Automattic / Automattic/harper
Mixing up "lifetime" and "life"
- Dominant language
- Rust
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- 1d 12h
- Merged PRs (30d)
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Description
There seems to be a recent, I'm guessing post-Millennial but maybe Millennial, shift toward using "lifetime" when we mean "life". So far I only hear it in American-English YouTube.
Google AI explains the difference this way:
> ... they differ slightly in scope.
> "In my life" refers to your entire existence up to the present moment.
"In my lifetime" encompasses all the years you will ever live, often looking back on a historical era or a span of time that is drawing to a close.
It's most often after a superlative adjective, but not always (best in my lifetime, etc.)
I don't think the reverse ever happens. I never hear anything like "It's a once-in-a-life opportunity".
Examples:
- But it's limited to just two times in your **lifetime**.
Contributor guide
Research direction
No source file, test, or entry point is identified in the issue. Start by reviewing Harper's existing grammar rules and tests for word-choice distinctions, then determine whether the examples support a precise rule and add coverage for the reported lifetime usage.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- rust
- Domain
- devtools
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Needs clarification
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100