Do the following word combinations make sense to you native speakers?

Question

Dear All,Is either of the following word combinations correct English?(1) "let's check if the new functionality performs as expected(2) ".. new functionality behaves as expected"My collocation dictionary can't seem to help me with the above.Kind regardsmuscovite

Avangi · Accepted Answer

I guess it depends on what you mean by "correct English."
Your phrases are grammatical, and would be understood.
But we don't normally use "functionality" as an actor. (We don't say that it does things.)

I think of it as a quality of a system, like "the effectiveness of her personality," or "the effectiveness of her digestion." "Her new effectiveness performed as expected." (I don't think so.)

You could say, "We have improved the functionality/effectiveness of X," but to the best of my knowledge, "we have created a new functionality/effectiveness for X" is not idiomatic. (I could be wrong. Technology is moving very fast, and taking some of the language with it.)

I'm sure there's a word for what you mean, but I can't seem to think of it.

"The new configuration of the system is performing as expected."

By "functionality," do you mean the [new] specific tasks which the system performs, or the [new] way in which it performs the old tasks? (the functions it performs, or the way it functions?)

I think you can say, "X is more or less functional/effective than Y," and therefore "the functionality/effectiveness of X is greater or less than that of Y."

"Functionality" might stress efficiency more than "effectiveness" does.

CalifJim · Answer

MUSCOVITEIs either of the following word combinations correct English?

(1) "let's check if the new functionality performs as expected

(2) ".. new functionality behaves as expected"

They both strike me as normal within the field of software development, though, as Avangi cautions, they are examples of "tech-talk".

CJ

MUSCOVITE · Answer

Hi Avangi,

Thanks for your comments!

quote <<

By "functionality," do you mean the [new] specific tasks which the system performs, or the [new] way in which it performs the old tasks?

<< unqute

My idea was very simple: to use "new functionality" for "new functions"...

Based on what I have just learned from your grammatical analysis, native E-speakers don't recommend using "functionality performs/behaves"...

One last question then:

I understand that "check if the new functionaly works as expected" (*) is just fine in all respects ( has no trace of technical jargon, etc.)? I wonder if there are some other verbs that can be used for 'works' in this specific example (*)?

Merry Christmas to you all other "voluntary teachers" who help us English students improve our language skills ! :-)

muscovite

MUSCOVITE · Answer

Thank you, CalifJim!

muscovite

Avangi · Answer

Hi, Muscovite,
As Jim and I agree, "functionality" may be current jargon in the software development trade. It may be used exactly as you have used it. Jim suggests that may be the case.

But I don't think the word in its traditional sense quite fits either of your phrases.
You speak of consulting your collocation dictionary. You may be in the position of having your heart set on "functionality," looking for replacements for "performs/behaves/works." Perhaps you have the cart before the horse.
Personally, I think "new functions" is fine, and replacing it with "new functionality" is manque' window dressing. However, if that's the way it's used in the trade, then that's what you should use. One needs to be current in these things, and that's not my field. Perhaps MrPernickety knows.

Ironically, in your second expression, I'd say the ideal replacement for "works" is "functions."
I'd be inclined to replace "functionality" with something simple, like "the new design" or "the new configuration." But these are very general terms and don't have the pizzazz of "functionality." That is, they don't focus on the new interrelationships between the new operations (functions). I would not give up on "functionality" just on my say-so.

Have you communicated with Pernickety at all??

A very merry Christmas to you as well!

MrPernickety · Answer

Hi, Avangi

"functionality" has come to mean "a feature of a program" that can be developed and tested. If it has been developed badly, it will do poorly, will slow down the system and freeze up the screen at times. At the very least that's how it would be understood here, but it is probably very specific. I daresay in this sense it can be used as a countable noun, irksome as it is

I looked "functionalities" up in COCA and came up with 18 samples. http://americancorpus.org/

For example, here is a sentence:

For the principle of security, for example, there are appropriate system functionalities and procedures in place to ensure the security policies are being followed

I don't know if to say that a functionality performs wellis natural... it's your bailiwick to determine what sounds natural in English. But that's how it would be used on this side of the pond (say, by my supervisers/busines analysts), where people sometimes communicate in broken English

(especially analysts who seem to have made it a point to avoid articles at all costs)

Clive · Answer

Hi,
When I worked in information technology, we always spoke of 'the functions' of the system.
eg We are adding a new function to the system next week.

Clive

Avangi · Answer

I agree.  We have to decide whether we're talking about what the system does (we're a salesman) or how it does it (we're an engineer).<img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>  - A.

Do the following word combinations make sense to you native speakers?

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