bob wrote:michiguel wrote:bob wrote:Food for thought. The English language is well-defined. Here's an online thesaurus lookup for unspecified.
Synonyms for unspecified
adj not specified
* undefined
* undetermined
* general
* unmentioned
* vague
Pretty sad when a standards committee begins to redefine commonly used words to mean something other than their usual meanings...
The language of the C standard is perfect.
Specify and
define do not have identical meanings, and they used it correctly.
Specify involves explicit numeration,
define involves probably an explanation and a description of the limits..
Miguel
You will have to run that one by me again. I'm a native English speaker, and I consider the two terms to be almost identical.
It is not English, it is Latin...
The standard uses the words adhering to the strict spirit of their meaning, not what an abridged thesaurus will say. Still, in the definitions you quote, it is clear that they have two distinct meanings. The key is in the words "identify" and "describe".
define (v.)
late 14c., "to specify; to end," from Old French defenir "to end, terminate, determine," and directly from Latin definire "to limit, determine, explain," from de- "completely" (see de-) + finire "to bound, limit," from finis "boundary, end" (see finish (n.)). Related: Defined; defining.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?all ... hmode=none
specify (v.)
early 14c., "to speak;" mid-14c. "to name explicitly," from Old French specifier, especefier (13c.) and directly from Late Latin specificare "mention particularly," from specificus (see specific). Related: Specified; specifying.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?all ... hmode=none
Do you really use the words
specify and
define in the same way?
Miguel
PS: Now this is getting really off-topic and I am out. You can do whatever you want with you code, but I hope no beginner will deep into "undefined behavior" areas of the standard.
Definitions:
specify:
identify clearly and definitely.
define:
state or describe exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of.
There choice of terms is anything BUT "reasonable and accepted use". The definition of specify says nothing at all about "explicit enumeration".