diff --git a/InternalDocs/string_interning.md b/InternalDocs/string_interning.md
index 26a5197c6e70f3..cf4ba946e282f5 100644
--- a/InternalDocs/string_interning.md
+++ b/InternalDocs/string_interning.md
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ We have the following *internal* API for interning:
 All take an interpreter state, and a pointer to a `PyObject*` which they
 modify in place.
 
-The functions take ownership of (“steal”) the reference to their argument,
+The functions take ownership or (“steal”) the reference to their argument,
 and update the argument with a *new* reference.
 This means: