From: Guillaume Marcais <guslist@...>
Date: 2006-08-11T21:47:57+09:00
Subject: Re: nonce

Le 11 ao�t 06, � 08:17, dblack@wobblini.net a �crit :

> Hi --
>
> On Fri, 11 Aug 2006, Martin DeMello wrote:
>
>> Same here. Also "nonce word". And I agree, it carries the wrong
>> connotations for the singleton class, whereas "eigenclass" seems to me
>> to be just about perfect, both in literal meaning and connotations.
>
> My main problem with "eigenclass" is that it's in German, whereas
> everything else in Ruby is in English.  I actually suggested "own
> class" a long time ago.  Eigenclass is basically a German translation
> of that.  I love German -- majored in it in college, even -- but
> "eigenclass" just strikes me as a bit joke-like or perhaps a bit
> pretentious.

Maybe, but eigenvalues and eigenvectors are now common terminology in 
mathematics in English. It beats the over used word "characteristic". 
In a sense, I feel that the eigen- prefix has been around long enough 
in the scientific lingo to be used for our purpose.

Guillaume.

>
> I've refrained from using the term "own class" pre-emptively, though,
> which in the "Darwinian" world of bringing about a fait accompli in
> the area of renaming singleton classes takes it pretty much out of the
> running :-)
>
>
> David
>
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