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1,100 | 131,717 | 76823_0 | I can only think of the word **European** as a word that doesn't go after the word **an**. Is there any other words that start with a vowel, but don't go after **an**? |
1,101 | 79,175 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > Is it supposed to be a HTML or an HTML > When should I use “a” versus “an” in front of a word beginning with the > letter h? > How does one correctly pronounce the letter 'H': “Aych” or “haych”? While not strictly a programming question, it does appear when talking about programming and in documentation, etc. It is proper to say _a href_ or _an href_? (This anchor has (a/an) href element.) I am familiar with the English rule of using an iff the next word starts with a vowel, but many blogs are saying _an href_. I was wondering if _href_ is an exception or those blogs have incorrect usage. |
1,102 | 105,116 | 76823_0 | Since _user_ starts with a _vowel_ shouldn't we use "an" ? I've seen many cases of using "a" . |
1,103 | 28,237 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicates:** > "A" vs. "An" in writing vs. pronunciation > Use of "a" versus "an" I know that "an" should be used when a word is followed by a noun that starts with a vowel. But what about a numerical value that isn't formally written out and used as an adjective? Such as "a 8x8 grid" is it that, or "an 8x8 grid" ? I've received some disagreements on this in the past, so I'd just like some clearing up. Any reference to formal rules would be much appreciated. |
1,104 | 25,428 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > Use of "a" versus "an" **When to use _a_ or _an_ before a noun** when there are adjectives before that noun? like the following example: > An operator pressed the button. should that make: > **A** professional **operator** pressed the button. > > **An** professional **operator** pressed the button. same for: > **A** Hypertext markup language. > > **An** Hypertext markup language. Sometimes it seems a bit confusing, especially when there are more adjectives like: > **An omen** was revealed to the priest. > > **A** terrible **omen** was revealed to the priest. > > **An** overwhelming terrible **omen** was revealed to the priest. What is the rule? |
1,105 | 194,733 | 76823_0 | When is the appropriate time to use "a" vs "an"? For example, " _I have a array of..._ " vs " _I have an array of..._ " I may be mistaken but I would typically use _an_ in this case. Firstly, am I correct to use _an_ in this case? Secondly, is there a rule of thumb or grammatical rule that defines the appropriate usage? Lastly, If there is a grammatical rule, what is a recognized resource to its definition? |
1,106 | 128,789 | 76823_0 | Please resolve an "argument" Which of the following is correct: Post an HTML snippet Post a HTML snippet I believe it's the first - that the sound/vocalization, not the spelling, is what requires "an" instead of "a"; in other words "HTML" has an "A" sound and is, thus, verbally, a vowel. Am I wrong? The second possibility grates on my ears, and is as dissonant as all get out. |
1,107 | 33,788 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > Do you use "a" or "an" before acronyms? I searched google for "a MPR" and "an MPR". The first one returns about 52000 hits while the second one returns about 34000 hits. None of them actually looks incorrect to me. MPR stands for multi-packet reception. So, which one is the correct one, "a MPR ..." or "an MPR ..."? |
1,108 | 150,439 | 76823_0 | In colloquial speech, when discussing the web, people almost always say "an html link" as opposed to "a html link" and for some reason, using "an" just seems to flows off the tongue better. Further: ### There are 3.2 million hits for "an html link" on Google as opposed to 1.2 million hits for "a html link". The more common usage clearly doesn't follow the traditional rule of only using "an" before words that start in a vowell. Thus, I'm wondering: ### Which is correct? |
1,109 | 4,403 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > Do you use "a" or "an" before acronyms? Should you use An or A with acronyms which sound like they start with a vowel when read literally? ...is covered in an FAQ located at.... or ...is covered in a FAQ located at... When I read the sentence I pronounce eff-eh-queue but I'm not sure if most people do that. |
1,110 | 162,157 | 76823_0 | I'll use the following sentences as examples: > "You're missing _an_ hyphen" > > "You're missing _a_ hyphen" |
1,111 | 4,700 | 76823_0 | On a Physics specification, it says: > 6.7 Know how to use two permanent magnets to produce a uniform magnetic > field pattern. Isn't it "produce _an_ uniform magnetic field", or is the existing "produce _a_ uniform magnetic field pattern" correct? |
1,112 | 25,742 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicates:** > "A" vs. "An" in writing vs. pronunciation > Do you use "a" or "an" before acronyms? I've often seen people calling a HTML page an HTML page. I'm wondering what's the grammatically correct usage? |
1,113 | 171,228 | 76823_0 | Usually we use "an" if the following word is a vowel. Example: > An Elephant If it's a consonant, it would be > A Car I came across to this sentence on youtube > I remember one of my best teachers once telling me this... "If you do > everything the way I taught you... you'll get a C. If you do everything > totally differently... you'll either get an A or an F." I found that both > very fair and also... really good life advice. So I was like, really `an F`? Then I searched through google, I've seen numerous results that gives `an F` > Bart Gets an "F" - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Letter Grades > > Deserve an 'F' - Jessica Lahey - The Atlantic Understanding the > > Consequences of an "F" grade — The ... So my question is, why is it called `an F` not `a F` |
1,114 | 24,092 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicates:** > "A user" or "an user"? > Use of "a" versus "an" If I remember correctly back to my school days, the rule is to use "a" if the next word starts with a consonant, or "an" if the next word is a vowel. For example: * This is _a_ banana. * This is _an_ egg. If the above is correct, then why does this sentence sound wrong...? * The account requires _an_ username. |
1,115 | 106,173 | 76823_0 | Which one is better and why? 1) Are you an Ozibox user? 2) Are you a Ozibox user? Ozibox is the name of a web application |
1,116 | 45,745 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > When should I use "a" vs "an"? Which one of the the following is correct? 1. _a_ F-test 2. _an_ F-test The _F-test_ is pronounced as "ef test". |
1,117 | 111,903 | 76823_0 | I'm reading a technical IT document that can be found here. So, the question is, in the phrasebelow: > A challenge password is it correct write "a" instead of "an"? Why? What is its' best interpretation? Should I put a clue for my password (that looks like case because this part isn't appears on plain text and passwords usually are hidden) or put a password that is hard to find? I'm Brazilian and the Google Translation writes "a challenge password" as "a Senha desafio", which makes no sense--first because "a" was not translated and second because it looks like we are naming a password as "desafio". |
1,118 | 116,551 | 76823_0 | > 1: There is **a** reluctance on the part of European companies to buy from > American sources. > 2: There is **an** emphasis on the organic roots of spirituality. > 3: There is **a** tendency to make the distinction between 'art' and > 'entertainment' too rigid. > 4: There is **a** sense that something about the suggestion is incoherent I feel there must be more to this than simply "idiomatic preference". What is it about the first two examples that _allows_ (but doesn't _require_ ) an article? And that _requires_ an article in the other two? And are there any similar constructions where the presence/absence of the article affects meaning? |
1,119 | 32,283 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > Do you use "a" or "an" before acronyms? > Does one use 'a' or 'an' before the word 'X-Ray'? Quite simply, should a sentence read "a XML report" or "an XML report"? |
1,120 | 11,505 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > When should I use “a” vs “an”? > Do you use “a” or “an” before acronyms? > Does one use 'a' or 'an' before the word X-Ray? Hello people, English is not my primary language, so it is just natural I make such basic questions... Is it correct to say "An RPG" (where RPG could be the common "Role-Playing Game" term), or do I have to say "A RPG", without the "n"? Considering RPG does not begin with a vowel... yet, it sounds like it does. |
1,121 | 130,499 | 76823_0 | > **An** html file with above form structure is given to you. or > **A** html file with above form structure is given to you. |
1,122 | 27,577 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > Use of "a" versus "an" I have always been using `a established`. > The CPM is **a** established theory that explains......... But when reading print material, I sometimes find `an established` being used: > The CPM is **an** established theory that explains......... My English teacher taught me to apply `a/an` based on how the word sounded. Is that a/an established principle? |
1,123 | 23,256 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > Do you use "a" or "an" before acronyms? Take "StackExchange" and its acronym, SE, as an example: _I read a StackExchange thread the other day about the history of bananas!_ If you were to use the "SE" acronym instead of "StackExchange," you would probably write: *I read **_an_** SE thread the other day about the history of bananas!* The way in which this differs from my situation is that it's very reasonable to assume that when you write "SE," that you are perfectly fine with the two letters "ess" and "eee" standing in for "Stack Exchange," much like FCC, SEC, NASDAQ, NATO, etc. completely stand in and are even far more well-known than their longer, official names. Let's say, however, that you're talking about "solar-powered asynchronous communication transmission," which you abbreviate with "SPACT" because you don't want to keep retyping "solar-powered asynchronous communication transmission," not only because you want to be lazy but also because reading those words more than one time every sentence can get in the way of comprehension. Now, if you were to pronounce this "ess-pee...etc." then, of course, you'd say " ** _an_** SPACT device," but let's say you don't want "SPACT" to be referred to, phonetically, by its letters (or even "SPACT") and are simply using it as an abbreviation? Does it retain its indefinite article ("a") from its original version ("solar-powered asynchronous communication transmission")? |
1,124 | 152,628 | 76823_0 | I always see `An HTML editor` but surely it would be `A HTML editor` as the H isn't a vowel nor does it sound like a vowel. Why is this? |
1,125 | 4,957 | 76823_0 | When starting a word with a vowel, the preceding "a" becomes an "an". I often find that when writing words that start with letter "N" or "M", I will pronounce them "EN", "EM", etc. (This is because in programming, letters are often pronounced in certain terms.) So, when writing a question on SO, do I write "an NSString" or, "a NSString"? |
1,126 | 14,772 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > Do you use "a" or "an" before acronyms? I am writing about Random Variables, which I am abbreviating to RV. Should I write 'an RV' (an Arr-Vee) or 'a RV' (a Random Variable)? |
1,127 | 182,062 | 76823_0 | > We discussed socialism **as allowed by law**. A learner on ELL asked whether it is “socialism or the discussion itself” which is _allowed_ by law. I responded that the phrase could only be understood as involving “legally allowed discussion” if “set off with a comma (or expressed with corresponding comma-intonation in speech) or moved to an earlier position”; > without a comma, _as allowed by law_ is understood to be a restrictive > modifier on _socialism_ : what we discussed might be expressed as “legally > allowed socialism”. I think that absent some contrary context I was substantially correct. On consideration, however, another angle on this occurs to me: that the meaning of the _as_ clause does in a sense ‘overflow’ onto the verb: it is not merely _socialism_ which is restricted to a specific aspect of that topic but the discussion of it as well. I was in part prompted to this reflection by another question, raised first on ELL and subsequently in somewhat different form on Linguistics: Do predicative adjuncts modify nouns or verbs. The very cogent answer provided may not be directly relevant but it is at least suggestive. How do we parse _as_ clauses like these? > We discussed socialism **as allowed by law**. > **As written** , the sentence implies that it is socialism which is allowed > by law. ADDED: > That is, supposing that it is given that we are discussing socialism **_only > insofar as socialism is allowed by law_** and not as it is in other > contexts, does not that also imply that _discuss_ as well as _socialism_ is > modified by the clause _as allowed by law_? And if it is given that it a > sentence has certain implications **_only insofar as the sentence is treated > as a written text_** and not under other categories, does not that also > imply that _implies_ as well as _sentence_ is modified by _as written_? And does it make any difference if we write > We discussed socialism **as it is allowed by law**. > **As it is written** , the sentence implies that it is socialism which is > allowed by law. |
1,128 | 71,773 | 76823_0 | I'm writing a proposal regarding website development work and would like a meaningful name for the proposal. I currently have a system for developing websites that isn't the most efficient and costs a substantial amount for each site. I'm hoping to redevelop my system so that the bulk of the set up effort is automated or more efficient. My intention is to enable use of the system by hundreds of people rather than the dozen or so that are currently using it, without an increase in support needs. I think something like "Website Generalisation Project" is on the right track, but doesn't really communicate the message I'm looking for. Optimisation isn't really what I'm looking for (it implies no further room for improvement), though "streamlining" might be ok. However, there might be a more suitable word relating to the increase in the number of people using the system. Related question: Word meaning "to make more efficient"? |
1,129 | 71,770 | 76823_0 | I am trying to understand the rules for writing numbers in words under the UK rules (with "and"). I understand how to write small numbers (up to a few thousands), but I am not sure when to use "and" when the number is bigger. I tried Wikipedia, but the rules are not clear. Here are a few numbers I'm reasonably sure of: * 102: one hundred and two * 120: one hundred and twenty * 1002: one thousand and two * 1203: one thousand two hundred and three (though I'm not sure whether I should add a comma after "thousand" in this last one). Here are some bigger numbers. Is it okay to have multiple "and"s like this? Should some "and"s be commas instead, or just be omitted altogether? * 102003: one hundred and two thousand and three * 102304: one hundred and two thousand three hundred and four Here are some numbers bigger than one million (I use a space to separate digits for easier reading): * 1 000 002: one million and two * 1 000 020: one million and twenty * 1 000 200: one million two hundred * 1 002 000: one million two thousand * 1 002 003: one million two thousand and three * 1 023 045: one million twenty-three thousand and forty-five * 1 203 450: one million two hundred and three thousand four hundred and fifty And some bigger ones still: * 100 000 300 : one hundred million three hundred * 102 000 003 : one hundred and two million and three * 102 304 567 : one hundred and two million three hundred and four thousand five hundred and sixty-seven |
1,130 | 178,473 | 76823_0 | I found the article of New Yorker magazine dealing with U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia’s scrupulousness of the usage of words under the title’ “Salia’s word game” very interesting as an English language enthusiast. After introducing Scalia has quoted Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, Timothy Cunningham’s A New and Complete Law Dictionary, Random House College Dictionary, and others of more recent vintage in Supreme Court opinions, the author says; > “More than any other sitting Justice, he sees himself as both an authority > on and an arbiter of our mother tongue. This makes him, in some instances, > **the last word on words** ". > http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2014/06/scalia-word- > games.html?printable=true¤tPage=all#ixzz34w5n6onk What does “make the last word on word” mean? |
1,131 | 30,035 | 76823_0 | Which is the correct way of saying the following sentence (if there is a correct version)? * "I use to be a hitman" * "I used to be a hitman" I've read the 2nd recently in a book, but was sure it should be "I use to" |
1,132 | 173,999 | 76823_0 | Jasmine use to take piano lessons, but now she is learning to play the trombone. Jasmine used to take piano lessons, but now she is learning to play the trombone |
1,133 | 178,470 | 76823_0 | Gold Standard as in: > an example against which others of the same type are compared > \- http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gold%20standard Any other humorous ways to refer to this? Something like "the holy mother"... |
1,134 | 178,475 | 76823_0 | In connection with my previous question - What does “make the last word on word” mean?, there was the following sentence in New Yorker’s article titled, “Salia’s word game” > “true buyer” of the handgun in question was not Bruce Abramski, who went to > the counter, filled out the forms representing himself as the purchaser, and > bought the gun, but his uncle, who had given him the money and, as arranged, > took possession of the gun just after the sale. This, to Scalia, is > sophistry. “Abramski’s uncle was not the "In his dissent, Scalia heaps > contempt on the majority’s view that the > > ‘person’ to whom the gun was ‘sold.’” The “plain language of the Act” makes > that obvious; so does “ordinary English usage.” “If I give my son $10 and > tell him to pick up milk and eggs at the store, **no English speaker would > say that the store ‘sells’ the milk and eggs to me.** ” > http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2014/06/scalia-word- > games.html?printable=true¤tPage=all#ixzz34w8wi3l5 What have the store done to "my son" in this case, "in ordinary English usage," if the store didn’t "sell" to me as Scalia asserts no English speaker would say? The store just “gave,” “handed,” “passed,” "offered," or “entrusted” milk and eggs to the boy? I’m asking what verb is used for the shopkeeper’s action to the buyer instead of “quote unquote" sell,” **regardless** the son is actual, in effect, nominal purchaser, or just an erand boy. |
1,135 | 8,036 | 76823_0 | I was vacantly reading the paper the other day when I came across a strange formation in the obituary: "he married his wife in 19XX". I was rather taken aback by this; surely he can't marry his own wife. He could attempt to marry someone else's wife, and that would be bigamy. But surely marrying one's own wife is a logical impossibility? |
1,136 | 76,202 | 76823_0 | Given this sentence, > Disease occurs only when the virus introduces its nucleic acid into a cell. Is the following inversion grammatical? > → Only when the virus introduces its nucleic acid into a cell does disease > occur. Especially the "does disease occur" part. I think that "occurs disease " is right. Can you explain a rule about this kind of sentence? |
1,137 | 76,203 | 76823_0 | When you open an English grammar book written in Japanese, you’d be puzzled or even chuckle to find Japanese translation of dangling participle – 懸垂分詞, which literally means ‘chinning exercise’ or ‘chin-up’ particle. It shows ‘Lying in my bed, everything seemed so different’ as an example. I don’t know who put ‘chin-up participle’ to dangling particle as its Japanese counterpart. At least it was named this way by an English language scholar(s) at the dawn of civilization and enlightment in Meiji era (1868 – 1911). However, I feel somewhat foreign about the naming of ‘dangling participle’ per se in comparison with present / past participle. Why was it defined as “Dangling participle”? Yes, it’s a custom, consensus, and it's the rule that you can not argue about. But I feel same awkwardness as I feel with ‘chinning exercise participle.” I thought there would have been easier and more understandable choices of the terminology than Dangling, for instances, independent, disconnected, isolated, bipolar, parallel participle, you can name it. What was the origin of “Dangling participle,” and why was it named this way? |
1,138 | 163,982 | 76823_0 | Don't answer that you make a cake and you do your homework hahaha |
1,139 | 182,066 | 76823_0 | Folk-blues artist Richie Havens, in his 1972 album "Live at the Cellar Door," made a comment about the Superman introduction which said that the Man of Steel fought for "Truth, Justice and the American Way." Havans rephrased it as a question: "'Truth, Justice AND the American Way'? I always thought that Truth and Justice WAS the American Way." He implies that the phrase was an accidental revelation by Society and the Government that pursuance of the American Way did not necessarily require the powers that be to include "Truth and Justice" -- those values could be left to aliens from another planet, like Superman, to pursue. So does the word "and" really exclude "Truth and Justice" from being the "American Way"? |
1,140 | 110,241 | 76823_0 | Is the use of the redundant "at" a regional idiosyncracy? As in "Where are you at?" when asking someone their physical location, or progress in a project? It seems to be a Chicago regional saying. |
1,141 | 143,263 | 76823_0 | When querying: > Where is your mother at? Is that considered to be proper English language usage? Alternatively, you could just state more simply: > Where is your mother? Is adding the trailing preposition considered slang here, does it have no value and should it just be eliminated? |
1,142 | 69,798 | 76823_0 | Which one is correct? > 1. I don't need to know where you work at. > 2. I don't need to know where you work. > Could you also please tell me about this rule is called in grammar so I can learn more about it? |
1,143 | 77,544 | 76823_0 | I want to use something like this in a cartoon, animated banner advertisement: > Where my employers at? or > Where my entrepreneurs at? Are there connotations of the phrase I should consider, for example is it too slangy or is its use too closely linked with hip hop culture to be acceptable in the business sector? |
1,144 | 12,583 | 76823_0 | I believe it's a British phrase. I found it in that website, as: > Fiat's Panda can offer an affordable route into 4x4 ownership. You just have > to make it Cross. If you happen to know more meanings except for the one example I've provided, please let me know. |
1,145 | 11,455 | 76823_0 | _Long time no see_ is a typical example for Chinglish, though it is said that _long time no see_ has been accepted by the mainstream English speakers. Recently, there is a neologism movement in the Mainland, and a few new Chinglish words have been invented to demonstrate the characteristics of the Mainland. The most outstanding examples (in my opinion) are: * _shitizen_ \- a citizen without citizen rights * _freedamn_ \- the freedom for _shitizens_ (no freedom) * _democrazy_ \- the democracy for _shitizens_ (no democracy) * _smilence_ \- the speeches under the _freedamn_ of speech (ref) * _z-turn_ \- to make effort in vain (zheteng (Pinyin)) Here are my questions. Has there ever been any neologism movement in the history of English? What are the criteria to adopt new words into English? |
1,146 | 15,099 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > Creating a new word The rule of thumb used to be that when a word hit the Oxford Dictionary, it was considered to be an accepted word - this, however, seems to have transitioned into a lagging indicator in the last 5 years, primarily because so many new words are being created around the technological advances/services/products which seem to dominate our lives. When does a word 'officially' become a word - usage, social impact, cultural acceptance, mass media propagation? |
1,147 | 34,889 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > Creating a new word > What are the criteria to adopt new words into English? What if I want to use the term _supertibi_ somewhere accompanying _superego_? We have _superego_ in dictionaries all over the world, but _supertibi_ is a new term morphologically based on the same components (super = great, tibi = you, ego = I) and it is not used anywhere. How can we coin new terms? Is there a formulated procedure? |
1,148 | 149,976 | 76823_0 | There are many new words being added to the dictionary at all times. These include "twerking" or "Google" but who decides if it should be in the dictionary and be an English word? Here is my theory. One super big company like Oxford, decides that this particular word should be added. Then many other companies just copy them like sheep? Show what really makes an English word an English word? |
1,149 | 184,984 | 76823_0 | I was corrected that funner is not a word. After looking into it, it seems that it is a word in the sense that it is frequently used and people know what it means. Since a word is a sound with an associated meaning, can one ever conclusively say anything is not a word? If no, then what can be said about words such as "hommie" or "dethaw" (or "bestester"). |
1,150 | 94,662 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > When does a word become a ‘word’? Someone in work asked about the welfare of my girlfriend, to which I replied "She's fine, a little be-gruntled but fine." People knew what I meant, although on reflection perhaps I should have said _disgruntled_? I'm just wondering why I said it this way, was I improperly abbreviating *to be disgruntled"? |
1,151 | 43,211 | 76823_0 | > **Possible Duplicate:** > What are the criteria to adopt new words into English? There are many words or phrases in English that are clearly of foreign origin yet become so commonplace they are indiscernible from the rest of English and make their way into English dictionaries. Examples include _deja vu_ , _carpe diem_ , _kosher_ and _rendezvous_. However, there are plenty of foreign-language phrases, such as _c'est la vie_ and _hasta la vista_ that are used in English and will probably not appear in an English dictionary or be considered English. So, how and when does a foreign word or phrase become adopted as English and how and when does it remain foreign? |
1,152 | 12,585 | 76823_0 | In some of the non-Latin-based languages that I know there is a special word for your brother's wife. Is there such a word in English? Usage would be something like: > She is my **__** (My brother's wife) |
1,153 | 95,969 | 76823_0 | I already know the expression _green envy_ or _a green hand_ , but this is the first time I heard of _green fatigues_ : > _Everyone stares at him briefly, at his congealed Wheatenea-and-lint > carcass, but no one breaks stride; and who knows how long it will be before > finally two policemen have to come in and hold their breath and scrape him > out of the gloom and into the bosom of the law, from which he will emerge > with **a set of green fatigues** , at least, and an honorable seat at night > on the subway bench._ (from the _Kandy-Kolored-Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby_ , by Thomas K. Wolfe) |
1,154 | 44,917 | 76823_0 | I hear it quite often (usually on TV or in movies) that people want to download things from their computer to an external server (or whatever external method of storage). When I hear this I cringe because I know they mean upload. When I actually think about it, something IS getting downloaded, just not from the point of view of the user. The server is actually downloading it from the client, etc. And when we download something from Facebook, for example, the Facebook server is uploading it to our computer's hard drive. Is my prior mentioned cringing appropriate? Are these words actually interchangeable? |
1,155 | 44,916 | 76823_0 | Sometimes, after people take a sip of hot coffee or tea and send it down their throat, they make this sound originating from the front of their mouth. Something like "Aaah" - exhaling a little steam. Usually to express delight in the deliciousness of the drink. Is there a word for this sound? For example: `He took a slurp from his coffee and ____ in delight.` What could go in the blank? |
1,156 | 44,915 | 76823_0 | From the definitions of these two types of figures of speech (tropes, if you will), I have always understand them to mean the same thing. Essentially, that is the usage of either a specific attribute or a generalisation of a thing to refer to that thing. Could anyone perhaps qualify the difference between a _synecdoche_ and _metonym_ ; is one a sub-category of another, are these essentially equivalent, or are they mutually exclusive in some subtle way? |
1,157 | 44,914 | 76823_0 | _Awfully_ is a word, as noted in Merriam-Webster's definition of awful. I recently said this: > Your snoring is **awfully** bad. I was in a group, and the majority agreed that _awful_ was correct: > Your snoring is **awful** bad. Which is correct: _awful bad_ or _awfully bad_ , and why? |
1,158 | 123,051 | 76823_0 | In _Lord of the Flies_ , there is a paragraph: > This toy of voting was almost as pleasing as the conch. Jack started to > protest but the clamor changed from the general wish for a chief to an > election by acclaim of Ralph himself. None of the boys could have found good > reason for this; what intelligence had been shown was traceable to Piggy > while the most obvious leader was Jack. But there was a stillness about > Ralph as he sat that marked him out: there was his size, and attractive > appearance; and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch. > The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with > the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart. I just can't understand the last sentence: > The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with > the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart. Could anyone please paraphrase or interpret that sentence for me? |
1,159 | 123,050 | 76823_0 | In a square, which is the correct term: 'upper-left corner' or 'top-left corner'? To be more specific: in the context "the x-coordinate of the upper-left/top- left corner", which should I use? |
1,160 | 95,962 | 76823_0 | Can anyone explain to me the usage of the words "might as well do something" for these two expressions. The definition on the web is very vague, it says > a phrase indicating that it is probably better to do something than not to > do it. 1: If you are going all the way to [some place], you might as well pick [something] up. 2: If someone is still not happy, then they might as well just hang themselves. |
1,161 | 95,964 | 76823_0 | I hear this all the time, and often from writers, but it never sounds _right_. I found myself using it in something I was writing. For example: "Just because I stopped eating doesn't mean I'm full." Just the "just because A, doesn't mean B" sentence structure in general. Is it grammatically correct? If not, why not? |
1,162 | 139,934 | 76823_0 | What's wrong in this phrase? Yesterday I was talking with a russian ... My teacher putted like wrong "a russian". |
1,163 | 109,904 | 76823_0 | In Harry Potter’s story, **Fluffy** is a monstrous looking dog with three heads. But if I look up dictionaries the word might have the meaning of ‘very cute fluffy dog’, I thought. So I like to call him ‘bok-shee-ree’(복실이) in Korean – it generally means a cute puppy or a kind looking girl. I wonder what kind of images do English natives recall, except the Harry Potter’s Fluffy, when they hear the word? |
1,164 | 160,250 | 76823_0 | I researched help and examples on the uses of the word _nay_ but found these inadequate/insubstantial. The Free Dictionary has described: > 1. an archaic or dialect (except in voting by voice) word for no > 2. (noun) a. a person who votes in the negative b. a negative vote > 3. (adverb) (sentence modifier) an emphatic form of no > as an instance for an adverb, I found the following line: > and not only so but; not only that but also; indeed: many good, _nay_ , > noble qualities. I see _nay_ in the latter example as one that contains a compound connotation(s.) so could the same example be re-written in the following ways? a)"not only did he have (many) good qualities, he had noble ones too" or b)"not only were his qualities good, they were noble too" I'm very uncertain and critical as to how _nay_ is understood to describe the situations a) and b) because I understood all along that _nay_ was another word for no. I'm looking for a detailed review and examples of the meaning and utilisation of nay |
1,165 | 126,667 | 76823_0 | Is there a secular alternative to the phrase "preaching to the choir"? |
1,166 | 109,902 | 76823_0 | I read this in a text book: > My test is on 22th of June. I saw this in a YouTube tutorial: > My test is at 22th of June. Which sentence uses the right preposition? |
1,167 | 150,369 | 76823_0 | I found two noun words such as Specificity and Specification. When can we use Specificity over specification. |
1,168 | 65,068 | 76823_0 | Here, in the place where I am being hosted, almost every evening there is an event usually called "burlesque". * Is "burlesque" normally used by Americans? * How is the word used generally? In what context do we refer to this word? |
1,169 | 127,537 | 76823_0 | Please consider the following sentences: "It's part of the life." "It's a part of the life." What is the difference in the meaning between these sentences? Why is it allowed to omit the article in the first sentence? Thank you in advance. |
1,170 | 127,534 | 76823_0 | I work in a company which has a product called "Boogie" (for reasons that the original owner knows). The product has been called that way for years in our French Canadian environment. Our few English Canadian clients are used to that name. Now, somebody said that the word "Boogie" does not sound good in English. It would have some negative connotation. Is that true? What would be the negative meaning attached to that word? I ask the question because people are thinking about changing the name of the product, which is no small task. |
1,171 | 65,060 | 76823_0 | Is 'paprika' the English word describing mild red condiment consisting of the dried finely ground pods of various sweet peppers? I have noticed that 'paprika' is rarely used for this pourpose by other cooks. Note: I am a cook in foreign country. |
1,172 | 158,178 | 76823_0 | In Swedish there is a word "präktig" that can be used to describe a person that is annoyingly decent, reliable and good in every way. The common translation is "splendid" but that doesn't sound derogatory at all. "Pompous" is the closest I've come, but that is a character flaw and doesn't really fit. So is there an English word that can be used to describe a perfect person that also indicates that he/she is too perfect? |
1,173 | 157,427 | 76823_0 | If I write `Mr. ABC, President of the XYZ Corporation, . . .` do I need to use `the` before `President`? I know it is must when we are mentioning organizations, but what about designation (more specifically, designation with organization, if it matters at all)? |
1,174 | 158,177 | 76823_0 | If you have the following sentence: if you got an even number of a's and b's What does even mean? The sentence can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feAikjPqOq8 last seconds of the video. |
1,175 | 154,849 | 76823_0 | A campaign means: > an organized course of action to achieve a goal A movement means: > a group of people working together to advance their shared political, > social, or artistic ideas Are there any differences between them? |
1,176 | 120,628 | 76823_0 | I think many foreigners who have lived or worked in Japan heard this set of words, “Honne 本音– real intent” and “Tatemae 建前– outward reason.” Actually many expatriate colleagues I had worked with in office used to use “Honne and Tatemae” as it is in Japanese. According to Kenkyusha’s Japanese English Dictionary (KJED), Honne is ‘one’s real intention, underlining motif.' Tatemae is ‘principle, a rule, one’s public position’ For example, we use “Honne” and Tatemae” as in, * What you are saying is Tatemae. You cannot live only on Tatemae. Look at the reality. * He says he decided to live apart from his wife, considering the convenience of commuting office, but it’s Tatemae. His Honne is to get divorced from her. * The company says they transfer a group of middle managers to the frontline of sales force to give them a chance for self-development. But it’s Tatemae. The company’s Honne is to get rid of them. * North Korea says development of the rocket is for space exploration purpose. But it’s Tatemae, their Honnne is development of ICBMs with nuclear-head. I’m fine with the KJED’s definition of ‘Honne’ as one’s real intent, but not comfortable with the definition of ‘Tatemae’ as a principal and rule, because it isn’t principal or rule, but is outward / superficial, sometimes a disguised excuse (reason / claim) as shown above. Interestingly, Google Ngram shows that the usage of ‘Honne’ can be traced back to circa. 184o, which had been leveling off at 0.000001 emergence level until 1980, when it suddenly started to draw a sharp rise in combination with ‘Tatemae’ to 0.000005 level. I don’t know what made a leap of the incidences of both words during 1980 – 2000. With that said, do you have a set pair of words in English corresponding to ‘Honne and Tatemae’? Do you have the time to have to manipulate Honne and Tatemae in your actual life, as we do, not very often, but as needed? Could you suggest to me English alternatives that you think are closest to the original meanings of ‘Honne and Tatemae’? |
1,177 | 13,984 | 76823_0 | How would you describe the pronunciation of _r_ to somebody who speaks English as second language? |
1,178 | 13,987 | 76823_0 | I lately learnt these three words of similar meanings: _peel_ , _pare_ , and _skin_. In what case do you use each of them? Could you give me example sentences along with a concise description for each? |
1,179 | 13,980 | 76823_0 | Why, in American English, is the word _Italy_ is pronounced /ˈɪdəli/ and not /ˈɪtəli/? What is the rule that is followed in the pronunciation of _Italy_ to make the letter t pronounced like a d? Why is the same rule not followed for _Italian_ , which is pronounced /əˈtæljən/ or /ɪˈtæljən/? |
1,180 | 13,983 | 76823_0 | Is it correct to say that, nowadays, English has the dative case, or was it only present in Old English? |
1,181 | 184,838 | 76823_0 | I am not sure about the usage of the word “restriction”. I would like to use it in a sentence like: “This video has some distribution and/or age restrictions”. Can I use “has some” or is there a better way? |
1,182 | 22,749 | 76823_0 | To my mind this: > Entity foo varies seemingly at random. is semantically equivalent to this: > Entity foo varies, seemingly, at random. However, is this necessarily the case? What alternative, dissimilar interpretations might exist for each sentence? |
1,183 | 160,869 | 76823_0 | I was wondering where the term 'button-down' comes from. I tried to do some research but I was not very successful... How was the word button-down formed? Is it a compound ? Does it originate from the noun "button", which then became the verb "to button" meaning to fasten? Then, how did it become an adjective ? If the adjective "button-down" originates from the verb "to button (stg) down", shouldn't the adjective be "buttoned-down"? If so, how did it change to become only "button-down" ? I looked up etymonline and the online merriam-webster but could not find any answer. Can anybody answer this ? |
1,184 | 192,947 | 76823_0 | I can't quite find a good word to describe someone who is networked, or has connections. Particularly business wise. Only thing I can think of is "associations", but doesn't quite fit the mold because it needs to be a skill. |
1,185 | 160,866 | 76823_0 | > With only a handful of commands, the SQL data statements look deceptively > simple. In my opinion, many of the available SQL books help to foster this > notion by only skimming the surface of what is possible with the language. > However, if you are going to work with SQL, it behooves you to understand > fully the capabilities of the language and how different features can be > combined to produce powerful results. I feel that this is the only book that > provides detailed coverage of the SQL language without **the added benefit > of doubling as a “door stop”** (you know, those 1,250-page “complete > references” that tend to gather dust on people’s cubicle shelves). What is exactly **doubling as a door stop** supposed to mean? Does it mean that you are going to use that big reference book, if you purchased one instead of this one that you're reading, as a second door stop because the book is useless and because your door stop is not good enough to hold your door ajar? |
1,186 | 155,469 | 76823_0 | What's the actual meaning to "throw down something" as in "His offer was thrown down"? Is it the same as saying "His offer was rejected", or is it like saying that the offer was made for consideration? The definition given by FOE is [http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/throw%20down) But, please consider the definition given by MW source, plus these sourced examples: > US investment bank Goldman Sachs today threw down an offer of 810p a share > source>/ > > My MIL offered before I left to do a Skype shower with her family and I > threw down the idea because I thought it would be awkward. source > > It was raining, as it did most of the time. We were on the Sumshine Coast, > so Gus threw down the idea of hitting "the pub" for tea. source > > I immediately threw down the offer to write a review... source > > I didn't want to force him so I threw down the offer that when we were done > we were going out for ice creams! source > > There was a low sound of impatience from the person at the writing table, > and a rustle of paper as the plan was thrown down. source > > Another idea was thrown down. The idea was from Ron Clements. source > > Instead they threw down their offer.source > > ...he was a stiff and threw down my offer instantly.source > > The offer was thrown down and the old bark taken to Clifton to tie up for > the winter. source > > Some of the aldermen, it said, are in favor of the plan to add a story to > the building, which plan was thrown down by the council. source > > When mankind wished to build a tower to reach the heavens where God was, > their project was thrown down. source > > If this project was thrown down at a Staff Meeting... source |
1,187 | 158,280 | 76823_0 | In what ways did the points made by the writer in the introduction contradicts her conclusion? (in the question listed above, shouldn't "contradicts" be written as "contradict" - since we are referring to the "points" made by the writer?) |
1,188 | 19,221 | 76823_0 | The discussion on the meaning and connotations of the world 'Oriental' got me thinking along similar lines on the usage of 'Western' world or 'the West' to denote North America and Europe. I find it interesting how in many situations Africa and Latin America aren't considered belonging to the 'West', even though in a strictly longitudinal sense they _are_ to the west of 'the East' / 'Orient'. Has anyone come across situations where using 'the West' is considered pejorative, and, if yes, what alternative terms are / can be used? |
1,189 | 158,285 | 76823_0 | How can I describe when you want "sell" your image, sell how good you are at your job, for example? What phrase or idiom can I use for that? Here in Brazil (Portuguese) we have a metaphor like: "He sells his fish...", which means that the guy did his job very well. Is there something like this in English? |
1,190 | 84,694 | 76823_0 | I am having a hard time understanding the following Logan Pearsall Smith quote: > People say that life is the thing, but I prefer reading. Googling didn't help much other than whose quote it is. What exactly does the above quote mean? |
1,191 | 155,463 | 76823_0 | I'm trying to think of a name for a game I'm creating. Since it's underwater I thought of "Feral Waters". Can you say that in English or is it rubbish? |
1,192 | 192,145 | 76823_0 | I'm looking for a word which can be used in any situation to describe something in whatever way you want, i.e it's not a word and just fits in to places..., but is there an actual word which does that? |
1,193 | 81,562 | 76823_0 | > You people were irreverent to POP's speech. irreverent = _disrespectful - flippant - impious_ Is it a correct sentence according to syntax and semantics? If it can be written in a better way, please post your example sentence. |
1,194 | 69,695 | 76823_0 | I was chatting with a non native speaker and they said "we will connect nails with heads" or something along that line, and asked if that was the right way to say it in English. I knew what he meant: "get things done" but wasn't sure if that was a common thing to say. So is there a colloquialism involving nails and heads (or hammers) that means to get things done or produce results, and what is the common way of saying it? |
1,195 | 192,142 | 76823_0 | Now, a friend over the internet wanted me to explain the passive voice to him. He began by providing his story's "readability statistics" of Microsoft Word, which said that 7% of his sentences were passive. Luckily, this story was at my disposal, so I investigated whether the statistic was correct or not. Then I came to this sentence: > There was something placed on the table... First off, existential sentences are "newish" to me, but I believe that to be one. I also believe it's passive, but I'm unsure. I made several google searches, with only one outside of google books (the book was probably too advanced for me) talking about it. Now the reason that I think that is passive is the same reason why the person made that post (but in reverse). When turned into a nonexistential sentence it is passive (EDIT: I've been notified that the nonexistential sentence doesn't correspond to _was placed_ but rather _had been placed_ ): > Something had been placed on the table [by X]... Although, another reading could be that it isn't passive. _Placed on the table_ may be seen as a (past) participial phrase modifying _something_. This interpretation seems untenable to me. So am I right to think that this is a passive existential sentence? |
1,196 | 69,697 | 76823_0 | Is ‘There is no there there’ a normal and very natural expression? I was amused to find the phrase, ‘ _There is no there there’_ in the article titled, ‘Wrong resume’ in today’s New York Times commenting on Mitt Romney’s proposition for amending the Constitution to require the President to have at least three years business experience before he could become president of the United States.’. It reads: “Romney has made business experience the main reason to elect him. Without his business past or his projections of business future, **there is no there there**. But history shows that time in the money trade is more often than not a prelude to a disastrous presidency. The less experience in business, the better the president.” I interpreted ‘there is no there there’ means ‘without his business experience, there is no place of success that he enjoys today. Though spell- checker keeps demanding me to delete one of three theres there from the text I’m typing in, I don’t think there’s any grammatical problem with this line. However, it makes me hiccup for unknown reason. Is this just a pun of words played by the writer? Is it 'cool' or a very normal and natural expression? |
1,197 | 154,595 | 76823_0 | I have googled this one and seen arguments for both sides. _Say your piece_ would imply that you've had the opportunity to make your part of the statement on the subject. _Say your peace_ would imply that you've had the opportunity to speak and set your mind at ease. Clearly, they both make perfect sense in those contexts. To be clear, I want to know which is the form used by most people? |
1,198 | 81,569 | 76823_0 | Although the phrase "sweep me off my feet" probably means, "make me fall in love with you in a short time", what does it exactly mean, because "sweeping" can be difficult to be associated with "love". (It can be difficult to read the words "sweeping" and "feet" to get a feeling that it means love). Below is one of its usage in Steve Jobs's letter to his wife: > We didn’t know much about each other twenty years ago. We were guided by our > intuition; you swept me off my feet. It was snowing when we got married at > the Ahwahnee. Years passed, kids came, good times, hard times, but never bad > times. Our love and respect has endured and grown. We’ve been through so > much together and here we are right back where we started 20 years > ago—older, wiser— with wrinkles on our faces and hearts. We now know many of > life’s joys, sufferings, secrets and wonders and we’re still here together. > My feet have never returned to the ground. -- Steve Jobs |
1,199 | 81,568 | 76823_0 | Is there a grammatical point difference in the following 2 sentences: Please let me know **what is the plan**. Please let me know **what the plan is**. I am so used to the first method that I think that it is actually the wrong way of saying it, due to habitual direct translations from my mother tongue. |
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