It's partly an artifact of BCPL where the only type was one representing the machine word. So with a word-sized type you don't get portability in the range of values the type can represent, but can portably know that you won't e.g. take up 2 registers by using it.
You might consider the int_fastN_t types a sort of spiritual successor to this with fewer downsides since they purposefully guarantee a minimum width.
You might consider the int_fastN_t types a sort of spiritual successor to this with fewer downsides since they purposefully guarantee a minimum width.