"peculiarities"

Question

Hi,I am having problems with the plural "peculiarities"...The previous version of the software required, due to its design peculiarities, that users should run a 32-bit browser. (*)How "close" is due to its design peculiarities to due to its design limitations or its design nonoptimalityI don't want (*) to sound negative, I just want to underline that the previous version (according to its conceptual design and specs, which are probably out of date now) did not allow using any 64-bit browsers.Can I use "peculiarities" for "special features/functions" in contexts like (*)?In any case, could you please recast (*) for me?mus-te

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

MUSCOVITEHow "close" is due to its design peculiarities to due to its design limitations or its design nonoptimality

Not very. (Is 'nonoptimality' a word? If so, it is a sloppy one.)

Peculiarities = idiosyncrasies, oddnesses.

MUSCOVITECan I use "peculiarities" for "special features/functions" in contexts like (*)?

What precisely does your asterisk mark?

KrisBlueNZ · Answer

A peculiarity is a feature or characteristic that is unusual, abnormal, or possibly, confusing.

The word can convey a hint of negativity: "Yes that's right! I saw him adjusting his eyelashes the other night as well! Peculiar..."

In this case, these peculiarities were a bad thing because they forced a particular requirement on the user; if the software had been designed more conventionally, the company wouldn't have had to require users to run a 32-bit browser. (That's the clear meaning, implied by due to in the first highlighted sentence).

The sentence is clearly saying that these peculiarities were a disadvantage, but peculiarities by itself does not necessarily disparage; it simply means unusual or unconventional, or possibly, inscrutable or confusing.

I'm not sure what you're asking for. If you mean peculiarities of the design, then stick with design peculiarities. It sounds good in that sentence. If you want a different word, you can try a thesaurus.

I would keep the sentence as it is, if it says what you want to say. Actually it might be better with required moved to just before that.

MUSCOVITE · Answer

Mister MicawberWhat precisely does your asterisk mark?

(*) designates the whole sentence (with "peculiarities")....just to avoid repeating this sentence every time I refer to it...

Mister Micawber(Is 'nonoptimality' a word? If so, it is a sloppy one.)

Here are COCA search results: "nonoptimal" (7 hits) and "nonoptimality" (1 hit).
If "nonoptimal"/"nonoptimality" sound bad, what are the right words? What affix can be used with "optimal" (to mean being not optimal)?

MUSCOVITE · Answer

Hello KrisBlueNZ,

Thank you for your detailed and interesting comments!

KrisBlueNZI'm not sure what you're asking for. If you mean peculiarities of the design, then stick with design peculiarities.

I was not sure whether my sentence with "design peculiarities" was passable...

KrisBlueNZIt sounds good in that sentence

It is good news for me :-)

KrisBlueNZActually it might be better with required moved to just before that.

I see... It is an important point ..I'll keep this rule in mind!

mus-te

Mister Micawber · Answer

MUSCOVITE"nonoptimal" (7 hits) and "nonoptimality" (1 hit).If "nonoptimal"/"nonoptimality" sound bad, what are the right words? What affix can be used with "optimal" (to mean being not optimal)?

'Non-' can be added to almost anything (see http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non- ) on an ad hoc basis. It just seems to me that this would be quite sufficient: '...due to its design limitations'.

MUSCOVITE · Answer

Thank you, Mister Micawber!
It has taken me a lot of time to realize that the desired word might be"suboptimal(ity"??

Mister Micawber · Answer

MUSCOVITEthe desired word might be"suboptimal(ity"??

That's seems a more accurate prefix, doesn't it?...unless the object is too perfect.

Anonymous · Answer

I'd suggest saying simply: "The previous version of the software required that users run a 32-bit browser." The words "peculiarities," "limitations," and "nonoptimality" (this word is almost never used) all have negative implications. If this is your software, then there is no need to comment "negatively" on it.

And if its special features or functions are "peculiar," there is really no need to say so (simply state what special precautions or measures need to be taken with a certain feature or function). All software has "peculiarities," so why go out of your way say so?

KrisBlueNZ · Answer

I agree somewhat with the anonymous poster before me. I think you (the OP) should explain exactly what you're trying to get across with that sentence.

Specifically, I would not approach the question by arguing that you don't need to go into detail about some mis-feature (that's probably not a real word BTW) of your software, because you would rather that people didn't know anything about it.

It seems to me that the OP is making an effort to express this information (this "compatibility issue") clearly, as this information may be important, or at least interesting, to some future readers of the material.

What is it about the design or architecture of the early version of software that meant that users were forced to use a 32-bit browser? Was it an unusual or idiosyncratic characteristic of the way the software was designed or structured? If so, there's nothing wrong with saying so, unless you're writing an advertisement! (I assume you're not writing an advertisement, because you're writing with the aim of helping the reader.)

MUSCOVITE · Answer

Thank you, Anonymous!

AnonymousThe words "peculiarities," "limitations," and "nonoptimality" (this word is almost never used) all have negative implications. If this is your software, then there is no need to comment "negatively" on it.And if its special features or functions are "peculiar," there is really no need to say so (simply state what special precautions or measures need to be taken with a certain feature or function). All software has "peculiarities," so why go out of your way say so?

All these arguments and recommendations are indisputable of course. Unfortunately, there are situations when I "am supposed" to translate original text into English (nearly) word by word....no wonder I often end up painting myself into a corner ... I hate the word "peculiarities"... but it appears closest to its "counterpart" in the original russian text :-)

I really appreciate your help, Anonymous!

"peculiarities"

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