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This came up while reviewing a technical document:

  1. The algorithm could re-enqueue the id associated with the job ...

This has generated some discussion as the word does not appear in the dictionary and we aren't sure if it is proper or not. Is this a proper word for use in a technical document or is there a better word use?

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  • You're not the first people to have used the term, as that link shows. So just go ahead without worrying about being called "illiterate". Without wishing to be rude, I don't see what you expect ELU to tell you here, and I'm voting to close as Not Constructive.
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Dec 10, 2012 at 2:49
  • Is this a proper word? Yes, it is the proper "word" if enqueue had already been defined in the document with a specific meaning of an activity/task. Say, the glossary lists enqueue . "The algorithm will enqueue the id associated with the job ... However, the algorithm could re-enqueue the id associated with the job ..." Do not forget the hyphen ever, in this particular kind of usage, though. It is possible to use the re- un- non- de- / dis- prefixes to any known word or neologism, except where the required meaning already has a word.
    – Kris
    Commented Dec 10, 2012 at 5:08
  • For a useful answer, you should be asking this on a tech Q&A, not a pure-play language Q&A which ELU is.
    – Kris
    Commented Dec 10, 2012 at 5:17
  • @Kris - While it is a techincal document it is also a thesis proposal that is expected to adhear to APA guidelines and a couple people have redlined the word.
    – anonymous
    Commented Dec 10, 2012 at 13:45
  • You must have noticed the qualified statement: "if enqueue had already been defined..." in which case, the editors are not justified -- red-lining can also be a helpful alert, not necessarily a pointer to error. I am converting my comment into an answer so this comment is temporary.
    – Kris
    Commented Dec 11, 2012 at 4:47

2 Answers 2

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Whether a word appears in a dictionary doesn’t really matter with productive affixes like these.

However, I should think you would just want to use requeue there. I know I would.

Plus I would just hate to type re_enqueue(). :)

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  • 7
    This is just like déjà queue all over again.
    – Robusto
    Commented Dec 10, 2012 at 2:49
  • -1 requeue would be the correct answer to expect on ELU. However, the context almost dictates that it would be re_enqueue which is what the OP would have got if the question were asked on a tech Q&A. There are quite a few things I hate to type but a a technical document doesn't respect my emotions.
    – Kris
    Commented Dec 10, 2012 at 5:16
  • 3
    @Kris Last I checked, we actually are on ELU, not SO. I see no off-topic close-votes, either. So it is asking for an ELU answer, not an off-topic programming question. You downvote for people not giving an off-topic answer? That’s nuts!
    – tchrist ♦
    Commented Dec 10, 2012 at 22:11
  • @Kris: if you google, you can find requeue used for what I assume you think could only be re-enqueue; that is, enqueueing a packet again in a technical context. I think this is a fine answer.
    – Peter Shor
    Commented Dec 11, 2012 at 3:53
  • No one here is questioning if requeue is correct (or not). The question is if re-enqueue is incorrect. We are not into tangential issues.
    – Kris
    Commented Dec 11, 2012 at 4:42
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The algorithm could re-enqueue the id associated with the job ...

Is re-enqueue a proper word?

Yes, re-enqueue is the proper "word" if enqueue had already been defined in the document with a specific meaning of an activity/task. Say, the glossary lists enqueue .

"The algorithm will enqueue the id associated with the job ...
However, the algorithm could re-enqueue the id associated with the job ..."

Do not forget the hyphen ever, in this particular kind of usage, though. It is possible to use the re- un- non- de- / dis- prefixes to any known word or neologism, except where the required meaning already has a word.

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