title: explain the structure of "Ears Polite"?

text: "Ears Polite". How do you justify this construction?


title: Whats the connotation of 'makeshift'? Is it negative, neutral, or positive like: creative?

text: I'm curious what the association(s) are with the word 'makeshift"


title: Where did the expression "achievement unlocked" come from?

text: Why achievement is unlocked? Achievement is not a lock, door or safe. You don't get anything after unlocking. I have an assumption that it came from gaming history, word "unlocked" just transferred from secrets to achievements by similarity of their concept. My hypothesis is based on this wiki article. There were > ... secrets, which traditionally provided some kind of direct benefit to the > player ...


title: In the English language, should the "d" be capitalized when writing "American Dollar"?

text: When writing "American Dollar," should the _d_ in _dollar_ be capitalized?


title: Abbreviation for "so-called"

text: In German there is an abbreviation for _so genannt_ , which is _sog._ Is there a known popular abbreviation for the equivalent _so-called_ in English?


title: What does "subset" mean as a verb?

text: Quoted from http://xml-tips.assistprogramming.com/sgml-xml-html-xhtml-all- together.html: > XHTML is the basis for a family of future document types that extend and > **subset** HTML. I understand **subset** here is a verb. Does it mean XHTML is a subset of HTML or HTML is a subset of XHTML?


title: Synonyms for "unfortunately"

text: Are there any words for _unfortunately_?   I know that "sad" is a wrong replacement, but I don't know any other words for it. I write this word just way too much and it would be nice to have an alternative. For example : > I would send you a post card, but unfortunately I don't have your new > address. or : > I unfortunately can't give you the information. I am sorry. Thanks.


title: Pronunciation of "Azure" in "Windows Azure"

text: This is not a techie query. I am just unclear on how to pronounce the word "Azure" which is brand name for Microsoft's cloud service offerings.


title: Hypernym of 'deposit' and 'withdraw'

text: I am looking for a hypernym of _to deposit_ and _to withdraw_ (money to and from a bank account). I thought about several options like "to perform a financial transaction", however I need something more concise and short.


title: Do we say "I'm going to meet my friends in a park" or "I'm going to meet my friends in the park"?

text: I've had an argument recently whether one should say "I'm going to meet my friends in **_a_** park" or "I'm going to meet my friends in **_the_** park"? Assume that the other speaker doesn't know what park is being mentioned.


title: What is the meaning of this phrase or sentence

text: while reading the lesson **Bromides and Sulphides** I passed through this one sentence which was qouted. > If you saw that sunset painted in a picture, you'd never believe it would be > possible! What does this mean ?


title: Can an 'essay' be a fictional, creative piece of writing?

text: A contributor to this site has talked about an 'essay' they are writing. My supposition was that it was a non-fictional piece, perhaps of criticism, history or something. But it transpires that it is a fictional creative piece. 'Essay' as a piece of writing is covered by meaning 8 in the OED, below. But it doesn't supply clarity on the type of writing which can be called an essay. Does anyone have views?   1. A composition of moderate length on any particular subject, or branch of a subject; originally implying want of finish, ‘an irregular undigested piece’ (Johnson), but now said of a composition more or less elaborate in style, though limited in range. The use in this sense is app. taken from Montaigne, whose Essais were first published in 1580. 1597 Bacon (title) Essayes. –12 Bacon Ded. Prince Henry in Ess. (1871) 158 For Senacaes Epistles..are but Essaies—that is dispersed Meditations..Essaies. The word is late, but the thing is auncient. 1665 J. Glanvill Scepsis Scientifica Addr. 26 No higher title, then that of an essay, or imperfect offer at a Subject. 1684 Dryden To Earl of Roscomon in Earl of Roscommon Ess. Translated Verse sig. A1v, Yet modestly he does his Work survey, And calls a finish'd Poem an essay. 1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 476. ¶1 The Wildness of those Compositions, which go by the Name of Essays. 1764 T. Reid Inq. Human Mind Ded., This leaves me no room to doubt of your favourable acceptance of this essay. 1782 V. Knox Ess. (1819) I. i. 1 Essays..may now convey the idea of regular treatises. 1843 Macaulay (title) Critical and Historical Essays. 1864 Dickens Our Mutual Friend (1865) I. ii. i. 165 She could write a little essay on any subject. (Hide quotations) III.


title: What is the difference between sugar cane and cane sugar?

text: I've heard people use them interchangeably.   Just so I don't go crazy, what is the difference?


title: The Quality of Being Forgettable

text: Consider, for example, a forgettable novel. Now suppose you are starting a sentence that attempts to explain why the novel is forgettable: "The ___ _ of the novel can be explained by ..." What would you use to fill in the blank? Forgettability? Forgetableness? Other suggestions? Forgettability feels right, but I don't think that is orthodox standard written English.


title: Can I use a semicolon when linking a sentence fragment and a question?

text: Are there guidelines for using semi-colons in any of these kinds of circumstances (where a sentence fragment links with a question)? Please note that the words cannot be changed and dashes are prohibited as I am transcribing a conversation.   1. I was trying to leave; asking them to let me go.   2. She kept texting me; "What's up," "Want to go for a walk in the park?"   3. How did you feel about that; not having to go to work?   4. So why did you say what you did; "No," and later "I don't know"?   5. So about that cake; you made it yourself?   6. Talk about that for a moment; your tardiness, that is.   7. You bought icing; chocolate, right?   8. Is that something you regularly do; buy chocolate icing?


title: Word/phrase/idiom to describe avoiding answering a question by stating the question doesn't need to be asked

text: I run into this situation often in the office. I have a specific question to ask somebody and have chosen the person to ask it, but that person doesn't know the answer. Instead of answering the question, however, they choose to attack the question itself and increase the scope of the discussion to find a way to avoid having to answer it: Example: > Asker: I'm not sure if Google Maps has picked the best route to McDonalds. > What do you think of this route? > > Responder: You can get to Burger King faster, and the food it better. What has the responder done? I was thinking of strawman fallacy (logic), unasking the question (zen), etc. But none of these exactly fit.


title: Word for a sudden memory triggered by a sense

text: Every so often I'll hear a phrase that forms part of a song or phrase that I know. Suddenly I can hear the song playing in my head or my mind finishes off the phrase. What is the correct phrase/word for this sort of unconscious surfacing of memories? For instance I might hear someone say: _Treacle Pudding_ The words are unrelated, but the intonation reminds me of the _Goldfinger_ theme tune, so my head tries to finish of the song with the words _Tracle Pudding_ in place of _Goldfinger_ Another example is I'll hear the words, with the wrong intonation, but my brain still picks up the phrase of song lyrics and it plays out in my head.


title: Idiom or phrase meaning "satisfactory in all abilities"?

text: Is there a possible idiom or phrase in the following context that means _satisfactory in all abilities?_ For example, lets say someone knows three languages: English, Spanish, and Korean; however, their knowledge of all these languages (including their native language) aren't fluent, but not poor either, just satisfactory. When they're asked, "What language do you speak?"; instead of answering "I speak English, Spanish, and Korean, but they're all just satisfactory", or "I speak English, Spanish, and Korean, but none of them are that great", is there an idiom or phrase that could replace that, to mean something along the lines of _not any of my languages are fluent, just satisfactory_? or _all of my languages are just satisfactory_?


title: Is it correct to say "a context aware modeling of trust"?

text: > Towards a _context aware modeling of trust_ and access control based on the > user behavior and capabilities I was reading some documentation and this phrase stopped me! Is it correct after all?


title: What is the meaning of the 'x' character suffix?

text: The sentence is “2x to 100x speed-ups, typically 4x”.


title: When should I not use a ligature in English typesetting?

text: Typesetting that goes beyond the scope of basic MS Word (e.g. LaTeX, or even modern Word versions with a good OpenType font) often uses ligatures for certain glyph combinations, the most common being   * f + f = ﬀ   * f + i = ﬁ   * f + l = ﬂ   * f + f + i = ﬃ   * f + f + l = ﬄ. I would assume, however, that there are cases in which a ligature shouldn't be used. Are there any rules or standards telling me when I should use a ligature and when I shouldn't?


title: The meaning of "to cut the biscuit"

text: What is the meaning of this expression? Does it mean that something meets the expectations or it is up to standard? Edit: Here is an example of usage. http://www.edition38.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=150120&st=40 > that is one seriously pimp car! i have three old school favourites, bmw e30, > golf mk2 and the 190e and **this cuts the biscuit**! good work


title: Is "please be reminding" valid usage?

text: I received mail from my colleague. He wrote, > Please be reminding that... I am confused about this. I think it should be more passive, like this, > Please be reminded that... Which is correct?


title: Some questions about the lyric of "so feel autumn rain"

text: > so feel autumn rain Can 'feel' be modified by 'so' without saying what's the feeling? > Leaving with twilight though I was chosen Why 'I was chosen' can be the cause of 'leaving with twilight'. You didn't chose, You were chosen. (and be chosen for what?) > I find the dreams are to stay Who to stay? the dreams or 'i' ? I just don't know which is the object of 'find'. Full lyric:               Leaving with twilight though I was chosen     To wander the way in the darkest of nights     Oh, in the summer sun how soon I came to stray     A true damnation, when I turned away          So fell autumn rain, washed away all my pain     I feel brighter somehow, lighter somehow to breathe once again     So fell autumn rain, washed my sorrows away     With the sunset behind somehow I find the dreams are to stay     So fell autumn rain          Blinded by dawning so you would take me     Further away, away from the fall     Oh, you told me I must never dream again     A true damnation, you left me the pain          So fell autumn rain, but all things must pass          So fell autumn rain, washed away all my pain     I feel brighter somehow, lighter somehow to breathe once again     So fell autumn rain, washed my sorrows away     With the sunset behind somehow I find the dreams are to stay     So fell winter


title: What is a "temporary mental apparition"?

text: From _The Ransom of Red Chief_ by _O. Henry_ : > It was, as Bill afterward expressed it, "during a moment of **temporary > mental apparition** ;" but we didn't find that out till later. What is meant by it?


title: What does "a pop" mean?

text: when we say "For entertainment, she couldn’t go to the movies at $8 a pop", what "a pop" means?


title: "Referee" vs. "umpire" vs. "judge"

text: What is the difference between _referee_ , _umpire_ and _judge_? How about the use of other similar words? In sports like tennis, basketball, football and soccer, when do we use which?


title: Related Tasks: partial-payment vs. all-or-nothing

text: I am trying to describe two types of related tasks that relate to a common goal. The best I have come up with for what I am trying to say is _some groups of tasks give 'partial payment' and some groups of tasks are 'all or nothing'._ Consider these contrived examples: **partial-payment tasks**   * One laborer gets $10 per box to move ten boxes; if the laborer moves just five boxes, he gets $50.    * Steve sets a goal of painting every room in his house one weekend, but only completes three. **all-or-nothing tasks**   * One laborer gets $100 to move 10 boxes, but makes nothing if all 10 boxes are not moved.    * A contractor is paid to paint every room in a house,and is paid 100% in full on completions (say materials are provided). Pardon the examples, but I think you get my point. I am placing tasks into one of the two categories, but I would like better terms to describe these categories.


title: What is the name of this game? And what type is it?

text: I need to research more about this game strategies, but I don't know what is its name in English. The game is like this (the gadget is just named Picture Puzzle): ![Game image](http://i.stack.imgur.com/4d3VQ.png) The objective is to slide the blank cell to the lower-right cell. What exactly is its name? And is it considered a board-game?


title: And so forth, and so on -- comma to follow midsentence?

text: Comma after "and so forth"? He brought potato chips, pudding, and so forth, to the picnic. Comma after "etc."? He brought potato chips, pudding, etc., to the picnic. Thank you.


title: difference between "get along" "get by" and "get on"

text: I cannot really understand the difference (if there's a difference) between : > He **gets along** fine with it and > He **gets by** fine with it And what about > **"get on" ?**


title: What is the exact meaning of the following sentence?

text: What is the exact meaning of the sentence below? > We can't try to get away with something in an academic paper that we would > abhor in a political debate (or worse yet, in a political advertisement). The sentence is from the first paragraph of the article 'Being Logical'. Especially, where does the _something_ belong initially? In an academic paper or in a political debate?


title: What should I use between "triple" vs. "all"?

text: If I have 2 pens and I want to say all of them are green, I can say "Both of them are green" but if I have 3 pens should I use "Triple of them are green" or "All of them are green"?


title: Why was the "th" combination chosen for the "th" sound?

text: Given that the two "th" sounds don't actually sound like a combination of "t" and "h" why was that particular combination selected or become adopted by the majority ?


title: Are "tomorrow" and "morning" etymologically related?

text: I know this is true for German and Spanish: > Morgen morgen and > Mañana por la mañana both mean "tomorrow morning". There may well be other examples too. I wonder- since these languages have similar roots to English- is there any evidence that it has ever been the case in the English language too?


title: How do I ask someone if their name represents a singular entity or a collective entity?

text: In a website I am programming I present the user with the option to name their website site, which can be a singular entity "Mel Tormé" which would present the menu options "About me", "Contact me" or a collective entity like "The Velvet Fog" which would logically change the menu to "About us", "Contact us". I would like to give the user the option to choose "collective or singular" but I'm struggling with how to phrase the question. Any ideas?


title: What are the origins of "what's up"?

text: How did this begin? Did it really start with Bugs Bunny?


title: Is it ordinary to use “between” for selection among two or more things?

text: AP Radio News (March 3) narrated that: > “It’s anybody’s guess who win the best picture. It seems to be a close race > **between** “American Hustle,” “12 Years a Slave” and “Gravity.” I was under impression that ‘between’ is used for comparison, selection and differentiation of two things or objects, and 'among' is used in case of refering to more than three things or objects, since I learned so at middle school. As I was uncertain of the accuracy of my memory of more than a half century ago, I consulted dictionaries: Online CED defines ‘between’ as: prep, ad. in or into the space that separates **two** places, people, or objects. However, online Merriam-Webster English Dictionary defines it as: prep, : in the space that separates ( **two** things or people) : in the time that separates ( **two** actions, events, etc.) : in shares to each of ( **two or more** people). And, online OED gives reference to the use of ‘between’ for differentiation among two or more things:   1. At, into, or across the space separating ( **two** objects or regions):   2. In the period separating ( **two** points in time):   3. In the interval separating ( **two** points on a scale):   4. With reference to a choice or differentiation involving **two or more things** being considered together: ex. You have to choose between two or three different options. Is the use of ‘between’ instead of ‘among’ for differentiation of, and selection out of two more (five, six, ten) things or objects commonplace today? Is the distinction between "between" and "among" being blurred today?


title: "could have" vs "could"

text: We say that could is sometimes the past of can. If that's true then why can't we use it in the following context. > They didn't let us. We could walk. Instead we say: > They didn't let us. We could have walked. But we can say: > Listen! I can hear something. > > I listened and I could hear something. Why not "I listened and I could have > heard something"


title: Inheritting the characteristics of a role in a play/movie

text: I'm looking for a term for a person who enacts a role in a play/movie by forgetting himself, or "leaving himself and acquiring the role's characteristics." Sometimes it implies "Moving his soul to ones body."


title: "Problematic" versus "problem"

text: A reviewer of my thesis told me that I am wrongly using the word _problematic_. He suggested that I use _problem_ instead. I have since read the definition of both words and neither correspond to the French definition I was looking for, so I am asking this community if it is correct to use this word to refer to the object of research in the context of a thesis. If not, should I use _problem_ instead, or a completely different word? Here is an example sentence: > This thesis provides potential solutions to the **problematic** outlined. I know that some of you might think that it is not a real question, but please remember that word usage is of the hardest part of English writing for native French speakers.


title: What are some familiar expressions can I use to mean someone is lucky?

text: I am in a context where I would need a familiar (but not vulgar) short expression that means someone is lucky. Can someone help?


title: Is this sentence correct in grammar and does it even make sense

text: This sentence: > You have the right to ask for someone in the United States of America.   * Does it have any grammatical errors?    * Does it even make sense? I think it is usually ...to ask for someTHING ...not someONE


title: Meaning and usage of "she has her heart in the right place"

text: I once read a phrase (or idiom) like > He has his heart in the right place although the context seemed to be a bit harsh. My understanding is: though he might have sounded harsh, he means well or is making the comment in good faith. Did I get it right? However, it seems to me the idiom could be used in other contexts as well, such as: "he is focused on the situation as expected, no matter how it seems". Is this right? Are there any other uses of the idiom?


title: Use of semicolon in the downvoting reason of SE

text: A while ago I saw a question on SE that didn't show any research effort. I decided to vote it down. However, other users pointed out that the down vote reason says (when you hover over the down arrow): > The question does not show any research effort; it is unclear or not useful According to the other users the semicolon implied that I should only vote down questions that become unclear or not useful because of the lack of research effort. I realised that I might have been interpreting the semicolon wrong all the time. I interpreted the quoted sentence as three separate reasons:   1. Lack of research   2. Unclear question   3. Lack of usefulness  Reading about the semicolon online didn't clarify this exact case for me. Seeing this down vote reason from an English language perspective, is the lack of research linked to the question being unclear or is it a reason on its own? Note: I'm not looking for guidance in terms of when to use the down vote button. There's a meta question on that already. First I would like to make sure the English is correct.


title: What's the word for someone who is prepared in advance

text: What will you call someone who is prepared in advance for all the events/things? I want a word which i can use in context where it's good to be prepared in advance. Ex. If a person is well prepared for any event/meeting then it's a good thing. I want to use it as a adjective.


title: What is a word for "one entity widening conditions for another"?

text: I'm searching for a word that means "A widens conditions for B". I mean that A has a positive influence on B and thanks to existence of A, B can exist in more tough conditions.


title: NSPF abbreviation

text: I am looking at some US statistics and I have found this abbreviation, with this explanation (pdf) in the subtext. > NSPF - Not specifically provided for. The context is a list of US trading codes. > 0304991012 GROUNDFISH COD NSPF MEAT FROZEN > 6.8KG I could not find a better description on the internet, so I am asking you what meaning you give "not specifically provided for".


title: Which is bigger, “a lot” or “a ton”?

text: Maybe there’s no really well-defined answer, but I’m wondering which phrase is the more significant (meaning bigger) between these two:   * We’ve been doing a lot of work.   * We’ve been doing a ton of work. And even maybe including this one:   * We’ve been doing tons of work.


title: How to understand 'flatter to deceive'?

text: How should you understand the expression: "flatter to deceive"? The Oxford Dictionaries defines flatter to deceive as: > Appear promising but ultimately disappoint. Which is all nice and dandy. But I fail to understand the wordplay, nor how "flatter" is mechanically related to "deceive" in this expression. For a real-life example of usage: > The podium that Kevin Magnussen scored on his debut was ultimately a case of > ‘flattering to deceive.’ [Kevin Magnussen's car scored a good result in his first race, but bad to worse results thereafter. The car flattered in the beginning, and deceived later on.]


title: Wondering if there is a word for "Incompletely defined"?

text: No big deal if there does not exist such a word, but I was wondering.


title: Present Perfect with the word "ago"?

text: First, I check that my native language is not English, and the problem described below met on one of the exams. With this sentence: > "The most important news is that my parents ... a new restaurant a few weeks > ago." Is it time we use the Present Perfect (have opened) or Past Simple (opened)? I know that the word "ago" but rather that time Past Simple, but is also possible to use the present perfect in some cases? I would be grateful for clarification. Regards.


title: You can’t have your cake and eat it too

text: If you've had your cake, haven't you already eaten it? So why can't you have it and eat it too? It doesn't seem to make sense.


title: What term means or refers broadly to "the people of the parent's generation" or "the people of the grandparent's generation"?

text: Are there specific terms used to more broadly refer to the generation or which generation people are in?   * The first term would refer to the generation considering of mother, father, the mother or father's brothers and sisters and same-generation cousins, etc.   * The second term would refer to the grandmothers, grandfathers and the grandparent's brothers, sisters, and same-generation cousins, etc.   * The terms need only apply within a specific family, not related to the age or year of birth. Is there a term or method of annotation used to refer generally to the people found in previous generations at these different distances relative to a single person or the youngest generation?


title: "Oestrogen" and "oesophagus" -- why are they spelled differently in British English?

text: Within Biology, there are some biological terms that differ in spelling between the British English and American English dictionaries. For example, _oestrogen_ and _oesophagus_ , as well as the word _oestriol_ are all spelled differently in British English dictionaries. Is there anything in particular that makes this so?


title: What is the difference between "condescending" and "patronizing"?

text: When would you use each? I understand "condescend" has another meaning of "voluntarily lower oneself" (Babylon definition). But in the "look upon other" meaning, which would you prefer in which situation


title: The thing that we use to remotely open the door in English

text: What is "the thing that, in its simplest form, has a receiver and a button, and we use to open the door when somebody rings the door bell" called in English? When I'm speaking English I almost always ask somebody to answer the door or I answer the door myself but today I was thinking, what is that "thing" exactly called, is it a "Door Answerer" or an Intercom? In my native language, it is called ' _AiPhone_ ' or ' _EF-EF_ '.


title: "Help us grow this site"?

text: I've never liked the use of "to grow [x]" to mean "to make [x] bigger", rather than in the agricultural sense. Am I justified in this at all? (If so, can we make the SE team reword our social media banner?)


title: "began to ring" or "started ringing"?

text: What is more correct here? > My telephone suddenly began to ring. or > My telephone suddenly started ringing. What's the difference?


title: Is this sentence grammatically correct or punny (or both)?

text: I have a comment on this question where I refer to a list of three examples deemed 'valid'. I said: "I think the last valid example is not." The sentence sounds kind of strange (I did that on purpose). Is it grammatically correct? Is it just like some kind of pun?


title: Is "On January 17th our team had represented" correct English?

text: My team recently posted a status update, > On January 17th, our team had represented [organization name] at [place]. Though I am unable to explain why (I have never formally learned tenses), I am convinced that the 'had represented' part of the sentence is incorrect, or at the very least weird-sounding English (I'm open to being proven wrong). I have tried bringing it up but all it brought about was an endless argument. Someone claimed that the sentence is formatted in past perfect tense, referencing this page: http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/pastperfect.html I am sensing a difference between the formatting of the question and the examples of past perfect tense given in the page, but I can't quite point it out convincingly. Is the status correctly written? As a side note, does it matter if it's British or American English?


title: Meaning of "has its roots in"

text: > The Movement **has its roots in** combating colonialism. What does the expression _has its roots in_ mean? Does it indicate a reason or a time? That is, was the Movement started to combat colonialism or was it started in the colonialism era?


title: "VPN Networks" vs. "VPNs"

text: I am writing a technical report on a topic which includes a _Virtual Private Network_. These are commonly abbreviated as VPN. However it feels strange writing something along the lines of > VPNs are often employed to ... On the other hand a formulation such as > VPN networks are often employed to ... is a pure tautology, as it basically means _Virtual Private Networks Networks_. As for actually writing > Virtual Private Networks are often employed to ... Although this works and is surely correct, it will fill my text with a lot of useless clutter, I can't possibly write out the abbreviation more than once or twice per paragraph.


title: Can I start a sentence with "Whereas"?

text: The sentence is supposed to be contradicting a previous situation explained thoroughly in the precedent paragraph. The contradiction is on the same subject (in the past/now). Can the sentence be something like "Whereas now ........."? Would "Now ......" be enough?


title: what's a word/phrase that describes unwillingness to share advice (such as strategy on how to improve in a sports match)?

text: I'm having trouble coming up with a word/two-word phrase describing unwillingness to share advice (such as strategy on how to improve in a sports match)? May someone help? I'm hoping that this would either be one word or two words.


title: Is it a common way to use “heartland” as in “give a heartland shout-out / comment to somebody”?

text: I found the phrase, “ _give a heartland shout-out to sb_ ,” in the article of today’s (December 9) New York Times, titled “The Rough Rider and the Professor,” which comments on President Obama’s speech delivered in the Kansas high school gym on December 6th. It reads: > “Obama _gave a heartland shout-out_ to Dwight D. Eisenhower, Warren Buffett > and his own Kansan grandfather, who served in General Patton’s Army. It was > a rhetorical device, to make common cause with men of common sense. This > made it easier for him to make his main point.” From the context of the sentence, I guess “a heartland shout-out” means a critical or very important shout-out. But when I checked Oxford online dictionary, it defines “heartland” as: >   1. the central or most important part of a country, area, or field of > activity:e.g. wildlife sites in the heartland of Russia >   2. The centre of support for a belief or movement e.g. the heartland of > the rebel cause > Cambridge Dictionary simply defines ‘heartland’ as “the central or most important area.” Merriam-Webster defines it as; >   1. Central area: as a: a central land area. >   2. The central geographical region of the United States in which > mainstream or traditional values predominate. >   3. A region where something (as an industry or activity) most strongly > thrives. > Except definition of 2. of OED, none of the above definitions seems to me to sit very well with the “heartland shout-out”. Is “give heartland shout-out (message, comment, advice, proposition)” a common usage of “heartland,” which comes top of mind to me as simply a geographical place or area. Doesn’t it sound clumsy if I say to my friend or subordinate in a serious look, “Listen, I’m going to give you 'my heartland advice.'”?


title: Clarifying the usage of "hella"

text: The word _hella_ has spread from the Southern California dialect to the point where most varieties of American English speaker (such as me in the Midwest) know that it exists and hear it used. I always thought that _hella_ meant either _very_ or _a lot of_ , for instance: > (1) Vancouver is hella far. > > (2) There were hella cars on the freeway. The above two sentences (which I both made up) were the only contexts I assumed _hella_ was used in. However, I've recently and very occasionally overheard something like this: > (3) You have to walk hella to get to that subway station. Which doesn't fit with my understanding of the word. So, question to Californians or others familiar with the _hella_ -using dialect: Is (3), and sentences like it (where _hella_ comes immediately after a verb), common? Are there any other usages for this word that I'm missing?


title: Expanding a contraction, where the expansion is not as it would seem

text: Consider these two sentences, one with a contraction, one without: > I didn't check my voicemail. > > I did not check my voicemail. _didn't_ is expanded to _did not_. Now consider: > Why didn't you check your voicemail? If you want to write this without a contraction, you must write it as: > Why did you not check your voicemail? The word _you_ comes in between _did_ and _not_ when _didn't_ is expanded. This: > Why did not you check your voicemail? is probably not correct at all. I've never heard anyone speak like that, and never seen that written, even though _didn't_ is expanded directly into _did not_. This came up during discussion the other day, and I was wondering if there was a term for this situation where a contraction cannot be expanded into what might seem the most obvious form.


title: Etymology of "hell." Possible link to Norse mythology?

text: The following etymological question has been slumbering in my head for a while, and was woken up by the post on the word "hella." My Concise Oxford English Dictionary, my faithful _vade mecum_ , tells me that the word "hell" is derived from "hel" or "hell" in Old English, in turn derived from Germanic. Other sources have elaborated that the older Germanic root had a meaning of a thicket or wild, unruly, heath where one might get tangled among the _hell_ of thistles. I've often wondered, considering the influence of Norse language on English during the Viking settlements, or invasions, if there is any etymological link to the figure Hel (or Hella, or Hela). She was one of the three "strange children" of Loki and the Giantess Angurboda; the other two were Fenris and Jormungand. She also ruled the eponymous realm, Helheim (Hel-Home). Aside from the possible English/Norse relation, there is, of course, a possible Judeo-Christian relation, with "Hell" and "Sheol," as Hella's realm was an underworld where those who were -not- slain in battle went after death. Of course, all of these elements may very well have been mixed up and juggled about during the centuries. For all I know, the etymology could have influenced in the other direction, ie., from Old English to Norse. This is why I'm asking! It seems like all of the pieces are there, but I'm not sure how to make them fit.


title: Origin of scientific 'secular' - meaning long lasting

text: In astronomy the term 'secular' is used to refer to something long lasting and fairly continuous. Apparently it can be used in economics and earth sciences for a similar meaning. How did this usage come about, from the more (colloquially) standard meaning of, 'non-religious'? Edit: @mplungjan points out that the etymology of 'secular' actually stems from the latin word 'saecularis' which means relating to an age or period. Thus perhaps the question should be: **how did the term 'secular' come to refer to (lack of) religious influence?**


title: 'dynamical' vs. 'dynamic'

text: The adjective 'dynamical' is widely used in astronomy, perhaps science in general, but it seems like it has the exact same meaning and usage as 'dynamic', and further, seems to be the same part of speech. Is this even real word? Should it have particular uses? Should it be not allowed to play with other words?


title: What’s the opposite of “singleton”?

text: A _singleton_ has an established meaning in programming and mathematics, but I'm curious about the more general use of the term (as defined by _Merriam- Webster_ ): > 2a : an individual member or thing distinct from others grouped with it Suppose I have a group member that is _not_ distinct from the other group members. What is the opposite of a “singleton member”? _Google_ results are surprisingly unhelpful. The closest I can get is this _SO_ answer, specific to the programming context.


title: Is "how much ever" correct here?

text: "How much ever you prepare, it is your attitude in the exam hall that matters" From a previous question concerning the same phrase, I realize "how ever much" could be used.But I am asking this because of 2 reasons. 1\. It does seem to make a little sense, that is how much- doesn't it imply the level of preparation and ever- for whatever period of time you might have prepared. 2\. I have seen the phrase being used in a lot of sites. Is there any chance for the phrase to be used by a native speaker of English ? If I use how ever much, would it mean the same thing ?


title: What meaning "Chip on their shoulder" takes here?

text: The context is below. > Bansal is the famous coaching center to clear Engineering Entrance test. > **Bansal students had a chip on their shoulder, even though they weren't > technically even in a college** The meaning for the phrase **chip on their shoulder** is **a form of physical challenge, inviting opponents to knock the chip off and so provoke a fight**. I can understand its meaning refers to they are so much alert to face any question or puzzle related to engineering entrance test. But why author added the clause **even though they weren't technically even in a college**? It confuses me. Does it mean only students those goes to college should pocess that kind of attribute or mindset?


title: Under what circumstances is the construction "whose each" grammatical?

text: For context, this is based on a discussion here (http://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/1439/is-the-construction-whose-each- correct) The original question was whether the following was grammatical: > "The set of elements **whose each** pair is ...". The majority opinion on that question was then that this was ungrammatical (or at least unusual), however there seems to be some disagreement as to why. So my question is this: > Under what circumstances is the construction "whose each" valid within a > sentence, and what are the governing grammatical rules for such a > construction?


title: Word for the opposite of "hypochondria"

text: Is there a word for the opposite condition of _hypochondria_ , i.e. someone who denies being sick when they clearly are? I would just say that they are "in denial". Is there any other adequate word? I thought about the obvious 'hyperchondria' but it doesn't seem to be used anywhere and doesn't look suitable as—from checking the origin of the word—just replacing 'hypo' by 'hyper' wouldn't fit well: > 1555–65; < Late Latin < Greek, neuter plural of hypochóndrios pertaining to > the upper abdomen (supposed seat of melancholy), equivalent to hypo- hypo- + > chóndr ( os ) ensiform cartilage + -ios adj. suffix


title: pronunciation: autistic

text: > Words comforted and healed my discontent when I discovered that Brendan, my > beautiful first-born son was severely **_autistic_** with limited speech. > (Benita Porter, The Power of Words) \- audio link Which way does the essay writer pronounce: /ɑːˈtɪstɪk/ (1) or /ɔˈtɪstɪk/ (2):   * If she did (2) as is in dictionaries, what’s the difference between (1) and (2)?   (I hear (1) instead of (2), so I’m wondering what it is. Though I’ve already put the likewise question once on ELL, after getting right answer here from a specific case, I would like to improve my pronunciation understanding better.)   * If she did (1), isn’t there no difference between the two, /ɑ/ and /ɔ/, for some Americans?


title: can't have been vs. couldn't have been

text: I don't understand when and why to use **_can't have been_**. It seems so strange to me.


title: Etymology & Colloquialism

text: I'm writing an essay for college applications in which I have to create a class. My idea is a class about the origin, change, and regional dialects of the English language. As an example, one would study how in America, one would say "microwave", one would say "nuke." Watch "Regional Dialect Challenge" on YouTube for more examples what the course would offer. I have several questions:   1. "The Etymology of Colloquialism" — is this a proper name for the class? Or should it be more along the lines of "Etymology and Colloquialism"?   2. The Wikipedia/dictionary definitions of words are often over-complicated understandings. For clarification, are these the correct definitions: _Etymology:_ the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history. ('gay' meant happy, then changed to describe homosexuals) _Colloquialism:_ a word or phrase that is used mostly in informal speech : a colloquial expression (regonal dialects? or words used in informal speech [bunny, kitty, a "hang-up"]) If any advice, clarification, or alterations to my thoughts could be made, it would be greatly appreciated!


title: "I got to watch this movie" or "I got an opportunity to watch this movie"?

text: Ok, recently, I made an update on a website like this : > So, finally I got to watch this movie ... Basically, what I was trying to say is that "I got an opportunity to watch this movie". I was little skeptical about the usage of _got_ here. Is this statement correct: > I got to watch this movie instead of > I got an opportunity to watch this movie


title: to be certain to do something versus to be certain of doing something

text: "Paul is certain to win the race." "Paul is certain of winning the race." What is the difference between these two sentences?


title: A single word for "not seeing the big picture"

text: I am looking for a word that would describe being obsessed with the details of a larger entity such that the "looker" neglects to see the whole or (perhaps more importantly) the _purpose_ of the whole. Basically, "not seeing the big picture". What can [more] succinctly describe this? **Edit:** I just found this post: An adjective for "able to see the big picture". I think I want the exact opposite.


title: Why would the "wind blowing in the East" be considered a bad thing?

text: I've been recently working through the BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' _Bleak House_ , and enjoying it very much. However, there's a particular motif that's bothering me, whose logic I haven't been able to figure out from context; that would be Mr. Jandyce's constant referring to events or moods that bother him by muttering something like, > the wind's blowing in the East. One easily divines from context that's it's not a positive thing, because Jandyce only says it when someone dear to him is in trouble or some misfortune has befallen them, but I can't figure out why the east wind blowing would necessarily be a bad thing. Is there some sort of logic to this phrase, that can be explained by looking at its etymology?


title: Phrases similar to "what would you do?"

text: I'm looking for common phrases similar to "What would you do?" I'd like any phrase that signifies the call to action to make a difficult hypothetical decision. For example, "Take your pick" is a possible answer because it is a common phrase, but it doesn't work that well in context of making a _difficult_ decision so it wouldn't work. I know this is a really specific request, but ideally the phrase really captures the essence of difficult hypothetical decision, perhaps an ethical dilemma.   E.g. "Would you prefer a slow and mildly painful death, or a quick and very painful one? WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" (replacing _what would you do_ with something else)


title: What does "hunting" mean in the following sentence?

text: I was reading a review for a camera lens. I found the sentence there. > Slow focus on my 300D, noticeably better on a 400D... Shallow focus field, > with lots of hunting.


title: What does "great good" mean in tutorial title "Learn You a Haskell for Great Good!"?

text: There is site learn you a haskell with title "Learn You a Haskell for Great Good!". Does "Great Good" mean "very very good"? Does the whole phrase mean "learning Haskell is good for you" or "learning Haskell is good for whole world" or something else?


title: Which is the object, 'one' or 'another' ? I just don't know how this sentence constructed

text: > (All the condoms are faulty. Abed need to notice everybody)   >  Go, Abed, Go. before people sex one another!


title: How can this sentence be written correctly?

text: > Our interactive products are fun to use on desktop, mobile and touchscreen > devices, just look awesome and are driven by the latest technology. The commas don't seem right to me. Shouldn't there be some semicolons in there?


title: Origin of using the phrase "folks" to refer to parents

text: Why can the phrase "your folks" be used to refer to "your parents"? What is the origin of this usage?


title: What does it mean "Within everything are meanings crystallized from the hues in the corona of that magnificent artwork-the human and her dignity."

text: I am reading the following paragraph and I can't quite understand what the bold text means. > And the depth of the inner world of a person has such rich potential to > develop, and the potential to keep developing dimensions within; a > complicated brain and a spirit with an elusive essence that evades material > measure; and then the perfectly harmonious relation of these two phenomena- > the physical and the spiritual together. . . mysterious beings... **Within > everything are meanings crystallized from the hues in the corona of that > magnificent artwork-the human and her dignity.** It starts with "within everything" but continues with "are meanings crystallized" and that's the place I failed to understand since I don't know which type of grammar rule I should follow to decipher what it means.


title: Usage: to which?

text: I found the following sentence while reading technical documentation but the use of "to which" doesn't seem right, which expression would you use here ? > Returns a list of lists where the elements **to which** function is true are > grouped together.


title: "Partner you" vs. "partner with you"

text: Can I say for instance _dynamic enough to partner you in facing new_ or must it be _partner with you_ I'm specifically asking whether you can say _partner you_ as opposed to _partner with you_. Here's an example; _Opportunities and innovations often mean new legislation. We're a team of lawyers with expertise and experience, dynamic enough to partner you in facing new hurdles_.


title: Meaning of "get off the hammock"

text: Is the phrase _get off the hammock_ idiomatic, and what does it mean if it is?


title: Is there a word or expression for someone who takes an over-optimistic view of things?

text: Someone who takes an over-optimistic view of himself, his own country and all other things that have meaning/value to him. And who doesn't see or admit the smaller, yet not insignificant, things. E.g. as well in an attempt to win other people over of something or give them the impression of his own greatness (by leaving out whichever isn't going to benefit that impression he wants to make.)


title: Do women tend to use the word "lovely" more often than men?

text: Do women tend to use the word **_lovely_** more often than men do? And also, should men rather avoid using this word when describing something they liked? _meta_ : I hope this question doesn't sound too sexist (though to an extent it is, of course).


title: My English translator capitalizes every noun. Is it correct?

text: I'm developing an Android/iPhone application. My translator for English localization uses a lot of capitalization. For example, in the app menu, it suggests:               |Export Data to Folder|     |Prevent Screen Lock  |      I would simply use               |Export data to folder|     |Prevent screen lock  |      What is the best choice?


title: "There is no A or B" vs "There is no A and B"

text: If A doesn't exist and B doesn't exist either, what is the correct form below? > There is no A and B. or > There is no A or B. What if the sentence is long, such as > There is no bound on message delay or relative process speed. Would this construction be correct?


title: Issues with predicate nominative

text: As far as my understanding goes, English does have a predicate nominative for the copula _to be_ as well as semantically related words (to become, to seem) if the entity in question plays the role of subject in the activity it is involved in. > It is I who stole the hen's eggs. It does use the oblique case if the entity has the role of object > It is me whom you saw. However, the following defeats that rule > You are me There are a bunch of songs with that title. Same for > He was me.   * Would it be correct and idiomatic to say "You are I? /"He was I?"   * Is there any mention of that behavior in grammar references?   * Is the predicate nominative on the decline in general (have there been tendencies over the centuries)?


title: Any exception with commas before and after "for example"?

text: I know that usually there should be a comma after "for example" and "for instance" but in the following sentences the commas would seem odd, wouldn't they? > While it is common practice to do recalibration between trials, for example > in reading research, this is not always possible or feasible (for example in > studies where task completion time is measured or where an interruption > might impact on contextual information or the participant’s thought > processes).


title: Female equivalent of "creator"?

text: Female equivalent of " _creator_ "? Or is it unisex? I'm a programmer and I named a variable "creatingFunction", which sounds even worse than "creatorFunction".


title: Origin of "toffee-nosed"

text: What's the origin of **toffee-nosed** (snobbish, disdainful, stuck-up)? Is it related to "toff" (upper-class)?


title: Difference between "best dress" and "best dressed"

text: So it goes like this: “Sally, you look groovy. You aim to win at the best _DRESS_ competition tonight, don’t you?”   "Sally, you look groovy. You aim to win at the best _DRESSED_ competition tonight, don’t you?” I've heard people say best dress cannot be used in the context of boys because they do not wear "dresses". But what if the context if a girl? Is one sentence more grammatically correct than another?


title: Latin pronunciation

text: (You may well say this doesn't fit into an "English language" site, but the scientific Latin terms could be said to be part of English.) My young daughter loves snails; I would like her to learn the scientific name for the common garden snail, or Grove Snail: _Cepaea nemoralis_ , but how do I pronounce the word _Cepaea_?


title: "Course in/on/of/for nursing specialty"

text: Which preposition would be the correct one? > the course **in/on/of/for** nursing speciality


title: On reading Allie Brosh's book

text: There is a question/answer paragraph with misty meaning: > Q:Are mom and dad still alive? > > A:Actually, you turned out to be Batman, so we had to have them put down for > story-line purposes. What does the last phrase mean?


title: Curious about "but with" in a sentence

text: Please explain how we replace the first sentence with the second one. I do not understand the rule. Could we use "with + noun" for any situation in this kind of context? >   1. Thursday will be colder, but we will have less rain. >   2. Thursday will be colder, but with less rain. > Thank you very much.


title: How is "lay bare" sexual?

text: In the latest _Futurama_ episode, there was a scene with the dialogue: > Professor: Now, for the first time, we may be able to see the infinitesimal > fabric of matter itself, laying bare the most fundamental laws of the > universe. > > Leela (whispering): **Hey, Fry, I know something you could lay bare.** > > Fry (obviously not getting it): Leela, shh, I'm trying to listen to a > physics lecture. > > _... a few seconds later in the episode ..._ > > Professor: Now, to penetrate its deepest mysteries. > > Leela (whispering): Hey, Fry. > > Fry: Leela! No means no! Obviously, in the second scene, where Leela was cut by Fry, she meant to say, _"Hey Fry, I know what you could penetrate."_ The irony was in Fry not getting it all the time. What I don't understand is: what does the first Leela's proposal mean (marked bold in the dialogue)?


title: Is the expression "see you when I see you" impolite?

text: Once, I have received feedback that using "see you when I see you" is not very polite. Do you have the same opinion? What other expression should I use in case I have no clue when I will see the other party?


title: What is the meaning of 'SO' in Denali is SO last month?

text: From this article, I guess that the name 'Denali' isn't used any longer for Microsoft SQL Server 2012, which now seems to be the official name. But I want to know, what is the meaning of 'Denali is SO last month'. I found these Wikipedia sites SO nor so. But I can't get the answer from them.


title: what is the difference between employee and staff and worker

text: I am reading Human Resource(HR) book, and I can not understand `employee`, `staff` and `worker`. Please explain in detail, thank!


title: Is there a semantic difference between relevance and pertinence?

text: The dictionary defines relevant as being > Closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand whilst pertinent is defined as > Relevant or applicable to a particular matter. Both of these definitions seem to me to be the same, and the dictionary also defines pertinence and relevance as synonyms. However I feel that in my normal usage I apply a further meaning (something I can't quite articulate) to pertinence. For example, I see a difference between a relevant question and a pertinent one. Perhaps it's that I see a pertinent question as one which maybe alights on some previously unexplored aspect of the matter at hand, whereas a relevant question explores more familiar ground. Almost as if pertinence requires more insight than relevance. Does anyone else feel that there is a difference between the two? * * * **Update** So, we're agreed that there is a difference, but I'm still not definitely clear on what that difference is. I think there's maybe more to it than Guffa's suggestion that frequency of use causes pertinence to feel more important. I feel that Robusto might be on to something with impertinence being _definitely not the same_ as irrelevance. I will look into this more when I get the time, but in the mean time I appreciate your help. * * * **Update 2** I've accepted Ghoppe's answer, because I think that one sums up what I'm feeling the best. However (as pointed out by Noldorin in the question comments) I appreciate there's not any real difference at all in their meaning.


title: "Do the media..." or "Does the media"?

text: I saw a headline: > Do the media exploit personal tragedy? This sounds wrong to me, I would've have written "Does the media exploit personal tragedy?". Which is correct?


title: Can you say “hyperbolizing”?

text: When you are expressing something in an exaggerated and ironic way, often to prove a point, can you say that you are _hyperbolizing_? Could it be used in a way where you could end the statement with it? For example: “No, I'm just hyperbolizing (but there’s some truth to it)”. Any synonyms for this? > **hyperbolic** > > 2 (of language) deliberately exaggerated. (Oxford Dictionary)


title: How should one make "man in the middle" plural?

text: Usually, when a phrase acts as a single word, the noun in the phrase gets made plural. For instance, "mother in law" becomes "mothers in law" when made plural. When discussing "man in the middle" attacks, it is common to call the attack a "man in the middle" or "a MITM." The rule above would suggest that the plural would become "men in the middle." But unlike "mother in law," the noun in the phrase is not actually the thing that gets duplicated — it is instances of the whole phrase. That is, saying "men in the middle" seems to indicate a single attack perpetrated by multiple people; but in this case the intent is to refer to multiple attacks carried out by a single person. As a result, I'm confused as to whether one should use "man in the middles" or "men in the middle" when referring to more than one man in the middle attack. (Yes, I know the best solution in this case would probably be to avoid the problem and say "man in the middle attacks" which is unambiguous. But I'm curious anyway)


title: Is "analeptical" correct? Form of "analepses"

text: My teacher was editing my essay and change `analepses` (plural of `analepsis`) to `analeptical`. I'm trying to use the definition of a flashback. Here is the context: Original sentence: > Analepses in the characters is inspired through the cellist's music. Edited sentence: > The cellist's music inspires analeptical moments for the characters. What I think I should finally use: > The cellist's music inspires analepses for the characters. Is the edited sentence more correct, or the final one I think I should use?


title: Word for one's pursuit of deadly obligation?

text: Maybe, 'duty' or 'faith' is also applicable instead of 'obligation'. When one is doing self-sacrificing acts to follow his/her obligation, what word can describe one's frame of mind best? Suppose NAVY SEAL team members say "No one left behind", what emotion or resolution will appear in their mind?


title: a good job (of / in / at) doing something

text: Are the following sentences correct? If so, which is the most common? > 1) You did a good job raising your children.   >  2) You did a good job of raising your children.   >  3) You did a good job in raising your children.   >  4) You did a good job at raising your children.


title: One word that refers to a proof of concept for an unfinished video game?

text: My friend and I are making a video game. Occasionally we want to release little tech demos that demonstrate our progress. A demo would not at all be the finished game, but would rather show off some part of the engine that we have completed. At first we called these demos, but we are afraid that the word demo implies that they represent the finished product. Is there a good _single_ word that refers to a little mini-program that demonstrates progress but is not the finished product?


title: What is discursive violence?

text: I have been looking for the meaning behind it but there is no clear definition online. If it helps, we are going over Native American culture in the United States. **Books used** : * * * _Vinland Sagas_ _The Four voyages_ by Christopher Columbus _Storyteller_ by Leslie Marmon Silko _Women's Captivity Narratives_ by Various Authors _Beloved_ by Toni Morrison _Heroes and Saints_ by Cherrie Moraga.


title: "in most of the world" or "over most of the world"?

text: I am comparing two S and F datasets against another one B at global scale. Is it right to say: > S was closer to B in most of the world than F. or > S was closer to B over most of the world than F.


title: Use of "would" (conditional)

text: Can one use "would" as the conditional in this sentence? Example: If you go to the jungles in Africa, you **would** see a lot of animals.


title: Word or phrase referring to an author's most famous/noteworthy works

text: I remember that the most famous/noteworthy works of literary merit are termed the canon,but is there a particular word or phrase that means the most famous/noteworthy works of a particular author? Could I use "canon" here too?


title: What is the plural of "equipment"?

text: What is the plural form of the word "equipment"? Is the word "equipment" singular? Context: for tools/objects


title: Why does my spellchecker vindicate "floccinaucinihilipilification"?

text: I have heard of this word as cited to contain the most i's of all English words. I had never heard of it before, but when I copied and pasted it into my email program, lo and behold, the picky spellchecker didn't bat an eyelid! Has anyone ever seriously used this word, or any other word of comparable length? How in the world did my spellchecker know about a word nobody will ever use?


title: What does "I pissed the wall" mean?

text: What is the meaning of a sentence like "I pissed the wall"?   Is there any difference with "I pissed my pants"?


title: "Now that x, y," vs. "Now x, y" ("Now" in dependent clauses): British vs. American English

text: I have noticed that British English speakers tend not to use _that_ after _now_ in certain dependent clauses where American English speakers will almost certainly use it. BE version of two examples: >   * Now the temperature's dropped, we've been using the fireplace more > often. >   * Now I'm finished painting the front door I can rest. > AE version of two examples: >   * Now that the temperature's dropped, we've been using the fireplace more > often. >   * Now that I'm finished painting the front door I can rest. > As in many cases of BE vs. AE, my curiosity is piqued. I wonder if over time AE speakers added the _that_ or if BE speakers dropped it. Is the _that_ "understood" in BE or *misunderstood," so to speak, in AE? More broadly, I suppose I'm asking about the role [that] _that_ plays in sentences like the AE examples above. I'm guessing the answer is related to the fact [that] it would have been acceptable, perhaps even preferable, to leave out the first "[that]" above, but, at least in AE, not the second. Then again, communicating about any specific word presents its own challenges. (I'm aware [that] this may be a duplicate question, but my EU search did not return a match. It's tricky coming up with optimal search terms for this topic.)


title: What does "from when" mean?

text: Source Novel Oh, I knew. She was all alone with Vanja during the day, **from when** I went to my office until I returned, she felt lonely, and she had been looking forward so much to these two weeks. Some quiet days with her little family gathered round her, that was what she had been looking forward to. I, for my part, never looked forward to anything except the moment the office door closed behind me and I was alone and able to write. Does this mean "she was alone with Vanja from the time I went..."? "Once I got out to the office, she was alone?"


title: What is the correct usage of "those"?

text: I often hear people describe a specific subset of a larger set as " **those** things that are **___ __ ___ ____**." Is this correct English? I mean, you could just say " **the** things that are **___ __ ___ ____**." Something about the first usage always irked me, but what do you all think?


title: Antonym of 'stigma'

text: I am looking for a word that has the opposite, positive connotation from 'stigma': For example, > There is a stigma of laziness associated with poor people. What would be the replacement for 'stigma' in this sentence in opposite world: > There is a ??? of industriousness associated with rich people. Using a thesaurus tends towards cleanliness or lack of blemish. But I'm thinking of 'stigma' not as a blemish, but rather a negative connotation, so that the antonym I'm looking for is not the lack of a blemish but a postive connotation (i.e. that 'stigma' -means- 'negative connotation').


title: "Assignee": doctor or patients

text: Let's say we have a list of doctors and a list of patients. Each doctor will be assigned to check on some of these patients. Now who are the _assignees_ : the patients or the doctors? I am confused here. Should I say the _assignee_ for these patients is doctor X or the _assignees_ for doctor X are these patients?


title: Synonym for "in terms of" (of Latin origin)

text: I am trying to remember a synonym for "being" or "in terms of" ... It is a Latin word that has entered the English language.


title: Punctuating question tags: A question mark is always required, isn't it. (Well, isn't it?)

text: Consider the sentence: > You didn't leave the dog in the car, did you? In spoken English, this statement may be spoken with a rising intonation or a falling one. If the former, it suggests that leaving the dog in the car is a bad thing, and might even suggest incredulity and consternation on the part of the person asking. In the latter case, when the sentence ends with a falling intonation, the speaker probably believes that the dog _should_ have been left in the car, and that the person being addressed fell short. It amounts to an accusation. Now, given that question tags are always questions, it seems they ought to be punctuated with a question mark. But in written form, especially dialogue, it feels to me that question tags meant to be spoken with a falling intonation might get by with just a period: > You didn't leave the dog in the car, did you. I've tried Web searches but haven't gotten close to a set of search terms that point me toward an appropriate source. Anybody know of a definitive answer to this question? **Further Reflection** One of the reasons I ask this is that any declarative statement may be changed into a question by means of a rising intonation at the end. > You left the dog in the car. becomes a question if your voice modulates upward at the end. In _written_ English, it is customary to show that by means of a question mark: > You left the dog in the car? I include this information because @FumbleFingers asserts that "punctuation may not be used to differentiate [someone's] two intonations." Yet clearly there are cases in which punctuation is used in precisely that way (though in this case involving the opposite modulation from what I'm suggesting). So I wonder if it might not be possible to move the needle in the other direction. If not, why not? _Note: I almost accepted my own answer to this question, but retracted it. If someone comes up with a better one I'll certainly consider awarding that one the checkmark. I think this question touches on an important concept, despite the scant attention it has received._


title: "We give brands access to..." or "We give Brands access to..."

text: Should the world "brands" be capitalized in the following sentence? If so why? > We give Brands access to our database of 100 users. "Brands" refers to advertisers such as Coca Cola and Pepsi.


title: What is the proper plural form of 'apparatus'?

text: Dictionary.com claims that the plural of 'apparatus' is 'apparatuses'. Surely that can't be right... isn't it 'apparati'?


title: What are the usages of the modifier "Many"?

text: > **Many** of his books are... > > His **many** books are... > > **Many** books of him/himself/John/Alex/etc... Would you kindly tell me the exact difference between these?


title: Rouge or Rogue?

text: Is there a difference between the two? I want to write a sentence which says _Users Go Mad_ , and would like to know the correct word to use here. Is this just American/British difference?


title: Plato(n) and similar masculine names

text: What is the etymology of dropped -n in ancient (Greek masculine) names ending with -on? I mean Plato, Pluto, etc. Curiously, the "n" is still preserved in derived words, like platonic or plutonic. Another observation that may be related is that some non-Greek ancient names seemed to acquire -n in languages other than English, e.g., Cato becoming Caton.


title: "having worked" vs "having been working" difference

text: I would like to have someone explain the difference here:   * Having worked there for a year.   * Having been working there for a year.


title: "Payments for medicine supply" is an income or an expenditure?

text: "Payments for medicine supply" is an income or an expenditure in terms of accounts, while making entries in the books of a XYZ medical aid society?


title: What does “Hold one’s back” mean?

text: There is the following sentence in the scene Director of FBI, H.A.L Tyson instructs his men in Jeffery Archer’s fiction, “Shall we tell the President”: > “So they (assassins group) think you’re dead, Andrews, and they have now > played their last card. So **we must hold ours back** , you’re going to > remain dead – for a little while longer” > > Mark (Andrews) and O’Malley (both FBI agents) looked at each other, both > puzzled. - Page 296. I lightly took “hold one’s back” for a run-of-the mill idiom, but I couldn’t find this phrase in any of Cambridge, Oxford, and Merrimu Webster Dictionary as an idiom, nor does Google NGram Viewer include. What does “We must hold ours back” mean? Isn’t “Hold one’s back” a common idiom?


title: Is there a word that describes a pre-wedding party?

text: So there are many words that describe the event that takes place before the wedding: _stag do, hen do, bachelor party, bachelorette party_. Is there a single word that encompasses all those things?


title: Meaning of "catch you on the flip side"

text: I received an email from a coworker, and we're not that friendly. Actually, we're not friends at all, just two good colleagues. In his email, he wrote as his last sentence > Catch you on the flip side! What does this expression mean? Note that I was supposed to get a job, and the answer was no. The email was kind of sad.


title: How to derive a noun from "up-to-date"?

text: I'm looking for a noun that would represent the state of being up to date. I want to say this > The documentation is not accurate and up to date. like this > The documentation has problems with accuracy and **__**. Various on-line dictionaries say _up-to-dateness_ but that is kind of clumsy. Are there any alternatives?


title: How can this be worded better?

text: How can this be better expressed? > In respect of Anna's written wishes, there will be no funeral.


title: If I help "evacuate" a building, what am I doing to the people?

text: I remember reading somewhere that to evacuate a person is a medical procedure, and not something to be done during an earthquake. (I thought it was in Fowler, but I just looked and couldn't see it). The point is that it is the _building_ that is being evacuated, not the people. "Evacuate" comes from the Latin word for "to empty out". If this is so, what is happening to the people that are being helped out of a building that is being evacuated? I was reminded of this question during an episode of CSI: Miami (don't judge me) where someone tells flame-haired Horatio Caine that "You helped evacuate me yesterday". What _should_ she have said to him? "You helped evacuate the building I was in" sounds a little circumlocutionary. I should have anticipated answers saying "You can use evacuate like that". As far as I can tell, the OED doesn't allow "evacuate" to be the verb that you do to people when removing them from a burning building. So there isn't quite a consensus that I'm barking up the wrong tree, although the concise OED allows "to remove from a place of danger". Let's say I didn't want to do that for the (perhaps mistaken) reason that it was worth having a distinction between what is being made empty and what it is being emptied _of_. Let's say I'm super-worried about there being some confusion about whether Horatio helped the woman get to the hurricane shelter or whether he helped perform an unlicensed medical procedure on her. Both might be legitimate readings of "He helped her evacuate". I want this to refer to the latter, so how would I unambiguously talk about the former?


title: "Fine with/by/to you/that"

text: Are there any differences when asking the following?   1. Would that be fine **with** you?   2. Would that be fine **by** you?   3. Would that be fine **to** you? What if we switch _you_ and _that_ around? Do they still make sense?   1. Would you be fine **with** that?   2. Would you be fine **by** that?   3. Would you be fine **to** that?


title: What is a word for "known incorrectly"?

text: I'm trying to organise a series of items, depending on whether these are known, unknown or known incorrectly to the observer. I don't like the "know incorrectly" formulation. Is there a single word describing this? PS: it seems the question was unclear. I am referring here to "known" as in "recognised". So I am categorising the objects as "recognised", "unrecognised" or "incorrectly recognised". (eg. you see the Eiffel Tower and shout "Look! The Bamiyan Buddha is still standing!")


title: Grade vs. Grades when modifying a range

text: When I look on Google, I see both of these used. Singular: > ... for students grade 6-12 Plural: > ... for students grades 6 - 12 The plural form has significantly more results on Google and sounds more correct to me because I read the sentence with an implied "in" between the words "students" and "grades". Which form is correct / better (if any)? In particular, if I were to use this on marketing material for an education-saavy audience, which form should I use?


title: Why is the colour green associated with negativity?

text: Why is the colour _green_ often associated with negativity? Green is paired with _jealousy_ , _envy_ , _vomit_ , ~~immaturity~~ , etc. Yet it is the colour of growth and freshness. In other words, the natural association of the colour _green_ is with something positive. But, in English, (besides its use as _growth_ ) it is often symbolic of something negative. Why is this? Etymonline suggests that green is the " _color of jealousy at least since Shakespeare (1596_ )" (how/why exactly?). Could this be the source?


title: Correct punctuation in company names

text: My father's company is named the following: > Xyz Trading Co. (L.L.C.) I find the use of periods excessive, at the abbreviation of company and the last period in the parenthesis. Is it grammatically correct?


title: Is there English word corresponding to Japanese “Bureikoh” meaning an occasion you can talk freely disregarding status and position?

text: Both Japanese and Chinese have words, “無礼講 - Bureikoh”—in Japanese (verb form 無礼講する) — meaning to make no distinction of status and position where you can speak and act freely without considering pressure and authority of others, difference of position, status and class and “不分座次 - bù fēn zuò cì” (in Chinese) meaning no separation / distinction of seating position and class, at a gathering such as party, dinner, banquet, and social meeting,. When we convene an unofficial meeting and after 5 o’clock gathering, we used to say “Let’s have a “Bureikoh” meeting (party). You don’t need to worry about whether your remarks benefit you, or harm you throughout the occasion. Speak up freely anything that comes to your mind” to participants. At Bureikoh gathering, everybody is considered to be totally equal, regardless company CEO and sales clerk, boss and subordinate, senior and junior, coach and player, professor and students. You are not punished by whatever you spoke out in Bureiko gathering. The concept of “Bureikoh” dates back to the warring Middle age (13 Century) when the monarch needed to listen to the voice of his followers on his governance, policy and deeds. Apart from the provenance of “Bureiko” and “bù fēn zuò cì”, is there any English short word corresponding to “Bureiko,” or “Bù fēn zuò cì” in the meaning of equal opportunity of speech and opinion among all? In Democratic western countries where everybody is regarded to be equal, I wonder if the concept of "Bureikoh / Bù fēn zuò cì" is viable or not. **Addendum:** I thought “informal meeting” could be close to “Bureiko.” But if you call your CEO or boss a “nuts” or “F_ you” on spot even if it’s informal meeting, you’ll probably get the backlash. Whereas, “無礼講-Bureiko literally means “No punishment on rudeness,” thus nobody will be punished (theoretically) by throwing abuse to, or criticizing superior in expressing his / her own personal opinion, **once Bureiko is declared upfront** of the gathering, because it’s the rule of Bureiko.


title: Build, manufacture, produce - differences and contexts

text: to build, to manufacture, to produce something      Are these synonyms, and what is the appropriate context for each of them? What would be appropriate in context of a complex product built in small series?


title: How did the term "esquire" come to be used for lawyers?

text: Esquire, as I understand it means "mister." But in modern usage it is an abbreviated American appendage to names that indicates one is a lawyer, and it is used for men and women. How did that happen?


title: What does "as poll nears" mean?

text: I just read The Jakarta Post I've got this: > "Prabowo changes style in campaign as poll nears" what is the meaning of 'as poll nears', I've got some guesswork and I am not really sure about it, does that mean "the method to get the polling"?


title: How do I say "WWI" out loud?

text: I know it's written WWI, but when I am speaking should I say "World War One" or "World War First" or "First World War"?


title: What's an adjective to describe the type of writing found in essays?

text: You might say that writing found in literature is _literary_ ; language like that found in poetry is _poetic_. What do you call writing found in essays, or writing like that found in essays?   (Not considering _prosaic_ , to head off certain humorous tangents.) Is there a word or short phrase better than _essayistic_? * * * In addition to pieces of writing originating from or destined for an academic group, here are a couple of items that appear to fall into the same category: Errol Morris's blog in the _New York Times_ One of many 'essays' by Paul Graham: Makers/Managers Schedules Also see Paul Graham: The Age of the Essay


title: Want feedback from someone I've disappointed

text: What word should I use in the following situation? I have done some work for somebody, but he is not satisfied. I still want the feedback from him, and am trying to convince him to give me some feedback (likely bad); I honestly wouldn't _like_ to get negative feedback, but I would prefer to receive some form of response rather than nothing. Is this a good way to ask? > Please, at least give me feedback ( **maybe** bad). What should I use in place of **maybe** to make it a good sentence?


title: I don't know if this is an awkward usage of "for which" and an adjective

text: > The figure of casualties is presumed to be significantly higher, but there > are no specific data _for which_ published. The latter part of the sentence sounds a little awkward to me. I just want to know if it is grammatically correct.


title: Number agreement of "a thing of the past"

text: Is the pluralization correct in the following sentences? >   1. To Do lists are a thing of the past. >   2. To Do lists are things of the past. >   3. A To Do list is a thing of the past. > Are they all (grammatically) correct? Which of the three is the best English? Why?


title: Meaning of ' our collective and collectivist leg'

text: > This sounds very **fishy**. I think Mr xxx is pulling **our collective** and > **collectivist leg**.


title: A word or idiom for something that is real but appears fake

text: A word or idiom for something that is real but appears to be fake. For example "That photograph looks like a painting", or "the sunset looks fake".


title: What defines a correlative?

text: I have come across a number of expressions (both...and..., if...then...) which are named as "correlative" in different grammars (namely Quirk et al.). The question: What makes an expression a correlative one? Do you know any definition in the Literature?


title: Correct way of using 'overtake'

text: My sentence: > My shop has overtaken his shop in business. Will it be okay if I rewrite it as: > My shop has overtaken his shop's business. ? **Requst: Please consider re-titling the question if necessary...**


title: Meaning and Origin of "Honky Tonk"

text: Monday morning. A colleague of mine is blasting country music from his cube...fantastic. After hearing the word "honky" and "honky tonk" quite a few times, I'm intrigued. This is obviously a Southern term, but does anyone have more information on the origin and actual meaning?


title: Can "vetted" be used to mean somebody to whom some restrictions are not applied?

text: Using a CMS, I found the following description for a user setting. > If checked, this user will be granted "vetted" status. Vetted users create > full projects and promote existing experimental sandboxes. _Vetted users_ is used to refer to users who can create full projects and sandbox projects; non-vetted users are only allowed to create sandbox projects. Is it correct to use _vetted_ in this case?   If it is correct, what is the meaning of _vetted_ , in this case?


title: Synonym for "artisan" with a more scientific connotation

text: Wikipedia describes "artisan" as: > An artisan ... or craftsman ... is a skilled manual worker who makes items > that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, > sculpture, clothing, jewellery, household items and tools or even machines > such as the handmade devices of a watchmaker. Artisans practice a craft and > may through experience and aptitude reach the expressive levels of an > artist. Since the nineties writing source code for software has been looked upon as something that you can only do well through lots of experience, almost like an art. There have been tons of books that suggest it is more of an art than a science. While I get the mindset that people had back then, computer programming has evolved, tools and frameworks have been developed so that it takes less experience to write code of good quality. Right now, I'm writing something on computer programming, and I'm wondering if there's a word equal to "artisan", but with a more scientific connotation. By the way: I'm not sure the word "synonym" is the correct term for this question, so if somebody has a more fitting word, feel free to edit the question.


How should wireless technology names be hyphenated and capitalized?   * "a wireless g network"?   * "a wireless-g network"?   * "a wireless-G network"?   * "a wireless G network"?   * none of the above? Does a formal rule even exist for this?


title: Does "Fail to understand" have a negative connotation?

text: As from title, if I say: > XYZ failed to understand the idea that was conveyed by the article. Would you associate a negative connotation to this? What I mean is: does the above sentence give you the impression that the person did not understand the article because he/she is stupid? I want to imply that it may not have been his/her problem, but that it was possibly because the article was not completely clear (which I state before, I am just wondering if the use of `fail` gives a _negative vibe_ to the sentence).


title: origin and uses of expression "teach one's grandmother how to suck eggs"

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Etymology of 'teaching grandma to suck eggs'? I found out about this expression that puzzles me. What is the origin and uses of the expression "teach one's grandmother how to suck eggs"?


title: Need alternative to "brave smile"

text: I need to describe someone giving "a brave smile" (for the benefit of others) but that phrase is such a cliche. Is there an alternative that means the same? S.


title: Shakespeare's "slow as the elephant"

text: I am reading Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida, in Act 1 Scene 2 Alexander gives the following portrait of Ajax: > "[...] he is as valiant as the lion, churlish as the bear, slow as the > elephant; a man into whom nature [...]". Everything seemed quite clear to me (note: I am not a native English speaker). Yet, while reading the Italian version of this passage I noticed that the term _slow_ was translated with the equivalent of the word _majestic_. Precisely, "maestoso come l'elefante". Is this a poetic freedom the translator decided to concede himself, or did the word slow actually have that meaning in the past? I was not able to find any source supporting the latter thesis.


title: What do you call words that are separated by a hyphen?

text: What do you call words like _one-note_ that are separated by a hyphen?


title: Is there one word for knowledge and wisdom that has been obtained from different sources and from experience?

text: Is there one word for "gathered wisdom", meaning knowledge and wisdom that has been obtained from different sources and from experience?


title: What is the rule for composing two words, when one of them is hyphenized or has spaces?

text: Let's imagine we have an organization named EFSMA-EE and another called EFSMA Telecom (EFSMA is an acronym). If I want to compose these with another word (e.g. "time" - as in "full- time"), what should I do? Just add the hyphen? > EFSMA-EE-time and EFSMA Telecom-time?


title: Gobble gobble - Are the two meanings related?

text: Turkeys say, "gobble". We also "gobble" down a lot of turkey on Thanksgiving. This is just a bit of idle musing, but are the two meanings of this word somehow related via the American & Canadian holidays?


title: Is "mother tongue" exactly the same as "native language"?

text: Someone just told me "mother tongue" is exactly the same as "native language". I may be wrong, but I think the first one is not a good translation. Am I wrong?


title: "I finally was able" or "I was finally able"?

text: Is one form wrong or more correct than the other? Or do they have different meanings? I'm a non-native speaker trying to figure it out.


title: Why is "doing" used here instead of "to do"?

text: I have read this question: “I like to do (be) something” vs “I like doing (being) something” and I get (although the answer could not be applied to my example) that using "to do" means _in general_ I like to do it. While "doing", means I'm doing it _at the moment_ or soon will be. I found the following example in a grammar book: > Exercise means doing something with the body. Shouldn't it be "Exercising means doing..." or "Exercise means to do..." or maybe "To exercise means doing ..." -I don't get why exercise is used as a noun here. -I don't get why **doing** is used instead of **to do** and if they are interchangeable (without context)


title: What is the difference between "getting mad" and "getting upset"?

text: Does _getting mad_ mean the same thing as _getting upset_? Is there any difference at all?


title: Can a person say "And I you"?

text: In a film I thought I heard a man say "And I you." I wondered if it were OK because there seemed to be no verb? Another man said to him "I like you my buddy". So why did he not reply "So do I buddy"?


title: Given a "pledge" to complete each day, what words can represent success and failure in a motivating fashion?

text: If one decides that they are going to attempt to complete a pledge or task each day, what are two words (one for each) that can be used to represent the number of successes and failures, without being too discouraging? Example pledge: "I'm going to exercise 20 minutes every day."


title: English Translation of "Umay"

text: As a Filipino-Canadian, I often go to Filipino gatherings with lots of tasty Filipino food. In some cases, we eat so much food that we become full; however, in other cases, we say that we are "umay"... **we simply feel tired of eating the same food and wish to eat no more, but it's not the same as full**. People become "umay" when they eat so much of the same food without becoming full, but still end up not wanting to eat it anymore Is there an English verb/adjective for this? Something I could say during non- Filipino gatherings? Thanks in advance.


title: Why is there "Black English" but not "White English"?

text: African American Vernacular English is shortened to a less precise phrase "Black English". Also, _Black English_ is used in a broader sense: > Black English is a term used for both dialects of English and English-based > pidgins and creoles, and whose meaning depends considerably upon the > context, and particularly the part of the world. > > Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_English Also mentioned is AAVE is not regional anymore: > Although no longer region-specific, African American Vernacular English, > which remains prevalent among African Americans, has a close relationship to > Southern varieties of AmE and has greatly influenced everyday speech of many > Americans. > > Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_English I see the usage of "White English" in some technical sources but I couldn't be sure what is actually meant by that. For example, there is the below explanation from Prof. John R. Rickford from Stanford University: > History of AAVE, exploring earlier examples of African American English, and > its source in African languages, as well as the controversial question of > its possible creole ancestry. Comparison with creole languages currently > spoken in the Caribbean and off the S Carolina coast (Gullah) will be > undertaken to shed light on this controversy. A more recent issue, which we > will also explore, is **whether AAVE is currently diverging from Standard > English and White Vernacular English**. > > Source:http://web.stanford.edu/~rickford/AAVE.html So, why is there a prevalent usage of Black English or Black English vernaculars but not White English (vernaculars)? (Or maybe not the usage of vernacular but the phrase itself... there are of course other dialects and sociolects spoken by White people or both White and Black) For example, there are European Americans also but European American Vernacular English is mentioned in a very few sources. Could this be considered as White vernacular English by linguists in a broader sense? Is there any source that talks about this? Of course this is related with the history of English and American English but maybe someone can shed a light on the specific topic. Also, I would like to keep the topic in linguistic sense (though it is related with races but within linguistic usages).


title: Term for a similar word that cannot stand for it in every context?

text: I once learned a term meaning a similar word that cannot stand for it in every context, i.e. a synonym that doesn't work in _every_ instance the original word can ( _not_ a hypernym). What is this term?


title: Closed -> Closure, Open ->?

text: Am I right in assuming that the word _closure_ is derived from the word _closed_? If so, I would be interested to know the name of this procedure and what it yields when applied to the word _open_. My motivation is a mathematical one: "The closure of a set is the smallest closed set containing it." For certain topological spaces (Alexandrov spaces) it is true that every set is contained in a smallest _open_ set.


What does this mean: "I'll be with you in a minute"? Does it mean "I'll call you after one minute" or "I'll contact you after one minute" or something else?


title: Loops vs Laps for runner?

text: When I read some events map, I found _loops_ used wildly. But some equipment watches like Timex used _laps_. What's the difference, how can I use them correctly? Please also give some sample if possible.


As it is clear from the question title, What does "I'm game" mean and what's its correct usage?


title: What does this sentence mean by "my cold came out of remission"?

text: What does the part "my cold came out of remission" mean in the following sentence? > It seems that my cold came out of remission… I'll work from home today and > hopefully kick it before Monday.


title: What connotation do these words describing "someone who straightforwardly expresses their" opinion have?

text: The adjective ones I have heard recently are   * _forward_   * _straightforward_   * _forthcoming_   * _frank_ I was wondering if each of them has positive, negative or neutral meaning? What are other similar terms that are used for positive, neutral and negative intention?


title: Terms to apply to something that leaves strong memory

text: Do the following terms have positive, neutral or negative meaning?   * _memorable_   * _impressive_   * _remarkable_ What are other similar terms that are used for positive, neutral and negative intention?


title: What would be a good way for referring to the property of being a Home/Visitor Team?

text: Is there a word to define the property of being the Home Team? In Brazil we say that the Home Team has the "Mando de Campo" which means "Field Ownership", as in the Home Team HAS the Field Ownership as the Visitor Team does not, I don't know if that helps.


title: What are other alternative ways of saying "how are you?" in business email

text: I'm looking for an alternative ways to ask my email recipients about themselves before we go into more serious discussion. I think "how are you" does not sound professional when you are emailing to authority departments/ hotels/ other professional bodies. Thank you.


title: Word for an attempt which you know is useless

text: What word do you use when you are trying to say that you attempted to do or solve something which you know would most probably fail? For example, I dropped my Nokia off the highest level of the Eiffel Tower. The screen shattered and the phone could not be turned on anymore. In a [word] attempt, I still tried to repair the phone. In that example, I am not feeling reluctant. I know it's almost impossible to fix that phone but I'm still giving it a shot. What is the word or feeling that I should use?


title: What does 'Lets himself be swept along like a log of wood by a current.' mean?

text: I read the following quote by Gandhi when he was describing the actions of a moral man: Source > How can a man understand morality who does not use his own intelligence and > power of thought, but let himself be swept along like a log of wood by a > current? What is he referring to here with this simile swept along like a log of wood by a current? And, how would it apply to a person's characteristics?


title: Can we use "very" with a "non-" adjective?

text: Can we use _very_ with an adjective that starts with "non"? For example: > Absolute pathnames should be avoided in #include directives because they > make the program **very nonportable**. For some reason the sentence sounds weird. Is it grammatical to say something is very non _adjective_?


title: "What need is there to ..." vs "Is there a need to ..."

text: Is a question that starts with "What need is there to" grammatically correct? For example: > What need is there to tell a lie just to make a joke? If so, is there a difference in meaning or nuance between that clause and "Is there a need to"? > What need is there to tell a lie just to make a joke? > > Is there a need to tell a lie just to make a joke?


title: Noun for adjective "neat"

text: I need a noun for an adjective "neat" (or "cool") in the slang meaning "terrific". My logic tells me to use "neatness", but dictionaries don't seem to list the slang meaning for it. I don't mind any synonym, as long as it's short and commonly used. It's intended to be used in a "programming equation": `XAML − XML.verbosity + JSON.neatness`, where verbosity is a property of XML, and JSON language is more readable and concise.


title: Is "vacuous" offensive?

text: I am not an native English speaker and I would like to know if the use of the word "vacuous" is offensive. I am writing a reply to a request where I am asked to do something that has no sense at all in a mathematical context. Basically, I was requested to do some calculations on a mathematical object that is provably nonexistent. In my reply I want to be direct and say that trying to do so is useless. Then, I was planning to say that this is vacuous. I also want to be as polite as possible, then my hesitation on using this word. Any pointers to a more suitable word would also be appreciated.


title: Pledge (pledʒ) pronunciation

text: I'm wondering if 'pledge' could be or is somewhere in the nowadays English world pronounced as 'plidʒ'. As I found (though seems not to be very reliable as it is only one source) pledge had the synonym pleedge but seems to be gone. Though, WordReference only proposes two main pronunciations. Thank you for your help.


title: What to call someone who is able to hold a conversation?

text: So, think about being involved and present in the dialogue, but also someone who puts forward ideas and tries to look for ways to keep the conversation smooth and going, just like a flowing conversation. Who looks for solutions too and who is flexible to talk about something else.


title: Would it be possible to note similarities with in comparison with?

text: _In comparison with_ is used to show contrasting ideas. I wonder whether this phrase could be used to note similarities as well, especially with words like: similar, the same, alike. Would you, for example, consider the following? _In comparison with each other, both of the girls seem similar._


title: Why "face by" in the following

text: In one of today's nydailynews headlines, the writer writes the following: > India reminds world of cross-border terror **faced by** Kabul. The **face by** usage doesn't seem to convey the right meaning here because it assumes that Kabul is the performer or initiator of the action. However, that doesn't seem to be the case as the article goes on to state: > Tokyo, July 8 — In a veiled reference to Pakistan, India Sunday told the > international community of the "existential threat" Afghanistan faces from > terrorism emanating from across its borders. Is this the right usage?


title: Hypernym for "webinars" and "podcasts"

text: I'm looking for a single word that describes both _webinars_ and _podcasts_. Any ideas?


title: When should I say "thee"?

text: If I want to be posh, old school, when I'm writing, and decide to use "thee" then what is the correct technical usage for it? Does it simply replace "the" ?


title: When does the name prefix "Mc" take stress?

text: _Mc_ (or _Mac_ ) is often used as a prefix in Gaelic-derived names. In one class containing most such names, prefixing _Mc_ does not affect the position of the accent somewhere on the base name. Thus _Mc_ is unstressed. For example:   * McDonald /mɛkˈdɑnl̩d/   * MacArthur /mɛkˈarθr̩/   * McCoy /mɛk̚ˈkoj/   * McGill /mɛˈɡɪl/   * McMahon /mɛkˈmæn/   * McCarthy   * McLeod   * McDonnell   * McCormack   * McEwan   * McAllister   * McOrmond   * ~~McNuggets~~ But sometimes _Mc_ takes stress:   * McIntosh /ˈmækɪntɑʃ/   * McIntyre /ˈmækɪntajr̩/   * McAfee /ˈmækəfi/   * McAvoy /ˈmækəvoj/ All of these I could think of contain a vowel-initial base name, but that's not a sufficient condition. How can you determine which class a particular name belongs to, and what is the etymological reason for the distinction?


title: What is the word for a good work?

text: I am helping a charity and I need to invite my friends to join in. We're not asking for any money or valuables but just their time for some feedback on few questions. I am struggling at the opening line of the invitation message—what I want to say is that "I need your help in this great work / noble work" but it just doesn't sound that impressive/catchy. Jihad or movement both describe something too big to describe "answering a few questions." Please note that it is for non-native English speakers.


title: "The idea of the X came from Y" vs "The idea of the X raised from Y"

text: I'm confiused a little bit in a correct usage of the word **idea** in sentences. Wich one of the following correct? > The idea of the system design came from the knowledge acquired in literature > review and analysis of the current trends of workplace learning. or > The idea of the system design raised from the knowledge acquired in > literature review and analysis of the current trends of workplace learning. If both are wrong, the any other suggestions are welcomed.