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The meaning of "doubt", was Re: Python Basic Doubt

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__peter__ at web

Aug 10, 2013, 11:36 AM

Post #1 of 5 (22 views)
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The meaning of "doubt", was Re: Python Basic Doubt

Terry Reedy wrote:

> On 8/10/2013 11:33 AM, Krishnan Shankar wrote:
>> Hi Fellow Python Friends,
>>
>> I am new to Python and recently subscribed to the mailing list.I have a
>> doubt regarding the basics of Python. Please help me in understanding
>> the below concept.
>>
>> So doubt is on variables and their contained value.
>
> It would be better English to say that you have a 'question' or even
> 'confusion', rather than a 'doubt'. From your subject line, I got the
> impression that you doubted that you should learn or use Python. That
> clearly is not what you meant.

Quoting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_English

"""
doubt = question or query; e.g. one would say, 'I have a doubt' when one
wishes to ask a question.
"""

I'd say if Brits can cope (hard as it may be) with the American variant of
the language, and native speakers can live with the broken English used to
communicate in the rest of the world there is ample room for an Indian
flavo(u)r now and then...

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roy at panix

Aug 10, 2013, 11:55 AM

Post #2 of 5 (22 views)
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Re: The meaning of "doubt", was Re: Python Basic Doubt [In reply to]

In article <mailman.433.1376159810.1251.python-list [at] python>,
Peter Otten <__peter__ [at] web> wrote:

> Quoting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_English
>
> """
> doubt = question or query; e.g. one would say, 'I have a doubt' when one
> wishes to ask a question.
> """
>
> I'd say if Brits can cope (hard as it may be) with the American variant of
> the language, and native speakers can live with the broken English used to
> communicate in the rest of the world there is ample room for an Indian
> flavo(u)r now and then...

Yup. I used to work with a development team in Bangalore. One of the
amusing aspects of the collaboration was the subtle language issues.
For example, apparently, "Roy" is a common *last* name in India. No
matter how many times I explained it, the guys over there couldn't seem
to get that Roy is my first name and Smith is my last name. So, in
settings where everybody was using first names, they would always call
me Smith. I shudder to think what carnage I accidentally inflicted on
their names :-)

And, of course, since we're on the subject, this should be required
reading for all programmers:

http://www.kalzumeus.com/2010/06/17/falsehoods-programmers-believe-about-
names/
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alister.ware at ntlworld

Aug 10, 2013, 12:37 PM

Post #3 of 5 (17 views)
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Re: The meaning of "doubt", was Re: Python Basic Doubt [In reply to]

On Sat, 10 Aug 2013 20:36:52 +0200, Peter Otten wrote:

> Terry Reedy wrote:
>
>> On 8/10/2013 11:33 AM, Krishnan Shankar wrote:
>>> Hi Fellow Python Friends,
>>>
>>> I am new to Python and recently subscribed to the mailing list.I have
>>> a doubt regarding the basics of Python. Please help me in
>>> understanding the below concept.
>>>
>>> So doubt is on variables and their contained value.
>>
>> It would be better English to say that you have a 'question' or even
>> 'confusion', rather than a 'doubt'. From your subject line, I got the
>> impression that you doubted that you should learn or use Python. That
>> clearly is not what you meant.
>
> Quoting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_English
>
> """
> doubt = question or query; e.g. one would say, 'I have a doubt' when one
> wishes to ask a question.
> """
>
> I'd say if Brits can cope (hard as it may be) with the American variant
> of the language, and native speakers can live with the broken English
> used to communicate in the rest of the world there is ample room for an
> Indian flavo(u)r now and then...

+1
Ill take broken English from a non native speaker over the confusion
caused by our American cousins who seam to have everything arse about
face (especially if you consider the word "Fanny" )

Seriously though I can usually work out what the meaning was, & it is
certainly clearer than any attempt I could make in any other language,
which is actually quite shameful.

--
My way of joking is to tell the truth. That's the funniest joke in the
world.
-- Muhammad Ali
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tjreedy at udel

Aug 10, 2013, 12:51 PM

Post #4 of 5 (17 views)
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Re: The meaning of "doubt", was Re: Python Basic Doubt [In reply to]

On 8/10/2013 2:36 PM, Peter Otten wrote:
> Terry Reedy wrote:
>
>> On 8/10/2013 11:33 AM, Krishnan Shankar wrote:
>>> Hi Fellow Python Friends,
>>>
>>> I am new to Python and recently subscribed to the mailing list.I have a
>>> doubt regarding the basics of Python. Please help me in understanding
>>> the below concept.
>>>
>>> So doubt is on variables and their contained value.
>>
>> It would be better English to say that you have a 'question' or even
>> 'confusion', rather than a 'doubt'. From your subject line, I got the
>> impression that you doubted that you should learn or use Python. That
>> clearly is not what you meant.
>
> Quoting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_English
>
> """
> doubt = question or query; e.g. one would say, 'I have a doubt' when one
> wishes to ask a question.
> """

Thank you for verifying by suspicion (in the neutral sense) that this
might be a generic Indian English usage.

> I'd say if Brits can cope (hard as it may be) with the American variant of
> the language, and native speakers can live with the broken English used to
> communicate in the rest of the world there is ample room for an Indian
> flavo(u)r now and then...

The issue I raised was one of avoiding misunderstanding, especially in a
short subject line. I almost skipped over the post because of it.

I could have added a recommendation to be more specific. Any of
"Question/confusion/doubt about int identity"
would have been better.

--
Terry Jan Reedy

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cousinstanley at gmail

Aug 10, 2013, 1:57 PM

Post #5 of 5 (16 views)
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Re: The meaning of "doubt", was Re: Python Basic Doubt [In reply to]

Peter Otten wrote:

> ....
> doubt
> ....

Oh bother, said Pooh, what's in a word ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry

https://pypi.python.org/pypi/curry/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currying

--
Stanley C. Kitching
Human Being
Phoenix, Arizona

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