Re: Mixing metaphors?

Subject: Re: Mixing metaphors?
From: Geoff Lane <geoff -at- gjctech -dot- co -dot- uk>
To: TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:33:24 +0000

On Friday, January 29, 2010, Deborah Hemstreet wrote;

> Wow, a lot of food for thought...

> Well, here is the context:

> However, increased XXX capacity can be a two-edged sword. On one hand,
> it significantly enables lower cost functionality. But on the other
> hand, the increasing complexity and cost of XXX designs has prevented
> many vendors from using, or taking full advantage of, the capabilities
> of XXX.

> MUDDIER and muddier, one hand is good, the other is bad... and if I CUT
> you with a two-edged sword you are more seriously wounded than with a
> single-edged sword...

> The client wants this a INFORMAL and UNTECHNICAL as possible (ARGH)!
---

Just to throw in another wobbly: I'd not heard a of a "two-edged
sword" until this thread. Where I live, it's "double-edged", which is
in the OED with the meaning, "adj. presenting both a danger and an
advantage." So if you leave out the word "sword" you're left with
correct English and a single metaphor, viz:

However, increased XXX capacity can be double-edged. On one hand, it
significantly enables ...

HTH,

--
Geoff

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Follow-Ups:

References:
Fonts for translation: From: Chinell, David F (GE EntSol, Security)
Re: Fonts for translation: From: Julie Stickler
RE: Fonts for translation: From: McLauchlan, Kevin
Re: Fonts for translation: From: Leslie Turriff
Mixing metaphors?: From: Deborah Hemstreet
Re: Mixing metaphors?: From: Milan Davidović
Re: Mixing metaphors?: From: Tony Chung
Re: Mixing metaphors?: From: Deborah Hemstreet

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