Bernd Caspers
Germany
Mönchengladbach
Unspecified
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I just read this a few days ago in the Gears of War: The Board Game rulebook.
While the meaning of the word isn´t hard to figure out even as a non-native speaker, I found it rather odd and I´m pretty sure to never have read it before.
Why do people come up with this kind of wording in rulebooks, where everything should be as understandable as possible, do they think it makes them look smart?
What are they trying to compensate?
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Chris Ferejohn
United States
San Francisco
California
Pitying fools as hard as I can...
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I feel like I use this word fairly often. I can't think of another word that means the same thing.
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Robert Ell
United States
Emeryville
California
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What word would you suggest using, to describe 2 points of equal distance from a third?
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Tiwaz Tyrsfist
United States
Gladstone
Missouri
Behold in amazement as my wife demonstrates the proper way to clean your cat.
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It's a perfectly cromulent word.
Equidistant, from the latin roots Distans - "Standing Apart" and Equis - "Horse"
Therefore, Equidistant means, Not near the horse, or in boardgames, possibly Not near the Knight.
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Bernd Caspers
Germany
Mönchengladbach
Unspecified
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Rulebooks aren´t about finding a single word to describe something, you can use more words like "same distance" or " of equal distance" or whatever, without people thinking you never had an edjucation.
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Robert Ell
United States
Emeryville
California
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The Jakster wrote: Rulebooks aren´t about finding a single word to describe something, you can use more words like "same distance" or " of equal distance" or whatever, without people thinking you never had an edjucation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newspeak
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Bernd Caspers
Germany
Mönchengladbach
Unspecified
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TiwazTyrsfist wrote: It's a perfectly cromulent word. Equidistant, from the latin roots Distans - "Standing Apart" and Equis - "Horse" Therefore, Equidistant means, Not near the horse, or in boardgames, possibly Not near the Knight.
Thanks for the embiggening of my English! 
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Gláucio Reis
Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
RJ
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The Jakster wrote: Why do people come up with this kind of wording in rulebooks, where everything should be as understandable as possible, do they think it makes them look smart?
By "understandable", do you mean "dumbed down"? Seriously, anyone who attended high school should know that word. And if a person doesn't know the meaning of a particular word, that's what dictionaries are used for.
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King Ævil
South Euclid
Ohio
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I thought all Geeks have seen Star Trek: The Motion Picture (first clip). Well, it should be a requirement, anyway.
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Bernd Caspers
Germany
Mönchengladbach
Unspecified
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GSReis wrote: The Jakster wrote: Why do people come up with this kind of wording in rulebooks, where everything should be as understandable as possible, do they think it makes them look smart? By "understandable", do you mean "dumbed down"? Seriously, anyone who attended high school should know that word. And if a person doesn't know the meaning of a particular word, that's what dictionaries are used for.
Using normal everyday language certainly isn´t "dumbed down" and to label it so has a hint of arrogance in my book.
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James Woodall
United States
Houston
Texas
Look like a guy with a plan?
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GSReis wrote: The Jakster wrote: Why do people come up with this kind of wording in rulebooks, where everything should be as understandable as possible, do they think it makes them look smart? By "understandable", do you mean "dumbed down"? Seriously, anyone who attended high school should know that word. And if a person doesn't know the meaning of a particular word, that's what dictionaries are used for.
I rarely attended high school and even I know that word!
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James Woodall
United States
Houston
Texas
Look like a guy with a plan?
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The Jakster wrote: GSReis wrote: The Jakster wrote: Why do people come up with this kind of wording in rulebooks, where everything should be as understandable as possible, do they think it makes them look smart? By "understandable", do you mean "dumbed down"? Seriously, anyone who attended high school should know that word. And if a person doesn't know the meaning of a particular word, that's what dictionaries are used for. Using normal everyday language certainly isn´t "dumbed down" and to label it so has a hint of arrogance in my book.
Equidistant is a pretty simple word for native speakers, to be honest. Much more so than orthogonal.
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The Jakster wrote: I just read this a few days ago in the Gears of War: The Board Game rulebook. While the meaning of the word isn´t hard to figure out even as a non-native speaker, I found it rather odd and I´m pretty sure to never have read it before. Why do people come up with this kind of wording in rulebooks, where everything should be as understandable as possible, do they think it makes them look smart? What are they trying to compensate?
Its unambiguous. It is one word. Exactly what I hope for from a rulebook. And it isn't uncommon, especially if you have any interest in mathematics or engineering.
Now, the word is fine - but how's the context?
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David Boeren
United States
Marietta
Georgia
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I agree that equidistant is a pretty normal word that people should know. Plus, even if you've never heard of it it's not hard to guess the meaning as it practically sounds like "equal distance".
Besides, a person who plays hobby boardgames is probably either decently educated or enjoys learning new things anyway.
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Sue
United States
Pennsylvania
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Hello....geeks writing rulebooks.....
'Nuff said.
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Michael Dean
United States
Norman
Oklahoma
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Secretly, looking up unfamiliar words is 90% of the "thinking" and "brain workout" people brag about when they trump up board gaming as the only possible pastime ever.
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Derry Salewski
United States
Augusta
Maine
. . . give a ship.
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If I read a rulebook in German, I won't know any of the words. So, be happy you've still got me beat?
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Chris
England
Harrow
London
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Elltrain wrote: What word would you suggest using, to describe 2 points of equal distance from a third?
I think it would take two words.
equidistant (from) := same distance (from)
If the points were co-linear: halfway between might suffice.
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Johannes Albani
Germany
Karlsruhe
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TiwazTyrsfist wrote: It's a perfectly cromulent word.
Equidistant, from the latin roots Distans - "Standing Apart" and Equis - "Horse"
Therefore, Equidistant means, Not near the horse, or in boardgames, possibly Not near the Knight.
:P
had to read this twice, and i´m still not sure if this was a joke...
anyways, Equidistant has imo nothing to do with horses. The Equi-part comes from the word "aequus" (lat.) and means equal or even, distant was translated correctly, so it means it has the same distance.
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Derry Salewski
United States
Augusta
Maine
. . . give a ship.
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CJoe wrote: TiwazTyrsfist wrote: It's a perfectly cromulent word. Equidistant, from the latin roots Distans - "Standing Apart" and Equis - "Horse" Therefore, Equidistant means, Not near the horse, or in boardgames, possibly Not near the Knight. had to read this twice, and i´m still not sure if this was a joke... anyways, Equidistant has imo nothing to do with horses. The Equi-part comes from the word "aequus" (lat.) and means equal or even, distant was translated correctly, so it means it has the same distance.
Pretty sure you can feel free to read it a third time
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Johannes Albani
Germany
Karlsruhe
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scifiantihero wrote: CJoe wrote: TiwazTyrsfist wrote: It's a perfectly cromulent word.
Equidistant, from the latin roots Distans - "Standing Apart" and Equis - "Horse"
Therefore, Equidistant means, Not near the horse, or in boardgames, possibly Not near the Knight.
:P had to read this twice, and i´m still not sure if this was a joke... anyways, Equidistant has imo nothing to do with horses. The Equi-part comes from the word "aequus" (lat.) and means equal or even, distant was translated correctly, so it means it has the same distance. Pretty sure you can feel free to read it a third time ;)
ok, ok, but it was a short night, and i didn´t want to offend anyone, but obviousely a little too cautious
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Scott Wheelock
Canada
Woodstock
New Brunswick
"Nope... back to a good year like 1626 when a good Manhattan cost a mere 24-bucks."
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GSReis wrote: The Jakster wrote: Why do people come up with this kind of wording in rulebooks, where everything should be as understandable as possible, do they think it makes them look smart? By "understandable", do you mean "dumbed down"? Seriously, anyone who attended high school should know that word. And if a person doesn't know the meaning of a particular word, that's what dictionaries are used for.
In health care (at least in the system I work in), forms that go to the public have to be written at a grade 6 reading level. Board game companies have no such responsibility, but it seems pretty silly (and arrogant), to me, to not try to make your game as accessible as possible by using language that's easily understood.
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Chris Broggi
United States
Southwick
Massachusetts
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I just asked my 9 and 12 year old sons what equidistant means and they both answered correctly.
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David Sant
United States
Easton
Massachusetts
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As others have mentioned, I feel like this is a fairly common and well understood word that is perfectly fine for use in an instruction manual. "Orthogonally" probably has lower comprehension from the general public.
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Ron Glass
United States
Tampa
Florida
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I know this one! I know this one!
Its someone riding a horse a really long way...right?!?
I actually had a Cub Scout give me that definition years ago. He knew equine (his sister rode horses) and he knew distant, so...
Ron
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Posted Fri Feb 10, 2012 1:24 am
