diff --git a/Documentation/signoff-option.txt b/Documentation/signoff-option.txt
index d1c6713774..fbff8dd5be 100644
--- a/Documentation/signoff-option.txt
+++ b/Documentation/signoff-option.txt
@@ -3,12 +3,16 @@ ifdef::git-commit[]
 endif::git-commit[]
 --signoff::
 --no-signoff::
-	Add Signed-off-by line by the committer at the end of the commit
-	log message.  The meaning of a signoff depends on the project,
-	but it typically certifies that committer has
-	the rights to submit this work under the same license and
-	agrees to a Developer Certificate of Origin
-	(see http://developercertificate.org/ for more information).
+	Add a Signed-off-by trailer by the committer at the end of the commit
+	log message.  The meaning of a signoff depends on the project
+	to which you're committing.  For example, it may certify that
+	the committer has the rights to submit the work under the
+	project's license or agrees to some contributor representation,
+	such as a Developer Certificate of Origin.
+	(See http://developercertificate.org for the one used by the
+	Linux kernel and Git projects.)  Consult the documentation or
+	leadership of the project to which you're contributing to
+	understand how the signoffs are used in that project.
 +
 The --no-signoff option can be used to countermand an earlier --signoff
 option on the command line.