Re: Re:[for Italian users] how to translate "spanner"?

[Phil Holmes]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Felipe Castro" <address@hidden>
To: <address@hidden>
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2012 12:35 PM
Subject: Re:[for Italian users] how to translate "spanner"?


> > Message: 6
> > Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2012 21:38:58 -0300
> > From: Han-Wen Nienhuys <address@hidden>
> >
> > "extensor" sounds good to me in Portuguese.
>
> I agree. And this makes me think about my translation to esperanto,
> where I used the word "disigi" (spread), and now I see I should change
> it to "etendi" (extend).
>
> Han-Wen, instead of "spanner", in English, would you use "extender"?
> I'm not asking to change, just wondering if both words are equivalent
> in this case.


Replying as a native English speaker.  No, I don't believe I would.  An 
extender would be something that makes something extend - i.e. makes it 
longer.  A spanner (in this context) is something that spans.  So we could 
call a bridge a river spanner (although I don't believe anyone ever actually 
would).

--
Phil Holmes