Smth ‘can be a real lifeline’

Tamara · Thu Dec 14, 2006 10:19 am *Smth ‘can be a real lifeline’*

Hi

For many people with MS*, particularly those with reading, writing or communication difficulties, a computer can be a real lifeline.

* MS - multiple sclerosis
( lol )

Some dictionary when taking the ‘lifeline’-request actually give an article for life line. (Or life-line).
And vice versa.
There are also live line / liveline / live-line

Could you give a comment about differences in meaning(s) (if any) and your preferable spelling of the word(s?)
?
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

Pamela · Thu Dec 14, 2006 10:56 am *Smth ‘can be a real lifeline’*

Hi Tamara
Don't you think that lifeline and live line are words of quite different meanings
As I see it, live line deals with voltage.

Tamara · Thu Dec 14, 2006 14:34 pm *Smth ‘can be a real lifeline’*

Hi Pamela,

Yes, I had checked dictionaries before posting.

Yankee · Thu Dec 14, 2006 15:05 pm *Smth ‘can be a real lifeline’*

Hi Tamara

Here are my interpretations:

Lifeline:
(1) A rope on a ship or boat used for rescuing people in the water
(2) Assistance given at any critical time/in any critical situation
See also the definitions here.

Life line:
A line on the palm of your hand that fortunetellers "read" (to tell you how long your life will be).

Life-line:
(I wouldn't use a hyphen to talk about either one of the above.)

Live line:
This is simply an adjective and a noun and could refer to any line that is "live". For example:
- a line with electrical current
- a working telephone line
- a phone number that connects you to a real person rather than recordings or computers

Liveline:
An invented word (which I don't think I've ever seen before) or possibly the name of something.

Live-line:
If you've actually seen this, I'd say that it's either an invented word or the person just doesn't know how to spell 'lifeline'. Laughing

Amy
_________________
Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

Tamara · Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:59 am *Smth ‘can be a real lifeline’*

Hi Amy,

Thanks a lot for your interpretation.

Yankee · Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:22 am *Smth ‘can be a real lifeline’*

Hi Tamara

I do not consider lifeline and live line to be interchangeable. However, a lifeline might consist of or include a live line in some cases.

A lifeline at a critical juncture carries the sense that it saves someone's life -- i.e. that's the degree of 'critical' I'm referring to.

A "live line" could also be, for example, one of those "erotic phone numbers" that you sometimes see advertised on TV in the middle of the night ... Rolling Eyes

Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

Tamara · Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:45 am *Smth ‘can be a real lifeline’*

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