Test and testamony

Question

Hi, is 'test' work the same way as 'testamony', if not what's their difference. My past understanding was 'testamony' is the old english form of 'test'? But I do doubt it, since it seems to me in some case they're interchangable, but in the other they don't. So I'm confused please help me out.

e.g.: I just brought this camcorder, do you want to do a testamony on them?
I just brought this camcorder, do you want to do a test on them?

I think the first one is right, but I'm not sure whether or not the second one is right too.

thanks.

Fandorin · Accepted Answer

Hi. Welcome to English Forums.

teeronlineHi, is 'test' work the same way as 'testamony', if not what's their difference.

You had better check dictionaries for such words. To my knowledge, testamony doesn't exist. Testimony is a formal written or spoken statement, especially one given in a court of law.

teeronlinee.g.: I just brought this camcorder, do you want to do a testamony on them?
I just brought this camcorder, do you want to do a test on them?

Both sound awkward.
I've just brought this camcorder. Do you want to check/verify it?

Avangi · Answer

<< I just brought this camcorder, do you want to do a testamony on them? >>

Commercial advertisements often include testamony in the form of "testamonials." The term is quite current. People rave about their great experiences with a product.

The verb "to testify" (as in court - to give testimony) is closely related, as is the noun "testament." This is the one I'd call a bit out of date, except in legal and religious uses.

But this sort of thing is quite different from "testing" the product.

After you test it, and find it to be satisfactory, you might then give testamony in court as to the results; or you might go on the radio or TV and give a testimonal, to advertise the product.

"Testamony" is actually a noncountable, so we don't usually speak of "a testamony." I suppose you might refer to someone's appearance on the witness stand as "a very lengthy testamony."

MrPernickety · Answer

Hi, Avangi

In passing, do you agree that "I just brought this camcorder, do you want to do/run a test on it?" is weird.

I think I done heard phrases such as "to do/run a test on something" uttered by natives. (and there's no need for the perfect present tense, as was suggested by Fandorin, as far as I'm concerned)

Thanks !

Avangi · Answer

Hi, Mr. Pernickety. (Thanks for the kind words on your previous, BTW.)

I think Fandorin's offering is fine. I think we're sometimes too eager to discard the unnecessary. Why not have a look at it? His version salvages the OP's "brought," when I think perhaps he meant "bought." That alone makes it interesting.

Yes, I find the original weird, mainly because of the illegal comma splice.

As usual, we suffer from lack of context. Did he just bring it or just buy it? Are they in the middle of some project to test and evaluate camcorders, for some perfectly plausible purpose which we simply haven't been let in on?

"To do/run a test on something" is 100% idiomatic in technical work. (As I recall, you're more into software than hardware, right?)

Best rgdz, - A.

Edit. I'm not sure I made my point about context and discarding the unnecessary. I guess I've made it before. It's often disappointing to me that interesting usages are ignored simply because there's no context to justify them. That doesn't make them wrong.

Fandorin · Answer

MrPernicketyand there's no need for the perfect present tense, as was suggested by Fandorin

Hi. Thanks for bringing this up. There is nothing wrong either, I guess. Justis often used with it and I'm inclined to use it this way. I might be wrong. Any refutation would be of importance and interest.

What I wanted to say there was that do/run a test in the context sounded not so good.

MrPernickety · Answer

AvangiHi, Mr. Pernickety. (Thanks for the kind words on your previous, BTW.)

You're welcome ! I'm glad to hear from you after such a long break that you took !!!

AvangiI think Fandorin's offering is fine. I think we're sometimes too eager to discard the unnecessary. Why not have a look at it? His version salvages the OP's "brought," when I think perhaps he meant "bought." That alone makes it interesting.

I took his "brought" for "bought" at first. That's why I thought it unnecessary to use the present perfect tense. With "brought" I guess it's a whole differenc ball game, right? With "brought" you gots to use the present perfect tense.

Avangi"To do/run a test on something" is 100% idiomatic in technical work. (As I recall, you're more into software than hardware, right?)

Yeah, I'm a software man. I'm into programming and running different kinds of tests on newly manufactured software is a must - we don't take chances. You cannot create a piece of software bug-free, granted, but running tests goes a long way toward creating good software. But I'm getting sidetracked I guess

))

Avangi · Answer

MrPernickety but running tests goes a long way toward creating good software. But I'm getting sidetracked I guess

Ha! I've never been able to rein in my wayward mouth. My kids have always accused me of TMI. I've given up trying to change.
What I was getting at is whether or not running tests on electro-mechanical devices has a different lingo than that used by programmers. I think it does.

Khoff · Answer

Avangi
Commercial advertisements often include testamony in the form of "testamonials." The term is quite current. People rave about their great experiences with a product.

The verb "to testify" (as in court - to give testimony) is closely related, as is the noun "testament." This is the one I'd call a bit out of date, except in legal and religious uses.

But this sort of thing is quite different from "testing" the product.

After you test it, and find it to be satisfactory, you might then give testamony in court as to the results; or you might go on the radio or TV and give a testimonal, to advertise the product.

"Testamony" is actually a noncountable, so we don't usually speak of "a testamony." I suppose you might refer to someone's appearance on the witness stand as "a very lengthy testamony."

My dictionary shows "testament" as in "The New Testament" or "Last Will and Testament", but "testimony" and "testimonial."

Avangi · Answer

Thanks much, Khoff.  My bad!  <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/3.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/3.gif' alt='Emotion: surprise'/>

Teeronline · Answer

I'm sorry, it should be 'bought', not 'brought'. Outside my expectation, though, the mean in this thread has mutated to the subject 'testimony vs testamony', while my question remain unanswered, worse forgotten like yesterday's trash.

So lets start over again,

Again I'm sorry it was something I 'think' I've over heard from others' conversation, and the content go like this,
-a girl's boyfriend is leaving the country for a job so he won't be around for a while. The girl is talking to this man her another friend about it. The man just bought a new video cam so he's insisted to 'run a test' of some sort on her. (I clearly heard the word 'testimony', so he couldn't be meaning testing his cam)

So I'm thinking what's the correct line he was using.

-I just bought a camcorder, do you want to do a testimony on it ( this is what the first possibility for me, since I thought test = testimony. I thought he meant 'run a test' with the cam on her)

-I just bought a camcorder, do you want to do your* testimony on him* ( after I took the meaning of testimony out from answers.com, now I suspect if 'testimony' also includes the meaning saying 'goodbye words' in front of a camera.

It's a bit riddle, does anyone with a good leftside can think of a good reason why he was using 'testimony' in that line? When he has a cam on his hand, in a conversation to the girl while her boyfriend is going away.

You lots have no idea how difficult for me to tell 'him' apart from 'them' or 'it'. Native fast speakers speaking these words like they've become a part of the previous word. Most of the time I could only hear a slight mumor like 'im, 'em 'it and sometimes I can't hear them at all while conciously I know they should(as if correctly) be there.

Test and testamony

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