On Thu, 26 Sep 2002, VOLTOLINI wrote: > I understand that a lurking variable has an important effect on the > relationship among the variables in a study, but is not included among > the variables studied but....
May or may not have "an important effect"; the defining characteristic is that it wasn't among the variables recorded, and _may_ (now that one considers the matter in retrospect) have an effect large enough to be interesting. > I am trying to translate this to Portuguese (to use with my students!) > and I would like to know if there is a synonym for "lurking variable" > in English? Not really. "Lurk" is a verb defined as follows: to lie or wait in concealment; to remain in or around a place secretly or furtively; to exist unperceived or unsuspected (this is closest to the idea of a "lurking variable", I think). This may give you some ideas about suitable Portuguese verbs that might be similarly used. My dictionary gives the following translations of "lurk": In Italian: nascondersi (with an acute accent on the "o"). In Spanish: esconderse, espiar. In French: se cacher. In Latin: latere (2nd conj., long "e"), latitare, delitiscere (3rd conjugation, short "e"). I am not well enough grounded in any of these languages to offer useful commentary on the applicability of those verbs to this context. But I suppose there may be a cognate verb or two in Portuguese that could be bent to this end... ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Donald F. Burrill [EMAIL PROTECTED] 56 Sebbins Pond Drive, Bedford, NH 03110 (603) 626-0816 [Old address: 184 Nashua Road, Bedford, NH 03110 (603) 471-7128] . . ================================================================= Instructions for joining and leaving this list, remarks about the problem of INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES, and archives are available at: . http://jse.stat.ncsu.edu/ . =================================================================
