mitjançant

Mitjançant is a Catalan preposition meaning by means of, through, or via. It is used to indicate the instrument, method, or channel by which an action occurs, often in formal or written contexts. The phrase can refer to technologies, processes, channels, or procedures that enable an outcome.

Etymology and usage context: Mitjançant derives from the noun mitjà (means) with a suffix that creates a formal prepositional form. It is more common in formal, administrative, legal, or technical writing, and is chosen to emphasize the mechanism or medium of a action. In everyday Catalan, alternatives like a través de or per mitjà de may be used, depending on tone and register. Mitjançant tends to focus on the instrument or pathway enabling the result rather than on the action itself.

Grammatical notes: Mitjançant governs a noun phrase and is followed by a determiner if needed, for example mitjançant una tecnologia, mitjançant aquest acord. It can introduce clauses that describe how something is achieved, but it remains a preposition and does not operate as a conjunction.

Examples:

- La notícia es va difondre mitjançant les xarxes socials.

- Aquest projecte es gestiona mitjançant un consorci internacional.

- Les decisions es prenen mitjançant vot secret.

Summary: Mitjançant is a formal Catalan preposition that denotes the means or channel by which something happens. It is interchangeable in some contexts with a través de or per mitjà de, though it carries a more formal or technical nuance.