DocBook/drm: The word `so-called'; I do not think it connotes what you think it connotes
authorMichael Witten <mfwitten@gmail.com>
Thu, 25 Aug 2011 19:42:20 +0000 (19:42 +0000)
committerMichael Witten <mfwitten@gmail.com>
Mon, 29 Aug 2011 20:00:01 +0000 (20:00 +0000)
commit9029bd7a42e3c32783866630ee3eb6b82e273544
treec01d9d79845140b39cb15153c065f19682fd6690
parent54f2cb8fc930e08fd6156519b28c45d576615f82
DocBook/drm: The word `so-called'; I do not think it connotes what you think it connotes

  From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:

    So-called \So"-called`\, a.
       So named; called by such a name (but perhaps called thus with
       doubtful propriety).

  From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

    so-called
         adj : doubtful or suspect; "these so-called experts are no help"
               [syn: {alleged(a)}, {supposed}]

My strong conviction is that widespread use of 'so gennant'
or 'sogennant' in German has led to the creeping misuse of
'so-called' in English (especially through technical writings).

In English, it would be better to use:

  what is called

or a better translation of 'so gennant':

  so named

Signed-off-by: Michael Witten <mfwitten@gmail.com>
Documentation/DocBook/drm.tmpl