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Re: [OM] [OT] Two questions about the English language

Subject: Re: [OM] [OT] Two questions about the English language
From: Winsor Crosby <wincros@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 13:45:19 -0700
Hi guys,

Sorry for starting another OT thread, but between Hans, Erwin and me we had
some off-list discussion in which an interesting thing surfaced. If you feel
replying to this will clutter the list too much, feel free to send the
answers to my private e-mail address.

The case is that Erwin enocuntered some funny meanings of the word
"diaphragm". Much rather than its main meaning being indicated as a camera's
diaphragm (i.e. aperture), most dictionaries primarily mentioned the meaning
to be a contraceptive device.

Now, this has left us wondering a bit about how the word diaphragm is
generally perceived. I would assume that anyone who hears the terms
diaphragm in a camera context will realise that people are talking about the
aperture, but in general English how is this word most often used and is the
word diaphragm commonly used to indicate the aperture? A subsequent question
would be whether the usage of the word diaphragm in the descriptions on the
TOPE pages should be omitted as it may result a bit too funny, or not. Any
opinions?

A diaphragm is a flexible barrier between two areas. The large one in your body separates your lung cavity from your abdominal cavity. Your eardrum is also a diaphragm. I believe it got started in cameras with early cameras in which the shutter was also the aperture. When it was closed it was also a flexible light barrier between the outside and the inside of the camera. When the shutter moved to the film plane the aperture only was created in the lens, but people continued to call it the diaphragm even though it no longer satisfied the function of a barrier.


Then, on a slightly related note there is another of these thingies we were
wondering a bit about, this time it deals with the usage of the term
"Repetitive Strain Injury" (RSI) vs. "Musculoskeletal Disorder". Which one
would be the more common term for indicating these disorders/injuries? Also,
we are under the impression that the former may be more commonly used in
American English, and perhaps the latter one in British English? Any ideas
here?

Thanks in advance!
Olafo


RSI is usually a nerve injury caused by repetitive motion of some kind in a normal body. Musculoskeletal disorders are just what the name says. An example is arthritis. Back injuries are musculoskeletal disorders that may cause nerve damage, but the damage is caused by the musculoskeletal disorder, not by the stress of repetition. Repetitive heavy use of the back over years could cause damage to the joints of the back, but it is not usually called RSI because the primary injury is skeletal.
--
Winsor Crosby
Long Beach, California

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