalds's mail on the canonical patch format:
> >>
> >
> >I agree with Pavel. i think its a rule in english that when the word
> >ends with s, you dont repeat another s after the '
>
> When a word ends with an 's' *because it is plural* (i.e. the s denotes
> plurality) then you omit the second 's'. If the word ends with 's' in
> singular form you do the whole whack: ..s's.
>
> I can't quote a source for this, but it's something I've known for years.

Ok, if you are native speaker, I trust you. Could you send a patch to
akpm?
Pavel
--
Picture of sleeping (Linux) penguin wanted...

2006-03-20 20:56:37

by Jan Engelhardt

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: SubmittingPatches typo

>> > >
>> > > -Linus Torvald's mail on the canonical patch format:
>> > > +Linus Torvalds' mail on the canonical patch format:
>> > Neither. (It would have been correct in German, though.)
>> > Correct is - in English:
>> > Linus Torvalds's mail on the canonical patch format:
>>
>> I agree with Pavel. i think its a rule in english that when the word
>> ends with s, you dont repeat another s after the '
>
> When a word ends with an 's' *because it is plural* (i.e. the s denotes
> plurality) then you omit the second 's'. If the word ends with 's' in singular
> form you do the whole whack: ..s's.
>
> I can't quote a source for this, but it's something I've known for years.
>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genitive


Jan Engelhardt
--

2006-03-20 21:02:15

by J. Bruce Fields

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: SubmittingPatches typo

On Mon, Mar 20, 2006 at 05:47:44PM -0300, Matheus Izvekov wrote:
> On 3/20/06, Jan Engelhardt <[email protected]> wrote:
> > >Hi!
> > >
> > >I'm not 100% sure with my english, but this seems wrong...
> > >
> > >Signed-off-by: Pavel Machek <[email protected]>
> > >
> > >-Linus Torvald's mail on the canonical patch format:
> > >+Linus Torvalds' mail on the canonical patch format:
> >
> > Neither. (It would have been correct in German, though.)
> > Correct is - in English:
> > Linus Torvalds's mail on the canonical patch format:
> >
>
> I agree with Pavel. i think its a rule in english that when the word
> ends with s, you dont repeat another s after the '

Nope. It's actually one of the amusing places where there *is* no rule.
Plurals that end in s always get just the apostrophe. But for singular
nouns that end in s, while I tend to think of "'s" as the default, some
people like to drop the final s if the result ("Sophocles's") would
otherwise sound awkward spoken aloud.

If you really can't stand the ambiguity, go for "Mail from Linus
Torvalds on the canonical patch format:".

--b.

2006-03-20 21:03:48

by Matheus Izvekov

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: SubmittingPatches typo

>> When a word ends with an 's' *because it is plural* (i.e. the s denotes
>> plurality) then you omit the second 's'. If the word ends with 's'
in singular
>> form you do the whole whack: ..s's.
>>
>> I can't quote a source for this, but it's something I've known for years.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genitive
>

here is an excerpt from that link:

Genitive of origin; subjective genitive

* Beethoven's music
* Fred Astaire's dancing
* Confucius' teaching

Confucius is a name ending with s jus like Torvalds is, its not plural
form of anything.

2006-03-20 21:22:25

by Jan Engelhardt

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: SubmittingPatches typo

>>> > > -Linus Torvald's mail on the canonical patch format:
>>> > > +Linus Torvalds' mail on the canonical patch format:
>>> > Neither. (It would have been correct in German, though.)
>>> > Correct is - in English:
>>> > Linus Torvalds's mail on the canonical patch format:
>>>
>>> I agree with Pavel. i think its a rule in english that when the word
>>> ends with s, you dont repeat another s after the '
>>
>> When a word ends with an 's' *because it is plural* (i.e. the s denotes
>> plurality) then you omit the second 's'. If the word ends with 's' in singular
>> form you do the whole whack: ..s's.
>>
>> I can't quote a source for this, but it's something I've known for years.
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genitive
>

Anyway, I have a more authoritative source[1], which says

Singular
Kate's book
Father's pipe
Charles's records
Alice's cassettes
Plural
my parents' books
the boys' room
the children's toys
men's clothes

<Warning sign>
My friend's bike is new.
My friends' bikes are over there.

<Translated> With singular, an apostrophe and an s is added
to the noun. As for plural forms with a trailing -s, only an
apostrophe is added. Other plural forms get an apostrophe and an s
(like with singular).

Family names ending in -s may either have apostrophe + S or just
an apostrophe appended.

Mrs Jones's/Jones' hats
The Bates's/Bates' house

So in our Torvalds case, we have the option.


[1] Ungerer/Pasch/Lampater/Hellyer-Jones
"Learning English, Grundgrammatik" isbn 3-12-511510-8
distributed by Klett


Jan Engelhardt
--
| Software Engineer and Linux/Unix Network Administrator

2006-03-20 22:03:41

by Nick Warne

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: SubmittingPatches typo

Believe me, English Grammar is harder than trying to understand kernel code.

I was taught that 'ownership' and 'owner' decide, depending on the tense.

Fred's code (it's his - 'Fred has ['s] code')). - Here also "it's" is
short for "it is" (sucking eggs).

Freds' code. You are talking third party about Freds' (or should that
be Fred's?) code that he owns.

Names that end in 's' may not be plural... the Smiths family? Or the
Smiths' Family? What happens if you are talking about 10
Smiths'/Smith's families? Smiths Families?

So, I think:

Torvald's code == Torvalds has code == Torvald's ['s == has]

Reference Torvalds' code = Torvalds[es]' code [owner]

This debate has been on this board been a few times... and with all
the English masters in there, it is still a little bit unresolved.

http://www.b2g2.com/boards/board.cgi?user=dharrison

Stick to coding kernels guys, it's easier.

The fix?

+Here is the mail Linus Torvalds sent on the canonical patch format:

Nick

2006-03-20 22:37:22

by Chris Boot

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: SubmittingPatches typo

Nick Warne wrote:
> Believe me, English Grammar is harder than trying to understand kernel code..
>
> I was taught that 'ownership' and 'owner' decide, depending on the tense.
>
> Fred's code (it's his - 'Fred has ['s] code')). - Here also "it's" is
> short for "it is" (sucking eggs).
>
> Freds' code. You are talking third party about Freds' (or should that
> be Fred's?) code that he owns.
>
> Names that end in 's' may not be plural... the Smiths family? Or the
> Smiths' Family? What happens if you are talking about 10
> Smiths'/Smith's families? Smiths Families?
>
> So, I think:
>
> Torvald's code == Torvalds has code == Torvald's ['s == has]
>
> Reference Torvalds' code = Torvalds[es]' code [owner]
>
> This debate has been on this board been a few times... and with all
> the English masters in there, it is still a little bit unresolved.
>
> http://www.b2g2.com/boards/board.cgi?user=dharrison

I think we'll all have to agree to disagree about this and nip it in the
bud before everything gets out of hand!

> Stick to coding kernels guys, it's easier.

Agreed.

> The fix?
>
> +Here is the mail Linus Torvalds sent on the canonical patch format:

Ah, so simple, so nice. This one gets my vote.

> Nick

Chris

--
Chris Boot
[email protected]
http://www.bootc.net/

2006-03-21 00:07:59

by Nigel Cunningham

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: SubmittingPatches typo

Hi.

On Monday 20 March 2006 22:50, Pavel Machek wrote:
> Hi!
>
> I'm not 100% sure with my english, but this seems wrong...
>
> Signed-off-by: Pavel Machek <[email protected]>
>
> diff --git a/Documentation/SubmittingPatches
> b/Documentation/SubmittingPatches index c2c85bc..8fd6d4e 100644
> --- a/Documentation/SubmittingPatches
> +++ b/Documentation/SubmittingPatches
> @@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ NO!!!! No more huge patch bombs to linux
> Kernel Documentation/CodingStyle
> <http://sosdg.org/~coywolf/lxr/source/Documentation/CodingStyle>
>
> -Linus Torvald's mail on the canonical patch format:
> +Linus Torvalds' mail on the canonical patch format:
> <http://lkml.org/lkml/2005/4/7/183>
> --
> Last updated on 17 Nov 2005.

I read all the other messages, and still felt I needed to reply :).

This patch is correct. If a name ends in an s, the possessive form simply gets
an apostrophe.

Plurals are irrelevant to the discussion, but I'll answer another part of the
thread too. If you wanted to say that something belonged to Linus and his
family, you'd still do Torvalds', and get the fact that Torvalds was in the
plural from other words in the context (if possible).

Regards,

Nigel


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2006-03-21 11:09:59

by Alan

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: SubmittingPatches typo

> Nope. It's actually one of the amusing places where there *is* no rule.
> Plurals that end in s always get just the apostrophe. But for singular
> nouns that end in s, while I tend to think of "'s" as the default, some
> people like to drop the final s if the result ("Sophocles's") would
> otherwise sound awkward spoken aloud.

The definitive references have this to say

US English: Strunk and White says it should be "Torvalds's" and that the
apostrophe alone is used only for ancient particularly biblical names
ending in -es/is (eg Moses' laws)

UK English: The Oxford Guide To Style says

"Use 's after non-classical or non-classicizing personal names ending
with an s or z sound). It also says that Torvalds' would be acceptable.


So both agree that

Torvalds's

is correct and that would appear to be the right choice to keep everyone
both sides of the pond happy.

Jan: Care to submit an updated patch as the original is indeed wrong ?

Alan

2006-03-21 17:45:46

by Jan Engelhardt

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] SubmittingPatches typo

>Jan: Care to submit an updated patch as the original is indeed wrong ?
>
Here you go. On that occassion, I fixed one more of the Torvalds-related
Genetives.

Signed-off-by: Jan Engelhardt <[email protected]>

diff --fast -Ndpru linux-2.6.16~/Documentation/DocBook/kernel-locking.tmpl linux-2.6.16-typofix/Documentation/DocBook/kernel-locking.tmpl
--- linux-2.6.16~/Documentation/DocBook/kernel-locking.tmpl 2006-03-20 06:53:29.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.16-typofix/Documentation/DocBook/kernel-locking.tmpl 2006-03-21 18:38:37.227544000 +0100
@@ -1916,7 +1916,7 @@ machines due to caching.
<listitem>
<para>
<filename>Documentation/spinlocks.txt</filename>:
- Linus Torvalds' spinlocking tutorial in the kernel sources.
+ Linus Torvalds's spinlocking tutorial in the kernel sources.
</para>
</listitem>

diff --fast -Ndpru linux-2.6.16~/Documentation/SubmittingPatches linux-2.6.16-typofix/Documentation/SubmittingPatches
--- linux-2.6.16~/Documentation/SubmittingPatches 2006-03-20 06:53:29.000000000 +0100
+++ linux-2.6.16-typofix/Documentation/SubmittingPatches 2006-03-21 18:39:04.627544000 +0100
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ NO!!!! No more huge patch bombs to linux
Kernel Documentation/CodingStyle
<http://sosdg.org/~coywolf/lxr/source/Documentation/CodingStyle>

-Linus Torvald's mail on the canonical patch format:
+Linus Torvalds's mail on the canonical patch format:
<http://lkml.org/lkml/2005/4/7/183>
--
Last updated on 17 Nov 2005.
#<eof>


Jan Engelhardt
--
| Software Engineer and Linux/Unix Network Administrator

2006-03-22 09:33:20

by Qi Yong

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: SubmittingPatches typo

Alan Cox wrote:

>>Nope. It's actually one of the amusing places where there *is* no rule.
>>Plurals that end in s always get just the apostrophe. But for singular
>>nouns that end in s, while I tend to think of "'s" as the default, some
>>people like to drop the final s if the result ("Sophocles's") would
>>otherwise sound awkward spoken aloud.
>>
>>
>
>The definitive references have this to say
>
>US English: Strunk and White says it should be "Torvalds's" and that the
>apostrophe alone is used only for ancient particularly biblical names
>ending in -es/is (eg Moses' laws)
>
>

akpm is already saying "Linus's" in his *mm-commits*:

This patch was probably dropped from -mm because
it has already been merged into a subsystem tree
or into Linus's tree


(btw, when Americans made mistakes, their English became American English.)


>UK English: The Oxford Guide To Style says
>
>"Use 's after non-classical or non-classicizing personal names ending
>with an s or z sound). It also says that Torvalds' would be acceptable.
>
>
>So both agree that
>
> Torvalds's
>
>is correct and that would appear to be the right choice to keep everyone
>both sides of the pond happy.
>
>Jan: Care to submit an updated patch as the original is indeed wrong ?
>
>Alan
>
>-
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