[svlug] Why are techies not able to communicate?

[Brian J. Tarricone]

Brian Basolo wrote:
> 
> In this email for the March 7 Berkeley Global Linux meeting, we see an example of a MADE UP word.  I usually encounter this from people marginally familiar with the english language who do not know what word to use, so they make up a new one based on apparently their idea, that opposite words have a sound alike relationship.
> 
> For example in the email below, the word 'prepend' as an opposite of append.
>      " prepending "get" and "set" on method names, "

Merriam-Webster seems to believe it's a real word:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prepend
(Though it apparently requires payment for their unabridged dictionary 
to view it.)

English is a living language... deal with it.

>  I have also encountered the same problem with the word 'prepone' to indicate the opposite of postpone, as in  "he preponed the meeting:" where the correct word(s) would be 'reschedule', 'changed' or 'moved up'  I have also encountered based on the context 'prepone' used instead of cancel.

I've actually never heard anyone use 'prepone' before, but yes, the 
thought of it does make me gag.

> I will leave the discussion on the use of 'you all' for another time.

If we had a second-person plural pronoun that was distinct from the 
singular form, I imagine we wouldn't need "you all."  I personally don't 
use it (instead opting for the arguably-worse "you guys"), but I do know 
people who do, and it doesn't really bother me.

[Reordered]
>   Is there a shortage of spell-checking programs in the Unix/Linux world?

I actually find that most technical people are more precise and correct 
in their language use than others.  At least that's been my experience 
where I work, when dealing with people outside Engineering.  Hell, I 
know a decent number of technical people for whom English is not their 
native language who write much better than some non-technical native 
English speakers.

	-brian