[lojban-beginners] Re: Word translations...

[Philip Lykke Carlsen <plcplc@gmail.com>]

Torsdag den 6. august 2009 15:26:32 skrev sunrise2000@comcast.net:
> Luke Bergen <lukeabergen@gmail.com> writes:
> > could the thing about "close"ing a file be something that's being
> > influenced by culture?  If you think about what "closing a file" really
> > is it's really more like "unloading a piece of computer memory".  I have
> > no clue what the appropriate lojban for something like that would be, but
> > it just seems like using "close" is malglico
>
> .e'u zo mu'opli
>
> I think that's really what's happening when a computer "closes" a
> file... ceasing to use it

I think that the terms used when talking about files are based in a metaphor of 
a traditional old-style file cabinet, back when files were pieces of paper 
residing in folders, which were probably named so because that was what they 
were: folded pieces of paper.

If we were to keep using this metaphor for talking about files, then the word 
'closing' in the usual sense (closing the folder containing the files and 
thereby no longer being able to edit them) would be completely appropriate.

At least, so it seems to me.