Manifest constants using 'manifest' keyword?

[Bill Baxter]

Derek Parnell wrote:
> On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 13:05:40 +0900, Bill Baxter wrote:
> 
>> Derek Parnell wrote:
>>> On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:01:08 +0200, Matti Niemenmaa wrote:
>>>
>>>> Jérôme M. Berger wrote:
>>>>> Matti Niemenmaa wrote:
>>>>>> Derek Parnell wrote:
>>>>>>> Until one gets to know what it means, "manifest" looks like a noun
>>>>>>> rather than an adjective. I can just see newbies saying things like ...
>>>>>>> "what is a 'manifest'" when confronted with stuff like ...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> manifest 
>>>>>>> {
>>>>>>>    int Foo;
>>>>>>>    long Bar;
>>>>>>> }
>>>>>> Alright, I'll bite. What /is/ manifest meant to mean here?
>>>>> 	I'd bet for a compilation error ;)
>>>> That wasn't my point. I get the semantics, I want to understand what the word
>>>> itself means.
>>>>
>>>> "const" -> a constant, i.e. something you can't write to. Fine, though it's not
>>>> necessarily "constant" per se.
>>>> "manifest" -> a manifest constant. What's a manifest constant? A compile-time
>>>> constant. Why isn't it called "compiletime" then? What's with the word "manifest"?
>>> The adjective 'manifest' in this context means "something whose purpose or
>>> meaning is self-evident". It is a fairly obscure usage of English and not
>>> many native-English speakers would use the term except in academic circles.
>>> It is certainly not in common usage by the average man-in-the-street.
>> I think it's more like these meanings (from dictionary.com)
>>
>> 6. a list of the cargo carried by a ship, made for the use of various 
>> agents and officials at the ports of destination.
>> 7.	a list or invoice of goods transported by truck or train.
>> 8.	a list of the cargo or passengers carried on an airplane.
>>
>> I.e. it's something that's embedded in the executable as part of its 
>> "cargo".  At least I think that's where the terminology "manifest 
>> constant" comes from.
> 
> That would be the NOUN manifest and the adjective.

But pretty much any noun can be used as an adjective in English.  And 
often the two get so cozy that way they get a hyphen or just get stuck 
together:

"Look at that man who is part wolf!" --> "Look at that wolfman!"
"Can I borrow your rings that you stick on your ears?" --> "Can I borrow 
your earrings?"
"This is a noun that's used as an adjective" --> "This is a noun adjective"
"A constant that's in the manifest" --> "A manifest constant"

--bb