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From: Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: Sort char array
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2019 05:59:35 -0700
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Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> writes:

> Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> writes:
>
>> Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@gmail.com> writes:
>>
>>> Of course, but we were talking specifically about types,
>>> which comprise one aspect of portability.
>>
>> "Comprise" is not the right word here.  A whole comprises its
>> parts or constitutent elements.  For example, a zoo comprises its
>> animals.  You might try "form" or "constitute" there:
>
> Not this again!  There's nothing wrong with Anton's usage.  Collins
> English Dictionary (to name just one) descibes this use of "comprise"
> and even lists "form" and "constitute" as synonyms for it.

I concede your statement about dictionaries is true:  many
dictionaries give a definition for comprise that allows the above
construction.  My comment however was not about dictionaries but
about usage and style.  People who want to be careful in their
writing (and I think Anton is one of those) should avoid using
comprise in the sense it is used above.

To be clear, my comment is not one of fact but of opinion.  I
would add though that it is not just my opinion, but one shared
by enough serious writers that I think the advice is worth
taking.