Re: One last chapter to review! Last chance! One-day only!

From: Gorbag (gorbag_at_invalid.acct)
Date: 03/11/05 

Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2005 15:53:55 -0500

"Kent M Pitman" <pitman@nhplace.com> wrote in message
news:u1xanrv0g.fsf@nhplace.com...
> When I worked as Project Editor on ISO ISLISP, some in the German
> group would veritably panic if I wrote "... will ..." and INSISTED
> that I should change "will" to "shall". "What's the difference?" I
> would ask. "They mean the same thing."

Actually, no, at least not if you were taught "the King's English" in grade
school as I was.

"I shall" is equivalent to "I intend to at the current time."
"I will" is equivalent to "I promise to."

That is, in first person, "shall" is weaker, intentionally, then "will."

The reverse is true, however, in second and third person.

That is, "I shall" is equivalent to "you will" and "he will"

while "I will" is equivalent to "you shall" and "he shall"

from an intentional strength point of view.

Source:
http://www.bartleby.com/116/index.html

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