Terminology: "reference" versus "pointer"

[Rustom Mody]

On Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 10:38:46 PM UTC+5:30, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> On Sat, 12 Sep 2015 10:46 pm, Rustom Mody wrote:
> 
> > On Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 11:57:01 AM UTC+5:30, Ben Finney wrote:
> 
> >> You've clearly committed to some ontology that just doesn't match the
> >> Python data model.
> > 
> > How about lay-English ontology in which "point to" and "refer to" are
> > fairly synonymous?
> 
> "Pointer" in English is also a synonym for 
> 
> - a type of dog;
> - an instrument which pierces (as used by engravers, lace workers, etc); 
> - an item of private information; 
> - a hint or tip; 
> - a caution or warning; 
> - a recommendation; 
> - the index finger; 
> - a cricketer fielding at a specific position; 
> - the hour/minute/second hand on a timepiece; 
> - a compass needle; 
> - two specific stars in the constellation of the Great Bear (Ursa Major);
> -  diagonal braces fastened across the hold of a ship;
> - the small icon whose movement across the screen follows that of the 
>   mouse, trackball or other pointing device; 
> - a signpost or milepost; 
> 
> and more. I don't think that arguing on the basis of lay-English or plain
> English terms is going to be terribly useful.

So if someone's ontology disagrees with yours its not very useful.
You're welcome to that view of course
Its called "Humpty-Dumpty" (in Alice ontology).

We could have had a more 'useful' discussion if alongside the meanings of 
"pointer" you had provided meanings of "reference" as well