[Tutor] Issue w/ string input "for", "not", "while", "else" etc.

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Wed, Nov 27, 2013 at 09:45:20AM +0100, Peter Otten wrote:

> I took the freedom to report it myself:
> 
> http://bugs.python.org/issue19808

Thanks for reporting the issue!


[off-topic]

You might like to know that the standard English idiom is "I took the 
liberty" rather than "freedom".

In general, liberty is a synonym for freedom. We might fight for liberty 
from oppression or freedom from hunger. However, the phrases "to take 
the liberty" and "to take liberties" are a little different. Both carry 
connotations of going a bit too far, both are very old-fashioned, with 
the flavour of Victorian England, or perhaps as late as the 1920s.

To take liberties is (potentially) a criticism, typically spoken by a 
women to a man who has been a little too enthusiastic about making 
romantic advances. The image it often brings to the mind of English 
speakers is of a very prim and proper young women mildly chastising a 
young gentleman for being too forward with his romantic overtures (but 
often with a twinkle in her eye, as if to say they're not completely 
unwelcome).

Alternatively, the words may be said by an elderly matron, severely 
chastising a young gentleman who has been a bit too keen on the matron's 
daughter or niece (definitely NOT with a twinkle in the eye!), or 
perhaps to a servant for talking back, relaxing, or otherwise not 
obeying her every whim.

To take *the* liberty is less negative and more a self-deprecating 
acknowledgement that the speaker has stepped out of bounds and taken on 
more responsibility than he should have, but has done so from the best 
of motives. (Sometimes spoken seriously, these days more often 
ironically.) The image it brings to mind is of an exceedingly polite, 
very proper, and hyper-competent butler or valet:

"Sir has an appointment with the bank this morning. I have taken the 
liberty of laying out Sir's best trousers and tweed jacket."

Think of Jeeves: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeeves


Personally, I love both phrases :-)

Does German have anything similar?  (I presume you are German.)


-- 
Steven