it works or it is functioning?

[sebayanpendam]

Hi,

I was talking to my colleague about some videocam. She told me not to act inappropriately in the room because there were videocameras. I was telling her
"They are not functioning". What i meant here is the videocams were not switched on at the time of speaking. She said, "They work". I think she meant the videocams were in good condition. Did I use the word function' wrongly? What should I have told her instead?

Thanks

 

[Rover_KE]

She probably didn't understand the long word you used.

I'd have said 'They're not switched on'.

Rover

 

[sebayanpendam]

Hi,

By the way, is there any difference between 'they work' and 'they are working' in terms of tense aspect who somebody is telling you?

Thanks

 

[BobK]

She probably didn't understand the long word you used.

I'd have said 'They're not switched on'.

Rover

:up: Or 'They're not on/going'.

'Not functioning' - apart from the problem of comprehension - is ambiguous: functioning=on or functioning=working. ;-)

b

 

[sebayanpendam]

Hi,

When you said 'going', you mean like 'The lamps are going', right?

Thanks

 

[BobK]

Hi,

When you said 'going', you mean like 'The lamps are going', right?

Thanks

Yes, but 'go' doesn't collocate with 'lamp'. A lamp usually shines; sometimes. if there are several in the distance, they twinkle. When the filament in an incandescent bulb has burnt out, it can be said - informally - to have 'blown'. Confusingly, it can even be said to have gone.

More simply, lights can be just on.

b