1 files changed, 51 insertions, 5 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/CodingGuidelines b/Documentation/CodingGuidelines
index 7e4d5716a6..ef67b53f72 100644
--- a/Documentation/CodingGuidelines
+++ b/Documentation/CodingGuidelines
@@ -145,6 +145,14 @@ For C programs:
    they were describing changes.  Often splitting a function
    into two makes the intention of the code much clearer.
 
+ - Multi-line comments include their delimiters on separate lines from
+   the text.  E.g.
+
+	/*
+	 * A very long
+	 * multi-line comment.
+	 */
+
  - Double negation is often harder to understand than no negation
    at all.
 
@@ -237,14 +245,26 @@ For Python scripts:
 
 Writing Documentation:
 
- Most (if not all) of the documentation pages are written in AsciiDoc
- and processed into HTML output and manpages.
+ Most (if not all) of the documentation pages are written in the
+ AsciiDoc format in *.txt files (e.g. Documentation/git.txt), and
+ processed into HTML and manpages (e.g. git.html and git.1 in the
+ same directory).
+
+ The documentation liberally mixes US and UK English (en_US/UK)
+ norms for spelling and grammar, which is somewhat unfortunate.
+ In an ideal world, it would have been better if it consistently
+ used only one and not the other, and we would have picked en_US
+ (if you wish to correct the English of some of the existing
+ documentation, please see the documentation-related advice in the
+ Documentation/SubmittingPatches file).
 
  Every user-visible change should be reflected in the documentation.
  The same general rule as for code applies -- imitate the existing
- conventions.  A few commented examples follow to provide reference
- when writing or modifying command usage strings and synopsis sections
- in the manual pages:
+ conventions.
+
+ A few commented examples follow to provide reference when writing or
+ modifying command usage strings and synopsis sections in the manual
+ pages:
 
  Placeholders are spelled in lowercase and enclosed in angle brackets:
    <file>
@@ -294,3 +314,29 @@ Writing Documentation:
    Use 'git' (all lowercase) when talking about commands i.e. something
    the user would type into a shell and use 'Git' (uppercase first letter)
    when talking about the version control system and its properties.
+
+ A few commented examples follow to provide reference when writing or
+ modifying paragraphs or option/command explanations that contain options
+ or commands:
+
+ Literal examples (e.g. use of command-line options, command names, and
+ configuration variables) are typeset in monospace, and if you can use
+ `backticks around word phrases`, do so.
+   `--pretty=oneline`
+   `git rev-list`
+   `remote.pushdefault`
+
+ Word phrases enclosed in `backtick characters` are rendered literally
+ and will not be further expanded. The use of `backticks` to achieve the
+ previous rule means that literal examples should not use AsciiDoc
+ escapes.
+   Correct:
+      `--pretty=oneline`
+   Incorrect:
+      `\--pretty=oneline`
+
+ If some place in the documentation needs to typeset a command usage
+ example with inline substitutions, it is fine to use +monospaced and
+ inline substituted text+ instead of `monospaced literal text`, and with
+ the former, the part that should not get substituted must be
+ quoted/escaped.