This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
communities of wellness
John consistently found himself becoming safely engaged with Alison
Feb 5 19:52
3 mos ago
48 viewers *
English term

I even wind up straddling the computer

English Art/Literary General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Dear colleagues, I’m not sure I’ve understood the meaning of “straddling the computer” in the sentence “I even wind up straddling the computer” taken from the passage below (right at the end of the passage), in which the author, a therapist, describes her experience in teletherapy.
Does it mean, that 1) she straddles her legs in front of the computer or 2) that she keeps her computer on his straddling legs? Or neither of them?
Thank you so much for your help!



******************

A final dimension to teletherapy I would like to comment upon is captured by a telling cartoon that accompanied Gotnik’s New Yorker article: A male therapist sits before a female patient on his computer screen. The top half of his body is properly dressed and even formally attired in a button-down shirt and tie. The therapist’s lower half is garbed only in underwear and slippers. This image tickled my funny bone due to resonances with my own behavior. These days, I too sport a deep divide between how I dress on top versus what I put on bottom. During sessions, the hidden lower half of my body often goes rogue, as my legs become fidgety. I change the positions of my hips and legs much more frequently than before; at times, *** I even wind up straddling the computer. ***
Responses
3 +1 I even end up sitting on the computer
4 -1 place my legs wide apart and put my computer in the space between my legs

Discussion

haribert (asker) Feb 10:
AllegroTrans, yours seems to be a brilliant idea! Thank you so much!
AllegroTrans Feb 9:
How about this? She is sitting in an office chair. Because of what might be a cramped space, her (old style) PC is on the floor under her desk, and close to her, so her legs straddle it every now and then owing to her fidgety movements.
haribert (asker) Feb 8:
Dear Yvonne, actually I find it difficult to visualize the meaning of the sentence. Maybe, when the author talks about fidgety legs, she describes one particular case, and when she refers to straddling, she talks about a different time. Or maybe she has a laptop but also a bigger monitor: my boyfriend works like that: they have a laptop that they can bring home, and in office they have a bigger monitor on the desk so they can see better...
But you're right: I'll keep it more general...
But actually I think both answers can be right (the one by Kiet, "porn-like language" apart, if the author has a bigger monitor, and the other one if the author has a tower...
Maybe, If I have time and opportunity, I'll write to the author!
Yvonne Gallagher Feb 8:
@Haribert Don't know why you think 'put my laptop in my lap' is a good solution? It makes absolutely no sense in the context given. Her legs are "fidgety", and she is constantly changing the position of her hips, so how could she have a laptop on her lap?
Also, her bottom half is hidden from her interlocutor, which means the PC monitor or screen is ON the desk, not below it!
As for the contention that everyone uses laptops these days? That's not true either. I use my PC with tower for almost all my work, and on it now, though not straddling the tower (which is too small to sit on and is on the desk). Yes, I have 2 laptops, an 11" and 15.6" but only use them when out of the office or travelling.

As I suggested earlier, something like: "my legs get very fidgety and I change the position of my hips a lot, so much so that I might end up sitting on/straddling the PC tower"
BUT I would probably say something in more normal English like
"My bottom half gets really fidgety and I keep changing the position of my legs and hips, squirming around so much I'm in danger of ending up on the floor!"
philgoddard Feb 6:
Because I think Kiet's answer is probably on the right lines. Most people use laptops these days.
haribert (asker) Feb 6:
Dear Phil, thank you so much: that does seem an excellent solution! because it can indirectly hint at "straddling legs"... why don't you post an answer?
philgoddard Feb 6:
You could say 'put my laptop in my lap'.
haribert (asker) Feb 6:
Dear Yvonne, thank you so much for your help! I think I'll try to keep it as general as possible, to avoid misunderstandings!
Yvonne Gallagher Feb 6:
@Haribert I have to agree with Phil and Christopher that this is dreadful writing and not at all clear what is meant but I think Robert has the general idea of what is happening here but even then I can't see someone actually "straddling" a PC tower (unless it's an older model large one.
Yes, we can "straddle" a horse or a chair or something similar and it means having a leg on each side but "straddling" a computer is really odd.
And "put my computer in the space between my legs" has porn overtones so beware!
Her legs/feet are NOT on the desk either as Christopher suggests: "the hidden lower half of my body" so the person she is talking to (on the computer monitor) cannot see what she's doing with her legs.
You need to be careful with your translation. And remember that what is happening below the desk must remain unseen by her patient/client.
Her legs get very fidgety and she changes position a lot, so much so that she might end up sitting on the computer tower (below the desk)...
haribert (asker) Feb 6:
Phil and Christopher, thank you for your opinion! Maybe I'll try to keep it a bit more general...
Christopher Schröder Feb 6:
Yes it is unclear. I would guess her legs are on the desk with her feet either side of the computer. Neither of the suggestions below works for me.
philgoddard Feb 6:
I think this is bad writing, and its meaning is not clear to me. It depends what kind of computer she's using, and either of these answers could be correct.

Responses

+1
1 hr
Selected

I even end up sitting on the computer

I seriously hope the speaker isn't referring to a laptop. the way I visualise this scene is as follows: there's a monitor on top of a desk, a chair before the desk and monitor, and there's a big old computer on the floor, under the desk, near the chair. One of those upright chassis-type computers from about 20 years ago. The speaker, while continuing to look respectable above desk-level, is squirming around so much that he/she ends up sitting or crouching on the chassis of the computer.
Note from asker:
Thank you so much, Robert, for your contribution! This is also a possibility...
Peer comment(s):
agree Yvonne Gallagher : yes, probably BUT NOT "chassis" but on PC/computer tower
16 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you very much, Robert! Many thanks also to all other colleagues for their help!"
-1
24 mins

place my legs wide apart and put my computer in the space between my legs

Note from asker:
Thank you so much, Kiet, for your help! the image is also very useful!
Dear Kiet, although I'll select the other answer, by no means I think you're answer was intended as porn. Actually I think your answer may be correct under some circumstances, but perhaps Robert's proposal might be rephrased in a more general, less ambiguous way. Despite this, I do wish to thank you for your contribution! have a nice Sunday!
Peer comment(s):
disagree Yvonne Gallagher : this is not about porn. She's a therapist!
16 hrs
agree philgoddard : This is possible. Who said anything about porn?
21 hrs
Thank you!
disagree AllegroTrans : Your phraseology sounds like porn, even if not intended
1 day 2 hrs
Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search