Re: English usage bug in bytecomp.el

[David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org>]

Miles Bader <snogglethorpe@gmail.com> writes:

> On Tue, 8 Mar 2005 08:02:35 +0000 (GMT), Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de> wrote:
>> [Discussion of "`foo' is an obsolete function since 21.4;"]
>>
>> >I think "is ... since" is pretty common usage actually, and certainly
>> >makes sense.
>> 
>> <Gnashes teeth>
>> 
>> Yes, it does make sense and it is regrettably common usage, but it is
>> WRONG.  It is something that a native English speaker would never say.
>> In this case, it is just as easy to be correct.
>
> Hmm, I'm a native English speaker (and I certainly appreciate fine
> language), but I don't mind this at all.  It simply doesn't register
> very high on the "feels wrong" scale, though it does a little.
>
> I also agree with Nick that the "correct" form is less clear (and
> requires a funny little twiddly bit in the code).
>
> However, a variant which might be even clearer, and maybe less
> objectionable would be "FOO is an obsolete function (since 21.4)".

This does not help really.  If my language sensors are correct, a
non-objectionable phrasing might be

"As of 21.4, Foo is an obsolete function."

But I still don't see that "has been" is something that even a
non-native speaker has any possibility of avoiding to see quite a lot,
anyhow.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum