Index: stdtypes.rst
===================================================================
--- stdtypes.rst	(revision 75645)
+++ stdtypes.rst	(working copy)
@@ -1126,14 +1126,19 @@
    splits are made).
 
    If *sep* is given, consecutive delimiters are not grouped together and are
-   deemed to delimit empty strings (for example, ``'1,,2'.split(',')`` returns
-   ``['1', '', '2']``).  The *sep* argument may consist of multiple characters
-   (for example, ``'1<>2<>3'.split('<>')`` returns ``['1', '2', '3']``).
+   deemed to delimit empty elements (for example, ``'1,,2'.split(',')`` returns
+   ``['1', '', '2']``).  If the string begins or ends with *sep*, the resulting
+   list will begin or end with an empty element (for example,
+   ``',1,2,'.split(',')`` returns ``['', '1', '2', '']``).
+   The *sep* argument may be several characters long, but is considered a single
+   delimiter, *not* a set of characters to match; for example,
+   ``'1<>2<>3<4'.split('<>')`` returns ``['1', '2', '3<4']``.
    Splitting an empty string with a specified separator returns ``['']``.
 
    If *sep* is not specified or is ``None``, a different splitting algorithm is
-   applied: runs of consecutive whitespace are regarded as a single separator,
-   and the result will contain no empty strings at the start or end if the
+   applied: runs of consecutive whitespace (that is, those in 
+   :mod:`string.whitespace`) are regarded as a single separator,
+   and the result will contain no empty elements at the start or end if the
    string has leading or trailing whitespace.  Consequently, splitting an empty
    string or a string consisting of just whitespace with a ``None`` separator
    returns ``[]``.