On Fri, Oct 26, 2012 at 4:51 PM, Henk-Jan van Tuyl wrote:

L.S.,

I thought you might be interested to know, that I have translated one of prof. Edsger W. Dijkstra's writings to English[0]. I will submit this translation to the E. W. Dijkstra Archive of the University of Texas[1].

Comments: - "with which popular believe" (popular belief?) - "between day and night" (night and day is more idiomatic in English, isn't it?) - 'The advantage of this poetic license is that it allows us to put an algebraic expression as (a+b)/c, a program fragment as x := x+1, and a decimal number like 729 all three under the same heading "formula".' (all three is weirdly run together with the list) - "Our traditional argues" (?) The hyphenation also strikes me as odd but I guess not actually wrong. -- gwern http://www.gwern.net

It is an interesting piece and I'm glad you went to the effort to translate it. ******** **** - ...the question whether... + ...the question of whether or not... To use "could" is to form either the past or the subjunctive. Within a long sentence, we might prefer to contribute an article "on" a topic as opposed to "about" a topic. Burning is one of those things that is often taken to be all or nothing; so "equally burning" is infelicitous. One could say "similarly burning" or "likewise burning" to mean, it is also burning. So: + It has already been a few years or so ago now since the + editors of a somewhat obscure magazine asked me to contribute + an article on the question of whether or not computers can + think. I did not feel like doing that and I explained my + refusal with the remark that I found the suggested topic just + as unimportant as the similarly burning question of whether or + not submarines can swim. **** It is hard to make the idiom "reckoned on" work in the parenthetical passage; there are alternatives. - I had reckoned without my host: the editor —a sociologist— - wrote me back, that he found that last question very - interesting as well! + I had not considered my audience: the editor -- a sociologist + -- wrote back, to say that he found the last question very + interesting as well!" **** "with which popular believe" -> "with which popular belief" As remarked by Gwern. **** - A single factor of ten is already a difference between day and - night... + A single factor of ten is like night and day... **** It is important that an EM dash have spaces to both sides of it. For example: - —in anthropomorphic terminology also called "memory size"— + -- in anthropomorphic terminology also called "memory size" -- **** One may use "such as" and "like" when providing examples; one uses "as" and "like" when forming comparisons. ("Icarus flew like a bird." or "Icarus flew as the birds do." but not "Icarus flew such as a bird."). - The advantage of this poetic license is that it allows us to - put an algebraic expression as (a+b)/c, a program fragment as - x := x+1, and a decimal number like 729 all three under the - same heading "formula". + The advantage of this poetic license is that it allows us to + put an algebraic expression as (a+b)/c, a program fragment as + x := x+1, and a decimal number like 729 all three under the + same heading "formula". **** - Such a formal universe is therefore as novelty radical... + Such a formal universe is therefore a radical novelty... **** - The most salient feature of the formal universe is, however, - that nothing else than... + The most salient feature of the formal universe is, however, + that nothing other than... + The most salient feature of the formal universe, however, is + that nothing besides... **** - Our traditional argues are mixed, viz. partly formal and - partly verbal... + Our traditional ways of arguing are mixed, partly formal and + partly verbal... **** - In that vision, a radical change of course in mathematics - would leave in the long term footprints in the vast majority - of our intellectual life. + In that vision, a radical change in mathematics would in time + leave an imprint in most areas of our intellectual life. **** - I expect such a radical change of course. + I expect such a radical change, of course. **** ******** There would be a certain appropriateness in making the text more "Texan". The title would then be: It don't matter none whether subs can swim or not but it'd really take a different American to see it through. -- Jason Dusek pgp // solidsnack // C1EBC57DC55144F35460C8DF1FD4C6C1FED18A2B