The validator fails English check!

[KimmoA]

Something that has bugged me for quite some time is how it says "Failed
validation, x errors" instead of "Failed validation; x errors". Anyone
agree?

[Andy Dingley]

KimmoA wrote:

Something that has bugged me for quite some time is how it says "Failed
validation, x errors" instead of "Failed validation; x errors". Anyone
agree?

The first one is arguably right, if you consider it as a sentence with
a pause in it. The second is simply wrong - it should be a colon and
not a semicolon.

I'd agree with you in general that the second is better than the first
with the comma, if you used a colon instead.

[boclair]

Andy Dingley wrote:

KimmoA wrote:

>Something that has bugged me for quite some time is how it says "Failed
validation, x errors" instead of "Failed validation; x errors". Anyone
agree?

The first one is arguably right, if you consider it as a sentence with
a pause in it. The second is simply wrong - it should be a colon and
not a semicolon.

Pedantically, it should be a colon if the clause, "x errors", expands or
illustrates the clause, "Failed validation"; which it does surely.

Louise

[Harlan Messinger]

KimmoA wrote:

Something that has bugged me for quite some time is how it says "Failed
validation, x errors" instead of "Failed validation; x errors". Anyone
agree?

It also doesn't have a subject, and it lacks a verb in the second
clause. It isn't a sentence. In the end, do you think it matters?

[boclair]

Harlan Messinger wrote:

KimmoA wrote:

>Something that has bugged me for quite some time is how it says "Failed
validation, x errors" instead of "Failed validation; x errors". Anyone
agree?

It also doesn't have a subject, and it lacks a verb in the second
clause. It isn't a sentence. In the end, do you think it matters?

Totally off topic, being pedantic and off little consequence but

1.."Failed validation" is a sentence of proper construction when it
answers a question; or asks a question "Failed validation?"
2.."x errors" is a subordinate clause

Correct grammar would be, "Failed validation:x errors"

It is a matter of style but perhaps preferable would be
"Validation failed:x errors"

Louise

[Jukka K. Korpela]

boclair <bo*****@bigpond.net.auscripsit:

Correct grammar would be, "Failed validation:x errors"

It is a matter of style but perhaps preferable would be
"Validation failed:x errors"

No, those would definitely be incorrect. There shall be a space after the
colon, if you use a colon in a context like this. (The style manuals you use
might not mention this explicitly, but look at the examples in them.)

Now, can we _please_ stop this pointless thread? If someone has a
constructive proposal on improving some validator's or checker's error
messages, it should be presented on an appropriate forum, such the adequate
W3C public mailing list for the purpose.

--
Jukka K. Korpela ("Yucca")
http://www.cs.tut.fi/~jkorpela/

[Harlan Messinger]

boclair wrote:

Harlan Messinger wrote:

>KimmoA wrote:

>>Something that has bugged me for quite some time is how it says "Failed
validation, x errors" instead of "Failed validation; x errors". Anyone
agree?

It also doesn't have a subject, and it lacks a verb in the second
clause. It isn't a sentence. In the end, do you think it matters?

Totally off topic, being pedantic and off little consequence but

1.."Failed validation" is a sentence of proper construction when it
answers a question; or asks a question "Failed validation?"

It isn't. Your question also lacks a subject for its verb.

2.."x errors" is a subordinate clause

Correct grammar would be, "Failed validation:x errors"

Colons aren't the standard treatment for subordinate clauses. Are you
making all this up?

It is a matter of style but perhaps preferable would be
"Validation failed:x errors"

[Keith Bowes]

Now, can we _please_ stop this pointless thread?
But it's fun, man.

[boclair]

Harlan Messinger wrote:

boclair wrote:

>Harlan Messinger wrote:

>>KimmoA wrote:
Something that has bugged me for quite some time is how it says "Failed
validation, x errors" instead of "Failed validation; x errors". Anyone
agree?

It also doesn't have a subject, and it lacks a verb in the second
clause. It isn't a sentence. In the end, do you think it matters?

Totally off topic, being pedantic and off little consequence but

1.."Failed validation" is a sentence of proper construction when it
answers a question; or asks a question "Failed validation?"

It isn't. Your question also lacks a subject for its verb.

>2.."x errors" is a subordinate clause

Correct grammar would be, "Failed validation:x errors"

Colons aren't the standard treatment for subordinate clauses. Are you
making all this up?

I would normally let this pass but for the last. No it is not made up
but this is my last response.

From Fowler with a quote from Beadnell used as an example.

"Always remember the ancient maxim: Know thyself."

From Strunk

"It is permissible to make an emphatic word or expression serve the
purpose of a sentence and to punctuate it accordingly:

'Again and again he called out. No reply.'"

Louise