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[return to "Understanding the linux filesystem (/etc, /var, /bin, /opt etc.)"]
1. IvyMik+oe[view] [source] 2013-06-26 07:31:22
>>alexho+(OP)
Not enough people know this, but when you say "etc" out loud in reference to the directory, it is supposed to sound like "etsy".

I expect there will be people who reply to this comment to argue it should be "E-T-C" or "Et Cetera". You can ignore those people; they probably say "exclamation mark" instead of "bang".

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2. numero+Rq[view] [source] 2013-06-26 11:58:00
>>IvyMik+oe
You should go, say, six months, in which you never use “suppose” in the passive voice. Whenever you feel the inclination to say “it is supposed...” or “you're supposed to...”, force yourself to rephrase your sentence in the active voice. This requires, of course, that you find a supposer, and name him. At that point you will discover what it is you're really trying to say.
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3. IvyMik+T51[view] [source] 2013-06-26 18:26:51
>>numero+Rq
> Not enough people know this, but when you say "etc" out loud in reference to the directory, you should say "etsy".

Not really a big difference in meaning or tone, if you ask me.

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4. numero+mj1[view] [source] 2013-06-26 20:29:23
>>IvyMik+T51
You didn't use “suppose”.
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5. IvyMik+5n1[view] [source] 2013-06-26 21:02:45
>>numero+mj1
Can't you just tell me what you suppose [1] I was "really trying to say"? As it is, your point is over my head.

[1] Ha!

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6. numero+872[view] [source] 2013-06-27 12:14:05
>>IvyMik+5n1
Sure:

> Not enough people know this, but when you say "etc" out loud in reference to the directory, I suppose it should sound like "etsy".

The passive voice, combined with the opening phrase, gives the false appearance that the subject is the pronunciation of ‘/etc’, when the true subject is you. I put it the way I did because it is a good exercise and because I didn't want it to seem impetuous.

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7. IvyMik+1A2[view] [source] 2013-06-27 17:53:11
>>numero+872
That changes the meaning quite a bit--in the original, the word "suppose" was used in the sense of an obligation; in the new sentence, the word "suppose" is used to mean "a guess".

If you're saying that I was being passive aggressive, that's my bad, because I was aiming for over-the-top bravado and didn't go big enough for it to be funny, I guess. http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1995-06-24/

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