On the question of words cast and casting, C specification uses two words with different meanings.
A draft of the latest specification can be found in the link below.
http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg14/www/docs/n1570.pdf
In this document, in section 6.5.4 paragraph 5, the following is set out:
Preceding an Expression by a parenthesized type name converts the value of the Expression to the named type. This Construction is called a cast. A cast that specifies no Conversion has no Effect on the type or value of an Expression.
Already in section 7.12.6.5, paragraph 2, it is said:
...they are equivalent to Calling the corresponding logb Function and casting the returned value to type int.
So I conclude that the type in parentheses that precedes an expression is called a cast and what it’s doing is a casting.
In other words, cast is this construction of language and casting is what she does.
I suspected, but it’s always good to confirm. Thanks.
– J. Ferreira