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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2010Usage of the preposition "to"
Hi, recently I've heard in Austria the phrase "Design to Region" that means that the development and manufacturing of a product is made directly in the country of the customers and users. Is the usage of the preposition "to" in this phrase correct, or should it be "Design for Region"? Thanks > Hi, > recently I've heard in Austria the phrase "Design to Region" that means that > the development and manufacturing of a product is made directly in the > country of the customers and users. Is the usage of the preposition "to" in > this phrase correct, or should it be "Design for Region"? Marketing language is odd at the best of times but if the use of 'to' is intended to convey the idea that manufacture is taken to the region in question rather than the region being the object of exports, it is ambiguous to those who are not aware of the intended usage - which is generally the case with marketing speak. 'Regional Design' or 'Regionally Designed and Produced' make far more sense, but that goes against the principles of marketing. I'd hate to think of all those poor marketing drones out of work because people don't need them to translate their inveigling bastardisation of the English language ;) > Hi, > recently I've heard in Austria the phrase "Design to Region" that means > that the development and manufacturing of a product is made directly in > the country of the customers and users. Is the usage of the preposition > "to" in this phrase correct, or should it be "Design for Region"? Neither seems very clear. What's wrong with 'Design in Region'? > Hi, > recently I've heard in Austria the phrase "Design to Region" that > means that the development and manufacturing of a product is made > directly in the country of the customers and users. Is the usage of > the preposition "to" in this phrase correct, or should it be "Design > for Region"? Are we in an English usage group being asked to prefer a particular preposition for translation into German? All bets are off as to correctness, but when I see "Design to region" I think of designs that conform to patterns or needs requested and in tune with the region named. "In region" means designs drawn up within the region, and "for region" means drawn or engineered for sale or distribution in that designated territory. Both "to" and "for" in the phrase means the designing can be done outside the boundaries of the target country. I should mention that, lacking "the", the phrases become part of jargon, as in a study. We use terms in the US like "(in) house physician", "(in) house expert" to refer to kind of captive workers who may take less salary for the security and protection of steady work. The customer would look askance at the product of these people, and might want "independent sources" to verify the work. > I should mention that, lacking "the", the phrases become part of > jargon, as in a study. We use terms in the US like "(in) house > physician", "(in) house expert" to refer to kind of captive workers > who may take less salary for the security and protection of steady > work. The customer would look askance at the product of these people, > and might want "independent sources" to verify the work. As opposed to "outhouse physicians" and "outhouse experts". Bill in Kentucky >Both "to" and "for" in the phrase means the designing can be done >outside the boundaries of the target country. I would have thought that this what it meant, rather like "Designed to/for the customer's specific requirements". Here, "to" implies that, prior to the design being carried our, the customer provided his requirements/specifications. "For" is maybe not so specific. The manufacturer might have decided what was required, based on his own knowledge and experience. With luck, either way, the customer got what he wanted.  SignatureIan >>Both "to" and "for" in the phrase means the designing can be done >>outside the boundaries of the target country. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > that, prior to the design being carried our, the customer provided > his requirements/specifications. Yeah. That, too. > "For" is maybe not so specific. The manufacturer might have decided > what was required, based on his own knowledge and experience. With > luck, either way, the customer got what he wanted. > >Both "to" and "for" in the phrase means the designing can be done > >outside the boundaries of the target country. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > knowledge and experience. With luck, either way, the customer got what > he wanted. A heavy parka might be designed in Florida FOR Greenland. SignatureJohn Varela Trade NEWlamps for OLDlamps for email > Hi, > recently I've heard in Austria the phrase "Design to Region" that means that > the development and manufacturing of a product is made directly in the > country of the customers and users. Is the usage of the preposition "to" in > this phrase correct, or should it be "Design for Region"? Neither "Design to Region" nor "Design for Region" makes sense to me. If a specific place name were substituted then "for" makes some sense: Design for Greenland. Still that says nothing about where the designing is done. SignatureJohn Varela Trade NEWlamps for OLDlamps for email |
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