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Ask 100 random people on the street and I'd be surprised if even 1 knew the definition of "ordinal". It's an uncommon word.
by pb7 4y ago
Ask 100 random people on the street and I'd be surprised if even 1 knew the definition of "ordinal". It's an uncommon word.
- LudwigNagasena 4y agoDo people not study grammar in American schools? I thought all kids learn the distinction between cardinal (one, two, three) and ordinal (first, second, third) numbers.
- Octoth0rpe 4y agoThe English grammar that Americans study in school is likely somewhat different than the English grammar that is taught outside of America as the goal of the latter is likely focused on helping students map their native language onto English. I would agree that `ordinal` is uncommon word for many Americans, but it wouldn't at all surprise me if there were languages where the equivalent word was far more common, and therefore its use and translation was a part of standard English as a second language curriculum.
- Morgawr 4y ago> The English grammar that Americans study in school is likely somewhat different than the English grammar that is taught outside of America as the goal of the latter is likely focused on helping students map their native language onto English English is spoken as a native language in many countries outside of America.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- pb7 4y agoAt the age that cardinal and ordinal numbers are taught, kids simply don't remember "cardinal" and "ordinal", they remember "one, two, three" and "first, second, third". 99% of the instances I've seen "ordinal" outside of this thread has been in code/documentation. It is not a common word in everyday language.
- lupire 4y agoSo is "array". What's your point? My point is that it is unambiguous once you say what you are talking about.
- pb7 4y agoI disagree. The CS definition of array, sure, but if you were to say “we have an array of options to eat”, most people with a high school education would know what you mean.