This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. English
  3. IT (Information Technology)

article usage

English translation: several key presses

13:16 Apr 25, 2007
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
IT (Information Technology) / input of letters with mobile phone
English term or phrase: article usage
This is a FAQ heading -

Why you say Aronetis is better then Multitap ? I will still need to press the key several times to input a letter !

- I am not sure about the use of articel before [key] - shall it be "a", "the" or zero ?
Alexander Onishko
Selected answer:several key presses
Explanation:
As far as I understand 'multitap' is the normal input method found on most phones where you have to press the same key repeatedly for some letters. Pressing [3] once will get you a 'D' hitting it a second or third time time will get you an 'E' or 'F'.

With Aronetis you can get the letters A,R,O,N,E,T,I and S by pressing 4, 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 8 and 7 and all other characters by first pressing the [5] key followed by one of the other number keys.

So with Aronetis you don't have to press the *same* key multiple like you do with multitap as would be implied by the use of the definitive article in your sentence. On the other hand saying that you would need tp press several keys would be incorrect for multitap where you press the same key repeatedly. I would suggest using a phrase like 'several key presses' instead as it makes no claims or implications about which keys are pressed.

You should also be careful about the use of 'input a letter' as it implies to me that more than one keypress is required for every letter when in truth some letters can be entered by a single keypress in both systems. Saying 'input some letters' might be more correct.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2007-04-25 15:44:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think the 'to perform' would be optional. The sentence sounds a bit more formal with it.

I would suggest something along the lines of:

"I will still need several key presses to input some letters."

or perhaps:

"Several key presses will still be needed to input some letters."

or even.

"Some letters will still require several key presses to be entered."

depending on the intended emphasis.
Selected response from:

Lars Helbig
Germany
Local time: 18:58
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
3 +8options
RHELLER
4several key presses
Lars Helbig


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +8
options


Explanation:
why DO you say that A is better? I will still need to press THE key (means ONE and SAME key) several times

OR press several keys to input a letter

RHELLER
United States
Local time: 10:58
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 7

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jack Doughty
25 mins
  -> thanks Jack :-)
agree  NancyLynn: plus: than, not then
56 mins
  -> thanks Nancy - you are correct, of course :-)
agree  Alison Jenner
1 hr
  -> thanks Alison :-)
agree  Robert Fox
2 hrs
  -> Hello Robert :-)
neutral  Lars Helbig: It is not the same key for aronetis and not several different keys for multitap that need to be pressed, so neither would really work for both.
2 hrs
  -> then why do you say "where you have to press the same key repeatedly"?
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
2 hrs
  -> hi Vicky :-)
agree  Sophia Finos (X)
8 hrs
  -> thanks Sophia!
agree  Hakki Ucar
20 hrs
  -> thanks, Hakki :-)
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
3 days 6 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
several key presses


Explanation:
As far as I understand 'multitap' is the normal input method found on most phones where you have to press the same key repeatedly for some letters. Pressing [3] once will get you a 'D' hitting it a second or third time time will get you an 'E' or 'F'.

With Aronetis you can get the letters A,R,O,N,E,T,I and S by pressing 4, 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 8 and 7 and all other characters by first pressing the [5] key followed by one of the other number keys.

So with Aronetis you don't have to press the *same* key multiple like you do with multitap as would be implied by the use of the definitive article in your sentence. On the other hand saying that you would need tp press several keys would be incorrect for multitap where you press the same key repeatedly. I would suggest using a phrase like 'several key presses' instead as it makes no claims or implications about which keys are pressed.

You should also be careful about the use of 'input a letter' as it implies to me that more than one keypress is required for every letter when in truth some letters can be entered by a single keypress in both systems. Saying 'input some letters' might be more correct.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2007-04-25 15:44:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think the 'to perform' would be optional. The sentence sounds a bit more formal with it.

I would suggest something along the lines of:

"I will still need several key presses to input some letters."

or perhaps:

"Several key presses will still be needed to input some letters."

or even.

"Some letters will still require several key presses to be entered."

depending on the intended emphasis.

Lars Helbig
Germany
Local time: 18:58
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: hi, Lars ! 1) "I will still need TO PERFORM several keypresses to input a letter !" ? or "I will still need several keypresses to input a letter !" will do ? 2) "input some letters" - good point !


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  RHELLER: "Several key presses will still be needed" sounds VERY heavy
1 hr
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search