| 'somewhere in smb.’s life' vs. 'somewhen in smb.’s life' | Expression: "Spending money" |
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#1 (permalink) Sun Dec 31, 2006 12:06 pm 'Assistive' - the word is a bit tricky... |
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Hi
For me the word assistive is a bit tricky, even though sometimes I need to use it.
Here are the results of my quick online search:
On the one hand, many widely used (‘British’?) dictionaries give the main meaning of the word like this:
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Adj.1.assistive - giving assistance helpful - providing assistance or serving a useful function |
On the other side, the American Heritage Dictionary gives the only meaning:
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| ADJECTIVE: Designed for use by disabled people: an assistive communications device; assistive technology. |
and that is I actually need (in my context). And the Wikipedia supports this special meaning.
My trouble is: if I use the word in the 'usual life' is there a risk that it can be taken in its second, special, meaning (where it sticks to actual disabilities)?
So, briefly: to me, 'assistive technologies' is a fixed expression - in the area I work (where it always is related to disabled people). Just because of that I avoid using the word (in its first, 'neutral' meaning) in other contexts. Just afraid of being misunderstood.
And I need your validation.
P.S. On the third hand, MS Word (Hi, Amy ) doesn’t know the word, even though I’ve just copied a fragment of their tutorial ("Assistive Technology Products") from the Microsoft home website.  _________________ It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water… |
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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#2 (permalink) Sun Dec 31, 2006 12:17 pm 'Assistive' - the word is a bit tricky... |
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Hi Tamara,
To me the word is a new one. I would say that its use from my very brief examination of it would likely be used only in the specialist sense in which you have used it.
A _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story If you vote |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 9191 Location: UK
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#3 (permalink) Sun Dec 31, 2006 20:39 pm 'Assistive' - the word is a bit tricky... |
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I agree with Alan here. I've heard it only in describing devices to help disabled people, or else in describing personnel who assist the disabled or elderly. I hear it so seldom that it took me a while to realize that I even knew the word.
Tamara, are you trying to match some particular Russian word? If so, can you give it to me? |
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Jamie (K) I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 5332 Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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#5 (permalink) Mon Jan 01, 2007 13:19 pm 'Assistive' - the word is a bit tricky... |
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Maybe you could have used the word 'assisting' instead.
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Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
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#6 (permalink) Mon Jan 01, 2007 13:46 pm 'Assistive' - the word is a bit tricky... |
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| Tamara wrote: |
When I was talking with him and greeting him (the first job ) I was tempted to ask him something like 'And what? How assistive were you during your first working day?' – just playing with the word 'assistant', impromptu - but didn’t ask the question. |
You could get away with that question as word play. It would be understood and probably be taken as a joke. |
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Jamie (K) I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 5332 Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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Jamie (K) I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 5332 Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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| 'somewhere in smb.’s life' vs. 'somewhen in smb.’s life' | Expression: "Spending money" |