rust-lang / rust-lang/reference

Normalize descriptions of syntax

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#905 2 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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Dominant language
Rust
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Description

We have inconsistent uses of terminology for describing syntax. I've seen at least three:

  • X is written as...
  • X consists of...
  • X is denoted with...

We should pick a single style, and use it consistently.

It doesn't have to be one of the above forms. I feel like we could be more explicit with the form:

  • The syntax of X is...

For example, using the type cast expression:

The syntax of a type cast expression is an operand, the keyword as, and finally a type.

cc @ehuss for opinions.

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Research direction

Search the Rust Reference for the listed syntax-description forms, starting with the type cast expression example and nearby syntax sections. Record the occurrences that need normalization, apply the chosen wording consistently, and verify the affected reference pages read uniformly.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
rust
Domain
documentation
Issue type
Documentation
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
45/100

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