[Discuss] Programming vs Engineering

[Daniel C.]

On Sun, Jan 22, 2012 at 11:42 AM,  <jc at trillian.mit.edu> wrote:
> An ongoing semi-problem that dictionary makers have always had is that people
> routinely try to use them as authorities for what a word *should* mean.  The
> actual function of a dictionary isn't to decide what words mean,  but  rather
> to  tell the reader how a word *may* be used.

Put another way - English dictionaries are descriptive, not
prescriptive.  French, meanwhile, has L'Academie Francaise, which is
prescriptive - while French speakers are free to speak and write
however they like, it's not "French" unless The Academy has approved
it.  Their dictionary, in contrast to English dictionaries, does in
fact document the correct usage of the French language.

Language Trivia time is over now; thank you for reading.

-Dan