Re: [PATCH] manual: Fix the wording to "alternative" rather than "alternate"

[Carlos O'Donell <carlos@redhat.com>]

On 1/17/19 1:34 AM, TAMUKI Shoichi wrote:
> ChangeLog:
> 
> 	* manual/time.texi (strftime): Fix the wording to "alternative" rather
> 	than "alternate".

The crystal clear difference between alterate and alternative is somewhat
lost in modern English.

In the use below we see "alternate" as an adjective of the "representation"
and so can mean "taking the place of." Like "I am the alternate steward if
Joseph Myers is away."

I think the original use of alternate is correct.

> ---
>  manual/time.texi | 6 +++---
>  1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/manual/time.texi b/manual/time.texi
> index 9e981314876..fd7781c5317 100644
> --- a/manual/time.texi
> +++ b/manual/time.texi
> @@ -1339,7 +1339,7 @@ POSIX.2-1992 and by @w{ISO C99}, are:
>  
>  @table @code
>  @item E
> -Use the locale's alternate representation for date and time.  This
> +Use the locale's alternative representation for date and time.  This
>  modifier applies to the @code{%c}, @code{%C}, @code{%x}, @code{%X},
>  @code{%y} and @code{%Y} format specifiers.  In a Japanese locale, for
>  example, @code{%Ex} might yield a date format based on the Japanese
> @@ -1347,7 +1347,7 @@ Emperors' reigns.
>  
>  @item O
>  With all format specifiers that produce numbers: use the locale's
> -alternate numeric symbols.
> +alternative numeric symbols.
>  
>  With @code{%B}, @code{%b}, and @code{%h}: use the grammatical form for
>  month names that is appropriate when the month is named by itself,
> @@ -1355,7 +1355,7 @@ rather than the form that is appropriate when the month is used as
>  part of a complete date.  This is a GNU extension.
>  @end table
>  
> -If the format supports the modifier but no alternate representation
> +If the format supports the modifier but no alternative representation
>  is available, it is ignored.
>  
>  The conversion specifier ends with a format specifier taken from the
> 


-- 
Cheers,
Carlos.