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Discussion Groups / English Usage / June 2007The page is backward
Hi, We're having a dispute over this sentence: "The page is backward". The person who wrote it is very sure it is correct in meaning "texts or images are printed backwards (like a mirrored image) on a page". His reasoning is that he heard this word "backward" in a travel channel when the program showed "a picture on a wall is printed backwards"(or something like that). (Ex: It should be like this: "--->", but what's on the picture is like this: "<---" ) He isn't convince by my Google search results (basically zero match), so here I am. What do you think? -- DJ >Hi, >We're having a dispute over this sentence: [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >He isn't convince by my Google search results (basically zero match), so >here I am. What do you think? It _could_ mean that the page is mirrored. The relevant meaning from M-W dictionary is adjective: 1 a : directed or turned backward b : done or executed backward, where the "backward" in that definition is the adverb 2 a : in a reverse or contrary direction or way This could mean that the whole page is reversed left to right, or it could mean some other reversal- for example, if the page has two columns that are interchanged though the print direction is still correct. The word "backward" isn't that specific. If you're asking about the difference between "backward" and "backwards", M-W seems to allow either spelling for the adverb, but only "backward" for the adjective. To my ear, either form is alright for either adjective or adverb, at least for the "reverse" meaning.  SignatureJohn >>Hi, >>We're having a dispute over this sentence: [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] >only "backward" for the adjective. To my ear, either form is alright >for either adjective or adverb, at least for the "reverse" meaning. There's also a technical printing term, "wrong-reading" (as opposed to "right-reading"), that means reversed or backwards. -- John > There's also a technical printing term, "wrong-reading" (as opposed to > "right-reading"), that means reversed or backwards. In connection with photos specifically, I've seen "flopped". As in, when making up the page, someone took the transparency and flopped it onto the other side. Signaturenrael ot teg uoy ,gnihcaet fo sraey ynam retfA" redarB kraM ".toidi retteb a ngised ot woh tuoba tol a etiuq otnoroT nalyoM reteP-- ten.xev@bsm >> There's also a technical printing term, "wrong-reading" (as opposed to >> "right-reading"), that means reversed or backwards. > > In connection with photos specifically, I've seen "flopped". As in, > when making up the page, someone took the transparency and flopped it > onto the other side. Both are terms used in publishing and print advertising although with the almost universal use of electronic images as opposed to film, "right-reading" is probably moribund. Flopping still goes on a lot although if it is a photo of a man you have to be careful to crop (i.e. trim)it so his buttons don't show. Cheers, Sage D.J. writes: > We're having a dispute over this sentence: > "The page is backward". I'd say "The page is printed backwards", but I don't see the disputed version as wrong. SignatureMark Brader The World Wide Web: Toronto bringing you style over substance since 1993. msb@vex.net -- Steve Summit On 28 Jun 2007, Mark Brader wrote > D.J. writes: >> We're having a dispute over this sentence: >> "The page is backward". > > I'd say "The page is printed backwards", but I don't see the > disputed version as wrong. I agree; it's a colloquial thing, I think -- I might say "the page is backward" but I'd always write "printed backwards". SignatureCheers, Harvey CanEng and BrEng, indiscriminately mixed > On 28 Jun 2007, Mark Brader wrote > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > I agree; it's a colloquial thing, I think -- I might say "the page > is backward" but I'd always write "printed backwards". I always understodd "backwards" to mean "in a reverse direction", and "backward" to be a no-longer-politically-correct word meaning "educationally challenged" (or whatever they call it these days). Mike M On 28 Jun 2007, Mike M wrote >> On 28 Jun 2007, Mark Brader wrote >> [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > word meaning "educationally challenged" (or whatever they call > it these days). That makes sense, but I don't think it's quite that clear-cut in colloquial usage; it's always difficult to judge when you stop and think about these things, but at the moment "This page is backward/backwards" both sound possible to my ear. SignatureCheers, Harvey CanEng and BrEng, indiscriminately mixed > On 28 Jun 2007, Mark Brader wrote > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > I agree; it's a colloquial thing, I think -- I might say "the page > is backward" but I'd always write "printed backwards". As I'm a pedantic old sod, I'd probably say something like "the page is printed mirror-imaged". 'Backwards' would mean my name is toputS. SignatureStupot http://insignity.blogspot.com On Jun 28, 10:36 am, Stuart Chapman <ten.no.edonre...@nampahc.trauts> wrote: > > On 28 Jun 2007, Mark Brader wrote > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > As I'm a pedantic old sod, I'd probably say something like "the page is > printed mirror-imaged". 'Backwards' would mean my name is toputS. I agree about backwards - how about reversed? Will. Thank you all for the answer! (I really made a fool out of myself... should have come here and ask first...) -- DJ |
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