question about <variablelist> and <term>

given a <variablelist> set of <term>s of the form:

  <term><filename>/bin</filename></term>
  <term><filename>/sbin</filename></term>
  <term><filename>/lib</filename></term>

it's kind of disconcerting that the rendering with xsltproc 
allows a single filename to be split at the "/".  what i'm 
getting printed via FOP into PDF is:

  /bin,/sbin,/
  lib

is it part of the specs that a single, contiguous <term> be allowed
to be split like that?

rday