Can technology be designed?

English translation: depends on what you mean by technology

07:13 Nov 1, 2007
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Paper / Paper Manufacturing
English term or phrase: Can technology be designed?
They are involved in researching electronics embedded technology that is used in the switches and designing.
Or
They are involved in researching and designing electronics embedded technology that is used in the switches and designing
Mitsuko
Local time: 17:36
Selected answer:depends on what you mean by technology
Explanation:
In current technical/marketing English, 'technology' is often used to refer to a method or technique and/or the result of producing something using a particular method or technique. In this sense, *a technology* can be designed, but technology as an abstract entity in the conventional sense cannot.

sample ref:

Technology Spotlight - Tool-Less Technology Designed For Low ...
The key to this technology lies in the design. Enclosures that have been designed using this technology are “broken up” into individual pieces and parts to ...
www.moldmakingtechnology.com/articles/0606spotlight.html
Selected response from:

Ken Cox
Local time: 09:36
Grading comment
Thank you!
Now I got it.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +2depends on what you mean by technology
Ken Cox
4No - it's an intangible
David Moore (X)
2No
Jack Doughty


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
can technology be designed?
No


Explanation:
Not quite sure why, but it seems to me that it can't, so your first version is right.

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:36
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
can technology be designed?
depends on what you mean by technology


Explanation:
In current technical/marketing English, 'technology' is often used to refer to a method or technique and/or the result of producing something using a particular method or technique. In this sense, *a technology* can be designed, but technology as an abstract entity in the conventional sense cannot.

sample ref:

Technology Spotlight - Tool-Less Technology Designed For Low ...
The key to this technology lies in the design. Enclosures that have been designed using this technology are “broken up” into individual pieces and parts to ...
www.moldmakingtechnology.com/articles/0606spotlight.html

Ken Cox
Local time: 09:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you!
Now I got it.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alexander Demyanov
2 hrs

agree  V_Nedkov
9 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
can technology be designed?
No - it's an intangible


Explanation:
...and an intangible cannot strictly speaking be designed. So your first version is almost correct; the word "designing" at the end jars considerably. It should either be followed by WHAT it refers to, or it should read "by THEIR design".

David Moore (X)
Local time: 09:36
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
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