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----- Original Message -----
From: "Geoff Hart" <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Sent: Sunday, October 24, 2004 6:09 AM
Subject: "Type" vs. "Enter" (take III)
> There may indeed be a problem with the metaphorical use, which is
> another issue entirely. If comprehension depends on a metaphor, then
Bravo!
I think that most of the latitude taken in modern usage of 'via' is due to
analogy. For example, the streets of Cappadocia and the fiber optic
backbone in the US are analogous in function, so the pre-existing
specialized (geographical) language of the one fits with the other as well,
giving me the freedom to say (correctly):
"I have trunk access via the OC38 Fiber Optic ring around my city."
The unspoken analogy to the streets of Cappadocia is lost on most speakers
of English, so the analogy is not problematic.
But in any case, it doesn't seem likely that other languages are missing the
vocabulary or concepts to translate 'via'. The human activities and concepts
surrounding "mobility" seem pretty darned basic anywhere you can go. That's
where 'via' is at and has always been, hard to believe it is an impediment
for translators. Maybe the issue is that translators are employed who are
not native speakers of English? Still, I don't know why one English
preposition isn't good for translation. Personally, if I had to pick a
preposition I could do without, I think it would be 'of'.
Ned Bedinger
Ed Wordsmith Technical Communications
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