Re: Vocabulary matter: Component vs Element vs Item

[Adam Beneschan <adambeneschan@aol.com>]

On Friday, July 26, 2013 10:24:55 AM UTC-7, Charles H. Sampson wrote:

>      As a result, I don't feel competent to comment on any technical
> issues here, even from a historical perspective. However, I don't see
> that "component", "element" and "item" are at all related in plain
> English.

Looking it up in an (American) English dictionary, www.m-w.com: Both "component" and "element" seem to mainly refer to a "constituent part" of something else.  "Element" sometimes carries the connotation of being the most rudimentary (or "elementary") part, that can't be broken down into something else, but not always.  (The elements in the periodic table were thought to be just those, substances that couldn't be broken down into smaller things, until protons and neutrons and electrons were discovered.)  "Item" has one similar definition, "a distinct part in an enumeration, account, or series"; but another relevant definition is "an object of attention, concern, or interest", which doesn't imply anything about being part of some larger thing.  So it looks like Yannick isn't too far off.  

                                -- Adam