title: A person or entity that decides how an obligation should be fulfilled

text: Let's say that I caused some nasty accident and someone was hurt and a judge told me that I have an obligation to amend their damage somehow. However, some other person (or entity) will decide _how_ these damages should be amended. E.g. paying the claimant 1000$ or helping mow their lawn for a month. What could this person be called in this context? Something more graceful than _damage-fulfilment-decider_.


title: Meaning of “a rage of vision”?

text: What is the meaning of “had sent him a rage of vision” in this excerpt: > The old man was in a position to know what his ideas were. He had lived for > three months in the nephew's house on what he had thought at the time was > Charity but what he said he had found out was not Charity or anything like > it. All the time he had lived there, the nephew had secretly been making a > study of him. The nephew, who had taken him in under the name of Charity, > had at the same time been creeping into his soul by the back door, asking > him questions that meant more than one thing, planting traps around the > house and watching him fall into them, and finally coming up with a written > study of him for a schoolteacher magazine. The stench of his behaviour had > reached heaven and the Lord Himself had rescued the old man. He **_had sent > him a rage of vision_** , had told him to fly with the orphan boy to the > farthest part of the backwoods and raise him up to justify his Redemption. > The Lord had assured him a long life and he had snatched the baby from under > the schoolteacher's nose and taken him to live in[…]” From the book _The Violent Bear It Away_ , by Flannery O’Connor (ch.1, p.4).


title: "Consist in" vs. "consist of"

text: I would like to have this clear once and for all: What is the correct use of consist in / consist of? > "Meditation consists in/of attentive watchfulness." > > "The body consists in/of cells." More examples of correct and incorrect use would be appreciated.


title: Describing a well-respected person who is welcomed in a foreign country

text: Is there an English term to describe someone who is welcomed with high respect in a country, for example, the Chinese vice president on a recent trip to the US?


title: What does “Mitt Romney pretends to be a Nascar, cheesy-grits guy” mean?

text: In New York Times (March 17) article titled, “Is Elvis a Mormon?” Maureen Dowd criticizes Mitt Romney as his manner being so “inauthentic.” She says: > “You can’t find him anywhere. Is he the guy he was on Wednesday or the guy > he was on Thursday?” and then, > “Mitt works overtime pretending he’s _a Nascar, cheesy-grits guy_ and > masking his pride in his bank account and faith.” To me, Nascar is the abbreviation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. Does this mean he enjoys car racing as a racing driver? As for cheesy –grits, www.mrfoodcom defines it as “a recipe for classic down- home cheese grits is chock-full of sharp Cheddar cheese.” What does Mitt Romney pretends to be _a Nascar, cheesy-grits guy_? What do “a Nascar” and “Cheesy-grits” symbolize? Is Dowd trying to say Romney wants to be seen by voters, just as a commonplace person and a docile husband, not a plutocratic politician?


title: Where does the phrase "on end" come from?

text: The phrase "on end" means "without end". It very much sounds like the German "ohn End" which itself is the short form of "ohne Ende". Is this etymologically the right direction? (Sometimes these similarities are misleading!)


title: Is there any other literary technique other than metaphor in the following quote?

text: I'm writing an essay required for school, involving the analysis of texts. > “remove **the shackles of prejudice and intolerance** ” I was wondering if there is any other literary technique in the above quote, other than just a metaphor? > Context: These, then, are our common hopes that unite us -- that as **the > shackles of prejudice and intolerance** fall from our own limbs we can > together strive to identify and remove the impediments to human development > everywhere. The mechanisms by which this great task is to be achieved > provided the proper focus of this great Forum. I feel sure that women > throughout the world who, like me, cannot be with you join me now in sending > you all our prayers and good wishes for a joyful and productive meeting.


title: Is it okay to make up your own words at times?

text: Let's say you're writing an essay and you want to convey a message as concisely as possible with a time-constraint on your hands, and you don't really get the right words.   Is it okay to make up words to express what you want to say, as in "the stock prices dropped so low,the entire company was 'blue-d' out" (as opposed to severely demotivated)?


title: Does the position of "while" in a sentence affect its meaning?

text: "While I hate to watch TV, my wife loves it very much." (self-made) When denoting a contrast, "while" is to be in the beginning of the first clause. I complained about the unfair competition in getting the official position in the government, while my father told me that he was ruled out from the Union because of his ethnicity. (self-made) In this sentence, "while" means no contrast, just that something happens at the same time. It seems, to mean "happen at the same time", "while" better be situated in the second clause. Is it so?


title: Can I say a spirit conveyed by something?

text: Confucius already manifests a spirit perfectly conveyed by these words of a much later text : “ If a foreigner comes to China, and lives like a Chinese, then treat him as a Chinese. (self-made) I am not sure about the notion that "a spirit conveyed by these words" is a good expression, although I know "message conveyed in.." is good. Shall I changed it into: Confucius already manifests a spirit best embodied/best illustrated in these words of a much later text?


title: Use of colon when addressing someone

text: When addressing someone in an email (I understand grammar rules are pretty loose in this medium), should the sentence after the colon start with a capitalized letter? For example: > _Example A:_ > > I'm going to bring my car. David: What about you? > > _Example B:_ > > I'm going to bring my car. David: what about you? If a colon is the incorrect punctuation used in this scenario, please feel free to correct me.


title: What do you call the objects shown in this picture?

text: If I'm not wrong, the girl shown in the picture below is called 'majorette', a girl who entertains the audience at football games with their spectacular performances, or something similar. I don't know. However, what are the things indicated by the red arrows called? I try to search something, but I didn't have luck. ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/SLvSe.png)


title: Is there a word to convey something that is barely in your sight lines?

text: So you have a piece of dead skin on your nose. Every once in a while something bothers you but you don't know what it is. Then you realize you keep seeing the dead skin flake. Is there a term to describe this? Note: I should have mentioned this from the beginning, but my bad, peripheral is not what I am looking for. I would tend to use this for field of vision on the outside corner of my eyes. Looking for a word that convey something - either above or below - that may be on your face. I am looking for that "hazy" area that you see the tip of your nose or eyebrows or the occasional cheek.


title: What is a word to describe how something bad looks good because it is being contrasted with something worse?

text: I was wondering if there was any word or terminology for any such literary device that uses this effect.


title: "Screwed" vs. "nailed": why is the slang so different?

text: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/CnFtA.jpg) While the two names _nail_ and _screw_ have similar shapes and functions, why do the verbs differ so much? _Someone has screwed something_ sounds like they have ruined something to me, while _someone has nailed something_ sounds like they have successfully accomplished the thing. So why have these similar words acquired this much dissimilarity? From Merriam-Webster: > **Screw:** > > (1) : to mistreat or exploit through extortion, trickery, or unfair actions; > especially : to deprive of or cheat out of something due or expected (2) : > to treat so as to bring about injury or loss (as to a person's reputation) > —often used as a generalized curse * * * > **Nail:** > > to perform or complete perfectly or impressively From Urban Dictionary (which I am aware is not a reliable source, but sometimes it can be helpful): > **Screwed** > >   1. To be in serious trouble. >   2. A word describing something in a state of disrepair. >   3. A word to describe a person who is heavily under the influence of > alcohol and/or narcotic material, to an extent where it affects their > behavioural patterns. > >     1. "When my parents found out I killed their parrot, I'm screwed!" >     2. "Wow, someone screwed that car up pretty bad!" >     3. "Wow, that guy is screwed!" > * * * > **Nailed** > > Having completed a task with great accuracy. > > "A+! I nailed that test." > > or > > "I threw the rock and, nailed that guy between the eyes!" * * * * * * ## Update: It would be invaluable, if someone could elaborate more on the historical etymology of these definitions as well.


title: What does "Chintzy Voice" mean?

text: I've come across the phrase, used in the sentence below, while I was reading a novel written by Raymond Chandler. "I'm Miss Vermilea, Mr. Umney's secretary," She said in a rather **chintzy voice**. I looked up the word "chintzy", and still can't understand what it tries to describe.


title: "They do not agree --neither with ... nor with ...": Wrong?

text: "The significant effects proposed by the 5 packages do not agree -- **neither** with each other **nor** with the book." Is this really wrong? I know the rule about using neither/nor only with affirmative statements, but it just feels so right. I'm proofreading a text and wanted to add this. But the grammar check insists that it's incorrect (I know, not always reliable). I was hoping that setting it apart with the double-hyphen would separate it sufficiently from the affirmative verb.


title: 'Is also on the works' or 'is also in the works', which is correct?

text: An android version of the app is also on the works. or An android version of the app is also in the works. Which is correct?


title: How to write a pair of pairs without sounding awkward

text: I am attempting to write a list of pairs of people, like so: "The pairings are Bob and Jane, Joe and Mary, and Fred and Ashley." This works fine in that the comma lets you know where each pairing is broken up. However, if I only have two pairings, I'm not entirely sure how to phrase that. Both options I can think of look incredibly awkward to me, and I'd like to know which is the preferred way of phrasing it (or if there is another way that I did not mention). Option 1 is "The pairings are Bob and Jane and Joe and Mary." without a comma, which is hard to parse. Option 2 is "The pairings are Bob and Jane, and Joe and Mary.", which looks awkward to me because there are only two things in the list, and usually you omit the comma for that. Any help on this would be much appreciated.


title: Is it grammatical to say "the batmen"?

text: As far as I know, the five actors to have played the role of Batman in films are Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Christian Bale. Is it grammatical to call them "the batmen"?


title: "for which" usage

text: I am writing comments to my algorithm and I used this sentence to describe one variable. But I am not entirely sure if it makes sense and if I used commas right. > id of node, for which, program is currently creating blocks It should mean that "program is currently creating blocks for node with id" (but id has to be a subject)


title: "Text" vs "literature" to refer to technical writings?

text: When you want to refer to technical writings of a field, do you use **text** or **literature**? For example, which sentence is more common and more correct?   1. In music _literature_ , micro-tonal describes ...   2. In music _texts_ , micro-tonal describes ...


title: Why do they call it a "movement" in music? Is this a metaphor?

text: I can't understand this. In symphony you hear the word "movement" to refer to independent sections. But it seems that it's not really that relevant. Movement almost everywhere has something to do with **motion**. Is this nomenclature a kind of metaphor for something in music, like moving from one section to another?


title: "On the one/other hand" vs. "on the one/other side"

text: There are two slightly different expressions which do mean the exact same thing, these are: >   * On the one hand [...]. on the other hand [...] >   * On the one side [...]. on the other side [...] > Is using _side_ here correct? I'm sure the _hand_ version is tremendously widespread, whereas the _side_ version just shows up from time to time. My English teacher always told me "'on the one side..., and on the other...' does not exist!", however I do see it sometimes. So is it grammatical or not?


title: How to write that I used a graphic from another source and modified it?

text: I'm writing a thesis in English (I'm from Germany) in which I'll use a graphic from a book that I modified just a little bit. How do write it correctly? >   * see [source], slightly modified. >   * slightly modified from [source]. >


title: Word for someone who loves bright colours

text: How do we call a person having deep love towards bright colours (like he loves to wear very brightly-coloured clothes)?


title: Our coach forbids (us) 'drinking'/'to drink'

text: In my grammar book "Grammatica Inglese Facile (Simple English Grammar)" I read that the following sentences are both correct: >   * Our coach _forbids drinking_. > >   * Our coach _forbids us to drink_. > > But the book adds that the latter cannot rewritten in this way: >   * Our coach _forbids us drinking_. > However the book doesn't explain its last statement, thus I'm asking if someone can explain whether what the book states true is. If so, why?


title: What is the name of the Division line?

text: What is the name of the horizontal division line? Is there a name for it other than "division line? ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/JoYwN.png)


title: Do I update or renew my eyewear prescription?

text: If I'm going to the optometrist to get a pair of new lenses with a new prescription for my glasses, do I say I'm going to _renew_ , or I'm going to _update_ my prescription?


title: How can I properly indicate a "day off" in a tournament using "sports terms"?

text: When showing a tournament calendar with an odd number of teams, how can I say (in sport terms) to indicate the team that is not playing on a given match day? For example a tournament with five teams (A, B , C , D, and E): > A vs B > > C vs D > > E "has a day off"


title: Isn't "dummy" in "HTML Parser for Dummies" considered offensive?

text: What does "dummy" mean here (in the section _Getting Started_ )? > **Getting Started**   >  For novice users, an introductory guide on how to set up your environment > to use the HTML Parser is provided in HTML Parser for **Dummies**. Does it mean _stupid person_? If it does, isn't it too offensive to use like that?


title: Is there any other idiom for "Hundred blows of goldsmith is comparable to one blow of iron-smith"?

text: The idiom `Hundred blows of goldsmith is comparable to one blow of iron-smith` comes from a hindi idiom _"Sau sunar ki, ek lohar ki"_. Literal meaning is > _One powerful blow is comparable to a hundred smaller blows_. The figurative meaning is > _One tactic from a smart man is equal to the hundreds tactics of an idiot._ Or can be used in a fighting/boxing > One knockout is better than hundred punches. I'm looking for another idiom or small phrase to use.


title: If I write this sentence in others ways, what differences do you think they will bring to native speakers?

text: I just read the following sentence in the text book _New Concept English_ : > A public house which was recently bought by Mr. Thompson is up for sale. My question is, how is it different from saying > A public house which has been recently bought by Mr. Thompson is up for > sale. In other words, if the present perfect is used instead of the simple past, what are the differences? Lastly, how is either different from saying: > A public house which Mr. Thompson bought is up for sale.


title: Is it always possible to inverse the subject and the verb?

text: I am wondering whether we can invert the subject and the verb in english. Ex (illustrative only): > A car is provided to the players. The keys must be retrieved at the office. would become > Is provided a car to the players, whose keys must be retrieved at the > office. > > In the house, there exists a gohst would become > in the house exists a gohst


title: Captures or capture the imagination

text: Which of these two sentences is the correct one please? "[Store X is] the preferred place to shop for unique decor items that **capture** the imaginations of children" or "[Store X is] the preferred place to shop for unique decor items that **captures** the imaginations of children" **EDIT:** The decor items being the item that capture the imagination of children.


title: Is the usage "God only knows" correct?

text: I was watching a movie last night and a character, when asked a question, replies, "God only knows". Is that the correct usage? It sounds to me as if God just knows stuff and can't do anything about it, if you know what I mean. Isn't "Only God knows." more appropriate?


title: "Baby blues" - metonomy or synechdoche?

text: I understand the basic difference between _metonymy_ and _synecdoche_ (thanks in part to this question) but got stumped on "baby blues" as another way of saying eyes. Am I right that it is synecdoche as the "blue" iris is a part of the eye, even though blue is an attribute of the iris rather than the iris itself? **Edit:** An example of what I mean by "baby blues" for eyes is "She looked away, tears sparkling in her baby blues."


title: what percentile? 99th percentile!

text: I have used it many times and without a problem until one day, a tyke asked me, "why is it 99th percentile and not just 99"? I don't know how to explain it to him. Then I thought, jeez, I don't know myself. can anyone explain? I have found out so many definitions given online but I couldn't connect with any of them. they only had examples of its usage and no account of why it was so. so why is it called 99th percentile?


title: What does "burning the candle at both ends" mean?

text: I was reading some random book and came across this idiom.   Can anybody explain the meaning?


title: "Amount of boxes" vs "number of boxes" in non discrete graph

text: I have a graph where I show number of boxes that a machine can service per minute. The data may not always give a whole number (for example, a machine may be able to service 2.3 boxes / per minute). I am wondering how to label the axes on this graph. I have observed that _number_ tends to be used for integer quantities (for instance, _number of people_ , or *number of potatoes), whereas _amount_ is used for uncountable quantities, that often have fractions (such as _1.5 gallons of paint_ ). Which should I use to label my graph, _number of boxes_ or _amount of boxes_?


title: "Choices" vs. "options"

text: Are the two words synonyms? Is it grammatically correct to say "you have two choices, this or that?" Isn't that one choice? Should it not be "you have one choice, this or that" or "you have two options, this or that?". For two choices, don't you need a minimum of three options?


title: Is there a word for someone who loves blood but is not a vampire?

text: Is there an English word for someone who loves blood but is not a vampire? I just saw Excision (2012) and this question came to my mind.


I have a technical sentence that is: > The lower the mixing paramter, the more obvious the clustering structure and > thus _the easier to identify_ the correct clustering structure. My question is about the italic part of the sentence i.e. the easier to identify. Is that grammatically correct? Or I should use something like "the easier the correct clustering structure is to be identified" or "the easier it is to identify the correct clustering structure" or anything else? If the technical words make no sense, this is the simplified version of my question: > The cheaper the car, the easier to buy it. Is the above sentence correct? Thanks in advance.


title: Is the use of the phrase "left as an exercise for the reader" appropriate for technical documents?

text: I'm updating a technical document, and the phrase "left as an exercise for the reader" is used twice. However, that phrase is something that just irks me, so I'm thinking about removing it and revising those sentences. One of the instances is this quotation: > ...a precise account of the principles and practices is left as an exercise > for the reader. So I have two questions:   1. Is this phrase one that can be considered appropriate for technical writing?   2. Is there a better way to phrase this idea in a technical document? If so, what is it?


title: What is "Got it!" short for?

text: When you say "got it", what is it short for? Is it for:   * I have it?   * I have got it?   * I have gotten it?   * I got it? _(Is this even valid?)_   * Something else? Also: What is the tense of the verb?


title: Occupation vs. Job vs. Employment vs. Profession

text: What's the difference between those, if any? (In the U.S., in case it matters.) * * * ### Edit: Well, the reason I ask is that Google+ has both an "Employment" section and an "Occupation" section. :P Confused me as to what that meant.


title: Usage of "flock" for a singular subject

text: > Turned on by by his pheromones, she flocked to him. Can we use _flock_ when we have a singular subject? What might be a better alternative to the verb? Something like _ran_ , but with a connotation of immediacy.


title: "There are two parts on this spreadsheet" vs. "there are two parts in this spreadsheet"

text: >   * There are two parts on this spreadsheet >   * There are two parts in this spreadsheet > Which is grammatical? And what is the preferred usage? By _parts_ I mean some data or information（pictures, production's name, etc.).


title: Ellipsis in noun phrases with possessive case

text: Can you omit the second occurrence of the word "poems" in a sentence like the following?               I like Lord Byron's poems, and also enjoy a number of Percy Shelley's [poems].


title: A question of articles!

text: There are 2 citations related to the question. > Bankruptcy of a corporation does not in itself cause dissolution. > > A partnership may be dissolved by agreement of the parties. I reckon, in the first sentence, "bankruptcy" needs an article before itself to make sense because it is also okay; but why, here, the writer did not use it? because of nuance? or because it is academic? The same with the second sentence: why not "the agreement of the parties," but "agreement of the parties?" The two sentences are from the same book, an introductory book of law. Thanks for any help!


title: "Differ to", "differ with" or "differ from"

text: In what ways are _differ to_ , _differ with_ and _differ from_ different? Providing examples would be really appreciated.


title: Use of single and plural in the sentence structure "one of ______ is..."

text: Hi I want to clarify in the following sentence: > "One of the processes is brought by aversive emotional responses, and is > likely to be controlled by the xxxxx pathway." We usually use "One of the **__** " followed by singular verb "is". However "emotional responses" is plural? Is this correct? Second following question would be - should I still use "is likely" or "are likely" Thanks.


title: "From time to time"

text: Aside from the usual meanings in common parlance, what writers want to to say by the expression "from time to time", mainly in financial contract wording? It doesn't seem to me that they want to convey the idea of "occasionally" and so forth. For instance, in contracts you can see phrases such as > The meeting will be adjourned from time to time and from place to place. I think that if I can get the meaning for "from time to time", I'll tackle the "from place to place" wording.


title: "The childrens' blankets" or "The children's blankets"

text: I know that when we're talking about something that is possessed collectively by all children it is "children's". What about a scenario where one of the possessed nouns belongs to each individual child?


title: “Shooting themselves in the foot/feet”: Which is preferred?

text: To “shoot oneself in the foot” is to do something harmful to oneself by accident. How should this phrase be worded to apply to several people?   * This is provided to stop people from shooting themselves in the **foot**.   * This is provided to stop people from shooting themselves in the **feet**. The people don’t all share a single foot; on the other hand, using _feet_ just doesn’t seem right. Are there parallel examples?


title: Is “get sb / sth off the way” an accepted idiom or ‘theatrical nerd’s line’?

text: There was the following sentence in New York Times (December 12) article, titled “Govern in poetry”: > This guy can write and he can speak, but he’s put those talents in a drawer > for much of his presidency. In just the last few weeks, though, Obama has > shown that his lyrical gifts could still **get him off a road** leading to > yet another mediocre presidency. Strangely enough neither Cambridge nor Oxford English Dictionary carries “get sb. sth off a road” as an idiom, while GoogleNGram shows that the usage of “get off the road” emerged around 1900, tailed off during 1930 through early 1980, picked up again around 1986 (still low at 0.000000019% emergence level in 2009). Urban Dictionary defines “get off the road” as: > this phrase is widely used among many of the "nerd" factions, mostly used in > conjunction with the popular theatrical line from the movie: Fellowship of > the Ring. Getting off the road implies removing oneself from harms (I think > this should be “harmful”) way. Now my question: Is “get sb, sth off the road” accepted as an idiom, or is it just a ‘theatrical term’ meaning removing oneself as Urban Dictionary defines?


title: Word or phrase for "make someone see dreams"

text: Is there a better way to say "make somebody see dreams", e.g. in the sentence > Don't make me see dreams when I know they won't come to be true.


title: What's a good word for displayed non-frozen non-canned vegetables in the grocery store?

text: _Fresh vegetables_ seem to imply they are freshly harvested. If I say _non- frozen vegetables_ that would include canned vegetables, which I don't mean. What's a good way of referring to non-canned non-frozen vegetables that are put on a display at the grocery market? I'm asking because a commenter on my skeptics.SE question said his definition of fresh appeared to be different from how I used it.


title: How many syllables BrE and AmE regarding the word 'secretary'?

text: I am from Germany and I am having a question regarding the pronunciation of AmE and BrE. I have a book and the text there says that there is a two syllable- pronunciation in BrE R.P. of the word secretary [sektrɪ] and in rapid BrE speech whereas in AmE it is pronounced [ˈsɛkrəˌtɛrɪ] In the lecture we learned that 'in the UK' secretary consists out of three syllables (but it is not R.P. meant but standard BrE???) since the book says two. other words that can be included are dictionary and necessary Thanks,


title: When you want to refer to "family" in general, which should be used: "family" or "families"?

text: I want to confirm the general rule on expressions which refer to generality. Many reference books say that "you should use "zero article + plural noun" to refer to generality. For example, (1) is better than (2): (1) Children like animals. (2) The child likes the animal. The books say that (2) sounds too formal, so (1) should be used. According to this suggestion, when you want to refer to "family" in general, you should use "families". (3) You should consider victims' families. (4) You should consider patients' families. However, I have often seen the expressions "the victim's family" or "the patient's family". When you refer to "family", do you prefer to use the simple noun followed by the definite article? More specifically, which is better, (3), (4) or (5), (6) when you write an essay or letter? (5) You should consider the victim's family. (6) You should consider the patient's family.


title: "Measure" vs. "measurement"

text: _Measure_ has a lot of meanings, but I am not sure whether it is or is not a partial synonym of _measurement_. Let's say that I have an algorithm, and I measure its execution time under different conditions, hence obtaining different execution times. How do I call those execution times I have measured: _measures_ or _measurements_?


title: Which of these sentences use the correct grammar?

text: >   1. Me and Larry had a meeting today. >   2. Larry and me had a meeting today. >   3. I and Larry had a meeting today. >   4. Larry and I had a meeting today. > I know the third one is wrong (because it doesn't sound right). Which of the rest have the correct grammar? Usage: writing a mail to a third person telling him this.


title: Term for an insincere invitation..?

text: Is there a term or phrase to describe an invitation you extend to someone only because you expect that they will not accept it? I've been using the made up "faux-vite," but I suspect there must be a proper name for this.


title: What is the meaning of "laying a fuse"?

text: What is the meaning of the phrase "laying a fuse"?


title: "of the following" vs "from the following"

text: In the context of a website form, a user is required to use at least three of four listed character types in his or her password. Which is correct: 1)               Your password must contain three of the following:      - Uppercase letters      - Lowercase letters     - Numerals     - Non-alphanumeric characters      2)               Your password must contain three from the following:      - Uppercase letters      - Lowercase letters     - Numerals     - Non-alphanumeric characters


title: Common Literary Techniques for Drama Texts?

text: Right now we're studying a piece on drama (Disclosure: This is for school, but not necessarily for an essay or homework - It's just further study on other literary techniques that are used within drama texts.) As drama texts are part of English Literature (Short stories, etc), they share some literary techniques with normal English Literature as well as English Poetry; However, it appears to me that there are numerous different techniques utilised for drama texts. Could anyone list commonly used techniques for drama texts please? So far, the words that I've compiled in my techniques list are:   * Sub-text   * Bathos   * Dramatic Irony   * Hyperbole   * Comic Relief   * Juxtaposition


title: "You didn't build that" — but what was Obama referring to by "that"?

text: During the opening night of the Republican National Convention, many speakers took to the podium and took advantage of a phrase spoken by President Obama that some are calling a grammatical error. In a July 13 campaign appearance in Virginia, the president told an audience: > “If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that > happen.” At least that's all the GOP would have you believe he said. The party has repeatedly used just those two sentences in campaign materials. In fact, the excerpt is part of a larger message: > “If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There > was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this > unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. > Somebody invested in roads and bridges. **If you’ve got a business — you > didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.** The Internet didn’t get > invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all > the companies could make money off the Internet. The point is, is that when > we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also > because we do things together.” In a video released in late July, the Obama campaign says that "that" refers to the compound noun "roads and bridges." But as the sentence is constructed (is that an em or an en dash?) mustn't "that" refer to "business"? And who put the dash in there? Is it from an official transcript provided by Obama's team or was the speech put into print by the press or the Romney campaign?


title: "The Tengwar are an artificial script..."

text: Reading up on Tolkien's Tengwar, I stumbled upon this sentence introducing its Wikipedia article: > The Tengwar are an artificial script created by J. R. R. Tolkien For me, mixing plural Tengwar with singular script makes this an awkward sentence, and I'm not entirely sure how it's even a correct one. I would rather have written "The Tengwar are artificial scripts...".


title: How can I increase my focus and pleasure in reading English?

text: After working on my oral skills in English for a couple of years, I know more interested in learning written English, specially by reading. I have been reading a couple of books over the last months (Game of Thrones, the whole Sherlock Holmes, Lord of the Rings, some Stephen King...) and articles (the Guardian, the New York Times, the Atlantic, mostly). But although I've felt some improvements in my understanding, and learned lots of words, I'm still not enjoying reading English as much as I do enjoy reading French (which is my natural language), and I'm not even what you could call a literary (checking my other stackexchange affiliations would prove you that...). When reading English I just follow the plot, but I'm really totally insensitive in the style of writing, in the choice of words, ... I hardly realized that when reading a few pages of French the other day, it's even way easier to focus on what I read when it is French than English. Fellow who learned English as a second (or third, or more...) language, have already felt that? Have you been through that? How long did it take? Or is it just a never ending job in progress but I'll never reach the ease I have with French?


title: When to choose em dash over parenthesis for parenthetical phrases?

text: According to Wikipedia: > The em dash, m dash, m-rule, or "mutton" (—) often demarcates a break of > thought or some similar interpolation stronger than the interpolation > demarcated by parentheses Okay, but what constitutes "stronger"? Does the length of the parenthetical phrase come into play? The distance of the diversion from the main thrust of the sentence? Some kind of qualitative gut feel? All of the above?


title: Double parentheses ((. . .))

text: I wonder why the author used two parentheses in the sentence below: > While touring the Center for Agrobiotechnology at Monterrey Tech, its > director, Guy Cardineau, a scientist from Arizona, remarked to me that, in > 2011, “my son-in-law returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan and we > talked about having him come down and visit for Christmas. But he told me > the U.S. military said he couldn’t come because of the ((State Department)) > travel advisory here. I thought that was very ironic. Is there any special rule regarding parenthetical statements? Isn’t one set sufficient?


title: Spelling and plural of abbreviation "hi vis"

text: We regularly use these "hi visibility jackets/vests": ![picture of the item in question](http://i.stack.imgur.com/qyvSp.jpg) We use them often enough to informally abbreviate it to simply " **hi vis** ". I am struggling as to how to pluralise such a term. In speech it sounds moderately okay to say "hi vises" but as you can see it looks terrible in writing. Any better suggestions? Also would such a term be hyphenated?


title: Any authoritative source on British rules on space before question mark?

text: A space before a question or an exclamation mark. Can it be correct? is affirming what I always use, but now some translators at my office said that I always need a space before. I am sure they are French or something but before I answer them, I would like to see some British source confirming it. UPDATE: No, Wikipedia is not authoritative unless it has a link to a publication that is. The people I need to correct are likely native English speakers who sat too long next to French translators or something. I need some heavy tome to throw at them :) UPDATE: The translators ate their words. All is well in the world.


title: Losing bottles and bottling out

text: ODO's definition for _bottle_ includes the following: > **2** _[mass noun] British informal_ the courage or confidence needed to do > something difficult or dangerous:   >  _I **lost my bottle** completely and ran_ > **bottle out**   >  _British informal_ lose one’s nerve and decide not to do something:   >  _the Minister has **bottled out of** real reforms_ Where does this use of the word _bottle_ come from? Both the examples in the ODO definition are negative in connotation; are there positive ones too? Can someone _have the bottle_ to do something?


title: Etymology of the word 'finesse'

text: According to Merriam-Webster, one of the definitions of the word _finesse_ is as follows: > refinement or delicacy of workmanship, structure, or texture Now, based on the fact that the Latin base _fin_ means _end_ in English, I always intuitively assumed that the word had connotations with such concepts as: "finishing touch, attention to the end-product, and taking special care of the final details in a craft or situation". Are my perceptions of the word's associative properties a stretch of the imagination, or correctly guided?


title: Does "'tis" means "this is" or "it is"?

text: I have found much trouble identifying the old word _'tis_. Does it mean "this is" or "it is?" I have done some research and found that the dictionaries conflict. One said 'tis :An old English word used in the place of this is ; a contraction of this is. I showed this to my brother and he showed me another one it said 'tis :an old English contraction of the words it is. as in: > 'tis(this is) the voice of the lobster....or > > 'tis(it is) the voice of the lobster.... So how?


title: Ways to say 'try very hard'

text: I was wondering what some ways are to say one tries very hard. For example, can I say > I gave myself (all) out last year.


title: "The omelette is already cooked"?

text: Today I saw a proverb introduced in a book. The writer said, " "The omelette is already cooked"means it is too late to change what has already been done. I think the phrase is similar to "there is no use crying over spilled milk". I googled the phrase and however no page about this phrase has existed. I looked the word up in Cambridge Dictionaries Online and it has the entry "You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs", but not the one abovementioned. Can some native English speakers be so kind to say whether "The omelette is already cooked" really existed?


title: What is wrong with this sentence

text: Calpurnia is Atticus’ housekeeper. She plays a large role in Jem and Scout growing up- almost like a mother figure to them, and most definitely the biggest female role that the children are exposed to.


title: first prize, without "the"?

text: I saw a sentence today: Lily was speaking so excitedly and so fast about winning first prize in the Mark Six. WHy is "first prize" without the definite article "the"?


A word that describes something as simple, yet effective in picking up the nuances of something else. For example: "Disclosure makes **__** electronic music, as their songs are simple pops songs with the nuances of good electronic music." Or, to put it differently: "the solution was simple yet drew upon all essential elements of the issue."


title: 'How comes it' or 'How come is it'?

text: I was reading this paper and I came across this sentence, which I found quite odd. > In the words of Bertrand Russell, the problem is this: “How comes it that > human beings, whose contacts with the world are brief and personal and > limited, are able to know as much as they do know?” Shouldn't it be 'How come is it' ? It just doesn't sound right, maybe because I am not a native speaker.


title: What's a word for someone who recruits new members and reminds people to take part in events?

text: In particular our student group/club in college has a new officer position that performs these duties, but we don't have a good name for it yet. "Recruiter" captures the first part, but it doesn't seem to capture the second part.


title: Can I say "as a part of" here?

text: > As a part of my community, I will do everything that needs be done to resist > the evil project of the oil company. (self-made) I am not sure whether “as a part of” is appropriate or not, because “as part of” seems to be more idiomatic. But here I want to emphasize my existence as a individual. So can I write that “as a part of” ?


title: A word to describe the next level of action

text: Is there a word to describe the next level of action? I know there is but I can't remember the word. For example, if plan A fails, plan B is the next level of action to take. And if plan B fails, the next level of action to take is plan C. So in this case, plan B is a _what_ of plan A, and plan C is a _what_ of plan B. The _what_ is the word I'm trying to find.


title: Which was the first doctor, M.D. or Ph.D.?

text: For which title was the term "doctor" first given? Was it originally meant for the medical doctor, or for just anyone holding a doctoral degree? Also: When did the later usage become common, and why?


title: "So" as a conjunction

text: I'm a teacher of English as a Foreign Language, and I would like to get some information on SO as a conjunction. As far as I know, it's a coordinating conjunction, and it's part of the FANBOYS group. I know that SO THAT is considered a subordinating conjunction. However, I've heard a fellow teacher affirming that SO can also be a subordinating conjunction depending on its meaning. Is is true? This would change the way in which we analyse and classify sentences into "simple", "compound", "complex", and "compound- complex". Thanks in advance, Mary


title: Is there a term for a word of one meaning but variable pronunciation?

text: For example, "advertisement", and "component". edit: Here's the full list that I have compiled that I had in mind: advertisement Arkansas asterisk athelete auxiliary Berkeley builded component coupon data either employee February forte kilometer library Lima mature medieval meme miniature mischievous neither niche nuclear often ornery pecan probably ribald route sherbet temperature temperament Tijuana vegetable vehicle verbiage zoological zoologist


title: Are both "foodstuff" and "foodstuffs" valid?

text: I suppose that I could probably summarize that to "Is foodstuff a mass or count noun?" but I wasn't entirely certain if that would get me the wrong answer. I've always used "foodstuffs" when referring to actual components for recipes, but I could see an argument only using the singular since, after all, it's a noun which covers all of the components at once. I thought of submitting it to "The Word Detective" but it seems like more of a case of usage. Dictionaries seem to indicate it in the singular without noting pluralization, but there are also many example sentences which use "foodstuffs" such as the Tarzan quotes I found here: "The she was for Tarzan--all that he desired was to bury his snout in the foodstuffs of the Tarmangani." and "They appeared to be raiding parties, for they drove goats and cows along with them and there were native porters laden with grain and other foodstuffs."


title: Is "burning (something) in effigy" used only for representations, not the actual thing?

text: The phrase "to burn (something) in effigy" means: > To burn or to hang an image or picture of a person, as a token of public > odium. Would it be appropriate to use this phrase about an inanimate object? For example, if you had a car that was constantly breaking down, could you say you'd like to "burn it in effigy" upon buying a new car, or is this phrase used exclusively used for _representations_ of objects of disdain?


title: Is it a "driver license" or a "driver's license" or a "drivers license" or...what?

text: I've often wondered why my Ohio license is called a "driver license". It is awkward to say it like that. Wouldn't something like driver's license be more appropriate? Or driving license (like hunting license)? ![results from the almighty google](http://i.stack.imgur.com/QTWS9.png) (Note: image above shows `driver`, `driver's`, and `drivers` variations.)


title: "Much feces" vs. "many feces"

text: I want to know which word I should use in the following sentence: > How many/much feces does a human produce in one year? I found that both versions exist on the Internet. Any help would be appreciated!


title: What does “exercise their desire out of them” mean?

text: > “I’m not sure whether they hibernate or not,” Hagrid told the shivering > class in the windy pumpkin patch next lesson. “Thought we’d jus’ try an’ see > if they fancied a kip … we’ll jus’ settle ‘em down in these boxes….” > > There were now only ten skrewts left; apparently **their desire to kill one > another had not been exercised out of them**.(Harry Potter 4 [US Version]: > p.41) [Bold font is mine] **N.B.:** Hagrid is a Care of Magical Creatures teacher. The skrewt is a dangerous magical creature. I can’t understand 'exercise' in the above citation. There seems to be three major definitions of ‘exercise’ (verb). 1\. use power / right / quality; 2\. do physical activity; 3\. be anxious I’m thinking No.1 is likely. I tried finding ‘be exercised out of’ on the Net. > As a May 1, just over 3 million 30 cent options **had** already **been > exercised out of** the total of 744 million originally issued. [Bold font is > mine] But I can’t find any examples which have ‘desire’ as an object of the ‘exercise’. So, at one point, I thought it meant ‘physical exercise of skrewts couldn’t remove their desire out of their bodies by applying No.2 meaning. Would you tell me the true meaning of “their desire to kill one another had not been exercised out of them”?


title: Is there any difference between ‘it’ and ‘so’ as a complement of ‘she looks’?

text: > D’you – d’you want to go to the ball with me?” said Harry. Why did he have > to go red now? _Why?_ > > ”Oh!” said Cho, and she went red too. “Oh Harry, I’m really sorry,” and > **she truly looked it**. “I’ve already said I’ll go with someone else.” > (Harry Potter 4 [US Version]: p.397)[Bold font is mine] I can understand ‘she truly looked it’ means ‘she truly looked sorry’. But if I write this kind of sentence, I’ll probably write ‘she truly looked so, as I’m familiar with ‘I think so.’ Is there any difference if you write ‘she truly looked so’ instead of ‘she truly looked it’?


title: Phrase that means "untranslated, in its original language"

text: I'm looking for a phrase that will allow me to say things like this: > Having learned English allowed me to read more books [in their original > language].


title: floating dose behind the boat

text: I am reading 'The old man and the sea.' I've read this sentence as follows. 'But the bird was almost out of sight now and nothing showed on the surface of the water but some patches of yellow, sun-bleached Sargasso weed and the purple, formalized, iridescent, gelatinous bladder of a Portuguese man-of-war floating **dose** beside the boat.' In this, What's the meaning of 'dose'? In dictionary I have, It only is remarked as 'a measured amount of it which is intended to be taken at one time.' With this meaning, I can't make sense of above sentence. please help me.:)


title: word that means: causing a paradigm shift, new era, revolution

text: I can't think of the word and it's driving me nuts. I'm looking for a word that can be used when some technology is discovered, way of thinking, or even event happening that causes a big change in society. Examples might be: discovery of electricity, industrial revolution, nuclear power / bomb, the internet. Some similar terms I can think of are: dawn of a new era, a new age, or paradigm shift. EDIT: I just want to add that I'm thinking of a lesser used word, although _revolutionary_ fits it's not specific enough nor the word that I'm looking for.


title: Meaning of "top" in "to sleep as sound as a top"

text: From "The Early Bird", by George MacDonald. > A little bird sat on the edge of her nest; > > Her yellow-beaks **slept as sound as tops** ; > > Day-long she had worked almost without rest, > > And had filled every one of their gibbous crops; What is the meaning of _tops_ here?


What does "Tell me if you love me" really mean? I have two interpretations, please tell me which one is correct: 1) Tell me whether you are in love with me or not. 2) Tell me about XXX, to prove you love me. > e.g. Babe, what's the answer to that riddle? Tell me if you love me. \-----------------------edition line--------------------------------------------------- Sorry for not elaborating the question clearly, actually, I am asking if there is a grammatical or punctuation rule that makes the sentence have one or the other meaning that I suggested. I am not a native speaker, in English, the word "if" can be used to replace "do, did, does" in a question like: "Tell me. Do you love me?"--->"Tell me if you love me." But in my native language, we can't do that because the word "if" has only one meaning and use, so I am curious how English native speakers distinguish between the two meanings "grammatically".


title: What is this "should?"

text: There are two things that men **should** never weary of, goodness and humility; we get none too much of them in this rough world among cold, proud people. Is this the same as "It should be sunny tomorrow?" Source


title: what is the function of "have" in this sentence

text: I have a problem to recognize this sentence "I have it cuts every weeks". So, what's the function of "have", and also the name of grammar(if any) or any sentence pattern for similar sentence, and what's the meaning of that sentence? Thank You.


title: What does "this" refer to?

text: What does "this" refer to in the following quote from the Wikipedia article on Learning Curve? > The learning curve can also represent at a glance the initial difficulty of > learning something and, to an extent, how much there is to learn after > initial familiarity. For example, the Windows program Notepad is extremely > simple to learn, but offers little after this. On the other extreme is the > UNIX terminal editor vi, which is difficult to learn, but offers a wide > array of features to master after the user has figured out how to work it. > **It is possible for something to be easy to learn, but difficult to master > or hard to learn with little beyond this.** _Edited to highlight the original sentence as given, to distinguish it from the context that was supplied later._ —Robusto


title: How to punctuate a sentence that begins with a list, then explains it?

text: I want to know what to do when a list and the clause that introduces it are reversed. For example: > The wrinkles around his eyes, the deep lines that marked his brow, the gray > streak at his temples[?] everything he saw in his reflection told the story > of a long life he didn't remember living. My first inclination was to use an em dash, but I couldn't find any specific rules concerning this particular usage. Since the list isn't an independent clause, I'm fairly certain it wouldn't be a colon; still, I can't shake the nagging feeling that there's a better way to punctuate it. I'd be grateful for any help you can give me!


title: Beneath snow, under snow, or something else

text: How can I explain briefly (like in a headline) that the city is covered with snow? Are the following examples correct, or do you suggest something else? > Istanbul beneath ( _the?_ ) snow ( _piles?_ )   >  Istanbul under ( _the?_ ) snow ( _piles?_ )


Is it correct to say "I feel painful" to mean "I feel pain"? Please note that I mean only those cases, in which the phrase is a complete sentence. There should be no words after the last word in each quote (like in "I feel painful pulses in my head", "I feel painful burning sensations in my stomach", etc.) If it's correct, what is the slight difference in meaning there?


title: Biweekly, bimonthly, semi-confused

text: There seems to be a fair amount of confusion surrounding the meaning of the prefix `bi` when used with units of time measurement. Biweekly, according to dictionary.com, can mean either "occurring twice weekly," or "occurring once every two weeks." Falling within the same realm of confusion are bimonthly and biannually. As of late, it seems that we've begun replacing the `bi` prefix with `semi` when the intended meaning is "occurring twice within," while continuing to use the former when the intended meaning is "occurring once every other." Though this is a step in the right direction, there still seems to be confusion around proper usage. Whose genius idea was it to start using the `bi` prefix to mean two very different things? If my employer told me my pay periods were bimonthly, should I assume they meant semimonthly or once every other month?


title: "poses" or "pose" in this sentence?

text: > The activation and deactivation of features at runtime poses challenges for > ... Is the above sentence correct? Or does activation & deactivation require the plural, i.e., "pose"?


title: How to end a question with 2 objects and 2 prepositions

text: 1)   a) What did you want to talk to me about?   b) What did you want to talk about to me? 2)   a) Who do you want to talk to about this problem?   b) Who do you want to talk about this problem to? I saw 1a in the TV show Grimm and the sentence set me thinking and there you go. I know sentences usually end with a preposition in English. Therefore 1a and 2b should be correct. However we've got 2 prepositions in each sentence so I'm not sure what to do and which ones would be correct. Maybe they all are. To my mind, 1a and 2a sound better but that's all I can say. How flexible is that kind of structure?


title: What do you call a disease with an unknown cure?

text: We call a disorder with an unknown cause or etiology as _idiopathic_. But what about a disease with an unknown cure — is there a single-word adjective (or phrase) that captures both the current unknowability and future possibility of a cure? I am specifically trying to avoid "incurable" and its synonyms, as it precludes the possibility of a future medical breakthrough that would render its object preventable or curable.


title: Is "po-TAH-to" an acceptable pronunciation for "potato"?

text: Immortalized in the George and Ira Gershwin song "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" is the nitpicking of pronunciation differences: > You like potato and I like potahto,   >  You like tomato and I like tomahto,   >  Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto! According to Wikipedia and other sources, the English do pronounce _tomato_ as tə- **MAH** -toh rather than tə- **MAY** -toh. But this doesn't seem to be the case when it comes to _potato_. > _(From the O.E.D.)_ > > tomato – Pronunciation: /təˈmɑːtəʊ/   >  potato – Pronunciation: /pəˈteɪtəʊ/ Is "potahto" actually an acceptable way to pronounce _potato_? Or is the song just wrong?


title: "Reflexive only" verbs

text: English can use a lot of verbs in a reflexive context. Even ones that usually are used intransitively. > I laugh myself silly. However, it seems like there are very few – perhaps no – verbs that ONLY work in a reflexive context. Are there any?


title: Double relative clause

text: In a sentences like this: > I know people who are good at this and who can help you. I can drop either the second _who_ or _and_ the sentence will still be ok and make sense. I can't drop them both though. I'm pretty sure about it. Correct me if I'm wrong What I'm not sure about is this kind of sentence because we've got 2 kinds of relative clauses > I can name a few people who I'm friends with who got a job in that company. Does it sound ok and correct?


title: use of hyphen to apply an adjective to non-hyphenated compound word

text: Do I write "non-power of two" or "non-power-of-two", where I assume "power of two" is a non-hyphenated compound word. I hope you can help! Thanks in advance. Ronny


title: Shouldn’t “art” be “is” in “Our Father who art in heaven”?

text: The Lord’s Prayer begins in English: > **Our Father who art in heaven** ,   > hallowed be Thy name,   > Thy kingdom come,   >  Thy will be done   >  on earth as it is in heaven. Shouldn’t it be _who is_ there, not _who art_? You would have said _thou art_ and _he is_ at the time this was written. See the Wikipedia article on _Thou_ for example.


title: Connotations of "pertinacity"

text: Does the word _pertinacity_ have positive or negative connotations?


title: Why is "help wanted" phrasing used in job ads?

text: It's quite typical to see "Help wanted" signs in cases some business has an open position. That can be some temporary position or even a permanent one. Why is it called "help"? Why not "we're hiring" or something? I mean, "help" usually means some unpaid activity—why is this word used when referring to a job?


title: How the infinitive is used?

text: Here ,I have some question in which how to use infinitive and rewrite them:               1)Let us pray.     2)I heard her sing.     3)Men must work and women must weep.      Can any one say about it?


title: What's the adjective for the Republic of Ireland (Eire)?

text: What's the adjective for the country of Ireland (Eire in Irish) that specifically excludes Northern Ireland? For example when referring to the accent of people from the the Republic of Ireland but not to Ulster. Ireland is geographically the whole island and politically consists of two countries:   * in the north is Northern Ireland, or Ulster   * in the south is the Republic of Ireland, or Ireland for short, and Eire in Irish Language Log lists only "Irish" as the adjective to refer to the Republic of Ireland. For Ulster, "Northern Irish" is sometimes used as the adjective but "Northern Ireland" is 10 times more common (plus "British" is sometimes used). You could write "Southern Irish" but I think this is wrong because it suggests the name of the Republic is "Southern Ireland", which it is not. I think "southern Irish" is better as it doesn't make this suggestion, although it leaves some ambiguity: it could instead refer to the south of the geographical island of Ireland (just the southern parts of the Republic of Ireland). Is capitalised "Southern Irish" in any way offensive to Irish people? Is "southern Irish" any better? Or is this just a matter of style? Of course, there may be no simple, unabiguously clear adjective; the whole subject of the overlapping political and geographical names of Ireland and Britain is complicated as is clear from Language Log and Wikipedia, as are distinctions between British and Irish/Scottish/Welsh/English.


title: Does the quirky spelling in English actually make it easier to read?

text: I just finished reading the question asked by Bobnix, in which RegDwight referred to another question with an interesting answer by Kosmonaut. Kosmonaut refers to the great number of pictograms (Kanji or Hanzi) available in Japanese and Chinese, and mentions that the task of memorizing our weirdo spellings pales in comparison to learning vocabulary in one of those languages. That got me to thinking. When I first started studying Japanese, I first learned the two written versions of the syllabary, _hiragana_ and _katakana_. And when faced with the formidable task of memorizing thousands of characters and their various readings, I wondered why, given the phonetic language, Japanese still stuck with all those originally Chinese characters. Were they just masochists? But I dug in, and as I learned more and more kanji a strange thing happened. I realized it was actually easier to read the language _with_ the kanji than without them, because so many Japanese words sound alike (or at least their parts do) and to render them in _hiragana_ would force me to slow down and try to figure out which ほう (hou) they meant: 保, 俸, 倣, 剖, 報, 方, 法 or any of the others. Learning the more complicated writing method actually let me read faster, and to understand words almost pre-apprehensively. By that I mean something a little like looking at the hands of an analog clock and understanding the time without relating it to a numerical equivalent. Now for English. We have sound-alike words like _to_ , _two_ , and _too_ (or even _tu_ , if you count Shakespeare's imagining of Julius Caesar's dying line). If we went to a strict phonetic spelling system, all those would be spelled the same. I think there are cases where such a thing would actually slow us down. And it may be that the more difficult and idiosyncratic the spelling is, the more likely we are (as Kosmonaut said) to remember it. Further, _having_ remembered it may mean we are more likely to recognize it more easily. Or something like that. This is just a supposition on my part. It has plausibility and feels right to me, but that doesn't mean it _is_ right. I'd be interested if anyone knows of any information or research done on either side of this argument.


title: What's the difference betwen a jacket and a coat?

text: The words "jacket" and "coat" are generally used interchangeably, to mean a garment that's heavier than a sweatshirt or a sweater and goes over them and other "tops," principally to keep the wearer warm and dry. But clearly there's some sort of distinction, as you never hear about a "leather coat" or "fur jacket". So what's the difference?


title: What's a word for seasonal holiday decorations?

text: What is the word that describes seasonal holiday decorations that people sometimes put up in their offices or desks to mark certain holidays? I feel like I know there is a word for it but I can't remember it however hard I try now. I thought of a pageant - but that is really a procession or ceremony.


title: Sentence search engine

text: A couple of weeks ago I came across a sentence search engine that allows you to search for a word or a phrase and would show sentences with said phrases, plus (user contributed) translations into other languages. You could also just search for a verb, and sentences with different conjugations would show up. I did not bookmark it and now can not seem to find it anymore... Maybe anyone knows what I am talking about?


title: What does “Sunshine,” when it’s placed at the end of sentence mean?

text: I came across a peculiar (to me) usage of the word, “sunshine” that was placed at the end of sentence in the short story, “High Heels,” written by Jeffrey Archer. “Sunshine” appears in the following exchange of words at the last scene where the shoes trading company owner, Des Lomax who seemingly set fire to his building and Alan Penfold, training actuary of the fire insurance company who suspects him as the arsonist confront for showdown: > “I will be recommending that my client settles for two million, but it will > be up to you to make the final decision, sunshine,” said Alan. > > “I don’t give a damn about your recommendation, sunshine.” said Lomax. What does “sunshine” mean in the above context? Is it an addressing word or interjection? Is “Sunshine” casually used in this way in both British and American English, or is it peculiar to British English? And, what is the origin of this usage?


title: "I will meet" anapest substitute

text: I have the following song verse, which needs to be composed in Anapest (unaccented unaccented accented): I will meet (i-WILL-meet) Annabelle (an-nuh-BELLE) In my dreams (in-my-DREAMS) What would be a different way to say "I will meet" in a more anapest way? The third word should start with a plosive ( /P/, /B/, /K/, /G/, /T/, /D/ ).


title: Meaning: to back into

text: The title of a section of a book by Robert Nozick is: *How to Back into a State without Really Trying". I've never come across the word _back_ as a verb, except _to back up_. I can't find this phrasal verb in the dictionaries. What is the meaning of **to back into**?


title: Which is grammatically correct to use in a discussion?

text: Someone told me that I shouldn't use the phrase **discuss about** , but should say, instead, **discuss** _(the topic)_. He said _discuss_ means _talk about_ and using _discuss about_ is like saying _talk about about_ , which is redundant. Is he correct? Could somebody elaborate on this?


title: Why are you "reading" a particular subject at university?

text: I've always wondered why the verb "read" is used to basically mean "study" when describing somebody's university course. They might say: > I'm reading History at university. And it might be said of them: > He's reading History at university. Why "reading"? Traditionally, university has been about more than just reading; in the past perhaps even more so than now, a lot of it was about face-to-face tutoring. How did "reading" become synonymous here with "studying"? Also, why does it always seem to be used in the present tense? People don't tend to say "I read History at university 10 years ago"; once they've got the degree, they're more likely to say "I studied History at university 10 years ago". This usage of the verb "read" may be peculiarly British; it is certainly widespread here in Britain; not sure about elsewhere.


title: What's the word for the "back arm" if there is one?

text: We have the word "forearm" — but what's the other half of the arm called by itself? Does it have a corresponding positional name?


title: What constitutes a double negative?

text: Is "not unpleasant" a double negative, and hence bad grammar? See the first answer (by Ham and Bacon) to this question, for the basis of this question. Are all "not un..." forms incorrect? They are very widely used, much more so than the blatant "not not" or "didn't not", etc.


title: Words like "threshold"?

text: Threshold is pronounced like "thresh-hold" as noted in this question, however, what is interesting is that there is only one _h_ in the word, and it serves two phonetic roles (being part of _sh_ and as a regular _h_ ). This is different from words such as withhold, which have a separate h for the _th_ and _h_ sounds. While I suspect that this is due to a mixture of etymology (as threshold comes from the middle English "thresshold" according to Merriam- Webster) and pronunciation (the _h_ sound in threshold is unstressed), I am not sure. My question is: are there any similar words in English (i.e. words that have one letter serve as two phonemes)?


title: What comes after "octuplet"?

text: After singletons, twins, triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets, sextuplets, septuplets, and octuplets, what comes next?


title: "the" before "condition"

text: Should we write "the" before the word "condition"? that is,if two conditions A and B are known which of the following is correct? Conditions A and B. or The Condition A and B.


title: Is there a word for "without any reason" but a more formal one

text: A sample sentence would be: > Why did you ban me without providing a reason? Is there a single word to replace "without providing a reason" with? _Indiscriminately_ is not an option for me.


title: What's the difference between "Blood group" and "Blood type"?

text: Do _blood group_ and _blood type_ refer to different classifications of blood (A, B, AB, O vs. something else), or are they used in different contexts to refer to the same thing?


title: What does it mean to “offer a plea for a caution”?

text: This is a sentence in a letter to request waiving a fine. The sentence is: > I offer the following plea for a caution in this instance. Also, it seems to me that _caution_ is more correct than _a caution_. Am I right?


title: "Isn't it?" vs. "isn't she?"

text: 1. That is the woman who married Tony, isn't it?   2. That is the woman who married Tony, isn't she? Are both sentences correct? If they are, what is the difference in meaning?


title: Closest in meaning confusion

text: I am preparing for an exam and came across the following problems. Since my english is limited in knowledge i am posting it here. The sentence: This nitrogen dioxide(NO2) **plays a role in** the formation of acid rain in wetter or more humid climates. My question: The phrase **"plays a role in"** is closest in meaning to ? My answer was **"acts the part of"**. My reason was that since NO2 is a required substance in acid rain, its a part of it. But the real answer is **"serves a function in"**. How is this Possible? How can it be just a function when without it acid rain cannot happen?


title: Understanding "as of", "as at", and "as from"

text: I'd appreciate your assistance in helping me particularly understand how to use the phrase "as of" properly. What is the proper interpretation of the following sentence? "I need you to get me all transactions as of January 23rd"   1. That I need all transactions from the beginning of time (so to speak) till January 23rd, or   2. That I need all transactions from January 23rd to now? Would "as at" be more appropriate to express (1)? Would "as from" be more appropriate to express (2)?


title: One word for Christmas?

text: Is there a single word that means "Being merry at Christmas" but excludes being merry or happy at New Year? ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/TFVnT.png)


title: Using Manifest correctly

text: Can I use the verb manifest in the following sentence? > We would quickly learn that obstacles can manifest in any neighborhood. Google's Definition: > display or show (a quality or feeling) by one's acts or appearance; > demonstrate. > > _"Ray manifested signs of severe depression"_ > > synonyms: display, show, exhibit, demonstrate, betray, present, reveal; > formalevince > > _"she manifested signs of depression"_ Thanks.


title: Word for "completely fascinated"

text: What is a word for _completely fascinated_? I want to convey the same meaning but using only one word if possible. Using two big words for this seems like an overkill.


title: Just wanted to "confirm my hunch"

text: Someone replied to me with: "Just wanted to confirm my hunch." What is this expression usually used for?


title: Ignorantly dishonest

text: What would be a good single-word for: Someone who tells a lie but he doesn't know he's telling a lie. Someone who, because of his own ignorance, spreads incorrect lies as universal truth.


title: "Follow evolution" vs. "follow the evolution"

text: Is the article _the_ needed in the following sentence and why? > Want to follow [the] evolution of the project?


title: Why can't "happy" be used everywhere where "sad" can be used?

text: Why can I say "that story had a happy ending"? But I cannot say "that story was happy"? On the other hand, I can say "that story had a sad ending" and I could say "that story was sad"?


title: Use of "on" or from" with list of dates

text: Are these both grammatically correct? "ON September 23 through 26, 2013, birds were observed on the lake." or "FROM September 23 through 26, 2013, birds were observed on the lake."


title: What do you call a person who motivates or inspires?

text: My choices so far:   * motivational source   * inspirational source   * source of motivation   * source of inspiration Being a non-native speaker, I don't know which one to use. What I want to say is that somebody has been motivating me since 2008, so the whole sentence would read: >   * John Doe was motivational source since 2008. >   * John Doe was the source of motivation since 2008. >


title: Collective noun for a group of healthy people?

text: What's a good word or expression to describe a group of people who:   * eat well   * exercise regularly   * generally take good physical care of themselves ?


title: When describing a person without siblings, should I say "the -" or "an only child"?

text: I understand the phrase "only child" means the only person born from or adopted by a set of parents in a family, or a person with no siblings. I often hear the term used as "an only child," which does not appear to be grammatically correct, but does appear to be the correct usage of the term. I have sometimes used "the only child" instead. Which phrase is correct? Is "the only child" incorrect?


title: Has the use of these prepositions evolved?

text: I have been working with an extract from an 1861 newspaper (in Queensland, now part of Australia) concerning an act of mass insubordination by seamen. The text reads > The whole of the men, I am told, belonged to the same "watch", and they > adopted this manoeuvre in order to get three months imprisonment, and so > free themselves from the ship, the men having a particular dislike to the > mate appointed over them. I am intrigued by the construction "having a ... dislike to...". In modern writing, I would expect " **taking a dislike to** " or " **having a dislike for** ". Was the forming **having ..to** once common, and when did it change?


title: "Transitioning" vs. "transitional" phase

text: I am wondering if it is correct to say: > This is a transitioning phase. Personally, I would say > This is a transitional phase. but my friend insists that the above is **just as correct** as my version. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!


title: What do I do to a door knob to open the door?

text: I want to know the verb that describe the action that rotate or move or twist a door knob to open the door. I talked to my friend and said "please press the button before move it (the door knob)" and it sounded incorrect to me. What word should I use to describe this action?


title: Can this be more concise?

text: How do I say this more concisely and more effectively in one sentence? "The baseball and the basketball(s) should have the same shape, or the shape of the basketball(s) should be the same with the majority shape." To make things clear, I don't know the majority shape yet. Also, "(s)" means I don't know whether there will be many or just one basketball made.


title: Dollar sign necessary in "$16 LD"?

text: I'm editing a book that mentions Liberian Dollars (LD) and U.S. Dollars (USD). Should I put a dollar sign in front of the number or not? ($16 LD or 16 LD? $10 USD or 10 USD?)


title: "There's no.... " and " it's no .... "

text: Is there any differnce in meanings between the following pair of sentences? 1) a. There's no denying the fact. b. It's no denying the fact. 2) a. There's no point denying the fact. b. It's no point denying the fact.


title: Which is the preposition to go with “best”? Is it “best at”?

text: Is it right to say: > We take pride in doing what we are **best at** , delivering unsurpassed > levels of service, so our customers can do what they are **best at**.


title: Symmetric term for engaging with someone over SMS or Email

text: I want to make a natural language question answering that can answer > when did I speak with Raj   >  when did I Talk to Raj This term _speak_ is symmetrical, it is not implied who initiated the call; while "A texted B" is directed. I want a similar phrase for: > [Message/ Email with] Raj that is also symmetrical. Being a phrase users have to utter themselves, it must be memorable for them.


title: Is English considered a trade language/lingua franca?

text: English is used in commerce around the world.   Is it officially considered a "lingua franca/trade language? If yes, is there a way to find out what percentage of non-English populations that have English as the trade language, know English as a second language? Just because a language is a trade language does that mean the average folks of the other nations know it?


title: Difference in meaning: "would have had to be" vs "would have had to have been"

text: Being a non native speaker, I cannot spot the difference here:   * He would have had to have been there.   * He would have had to be there. The only thing that comes to my mind is that in the first case, there is the past infinitive which would imply that it requires him to have been there (before something), while in the second case it requires him to be there at that moment.


title: Is this sentence correct - "what an ephemeral rendezvous we had"?

text: I met some girls last month, and recently I came in contact with one of them. And I really wanted to say something about our first meeting. Can you please tell me if the following sentence is correct and grammatical? > What an ephemeral rendezvous we had at the hotel.


title: What is the difference between "dispute" and "argue"?

text: There were two English teachers who told me different answers. I'm confused. When I want to talk about two persons having different opinions, I have to say that "they dispute with each other" or "they argue with each other." One of my teachers said we didn't use _dispute_ with people, but we use this word for politics and law. Another teacher gave me the following examples while we are learning the S.A.T. word _dispute_ : >   * They got into a dispute over the phone bill. >   * She will dispute any suggestion you make, because she doesn't like you. > Are the teachers right? Can I use _dispute_ when I want to talk about people?


title: Rules for three sets of quotation marks

text: What rules are there for when you have three sets of quotation marks? “I saw that Julia was really annoyed when Mike answered, “‘Blade Runner,’”” John said. (‘Blade Runner’ in singles. Mike answered in doubles. John said in doubles.) “I saw that Julia was really annoyed when Mike answered, ‘“Blade Runner,”’” John said. (Mike answered in singles. “Blade Runner” in doubles. John said in doubles.) Rewriting might help a little. “When Mike answered, “‘Blade Runner,’” Julia looked really angry,” John said. (Mike answered in doubles. ‘Blade Runner’ in singles. John said in doubles.) Basically, I’m wondering whether you alternate, or start small and get bigger until you can’t get any bigger. The conventions may vary according to British or American usage, so please state which one you are refering to.


title: Weekly, Daily, Hourly --- Minutely...?

text: What is the correct word for "happening every minute"? How do you pronounce it?


title: What do we call a person who is obsessed with cleanliness?

text: Is there any word for a person who is very , very much concerned about cleanliness and keeping things hygienic and even point out faults in clean things and explaining that they were dirty ?


How to change the following sentence to reported speech?? The mother said to the girl,"This is how you make a pizza."


title: Meaning and usage of "be of"

text: I see such sentences all the time and I'd like to learn more about their grammatical structure (e.g. how they are described in grammatical terms), their meaning and how to use them in different contexts. > Please let me know whether I can **be of** help. The part that I am interested in learning about is _be of_. There is a similar question here but the questioner was asking only whether it was correct or not, but I would like to learn the meaning more broadly as I described in my opening sentence.


title: On the difference between "noun + infinitive" and "noun + present participle"

text: Infinitive and present participle can be used to modify the noun: >   1. Infinitive:   >  I had no time **to read** those books. >   2. Present participle:   >  There should be a law **banning** abortion. > In (1), "to read those books" modifies time, and in (2) "banning abortion" a law. It is often said that _infinitive_ is used to refer to the event in the future, while _present participle_ is used to refer to the event happening in reality. In (2), however, the sentence refers to the future because there is no law which bans abortion when this is uttered. Nevertheless, the _present participle_ is felicitously used. The same thing holds of (3): >  3\. I don't want a nanny **bringing up** our baby. — Sydney Sheldon, _Tell > me your dreams_ In (3), also, the event of a nanny's bringing up a baby belongs to the future. Nevertheless, the present participle is used. In these cases, can you say "there should be a law to ban abortion" or "I don't want a nanny to bring up our baby"? If the answer is no, why the present participle, but not infinitive, is used?


title: Have lived vs. Have been living

text: What is the difference between the followings? > A. I _have been living_ here for 5 years. > > B. I _have lived_ here for 5 years. Am I correct that these two represent the same event, but A emphasizes the continuity of living while B simply states a fact that you lived there from 5 years ago to the present? Is it true that the difference in present perfect and present perfect continuous is whether a speaker intends to emphasize continuity or a fact?


title: Condition interpretation - Mathematics

text: Condition is read as below:- Where juniors who have completed their qualifying or eligibility service are being considered for promotion, their seniors would also be considered provided they are not short of the requisite qualifying or eligibility service by more than half of such qualifying or eligibility services or two years, whichever is less and have successfully completed their probation period for promotion to the next higher grade alongwith their juniors who have already completed such qualifying or eligibility service." Now please clarify output. If requisite qualifying or eligibility service for senior is 10 years. How many qualifying or eligibility service is required for senior in case where juniors are considered for promotion? i.e. 8 years or 5 years or 2 years?


title: On the one hand ... on the other

text: _Drawing an equivalence between X and Y_ is a standard English expression which runs into problems when X and/or Y is itself a comma-delimited list. > Slave_jed, "slavery", in BDSM terms, really should be written in inverted > commas. It's a completely different thing to real slavery. Drawing an > equivalence between torture, false imprisonment, and rape on the one hand > and a sexual kink on the other is highly insulting. In the quote above, I framed X and Y with _on the one hand_ and _on the other_. Is this the best way to fix this or is there a more elegant phrasing I could have used?


title: Using the figure of fire in describing your fear of something

text: What's the right way of using the figure of fire in describing how you are afraid of something? > those algebra tests that I was scared of **like of fire** > > those algebra tests that I was scared of **as of fire** > > those algebra tests that I was scared of **as fire** > > those algebra tests that I was scared of **like fire**


title: Is this usage of "all" considered archaic?

text: I was writing, and this happened: > It was a beautiful afternoon in mid-autumn, all chill air and dazzling > sunlight. Is _X, all Y_ considered archaic? I use this construction occasionally, but it seems slightly purple if not actually downright old-fashioned. Then again, the more I speak with people from other areas, the more I realise why people call New England speech quaint! For some reason I associate this usage of _all_ with the use of _full_ as an adverb meaning _fully_ or _the embodiment of_ ; to me, _X, all Y_ implies _X is wholly given to or characterised by Y._ Chaucer provides the first example that comes to mind of the use of _full_ I've mentioned: > Bifel that in that sesoun, on a day,   >  In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay   >  Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage   >  To Caunterbury **with ful devout corage** ,   >  ... That is, _with full(y) devout heart/spirit._ Thoughts?


title: "Go ahead" vs. "Carry on" in AE usage

text: Back when I was a student, I can recall my nonnative English teachers -- after discussing a certain word, or phrase, or passage from a text with the class -- saying for me or some other guy to please "carry on" (with the reading). Now, what I wish you could tell is if "to carry on" has any currency in AE usage in the sense "to proceed with something after a stop"? Or is this usage typically BE, and an American somehow would be more likely to say instead something like "you may (or can) _go ahead_ ", "you can _go on_ ", or "you can _proceed_ " with a certain task? If indeed "carry on" is sort of more typical of BE than AE in this sense, how do Americans usually use that expression? > http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/carry+on?s=t > > http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/go+on?s=t > > http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Proceed?s=t > > http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Go+ahead?s=t


title: The meaning of nailed in the conversation

text: From the below conversation what is the meaning of nailed: > Summer: Tristan, stop. > > Tristan: You are making me chase around the party. > > Summer: Just trying to have fun. > > Tristan: You won't talk or dance with me. Why the hell did you come with me > to the party? > > Summer: Stop yelling. > > Tristan: Summer, please, can we just go? > > Summer: No, I am sick of fighting with you. > > ... > > Summer: I think we should break up. > > Tristan: I want to go outside and talk about this.. > > Summer: Then go. Bye. > > ... > > Tristan (to Rory): You just loved it, don't you? > > Rory: loved what? > > Tristan: Seeing me **nailed** like that. I did the research. Here is what I found: _pin someone down_ ( _on something_ ) and _nail someone down_ ( _on something_ )   Fig. to demand and receive a firm answer from someone to some question. (Alludes to shifting from answer to answer; commit to one answer or another.)   * _I tried to pin him down on a time and place, but he was very evasive._   * _Don't try to pin down the mayor on anything!_   * _I want to nail her down on a meeting time_. Punching them in the face.   * _"Man I really nailed that guy in the face."_ Or having sex with them   * _"I'm telling you dude, I totally nailed that chick last night"_ Or if you catch someone in a crime or want to   * _"I'm gonna nail that bastard who shot my partner"_ Or accidentally hitting someone with a nail gun   * _"Oh man I'm sorry dude I didn't mean to nail your face to the dog"_ So it would be like "punished" when doing something wrong. Right? The last one seems to be closer in meaning. But I am not sure.


title: Is "catenate" used in IT parlance?

text: When I was doing my IT degree in the 80s we learned that, in programming terms, concatenation was the act of joining two strings together. Recently I was reading a technical manual and came across the word _catenate_ in the same context. A quick look at dictionary.com seems to indicate that catenate is used in a biological context. Another post on this site discusses _concatenate_ and _decatenate_  — the use of _con-_ and _de-_ as prefixes on _catenate_ to indicate the construction or destruction of string sequences. I'm curious as to whether IT professionals are now using the simpler word _catenate_ when talking about concatenation?


title: Avoiding “is that” when adding an explanatory subordinate clause to a sentence in academic writing

text: Consider the following sentence as a starter of the final paragraph of an article: > While previous studies have proven to be valuable, a potential drawback of > the type of methods used **is that** they evaluate . . .. When I read that sentence out loud, it sounds a bit “clumpy” perhaps even a bit informal. Is there better way to phrase such a sentence? Alternatively, am I worried for no reason here?


title: Is "hang" really short for "hang out"?

text: I saw this entry in Urban Dictionary (I know, not the best place for formal English, but it does do a pretty good job at collecting slang). > 1.hang > > short for "hang out" > > "I'm just gonna hang at Lolita's place today" My question is, do people really use "hang" for "hang out"? i.e. do people really say "Let's hang some time". I have never heard of people saying it, and it sounds awful to me. It sounds like you want to hang yourself.


title: Inversion + past tense

text: There is a sentence: > No sooner had he sat down than he fell asleep. I just do not understand, is this an inversion? And if so, I still do not understand the sentence.


title: Word for software which has been killed or is no longer supported

text: When describing a piece of software on a list I have the following information: SoftwareName Released: 2013-12-12 ????: 2014-12-12 The ???? is like the opposite of Released. Maybe I could use _killed_ (but that is too strong), or _no longer supported_ , but I would prefer a single word.


title: "please forward us the amount owed" - Is this expression ok for a letter?

text: I am trying to figure out a formal way of asking for a payment. Is the phrase: > Please forward us the amount owed. too formal, too outdated or not clear?


title: The difference between using a comma or a full stop

text: What's the difference between "I see, I see" and "I see. I see"? Can one use a comma in between? The first sentence could be used in formal writing, right? What about this one: "My house, my rules" instead of "My house. My rules"? What's the difference between these two sentences and are both grammatically correct?


title: What is the meaning of "he is late on his front"?

text: I saw it in a subtitle of a movie. I searched Google for it, but found nothing. So I thought it might be wrong or it is not quite uncommon. Then I decided asking here. The context is: a guy #1 owes someone some drug pill, and the one who said this, said that the guy #1 is late on his front, as he is owing him money.


title: To "lay lodged" — what does it mean?

text: I've googled and looked it up in every dictionary I know, and I can find "lay" and I can find "lodge", but I can't seem to work out the meaning of the two words together. The context is this poem by Robert Frost: > The rain to the wind said,   >  You push and I'll pelt.'   >  They so smote the garden bed   >  That the flowers actually knelt,   >  And _lay lodged_ \--though not dead.   >  I know how the flowers felt.


title: How to rewrite the following sentence?

text: "She is exhausted today because she did not get any sleep last night." And the given word is "Had___________________________________" I don't know how to rewrite the sentence.


title: If I measure myself am I only measuring my size?

text: In Italy when people say they **_measure themselves_** , they are not only measuring their height, or their waistlines. Instead they are measuring how well they do something in a challenging or difficult situation. It's like saying, I _measured_ my expertise. It is similar to _put yourself to the test_ but it doesn't quite convey the same meaning. _Put yourself to the test_ is about seeing where your limits lie. **_Misurarsi_** (measure oneself) on the other hand, isn't so much about competing against yourself, it's saying whether you will _sink or swim_ in a specific situation. Will you cope? Do you have enough skill/knowledge/expertise to overcome this challenging episode? I'm sure there is a phrasal verb or idiom that means you can "measure yourself" in a difficult situation, I just can't think of it.


title: The phrase 'give you me'

text: There was another sentence that I wasn't sure about: "Rather, O blessed one, **give you me boldness** to abide within the harmless laws of peace, avoiding strife and hatred and the violent fiends of death." Is it okay to say "give you me"? Does that phrase mean give me something that is from you?


title: What do you call someone who studies calendars?

text: I was looking for a word that describes someone who is an expert in or studies calendars, and I couldn't find anything. For more context, I am looking for the word you would call someone who knows how to calculate the number of days between a date in the distant past, when different calendars were used, and a date in the modern calendar. I thought _historian_ , but I'm not sure that's adequate.


title: What is the etymology and reasoning behind the US Military term,"D-Day"?

text: Today is the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the day Allied forces in WWII invaded Normandy. It just occurred to me that I have nothing better than guesses for what the "D" actually stands for, and my initial searches turned up a number of reasonable guesses. ("Deployment," "Designated," etc.") EDIT: It seems that the "D" is generally thought to refer to "day," so the obvious question is "Why call something D-Day if the the D simply makes it mean 'Day Day'"?


title: Two words in this sentence “Primroses, lipstick-red and butter-navelled.”

text: What are the meanings of these two words: _lipstick-red_ and _butter- navelled_? Do they mean the color of primroses?


title: The last time I saw you was ages/has been ages ago

text: Do I say, _The last time I saw you was ages ago,_ or, _The last time I saw you has been ages ago?_


title: Shake hands or shake hand?

text: which of the following is correct? I will **shake hands** with him OR I will **shake hand** with him.


title: What does “Lose the Drama” mean as one of 7 ways for women at work to negotiate?

text: In an interview of co-host of NBS Morning Joe, Mika Brzezinski by Erin Skarda of Time magazine, Brzezinski gave 7 tips for women to take into their next career generation starting “Don’t act like a man,” “Be authentic” to “Be ready to walk,” and “Shoot for respect first, friendship later.” http://ideas.time.com/2013/03/08/women-at-work-seven-ways-to-negotiate/ In the interview, she used the word, “Drama” three times seemingly in different meanings in the no.5 and 6 tips. > V. **Lose the drama** > > Knowing your value means knowing when your stock is low. You have to go into > at a high-value moment in your career. Don’t play **the drama card** unless > you’re ready to follow the next step. > > VI. Be ready to walk > > Suze Orman said that women should save up for eight months before they think > about leaving a job. Be ready to walk in some way, shape or form. If you’re > not, it’s just **drama** , and nobody’s going to buy it. I don’t understand what “ _Lose the drama_ ” does mean. Though OALED provides definitions of ‘lose’ under 12 different headings, my understanding of the verb “lose” basically means ‘to fail to win, fail to keep stg.” Can you tell me what’s good for ‘losing drama’ as a tip for successful deal? To me “drama” of “Lose the drama” and “drama” of “It’s just drama” seems to have different meanings. Additionally; Is ‘drama card’ an alias of trump as a terminology of card-playing? What does '“walk in shape or form” mean?


title: Word for a follower of a Pied Piper

text: The phrase Pied Piper is often used to suggest one who leads others down a questionable path. I cannot, however, think of the best term to use to describe a "child" following said Pied Piper, in a analogous usage of the story. What are some ideas for this? Ideally one could use it in a way that someone would rapidly understand the analogy, without requiring a detailed explanation from yourself.


title: Omitting "that is/that are" and "its/their"

text: > The two works are similar and it is not just because they are both from > franchises (that are) notorious for (their) poorly-written characters. Is it acceptable to omit the "that are" in the above sentence, and if so, what is doing so called? Similarly, is it acceptable to omit the "their", and if so, what is doing so called? My gut tells me yes to both, because it "sounds fine." However, why then does omitting those words sound so wrong in the following examples? > The two works are similar and it is not just because they are both from > franchises (that are) notorious. > > The two franchises are notorious for (their) badness.


title: Job requirements. Why do they write words with capital letters within sentences?

text: I noticed the capitalization within sentences. For example, > Great experience in Java, Android SDK with core knowledge of Object Oriented > Programming principles and Design Patterns. Is there a grammar rule explaining the capitalization? **Update #1.** Now we have the following opinions. **@ _Jim_** and **@ _Sweet72_** > They're all proper names of things. > > The names of Proper nouns always begin with capital letters. Java, Android > SDK, Object Oriented Programming, Design patterns ; all refer to proper > nouns **@ _Xerxes_** > Neither "object-oriented programming" nor "design patterns" is a proper > noun. The author of the piece merely means to emphasize these terms and does > not know how to correctly do so. **_My opinion_** Android SDK and Java are proper names. Object Oriented Programming, Design Patterns. I think employers just want to place emphasis on these key words. I may be wrong.


title: "Have you gone" vs. "have you ever gone"

text: When talking about past experience, what is the difference between these two sentences? >   * Have you gone to Hong Kong? >   * Have you ever gone to Hong Kong? >