World: r3wp

The base language for the naming of REBOL functions is English. But 
REBOL adds naming conventions that English doesn't have.

what logical computation does 'suffix? do ?

and length? et cetera

So the ? is the REBOL equivalent to the nce in divergence.

Otherwise, diverge is a verb.

? should stand for :

  is [something] ?

but its also used as:

  what is [something] ?


though the second form could be used on just about every function 
which isn't a process...  so I don't like that we sometimes add ? 
when we really are asking for a process of some data.

suffix?  is not does this have a suffix?  it's give me the suffix.

? is also used in Rebol to mean "of"

that is the second form..... 

 what is [something] of ?

of implied if there is an argumetn.

waste? [ of time ]

Then would need the nce. Diverge is still an action word. Divergence 
is the noun.

Sorry, language is defined by use ... not by dictionaries

Diverge is still a verb, and divergence still a nown. The dictionaries 
came later.

deviation

That would work. And it doesn't imply going in a different direction 
like diverge(nce) does.

Unless you go back to the latin, at which point both words have the 
same root: going in a different direction.

We have had to break out the thesaurus many times when naming REBOL 
functions :)

It's my #2 search link in my browser   ;-)

DIVERGENCE is a spot-on name.

Considering that it seems to return "the point of divergence", i.e. 
the position where two series start to diverge.

Native english speakers only please :)

(Says the guy who thinks "diverge" is a noune in usage ;-)

Sorry, bad typing day.

(Now my non-native brain gets confused: noun, nown, or noune? :)

noun. I have been doing manual labor and my hands are a little off 
today.

(http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=noune)

Nice :)

Maybe you accidentally offended Maxim :)

pronounced   noon

alternatives: fork, stray, deviate, digress

All verbs. Use the noun or adjectival forms.

and since we are comparing only two things .. bifurcate

so what's the difference between divergence and deviation.... I am 
straying from the question... I disgress..     ;-)

deviation has a statistical meaning

true

My latin is rusty, but I think that deviate means to go in a different 
direction, while diverge means to branch.

how about "wanda" ... that's a noune

So divergence is more accurate than deviation in this case. (I'll 
try to keep the spelling under control.)

or, 'away

And deviation is in relation to a "norm".

we can play this game all day

Deviation is relative to a norm only for statistics.

Also for law or sociodynamics.

with the statistics use of deviation brought to light ... I revert 
to divergence.  its a more unique term.

You deviate from a contract, you deviate from social rules, the right 
path, etc.

rebolers are all deviants.

On a good day :)

equal? a b

diverge? a b