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

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Message-ID: <20181120093254.675090f6@lwn.net>
Date:   Tue, 20 Nov 2018 09:32:54 -0700
From:   Jonathan Corbet <corbet@....net>
To:     Will Deacon <will.deacon@....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>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation: Use "while" instead of "whilst"

On Mon, 19 Nov 2018 11:02:45 +0000
Will Deacon <will.deacon@....com> wrote:

> Whilst making an unrelated change to some Documentation, Linus sayeth:
> 
>   | 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".

So I've gone ahead and applied this, just because "whilst" does look a
little strange to some.  I truly do not want this to be the beginning of a
pile of patches "fixing" British spellings and such, though; I really
don't think those need to be fixed.

Thanks,

jon