linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] Documentation: Use "while" instead of "whilst"

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Date:   Tue, 20 Nov 2018 10:46:02 +0000
From:   Will Deacon <will.deacon@....com>
To:     Jani Nikula <jani.nikula@...ux.intel.com>
Cc:     linux-doc@...r.kernel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
        David Howells <dhowells@...hat.com>,
        Liam Girdwood <lgirdwood@...il.com>,
        Chris Wilson <chris@...is-wilson.co.uk>,
        Michael Halcrow <mhalcrow@...gle.com>,
        Jonathan Corbet <corbet@....net>, torvalds@...ux-foundation.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation: Use "while" instead of "whilst"

[+Linus]

On Tue, Nov 20, 2018 at 12:34:35PM +0200, Jani Nikula wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Nov 2018, Will Deacon <will.deacon@....com> wrote:
> > Whilst making an unrelated change to some Documentation, Linus sayeth:
> 
> Reference?

This was on the security list where we were dealing with something else, so
I'm afraid that it's not archived.

> >   | Afaik, even in Britain, "whilst" is unusual and considered more
> >   | formal, and "while" is the common word.
> >   |
> >   | [...]
> >   |
> >   | Can we just admit that we work with computers, and we don't need to
> >   | use þe eald Englisc spelling of words that most of the world never
> >   | uses?
> >
> > dictionary.com refers to the word as "Chiefly British", which is
> > probably an undesirable attribute for technical documentation.
> >
> > Replace all occurrences under Documentation/ with "while".
> 
> It's an innocent enough change I guess... but seriously? Do we now need
> a documentation style guide too...? Should we block an otherwise good
> patch with "whilst" in it from now on?

No, I don't think either of those two ideas are being proposed here.

"Whilst" feels natural to me, but apparently it comes across as strange
and antiquated to others. The dictionary confirms that it's not in
widespread use, so I don't see the problem with making the Documentation
clearer by using words that are more easily understood by the English-
speaking world (and I suspect it helps the poor souls that try to translate
this stuff as well).

> Personally, I'd accept that our documentation is a hodge podge of
> regional dialects, written by native and non-native speakers with
> incredibly diverse backgrounds and different levels of education and
> experience. If we can keep the documentation understandable and mostly
> typo free, I'd be happy. Even good grammar seems to be a stretch
> goal... ;)

This patch is definitely a drop in the ocean, but it also only took about
5 seconds to write using sed. If it stops a handful of people reading a
sentence twice, then it's a win imo.

Will