Canonicalize

[TheRambler]

According to the Wikipedia:

In computing, a canonical order is the order of elements that obeys a certain set of rules or specifications. Sorting algorithms are often used to canonicalize data sets.

In XML Signature canonicalization is the process of converting XML content to a canonical form, to take into account changes that can invalidate a signature over that data (from JWSDP 1.6).

Searching MSDN shows there is a canonicalize method in the .NET Framework and in Visual C++ Libraries.

So, is this a new word or just a bastardization of English? I can't find it in dictionaries, but they have "canonize" meaning to make canonical.

Would it be correct to avoid the use of "canonicalize" and use "canonize" instead? Or maybe "normalize"?

 

[sleipnir214]

I think in this usage, "canonicalize" is probably correct. First, because it's the name of a class method, and as such is something akin to a proper noun. The author of the class gets to name the method whatever he wants.

Second, because technically, you're not speaking English, you're speaking English-based technical jargon. As such, deductively-reproducible disambiguation is more important than dictionary forms. The primary meaning of "canonize", as least in the online dictionaries I've researched, is "to declare a person a saint". "Canonicalize" is the word
"canonical" with the standard action-implication suffix "ize" tacked on to it. And in technical circles, "canonical" is used specifically to mean "to put into standard form" and brings to mind the word "canonical" as used in the Jargon File (

http://www.catb.org/~esr/jargon/html/C/canonical.html).

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TANSTAAFL!!

 

[TheRambler]

Thanks for a canonical answer. Now I understand I can use this word but only in the IT world, for other audiences I would rather say "to put into standard form" or "convert to the canonical form".

I also found this definition of canonicalization:

In information technology, canonicalization (pronounced KA-nahn-nihk-uhl-ih-ZAY-shun and sometimes spelled canonicalisation) is the process of making something canonical -- that is, in conformance with some specification. To canonicalize (as well as the slightly less tortured variant canonify) is to ensure that data conforms to canonical rules, and is in an approved format. Canonicalization may sometimes mean generating canonical data from noncanonical data.
Canonicalization is used for a variety of computer and Internet-related applications. In a sendmail context, canonification (or canonicalization) describes the process used to complete Mail-From addresses where necessary on incoming messages. When the canonify feature is turned on, a defined default domain name is added to the user name on an incoming message, so that username is translated to username@domain. Within the Extensible Markup Language (XML), canonicalization ensures that an XML document adheres to the specified format.