Thanks for the responses guys.

I think the point I am trying to make here is that it's a *big* task to fix
word boundaries for every case (every word-related key binding multiplied by
each language/major mode I use!).

I presume that Emacs hackers either a) put up with it or b) spend a lot of
time fixing each case until they are happy.

I suspect the answer is b. ;-)

I wish there was a single minor-mode that fixes all the word boundary issues
for every major-mode I use!  I can but dream.   Or maybe I will get round to
doing it myself one day!  ;)

Cheers,
Paul Drummond