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Re: I Need Help From All You Native Speakers Once Again

Started by OldGit, December 14, 2014, 10:30:54 AM

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Dave

#30
Not my field either, but in terms of using English I will have a go.

Original:
QuoteHere, we explored for the first time the boundary conditions to turn caffeine administration a potential pharmacological strategy to attenuate  contextual fear memories through periodical trace reactivation.

First revision:
Here we explored, for the first time, the boundary conditions to utilise caffeine administration as a potential pharmacological strategy to attenuate  contextual fear memories through periodical trace reactivation.

Not entirely happy with the context of "contextual" here, nor in what context "trace reactivation" is used - sounds like jargon and thus dangerous to rephrase.
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

Magdalena

OR...or...

QuoteHere, we explored for the first time the boundary conditions to turn caffeine administration a potential pharmacological strategy to attenuate  contextual fear memories through periodical trace reactivation.

Here we explored, for the first time, the boundary conditions to convert caffeine administration into a potential pharmacological strategy to attenuate  contextual fear memories through periodical trace reactivation.

"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant

Dave

#32
Quote from: Magdalena on July 23, 2017, 08:31:35 AM
OR...or...

QuoteHere, we explored for the first time the boundary conditions to turn caffeine administration a potential pharmacological strategy to attenuate  contextual fear memories through periodical trace reactivation.

Here we explored, for the first time, the boundary conditions to convert caffeine administration into a potential pharmacological strategy to attenuate  contextual fear memories through periodical trace reactivation.

Better, Mags!

Silver, can I assume this is to do with PTSD? Does, "...contextual fear memories through periodical trace reactivation." refer to, 'fear memories that are trggered by elements of simularity in current events'? I have reiterated, re-jargonised, it to try to get the hang of it.

I bring you the next potential epic,
"JARGON WARS!"
Hear two teams of scientists, each determined to dominate language in their own way, slang it out across the vast wastes of
The Conference Centre!
See them commit ever more meaningless phrases in their papers!
Watch the orginary man shrug and walk off, still ignorant of the meaning of the unfolding dramas on planet Science!
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

hermes2015

Quote from: Magdalena on July 23, 2017, 08:31:35 AM
OR...or...

QuoteHere, we explored for the first time the boundary conditions to turn caffeine administration a potential pharmacological strategy to attenuate  contextual fear memories through periodical trace reactivation.

Here we explored, for the first time, the boundary conditions to convert caffeine administration into a potential pharmacological strategy to attenuate  contextual fear memories through periodical trace reactivation.

That is excellent. Also, no need to split into two sentences.
"Eventually everything connects - people, ideas, objects. The quality of the connections is the key to quality per se."
― Charles Eames

xSilverPhinx

Yes, that is excellent Mags, thank you! :hug: Thanks too to you guys. :)

Basically "contextual fear memories" refers to fear memories associated with a context, or environment (conditioned stimulus) that became aversive through pairing with a naturally aversive unconditioned stimulus. In other words, they were put in a neutral box, received footshocks and started fearing the box as a result.

"Trace" refers to memory trace, which was periodically reactivated (they were put in the box but did not receive any footshocks, just made to remember so that the memory trace becomes labile again and can suffer interference).

Yes, it does have to do with anxiety disorders such as PTSD.

:shrug: These are the types of words used; I looked up the For authors section of the journal this paper is going to submitted to and there they explicitly state that authors should take into consideration that readers are knowledgeable (in other words, of the field) so there isn't much leeway to go into elaborate explanations. Your observation is right, Gloucester!

(I even started a thread a while back, on scientists in their ivory towers and the alienated general public):notsure:
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Dave

I managed to pass my final essay assignment in the sociology module at college deliberately using as little jargon as I could! Could not avoid two whole phrases IIRC.

Even knowing it is often unavoidable I still dislike jargon. "Shorthand" words, that are understood by all practioners, are not so bad - whole paragraphs of assembled jargon that even colleagues have to think about (or that have to be interpreted in footnotes) are a different matter! But, in your trade, Silver, you have to go with the flow amongst your colleagues. Until you get rich and/or famous and/or respected enough to write your own rules!
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

xSilverPhinx

Well, if even colleagues have to think about it then it's not a problem of jargon, it's poorly written. :P

When I started my internship I couldn't make sense of anything anybody or any papers were saying, especially since it's not an area they adequately prepare you for during  undergrad at my uni. It sucked, for sure, but eventually you learn. While I dislike jargon it can make text more succinct. If someone had to explain every little detail then they wouldn't get much said without exceeding the journal's word count. 

To be fair, though, all behavioural procedures are explained in detail in the paper, allowing a reader who is unfamiliar with the jargon to get the gist of it if they were to read the entire thing. It just doesn't go into detail on the theory behind such terms in the Introduction or Discussion, because it assumes the reader is knowledgeable.
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Dave

Yeah, my last was a bit tongue in cheek (wish there was a TIC emoji).

I can usually get the gist out of abstracts, thrown mainly by terms like "sD5t" or "2flouroxylate-thionate di-benzoase" (both nade up) (I think...), but those I can look up. Trade words, especially medical ones, I can often decode now I know what some of the Latin bits mean - but they do not always transliterate well!
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

Magdalena


"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant

xSilverPhinx

Ok, this one is a little confusing but I have a feeling the following isn't common usage.

The word significance. Can it be used to mean 'meaning', as in meaning of a word? Not in the sense of importance, but what a word actually means, as in dictionary definition.

This one confuses me because in Portuguese one can use 'significância' in this context but I'm not too sure the same applies in English. :notsure:
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Recusant

It would be correct to write of the 'significance of this word in that particular context,' which isn't exactly about the definition of the word, but more about its usage. Since many words have more than one correct definition, to ponder a word's significance is to try to understand what it is intended to mean when encountered in a specific piece of writing. It's not a direct synonym of 'definition.' Perhaps others view it differently, and I'd be interested in seeing what somebody like OldGit has to say about this.  :)
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Dave

Quote from: xSilverPhinx on September 11, 2017, 09:07:39 PM
Ok, this one is a little confusing but I have a feeling the following isn't common usage.

The word significance. Can it be used to mean 'meaning', as in meaning of a word? Not in the sense of importance, but what a word actually means, as in dictionary definition.

This one confuses me because in Portuguese one can use 'significância' in this context but I'm not too sure the same applies in English. :notsure:

Good one!

I would use it as a close synonym of "importance", but, somehow without the same implication if "value". "The significance of this action is evident in the resulting social and political changes. The "action" is possibly also "important", but using "significance" implies that it is not critical in the context.

"Fred was a significant figure in history", "Tom was an important figure in history". I would say that Tom had more value in, more impact on, the historical outcome than Fred.

Disappointingly Fowler does not offer any help here. Do you have a copy of, "Fowlers Modern English Usage" Silver? If not get one! I'll buy you one for the upcoming gifting season if necessary!

Sorry, doubt that I helped much, the nuances here are, er, delicate. It is what makes English so flexible, so suited to rhyming poetry!
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

xSilverPhinx

Quote from: Recusant on September 11, 2017, 09:33:03 PM
Since many words have more than one correct definition, to ponder a word's significance is to try to understand what it is intended to mean when encountered in a specific piece of writing.

:smilenod: This is exactly what I was wondering, if it's correct to say something like 'a word's significance within a context', or something along those lines.
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


xSilverPhinx

Quote from: Dave on September 11, 2017, 09:37:58 PM
Good one!

I would use it as a close synonym of "importance", but, somehow without the same implication if "value". "The significance of this action is evident in the resulting social and political changes. The "action" is possibly also "important", but using "significance" implies that it is not critical in the context.

"Fred was a significant figure in history", "Tom was an important figure in history". I would say that Tom had more value in, more impact on, the historical outcome than Fred.

Yes, the most common usage I encounter for the word is in that sense, I was wondering if if it could be used in other ways. I'm looking for words in English that are equivalent to the same word in Portuguese, preferably words that look alike but they would obviously have to have the the same meaning.


QuoteDisappointingly Fowler does not offer any help here. Do you have a copy of, "Fowlers Modern English Usage" Silver? If not get one! I'll buy you one for the upcoming gifting season if necessary!

Sorry, doubt that I helped much, the nuances here are, er, delicate. It is what makes English so flexible, so suited to rhyming poetry!

:lol: I looked up Fowler's book, one of the local mega bookstores has it in e-book format, and cheap too! I think I may purchase it. Looks interesting. :grin: 
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Dave



Not sure if the root helps here, though it does distsnce the nuance from "value" , somehow imparts a sense of "future". Dynamic rather than static?

Guessing "signal" comes from the same root, hang on . . . Nope, that surprised me!
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74