Subject: [mpls] draft-andersson-mpls-spl-terminology-00.txt - please not "Regular"

From: Stewart Bryant <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2019 12:14:57 +0000

Loa

I see the need for clarification, but  am not a great fan of the term 
"Regular". It is very much a US expression rather than a global 
expression in the sense in which you use it.  Indeed I just looked it up 
in the OED and that says (amongst other definitions):

"e. orig. U.S. Normal, average, or standard with reference to a 
predetermined scale or system of categorization; belonging to the 
category or class considered to be standard."*
*

and

"f. Chiefly U.S. (colloq.). Of a person: ordinary, normal, unremarkable; 
(hence, as a general term of mild approbation) unpretentious, 
unassuming; decent, agreeable, esp. in regular guy."*
*

The latter I think defines  the usage of the word as you are using it. 
If it is indeed the latter definition you had in mind, I note that it is 
colloquial of which the OED says:

"2. spec. Of words, phrases, etc.: Belonging to common speech; 
characteristic of or proper to ordinary conversation, as distinguished 
from formal or elevated language. (The usual sense.)"*
*

As we are writing a formal definition it seems odd to use an informal term.

"Ordinary" or "Original" or "Short" or "Non-extended" or "Single" or 
"Short" or "Standard" are perhaps better alternates, but the exact name 
is something we should reflect upon as a WG.

- Stewart