Path: csiph.com!x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net!usenet.pasdenom.info!gegeweb.org!de-l.enfer-du-nord.net!feeder2.enfer-du-nord.net!feeder.news-service.com!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed5.news.xs4all.nl!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!194.109.133.85.MISMATCH!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed6.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.004 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.99; '*S*': 0.00; 'defines': 0.07; 'inserts': 0.07; 'indicates': 0.09; 'pointer.': 0.09; 'subject:beginner': 0.09; 'subject:language': 0.09; 'wed,': 0.12; 'subject:python': 0.12; 'wrote:': 0.15; 'comma': 0.16; 'context;': 0.16; 'from:addr:rosuav': 0.16; 'from:name:chris angelico': 0.16; 'hangs': 0.16; 'subject: \n ': 0.16; 'surprising,': 0.16; 'pm,': 0.16; 'received:209.85.210.174': 0.19; 'received:mail- iy0-f174.google.com': 0.19; 'insert': 0.19; 'subject:question': 0.21; "doesn't": 0.22; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.22; 'assumes': 0.23; 'subject:need': 0.28; 'message-id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.28; "didn't": 0.29; 'originally': 0.29; 'brain': 0.30; 'colon': 0.30; 'subject:?': 0.31; 'connected': 0.32; 'chris': 0.32; 'to:addr :python-list': 0.34; 'someone': 0.34; 'that,': 0.35; 'connection': 0.36; 'before.': 0.37; 'received:google.com': 0.38; 'received:209.85': 0.38; 'subject:: ': 0.38; 'steven': 0.38; 'something': 0.38; 'think': 0.38; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; 'received:209': 0.40; 'browser': 0.61; 'full': 0.63; 'tag': 0.64; 'url:asp': 0.81; 'margins': 0.84; 'stop,': 0.84; 'subject:interesting': 0.84; 'mere': 0.91 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :content-type:content-transfer-encoding; bh=7mnVGZtAqLc5mW1evBsI+TL/SzBhibJEVpdKcmlUpkE=; b=eH2VHTfwQ+JTVBShUxlPdVWp9s1vxMk3SDkTuw5zwXxxZ9QWNIHGvlaPLo75ALfSdN jSLwYWjRlq0gU/tbLz3sKSn7W8regWMv3O4MU2wssb/HbcJsRj7P367l60zMlhgdAfkK flLCsGKYluvP5jDnm4AC/8cFJN7kb5pHtYx3o= MIME-Version: 1.0 In-Reply-To: <4e1d7c66$0$30000$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> References: <4e1d7c66$0$30000$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:58:19 +1000 Subject: Re: An interesting beginner question: why we need colon at all in the python language? From: Chris Angelico To: python-list@python.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 31 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1310558302 news.xs4all.nl 23894 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:54424 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.lang.python:9385 On Wed, Jul 13, 2011 at 9:07 PM, Steven D'Aprano wrote: > The colon indicates that the sentence has more to follow: I think of it a= s a > pointer. It doesn't finish the thought, like a full stop, nor is it a mer= e > pause, like a comma or semi-colon. > > =A0 =A0An indented block on its own is surprising. It just hangs there, > =A0 =A0with no connection to what was going on before. Why is it indented= ? > =A0 =A0Is it connected to the previous sentence? It's not necessarily surprising, depending on context; the brain automatically assumes that the indented block was originally said by someone else. The
tag defines a long quotation. A browser inserts white space before and after a blockquote element. It also insert margins for the blockquote element. http://www.w3schools.com/tags/tag_blockquote.asp (I didn't need to quote that, I just wanted to go meta and block quote something about blockquote.) Having the colon makes it clear that the content is part of the same general thought (paragraph or sentence). Chris Angelico