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Common pronunciations of Linux directories, commands, etc. (2017)

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Re: Common pronunciations of Linux directories, commands, etc. (2017)

#251

Post by aksss »

rdiddly wrote: post #86
BossingAround wrote: post #73

I found there is this "pride in the correct pronunciation" in the opensource community. It seems to be a signal of a group membership and a creed validator. Who cares though? Why does "correct pronunciation" matter? Linux is nowadays used by many more non-native English speakers who will pronounce it very differently. This attempt at correcting others seems like gatekeeping and, to me personally, feels like a very an…

I actually can't believe anyone says "etsy." If they ever do, I'm gonna be confused momentarily. And I'm not gonna follow suit, I'm gonna say E T C. If I ever get a friend. PS I also say "libe." As if shortening the word library.

I’ve always said etsy, but I was exposed to that pronunciation first in the Windows world as in Windows-wack-system32-wack-drivers-wack-etsy to find the hosts file. While I used VAX systems around the same time, I never cared about /etc until using linux distros. I just assumed that efficient two-syllable pronunciation was the logical choice.

Re: Common pronunciations of Linux directories, commands, etc. (2017)

#252

Post by aksss »

asxd wrote: post #68
mlmartin wrote: post #62

I always say 'bin' as 'bine' in relation to the folder. This is a hill I will die on. It's short for binary. And a 'bin' is where you put your rubbish, not your hard work.

This kind of flipped a switch in my brain, that makes a lot more sense than the "trash bin" pronunciation. However, I will continue saying "bin" because old habits die hard and "bine" just sounds wrong to my brain for no good reason :)

It sounds dangerously like “bind”, so that might introduce some confusion in a circle that is accustomed to “bin”.

Re: Common pronunciations of Linux directories, commands, etc. (2017)

#253

Post by asxd »

OJFord wrote: post #242
asxd wrote: post #227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this pronunciation sounds right because it comes from "character", which doesn't have the "ch" sound.

'Car' has a different (longer) 'a' to that in 'character', though, is I think the point above.

I meant to agree with the point above, I pronounce it ‘car’ as well. For some reason ‘care’ doesn’t sound right either.

Re: Common pronunciations of Linux directories, commands, etc. (2017)

#254

Post by asxd »

aksss wrote: post #252
asxd wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This kind of flipped a switch in my brain, that makes a lot more sense than the "trash bin" pronunciation. However, I will continue saying "bin" because old habits die hard and "bine" just sounds wrong to my brain for no good reason :)

It sounds dangerously like “bind”, so that might introduce some confusion in a circle that is accustomed to “bin”.

I'm mostly a casual linux user, so honestly asking, why is sounding like "bind" dangerous?

--

edit: A quick search turned up the `bind` command to bind a name to a socket. That makes sense.

Re: Common pronunciations of Linux directories, commands, etc. (2017)

#255

Post by dvirsky »

erikbye wrote: post #137
dvirsky wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It takes some getting used to this idea, but I try to remember that when someone mispronounces an uncommon word or jargon term, it means that they're getting all their information through textual means - which probably means they don't have people close to them with the same interests or intellectual curiosity. That usually means, especially if it's a younger person, that they are smart and probably lonely.

> That usually means, especially if it's a younger person, that they are smart and probably lonely. What a weird asssumption to make. Projecting?

Just basing on people I knew who were like that.

Re: Common pronunciations of Linux directories, commands, etc. (2017)

#256

Post by aksss »

asxd wrote: post #254
aksss wrote: post #252

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds dangerously like “bind”, so that might introduce some confusion in a circle that is accustomed to “bin”.

I'm mostly a casual linux user, so honestly asking, why is sounding like "bind" dangerous? -- edit: A quick search turned up the `bind` command to bind a name to a socket. That makes sense.

I was thinking more about the bind dns server when I made the comment, but yeah. Just thinking that verbally referring to the “bine” folder might cause confusion in certain contexts, where “bin” pronunciation avoids it entirely.

Re: Common pronunciations of Linux directories, commands, etc. (2017)

#257

Post by combatentropy »

glitchcrab wrote: post #109
combatentropy wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is for the same reason that anyone ever nudges anyone else about pronunciation, spelling, or grammar: speed of communication. If you pronounce "/etc" as "et cetera", then it will add a step in me parsing your speech ("Oh, he means 'etsy'"). Second, now I have an awkward decision to make when speaking back to you. Do I adapt my pronunciation to yours for the length of this conversation? Or do I pronounce it my way,…

I just want to point out that pronouncing etc as etsy isn't universal by any means - in fact I suspect it's a very American pronunciation. If you pronounced it 'etsy' in a sentence here in the UK, people wouldn't understand what you're talking about.

Only the directory is pronounced etsy. The rest of the time we say et cetera.

I don't even know how widespread etsy is for the directory. I hardly ever hear anyone pronounce anything, since most communication among programmers is written.

Re: Common pronunciations of Linux directories, commands, etc. (2017)

#258

Post by defaultcompany »

asxd wrote: post #254
aksss wrote: post #252

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds dangerously like “bind”, so that might introduce some confusion in a circle that is accustomed to “bin”.

I'm mostly a casual linux user, so honestly asking, why is sounding like "bind" dangerous? -- edit: A quick search turned up the `bind` command to bind a name to a socket. That makes sense.

Also BIND is the Berkeley internet name daemon aka DNS server.

Re: Common pronunciations of Linux directories, commands, etc. (2017)

#259

Post by chrisseaton »

danemy wrote: post #193
chrisseaton wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In my experience, Anglo-Saxons can seldom pronounce “GNU” in one syllable It’s just pronounced ‘new’ isn’t it? How many syllabus can you fit in that?

It's supposed to be pronounced with a hard G [1]. [1]: https://www.gnu.org/gnu/pronunciation.html

I feel like quite a lot of people in the Free Software community somewhat enjoy creating things that seem to deliberately be designed to trip up people who aren't in-the-know. Seems like a terrible way to run an advocacy movement.

Re: Common pronunciations of Linux directories, commands, etc. (2017)

#260

Post by YeGoblynQueenne »

aksss wrote: post #247
YeGoblynQueenne wrote: post #232

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From your link though, Leslie Lamport disagrees with Knuth (whom I like to pronounce "nuth" but is actually pronounced "ka-nuth"). I'm Greek and I pronounce LaTeX as "LAY-tek". I just tried pronouncing it "LAY-tech" with a Greek "chi" sound ("λέει-τεχ") and I sounded so silly I almost spat my coffee all over my monitor (only "almost" because I wasn't drinking any coffee). Ain't no way I'm calling it that. And note th…

A Heimlicker, I can confirm.

Thanks. Also: elsewise --> otherwise. Oops.
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