[carboy]

Originally Posted by murillo

So, when you say "Changes are transparent", it means the changes are obvious, easy to notice, and readily understood, which is exactly the opposite of what is meant to be conveyed.

In software in the last 20 years, this means that the changes are such that it will not be noticeable to the user.

Originally Posted by murillo

Note: When we analyze a sentence for language accuracy, we confine ourselves to studying the correctness of the sentence. We are not bothered by how someone interprets it. A sentence means what it means; therefore, you cannot govern its interpretation and claim that the sentence means what you say it means. Whether the sentence comes from IT or some other field like banking, hospitality, or fashion is of no importance.

Yes, but language evolves. And this is what the word 'transparent' have evolved into. It has become a word with different meanings in different contexts. Which is common in English anyway.

[Thad E Ginathom]

A sentence means what it means; therefore, you cannot govern its interpretation and claim that the sentence means what you say it means. Whether the sentence comes from IT or some other field like banking, hospitality, or fashion is of no importance.

Absolutely right. However, in practice, we very often know what somebody has meant by what they said, even though it may have, technically, meant something entirely different.

If not, we become the sort of person who answers

Yes, but language evolves.

with, "It's usually people who get it wrong who say that."

But, in the end, yes it does evolve, yes words do change, and sometimes they end up meaning the exact opposite of what they once meant.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by carboy

In software in the last 20 years, this means that the changes are such that it will not be noticeable to the user.



Yes, but language evolves. And this is what the word 'transparent' have evolved into. It has become a word with different meanings in different contexts. Which is common in English anyway.

There is something known as 'parlance', like legal parlance, government parlance, medical parlance, etc. So I guess we can add 'IT parlance' to the list.
From the example given in the prior page, it is clearly a reference to opacity rather than transparency. Of course, one can get away with the excuse that a 'glass half empty' is the same as a 'glass half full'--it depends on which way you are looking at the glass.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

with, "It's usually people who get it wrong who say that."

But, in the end, yes it does evolve, yes words do change, and sometimes they end up meaning the exact opposite of what they once meant.

You've hit the nail on the head, Thad.

[mallumowgli]

Saw this headline in NDTV.com just now.
"Restaurant apologises for serving 2-yr-old whisky"

Was wondering why is that a crime, when I read the complete news!!!

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/re...e-otherstories

[Thad E Ginathom]

Lovely. (But serious and potentially tragic)

But the BBC news website is a prime offender at this sort of thing. Sometimes I click on headline links to find out what on earth the story is about! One way they ensure confusion is by never using hyphens.

Once upon a time the BBC was one of the guardians of the English language: now it is a purveyor of dumbed-down nonsense.

A regular rant of mine, I'm afraid <Blush>

On this story...

Frankie and Benny's said on Thursday it was extremely sorry for Saturday's incident and is looking into what systems need to be put in place to ensure that it does not happen again.

Err... common sense?

[carboy]

Use of adjectives as nouns in the wrong way disturbs me great.

"I am going to consult an orthopedic".
You are going to consult an orthopedic 'what'? Are you going to consult an orthopedic chair? Or an orthopedic belt? Why not consult an orthopedic bandage?

"I am going to my native."
You are going to your native "what"?

[acroback]

Though I am no Martin Wren, I don't like liberal use of two words in Desi English.
"Anyways" and "Basically".

It is spelled Anyway not Anyways.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by acroback

Though I am no Martin Wren, .....
.....

It is Wren and Martin, as in two different people!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by carboy

Use of adjectives as nouns in the wrong way disturbs me great.

"I am going to consult an orthopedic".
You are going to consult an orthopedic 'what'? ...

Absolutely.

"I am going to my native."
You are going to your native "what"?

But this one is (or has become) a valid and common Indian-English usage. Nobody in UK (or America?) ever "goes to their native place."

Originally Posted by acroback

Though I am no Martin Wren, I don't like liberal use of two words in Desi English.
"Anyways" and "Basically".

It is spelled Anyway not Anyways.

Anyways is a colloquial, possibly regional, English thing. Certainly should not be written

[carboy]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Absolutely.

But this one is (or has become) a valid and common Indian-English usage. Nobody in UK (or America?) ever "goes to their native place."

Even in Indian English, I think you should 'go to your native place'. Just 'going to native' doesn't sound right.

[Thad E Ginathom]

I'm happy to admit that. It doesn't sound right to me either!

[vivekiny2k]

from this website http://www.wlwt.com/news/politics/Ch...z/-/index.html

The Constitution sets out the language that should be used in the oath: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Roberts moved the word "faithfully" back nine spots, and used "to" instead of "of." That threw the president off base, and he smiled and paused to collect his thoughts, then decided to follow Roberts' lead.

Am I correct in thinking that "faithfully" should indeed be at the end of the first sentence fragment?

[Thad E Ginathom]

I do not see anything wrong with "faithfully execute," but one comma needs moving...

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States

"to the best of my ability" is the subordinate clause or thingy, without which the sentence still makes sense.

[amitoj]

How many of us here know that "Today morning" is incorrect English? I didn't, until someone pointed it out and i looked it up just to make sure!
You can say, "This morning", or "Today in the morning". But "Today morning" is just wrong.
Doesn't make sense though because "Yesterday morning" and "Tomorrow morning" are perfectly correct! But it is what it is!

[esteem_lover]

It's "Today, in the morning".
Also the same for evening and it is tonight for the night time of today.


Speaking of news headlines, this one in cricinfo had me flummoxed for quite a while.

England crash to shock Delhi defeat

till I realised that the last 3 words are meant to be one word with hyphens in between.