3 ms·

Gotta love how the very first example in Issue 9 of the standard is already self-defeating: > "Test" is an approved noun, but not an approved verb. > STE: Tes

Gotta love how the very first example in Issue 9 of the standard is already self-defeating: > "Test" is an approved noun, but not an approved verb. > STE: Test B is an alternative to test A. So much for clear - unless you know the STE specific rule, the sentence is unambiguously ambiguous. Direct access btw since the official site gates downloads with a Google form: https://www.asd-ste100.org/assets/files/ASD-STE100_ISSUE9.pdf https://www.asd-ste100.org/assets/files/ASD-STE100_ISSUE9.pd...

aesthesia 2mo ago
How is that ambiguous? The best interpretation I can find where "test" is a verb is an elision: Test [that] B is an alternative to test A. That is an unlikely reading: "test" is a verb in the first instance and a noun in the second, breaking parallelism. And it's just a very unlikely thing to direct someone to do.
- summarity 2mo ago
  "Test B is an alternative to test A." could mean there's a Test B and a Test A, and they're interchangeable. Or: You can run Test B to confirm A works, that is "to test A". Again the stated goal to clear documentation for non-native or limited-exposure speakers. This doesn't pass that test.
  - aesthesia 2mo ago
    Ah, I see, taking "to test A" as an infinitive. But it would be strange to say test B is an alternative without saying what it's an alternative to. The other reading still seems quite unlikely.
    - dymk 2mo ago
      The point of STE100 is to avoid ambiguity like this, though.
      - thomascountz 2mo ago
        The point of STE is to support technical writers who have knowledge of the matter and a style guide. In other words, STE will not make something unambiguous simply by replacing words. The example sentence is just to illustrate a grammar rule: "test" as a verb vs a noun. That is all. You should not assume an STE rule will disambiguate a single sentence pulled out of context.

aesthesia 2mo ago

How is that ambiguous? The best interpretation I can find where "test" is a verb is an elision: Test [that] B is an alternative to test A. That is an unlikely reading: "test" is a verb in the first instance and a noun in the second, breaking parallelism. And it's just a very unlikely thing to direct someone to do.

summarity 2mo ago
"Test B is an alternative to test A." could mean there's a Test B and a Test A, and they're interchangeable. Or: You can run Test B to confirm A works, that is "to test A". Again the stated goal to clear documentation for non-native or limited-exposure speakers. This doesn't pass that test.
- aesthesia 2mo ago
  Ah, I see, taking "to test A" as an infinitive. But it would be strange to say test B is an alternative without saying what it's an alternative to. The other reading still seems quite unlikely.
  - dymk 2mo ago
    The point of STE100 is to avoid ambiguity like this, though.
    - thomascountz 2mo ago
      The point of STE is to support technical writers who have knowledge of the matter and a style guide. In other words, STE will not make something unambiguous simply by replacing words. The example sentence is just to illustrate a grammar rule: "test" as a verb vs a noun. That is all. You should not assume an STE rule will disambiguate a single sentence pulled out of context.