RE: Mixing metaphors?

["McLauchlan, Kevin" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: 
> techwr-l-bounces+kevin -dot- mclauchlan=safenet-inc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr
-l.com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+kevin.mclauchlan=safenet-> inc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Milan Davidovic
> Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2010 3:34 PM
> To: dvora -at- tech-challenged -dot- com
> Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: Mixing metaphors?
> 
> On Thu, Jan 28, 2010 at 3:19 PM, Deborah Hemstreet
> <dvora -at- tech-challenged -dot- com> wrote:
> > A client insists that I talk about something being a 
> "two-edged sword"
> >  (they had written double edged, I can fix that!).
> 
> These two discussions may be of interest:
> 
> http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/44/messages/59.html
> http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/19/messages/1162.html
> 
> -- 


My understanding of the "double-edged" or "two-edged" sword 
metaphor was that single-edge swords can be gripped at two points, 
in the manner of a staff - one hand maintains its grip on the 
handle, but the other hand can grip/support the blunt back of 
the blade to strongly block an opponent's cut, or to press the blade 
strongly against armor or to overpower a weaker block - while 
double-edge swords can be gripped (with safety) only at the 
handle end. The double-edge sword allows you to cut on both 
the advancing and the receding strokes, but constrains you 
to handle it only by the handle (reducing your levrage) lest 
you cut yourself. 

Anybody ever try to cut a big, tough turnip in half and find 
themselves pushing down on the spine of the knife blade to 
help it along?  Can't do that if it's sharp both sides.


 - Kevin  (whose short-lived fencing 'career' is decades behind him) 


The information contained in this electronic mail transmission 
may be privileged and confidential, and therefore, protected 
from disclosure. If you have received this communication in 
error, please notify us immediately by replying to this 
message and deleting it from your computer without copying 
or disclosing it.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Are you looking for one documentation tool that does it all? Author, 
build, test, and publish your Help files with just one easy-to-use tool.
Try the latest Doc-To-Help 2009 v3 risk-free for 30-days at:
http://www.doctohelp.com/ 

Explore CAREER options and paths related to Technical Writing,
learn to create SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS documents, and
get tips on FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATION best practices. Free at:
http://www.ModernAnalyst.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info. 

Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat