Re: Software and its translations (was: A possible GFDL compromise: a proposal)
On Mon, Sep 22, 2003 at 03:46:53PM -0700, Thomas Bushnell, BSG wrote: Branden Robinson [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: No. Software is a collective noun, like information or stuff. No, software is a mass noun, like information or stuff. A collective noun is a word like committee, which is singular in form but refers to a plurality of individuals. In some dialects (notably in England) collective nouns get plural verbs. Curses! Foiled again! -- G. Branden Robinson|It was a typical net.exercise -- a Debian GNU/Linux |screaming mob pounding on a greasy [EMAIL PROTECTED] |spot on the pavement, where used to http://people.debian.org/~branden/ |lie the carcass of a dead horse. signature.asc Description: Digital signature
Re: Software and its translations (was: A possible GFDL compromise: a proposal)
On Mon, 2003-09-22 at 20:44, Branden Robinson wrote: On Mon, Sep 22, 2003 at 01:51:14PM +0200, Roland Mas wrote: - un logiciel can even be used to mean a software program, whereas the phrase a software sounds awkward to me in English (but then again, I'm not a native English speaker, and maybe software is a countable noun -- can you say two softwares?). No. Software is a collective noun, like information or stuff. ...The Debian Free Stuff Guidelines (DFSG)... Ya know, it just *might* work :o) Scott -- Have you ever, ever felt like this? Had strange things happen? Are you going round the twist? signature.asc Description: This is a digitally signed message part
Re: Software and its translations (was: A possible GFDL compromise: a proposal)
Branden Robinson [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: On Mon, Sep 22, 2003 at 01:51:14PM +0200, Roland Mas wrote: - un logiciel can even be used to mean a software program, whereas the phrase a software sounds awkward to me in English (but then again, I'm not a native English speaker, and maybe software is a countable noun -- can you say two softwares?). No. Software is a collective noun, like information or stuff. No, software is a mass noun, like information or stuff. A collective noun is a word like committee, which is singular in form but refers to a plurality of individuals. In some dialects (notably in England) collective nouns get plural verbs. Thomas
Software and its translations (was: A possible GFDL compromise: a proposal)
MJ Ray, 2003-09-22 10:30:19 +0200 : On 2003-09-22 06:58:19 +0100 Mathieu Roy [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Since Debian use the translation Logiciel for Debian French pages, it means that the word software must be clearly defined by Debian. If logiciel truly does not mean the same as the English word software, then it should probably be reported as a bug against Debian's French translation when used in its place. It does mean the same as software, or at least the same as the Debian definition of software: - it can be opposed to matériel (hardware -- compare matière, matter); - it can be used as an adjective, for instance sous forme logicielle, meaning in a software form, thus matching the every collection of bits on a computer definition; - un logiciel can even be used to mean a software program, whereas the phrase a software sounds awkward to me in English (but then again, I'm not a native English speaker, and maybe software is a countable noun -- can you say two softwares?). (I think that programaro (group around programs AIUI, translated by some as collection of programs) or softvaro (imported word) should be used instead of programo (lit. program) for its EO translation.) I have no real clue about EO yet, but that sounds reasonable. Roland. -- Roland Mas When I eat a biscuit, it stays eaten! -- Arthur Dent, in So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish (Douglas Adams)
Re: Software and its translations (was: A possible GFDL compromise: a proposal)
On Mon, Sep 22, 2003 at 01:51:14PM +0200, Roland Mas wrote: - un logiciel can even be used to mean a software program, whereas the phrase a software sounds awkward to me in English (but then again, I'm not a native English speaker, and maybe software is a countable noun -- can you say two softwares?). No. Software is a collective noun, like information or stuff. If I never see these words butchered again into bastardized forms like softwares, informations, and stuffs[1], it will be too soon. [1] though foodstuffs is a valid (if somewhat archaic) term -- G. Branden Robinson| Debian GNU/Linux | Cogitationis poenam nemo meretur. [EMAIL PROTECTED] | http://people.debian.org/~branden/ | signature.asc Description: Digital signature
