[Tutor] Non sequitur -- Re: function return values

[dn]

On 02/12/2021 18.00, Dennis Lee Bieber wrote:
> On Thu, 2 Dec 2021 16:34:52 +1300, dn via Tutor <tutor at python.org>
> declaimed the following:
> 
> 
>> NB am not guaranteeing that I have understood which
>> argument/parameter/identifier goes where!
>>
>> NBB asking "if xyz" is the same as "if xyz is not None" - a concept
>> known as "truthiness" (falsiness)
>>
>> NBBB Python's PEP-008 (a guide (maybe) and not a "standard") for naming
>> identifiers and functions:
>>
>> box_pairs_in_same_row()
> 
> 	Since NB -> nota bene translates as "note well", NBB would be "note
> well well" etc. Seems that "NNB" would be more correct for emphasis --
> "note note well" <G>
> 
> 	Though in truth, I doubt this follows the pattern of PS -> post script,
> in which PPS -> post post script does make logical sense (vs PSS -> post
> script script)


In many languages, repetition indicates a superior form. Also, in Linux,
as you likely know, -v requests a verbose output, and some systems offer
the opportunity to select -vv, ie an even more verbose/illustrative output.

Back to English, you may remember:

There was a little girl, Who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead.
And when she was good, She was very, very good.
But when she was bad, She was horrid.

(and here I'm likely to land into more trans-Atlantic dispute) but
whereas some Americans attribute it to Longfellow, it was likely a
British nursery rhyme more than 150-years ago.
- cue @Alan

Perhaps I'll sail close to the wind of the Python CofP when I say that I
prefer (the idea of meeting someone espousing) the Mae West variation:

“When I'm good, I'm very good, but when I'm bad, I'm better.”

This device was used to great effect in a British TV series (don't know
if it still runs) called "The Vicar of Dibley". One of the
aged-characters had a bad stutter, and it was a running-joke (repeated,
programme after programme - NB British spelling!!!) to have him say "no,
no, no, no, -pause-, yes" (or was it vice-versa?). At first, you would
interpret him to be emphatic in his negative expression, only to find
that he really means the exact opposite.


In Hindi, the famous imperious phrase was "chaldi, chaldi!" (EN:
quickly, quickly - or hurry, hurry).

In Tok Pisin, younger children could be "lik, lik" (EN: little, little -
or smaller than little).

In French we add emphasis or indicate enthusiasm with repetition, such
as "très, très bien" (EN: very, very, good), and a similar device exists
in other human-languages.

Further replies 'here' will likely form a catalog of such...


To bring us back to something remotely approaching 'the topic', and
given our habit of writing loops/iterating, can these be restated as:

"To err is human, but to really foul things up, you need a computer!"


Thus, aligning repetition to emphasis, I'd go with your pattern - repeat
the second letter/word.

As NB = Nota Bene; and taking "bene" as (still, after all the centuries)
"well" or "good" in modern Italian, I'd stick with NBB = Nota Bene Bene,
as 'note very well'.

However, the 'bottom line', or en-fin (EN: at the end), which appears in
EN:AU as "at the end of the day", should you prefer, the adding of "B"s
was only to distinguish each of a series of notes from one-another.


In future, I'll list them as NB1, NB2, etc.

Oh wait, won't that start you into a debate about zero-based indexing?


It doesn't take much to amuse my (small) mind!
-- 
-- 
Regards,
=dn