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On Sunday 11 October 2009 20:21:29 Philip Webb wrote: |
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> 091011 Volker Armin Hemmann wrote: |
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> > Paket = packet ; Paket = package |
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> |
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> Oh dear ! -- English calls such words 'false friends' ! |
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> My German-English dictionary (Langenscheidt) suggests E 'package' = G |
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> 'Pack', while E 'packet' = G 'kleines Pack' or 'Päckchen'. |
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> |
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> In English, a 'packet' calls to mind something in an envelope, eg a letter; |
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> 'package' brings a picture of something tied up with string, ie a parcel. |
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> In computer English, a 'package' is eg Gentoo's 'app-arch/bzip2-1.0.5-r1'; |
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> a 'packet' is a fragment of a file sent through the Internet, |
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> different packets possibly taking different routes to their destination, |
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> where they are reassembled into the complete file. |
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More generally, I think of a packet as a unit of something - soap powder, |
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data, correspondence - while a package is a bundle of things - programs, |
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Christmas presents, packets of sweets. |
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No doubt that doesn't accord with any dictionary, but it seems to work. |
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-- |
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Rgds |
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Peter |
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