diff --git a/rsync.yo b/rsync.yo
index 0ec5e55..166b58e 100644
--- a/rsync.yo
+++ b/rsync.yo
@@ -2829,17 +2829,19 @@ itemization(
   version 2.6.7.
 )
 
-Note that, when using the bf(--recursive) (bf(-r)) option (which is implied by
-bf(-a)), every subcomponent of every path is visited from the top down, so
-include/exclude patterns get applied recursively to each subcomponent's
-full name (e.g. to include "/foo/bar/baz" the subcomponents "/foo" and
-"/foo/bar" must not be excluded).
-The exclude patterns actually short-circuit the directory traversal stage
-when rsync finds the files to send.  If a pattern excludes a particular
-parent directory, it can render a deeper include pattern ineffectual
-because rsync did not descend through that excluded section of the
-hierarchy.  This is particularly important when using a trailing '*' rule.
-For instance, this won't work:
+Note that, when using the bf(--recursive) (bf(-r)) option (which is
+implied by bf(-a)), every component of every pathname is visited left
+to right; directories are examined before their content.  In this way
+include/exclude patterns are applied recursively to the full pathname
+of each node in the filesystem's tree.  The exclude patterns
+short-circuit the directory traversal stage as rsync finds the files
+to send.  (E.g. to include "/foo/bar/baz", "/foo" and "/foo/bar" must
+not be excluded.  Excluding either prevents examination of their
+content.)  If a pattern excludes a particular parent directory this
+will render a deeper include pattern ineffectual because rsync does
+not descend through the excluded section of the hierarchy.  This is
+particularly important when using a trailing '*' rule.  For instance,
+this won't work:
 
 quote(
 tt(+ /some/path/this-file-will-not-be-found)nl()