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Zoltán Király Posted 4 years ago
Grammar

Is this spelled correctly? Set the variable xyz to nil

Set the xyz variable to nil.


or


Set the variable xzy to nil.


Which one is correct?

Context.

xzy is the name of the variable. Nil is its value.

Both variable and nil are terms used in computer programming.

  

Top answer

Zoltán Király Which one is correct? I've seen both. I don't think it matters.

— Anonymous

  • Zoltán Király Which one is correct?
  • I've seen both.
  • I don't think it matters.
  • I prefer "the variable xzy" if the name of the variable is xyz because that says what you mean, the variable whose name is xyz.
  • The other way, it sounds like the variable whose property is xyz, which may or may not be nonsense in reality, and nobody would read it that way, but it is an added level of unclarity you don't want.
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1 Answers
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Zoltán KirályWhich one is correct?

I've seen both. I don't think it matters. I prefer "the variable xzy" if the name of the variable is xyz because that says what you mean, the variable whose name is xyz. The other way, it sounds like the variable whose property is xyz, which may or may not be nonsense in reality, and nobody would read it that way, but it i

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