[R] match.call idiom to call other function with same arguments

[Mads Jeppe Tarp-Johansen]

The R language definition (version 2.5.1, 2007-06-27, p37) outlines an 
idiom (here perhaps abusively abbreviated)

   m <- match.call()
   m[[1]] <- as.name('plot')
   eval(m, parent.frame() )

A posting (Subject: "Re: [Rd] problems with plot.formula", Date: Wed 26 
May 2004 - 05:44:34 EST, From: Prof Brian Ripley (ripley at stats.ox.ac.uk)) 
related to plot.formula reads

   not a standard idiom for a generic with a formula method

Could someone kindly direct my attention to a tutorial/howto/intro or 
other written material that provides insight on how this idiom (and 
preferably other R-idioms) should be used and not used?

If the answer is that there is no such other material, so the solution is 
"go read the language definition again, go think again and go (hopefully) 
figure" that would be appreciated too.

Thanks, MJ