RE: [PATCH] doc: replace jargon word "impact" with "effect"/"affect"

From: Kerry, Richard <richard.kerry@atos.net>
Date: May 12, 2021, 15:19 UTC
Message-ID: <AS8PR02MB7302003EB585EBAA0AB4C6E39C529@AS8PR02MB7302.eurprd02.prod.outlook.com>
In-Reply-To: <8e353a57-8abd-74d0-8b42-488b166e58a2@crashcourse.ca>

Speaking as a native (British) English speaker I don't have the slightest problem with the word "impact" being used in this context.

Remember English is not one of those languages with an Academy or committee that defines what is correct.

It might be a different matter for non-native, or non-British speakers.  I suppose the question is whether this a matter of preference or comprehensibility.  It seems to me to be the former.

Regards, Richard.

Ps.  Sorry about top-posting.  Not sure if I can get Outlook to do a nice set-up for anything else.

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert P. J. Day <rpjday@crashcourse.ca> 
Sent: 12 May 2021 12:45
To: Michal Suchánek <msuchanek@suse.de>
Cc: Felipe Contreras <felipe.contreras@gmail.com>; Varun Varada <varuncvarada@gmail.com>; git@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] doc: replace jargon word "impact" with "effect"/"affect"

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On Wed, 12 May 2021, Michal Suchánek wrote:

Show 19 quoted lines

> On Wed, May 12, 2021 at 06:05:32AM -0500, Felipe Contreras wrote:
> > Michal Suchánek wrote:
> > > On Wed, May 12, 2021 at 04:06:56AM -0500, Felipe Contreras wrote:
> > > > So... Can you answer my question?
> > > >
> > > > Do you have anything against the word "affect" in *any* instance?
> > >
> > > Yss, the Merriam-Webster dictionary also lists the meaning "to 
> > > cause illness, symptoms, etc."
> >
> > I did not ask you if you could list one definition contrary to the 
> > intended purpose of the word "affect".
> >
> > I asked you if you have something againt the word "affect".
> >
> > We can use your same logic to find one definition for the word "impact"
> > contrary to your intended purpose.
>
> That's exactly the point you have been making, though.

  y'all realize that linus torvalds wrote an entire version control system in less time than it's taken you to argue about what two words mean, right?

rday