@@ -1183,7 +1183,23 @@ $ git merge branchname
11831183-------------------------------------------------
11841184
11851185merges the development in the branch "branchname" into the current
1186- branch. If there are conflicts--for example, if the same file is
1186+ branch.
1187+
1188+ A merge is made by combining the changes made in "branchname" and the
1189+ changes made up to the latest commit in your current branch since
1190+ their histories forked. The work tree is overwritten by the result of
1191+ the merge when this combining is done cleanly, or overwritten by a
1192+ half-merged results when this combining results in conflicts.
1193+ Therefore, if you have uncommitted changes touching the same files as
1194+ the ones impacted by the merge, Git will refuse to proceed. Most of
1195+ the time, you will want to commit your changes before you can merge,
1196+ and if you don't, then linkgit:git-stash[1] can take these changes
1197+ away while you're doing the merge, and reapply them afterwards.
1198+
1199+ If the changes are independant enough, Git will automatically complete
1200+ the merge and commit the result (or reuse an existing commit in case
1201+ of <<fast-forwards,fast-forward>>, see below). On the other hand,
1202+ if there are conflicts--for example, if the same file is
11871203modified in two different ways in the remote branch and the local
11881204branch--then you are warned; the output may look something like this:
11891205
@@ -1679,7 +1695,7 @@ Sharing development with others
16791695Getting updates with git pull
16801696-----------------------------
16811697
1682- After you clone a repository and make a few changes of your own, you
1698+ After you clone a repository and commit a few changes of your own, you
16831699may wish to check the original repository for updates and merge them
16841700into your own work.
16851701
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