title: Why does the pronunciation of "U" vary in English?

text: The letter `U` is pronounced differently in different words such as _Umbrella_ and _Utensils_ , as well as when it is Used inside of words such as _stUdent_ and _stUdy_. Can I please have a grammatical explanation?


title: Is the usage of parentheses correct?

text: > Growth solves (nearly) all problems. The above sentence can be taken to mean "Growth solves nearly all problems" or "Growth solves all problems". But, is the usage of parentheses correct? If yes, why?


title: "She has put on some weight." vs "She put on some weight."

text: Say, you ask the father... > A: How is Mary?   >  B: She is fine, but she put on some weight. Say, you ask someone who just saw Mary after a long time... > C: How is Mary?   >  D: She is fine, but she has put on some weight. In the given context, would it be correct to say that the Present Perfect tense in the second example implies that we haven't actually witnessed her gaining weight week by week? Similarly, > E: How is Mary?   >  A: Apparently, she has put on some weight. Even though the "apparently" makes it somewhat clear, does the use of Present Perfect imply that we haven't seen but heard from someone? If I'm correct in my assumptions, what is the name of this type of use of Perfect tense in grammar? [EDIT] Thank you all for sparing your time. From the answers I have a nagging feeling that my question might have been slightly misunderstood. My intention was not whether Present Perfect Tense has such and such connotations, but whether such uses may have above mentioned implications. (The answer seems "no".) Still, how about these examples: F: What happened to him? G: He had an accident. H: What happened here? I: There has been an acident. Comparing these two examples, is it not the case that "I" implies that he has not witnessed the accident happening? (This does not mean that the first example implies that G has actually witnessed the accident.) Isn't it similar to TV news: "According unverified sources there has been a nuclear leakage in Saturn..."?


title: Apply to a university to study/for studying..?

text: I'm writing my CV and do not know how to correctly say that: * > After I graduated from X (//X is a high school), I applied to a university > to study chemistry and also computer systems. * I'm not sure about the prepositions and also this should be clear that I studied 2 courses (also got 2 degrees). Thank you


title: One word to denote "A noun that conveys wrong meaning" or misleads

text: Suppose I'm building a website and I want to have a page to help the user know about the website: the apt title would be **Help** , but I've named it **About**. (Normally **About** pages tell us about the author / company /reason for the existence of that website, but I've used the term **Contact** here.) What is the term for this? (I once came across the word, googled, and found the meaning. But I have now forgotten the word.)


title: What goes first: Sometimes, I bring X (1)'with me' (2)'to Y'?

text: 1. Is one of the following constructions incorrect?   2. If not, do they differ semantically in any way, even if only mildly so?     * _Sometimes, I bring my lunch to work with me._     * _Sometimes, I bring my lunch with me to work_ Usually, I prefer fewer words between 'to' and its complement. However, I don't actually know whether, or how, the arrangement of the words affects the meaning of the sentence or whether some people regard some common arrangements as incorrect. Edit: Although, thinking about it now, 'I bring' entails 'with me'; perhaps I should just write _Sometimes, I bring my lunch to work._ Thank you.


title: Check the grammar for "returned back"

text: Is there an error in this sentence? > When Darun heard the news that his father had been hospitalised he cancelled > his trip and returned back to his village. I think the error is 'back' but I need your confirmation.


title: What do you call the act of taking science and making it available to the broader public?

text: In French we have a word, _vulgarisation_ , which is the act of synthesizing complex knowledge into a form that a broad audience can understand. I know that the final product is called _popular science_ in English, but I'm not sure how you call the process of taking "hard science" and making it popular science, and it seems that _vulgarization_ isn't often used in a positive light.


title: Why are bankers called "the Platform"?

text: I work in a bank and I have always wondered why our relationship managers, i.e. sales representatives, are commonly referred to as "the platforms," or "the platform officers."


title: If and would construction

text: > If I do all this, I would have such a story to tell. Is this sentence wrong? I've searched it up and it's wrong according to grammar guides -- but I've seen it so often. The _would_ is supposed to show how the event is:   1. Possible   2. Ambitious but somewhat probably and not unlikely


title: difference between progress ON and progress OF

text: I'm still confused even after studying the prepositions on and of. Can you please help me and explain to me the difference of the ff: >   1. progress ON your project > >   2. progress OF your project > > When should I use on? of?


title: "Hurried times" grammar/usage

text: While I know that most songs don't necessarily follow proper grammar or usage, or even need to make any sense I couldn't help but be troubled by a line in a song I heard.               "These are hurried times"       It felt as though I had heard this phrase somewhere before, and after some quick searches I saw a handful of news articles that use the same phrasing in the title, but quite possibly as tribute to a favorite song of the author. My interpretation of the quote (which may be completely wrong) is that within the present era, things are done in a rush. However, when I try to read this as is, that the times are hurried, that the times themselves are being rushed through. Is it correct to use the word `hurried` or any word pertaining to rate of execution to describe time/eras? To help explain this a bit better, would `"These are slowed times"` also be correct in this sense, to describe that an era actions are performed at a leisurely pace?


title: Can "I write of love" be used as a substitute for "I write about love"?

text: Can I use something like " _I write of love, I write of hate. I write of destiny and fate._ " instead of " _I write about love, I write about hate. I write about destiny and fate._ "? Do they mean the same? PS: It's not "off", it's "of". The context is: > I write of love, I write of hate.   >  I write of destiny and fate.   >  I write of happiness, I write of pain.   >  I write all this in disdain..


title: What is the meaning of some phrases used by Dickens?

text: I cannot interpret the following sentence from Dickens' _The Haunted House_, particularly the bold parts. Can someone help, please? > If this should **meet the eye of** the gentleman who favoured me with these > disclosures, **I trust he will excuse my confessing** that the sight of the > rising sun, and the contemplation of the magnificent Order of the vast > universe, made me impatient of them.


title: Words for building fire's intensity

text: What is the action ot slowly blowing air on the ignited fire to build heat and intensity called? Intensifying the flame. Making a dying flame alive.


title: Why are academic articles/journals/papers so hard to understand?

text: I am a university student studying hospitalities and business English,I have to read a lot of published paper and cite them into my paper, but I find it really hard to understand the articles. I am not an English native speaker, but I can speak fluent English and understand most English newspaper. However, when it comes to academic articles, I have no means to deal with.The sentence structure is always so long and complicated that I keep losing my mind when reading them. Though I still can get the rough meanings and the main ideas, I can never fully understand a single academic paper! I always see words I don't understand, and even I look up from the dictionary, I still got confused by the long and complex sentence structure at the time! I have to read it over and over again. I want to know if the same problems happen to native speakers too or just me being stupid! :( here is one example "encoding and decoding" by Stuart Hall, please take a look for the first two paragraphs and tell me how you think about it. Thanks! http://visualstudies.buffalo.edu/coursenotes/art250/250A/_assets/_readings/encoding_decoding_hall.pdf


title: two nouns together

text: In every case where we find the word _anointing_ (KJV) in the Old Testament it is from a Hebrew word that is a noun. Most of the time it is coupled with the word oil as in _anointing oil._ If I was reading this without knowing that the word anointing is a noun I would think it is an adjective. Is the word anointing a gerund? Is _anointing oil_ a compound noun?


title: Can one massacre lives?

text: "Most were convinced that those responsible were of their own, silently waiting for another chance to massacre innocent lives." Would you say that the above example is acceptable or unacceptable with regard to the verb "massacre" in conjunction with the noun "lives"?


title: Objectivity vs. Objectivism vs. Objectiveness

text: What are some clear-cut distinctions between objectivity, objectivism, and objectiveness?


title: Why are "look" and "school" pronounced differently?

text: I can't figure out a rule that says whether 'oo' makes one sound or the other. Same number of syllables: one closed, but the sound is different.


title: "I was fresh out of pies to throw at you"

text: The sentence was in Lost (TV Series). I got the overall meaning of the sentence. But what does it exactly mean? > [SAWYER pointing a gun at JACK] > > **JACK** : Trying to be funny? > > **SAWYER** : Yeah, I was fresh out of pies to throw at you. Here you go, > sheriff. [SAWYER gives the gun to JACK]


title: What is a synonym for “superstition” but without the negative connotation?

text: In my native language (Latvian) there is a word that denotes a superstition, but in a more positive way, somehow. It’s hard to explain, so let me give some examples: > If you swing on the swings a lot during Easter, you won’t get bitten by > mosquitoes later in the summer. > > If you eat eggs without salt on Easter, you will be a liar; > > On Christmas eve you have to run around the house three times, barefooted. > Then your teeth won’t hurt. And so on and so forth. You can’t really call them superstitions because nobody believes in them anyway. It’s more like fun sayings. Although swings are really popular on Easter here — mostly because people simply like swings. In this case the above quote can be semi-humorously used to justify swinging. :) The majority of such superstitions have to do with celebrations, but there are quite a few that apply to generic situations, too, like “Broken dishes bring luck”. The point is that when one starts believing in it and religiously practicing it, it turns into a superstition. But when it’s just a fun quote for the appropriate situation, what is it called then? Is there a word or phrase like that in English, too?


title: Is "'em" short for 'him', 'them' or both?

text: I know that the apostrophe can be used to denote the omission of letters in a word, so I'm wondering then if _'em_ can be used to denote the colloquial shorthand for _him_ , or if it would be more proper to use _'im_ (and that _'em_ is really just shorthand for _them_ ).


title: Punctuation for the phrase "including but not limited to"

text: This is my first question on this stack exchange. I'm hoping this kind of question is welcome here, and excuse my ignorance, but my confusion evident below is exactly why I am a Software Engineer rather than a writer. Run-on sentences haunt my dreams. When using the phrase `"including but not limited to"` how should it be punctuated? When used in the following (no punctuation):               There are many activities including but not limited to running jumping and swimming      My first try:               There are many activities including, but not limited to, running, jumping, and swimming.      Then I thought... maybe I need another one? Is this, or perhaps the previous version correct?               There are many activities, including, but not limited to, running, jumping, and swimming.      Eh, maybe that's too many.   Does this justify a colon?   Is it gramatically correct?   With or without the first comma in parens?               There are many activities(,) including, but not limited to: running, jumping, and swimming.      No? Then what about this?               There are many activities, including - but not limited to - running, jumping, and swimming.


title: Wish + will have +negative

text: It seems agreed (for example in this question) that _wish_ is usually** counterfactual; that is you wish that something actually the case were not. _I quit my job last month: I wish I hadn't_. _I have to go to work tomorrow: I wish I didn't_ (because the emphatic form is _I do have to_ ). But _The office just called: I will have to go in tomorrow after all. I wish I..._? Not _didn't_ , because that means something else. Not _won't_ ; _wish_ never takes _will_ because in the case of a simple future you can just act differently, rather than wishing. _Hadn't_ seems as if short for _I wish I hadn't had to_ ; again , different meaning. It looks simple, but I am at a loss: can anyone give a reasoned answer? Edit: StoneyB has pointed out that _will have to_ here may be equivalent to _have to_. I am not sure about that, but in any event there are other cases where the difference is clear. _If Joe keeps coming in late, I shall have to fire him_ is obviously not _I have to_. If you then say _I wish I..._ , then what next? In other words, how do you say in normal speech _I wish that it were not the case that I may/shall have to fire him in the future_? ** There are edge cases/other uses (according to taste), like _I wish it would rain, I wish you'd keep quiet_ , and _We wish you a Merry Christmas_ ; subject to correction, I don't think any of them are relevant. And, if you have Aladdin's lamp, you can _wish I had a million pounds_ and have it appear: whether that's counterfactual is rather too metaphysical for this site.


title: 'Him or herself' v. 'himself or herself'?

text: I was reading this article on the New York Times. This sentence caused me some confusion: > But what I’m teaching are topics such as 5th-century Indian theories of > logical inference, or the concept of qualitative atomism in classical > Buddhism: material that is sufficiently obscure that no student, of any > background, should be expected at the outset to recognize him or herself in > it. Shouldn't the last part of this sentence be '…himself or herself in it'?


title: Do you "prevent somebody doing something", or "prevent somebody [from] doing something?

text: It seems to me that the "from" is unnecessary and perhaps redundant.


title: Why does "one half" have no hyphen, but "two-thirds" does?

text: I often see the fraction 2/3 written with a hyphen, but I never see 1/2 written with one. Is it correct to have the hyphen in "two-thirds", and if so why don't we write "one-half"?


title: "Do" replacing "Please"

text: I see people putting these in emails, are they correct? My gut feeling says that _please_ would have sounded a lot better. > Do let us know your thoughts.   >  Do let me know.   >  Do consider the proposal.


title: Origin of phrase "sow wild oats"

text: What is the meaning of the phrase "sow wild oats"? Where did it come from?


title: "Became" vs "become"

text: I'm not sure about the verb tense I should use here: > Run this definition so that the previous changes **become/became** visible. I think the correct one is Present Simple but it sounds better with Past Simple.


title: gerunds: difference between "on doing", "by doing", and "in doing"?

text: What is the difference between "on doing", "by doing", and "in doing"? A difficult point to French learners of English as in all three cases, you would say "en faisant". Example sentences, taken from the _Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English_ : _What was your reaction on seeing him?_ _Howard had put his own life in danger in trying to protect the Queen._ _She earns her living by selling insurance._


title: Do I need a comma before "particularly"?

text: Do I need a comma before "particularly" in the case below? Thank you very much for your help! > Vitamin D has properties against metabolic, neoplastic, and immune disorders > **particularly** breast cancer, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease.


title: How should I order the two marked phrases in the sentence 'I spoke (on the phone ) [with John]'

text: Regarding the sentence, > _I spoke (on the phone ) [with John]_ , should the phrase in parenthesis precede the phrase in brackets, or vice versa?   1. Do you know of a principle of construction that pertains to ordering phrases such as the two above? If so, how would you apply it to the sentence in question?    2. Do you notice any connotational difference between the alternatives? If so, why do you suppose changing the phrase order effected that difference?  Thank you.


title: Alternative to "lossily compressed"

text: Is there a better way to say "lossily compressed"? The adverb _lossily_ can not be found in Merriam-Webster, but the adjective _lossy_ can. It also feels a bit unnatural.


title: Is the phrase "I love playing guitar, been doing it since a very young age" grammatically correct?

text: My quarrel with the phrase in the question title is the use of "been doing it". Is it valid to use it this way (without the word "having" in front of it)? If it's not grammatically correct, is it at least informally acceptable?


title: Verbal noun of pure copula - logical implications?

text: In her emendation of her earlier work on antilogism here, Christine Ladd- Franklin wrote > ... That no human beings are immortal and no angels are mortal precludes any > angels being human. [She then presents the syllogism in symbolic form] > The formula says "precludes that any angels (some angels) are human" but > rhetoric has a strong penchant for turning the verb of a subordinate > proposition into a verbal noun. Is her point that the verbal (being) implies more existential import than the pure copula as a verb (is/are), or am I missing something?


title: What does a door do on its hinge?

text: In general sense of the language we would say that a door " _opens_ " or " _closes_ ". But I am looking for a one-word answer ( _preferably_ ) that would indicate its motion around the _hinge_. Does it _swivel_ , _swerve_ , _flap_? ( _you get the idea_ ) **NOTE:** I am not talking about spin doors that revolve or sliding doors, just the conventional ones with hinge(s). And, please go through the entire question. This is not a duplicate of _What does the door do?_ or _Is there a word that means both opening and closing a door?_


title: Early hyphenation library - 80s - 90s

text: I recall back in the late 1980s and perhaps early 1990s a library that was available in a number of forms that achieved excellent hyphenation in many/most languages. I seem to remember it was called the xxx and yyy hyphenation libraries but sadly my age is getting the better of me and I cannot remember its name. Anyone?


title: TOP LEVEL VS LEADING

text: Of the two adjectives, Top-level and leading, which one is stronger? Which journal is more prestigious, a top level one or a leading one?


title: "Harrass over X" vs. "harrass for X"

text: >   * She harassed me for days **over** mistake. >   * They would have teased me **for** not being brave. > Both prepositions indicate the reason for harrassment. What is the difference in meaning? Can they be used interchangeably?


title: Use of "the" in front of an application name

text: I am currently writing my thesis. It is based upon an application that I developed. My question is that should I use _the_ in front of my application's name in my thesis. In this example suppose my app's name is _mSecure_ : > Applying the concepts of HCI in the development of _mSecure_. OR > Applying the concepts of HCI in the development of the _mSecure_. (This > sounds weird to me) Also, later on if I have a sentence like this: > The user of the _mSecure_ must be healthy. OR > The user of _mSecure_ must be healthy. Can some one please point out which of the above sentences are more appropriate?


title: Singular or plural form of verb

text: Which of two following sentences is correct?   1. Depending on whether a birth or a death **occurs** , we have...   2. Depending on whether a birth or a death **occur** , we have... **Update** I changed the title.


title: After 13 years in the 21st century, what conclusion have we come to regarding the short forms of the names of the years?

text: Do you remember the _other_ Year 2000 problem, regarding the nicknames of the years? If 1999 was "ninety-nine," then what would we call 2001? At the time, answers such as "one", "oh-one", "two-oh-one" and even "naught-one" were suggested. Now, with well over a decade of experience, what conclusion have we come to, if any?


title: In real estate, what is a split plan?

text: I'm looking through house listings and keep coming across "split plan." This is not a synonym of "split level," because the houses are pretty flat. What is a "split plan" house?


title: Can I use "will" as non-auxiliary verb?

text: I was in England and I heard that some people use word "will" as non auxiliary verb, in meaning "wish". Have I misheard? If it is true, in which cases can I use "will" as non auxiliary verb?


title: Where does the term Cracker come from, and how disparaging is it?

text: My grandmother from Georgia openly refers to herself and other white southerners as "Crackers", and sometimes adds a state as in "Georgia Cracker" or "Florida Cracker". She says it means simple folks who can only afford to eat crackers. I've also heard it refers to a cattle rancher who likes to crack their whip... but of course it invokes the image of a slave-master. How broadly is this potentially pejorative expression used? Does anyone know where it really came form, or how disparaging it is?


title: Are the different pronunciations of "species" regional differences?

text: As far as I know, the word "species" can pronounced either as spee-sheez or as spee-seez. I understand that neither of these is incorrect: they're just two different ways to say the same thing. I also know that the second one is pretty much only used in the US. Not being a speaker myself, I'd like to know: is this a regional variation, or is it just something that depends on the speaker?


title: Is there a substantial difference between what someone would call a "quotation" or "quote" versus a "saying"?

text: It can't simply be that the word "quote" seems more formal than "saying" can it?


title: What's the difference between "when" and "while"?

text: What's the difference between _when_ and _while_? Could anyone advise?


title: Green's functions or Green functions

text: In the sciences there exists mathematical functions that are named after the British mathematician George Green. People refer to them in various ways such as: Green's function, Green's functions, Green function, Green functions. To me, _Green's functions_ , suggests that he (Green) tested and investigated each and every one of these functions one way or the other. Doesn't Green functions sound much better? I.e. that these functions are _related_ to work originally done or started by George Green. For example, here is a little part from the wikipedia page about these functions > In mathematics, a Green's function is the... _A Green's function_ sounds so wrong to my ears.   How should it be for singular and plural form?


title: Alternatives to "High Level" and "Low Level" in computing

text: In computing, "Low Level" can be understood to refer to a more base level of detail, and "High Level" to a higher level of detail as well as usage of "packages" made out of the "low level" constructs to achieve a higher level of abstraction. I am looking for words alternative to High and Low as they have mentally misleading associations to be used in this context.


title: What term describes workers that are not "knowledge workers"?

text: Wikipedia describes a knowledge worker as a worker whose _"main capital is knowledge"_. Examples include engineers, doctors, accountants, software writers etc. Is there an "established term" to refer to non-knowledge workers?


title: What does “The insolence of wealth will creep out” mean?

text: Can anyone paraphrase the following statement by Samuel Johnson? > The insolence of wealth will creep out.


title: Use of "is" vs. "are" when both singular and plural countable nouns follow

text: This is a question I've been wondering about for some time, and I finally came across an example today that I can quote. Consider this sentence (from): > No longer is the main primary exchanges the only option for executing > orders. At my first reading the "is" seemed to clash with the plural of "exchanges", however it may be read as applying to the singular "option". What is the rule in such a phrase?


title: Can I use "after" before the afternoon? Is it grammatically right?

text: Can I use a sentence like "I will it see it after afternoon"? I mean can I use "after" before the afternoon. Is it grammatically right?


title: Reading dollar amounts after "priced at"

text: I'd like to know the correct way to read dollar amounts after the expression "priced at." If I want to read the sentence > "This app is priced at $3.99." would it typically be read as > "This app is priced at three dollars and ninety-nine cents?" I really want to use "dollars" and "cents" instead of saying something like "priced at three-ninety-nine."


title: What does "don't shoot yourself in the foot" mean?

text: What does "Don’t shoot yourself in the foot" mean? > Unfortunately, most salary decisions are based on perceived performance, not > on actual performance. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot.


title: What does the phrase "switched on" mean in this context?

text: Recently a colleague of mine said to me that the "Guys who are switched on really annoy me?". Since I am not a native speaker, I do not know what he meant by "switched on". Can you fine folks shed some light on this? Thanks!


title: Lover of Fantasy

text: Is there a single word to describe a person who is a lover of fantasy? Similarly, is there a single word to describe a person who is a lover of sci- fi?


title: "We do is to complain" or "We complain about it"?

text: I was just reading a News paper. and found this sentence: > Our impatient host could not understand that our security personnel are > under so mush pressure in such tense red alert situations. They do their > duty and try to protect us so that we can go back home safely to our > families. And all **we do is to complain** and ignore red alerts. I am not getting this one. Why it could not be as **we complain about it and ignore red alerts**. Is there any grammatical mistake while using this: _We complain about it and ignore red alerts._


title: Meaning of "Country air"

text: I am going to translate an English song into Italian, and I have a problem about this phrase: > Take in the country air, you'll never win I'm looking for "country air" but I don't find anything about this phrase, not in Italian or English. What could be the correct meaning?


title: Off-beat in the British Army

text: While trying to locate the etymology of the _Tamil_ slang, _OB_ , I ran across the following claim: > This entirely Tamilian term, strangely enough, has its origins in the term > "off-beat" used in the British Army to refer to retired officers or > soldiers. I'd like to know if there's any truth to the claim that "off-beat" was a British Army term for retired officers.


title: What is the meaning of "here" at the end of a sentence and how should it be used?

text: I have had a few international friends ask about "here" when used at the end of a sentence such as "I could use a little help here!" or "buy me some time here!". I would like to better explain this to them, but my best explanation is that adding "here" gives a feeling of desperation to a sentence. Even if that is a perfect explanation of the meaning (which I doubt), it doesn't provide them with an explanation of when it should or should not be used. Could you please explain "here" in these sentences?


title: Be proud of vs Take credit for

text: Does `I'm proud of something` imply `I'm taking credit for something`? I just observed that the former phrase only works with my own accomplishments or with related people, but not with unrelated people, e.g. `I'm proud of Tom's result` works only if I have some kind of relationship with Tom, like I'm his father or teacher or trainer.


title: How did English get the "What is your name?" construction?

text: As a dabbling polyglot, I've found myself learning the basics of several languages over the course of my lifetime. One of the first things that is taught in any language is personal introductions. I was struck recently by the fact that English is the only language I have learned that uses the construction > What is your name? Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Chinese all use some variation of > How are you called? I'm told that Russian has something approximating "What is your name?" but it is sounds archaic to use it. The modern version is closer to "What are you called?" So I'm curious. How did English end up with a phrase that is so different than the rest? N.B. I am not interested in opening a can of worms regarding social conventions. Regardless of how blunt we may consider the use of "What is your name?" in a social context, English speakers would find it exceedingly odd to use "How are you called?" in its place. If it helps, let's forget the introductory aspect, and think of "What is _his_ name?" versus "How is _he_ called?" **UPDATE:** So far it looks like Old and Middle English used a phrase similar to German and Scandinavian countries. Monica Cellio says that Modern Hebrew has this "What is your name" construction as well. Is there any evidence that this new phrasing might have been picked up in Early Modern English, perhaps after the introduction of the King James Version of the Bible?


title: Can "I wonder" be put at the end of a sentence?

text: Usually sentences with "I wonder" are of the following form: > I wonder why **___ __ ___ ___**. But what about this? > Why is it that **___ __ ___ __ ___** I wonder. It seems relatively unnatural. Why is that? Is it grammatically correct?


title: “Experimentally determined” vs. “determined experimentally”

text: Which of the following sentences is correct? >   1. The numbers are experimentally determined. >   2. The numbers are determined experimentally. > Are both (not) correct and if only one of them is correct, what is the underlying rule?


title: Is there an alternative word/phrase to "ignorance is bliss?" [edited]

text: It's a classic phrase, but is there **a word** that encapsulates the sentiment of this idiom? **Edit:** Single word isn't a requirement, I'm just looking for a **concise** and **eloquent** alternative. I don't have a specific sentence in mind; I think it's a beautiful idiom and I'm simply looking for alternatives to it. _In my opinion, context isn't required._ Nonetheless, I've been asked to provide some degree of specificity: the first example that always comes to mind is the scene in _The Matrix_ where Cypher is eating a steak and talking to the agent. Cypher says: > "I know this steak doesn't exist; I know that when I put in my mouth, the > Matrix is telling my brain that it's juicy and delicious. After 9 years, you > know what I realized? Ignorance is bliss."


title: Is there a difference between "jamb" and "jam"?

text: Is there a difference between _jamb_ and _jam_? I recently wrote a letter describing someone who had jambed their hand on a stair bannister and the usage was questioned.


title: Which verb is used for the word "activity" - "do" or "play"?

text: In an English test I had recently, there was this multiple choice question: > There were lots of different activities for Jay to ... there. > > A - Make B - Do C - Play There was no extra information for the exercise, just the word to complete. I chose _do_ , but it turns out both _do_ and _play_ were accepted. Why is the word "play" accepted to complete this sentence? Are they both correct? Why? If there was a question on the SAT telling me to complete the sentence with the verb that best suits the sentence, which should I choose?


title: Is "mine's" a valid contraction?

text: Not _mines_ , but **mine's** (mine is). As in, "You cooked a good turkey, but **mine's** better."


title: Monetary amounts: 'thousands' prefix has opposite capitalisation to SI

text: One thing I noticed recently when looking through some reports is that thousands are often abbreviated, in a similar way to scientific measurements are abbreviated. E.g. $1,000,000 becomes $1m and £20,000 becomes £20K I was curious about the capitalisation choices though, and the fact that they appear to be the opposite of what SI would specify for kilo- (k) and mega- (M). Does anyone know where these monetary abbreviations came from and why they're capitalised in this way?


title: How can I know the exact meaning of “cousin” in a sentence?

text: How can I know the exact meaning of the word _cousin_ in a sentence? How do English speakers distinguish between different kinds of cousins? (Arabic distinguishes both the sex of the cousin and the side of the family —Cindi/Google)


title: Why do we call snail mail "snail mail"?

text: Why do we call snail mail "snail mail"? So by default _mail_ will refer to email?


title: Are you comfortable with who(m) he is?

text: >   * Are you comfortable with him? ( _correct_ ) >   * Are you comfortable with whom he is? ( _??_ ) > >   * You're comfortable with whom he is. ( _??_ ) > >   * Are you comfortable with who he is? ( _??_ ) > >   * You're comfortable with whom? ( _correct_ ) > > Why does adding _he is_ change the usage of _who/whom_? I understand that the _is_ is reflective and takes the nominative case, but my brain is not "computing" because I've never seen anything following _with_ ever be nominative...until now. Please enlighten me. PS: There are no tags for 'nominative' or 'dative' or likely any of the other cases.


title: How would you name this phenomenon? (about presidents' popularity drop)

text: > Whenever a new president comes, he is always more popular in the beginning > than at the end of his term. No matter how good he is and how successful he > has been, there will always be more negativity and criticism toward him from > the people of his country toward the end of his rule. It is almost a law. I > would call it a law of ... How would you name this "law" here? You can substitute _phenomenon_ for the word _law_ EDIT: I am sorry if I again didn't explain my thought clearly enough. (As I can see from the first two answers here - I really didn't) I want a term that would describe the phenomenon of inevitable drop in popularity toward the end of a politician's term, not a term describing his high popularity in the very beginning of his service.


title: "Draw a bath" vs "prepare a bath"

text: Is there any difference in meaning between the expressions _draw a bath_ and _prepare a bath_?


title: Word for person who always judges their actions positively

text: What do we call a person who always tries to judge their own actions in a positive way, or convince themselves that what they do is always right?


title: "England-born" or "English-born"

text: Which of the two statements is correct? > He was an **English-born** businessman. > > He was an **England-born** businessman. The same confusion arises in _India-born_ and _Indian-born_ as well. Moreover, is a hyphen necessary in these examples?


title: Is there an English word for "the cover of a group's photo" on which we can usually write names?

text: At school or at family events, we can sometimes get photos of the group we represent. Such photos are often placed in a paper/card cover on which are lines ready to write the names of the persons that are on the photo. Is there any single term to represent this object?


title: Using article "the" for an artwork

text: I want to name an artwork I made but I am not a native English speaker. The title I have selected is _vision_ , meaning having insight. The point is I don't know whether I should name it _The Vision_ or _Vision_.


title: If only he had cycled

text: To the question, > How did you get here? the response was, > I bike rode. Why is this incorrect?


title: What does "Eleventy-seven" mean?

text: I came across the following phrase in a story (set in Australia): > So the fact that I'm forty-five and you're eleventy-seven means nothing to > me. If other people have a problem with that, then it's their problem, not > ours. The character is obviously talking about age difference, but is "eleventy- seven" translate to an actual number? Or is it an Australian colloquialism for "really old"? I tried to search for the phrase, but all I found were pages about a musical group of the same name :)


title: Synonyms for 'Registration close date'

text: I'm managing an online registration to some conferences. The conference coordinator has to add info about that in an online form, when submitting his conference to the registration website. Is there a better way to describe the date the registration closes? I prefer a short straight forward name. PS. Yeah, I know you hate me, for this nerdy question, but in fact I face this question many times in other terms as well.


title: Other word for discrimination based on demographic categories?

text: I am looking for a stronger word than "discrimination", which somehow remains ambiguous because of its multiple meanings. I am especially interested in referring to discrimination in the sense of partiality and prejudice towards certain demographic categories. The word "discrimination" could be used in combination with an adjective such as "racial", but again that would be to specific, because it would omit discrimination based on other categories such as religion, gender or culture. What I would require is a word describing the thought process by which one purposely, unfairly and hatefully excludes an entire population from courtesy and tolerance one would apply to oneself.


title: Who is one God and the one Mediator?

text: This is a passage from a book of the Bible: > 1 Timothy Chapter 2 > > 1 Exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, > intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; > > 2 for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and > peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. > > 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; > > 4 who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the > truth. > > 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ > Jesus; > > 6 who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. > > 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in > Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. > > 8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without > wrath and doubting. > > 9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with > shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or > costly array; > > 10 but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Please study verses 5 & 6   1. How many subject(s) is(are) there?   2. Who is (are) the subject(s)?   3. Are there two persons described in the sentence? Please explain to me. Thank you.


title: Is it considered alliteration if two or more neighboring words start with different allophones of the same phoneme?

text: Both the words _tea_ and _trip_ start with different allophones of the same phoneme /t/. Would placing these words next to each other in a sentence not be considered alliteration, or is sharing the same phoneme the only criteria for alliteration?


title: substitute for peripeteia

text: I was all set to release an album titled Peripeteia. I thought the word aesthetically sounded beautiful and the meaning, reversal of reality, "the moment the hero realizes all he believes is untrue" (in greek tragedy), etc. seemed very fitting to many of the songs and some of my recent personal experiences. Unfortunately, another band released an album titled Peripeteia, how random! Can't believe someone beat me to it. Does anyone know any words that have the same sort of meaning?


title: Are "traditional comparisons" still in use?

text: When I was a student - and that was more years ago than I care to count - I learned quite a few idiomatic/traditional comparisons. Howver, I've never heard anyone use them ever since. I suppose they are obsolete in 2014, are they ?   e.g. As strong as a lion, as good as gold, as pretty as a picture, as cunning as a cartload of monkeys, etc.


title: "IT projects gone awry..." Qualifying a reduced relative clause rule

text: "IT projects gone awry because they were conceived on too massive a scale, and good money thrown after bad, are financial nuisances far from unique to the Beeb." ['Beeb' = BBC] I've been trying to unpick this sentence and it seems to present some interesting questions regarding reduced relative clauses. I believe that I am right in thinking that it contains two reduced relative clauses, 'gone awry...' and 'thrown after...', which are reductions of 'which have gone awry' and 'which has been thrown after'. Despite a fair amount of research, I haven't been able to find a comprehensive account of the rules governing the use of reduced relative clauses, with many books simply suggesting that one should use the present participle for active clauses, and the past participle for clauses that have a passive meaning. Whilst 'thrown after' follows this rule, I am not sure how to classify 'gone awry'. The past participle is used and yet technically-speaking this is not a passive clause. Indeed, it is not possible to use the verb 'go' in a passive sense because it is intransitive. So my questions are: firstly, can we say that where the verb is intransitive a past participle can substitute for an (active) perfect tense? Secondly, can anyone think of other examples of this? And thirdly, where can I find a comprehensive account of the rules governing relative clause reductions as everything I have seen so far has been massively unsatisfactory? ...And if you are not fed up with my silly questions: is 'financial nuisances far from unique to the Beeb' also a reduced relative clause? Apologies if any of these questions seem naive...


title: "Did you check if […]"

text: Is this a grammatically correct/formal way to ask the question of this type? Here is an example > Hey, did you check if the payment went through? What's the better way to rephrase it?


title: What could be the correct idiom for expressing that someone is baking up false allegations without evidence?

text: Are "barking up the wrong bush" or "sailing on the wings of imagination" close?


title: The origins of "Who da Man"?

text: This is a hard one to look up. Where (and when!) did the expression "who da man" start? My guess is it started either in written form after the popularization of the internet (because that would jibe with it being intentionally misspelled) or in imitation of some popular icon (who?). Do you have any idea how one would look such a thing up?


title: Does 'virtual' mean real or fake?

text: > Our deputy manager is the virtual head of the business. In this sentence the manager is the **real** person who in charge. > There will be a virtual presenter and virtual guests who will help create > the atmosphere of a beauty contest. Here the presenter and guests are all **fake**. This `virtual` really confuses me.


title: Use of "The better"?

text: Disclamer: English isn't my first language. I learned during my English courses (a few years ago), that there is, as in French (which is my first language), a comparative and superlative version for each adjective. And for the adjective _good_ it goes like this: > good, better, best The thing is, when I listen to different English people speaking (videos on YouTube, conferences, etc.) I often hear something like > the better solution is... This doesn't translate well in French (actually, if you translate the word as is, it's a _huge_ grammar error) and most of the time I thought it was just the speaker making a mistake (which could be considered as not that important in English). Instead I would expect either >   * the best solution is... [superlative] >   * a better solution is... [comparative] > and not the use of a comparative as a superlative. But recently I've started to listen to a course from Shelly Kagan, a professor of philosophy in Yale University, who seems to use this same construction. Now, I wonder if what I was taught wasn't completely correct and indeed "the better solution is..." is correct, or if professor Kagan, and everybody I heard saying that, is making a mistake (of course this doesn't affect the quality of the content or the skills of the speaker). If it is indeed a mistake, is it considered as an obvious one, or is it not that noticeable?


title: word describing hand motion while bowing

text: I probably have seen this happen at various times in movies set in eras where people were very obsequious to royalty. The action I am trying to find the word for is a motion of the hand in a kind of circular motion or spiral (generally towards and away from oneself) while bowing towards someone, often while slowly moving backwards. My first thought was "genuflect" although to me that invokes the image of someone making the sign of the cross (although the dictionary doesn't seem to mention this, or in fact any hand movement - it seems to be closer to bowing then the hand movement) and I am looking for a word without any religious connotations. My second thought was "flourish" as that seems to be technically correct to some degree in the sense of "a bold or extravagant gesture or action, made esp. to attract the attention of others", but this word seems to have too many meanings that might confuse, and I am not sure anybody would recognize what I was talking about unless I put a lot of context into the sentence with it, or maybe even if I did!


title: "Flowers" card suit?

text: Is there some time or place where the clubs card suit is called " **flowers** " in English? This is their usual name in such languages as Italian (" _fiori_ "), but has it ever been the case in English? I have found a mention of a " _Jack of Flowers_ ", but I suspect it to be spurious.


title: Past perfect in the specific sentence

text: I am not sure about using the past tenses here: > Yesterday I saw my friend who had just finished the university and wanted to > go out. Is that correct? I am not sure about the past perfect but using past simple would (IMO) imply that the actions happened one by one.


title: Free meaning “free of charge” vs “unoccupied”

text: I often hear German native speakers (I am one myself) ask those questions, and it seems to me that they are pretty much translated word by word into English.   * Is this chair free?   * There is a free room in the house. What is the proper way of asking, say, whether a chair on a table is taken or not? For me it seems like the second statement means that the room is free, as in one doesn’t have to pay for it (gratis). Or does it also mean that there is one extra room in the house?


title: What does President Obama’s phrase “We don’t need to spike the football” mean?

text: President Obama made the following statement regarding his decision not to show dead body of Osama bin Laden to the public: > "I think that Americans and people around the world are glad that he is > gone. But we don’t need to spike the football. And I think that given the > graphic nature of these photos, it would create some national security > risk." By following the definition of the word, “spike the ball” by SportsDefinitions.com – "The quarterback throws the ball straight to the ground instantly after a snap" - I can vaguely guess what the president meant by the line, “We don’t need to spike the football.” But I would like to know exact meaning of this phrase. Can somebody put it in more forthright expression?


title: Do any print dictionaries admit "everytime" as a word?

text: I've noticed a tendency for more and more two-word phrases with even slightly idiomatic usage being written more and more as single word compounds. Today when I came across "everytime" written as a compound I looked to see how modern it was on Google Ngram Viewer and was surprised to see it much more common than I expected. The question is do any traditional dictionaries yet grant it word status? Some online dictionaries like Wiktionary do, but it also includes the comparative and superlatives "more everytime" and "most everytime" so can hardly be trusted beyond a certain point. Apart from the main question I was also surprised to see that this form peaked between 1970 and 1990 and is actually in decline again. ![Google Ngram Viwer graph of "everytime"](http://i.stack.imgur.com/izoA5.png)


title: Intonation and the changing of meaning

text: Two questions with the same words can have somewhat different meanings. For example, I could ask   1. > Do you want to go to the zoo or the museum?  with my intonation/pitch rising after _zoo_ , or   2. > Do you want to go to the zoo or the museum?  with a higher intonation on _zoo_ going down to a lower pitch by _museum_. So, using only intonation, it seems we can distinguish between "here are two of our options" (1) and "here are our only two options" (2). Is there a name for intonation changing the meaning of a sentence?


title: Use of "in the sequel"

text: I have seen the following type of phrase in various academic articles and books. >   * Another important decomposition used in the sequel is the ... >   * In the sequel, we identify the position ... >   * the vector v (introduced in the sequel) must be considered... > At first, this use of "in the sequel" seemed strange, and I chalked it up to non-native English writing. I would say something like "in the following" or "below" in a case like this. However, I've seen it enough that I'm starting to question whether it's acceptable/standard English or not. I can see an argument that by the etymology of the word, it can be used in this fashion. The modern definition of sequel applies to books, films, and events. What's the verdict?


title: Origin of "So much for that idea"

text: When a concept is found to be invalid, someone might say "so much for" it, which roughly means "I'm throwing this idea away." Does anyone know where the expression comes from?


title: Indian English use of “only” for emphasis

text: In my dialect of English (American West Coast), the word only exclusively means exclusively. I've worked with folks from Southern India for a while (and used to live abroad in Dubai), and it seems to me that that in some Indian English dialects, the word "only" can be used for emphasis - it does not necessarily indicate exclusivity. Here are a couple examples of the usage that I am talking about:   * After the successful completion of the job and incorporation of the job results into 3D workspace, only sitepoints are displayed.      * _Other stuff was actually displayed, but the sitepoints should not have been, thus their presence was unusual._   * ... calculation job failed to run on the following structure only.      * _Other structures may or may not work. This specific structure failed._   * Only the following description is shown:      * _The description does not match the expected description._ This answer on ELU has a number of other examples of this usage. **My concern** I am writing up a document that will primarily be read by my Indian co- workers. Does _only_ also mean exclusively in this version of English? Or would it be wise to be careful about my use of this word? Here's an example of my usage (from a list of guidelines):   * Only use these once a bug has been found.      * I mean that "these" should be used exclusively in a circumstance in which a bug has been found. (note that this is not the same as Indian English use of "only", that person was having almost exactly the opposite issue. Also, I will of course send my document for revision to a supervisor in Bangalore before publishing it.)


title: Usage of "keenly aware of"

text: Need help on right usage of "keenly aware of", what are the similar expressions? Can I say: strongly aware of ? thanks


title: Preventative vs. preventive

text: In this answer about the non-word _disabilitated_, the word _preventative_ is compared (unfavourably, if my reading of the implication is correct) to _preventive_. However, I have always used _preventative_ , and can only recall hearing it in its longer form. Merriam-Webster online lists _preventative_ (defining it as equal to _preventive_ ) as being first used circa 1666, and lists _preventive_ as first used circa 1639. Is this is a BrEng/AmEng difference? What is the etymology of these words? (There is a question about this on World Wide Words, but more, or more precise, information would be appreciated.)


title: Is it OK to use "empty-handed" on an animal?

text: Can I write the following? > One of the seagulls spotted a fish and dove after it, but came up **empty- > handed** If not, what other word I can use to replace **empty-handed**?


title: Enquire and inquire

text: In British English I think these two words have different shades of meaning, but I couldn't articulate them. In American English I see inquire used where I would use "enquire". Are there shades of meaning in British English? Do they exist in American English?


title: Shorthand label

text: I can't find a definition, synonym or an alternative way, to say _"shorthand label"_ in the following text: > _The Unit describes social exclusion as **a shorthand label** for what can > happen when individuals or areas suffer from a combination of linked > problems._


title: Is "noncompatible" a legitimate synonym of "incompatible"?

text: I'm working with someone who uses _noncompatible_ often in correspondence. The confusion may be due to English being a second language for them. I think they should be using _incompatible_ instead. Is that correct? > It is better to not show those user profiles to **noncompatible** > individuals. Does the answer change if we are talking about software? > It is better to not use software that is **noncompatible** with outdated > hardware.


title: "Survey" vs. "inquiry"

text: There are already some posts talking about inquiry, enquiry, and survey. However, a real sharp definition and distinction between survey and inquiry words is still missing and I'd like to be sure about their differences and best uses.


title: Best phrase for teamwork ready, supportive person

text: Another word- choice dilemma! Which word or phrase is best to be used in a resume describing _ready for team work_ ; I am familiar whit the phrase _teamwork ready_ , but it actually sounds a bit too impersonal to me. Could there be something more appropriate? Along that line, I would want to say that I'm a _supportive_ person in a work environment. But I wonder if it's to intimate to use in a resume? I want to say that I'm ready to help, to assist, to be understanding of others and the possible difficulties they might be having, while working together in a team effort. My question is: does > ''a cooperative worker, a supportive, responsible person'', all together, sound ok, like it could normally be used in a resume?


title: Do not carried away from hattery meaning

text: My kid studying in KG has a moral story of fox and crow (which you may already know). Just in case you don't know the story, here it is in short: A crow finds a piece of bread and just before it starts eating it, a fox sees and plans to take it from the crow. Then it says, "oh crow you look beautiful and your voice is so sweet. Can you sing a song for me?" Then that foolish crow opens her mouth to sing and the bread falls out of her mouth, and the fox grabs it. The moral of the story, as written in the book and this is the question **Do not carried away from the hattery** What does hattery mean?


title: The correct use of the word “vicariously”

text: Is it correct English when someone says that they _live vicariously through_ something? If I were to say “I _live through_ the TV”, would I not be living _vicariously_? So therefore the word _vicariously_ is redundant and the statement is a tautology?


title: Replacement for ‘at the example of ’

text: I’m currently searching for the title of my research thesis and I can’t find a good phrase. I did a “Systematic Analysis of fruit growth” in a generic way and additionally applied the analysis to apples. Regarding the content I thought of the following title:   * “Systematic Analysis of the fruit growth at the example of apples”   * “Systematic Analysis of the fruit growth exemplify by apples” Both sound awkward and might even be not correct (they sound incorrect to me) I came up with the following other possibilities:   * “Systematic Analysis of the fruit growth demonstrated on apples”   * “Systematic Analysis of the fruit growth taking the example of apples”   * “Systematic Analysis of the fruit growth applied on apples”   * “Systematic Analysis of the fruit growth using apples as a case study”   * “Systematic Analysis of the fruit growth demonstrated on apples as a case study” None of these really fits what I wanted to say. I would go for the first one, but I’m not sure whether “demonstrate” might be to informal and one might think of a “demonstration” (show on a stage). Is there another correct phrase for “at the example of ”?


title: Etymology of "humbug"

text: We were discussing humbugs in the office the other day (principally arguing over whether the ones with brown stripes were real humbugs), so I looked up the etymology and found plenty of information about the origin of the word _humbug_ to mean deception or dishonesty (see Wikipedia). One might argue that in this context lots of explanations are the same as no explanations, but none of them mention the minty meaning. So I was wondering if anyone knew how a word that used to mean what is reported by the Online Etymology Dictionary also came to mean a black-and-white striped peppermint sweet: > 1751, student slang, "trick, jest, hoax, deception," also as a verb, of > unknown origin. A vogue word of the early 1750s; its origin was a subject of > much whimsical speculation even then.


title: “Is it any wonder?” reversal

text: It's my understanding that “Is it any wonder . . . ?” is a rhetorical question used to state the obvious, usually with a degree of sarcasm, equivalent to “It's no wonder that . . .” or “Small wonder that. . . .” For example: > Is it any wonder that Chris is late to the party? means roughly: > Nobody should be surprised that Chris is late to the party. However, the Styx song “Too Much Time on My Hands” reverses the usual sense of the idiom: > Yeah, I'm sittin' on this bar stool talking like a damn fool   >  Got the twelve o'clock news blues   >  And I've given up hope for the afternoon soaps   >  And a bottle of cold brew   >  **Is it any wonder I'm not crazy?**   >  **Is it any wonder I'm sane at all?**   >  . . .   >  **Is it any wonder I'm not a criminal?**   >  **Is it any wonder I'm not in jail?** Here, the answer to the rhetorical question appears to be “ **Yes,** it actually is surprising that I'm not crazy and in jail.” Later in the song, they use the idiom in a more typical fashion, with sarcasm apparent in the singer's tone: > Is it any wonder I'm not the President?   >  Is it any wonder I'm null and void? Is the **reversed** sense of this idiom actually widespread, or is this just artistic license by a songwriter?


title: Pronunciation: "use" versus "use"

text: Compare pronunciations:   * "I want to **use** the bathroom" (yoos)   * "I made **use** of the bathroom." (yus) My poor attempt at creating a phonetically descriptive syntax is supposed to convey that, with the verb construction, "use" is pronounced with a long _u_ whose sound continues during the speaking of the _s_. The noun construction is a shorter sound, where the _u_ and the _s_ are distinct. It suddenly strikes me that this is such a slight change as to be barely noticeable if the listener is not already expecting it, or if the listener is not the speaker himself. So now I'm not sure whether I'm the only person doing this, and it's freaking me out a bit because I hate when I find out I've been mispronouncing terms for years; I'm too picky with my language for that. So, is it just me forming a different pronunciation for "use" dependant on the context? Is it perhaps a regional thing? Or is everyone, indeed, doing it?


title: The right phrase for 'more than more'

text: I want a phrase to convey when something should be done more than enough to matter. Is it correct to use the phrase 'more than more'? Is it common in English literature?


title: Obscure/archaic/unusual English word-of-the-day RSS feed?

text: I seek to embiggen my lexicon. Does anyone know of an obscure/archaic/unusual English word-of-the-day (with authoritative (preferably OED) definition) RSS feed?   * I've found the OED WotD feed, but a fleet survey shows it contains generally everyday language.   * The Phrontistery is interesting, but it appears to be dead, and doesn't feature a feed of words.   * Wordsmith's _A Word A Day_ comes close, with some quite rare words. Anything else like this?


title: Word for sex discrimination issues with holding work-related duties in saunas

text: Is there any word (most likely a loanword) to describe sex discrimination issues for holding work-related functions in saunas? > It's a sticky, steamy business. Two or more do it naked in a small, dimly > lit room. Heartbeats quicken, pulses pound, sweat pours. The climax is a > moist, suffusing glow. It has nothing whatever, of course, to do with sex - > but Olli Rehn, the European commissioner in charge of handling the euro zone > debt crisis, has found himself accused of sexism after holding towel-clad > briefings for male journalists in a sauna beneath his office in Brussels. Are there any words or phrases for this concept?


title: Answer to "enjoy your meal"

text: When you're having lunch and you see someone he can say "enjoy your meal", "bon appétit" or "enjoy". I can answer him by saying "thank you", for instance. But for example in Spanish we usually say a sentence which means something like "you can join me/us, if you want" (inviting him). Is there any typical sentence in English with a similar meaning?


title: What is this kind of literature called?

text: I would like to know what a particular form of publication is called, when a work is a collaborative effort of many writers and possibly more than one editor, published in weekly or monthly parts and intended to be bound into volumes by the subscribers (or perhaps reprinted bound by the publisher at a later date). Does anyone know what this is called? An example would be _The Times History of the War_ (here).


title: What general rules govern the usage of "by" versus "through"?

text: What general rules govern the usage of _by_ versus _through_? For example, which is correct in each of these cases: > My house is heated by/through gas.   >  I'll send it to you by/through mail.   >  I'll pay you by/through check.   >  I learned that by/through a lot of practice.   >  Success only happens by/through hard work.   >  The tickets are available by/through the Internet.   >  Through/by including a warning prompt prior to asking a SA related > question, SPAM probes have been thought to isolate workload from the > assessment of SA. I found the majority of these by/through a Google search, but the answer there was equivocal.


title: Should I use "here" or "there" in the following sentence?

text: > Sophia was awakened by the rattling sound of the alarm clock. Rubbing her > eyes, she sat up, and after fumbling for a while, she finally managed to > turn the alarm off. She lay on her back again, wondering why David had to > set the alarm on Sunday. But when she looked to **the side** to ask him, she > realized he was no longer **here/there**. Should I use **here** or **there** in the passage above?


title: Is there a term for referencing the main character in a first-person song?

text: Is there a specific word for the protagonist when the singer sings from the protagonist's point of view? For example, in the song "Two Is Better Than One" by Boys Like Girls: > I remember what you wore on the first day   >  You came into my life and I thought   >  "Hey, you know, this could be something"


title: Indian legal documents

text: I am a resident of India. I have never been able to understand the language used in the legal documents here. Below is an example from an agreement to sell an apartment. > Herein after referred to as "THE FLAT PURCHASER/S" {Which expression shall > unless it be repugnant to the context or meaning thereof shall mean and > include his/her/their heirs, executors, administrators and assigners of the > third part. > > WHEREAS : A) The then Collector of Bombay by the letter dated 19/12/1936 > granted land in reclamation lease to one [Mr.] Bhika Bala Pawar in respect > of the property out of Khajan bearing Survey No. 263 (Pt), corresponding to > CTS No. 6/A/12, admeasuring 10 acres or thereabouts situate, lying and being > at Village Malvani, within the limits of... The sentence goes on and on. I had to stop somewhere. I would like to know if it   1. is the language used everywhere (in English speaking world) in such documents;   2. was the language used in last-century Britain;   3. is just wrong English.


title: Relating Teacher to an Owl

text: I don't know if it is about English or what, but I don't understand why some people relates a teacher to an owl, or putting an owl as a simile to a teacher. Is there an origin of this, and is it special in the English language or if I'm wrong about the relationship?


title: What is a "cike" as in "taking the cike"?

text: In the novel Dracula I came upon the following sentence: > "But the old Chapel, that _took the cike_ that did. " Presumably that is an equivalent phrase to "took the biscuit". But a google search for "cike" just showed up this unlikely definition.


title: "In" vs. "after" for future talk

text: > The class will be over in 10 minutes. > > The class will be over after 10 minutes. I know the first is correct but why?


title: Holding off on it or Holding it off or Holding off of it?

text: I would like to say that I'm pausing / postponing work on something. I wasn't sure which of the following is the right way to say it:   1. I'm holding off on it for the time being    2. I'm holding off of it for the time being    3. I'm holding it off for the time being    4. I'm holding off working on it for the time being    5. None of the above, if so what's the "right" way to say it?


title: Are owe and due are the opposites?

text: "You are due an apology" If I say that to someone then it means that I owe them an apology and not the other way around. I recently debated this with someone and they could not make sense of it and did not agree with me. If I was owed an apology then I would say "I am due an apology"


title: Looking for a word to describe someone who has high achievements in a particular field

text: I am looking for a word to describe a person who has high achievements in a particular field. High achievements can be subjective so this word should have personal meanings. For example, I really like an artist, although he may not be the best artist in the world, I just personally like his work so much that he has the power to motivate me to study art and set up a goal for myself to become someone like him. so he is my . Any ideas?


title: Marlin mate means

text: Marlin is a type of swordfish, that's fine. But what does the marlin mate mean? Does the word "mate" have a similar meaning as in the "first mate" or something? Is a marlin mate someone who harpoons the fish? As you might have guessed, I don't know the first thing about fishing terms. It's from an interview with Hemingway. He talks about "aesthetic economy" and how he leaves out certain stuff from his stories: > Then the ocean is worth writing about just as man is. So I was lucky there. > I’ve seen the marlin mate and know about that. So I leave that out. I’ve > seen a school (or pod) of more than fifty sperm whales in that same stretch > of water and once harpooned one nearly sixty feet in length and lost him. So > I left that out. All the stories I know from the fishing village I leave > out. But the knowledge is what makes the underwater part of the iceberg. > > _Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea,_ ed Harold Bloom


title: Origin of the phrase "send tell"?

text: "Send tell" aka PST and similarly Mt is commonly used in video games and online chat programs. To me, it sounds like something out of the renaissance. What is the origin of the phrase?


title: When can I use "have a good day"?

text: I just want to ask if when would be the exact time to use have a good day? Because someone told me that the appropriate time would be in morning. Is that correct?


title: What's the equivalent phrase in the UK for "I plead the fifth"?

text: In the United States, a person under examination on the witness stand may "plead the fifth" to avoid self-incrimination. In other words, a person asserts his or her Fifth Amendment right. Citizens of many English-speaking countries have the right to remain silent and laws to protect against self-incrimination (testifying against yourself). In the UK, how do witnesses or defendants _respond_ in court? Do they literally remain silent, invoke a particular law, or say "no comment"? Include the legal traditions of other English-speaking countries _if relevant_. However, with nearly one hundred such nations, I don't wish to promote giving an answer for each one. To be clear: I am looking for the words a defendant might say on the witness stand. If there's no standard response, then that's an acceptable answer. If defendants would never say something like it because they wouldn't be on the stand unless they had _waived their right to silence_ , then that's an acceptable answer.


title: Direct object "it" in final position... grammatical?

text: In a video a native speaker of English said: > I gotta show you something... it is important. I need to show you it. I am not a native speaker and this last sentence sounds extremely weird to me. I asked two English native speakers (both British), one of whom said it is okay and the other that it is wrong. Is this grammatical? If not, is it about to become grammatical due to frequent use?


title: What does this whole paragraph mean?

text: > Now, although I regard with a hushed and solemn fear, the mysteries, between > which and this state of existence is interposed the barrier of the great > trial and change that fall on all the things that live; and although I have > not the audacity to pretend that I know anything of them; I can no more > reconcile the mere banging of doors, ringing of bells, creaking of boards, > and such-like insignificances, with the majestic beauty and pervading > analogy of all the Divine rules that I am permitted to understand, than I > had been able, a little while before, to yoke the spiritual intercourse of > my fellow traveler to the chariot of the rising sun.


title: Would you say that “headhunter” (as in recruitment) carries derogatory connotations?

text: I’ve seen the expression being used quite a lot in non-English speaking countries by recruiters themselves and I find it a bit odd. Have they chosen the wrong way to be cool?


title: reported speech sentences

text: When we want to report a sentence we change both simple past and present perfect verb into past perfect. What if the sentence we want to report has past perfect element itself. For example How do we report this sentence: I had been a teacher before I went to the USA.


title: The author writes that he “couldn't understand why..." — a comma needed before the quote?

text: Usually, if I am writing that a person said something, I would precede the quoted text with a comma, like this: > Then he said, "I don't know why it happened." However, in this sentence, an editor told me the comma after "he" wasn't necessary: > The author writes, and I'm quoting his words exactly, that he, “couldn't > understand why it happened." Which would make it read like so: > The author writes, and I'm quoting his words exactly, that he “couldn't > understand why it happened." I tried to look up the rules that cover this, but I'm still not clear if it's a matter of one version being more correct or not, or just a style preference. I fear it might be the kind of thing that pedants and would-be editors will complain about no matter which way I go. Is either more definitively correct? If both are acceptable, is there a compelling reason I should choose one over the other?


title: Translating from American to Canadian, when these are used as verbs, is it "log in" and "log out" or "login" and "logout"?

text: This is not a duplicate of questions such as“Login” or “log in”? or “log in to” or “log into” or “login to”. The reason is that this question deals specifically with converting from American English to Canadian English and the underlying differences between those two dialects, whereas those other questions do not specify or deal with particular dialects. I don't want to assume the answers in those questions apply universally without confirmation. In American, something a lot of people don't seem to realize is that "login"/"logout" is for nouns, and "log in" / "log out" is for verbs. You shouldn't use either set interchangeably. Right now, I'm translating some software between American and Canadian English. For things in Canadian where both British- and American-style spellings and such are correct, we're wanting to lean more towards indigenous or British usage. Inevitably the words "login" and "logout" have come up. Somebody already translated them as being one word each in the Canadian dialect, despite their usage as verbs, but I'm wondering if I should change them to be two words each. In Canadian, when used as verbs, do you have to write "log in" and "log out", instead of "login" and "logout"? Does it matter? What about noun usage? Part of the reason of my asking this here is that online translators are liable to just spit the same spellings out, regardless of the answer. Thanks!


title: What is a word that means "a span of six months"?

text: Is there a word that means "a span of six months"? That is, I want to connote a stretch of time that lasts half a year, not an event that happens every six months.


title: "If there are 0 or 1 messages" or "If there is 0 or 1 message"?

text: I'm trying to say "Do something if there are 0 or 1 messages" but am not sure exactly how to phrase that. Do I use the singular, plural, or none of the above?


title: Meaning of "bust on somebody"

text: What does it mean to _bust on somebody_? For example, > I bust on my girlfriend.


title: Should I use "coming" or "going"?

text: When should one use the word "coming" vs. "going"? For example, is it "I'm coming home." or "I'm going home."? (Ehhh maybe that was a bad example). "Are you coming?" vs. "Are you going?" may be a better example. I always get confused by this expression but most people I notice use the word "coming".


title: How to say if the word may be countable or uncountable in English?

text: For example: Maybe the item of travel city include more than one city, But what's the correct writing of Travel City. Should I use Travel City/Cities? Travel Date: 0503, 2014; 0504, 2014   Travel City: Washington; NY,L.A. etc.


title: What kind of phrase? ...while walking down the stairs

text: Is walking a gerund in this sentence? I think while is acting as a conjunction. . . Gloria tripped and fell while walking down the street.


title: What's the grammatical structure for "there is nothing a guy can do that even comes close"?

text: I got a sentence when watching a dialogue: > There is nothing a guy can do that even comes close. In my opinion, "nothing" has an attributive clause: "a guy can do"; and in this atributive clause, "nothing" comes as object so that the object was absence. However, "that even comes close" confused me, as it is also likely to be an object clause. Could anyone give me some clue about the clause "that even come close"?


title: Non-idiomatic "would be a rare X that Y": "...would be a rare hurricane that..."

text: In following, a writer quotes and summarizes Bill Read's remarks regarding Hurricane Irene: > “This is not just a coastal event,” said Bill Read, director of the National > Hurricane Center. He said he was highly confident of the storm’s track, > meaning that it would be a rare hurricane that travels right along the > densely populated Interstate 95 corridor. There are two parts to this. One, I expected an idiom along the lines of 'It would be a rare hurricane that didn't have an eye'. But here, the writer disappoints me by seeming to start the "it would be a rare X that Y" idiom that means "it would be an unusual X that Y, so not Y", but not finishing it. (Instead, Mr. Read meant that, quite unusually, Irene would travel along the I95 corridor.) So the question is, is this something an editor should advise be changed? Or is it a pleasant ambiguity, easily resolved? Another, more humorous example (from SNL?) of ambiguity: "You can't put too much water on a nuclear reactor".


title: What does "cavernous room" mean or look like?

text: I saw this phrase used in this New Yorker article. I think I understand it intuitively, especially with the help of google images, but I'd like to know for sure.


title: Is "East or west India is the best" grammatically correct?

text: In India there is a popular slogan: > East or west India is the best. Is this slogan grammatically correct?   I know directions have _the_ before them. > The east or the west India is the best. Is this how the slogan should read?


title: If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands

text: So I am trying to determine what kind of subjunctive is being used in "if...then" utterences such as: "If you are hungry, eat something." "If you are tired, go to sleep." etc. These phrases seem to have an unspoken "should" as in: "If you are hungry then you should eat something." and "If you are happy and you know it, then you should clap your hands." Would this be zero conditional because first conditional seems like it would be: "If you are tired, you shall go to sleep." Second Conditional would be: "If you were happy and you knew it, you should (?) clap your hands." And Third Conditional would be: "If you had been happy and you had known it, then you should have clapped your hands." Thoughts? Is "should" somehow different in this situation than if it were "will/would have/would"?


title: Synonyms for "little by little"

text: What are some other ways I can say something that means the same thing as "little by little"? The only other thing I know is "bit by bit."


title: Is it correct to say : I am glad to be part of this family NOW?

text: I am joining a team and just as I join, I say this sentence. Is the "now" correct in the end of the sentence or how to make the sentence more fluent? > I am glad to be part of this family now. **I want to say that I am glad to join the team (family). But if I just say that "I am glad to be part of this family." (without the "now") , it kind of means that I have been part of that family for a long time.** This question may seem confusing, but feel free to ask answers, to improve the quality of this question.


title: What does "booty-trap" mean here?

text: Can someone explain to me what _booty-trap_ means in this sentence? > We moved back in there, setting up booty traps. Each man booty-trapped his > own home.


title: Meaning of 'metaphor' in this sentence

text: > “We’re now into a new **metaphor** for the web,” Kelly says noting that we > started with the desktop on computers, then pages for the web. Now the > realtime stream connected to the web is the thing I know that a metaphor is a writing technique. But two things should have some common characterstics so that one can be a metaphor of another. Is "the realtime stream" a metaphor of the web ?


title: "Ad nauseum" vs "ad nauseam"

text: Is there a difference between the two: _ad nauseam_ and _ad nauseum_?


title: "There are several reasons proposed for the collapse of the bridge."

text: > There are several reasons proposed for the collapse of the bridge. Is this present simple tense or the present perfect tense? I thought it might be the latter since there is a retrospective aspect to the sentence. However, I am quite unsure.


title: A word or phrase for 'Holy grail' (a goal impossible to achieve)

text: I am looking for a word or phrase that means "a long sought out goal that seems impossible to achieve" but without any religious connotations. Any suggestions? My intended usage is as follows: > The _holy grail_ in ABC is to identify XYZ where ABC is an academic field of study and XYZ is a solution approach with desired features.


title: Everyone's or every one's?

text: I've always written 'everyone's' but when I was writing a post for my blog the Spell Check came up with 'every one's"   Which one is it?


title: The type of expression that makes transitive verb to look like an intransitive verb: How common is it? Should I use it in formal writing?

text: The sentence structure > _Subject_ has got _noun_ to _verb_. basically places a noun behind a verb with the help of the infinitive marker _to_ , and it makes the transitive verb looks as if it is an intransitive verb. A common example would be > I've got something to do now. I'll let you know when I'm done. (If I didn't misunderstand it) Here _to do_ is the transitive verb while the noun is _something_. So I'm thinking, how common do expressions come in this form? > I've got a game to play. > > I've got a book to read. > > I've got a party to go. > > I've got a website to check out. > > I've got a friend to have conversation with. > > I've got a place to stay. And should I use it in formal writing?


title: Usage relating to a new word

text: I have often heard people use the word "paramount" to mean "the most important", which I think is correct usage. However, I have also heard them use "parmountacy" or "paramountcy". e.g. The changes we are making establishes the paramountacy of international law in these cases. I am wondering if there is such a word as "paramountacy"?


title: What are the differences among “terrible,” “horrific,” and “awful” in terms of nuance and the degree of horribleness? Are they all the same?

text: I was interested in the phrase, “ _We had a terrible breakup, like horrific_ ,” appearing in New York Times’ (September 26) theater review, titled “Old Friends Whose Past Is Always Present,” which comments on the Debate Society’s shows. It goes: > “I won’t tell that story,” he responded. Their director, Oliver Butler, 34 — > sitting across from Ms. Bos at a table on the roof of the Bushwick Starr, > where their new “Blood Play” begins previews on Wednesday — looked curious, > adding quietly that he didn’t know the story. > > Then came a dramatic pause. > > “ _We had a terrible breakup, like horrific_ ,” Ms. Bos blurted out. > > “ _Awful_ ,” Mr. Thureen added with alacrity, as if finishing her sentence. > > The exchange was like a scene from one of their plays.” Why does Hannah Bos complement “terrible” breakup with “like horrific”? What are the differences of nuance and level of “horribleness” among “terrible” “horrific,” and “awful,” which was deliberately added to by Paul Thureen? Are they all the same, and simple or redundant rewording? Additional but important question, what does “ _Old friends whose past is always present_ ” mean? Is this phrase the Debate Society’s coinage?


title: Drink 7 to 10 days after opening?

text: Is this label telling the consumer that it is best to consume the drink 7 to 10 days after opening it? ![Picture of juice carton label](http://i.stack.imgur.com/gglkD.jpg) I know what they are getting at, but I feel like it should say "Best if consumed within 7 to 10 days **of** opening". Is my suspicion correct? **This is what I perceive like the label is _really_ saying**                   |----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|            1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9   10        (Opened)                        (Best consumed here)


title: May conditional be used after "if"?

text: Is a sentence like > He asked if I would lend him my car. correct, or should it be > He asked if I lent him my car. or something else?


title: Why does "issue" have a negative connotation in the US?

text: Why does " _issue_ " have a negative connotation in the US? I have used _issue_ as a synonym of _tema_ in Spanish.


title: What's a jagger in the song Moves Like Jagger?

text: What's jagger/a jagger in the title of the song _Moves Like Jagger_ by Maroon 5? I've looked up the word on Urbandictionary and there are all sorts of different definitions on it. I've also found out that Jagger is also a name of the lead vocalist of the Rolling Stones. So what does jagger in this song refers to?


title: Does the verb "warn" sound very strong?

text: Is _warn_ a synonym of "let someone know"? I want to say "te mando este mensaje para avisarte de que". Can I say "I'm writing you this email to warn you about"?


title: Can I say I landed at Boston?

text: I know the plane lands in Boston but can I say I landed at Boston ?


title: Are "wonder" and "wander" etymologically related?

text: Especially in lyric-writing, where used more figuratively than literally, _e.g. (mental) wandering_ and _wondering_ , the two seem often interchangeable. And I can see _wondering_ being conceived as an analogue of _wandering_ (only, in one's mind). However from peering at their etymologies (see: wonder and wander), it appears this isn't the case--or have I simply not dug deep enough?


title: Tag questions with or - shouldn't they be the opposite in the tag

text: I wonder why tag questions have a tag that is not the other possibility of the sentence that precedes the tag. For instance: 1) "This tag question is an example, or is it?" Shouldn't it be: 2) "This tag question is an example, or isn't it? The negative sentence: 3) "This tag question is not an example, or is it?" (2) and (3) sound more "logical" to me, and in both the tag is the negative of the sentence preceding the tag.


title: Pronunciation of the name "Kyrylo"

text: Can someone provide a transcription for the name "Kyrylo" - how it will actually sound?


title: What makes a non-native English speaker sound foreign?

text: I'm not a native speaker. However, I have tried a lot during last 10 years to learn English at a high level of proficiency and to become fluent in conversation. However, when I talk to some of my friends in US over Skype (found via my profession), they tell me that I talk like a foreigner. But they don't know why is that. What is/are the reasons that can make a not-native English speaker sound like a foreigner? Is it about pronunciation, or about syntax, or is it maybe just a false assumption coming from a psychological background due to the fact that the other party knows that you are not an English man/woman. **Update:** I asked this question specifically about English, since English is the most widespread language on the earth and tens of different dialects and millions of different idiolects seem to alleviate the problem of "sounding- foreign".


title: What does "could use a friend" mean?

text: I heard this word on some TV show and i have been trying to find its meaning(but they weren't of help much). Could someone please tell me ?


In reference to how to concentrate while in the midst of traffic. Is this a correct statement: "How to train concentration on environment (when trafficing)?"


title: What does 'both of you' mean?

text: How does one reflect the difference in meaning between 'I gave one to both of you' meaning you gave one to each of them, and 'I gave one to both of you' meaning you gave one item for the two to share? When, if ever, is the term 'the both of you' relevant?


title: Is there a subtle difference between "inherent" and "intrinsic"?

text: I've always used "inherent" and "intrinsic" interchangeably. Dictionary.com doesn't offer much help in distinguishing them.


title: How to pronounce long numbers?

text: 2,060,700 in words. Which is correct. (A). Two million sixty thousand and seven hundred dollars                                               OR      (B). Two million sixty thousand seven hundred dollars                                               OR      (C). Two million and sixty thousand seven hundred dollsrs


title: what does " demands forgiveness" mean in the context?

text: this is a poem by James. D. Corrothers: > To be a Negro on a day like this   >  Demands forgiveness.   >  Bruised with blow on blow,   >  Betrayed, like him whose woe dimmed eyes gave bliss,   >  Still must one succor those who brought one low,   >  To be a Negro on a day like this   > > > To be a Negro on a day like this   >  Demands rare patience--patience that can wait   >  In utter darkness. 'Tis the path to miss,   >  And knock, unheeded, at iron gate,   >  To be a Negro on a day like this > > To be a Negro on a day like this   >  Demands strange loyalty, we served a flag   >  Which is to us white freedom's emphasis.   >  Ah! One must love when Truth and Justice lag,   >  To be a Negro on a day like this   > > > To be a Negro on a day like this   >  Alas! Lord God, what evil have we done?   >  Still shines the gate, all gold and amethyst,   >  But I pass by, the glorious goal unwon,   >  "Merely a Negro"--on a day like this!!!!!!"   > what does "demands forgiveness" mean? i have problem in comprehension.


title: Need verb signifying relationship between a "case study" and its subject

text: Obviously a Case Study "has" (or should have!) a subject. But "has" seems a rather insipid verb. I'm looking for something more precise. So far I've come up with: "concerns", "features" and "treats", but I don't find any of these particularly evocative. Anyone got something that will hit the nail more squarely on the head?


title: Is "tweet" a proper verb now?

text: So I know that in modern English, the word "google" is considered a proper verb now. Can the same be said for the word "tweet" (i.e. to post a 140-char message to Twitter)?


title: Why is saying "cr@p" more socially acceptable than saying "sh!t" is?

text: I know _shit_ is generally considered vulgar swearing in any context, while _crap_ (though it's normally used as a swear word) is often used and allowed in decent contexts. How did this happen, since they both refer to the same thing?


title: "At most as many" — what does it mean?

text: I've been given the following question as a homework: > If _h_ is consistent, then _A* - CSCS_ will expand **at most as many** nodes > as _A* graph search_. English not being my native language, I'm kind of struggling to understand the true meaning of the text in bold in the context of this sentence. From what I understand, _A* - CSCS_ will always expand fewer or the same amount of nodes then _A* graph_ search. That is, the number of nodes that _A* graph search_ expands will always be larger or equal to the number of nodes that _A* - CSCS_ expands. Is this correct? Sorry for bringing out the question involving mathematics. What I need is a linguistic explanation of the sentence, not help in mathematics.


title: Enable (positive connotation) - Enabler (negative connotation). Why?

text: I am writing a speech about people having people in their lives who are catalysts for them to propel them to something positive in their lives. These people enable others to be something better than they had been before. Unfortunately, I cannot use the word "enabler" to describe those persons with one word, because the word "enabler" is defined as someone who enables drug abuse in someone else. Does anyone know of a better word for _enabler_? And, what gave the word "enabler" such a negative connotation in first place, especially since the verb generally is positive?


title: Why is there a "ph" in "cipher"?

text: Wiktionary says that _cypher_ comes from Old French _cyfre_ , which itself comes from Arabic. But _ph_ is usually a transliteration of Greek _phi_. So how does it get into a French word?


title: Is "inactivate" really a word?

text: At my business most of the employees use the word _inactivate_ frequently. Is this proper grammar? I've always used _deactivate_.


title: "Dedicated", "intended", or something else in "tomorrow is dedicated for the registration"

text: > Tomorrow is [dedicated/intended/?] for the registration. The context is the first day at a university. Does either sound okay? If they both sound weird, what verb is a better fit?


title: Composition question problem

text: So I have a line from composition: 'But balloons had the disadvantage of having to go wherever the wind blew them, so that one never knew where they would come down.' And I was asked a question: 'What was the disadvantage of flying in a balloon?' I was instructed to answer in my own words and be only one sentence long. I wrote: 'The disadvantage of flying in a balloon was that one was forced to go in the direction where the wind blew the balloon, and thus one had no idea where he would descend.' My professor marked me zero. Why is this wrong?


title: What is the way to understand "ergative verbs"?

text: I am confused with "paired ergative verbs" and "unpaired ergative verbs".   1. `He knocked the vase off the table and it broke.` Is [broke] in this sentence a paired ergative verb, because we can make the transitive counterpart as "He broke the vase"?   2. `He died with his boots on, like any good cowboy.` Then, is [died] in this sentence an unpaired ergative verb, because we can't make any other counterpart?   3. `The black horse ran faster than the other ones.` Now, what kind of verb is this [ran]? Is this sentence below correct? "He ran the black horse." If correct, is the verb [ran] also a paired ergative verb?   4. As I knew, the verb [die] and [run] are intransitive verbs. What is different between an "ergative verb" and "intransitive verb"? I mean, is there a method to divide the verbs?


title: In the format of A.B. Name, which is the given name and which is the family name?

text: For example, Bill Henry Gates, which of following is right?               Bill H.Gates     B.H. Gates     H.G. Bill     Gates Bill     B. Gates     H. Gates     BHG     HGB     GHB


title: How to express you are quite familiar/a little bit familiar/totally new to a word?

text: I'm not a native speaker. I'd like to use three words (or phrases) to describe that somebody is quite familiar with, a little bit familiar with, or totally new to an English word. It will be used in an English-word test system. Anybody give me a clue?


title: What's the meaning of "joint winner"?

text: I looked it up on Google and in my English dictionary but cannot find out its meaning. The context is this page. > As usual the crime stories have split our judges so, as with last years > Fish-Knife Award, we have **joint winners** of the Crime section of the > Criminally-Short Short Histories Award.


title: What is a better way to write: only three people signed up: you, me and "thehulk66"

text: It is better to write this: > Only three people signed up: you, Jim, and I. than this: > Only three people signed up: you, me, and Jim. Because "I" is a subject and not an object. But what if I want the stress to come at the end, e.g.: > Only three people signed up: you, me and "thehulk66". Grammatically correct would be: > Only three people signed up: you, I, and "thehulk66". but it sounds jarring and takes the focus away from my intent, which is to indicate that I think it is funny that there is a person named "thehulk66" who has signed up to our little group. **So what would be the best way to write this?**


title: Is it common to teach kids about the jumping letters?

text: When I was a kid I remember distinctly this lesson on how to pronounce a word. If there is only one consonant between two vowels like in the word "make" then the _e_ jumps over the _k_ and the _a_ yells its name "eh" instead of its sound "ah". For a word like "little" there are a bunch of consonants there so the _e_ can't jump and make the _i_ say "I". I know about "whole word" vs "phonics" is an ongoing debate but is the jumping letter concept a phonics thing? Or did I just have a creative teacher?


title: Correct placing and usage of "yet"

text: Sometimes I see the sentence > Have you done something, yet? Is it correct to write it that way? If not, what would be correct? If it is correct, why is it?


What is the difference between "appropriate" and "suitable"?


title: Should it be "one", "ones" or "one's" in a company's slogan?

text: I saw a tow truck with a slogan running the length of the bed. > Were the "ones" to call What drew my attention was the past tense without an apostrophe, and the inappropriate use of quotation marks. But it made me wonder, what would the proper wording of one be? Is it, "We are the one to call", or "We are the one's to call"? Or does it depend on what type or size of company it is? For example, if there are multiple tow trucks, and drivers, is the wording different than if it is a single driver and tow truck. Would that make it either, "I am the one to call", or "We are the one's to call"? Or would the company be singular, and "We are the one to call"?


title: Romney claims that China likes to "flaunt the rules"

text: In last night's GOP debate, candidate Mitt Romney implied that China tends to "flaunt the rules". Looking up "flaunt," it means to "show off." So what did he mean?