Re: [PATCH] commit-template: change a message to be more intuitive

From: Jeff King <peff@peff.net>
Date: Sep 13, 2017, 11:20 UTC
Message-ID: <20170913112013.sk7bqarq2ktrva67@sigill.intra.peff.net>
In-Reply-To: <20170913102915.GA21499@alpha.vpn.ikke.info>

On Wed, Sep 13, 2017 at 12:29:15PM +0200, Kevin Daudt wrote:

Show 13 quoted lines

> On Tue, Sep 12, 2017 at 04:25:36PM +0530, Kaartic Sivaraam wrote:
> > It's not possible to 'touch' the cut-line that is shown when the
> > user requests a patch in his commit template.
> > 
> 
> Touching something can also mean to disturb or change something, which
> is the meaning being used here, so it is not an incorrect use of the
> word.
> 
> > So, make the sentence more intuitive.
> 
> I can understand however that it might be not so clear for people with
> less fluency in English.

I agree with both of your points. It is very clear to me as a native speaker, but I can see how it might not be for everyone.

Interestingly, the change here:

> > -	const char *explanation = _("Do not touch the line above.\nEverything below will be removed.");
> > +	const char *explanation = _("Do not edit the line above.\nEverything below will be removed.");

actually seems less clear to me. I think of "edit" as "modify". But obviously it also should not be removed. Perhaps

  Do not modify or remove the line above.

would be the most clear. Or perhaps it is overly verbose.

-Peff