Re^3: The behavior is [sic] undefined

So, that leaves "the behaviour is unspecified" to describe the situation that you otherwise describe as "a shortcut for saying that the specification for the behavior is undefined.". Seems good to me.

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Comment on Re^3: The behavior is [sic] undefined

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Re^4: The behavior is [sic] undefined by John M. Dlugosz (Monsignor) on May 13, 2009 at 20:23 UTC
That sounds right. And hangon points out that the common meaning for "behavior" is "expected behavior". So I'm really saying that the expectation is undefined. That does seem to be how languages evolve. But when the referent is the part that got left out or left behind, it can be very annoying to more cultured ears. Like a home-improvement show says "to poly the bookcase". Er, the verb you wanted is varnish. But was "varnish" itself a noun that got turned into a verb? Apparently the word can be traced all the way back to the name of the Greek city of Κυρηναϊκή. Go figure.	[reply]

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Re^4: The behavior is [sic] undefined
by John M. Dlugosz (Monsignor) on May 13, 2009 at 20:23 UTC

hangon

That does seem to be how languages evolve. But when the referent is the part that got left out or left behind, it can be very annoying to more cultured ears. Like a home-improvement show says "to poly the bookcase". Er, the verb you wanted is varnish. But was "varnish" itself a noun that got turned into a verb? Apparently the word can be traced all the way back to the name of the Greek city of Κυρηναϊκή. Go figure.

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