You are not logged in. [Log In] Wordsmith.org Forums Q&A about words Exceeding Thresholds in reverse Register Forums Calendar Active Threads Search Forum Help

Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Page 4 of 4 1 2 3 4 #193701 - 10/27/10 03:51 PM Re: Exceeding Thresholds in reverse [Re: TheFallibleFiend]   Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,523 TheFallibleFiend veteran TheFallibleFiend   veteran Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,523 Virginia, USA Boogers. #193703 - 10/27/10 05:50 PM Re: Exceeding Thresholds in reverse [Re: TheFallibleFiend]   Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 BranShea Carpal Tunnel BranShea   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague Plunged? #193705 - 10/27/10 08:02 PM Re: Exceeding Thresholds in reverse [Re: TheFallibleFiend]   Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Buffalo Shrdlu Carpal Tunnel Buffalo Shrdlu   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Vermont Originally Posted By: TheFallibleFiend Boogers. well, you don't have to have that impression! ;¬ ) formerly known as etaoin... #193710 - 10/28/10 09:35 AM Re: Exceeding Thresholds in reverse [Re: Buffalo Shrdlu]   Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 I tell ya, man. Drop the whole threshold metaphor for this sort of thing. It just ain't working. I'm with Buffy on the rejection of undershot. #193733 - 10/29/10 02:03 PM Re: Exceeding Thresholds in reverse [Re: TheFallibleFiend]   Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,523 TheFallibleFiend veteran TheFallibleFiend   veteran Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,523 Virginia, USA The word "threshold" is commonly understood in computer science (and probably throughout engineering). I suspect it has a formal definition in technical dictionaries that has no relation and probably no reference to its etymology. In that field, I don't think it's a metaphor - any more than "semaphore," "key," or "web" - at least not in the minds of those who use it in this technical sense. The audience of my writing is generally technical - engineers mostly, hard scientists, but occasionally a non-technical person who is otherwise surrounded by technical people. My guess is that even this person would understand the word threshold in the context I have described. I don't know for sure, but I strongly suspect that none of them (or only a very few) would be aware of the etymology, let alone be confused by the use of the term. Of course I could (and often do) use the terms "upper limit" and "lower limit." But it makes otherwise dry text less monotonous, if I mix up the vocabulary a little. Also there are some few cases when I need to refer collectively to upper and lower limits. #193736 - 10/29/10 11:31 PM Re: Exceeding Thresholds in reverse [Re: TheFallibleFiend]   Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 So if it's commonly used but you still can't think of a way of saying what you want to say, I'd say that there's still a sense of 'getting over' in the minds of those using the term.. If you want to spice up your language maybe something like "under the bar'. #193754 - 10/30/10 03:27 PM Re: Exceeding Thresholds in reverse [Re: TheFallibleFiend]   Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Buffalo Shrdlu Carpal Tunnel Buffalo Shrdlu   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Vermont sounds like we're in limbo.... formerly known as etaoin... #193755 - 10/30/10 05:35 PM Re: Exceeding Thresholds in reverse [Re: TheFallibleFiend]   Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Heh #193756 - 10/30/10 08:31 PM Re: Exceeding Thresholds in reverse [Re: Buffalo Shrdlu]   Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,523 TheFallibleFiend veteran TheFallibleFiend   veteran Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,523 Virginia, USA cute Page 4 of 4 1 2 3 4 Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------   Information and announcements   Q&A about words   Wordplay and fun   Words and languages in schools   Miscellany   Weekly Themes   Looking for (writers, speakers, ...) (Old) Weekly themes. (have been consolidated into a single forum above) ------   Words from medicine   Beheading words   Meta-words   Words from classical mythology   Animal Safari   Words with unusual etymologies   Eponyms or words derived from people's names.   Loanwords from German   English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,880 Posts224,647 Members9,045 Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011 Newest Members DavidOrigami, RichEngle, Stosh2010, CarolWilliamson, Farscape07 9045 Registered Users Who's Online Now 0 registered members (), 87 guests, and 2 spiders. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 55 A C Bowden 30 LukeJavan8 13 Top Posters(All Time) wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 tsuwm 10,538 LukeJavan8 9,120 wofahulicodoc 7,875 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

Default Style BlackNTan Drab eBay GooG v2 infopop new dark new light original dark original stock rounded corners Slate snow sunny dropshadow theblues Touch Of Grey UBB.threads UBB.threads - Dark UBB.threads - Light UBBCentral UBBCentral - Crimson UBBCentral - Lime UBBCentral - Marshmallow UBBCentral - Mocha UBBCentral - Zen ubbthreads ubbthreads-dark show/hide columns on this page Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Wordsmith.org · Top