On Wed, Apr 30, 2003 at 08:31:27PM -0400, Andrew Dunstan wrote:
> This is common usage in requirements docs - I suspect it has a government,
> perhaps a military origin. Even after vetting and helping to author a great
> many requirements docs it still makes me cringe, but then I don't split
> infinitives either ;-)
<totally ot>
It shouldn't make you cringe. According to Fowler
(<http://www.bartleby.com/116/213.html>), this version of "shall" is
an example of the "pure system" in the distinction between shall and
will. So it's neither military nor government in origin, but
mediaeval. Anyway, it's not much different from "Thou shalt not
steal."
</totally ot>
A
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