[whatwg] A few editing suggestions for the HTML5 spec

On Tue, 6 May 2008, Peter Kasting wrote:
> On Tue, May 6, 2008 at 6:44 PM, Ian Hickson <ian at hixie.ch> wrote:
> > On Sat, 14 Apr 2007, Geoffrey Garen wrote:
> > >
> > > 1.4
> > > "when not qualified to explicitly refer"
> > > when not qualified explicitly to refer
> > > (split infinitive)
> >
> > I prefer the current text.
> 
> How about "when not qualified to refer explicitly" ?

The current text is "when not explicitly qualified as referring to"


> > > 3.3.3.1
> > >
> > > "For instance, the script elements is allowed inside head elements"
> > > For instance, the script element is allowed inside the head element
> > > (typo)
> >
> > I don't understand the mistake.
> 
> Noun/verb plurality agreement error.  "elements is allowed" should 
> either be "element is allowed" or "elements are allowed".

Oh, I see now. I was confused because the suggested change also changed 
the grammatical number of the head element part.

Anyway as far as I can tell this text no longer appears in the spec.


> > > 8.2.1
> > > "do not have to actually create a DOM Document object"
> > > do not actually have to create a DOM Document object
> > > (split infinitive)
> >
> > I prefer the split version.
> 
> FWIW I prefer the non-split version as well.  But I am a grammar Nazi :)

The point is that "actually create" is not the same as "actually have to". 
The phrase "actually have to create" doesn't convey the same implication 
of literalness of the term "create" that "have to actually create" does.

Anyway, I recommend against worrying about editorial details of this 
minute detail, since the spec text is still in high churn and the 
suggested changes are as likely as not going to be in parts of the text 
that are altogether removed before the spec is finished. As, for example, 
wiht the second case above.

-- 
Ian Hickson               U+1047E                )\._.,--....,'``.    fL
http://ln.hixie.ch/       U+263A                /,   _.. \   _\  ;`._ ,.
Things that are impossible just take longer.   `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'

Received on Tuesday, 6 May 2008 22:00:23 UTC