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Sergey Zolotarev
Sergey Zolotarev
01:53
Consider this Javadoc: 
/**
 * Utility class for validating URI schemes and paths. Though overall it respects the
 * RFC 3986 specification, this class takes the liberty of diverging from it in the following
 * ways:
 * <p>
 * 1. A scheme's definition is extended to include the characters separating it from the authority,
 * specifically a colon and two forward slashes.
 * For example, in {@code example.com} the scheme would be {@code http://}, not {@code http}.
 * The latter would <em>not</em> be considered a valid scheme by this class
Which of these are grammatical? Which of those that are grammatical are the most idiomatic?
1. "A scheme's definition is extended to include the characters separating it from the authority."
2. "The scheme's definition is extended to include the characters separating it from the authority."
3. "A definition of a scheme is extended to include the characters separating it from the authority."
4. "The definition of a scheme is extended to include the characters separating it from the authority."
ColleenV
ColleenV
02:43
@SergeyZolotarev I would choose #4. It matches the rest of the text’s formality.
“A scheme’s definition” or “The scheme’s definition” makes a scheme seem more specific than I think it is in this case. I don’t know much about the topic, but why not “The definition of URI scheme is extended to include the characters…”
Does the specification have multiple scheme definitions that you are extending all in the same way? Or is there one definition that you’re extending?
Sergey Zolotarev
Sergey Zolotarev
03:16
@ColleenV One
 
7 hours later…
ColleenV
ColleenV
10:44
@SergeyZolotarev Then I would definitely prefer #4 or ‘The definition of scheme is extended…” without the article.
I looked up the specification and skimmed the scheme section, and it doesn’t use an article with scheme. The text uses the plural, like “URI scheme specifications” or “new URI schemes”.
But I think including the article or excluding it doesn’t make much difference

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