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Date:      Mon, 18 Jul 2022 02:07:20 +0000
From:      bugzilla-noreply@freebsd.org
To:        doc@FreeBSD.org
Subject:   [Bug 265247] Typos in the FreeBsd HandBook, Chapter 30 'Network Servers', Section 30.4  titled 'Network Information System'.
Message-ID:  <bug-265247-9-wPxpbEEfrM@https.bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/>
In-Reply-To: <bug-265247-9@https.bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/>
References:  <bug-265247-9@https.bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/>

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https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=3D265247

--- Comment #7 from ghislain <ghislain@smartix.llc> ---
(In reply to Graham Perrin from comment #3)

Thanks for the pointer. It triggered a curiosity that I wanted to satisfy a=
nd
therefore more effort was put into understanding the issue. We seem to be
witnessing a grammatical nuance of the English language creeping into the
documentation. This nuance is explained by reasons pertaining to the histor=
ical
usages of the English language coupled with preferences in the choice of
articles used to define nouns (or acronyms in our particular case).

No scientific solution has been proposed/found to solve the issue so freedo=
m is
given to English readers/speakers to choose the article that best fits the
situation in both written and spoken English.

To quote the Merriam-Webster Dictionary of English Usage :

> A few words, such as historic and (especially in England) hotel,=20
> are in transition, and may be found with either a or an.=20
> You choose the article that best suits your own pronunciation.=20

This nuance is confusing enough for the English speaking community to spark
fierce debates on the matter. Being from Burkina Faso ( a french speaking
country in West Africa), this nuance just adds more confusion in the
terminology used.


In closing, this begs few questions.=20

1- How many users does this really affect because right now It seems to be =
only
me. But because I am fairly confident that I am speaking for a larger commu=
nity
as suggested by the fierce debate on the subject, the next two questions are
not only legitimate but also relevant.=20

2- Does this call for a convention in the documentation?=20

3- Does this call for a more general consensus?

Full Reference: https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/is-it-a-or-an

--=20
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