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Although any good translator should be able to figure out what meaning is correct, according to the context. Its technical writing after all, not creative writing. Shouldn't be a lot of room for ambiguity or misinterpretation, if its written in English correctly.
If the translator is easily confused by words with multiple meanings, I'd question whether they understand English well enough to be translating in the first place.
Also, remember that English words can have multiple meanings. A translator could pick the wrong one.
> On Aug 2, 2017, at 3:46 PM, Wright, Lynne <Lynne -dot- Wright -at- Kronos -dot- com> wrote:
>
> In terms of translation concerns, surely any term like "via" that exists in English dictionaries isn't going to be a problem?
>
> It's really only colloquialisms that you have to watch out for (although I can't think of any colloquialisms that are appropriate to tech writing anyway).
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+lynne -dot- wright=kronos -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lynne -dot- wright=kronos -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]
> On Behalf Of sharipunyon -at- gmail -dot- com
> Sent: Wednesday, August 2, 2017 3:26 PM
> To: Robin Whitmore <rwhitmore -at- weebly -dot- com>
> Cc: TechWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
> Subject: Re: "via" - why often verboten ?
>
> I tend to write for the lowest common denominator, if possible. So I don't think about what an adult would understand, but a 7th grader or non-native speaker.
>
> I would avoid via for that reason. Also potential translation issues.
>
>> On Aug 2, 2017, at 12:01 PM, Robin Whitmore <rwhitmore -at- weebly -dot- com> wrote:
>>
>> Here's an interesting post from The Content Wrangler about the death
>> of the formal voice:
>> http://thecontentwrangler.com/2017/07/10/the-formal-business-voice-is
>> -
>> dead/
>>
>> While it may be a bit over the top, I do agree that anything that
>> makes the writing more concise and easier to understand is best.
>> Without knowing the context, I don't think "via" would cause
>> confusion. The only caveat might be translation.
>>
>> On Wed, Aug 2, 2017 at 8:53 AM, Monique Semp
>> <monique -dot- semp -at- earthlink -dot- net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hello, WR-L-ers,
>>>
>>> Pubs style guides have long said to avoid âviaâ in favor of âbyâ.
>>> And in the case of MMoS (Microsoft Manual of Style), it says that âviaâ
>>> implies a geographic context,and to use the more specific term, âbyâ, âthroughâ, orâ'
>>> âby means ofâ.â
>>>
>>> But dictionary.com has the 2nde definition as âby the agency or
>>> instrumentality ofâ. So perhaps âviaâ is evolving?
>>>
>>> I hope so because I really want to use âviaâ to mean, âby means ofâ.
>>> Itâs much pithier, and I doubt could be misunderstood.
>>>
>>> Thoughts?
>>> -Monique
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>> *Robin Whitmore*
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