title: An approach to do something vs. an approach to doing something

text: What is the preferred way to express something like this: > An approach to design a software system (here design is a verb) or > An approach to design of a software system (here design is a noun) In other words, should word `approach` as a noun be used with an infinitive?


title: It is an existential question

text: A question on another site asks, _I have a laptop ... Now I am trying to install Windows 7 and it shows a message saying "Driver not found"._ Whereupon a commenter asks, _What is the "it" that shows the message?_ I would think that was an existential **_it_** , which cannot be attributed to anything in particular. In any case, if I had structured the question myself, I would probably have intended so. **Q** : Is this a case of an existential **_it_**? * * * [Edit-1] Clarification   This question is _not_ about the subject of the example. The question relates to English language, grammar and esp., the concept of the **_existential it_**. Please see also the tags for an idea.


title: Female Actor or Actress

text: I've recently noticed the word actor used for female actresses in the Indian print media. I have a few questions :   a) Is this the correct usage of the word?   b) Is this an international phenomenon?   c) Are you aware of the origins, time and purpose of this change?


title: "This kind of things" vs "These kinds of thing"

text: I have a question about the following text: > Last week Alex Knapp at Forbes published an article criticizing my Nikola > Tesla comic. I don't normally respond to these kinds of thing, but since > it's' Forbes I figured a proper response was in order. I would rather say "this kind of things" rather than the version in the text above.


title: How can I ask someone if they are male or female politely?

text: In my daily work I communicate with a lot of people in my company that I have neither encountered in person nor heard them on phone. The conversation is usually e-mail or online chat. Some of them have ambiguous first name. I would like to know if they are male or female so I know if I should refer to them as "he" or "she" when talking to other members of my team (for example explaining conclusion of the communication with the person). Is there a preferred polite way how to ask?


title: An adverb challenge

text: I was set the challenge to provide one particular adverb that can be used as verb modifier, adjective modifier and adverb modifier, and an example of its use in each of the cases. In addition the answer should avoid the use of adjectival participles. Can you help?


title: Meaning of the verb "to pooch"?

text: I'm familiar with the word _pooch_ as a cute synonym of doggy, but here is _pooch_ used as a verb: > It was just a poorly done deal and it just so happens to be the biggest deal > ever for Nasdaq and **they pooched it** , that's the bottom line here," said > Joe Saluzzi, the co-manager of trading at Themis Trading in Chatham, New > Jersey. Is this a common usage of the word in US English? Or is it just an example of a Wall Street trader abusing our language? Full article here.


title: How do I pronounce Gaudí, the architect?

text: How do I pronounce 'Gaudi', in the name of Antoni Gaudí (the architect)?


title: What is the antonym of prospection in the context of seeking reward?

text: Currently looking into the effects of neuroscience on decision making. There is the limbic system which is in charge of the seeking of positive reward i.e. prospection. In contrast to this there is the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex which is in charge of regulating reward for long-term gain. In this context what could be an antonym of prospection? I was wanting to include the suffix of -spection to imply some form of thought. Or could one invent an appropriate word using similar etymological processes? I'm trying to capture the idea of comparing contradictory values and seeking the best long term outcome; this is as opposed to only seeking reward without consideration for how it contradicts the potential value in other alternatives. P.S. I am not looking for something strictly correct. More in the process of creating an appropriate new word for this concept.


title: "Decoding time" vs. "time of decoding"

text: What's the difference between "decoding time" and "time of decoding", "data compression" and "compression of data"? And why isn't it "decoding's time", but "decoding time"?


title: When should we use "and" and/or "and/or"?

text: What's the difference between "and" and "and/or"? How do we decide whether to use one or the other? Note: Also it would be great if someone could explain how do we actually _pronounce_ "and/or" verbally in a sentence...


title: Can a female proprietor be called as "proprietor"?

text: I know the female version of _proprietor_ can be called as _proprietress_ or _proprietrix_. But I want to know whether a female proprietor can also be called a _proprietor_? Or does _proprietor_ only indicate a male business person?


title: Use of comma after "accidentally"

text: Is a comma required after _accidentally_? > I **accidentally** sent you the wrong number.


title: Indicating 'ephemeral questions' section in an FAQ

text: Granted that entries in an FAQ are subject to change; but say I want to have a separate section for questions that are really only going to be relevant for a very short time - say, a software product version upgrade and questions pertinent to the transition. I'm looking for something like 'ephemeral questions', or to indicate in some way that this section is reserved for topics that are more fleeting or transient in time. What are my options in this case, either a single word or even a longer phrase (but commonly used in this context)? * * * For context; this is a general purpose FAQ/KB for a piece of software that addresses:   * Initial usage and reasons for adoption (why should I choose X? etc.)   * Data management & access policies   * Troubleshooting steps   * Planned features, maybe with ETA   * etc ...   * 'Ephemeral' questions which would likely mostly be a mix of troubleshooting & future plans that are relevant for the immediate present: e.g. _What are the changes in ACL requirements for next week's release?_. Basically, something with enough customer interest to have a question on it; but not needed long-term.


title: What does the "atta" mean in "attaboy" and "attagirl"?

text: What does the prefix _atta_ mean? What is it trying to abbreviate? _What a_? Wiktionary claims that it stands for _that's a_ or _that's the_ , but I do not see the resemblance to _atta_.


title: Should there be a period after an equation?

text: This isn't a pure English question, but it _is_ about writing style: Sometimes entities that aren't words end up being in sentences. I know that when mathematical expressions are inline as follows: > We used the equation _x + y = z_. This is the next sentence. they are treated as any other word, and the sentence needs to end with a period. But suppose I have text in a paper such as: > We used the equation > > _x + y = z_ > > This is the next sentence. Notice that the equation isn't inline. **Should there still be a period after the equation** (right after _z_ ) to indicate the end of the sentence?


title: What are some slang terms for "newspaper"?

text: I'm looking for some slang terms for a newspaper, whether they are archaic terms that nobody has used in the past 70 years or modern, obscure terms.


title: How to understand "We have not been smoking"?

text: Given a sentence: > We have not been smoking What is the exact meaning the speaker wants to express? One interpretation: > We smoked an hour ago, but we stopped smoking after ten minutes, then we > smoked again. Another interpretation: > We smoked an hour ago, but now we didn't smoke. Which is correct?


title: Difference between 'went home' and 'went to home'

text: I'm a little bit confused over the difference between the following sentences. I went home. I went to home. Could someone please explain the difference.


title: "All I had, and all I have now, (are vs. were) clues."

text: In the sentence, "All I had, and all I have now, were clues", should the verb be "were" or "are", or should the sentence be rephrased so that I don't have to choose between matching the verb to the past tense indicated by the first part of the sentence or the present tense indicated by the part between the commas?


title: Can a mid-sentence quote have a comma outside the quotation marks?

text: I have a sentence such as the one below, and am unsure as to where the commas should go. > I, John Doe, the man feared as "the tyrant," guarantee it. In particular, I'm wondering about the comma after _tyrant_. That should go inside the quotations, right?


title: What is the real history of the word "scenario"?

text: In a moment of revery, I pondered from what language the word "scenario" originated. Unsurprisingly, it's Italian in origin, according to etymonline, but the etymonline etymology surprised me - the word "scenario" was used only in the context of drama and stage performaces until the year 1960, when according to etymonline, **it became used to describe nuclear outcomes during the Cold War** , after which the word began to commonly mean "a potential set of happenings" in any context. This implies that people who used the word "scenario" did so in order to indirectly call the Cold War a kind of stage play. Awesome! This would be great if it were true, so to attempt to confirm this I checked Google's Ngram viewer. Looking at the ngram viewer was enlightening but raised a few questions of its own. While the word "scenario" certainly saw a marked rise in popularity in the year 1960, perhaps due to its use to describe the Cold War, it also experienced a rise in popularity at around 1910. So, did "scenario" experience a shift in meaning in 1960? If so, did it experience another shift of meaning in 1910?


title: Origin of "Seek first to understand, then to be understood"

text: One of the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (according to Stephen Covey) is: > Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood What is the origin of this phrase? My guess is that it was inspired by the Prayer of Saint Francis which contains these words: > O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek > > To be consoled as to console; > > **To be understood as to understand;** but according to Wikipedia even that cannot be traced back further than 1912. Did it then originate with Stephen Covey?


title: "Multiple" vs. "additional"

text: When you are adding or inserting additional people to a list, what is the correct word to use, _multiple_ or _additional_? Example: >   * Multiple escorts can be added using the Add New Escort tab. >   * Additional escorts may be added using the Add New Escort tab. >


title: What is the word for someone who sees music as colours?

text: Some people visualise specific musical keys or chords as specific colours. There is a name for this, which I think starts with _chromo-_. Am I remembering this correctly?


title: Does English use "Red thread" as expression for theme?

text: In Swedish the expression _Röd tråd_ (Red thread) is used to describe that something follows a theme. For instance, if a piece of text has a "red thread", it's written with a consistent though through out the text. The expression originates from the Greek mythology where king Theseus found his way out of Minotaur's labyrinth by following a "red thread". I could also be derived from that formerly a red thread were found twisted in some cordage belonging to the English Navy. In a figurative sense first used by Goethe in his work Wahlverwandschaften. Is this used in the same way in English or is there another expression that is more commonly used?


title: What's a word (noun) that means a particularly hard and difficult to solve puzzle?

text: Think the context would be say in a movie our heros have got into the bad guy's base, and there's this rubiks cube like puzzle object they have to solve, which is especially difficult to solve it's a ... ? The best words I've come up with are 'condundrum' and 'enigma' but neither of these seem to fit appropriately. Condundrum seems to fit more difficulty facing decision making. And enigma is a _mysterious_ problem. I was sure that there was a word for it, but perhaps there isn't.


title: Want a phrase/word to express the time follow and close now

text: I want a phrase or word to express the time follow and close now, it would have the meaning that keeps the time continuous. for me, word "later" seems be too generic, "later on" seems to have certain period time after now: "follow on" looks also not a good idea. For example: after reading this book (?) I start go to work.(after reading book I Immediately start go to work, there would have no interval between two things )


title: "Why not" and double negatives

text: This popped up during a conversation. My friend said (roughly): > Some vegetarians don't eat meat. Why not fish? To me, this felt somewhat weird. Her intent was to ask, if some vegetarians refuse to eat meat, why are they okay eating fish? The part that felt weird was the "why not". Suppose she had said instead: > Some vegetarians refuse to eat meat. Why not fish? Then this would be equivalent to: > Some vegetarians refuse to eat meat. Why don't they refuse to eat fish? But by saying: > Some vegetarians don't eat meat. Why not fish? She's _really_ saying: > Some vegetarians don't eat meat. Why don't they don't eat fish? Which is a double negative. Am I right? Or am I completely crazy here?


title: the placement of prepositions in phrasal verbs

text: In England today, "put your coat on" and "put on your coat" are in free variation. But was there an original dialectal difference in the placement of the preposition, and if so, which areas said "put... on" (and take....out and all other similar examples) and which areas said "put on X"?


title: When does 'gi' sound like 'ji'?

text: Let us take, ginger, we actually pronounce it as 'jinjer'. But take, giggling, we pronounce it as it is. There are numerous examples of this, and this confuses me a lot. So, how do I come to know which pronunciation in these kind of words is actually correct?


title: Movement to reduce "ing" to "in"

text: let's face it. More and more people are not saying the silent "g" at the end of swimming, speaking, cooking etc. When will the "ing" become just "in"? It's already used in almost every song, because "g" is hard and almost impossible to sing. Any revolutionary movement to eradicate "ing" and bring "in" into English out there?


title: what do you call someone performing below their potential

text: What do you call someone who doesn't know their worth or is under-performing their potential?


title: Comma before indefinite pronoun

text: While I would surround a noun or pronoun with commas, should I do the same for indefinite pronouns? For example: > Have a good weekend, all. > > I'm sorry, everybody, I can't do that. Thanks.


title: Meaning of "To be next into the breach"

text: What is the meaning of "to be next into the breach" in the following examples? > There's a blue flame from, I think, an oxygen tank. Carter finds Lisa on the > floor and asks her if her neck is okay; she nods. Luka **is next into the > breach** , and asks Carter whether Lisa's airway is clear[.] > > The idea that English has more than one declarative “mood” has been > dismissed as superstitious by empirically-minded grammarians of English for > centuries [. . .]. Let me **be next into the breach**. > > But let's be of good cheer: looks like Newt the execrable **is next into the > breach** as the transitory not-Mitt. I can sort of grasp the overall meaning—it seems to me that a simple _next_ would do the job in all the examples above—but I can't figure out its connotation: what does "into the breach" add to the sense? Does this idiom change its meaning according to the context?


title: Are the words 'innuendo' and 'insinuation' different in meaning?

text: According to the dictionary the two words are synonymous to each other but I think there is a subtle difference in meaning between the two words that I do not find in the dictionary. I thought of this question when I heard the word 'insinuendo' in a movie. The actor blended the words 'innuendo' and 'insinuation' and created an interesting and funny portmanteau.


title: What does "4-year advanced seminar" mean in this passage about the office of Vice President?

text: I’m reading Jeffrey Archer’s “The Prodigal Daughter” at a snail pace and came across the following sentence describing the scene where Florentyna Kate, the female candidate for Presidency answers the journalist’s question at a press interview: > “Senator Kane, is this really a bid to be Pete Perkin’s running mate?” > > “No, I am not interested in the office of Vice President. At best it’s a > period of stagnation while you wait around in the hope of doing the real > job. At worst I am reminded of Nelson Rockefeller’s word: “ **Don’t take the > number two spot unless you’re up for a four–year advanced seminar in > political science and a lot of state funerals.** ” I’m not in the mood for > either.” - Page 418. I can’t well relate the carrier of 4-year advanced seminar in political science and attendance at numeral state funerals to No. 2 position in the White House. Is Florentyna saying the experience represented by academic expertise in political science and attendance to a lot of state funerals are only good for attaining the position up to Vice President, but not worthy for the qualifications of President of U.S.A (which is what she aims to be)? Is she saying it’s not about experience, but ability when questioning caliber of President? Could you help me parse what Flonrentyna says by quoting Nelson Rockefeller’s word?


title: What is the semantic difference between "encipher" and "encrypt"?

text: What is the semantic difference between _encipher_ and _encrypt_?


title: "This facility has/have a new administrator"

text: "This facility has a new administrator" — is this correct? Or should it be "this facility have a new administrator"?


title: Placing the object of an infinitive before it instead of after it

text: > At the beginning of 1807, based on information gathered from Burr’s > correspondence allegedly showing that he had begun preparations for a large- > scale military expedition, the former vice president was arrested in > Louisiana and indicted on the charge of “wickedly devising and intending ♦ > the peace and tranquility of the same United States **to disturb** and to > stir, move, and excite insurrection, rebellion and war against the said > United States” Would someone please affirm the position of _to disturb_ in the passage cited above? Am I right in thinking that it can equally be planted at ♦, as one might in contemporary English? If correct, what’s this stylistic placement called? Also, what are its advantages or disadvantages? I find it more onerous and less lucid; I had to reread it to determine the infinitive. Source: page 54 of _America on Trial_ , by Alan Dershowitz


title: What does "What use is X" mean?

text: I've come across this construct on Stack Overflow, in the title of the question "What use is lambda in PHP?" To me this was an error, so I edited the question changing the title to "What is lambda used for in PHP?" and corrected some other stuff on the question. Later the original poster changed the title back saying it was not an error and that it changed the voice of the phrase. I'm not a native English speaker but consider myself pretty fluent in the language, and I have never seen this construct. Not that I remember, at least. What does it mean?


title: Is it correct to say " have been not" in English?

text: For example , is it correct to say that " The service has been not available since 3 days ago ". And, Is the meaning of it different from "The service has't been available since 3 days ago" Edit: changed "have" to "has"


title: Is 'I would rather...' without an infinitive immediately following it correct?

text: Consider: > I would rather the walls remain painted in a neutral tint. Is this proper use of 'I would rather..', without an infinitive immediately following it? **EDIT** This suggests that 'I would rather ...' is either followed by an infinitive or by an object (?) + past tense if you would want to include other people. But not the use I propose.


title: What do “socially imposed judgments” and “Keyboard, face, keyboard, face.” mean?

text: In the wake of successive sexual scandals of IMF Chief, Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Congressman, Anthony Weiner, I learned that there’s no shortage of euphemisms for expressing love (or sexual) affairs in modern English such as tangoing, one night stand, Okay fluke planetary alignment, etc. from recent newspapers. However, I don’t understand (1) what the word, “socially imposed judgments,” in the sentence of Carolyn Hax’s column of Washington Post’s Lifestyle section (June 6 issue), though I think I can guess it roughly. Also I have no idea about (2) what “Keyboard, face, keyboard, face,” means. Can someone clarify the meanings of these two phrases in the following sentence? > _Hi, Carolyn._ > > _Do you have any advice on how two people who really hit it off after a > mutual friend’s birthday party might see past their own hang-ups and begin > dating each other with open minds? We’ve both got some socially imposed > judgments about how easy it was for the other person to jump into bed right > away_ . > > **One-night stand to relationship?** [This is how the asker signed her > question.] Here begins Carolyn Hax's reply: > Keyboard, face, keyboard, face. > > How about: “Why don’t we go out to see if we actually like each other?” > > Unless you don’t feel as if you can do the asking? **Edited to add more context by Robusto**


title: What’s the word that encompasses both creating something and editing it?

text: I want to use a term to covers both creating and editing some entity, say a blog post or a comment in a blog. Which word should I use?


title: What is the correct punctuation to use in this case?

text: If I have a sentence like: > The royal family is extremely rich: The sled that pulls the princess is > shaped like a golden swan, the celebrations last 3 days, and the bride and > groom walk under a canopy made of purple velvet embroidered with pearls. Is a colon the proper punctuation to use after _rich_ , or would a semicolon be more suitable? Why?


title: Is there a general rule for the prefixation of "un-" and "de-" to words?

text: Given the different questions we have seen about the prefixes "de-" and "un-", I have grown curious if there is a overarching rule for terms that need undoing.   * “Unselect” or “Deselect”?   * “Unregister” vs “Deregister” For actions taken that need to be revoked or reversed, which prefix is preferred? Is there a distinction created by the underlying terms? Is it purely a usage issue where the one most used is the one to use? Do "un-" and "de-" actually have different meanings such that both could help determine which is most appropriate?


title: Is “Mecca” capitalized when used figuratively?

text: > Waleed made his pilgrimage to Mecca. This is a given. But I would write: > Bombay is India’s entertainment mecca Is this correct, or is _Mecca_ capitalized in its figurative use, as well?


title: Why is "ouster" the act of ousting and not one who ousts?

text: The question should be clear enough from the title. Also: What are we supposed to call one who ousts? [If this warrants another question, I will edit this out and open another question.]


title: "Alternative to" vs "Alternative for"

text: I'm wondering whether there is a difference between these two expressions. I never know which one to use. Google seems to return the same amount of results for both, so I suppose there might be a difference. >   1. What are the alternatives for this project? >   2. What are the alternatives to this project? >


title: If ‘pronunciation’ pairs with ‘sound’, which word should ‘spelling’ pair with?

text: If _pronunciation_ pairs with _sound_ , which word should _spelling_ pair with?


title: One word for (have same size)

text: I am looking for a word that expresses `same size` characteristic. To be specific, we can say that _"both DVD's are **identical** "_. However, `identical` might imply all characteristics resemblance. I am looking for a word that emphasizes the size resemblance only. Is there such a word?


title: "treat 'em and street 'em"

text: What does _treat 'em and street 'em_ mean?


title: "viruses" or "virii"?

text: Is the plural of virus "viruses" or "virii"?


title: What's the origin of the idiom "bust one's chops"?

text: The idiom is defined on Dictionary.com as: >   1. bust one's chops, Slang. to exert oneself. >   2. bust someone's chops, Slang. to annoy with nagging or criticism. > Looking it up on Google, I couldn't find much info on its origin. The only source I found that seems credible is this site, which mentions that the idiom's origin could possibly be the fashion for men to wear long side burns called the _mutton chop_ in the 19th century and that these people often get punched in the face, thus their "chops busted"? I could see a connection between this and definition #2 of the idiom, but what about definition #1 of the idiom? I don't see how this could have anything to do with the sense _to exert oneself_?


title: Envision vs Envisage

text: Is there a context where _envision_ is not a synonym of _envisage_ , or vice versa? Envisage's definition: > contemplate or conceive of as a possibility or a desirable future event Envision's definiton > imagine as a future possibility; visualize: _Visualise's_ definition seems to be relevant to _envision_ only in so far as it means imagine, which seems to me to be synonymous with "contemplate or conceive of".


title: What do you call a person who keeps on going despite setbacks? (in one word, a noun)

text: I'm looking for a word ( **a noun** ) to describe a person who faces the challenges of life (small and large) courageously despite the risk of failure. It would be nice if this noun does not necessarily imply that the person has experienced setbacks himself, rather that this wisdom of having courage could also have sprung out of reflection about possible risks. But that's just a bonus. I'll be using the word as the name for a character type in a game (other characters include saint and criminal), so it needs to be a single noun.


title: "Why wouldn't they process?"

text: Today I was talking to one of my friends who couldn't process her application. So she told me the following: > I just don't understand. Why **wouldn't they process** my application? I was > only 5 minutes late. I wonder if the part in bold is a well established English statement. Shouldn't it be: > **Why didn't they process my application?**


title: Usage of radiator as a device for engine cooling

text: The word _radiator_ is > a hollow metal device for heating rooms. Radiators are usually connected by > pipes through which hot water is sent But it also has the meaning of > a device for cooling the engine of a vehicle or an aircraft which is the exact opposite. Etymology says > 1836, "any thing that radiates," agent noun in Latin form from radiate. > Meaning "heater" is from 1851; sense of "cooling device in internal > combustion engine" is 1900. But I can't see why radiator is used for a cooling device, too. What is the reason? * * * Interestingly, since 1900 the use of _radiator_ is massively increased: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/TuHsU.png)


title: "I have an answer for your question, but you might not like it."

text: What would be a single English word that could reflect the phrase (if such a word exists): > I have an answer for your question, but you might not like it. or > We corresponded, but you might not like the outcome. The word shouldn't be an exact equivalent, but must reflect the situation as closely as possible.


title: Signing a letter to a company you're suing

text: I am replying a letter to a letter a company send me I am currently going though the courts with. I used to work for this company and the director is not on my Christmas card list. What is a funny/blunt/sends a message/harsh way to sign the letter at the end? Something a little better than "Yours sincerely".


title: Nationality as mass noun

text: A question on ELL recently aroused a discussion. It's about usage of nationality as mass noun: > Like the Chinese, the Italian is a born gambler. > > "You want to know why the Italian is skinny?" The asker says, in a comment: > I was once told that we can think of other species collectively as thus we > can use either _The hippopotamus_ (singular) or _The hippopotamuses_ > (plural), but we can't do that with people. I have never heard of this rule. Sure stereotyping is a slippery slope but not forbidden as such. What's with this rule? Am I missing something? Is this usage grammatically correct but politically incorrect or something like that?


title: How to interpret "Top N except A,B,C"

text: If someone were to ask you to name the top N things/people etc. except for some (that would be in the list, otherwise) then what would you reply with? To illustrate this question properly, I will provide an example and also the exact use case in point. Example: "What are the top 3 movies on IMDb's charts except for The Shawshank Redemption?"   Possible answer 1: "The Godfather, The God Father: Part II, and The Dark Knight"   Possible answer 2: "The Godfather, and The God Father: Part II" My reasoning says that answer 1 should be correct, but some people say that The Dark Knight was not in the "top 3", so it should not be in the "top 3 except..." The actual use case in point is the following: Nmap has a top-ports option, and we are planning on adding an exclude-ports option. In this case, we are unsure of whether "--top-ports 3 --exclude-ports 80" should scan 2 or 3 ports (Note: 80 is the port scanned if we say "--top-ports 1").


title: Present Progressive or Simple Present for things that could be considered as a repeated action or as an action happening right now?

text: There's one thing about Simple Present versus Present Progressive which is still not quite clear to me. The rough overview is1:   Use simple present for repeated actions, general things.   Use present progressive for actions happening right now or temporarily. Well, sometimes I'm not quite sure if something is rather considered a general thing or just temporarily. Here's an example:   I'm a software engineer and while coding I for sure comment my code. I just wrote the following comment: > // [...] As some services **are holding** instances of the view, we need to > remove the service provider to release the view. I'm not sure if Present Progressive or Simple Present would be the right/better choice.2   On the one hand, it's a general thing or repeated action, because each time we run through that code the services _hold_ instances.   On the other hand, right in that moment we run through that code, services _are holding_ instances of the view. I can't quite guess which version would feel right to a native speaker. While the Present Progressive version sounds better to my ear, I feel, however, that Simple Present would be the more appropriate tense to use. Which tense would be your choice? * * * 1 There are certainly more use cases for both of them, but those are not relevant to my question.   2 Same issue would still be present when I'd write "As some services would hold/would be holding" in order to refer to what would happen if I wouldn't remove the service provider instead of referring to the moment when this code is raised.


title: "solve with" vs "solve for"

text: I would like to get a clarification whether I do understand and use those two phrases correctly or not. The context is solving a mathematical problem.   1. _solved with sth_ \- means a problem is tackled using _sth_ method   2. _solved for sth_ \- means that a problem is transformed in such way that can _sth_ can be obtained directly (as in "solve for x") My question is, am I missing any meanings, or confusing them? I got confused with the following sentence: "This problem is hard to solve for some methods" which I believe is incorrect, as one should not solve problems to obtain methods but by using them. I tried looking on several online dictionaries to solve + preposition compounds, but I found nothing.


title: What do mahjong tiles and menopause have in common?

text: In the 11th episode of the 3rd season of House called Words and Deeds, the main character, Dr. Gregory House says the following: > Male menopause: high estrogen, low testosterone, explains temperature > swings, disorientation, endocrinologically similar to female menopause but > without the vaginas and mahjong tiles. What do the mahjong tiles refer to in the above statement? I can't wrap my head around it.


title: He is a giant [(of a) man]

text: * He is a giant of a man.   * He is a giant.   * He is a giant man. What's the difference in meaning between the three sentences written above?


title: Calculation by, by means of, through, from

text: Which of the following sentences regarding the calculation of something should be preferred?   1. The calculation of the result **by** this equation...   2. The calculation of the result **by means of** this equation...   3. The calculation of the result **through** this equation...   4. The calculation of the result **from** this equation... Moreover, is any of them particularly incorrect?


title: "Principal" or "principle"

text: What is the difference between _principal_ and _principle_? I frequently come across these words and get confused.


title: Synonym for Boolean

text: **Question** I am trying to find a word, other than `Boolean`, that represents a true or false value. Is there such a word? **Context** I am designing a programming language that is meant to be as easy as possible to understand for those who know nothing of programming. I am trying to name the fundamental types in a way that portrays their purpose to the target audience well. For example, instead of `float` or event `floating-point number`, the data type is called `decimal`. After much thought and use of a popular search engine, I cannot think of an alternative to `Boolean` for true or false values. The reason I do not wish to use `Boolean` is that people who have not been exposed to programming or similar logical thinking simply do not know what it is, which is exactly what I am trying to avoid.


title: Alternative phrase/term for 'middle men'

text: I head up a support team. In some situations I refer to some issues where support act as 'middle men' between the clients and the developers. This seems sexist (females in the team), but I cannot find a better term.   Any ideas?


title: Grammaticality of "by the bus" when the bus is the only choice

text: Can the expression "by the bus" be used to specify how I go home when it is the only method to be used?


title: compare and contrast, comparison and?

text: Just like the title says, when I say compare and contrast, what is the equivalent of the word contrast if I say comparison.


title: What do you call a person who admits that she has a bad side and a good side too?

text: What do you call a person who considers himself both bad and good? Bob, for example, burns his enemy's house as revenge, after which he says, "Good Bob wants to apologize, but bad Bob wanted revenge." What would you call Bob?


title: Does "cottage industry" have a negative connotation?

text: If I say that somebody's idea started a cottage industry of such-and-such, does it necessarily imply that I am criticizing them? Is the phrase itself demeaning?


title: "Require that every lightbulb have/has"

text: I have a sentence which reads > Many people require that every lightbulb within a house have/has a switch. Is it appropriate to use "have" here so as to utilize the subjunctive mode of the verb "require"? Or is it more appropriate to use "has" in order to get the (lack of) pluralization in "every lightbulb has..." correct?


title: What does one do with a recipe?

text: I'm looking for a verb that means following the instructions written in a recipe.


title: "A good knowledge in English"/"a good knowledge of English"

text: Any comments on the usage of "a good knowledge _in_ English"?


title: How would you abbreviate Amount per Hour?

text: If I need the abbreviation of "Amount per Hour" to be used as a label/title, should it be: "Amt/ ** _Hr_** " or "Amt/ ** _hr_** " or something else?


title: what do you call a person who does not like to share information?

text: Is there any word for a person who does not like to share information?


title: What do you call someone who has extensive knowledge but won't share it?

text: What do you call a person that has a lot knowledge/information but decides to not share it? Is it really the classic know-it-all or enlightened?


title: Looking for a phrase for looking

text: See the photo: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys- images/Film/Pix/pictures/2011/3/30/1301471878380/The-Three-Musketeers-007.jpg What's the most elegant way of describing the way they face the three different directions? I'd like to begin with: **_They're standing there...._** facing each of the three directions? looking at the three directions? **____________________________**?


title: Confused with the interpretation of the restrictive relative clause

text: The sentence: > My sister who is from Chicago visited me last weekend. The interpretation from YouTube: I have more than one sisters and I am specifically talking about my sister who is from Chicago. Question: If I say, > "The car that I bought last week is red" Will people think that I have more than one cars? (Ooops, do I have to add s at the end of car in this sentence? I am a nonnative speaker who enjoy learning English. Please help me with this interpretation.


title: Origin of the term 'country mile'?

text: A 'country mile' is a term used casually in some areas of the English-speaking world to refer to a very great distance, but what's the origin of the term? Obviously 'mile' refers to what could be seen (from a human perspective) as a long distance, but why does the adjective 'country' combine to make it mean a very great distance?


title: "will + past participle" is it correct?

text: I have seen these structures being used several times in York, UK (by native speakers).   * a. "He will lived at address Y."   * b. "He be staying at address Y." I am wondering if it is:   1. grammatically correct?    2. poor English, but colloquial.    3. totally wrong and strange, representing speakers lack of English literacy.  Thanks you guys


title: Using prepositions and conjunctions in a sentence

text: Which one of the following example sentences are correct/more appropriate?   1. _It is better to laugh than cry._   2. _It is better to laugh than to cry._ Some general tips would be helpful.


title: Where did the word 'Wheelbarrow' come from?

text: I'm fairly confident that it's not a mangled 'Wheeled Barrel'. I've heard of barrows in reference to deep graves, or underground storage chambers.


title: Comma before as shown in Figure

text: If "as shown in Figure" appears at the end of the sentence, is it always necessary to put a comma before "as", or there are conditions in which we do not use commas? Example: These constraints give rise to a graph with three edges, as shown in Figure 1.


title: Is there such a thing as an unvoiced vowel?

text: I can't think of any and google has not been helpful.


title: Difference between "should not" and "should avoid"

text: Is there a difference between `should not` and `should avoid` or more generally between `not` and `avoid` e.g               You should not be drinking.     You should avoid drinking.


title: "In extensive grounds" vs. "on extensive grounds"

text: If there is a large house, can I say either of the following? >   * The house stands **in** extensive grounds. >   * The house stands **on** extensive grounds. > Which one makes sense?


title: I set a campfire on fire?

text: How would I describe lighting a campfire **before it becomes a campfire?** Saying "I set a campfire on fire" just sounds very odd, and I've been trying to reword that to make sense. I've tried "I set a camp on fire" but that sounds off (obviously), and "I set a bunch of sticks on fire" which provides no context to what the bundle of sticks were used for. In any case, how can I best describe lighting a fire for a campfire that hasn't become a campfire yet? EDIT: As Illmari Karonen points out: > Basically, you seem to be looking for a word that means "unlit campfire" or > "pile of wood that will become a campfire once you light it". Alas, I don't > think English really has a natural word or phrase for such a concept


title: What do you call collective intelligence?

text: Collective intelligence is a form of wisdom of crowds. What together an aggregation knows is often pretty comparable with expert opinions. What is one word (or at most two) that describes this kind of community knowledge?


title: Which of these two sentences is (more) correct?

text: "The average number and total number of dogs and cats are presented in the following table." "The average number, and total number, of dogs and cats are presented in the following table." The table has four entries: average number of dogs, average number of cats, total number of dogs, total number of cats.


title: What a weather vs. what weather

text: Which of the following is correct: `What a Weather!` or `What weather!` This grammar app I have (for SATs) says that the right answer is the first one, but I've never heard it used in regular speech. It also feels extremely awkward to say.


title: Punctuation in "or in other words"

text: In a Math.SE question, I used the sentence: > “some two of these propositions are true and the third one is false”, or in > other words, “exactly 2 of 3 propositions are true” Here I used “or in other words” to rephrase a statement for better comprehension, but I didn’t use a comma after “or”. On the Net, I see people both using and omitting the comma in that phrase. What is the correct punctuation in the phrase “or in other words” and why?


title: Can "forcibly" be used in an action that a person performs to himself/herself?

text: For example, can I say: > She doesn't cry very loud. When she cries it sounds like a string of almost > inaudible sobs she **forcibly** wants hold inside. Can forcibly be used in a case like the one presented above? If not, what's a better verb to use?


title: Alternate, archaic meanings of "such as"

text: I'm familiar with the first meaning, but notwithstanding my other question, I still find the second and third meanings strange. Would someone please connect or relate them to meaning #1? What are the intuitions or origins of 2 and 3? > `2. Of a kind that; like > > `3. (archaic) Those who


title: Which article to choose in this situation?

text: On our company's website there's a list of projects. One of them can be chosen by clicking on the button _Choose the project_. In my opinion there should be _a_ instead of _the_ , because we are not pointing on a specific project. Am I right or wrong? And why? Unfortunately, rules can't clarify this question for me.(


title: "No less than" when referring to non-quantities

text: I came across this answer to the question "Which of the following best summarizes the main points of the argument?" In an LSAT practice test: > Balanced reporting requires impartially revealing injustices where they > occur no less than fairly presenting the views of each party in a conflict. I am having moderate difficulty parsing this sentence. Before the "no less than" the sentence is a pretty clear declaration. After the "no less than" the sentence is a readable sentence fragment. But it isn't really a quantity, so I am having trouble understanding the meaning of the entire sentence. If it instead said: > Balanced reporting requires impartially revealing injustices where they > occur no less than 5 times in a given week. Even though this thought, guideline, or rubric might be questionable, the sentence itself makes sense. So what is the meaning of the sentence in question?


title: Using 'certainly' at the end of a sentence — what is the correct punctuation and what is the construction called?

text: Consider this construction: > Certainly, I will see you tomorrow. The word 'certainly' constitutes an introductory phrase, and the appropriate punctuation to use is a comma. (AFAIK). Now, consider this one: > I will see you tomorrow, certainly. Is this acceptable? If so, what is the name of the construction? Is a comma correct?


title: Question with adjective

text: I hope someone could help me with my dilemma. The word 'some' refers to an unspecified number or amount of an object. Are 'some difficulty' and 'some difficulties' both grammatical? Please help. Thanks


title: What can replace “consists of”?

text: For reasons I cannot explain, I hate the phrase _consists of_. Does anyone have an alternative? An example is: > Testing **consists of** continual operation, alternating between random > writes and random reads. To me, that phrase just sounds pompous. As a technical writer for international audiences, I try to keep my words as simple as possible.


title: Turn "in to" or "into" a lonely lane?

text: I have a sentence I'm writing where I describe making a turn, as I run, into an empty alleyway. Here is how I would like to say it: > I turn _into_ a lonely lane... The problem I find is that it may mean that I am changing my direction to run into a lane, or it may suggest that I am becoming a lane -- however unlikely that may be, realistically. Is there a better way to write the sentence without disrupting the flow of my writing? (I understand that I can say, "I _make a turn into_ a lonely lane..." but am afraid that that might cause some incontinuity.) For example, could I say this? > I turn _in to_ a lonely lane...


title: When did saying "I'm offended" or "I find that offensive" become a common phrase in English?

text: When did saying _I’m offended_ or _I find that offensive_ become a common phrase in English?


title: would not vs will not vs can not

text: I understand about the conditional, and imaginary, tense but if someone implies something will or won't work, which is the stronger or more definite use? >   1. Even if he tries, it cannot work >   2. Even if he tried, it would not work >   3. Even if he tried, it will not work > Thank you. Sorry I wasn't more clear. I was curious about the level of intention expressed in language, for a hypothetical situation - ie, whether will, would or could denotes that a person is more likely to do something, in this case try. Saying it would/wouldn't, seems to remove it that bit further from it taking place. I think Barrie has answered what I was trying to find out, ie intention as expressed in language. eg 1\. It could not work (something will prevent it being successful) 2\. It will not work (I might try, but probably unsuccessfully) 3\. It would not work (I'm unlikely to try and even if I did, it will probably be unsuccessful) Just curious about this subtle difference in the use of language on a psychological level.


title: What words can I use to indicate how hungry I am?

text: Besides "I'm hungry" and "I'm starving", where starving is more than hungry, are there other phrases to indicate how hungry you are (including slangs, if any)?


title: What we've gelost — why doesn't English use the prefix "ge-"?

text: The Germanic languages that I'm familiar with all use a prefix similar to _ge-_ on past participles: > **German** : Ich habe mir den Fuß _gebrochen_. > > **Dutch** : Ik heb mijn voet _gebroken_. But English doesn't do this at all: > **English** : I've _broken_ my foot. Where did this prefix come from? Did English ever have the _ge-_ past participle prefix? If so, why was it lost?


title: What do you call someone who shoots fireworks professionally?

text: What is the name of the occupation for someone whose job it is to set up a fireworks display, fire it off for an event such as July 4th, and then tear it down? I have informally heard them called "pyros" but this seems to be more jargon than an actual name of an occupation.


title: Does 'twink' imply a specific sexuality?

text: I know that _twink_ is a slang term for hot young homosexual guys who do not have facial hair. This word is very common in the gay community (and their adult industry) and recently I've heard a debate about using the word _twink_ for heterosexual guys who otherwise meet the criteria. Can we use the word _twink_ for heterosexual guys or does it always imply that the person is homosexual?


title: Is usage of “Yours sincerely” still appropriate?

text: I am currently in the process of writing a cover letter for an application for a PhD position. Upon proofreading it, my girlfriend, who has had training as a European secretary, told me that her English teacher instructed them not to use “Yours sincerely” as a valediction in such correspondence (such as a cover letter) anymore and use something like “Best regards” instead, stating that “Yours sincerely” it is too formal and old-fashioned. How accurate is this information?


title: How far down the ancestry line do you call a person your "cousin"?

text: Should individuals on your family tree, 8 or 9 generations, still be called cousins? After aunts & uncles, should you call all individuals on a family tree "cousins"?


title: Meaning of "Scarce"

text: I'm reading Time Machine by H. G. Wells. And there is a sentence: "At first I scarce thought of stopping, scarce thought of anything but these new sensations". What does "scarce" mean in this context? Usually "scarce" means "not very much of something", but in this case .. it is like "to be scared of". Is that mistake or.. maybe it is "scarce usage of this word"?


title: "Mistaken as" vs. "mistaken for"

text: I heard someone use the words _mistaken as_ rather than _mistaken for_. Is this correct? If it is correct then what is the difference between the two? Is it ever wrong to use _mistaken as_ , and if so, why? I ask because I was recently advised about something: > It shouldn't in any way be mistaken as an academic judgement. In dictionary definitions and usage guides, the preposition used is given as _for_ , not _as_. However, there are other examples with _as_ , such as ones in comments below, as well as in books on the internet.


title: Are "like" and "such as" completely synonymous?

text: "Like" and "such as" seem to fit the exact same sentences: > I want a cookie like that > > I want a cookie such as that There are plenty of variations where they differ: > I like cookies > > I, like, eat cookies > > I use cookies as such: Eat them; bake them; store them. But the usage I am interested in is when they compare one thing to another. When is it best to use one or the other? Are there different connotations? Other examples: > A friend like you is a treasure / A friend such as you is a treasure > > I hate tests like these / I hate tests such as these > > No one cares like you / No one cares such as you The last "such as" seems iffy to me.


title: Program is written in C++ or Program is written on C++

text: Which is right: This program is written in C++. or This program is written on C++.


title: What is the term for an item that facilitates the tying of things together?

text: Is there some piece of equipment or item that allows you to tie two or more   1. strands of rope   2. threads of fabric together? I imagine that (1) and (2) will be different items. If such things do exist, what are they called?


title: In reply to "Do they have...", which is correct — "yes, they do" or "yes, they have"?

text: My daughter is in an 5th grade English class in Germany with a teacher who teaches British English. The teacher asked what is the correct response to > Do they have some? My daughter, who has learned mostly from hearing American English spoken, responded: > Yes, they do. The teacher said that she should instead say: > Yes, they have. What is going on here? Is this a difference between American/British English or is one of these more correct than the other?


title: Is "I like!" a recent idiom? What is its origin?

text: Does it seem to anyone else that in the past few years people have been saying "I like!" in a new, playful, ungrammatical way? I am not plugged in to popular culture so I wonder if some of you could comment on this, and, if you have noticed the same, shed some light on the origins of this idiom. Here is the context I'm thinking of: A friend walks into a room that you just finished repainting. They exclaim: "I like...!" Or maybe they are pointing at a bracelet you are wearing. It seems to me that ten years ago, people would have said "I like that", or some other construction, but not just "I like". Or is it just my ears? To my ears it almost sounds like someone mocking an Asian accent, or someone speaking pidgin English. You like? Yes, I like. You go movies with me? No, I no go. Thanks in advance for your insights!


title: How should I address a professor in the US?

text: I am always puzzled about how students address a professor in America. Perhaps "Professor + Last name" is the most formal way to do. Here are my questions:   * What if the last name of a professor is very long?   * Is it common that students use the nickname or the first name of a professor?   * What if the teacher is a lecturer instead of a professor? How should the student call him/her?   * Is it formal to write "Prof." instead of "Professor"?


title: One for the money, two for the show

text: What does the expression > [x] for the money mean? I remember hearing the topic title in a rap song (can’t remember which, might be Eminem), and there seem to be movies named after this pattern: _Two For the Money_ with Al Pacino and _One For the Money_ , an upcoming comedy. _Urban Dictionary_ does not seem to know this expression, neither does _dict.cc_ give a proper translation. What does it mean and where does it come from?


title: Is it very necessary to use past perfect tense here?

text: Context:   1. Yesterday, I met my first girl friend.    2. She was beautiful when I first saw her ten years ago.   3. Yesterday, I thought she was beautiful as ever. Questions:   1. If I try to use only one sentence to express 2 and 3, do you think past perfect tense need to be used? Or do you think I can make it clear just by using simple past tense?   2. Which sentence is correct and which one is the used more frequently? Yesterday, I met my first girl friend. She was as beautiful as she was ten years ago. Yesterday, I met my first girl friend. She was as beautiful as she had been ten years before.


title: Is it less than $100 or under $100? Is it more than $100 or is it over $100?

text: I am building a web site and need to clarify something for a non-U.S. customer. It's whether to use "less than/more than" or "under/over".   * items less than $100.00    * items from $100.00 to $500.00   * items more than $500.00 Or should it be   * items under $100.00   * items from $100.00 to $500.00   * items over $500.00 Is there one that is blatantly wrong?


title: To repair bicycle is his job. Vs. Repairing bicycle is his job

text: My question is what the differences are between the two sentences. In what situation do you use infinitive as a subject? And when do you use gerund as a subjective? Thanks a lot!


title: Use of "mugging up" for hobby

text: I have heard of the expression _mugging up_ to mean _study intensively as before an exam_ , but would like to know if it can also be used to investigate a hobby. For example, could I use something like: > I spent my summer **mugging up** butterflies. > > I spent my summer **mugging up** on the topic of butterflies.


title: Is it a good idea to begin a sentence with a number or a variable name?

text: Is it acceptable to have the following sentences in formal writing? > 2.5 years have already been completed. or > _n_ shows the number of something.


title: "Congratulate for" vs. "congratulate on"

text: Which is correct? > I congratulated him **for** coming first in the race. > > I congratulated him **on** coming first in the race.


title: Films/Series that are extremely good to understand (and that are not...)

text: Some time ago I asked "Why are movies so hard to understand (and what can you do about it)?" To my surprise even many native speakers answered that they had difficulties understanding some movies and series. **My question:** Which films/series do you think are extremely good to understand (I don't mean learning videos or the like but "normal" films/series) I for myself often find many of the Star Trek episodes (e.g. Voyager) very good to understand. Counterexamples, which are even for native speakers incomprehensible, are also welcome.


title: Singular of "vertices"

text: I often hear the word _vertice_ (pronounced VER-tee-cee) used as the singular of _vertices_ instead of _vertex_.   * Is _vertice_ an acceptable singular for _vertices_? If so, how is it pronounced?   * On the other hand, is _vertexes_ an acceptable plural for _vertex_?


title: "A tax is a tax is a tax." What does this sentence mean?

text: I am not a native English speaker and this question has been bothering me for a long time. I saw this sentence on my text book. However, I don't know what's the meaning of it. And I don't even know whether it's a correct sentence (in terms of syntax). Could somebody help me?


title: The meaning of "modulo"

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Meaning of “modulo the fact” I just saw a construction quoted below. > Every answer that wasn't this particular user's had been downvoted (modulo > one that was a one-liner summary of his answer). To my understanding, "modulo" is a mathematical operator, roughly put for computing the rest term in a division. What does it do in this sentence?


title: The X in the hat

text: English is not my native language so I have gone through the pain of learning the difference between _in_ , _on_ , and _at_. However, it is common in the U.S. to refer to someone wearing a hat as _X in the hat_. A notable example is the children's book _The Cat in the Hat_ by _Dr. Seuss_. Using the latter example, we know that the cat is not _inside_ the hat but instead the hat is _on top_ of the cat. Why is it acceptable to say _The Cat in the Hat_? Why is the expression _X in the Hat_ acceptable?


title: Personal Introductions: "This is" or "These are"

text: The Canadian children's network, _Treehouse_ is in the process of replacing the show "This is Emily Yeung" with "This is Scarlett and Isaiah". That doesn't actually _sound_ wrong, but would it be more correct to say "These are Scarlett and Isaiah"? That would definitely be the case if you were to elaborate "These are my siblings Scarlett and Isaiah". What rule applies here?


title: A synonym for "moral hypocrite"

text: I'm looking for a precise word to describe someone who is hypocritical on moral issues, for example:   * a cult guru who claims to be holy while doing something evil.   * or a company which partakes in some kind of sordid business practice while pretending to be holier-than-thou.


title: Is there a name for spelling differences in words like _grey/gray_, _color/colour_, etc.?

text: Is there a categorical name for differences in the spelling of a word when the word keeps the same meaning and the same sound?


title: Is there an expression to describe a poor woman who marries a rich man for money?

text: Wikipedia reads that in Spanish _Dar el braguetazo_ 'se dice de un hombre que ha encontrado un buen partido para casarse, que le saca de toda penuria y preocupación,' -- e.g., to marry for money, where the man is poor and the woman is rich. I don't know why, but after some searches I found no Spanish expression to describe, contrary to "Dar el braguetazo", a marriage of a poor woman to a rich man, which is, as far as I know, a more common case. Thus, my question is, at least in English, is there an expression to describe a poor woman who marries for money a rich man?


title: Better phrase for "not throwing good money after bad"

text: I have a friend who is shrewd in his business decisions: he often takes a painful step if it is overall cheaper than something that might feel morally satisfying but comes at higher cost. I want to compliment him on this attribute. _Joe, you are the king of.._   1. _not throwing good money after bad._   2. _intelligent tradeoffs._   3. _shrewd decisions._   4. _cutting your losses._ I can't find any words that are artful and pleasing; any suggestions?


title: "I thought I did this, but it turns out I only thought about doing it and then forgot to do it?"

text: Is there a word for > "I thought I did this thing, but it turns out I only thought about doing it > and then forgot to do it?" It's like the feeling you get when someone messages you, and then you forget to message them back because you had composed a message in your mind, thought you sent it, and then forgot to do so. Is there a word for this feeling or the action that leads to it (in English or any language)?


title: Words at beginning of sentences with first letter displayed within brackets?

text: I've been reading _The Deer Slayer_ , and I can't help but notice that some words at the beginning of sentences display their first letter within square brackets. Here are some examples: > [W]hen five or six had discharged their bullets into the trees, he could not > refrain from expressing his contempt at their want of hand and eye. > [T]hen he turned and showed the astonished Hurons the noble brow, fine > person, and eagle eye of a young warrior, in the paint and panoply of a > Delaware. > [T]hat pale-face is my friend. My heart was heavy when I missed him . . . (The brackets and their contents are included in the book). I considered that maybe this was the use of dialect, but it doesn't seem likely or sound natural. What is the reason for this?


title: Potato or Potatoes

text: When considering a recipe which contains potatoes, which would be correct for the UK:   1. 350g of potato   2. 350g of potatoes


title: Adjective for not first but either second, third, fourth, etc

text: What is an adjective for something that is not first but either second, third, fourth, etc? We don't need to know what position it is at; the only thing that matters is that it's not the first one. EDIT: After reading the comments/answers, I realized I didn't provide much context. Let's say I have a few words preceded by a prefix. The first prefix however is different than the others, so we say there are different prefixes for the **first** word and the **XXX** (later) words. What can we use for XXX?


title: What is a positive word for "deadline" that's < ~10 characters?

text: What is a more positive word for "deadline" that has also comparable length as "deadline" (~8 characters) so it's easy to type (hence more likely to catch on)? I'm a fan of positive reinforcement if I can be, and I think using the word "deadline" negatively reinforces the "due date" (though "due date" doesn't inspire any sense of hurry). * * * Personal Choice: "finish line" as in "When do we have to reach the finish line?". It sounds like a place that if I work real hard and fast get to it, there will be rewards there (and maybe snacks). If that remains a top choice, I'll write that up as the answer, but I'd like to see other ideas.


title: "Intense stress" vs. "high stress"

text: >   * Capable of performing under **intense stress** without compromising > quality of service. >   * Capable of performing under **high stress** without compromising quality > of service. > Which is best suited for the statement above? Then again, would it be best to replace _stress_ with _pressure_?


title: What is a word for "available time"?

text: I writing a sentence as follow: > The time made available and financial resources imposed their limits on the > scope of this research. I feel that "the time made available" is a bit odd. Is there a word for "available time" or "time made available"?


title: Is it "Seeking a bigger challenge" or "Seeking for a bigger challenge"?

text: Sometimes in a job application form, it asks you for the reason of leaving the previous company, and if the reason is to look for a bigger challenge, would it be   * Seeking a bigger challenge   * Seeking for a bigger challenge   * Searching for a bigger challenge The phrase "Seeking for a bigger challenge" sounds more right and more comfortable to the ears, but maybe seek shouldn't usually be used with a preposition? Google search showed about 11,000 results for `"Seeking a bigger challenge"` (with the quotes), vs 3,600 results for `"Seeking for a bigger challenge"` so the first one seems to be more correct according to collective intelligence. Is it more correct to use "Seeking a bigger challenge"?


title: Is there an equivalent for French "CQFD"

text: In French, when concluding a demonstration, we say "CQFD", which stands for "Ce Qu'il Fallait Démontrer". Do English has an equivalent for this ?


title: Achilles' heel or achilles heel? - Is it proper to lowercase the usage

text: I was reading an article that uses the phrase "Achilles' heel" to refer to Facebook's acquisition of Instagram, but it was written thus: > achilles heel My main question is - was this a bad mistake or is making this kind of description in this way a common thing? If so, could you provide examples where others have taken common phrases and lowercased them. A little more context in case it helps: > Because Facebook is essentially about photos, and Instagram had found and > attacked Facebook’s achilles heel — mobile photo sharing.


title: Passive voice of "Stay"

text: What would be the passive voice of "passengers stay in a hotel". The whole sentence would be "passengers can be forwarded to their destination in a new flight, or (be kept) in a hotel". "Kept" is not a word I want to use for humans :)


title: Literary term for an obvious understatement to emphasize excess

text: I was wondering what the term was for a intentional understatement of an obvious excess to emphasize that excess. For example saying Bill Gates is “doing well for himself”. Anyone familiar with Bill Gates instantly thinks of how “doing well for himself” doesn’t do his excess wealth justice.


title: "Request sample documents for which to follow" vs. "from which to follow"

text: I am editing a document that has the following sentence: > If there are no brand standards published regarding logo use and colors, the > team will request sample documents for which to follow. The "for which to follow" seems so awkward to me. Should it be "from which to follow" or should I just rewrite the whole sentence?


title: What's the origin of the phrase "fresh off the back"?

text: I often come across this phrase "fresh off the back of something" and although I could never find it in a dictionary, I figured out it means "right after something" but what does it really mean "off the back"? Why is the word "back" used in this phrase?


title: How to use "learn you"

text: While I was reading "The Adventures of Tom sawyer",I came across this phrase. **Huck said ,"I will learn you."** Is it right to say like that?Or we should say "I will learn from you"?


title: Is there a word for human litter-mates?

text: If my brother and I shared a womb during gestation (as humans) we're twins. If there was another sibling in there we're triplets.. and so on, but is there a general term to describe us irrespective of how many of us there were? I know we're siblings, but I'm curious if there's a word analogous to siblings that refers specifically to members of a single human litter. For that matter is there an alternate word for a human litter? Or is it correct to refer to triplets as a litter?


title: Using "subject to" with a verb other than "to be"

text: Is it possible to use _subject to_ with a verb other than _to be_? for example: > The self-image is subject to changes. (Obviously OK) > > Being bound to our self-image we react subject to behavior patterns. (Is it > OK??) Are there any good alternatives to this construction?


title: Word that covers Games, TV, Movies and Music

text: Is there a word that covers Games, TV, Movies and Music? Entertainment seems to be fitting but it's a bit too long for my needs and I'm looking for alternatives. I searched and found 'Media' and 'Fiction' but I'm unsure if these two terms covers it too.


title: Difference between "harvesting" and "scavenging"

text: What is the difference between _energy harvesting_ and _energy scavenging_? Which is more appropriate when referring to an electronic device getting energy from the environment?


title: What does term "Security Holding" mean?

text: I have recently been informed by a government office of the United Kingdom that an account balance is X pounds on cash and Y pounds "in a security holding". What does/might the term "security holding" mean to a UK government office?


title: Plurals of "infimum" and "supremum"

text: The words _infimum_ and _supremum_ are technical terms in mathematics. Should their plurals be _infima_ and _suprema_ or _infimums_ and _supremums_?


title: The case of "y'all"

text: What cases can "y'all" work in? A prior question asks about the 'proper' usage of "y'all", but it and its answers only address nominative case (all examples are nominative). I think that there are some cases where "y'all" doesn't work as is. For example,   * nominative: "Y'all come back now, ya hear?"   * accusative: "I'll ring y'all up tomorrow after the fish fry."   * possessive: "Bring y'all's swimsuits. The pool will be open." (or "y'allses". yes, I find this is questionable usage)   * vocative: "Hey y'all! Where's the keg?"   * but instrumental/dative/indirect object?: nothing sounds right. > ? I'll bring the BBQ over to y'all. > > ? This party is all for y'all. These don't sound right to me. The alternatives that sound right to me would be: > I'll bring the BBQ over to you all. > > This party is all for you all. Can anyone confirm my usage? Has there been a study/paper on this? I ask because most pronouns in English have forms for different cases, so it is not given that "y'all", though a synonym for "you" which only has a different form in possessive case, would or would not have a different form.


title: What does 'abstract ideas' mean?

text: In the sentence for example: > This book would also interest intelligent students with a taste for abstract > ideas and theoretical arguments. What does the phrase "abstract ideas" mean? I looked up the word in dictionary and it seems to have meanings such as something which not a material object and which exists as an idea. What does it generally mean?


title: Can “this time around” and “all the time” be compatible?

text: I was a bit puzzled to read the following sentence in the article titled “Obama showering Ohio with attention and money” in September 26 Washington Post: “It goes without saying that, every four years, presidential candidates shower battleground states with attention. _This time around_ , it’s Obama in Ohio, doling out the perks of office — _all the time_.” “This time around” should refer to a specific point of time in contrast to the folowing “all the time,” which is separated by em dash. Don’t “this time around” and “all the time” in the same sentence contradict each other? Though I think “ _all the time_ ” means every four-year routines of every presidential candidate, is this a perfect English sentence? It may sound nitpicking, but aren’t some words missing, or redundant in the last line of the above sentence?


title: Slightly different meanings of "National" and usage

text: I'm a programmer and I have to name some columns in a database. It's about sports competitions. I have to classify the leagues and competitions in two properties. One of them is if they are national games, such as World Cup, but not Champions League. The other one is, if they're national leagues such as Barclay's Premier League, not Europa League. Both "national" and "international" sounds to describe both. I don't want to use the word "local" for a league like "Barclay's Premier League", as "local" describes a league which is played in a city or town. I may use "domestic" but still, "national" would sound like a domestic league either. My question is, what are the two words that I can use, which would not be confusing and make you would understand what it describes even though you don't know the other one, and which has opposites.


title: Is  “He picked up a quarrel” correct?

text: Is this sentence grammatically correct? > He picked up a quarrel.


title: What does “single spread” mean?

text: Recently I read an article about the Windows Phone design. The author kept mentioning the term _spread_ , as in "single spread" and "long spread of content". I thought they would be explained later on in the article, so I read on, but tough luck. He just kept using it. So I stopped reading, confused. Here's a part of the article demonstrating the use of the term in context: > Even though Panoramas are made out of panels or sections, we should design > them as single long spreads of content. Think of one of those two, three or > even four page spreads in magazines. The ones that unfold, sometimes being > the cover itself, and others being pages within the magazine for an > advertisement or poster. By designing the Panorama as a single spread and > not in chunks you will be able to sell the immersive experience that > Panoramas offer in a much more compelling manner to users. What does _spread_ mean here? What is "a single spread", what are "four page spreads"?


title: Should broader types be capitalized?

text: I'm seeing that I get a red squiggle under the words _asian_ and _european_. When I right-click either, it wants to capitalize the word. I wouldn't think a general type of thing gets capitalized, such as "evergreen tree", a type of tree, versus "Blue Spruce", a specific type. I would think I need to capitalize "Chinese" or "German" or "American", but not the broader types of "Asian" or "European".


title: What is "thrown in for salt"

text: His voice drifted up, liquid and full of tears, mostly _Oh dear_ with the occasional _Oh God_ or _Now it's snow_ "thrown in for salt". What does "thrown in for salt" mean hear?


title: Inventory or repository?

text: I have a program for managing products and intermediate artifacts stored in a human concrete building somewhere. The program is not only manage the artifacts existed, but also the resource planning for non-existed artifacts. So, what should I call this program, an _inventory manager_ , or a _repository manager_ , or _warehouse manager_ , or something else? Personally, I feel that _inventory_ is not intuitive, it's prefixed with _invent-_ , however, there are also purchased artifacts which are not invented by ourselves in the repository. Though, most people/documents call this piece of program as _inventory manager_.


title: What is the early recorded use of "white trash" and has its meaning changed over time?

text: I am reading _The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant_, written in 1885, and came across a passage describing poor white Southerners who had no property or slaves but who were nevertheless coerced or cajoled into supporting the rebellion as _white trash_. > The great bulk of the legal voters of the South were men who owned no > slaves; their homes were generally in the hills and poor country; their > facilities for educating their children, even up to the point of reading and > writing, were very limited; their interest in the contest was very > meagre—what there was, if they had been capable of seeing it, was with the > North; they too needed emancipation. Under the old régime they were looked > down upon by those who controlled all the affairs in the interest of slave- > owners, **as poor white trash who were allowed the ballot so long as they > cast it according to direction**. I had assumed the term _white trash_ was a more modern idiom. I am curious, when did the term originate and has the meaning changed over time?


title: "Status" vs. "state"

text: Can anyone explain what the difference between _status_ and _state_ is when I talk about the condition or situation of an object? Here's what I got from Longman English Dictionary. > _status_ : a situation at a particular time, especially in an argument, > discussion etc. > > _state_ : the physical or mental condition that someone or something is in For example, how do you interpret these two sentences: >   1. What is the current status of this project? > >   2. What is the current state of this project? > >


title: Having question about what a sentence mean, and to figure out what the references referring to

text: In context: > Where is the simple fact? Scientists have been seeking it in the two > extremes, in the infinitely great and in the infinitely small. Biologists, > for example, have been instinctively led to regard the cell as more > interesting than the whole animal; and, since Poincaré's time, the protein > molecule as more interesting than the cell. The outcome has shown the wisdom > of this, since cells and molecules belonging to different organisms have > been found to be more alike than the organisms themselves. > > How then choose the interesting fact, the one that begins again and again? > Method is precisely this choice of facts; **it is needful then to be > occupied first with creating a method; and many have been imagined, since > none imposes itself.** It's proper to begin with the regular facts, but > after a rule is established beyond all doubt, the facts in conformity with > it become dull because they no longer teach us anything new. Then it's the > exception that becomes important. We seek not resemblances but differences, > choose the most accentuated differences because they're the most striking > and also the most instructive.   1. _What does the sentence in bold means?_ And now that I had a vague idea what the sentence mean, what about the references:   1. _What is needful then to be occupied first with creating a method?_   2. _What have been imagined?_   3. _And none of what imposes itself?_ Edit: Add a previous paragraph into the context, add 3 questions to elaborate more about the question. Edit2: I had ponder on for several hours, and it occur to me that I might have misused 'reference'. I don't mean the reference of books, the 'reference' I am talking about here comes from Cohesion in English written by Halliday. And I had translate into three questions above. The second and the third may be ellipse, but for convenience I just call it reference because they all point to something in the text or in the register. I don't read the book thoroughly, and there may be error that I do not detect, but that's main idea of my question. Apology for my mistake. **Edit3:** Well, what I am trying to said is **I am new, and am trying my best as I can** to ask a good question. **Please leave a comment** before you **downvote** me, so I can understand where the problem is, and I will try my best to **improve the question.** I don't know whether this question is a good question in your definition. But the question, especially the last three which underlie the first one, is **important and valuable to me** , and **I'll try my best to get an answer.** Thank you.


title: Plural of "an end in itself"

text: In singular English say: > The thing is an end in itself. How does plural look like then? > The things are the ends in themselves. Am I right?


title: Is it possible to describe an event tensed ambiguously?

text: If an event will occur in the future I might say:               There will be an event and it will have a number of features.      If it occurs in the past I might say:               There was an event and it had a number of features.      If it is occurring now I might say:               There is an event and it has a number of features.      What if I dont yet know the time of the event relative to "now"? Alternatively, what if I do not want to reveal if the event has occurred yet, but I do want want to describe it? If I want to remain ambiguous about gender I can use the neuter form. Is there something equivilent in tense, or is there a selection of tense neutral words I can use instead?


title: How to use a person's given name, followed by what they're also known as, in the same sentence

text: How do we use a person's given name, followed by what they're also known as, in the same sentence? For example, > There's just no denying that Barry Allan a.k.a. The Flash is one extremely > fast guy. Not sure if any commas, quotes, parentheses, etc. are needed, or where to put them. I'm kind of new to all this stuff, so forgive me for the stupid question.


title: A verb for transforming something into currency

text: I need a verb that expresses the concept of transforming a raw material into currency, as in this sentence "The bitcoin manufacturing process _currenciates_ digital information." New coinages are fine if they make sense and are less clumsy than the one I used above, but an existing term would be preferred. I've considered the word _mint_ but that seems to relate more to the final product than the raw material -- in other words, you mint coins (the finished product), you don't mint gold (the raw material).


title: Difference between "assent" and "consent"

text: What is the difference between _assent_ and _consent_?


title: What does “showered” mean?

text: What does _showered_ mean in this sentence? > Netflix was **showered** with Emmy nominations for _Orange_ and _House of > Cards_.


title: Statement of fact: future simple

text: Why is the simple future used in the following sentence instead of the simple present? > A client software will not transfer files.


title: Meaning of: "hollered a shrill, wannabe voice-of-the-people"

text: > "Is anyone up there sober?!" hollered a shrill, wannabe voice-of-the-people, > audibly virginal and entitled. What does this sentence mean? I am uncertain of meaning, or implied meaning of **1.** "hollered a shrill, wannabe voice-of-the-people" and **2**. "audibly virginal and entitled."


title: Which is the correct statement "tolerate against" or "tolerate with"?

text: I can't get this right, but I'm not sure which is the correct statement: > We do not tolerate against pornography images. or is it > We do not tolerate with pornography images. Which is the correct way of not agreeing with pornography images?


title: How do you say x in x language? What's the English/Spanish word for x?

text: Is it correct to ask "how do you say 'tower' in Spanish?" or should we actually ask "what's the Spanish word for 'tower'?" Some people say that if I ask "how do you say..." the answer would be _softly, loudly_ etc., as if _how_ was functioning as an adverb of manner and that was its only function. So, the correct question would be "what's the Spanish word for..." What do you think? is there any grammar rule that could help me understand the difference between these two questions?


title: How did "stuck-up" get to mean "snob"?

text: I was inclined to believe that the expression "stuck-up", meaning _staying aloof from others because one thinks one is superior_ , had its origins with **somebody's nose stuck (up) in the air** and yet, Etymonline mentions nothing of the sort but limits itself to saying: > O.E.D: **stuck** "unable to go any further," 1885, past participle adjective > from _stick_ (v.). Colloquial _stuck-up_ "offensively conceited, assuming an > unjustified air of superiority" is recorded from 1829. The Free Dictionary is not exactly helpful either > T.F.D **stuck-up** _adj._ Informal. _snobbishly conceited_. [1820–30] Was I mistaken?   * Did the phrase _have one's nose stuck (-) up in the air_ precede the adjective, _stuck-up_?    * Where did the term _stuck-up_ originate—the UK or The USA?


title: What category includes "document" and "video"?

text: I want a common word that could categorise both _document_ (like presentation/portfolio etc.) and _video_. Any good ideas? I need something simple enough that everyone can understand & not just the language experts.


title: What is the difference between "fine" and "good"?

text: What is the difference between _fine_ and _good_? Please suggest the proper usage.


title: Questions about "The Gettysburg Address"

text: > It is for us the living, RATHER(should here be a comma or no comma) to be > dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have THUS > FAR so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great > task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased > devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of > devotion..... The above is a excerption of the Gettysburg address, so here's my two questions:   1\. As I mentioned above, should it be with or without a comma after the word "rather". Actually, I searched on the Internet, it has different versions, some have a comma after rather, some don't.   2\. The second one is, can the phrase "thus far" be replaced by "so far", if it could, doesn it mean that these two are totally interchangeable; if not, where's the difference?


title: US Equivalent to the Oxford English Dictionary

text: Apologies if this question is inappropriate for the site. In the US, what would be equivalent to the OED? The de facto standard. I know there's the New Oxford American Dictionary but in the US does this have the same gravitas as the OED has in the UK?


title: "Passed all exams in the first term"?

text: How can I say in English that students have passed all of their exams in the shortest period, that is, the first time exams were scheduled (only the first examination term was used)?


title: Where does "to make out" come from?

text: Is there any logical explanation for how the phrase _making out_ came together? I know that it has sexual implications (at least _kissing_ , with the intent go further), I just can't imagine its ancestry.


title: Why "off his rocker"?

text: The expression "off his rocker" is used to mean someone is mad (as in, bonkers mad, not angry mad). Does anyone know what a rocker is, and how being off one came to mean this?


title: "The purpose of" versus "the purpose for" — which one is proper?

text: Is there even a difference between the two?


title: Why is helleborine sometimes called 'chatterbox'?

text: I found out now, thanks to the question about the etymology of chatterbox, that 'chatterbox' is another name for helleborine (something I've never heard of). A helleborine is apparently > an orchid growing along streams or ponds of western North America having > leafy stems and one greenish-brown and pinkish flower in the axil of each > upper leaf What could possible be the etymology for this?


title: Quote meaning: A wife is essential to great longevity

text: Can anyone please explain to me the meaning of this quote? > A wife is essential to great longevity; she is the receptacle of half a > man's cares, and two-thirds of his ill-humor. -Charles Reade


title: A word for someone who has more skill than a code monkey to be at just the next level

text: > A Code monkey is a computer programmer or other person who writes computer > code for a living. This term may be slightly derogatory, meaning that this > developer can write some code but is unable to (or not supposed to) perform > the more complex tasks of software architecture, analysis, and design.[1] It > is usually applied to junior programmers. > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_monkey If a code monkey has dedicated his efforts to improve his knowledge and skill, what should we call him after at the next level/rank?


title: Omitting "is", like in "I think it strange"

text: What is the grammar behind the construction "I think it strange/necessary that ...", and when can and cannot this apparent omission of the copula be used? Do we always need the "that" clause? Also, this seems to be only allowed when the object is a pronoun (it in the above example). That is, we don't say "I think this method strange", correct?


title: What is "lemonade" in American English?

text: Lemonade is a fizzy drink, strongly carbonated. It comes in two varieties, white (which is actually colourless) and red. I have never known anyone to make it at home. Various things I've picked up in reading suggest that all three of the above sentences are untrue in American English, and the second sentence is untrue anywhere outside of Ireland.


title: What type of cat do you swing?

text: I've heard that the cat which there may not be enough room to swing actually refers to a type of whip. Is that true? What is the actual origin of the phrase _not/barely enough room to swing a cat_?


title: Use of sequences like "In modern's US"

text: Is it correct to use possessive case for referring to the time in consideration, like in   * in today's US   * in modern's US   * in last century's England etc?


title: Can "only" be a question word?

text: I remember hearing, more than once, the word "only" in a context that can only be a question. Is that true? For example: "Only you a student?", "Only you think that.... ?"


title: Why does English spelling use silent letters?

text: Why have a letter in a word when it’s silent in pronunciation, like the _b_ in _debt_? Can anyone please clarify my uncertainty here?


title: What is the part of the iceberg that is not the tip called?

text: I was explaining that something is the "tip of the iceberg". I then wanted to explain what the other bit of the iceberg consisted of. What's the bit of the iceberg that is not the tip? Or should I just give up on this metaphor?


title: What do “Yeep” and “Go yeep” mean?

text: Today’s New York Times carries the article titled “Veeps _go yeep_! Nation nods,” which is followed by the following statement: > “Obama versus Romney on Tuesday! That will be far more important than the > conventions. Or the first debate, which President Obama sort of lost, in a > game-changing moment that we are now prepared to completely forget because > it’s all about the next debate.” I find no entry of “yeep” in any of Cambridge, Oxford, OALED, and Merriam- Webster dictionary. GoogleNgram registers “yeep,” of which usage is seen in 1840, peaks during 1920 – 1960, declining since then on the graph. Incidentally, Readers English Japanese Dictionary published by a Japanese publisher registers “yeepie” as an American slang meaning “Youthful energetic elderly people involved in everything.” What do “Yeep” and “Go yeep” mean? Does “go yeep” mean ‘get heated and go energetic”? I wonder if “yeep” is as well-received English word as being flashily used in the headline of a leading English language newspaper, because I don’t find it in any of English dictionaries.


title: "In the past" or "Into the past"?

text: Maybe my question is only relevant for my current context. I'm writing a documentation that shouldn't allow a user (using a calendar) to add an event _in/into the past_. So, should it be _in_ or _into_?


title: Is there a single word for this sentence?

text: If I say something repeatedly to myself in order to believe in that, do call it inculcation ?


title: What's the genitive of "someone else"?

text: This is **Konrad**.   He has a dog.   Hence, it's **Konrad's** dog. This is **someone else**.   He has a cat.   1. Hence it's **someone else's** cat.   2. Hence it's **someone's else** cat.   3. Hence it's **someones else** cat.   4. Hence it's **someone elses** cat. I know that I can say "it's a cat of someone else" or "it's a cat belonging to someone else" but that dodges the issue, not answering the question.


title: 'Given a choice' vs.'If I had to choose'

text: Can the phrases _given a choice_ and _if I had to choose_ be used interchangeably? I made a statement like "Given a choice, I would do this," my original intention being to select that over the other option. But it was misinterpreted as "I did not want to do the other option," and I was told that I should have used "If I had to choose between the two." Some inputs would be highly appreciated


title: I am going to spray water on you

text: I am looking for a sentence to say when you are in a situation where you want to put some drops of water from your wet hands onto someone else's body, by flickering your fingers. What would be an appropriate verb instead of "to spray"? Thank you


title: Capitalization of explanation of abbreviations

text: I'm writing a rather tehnical report with a lot of abbreviations such as _QoS (quality of service)_ , _AES (Advanced Encryption Standard)_ and _HMAC (Hash- based Message Authentication Code)_. When should the explanation of the abbreviation be capitalized? For example, should it be _quality of service_ or _Quality of Service_? How does one know what to use for the vast majority of technical abbreviations?


title: What does "separated at birth" mean?

text: Sometimes, you come across someone saying something (usually tongue-in-cheek), which might go like this: > Tom: I really love eating noodles while watching Star Trek.   >  Linda: Wow, I do exactly the same thing all the time!   >  Tom: Were we separated at birth or something? What does "separated at birth" mean here, and what connotation is it trying to convey?


title: If I can say "videos", can I also say "audios"?

text: _Audio_ and _video_ seem to me very similar words by usage. I often hear the plural form for _video_ , but is there a plural form for _audio_? Can I say _audios_? I've never heard it being used.


title: Grammatical Names and Grammatical Functions

text: What is the grammatical name and grammatical function of the part of the sentence that is in bold? >   1. **What the teacher taught** was not in the students' text. > >   2. The principal ate **what was left in the pot**. > >


title: What is the tipping point for "non sequitur"?

text: What is the point at which a _non sequitur_ morphs into the incongruous? Is it predicated upon contextual ideas leading up to the statement, or is it subjective based on the conclusion of the idea being propagated? I'm just curious if there are any hard/fast rules, or is it subjective -- like finding something funny or not?


title: What is the longest palindromic phrase?

text: Somewhat related to this question, but I'm interested in a _phrase_ , not just a single word. The longest I am aware of is > A man, a plan, a canal: Panama Are there longer palindromic phrases?


title: What is the meaning of the word “Jovie”?

text: For a non english speaker what is Jovie ? I’ve looked for the definitions at Google images, which provides some various conotations Google Images Search for Jovie


title: "Sign up free" or "Sign up for free"

text: I've stumbled upon "Sign up free" and "Sign up for free" on different websites. "Sign up free" makes no sense to me. Is it correct? Which one should I use on my website? Thanks.


title: Does "until [date]" mean "before that date"?

text: What does _until_ mean in the following? > You need to deliver this product within 2 days ( **until** August 18, 2011) > to meet your deadline and get paid. Does this mean that I have to deliver the product by 23:59 on 17 August 2011 or 23:59 on 18 August 2011? The order time is 21:04 on August 16 2011.


title: Word for "can be used again with entertainment"

text: _The title may be misleading as I had trouble summarizing the question in a phrase._ I'm looking for a word to mean "usable again", referring to a mobile app. I'm looking for something along the lines of "replayable" for games. I want to reword the phrase "give both hardcore & casual fans a reason to keep coming back" to make it sound more technical, preferably something along the lines of "to provide _word here_ to the app". If I were to refer to a game, I would word it as "to add replay value to the game". Thank you very much.


title: What does this complicated sentence mean?

text: Would to god I could strip you of life and breath and ship you down to the House of Death as surely as no one will ever heal your eye, not even your earthquake god himself!’


title: "Since" vs "ever since"

text: Example: > Tufy was our Chihuahua. He'd been in the family **(ever) since** I was born. Would adding _ever_ change the meaning of the sentence?


title: "I was by my friend"

text: There is a common, seemingly incorrect usage of the word _by_ in certain communities in the U.S., mainly Jewish communities in the New York area. For example, > I was **by** my friend over the weekend. _By_ is used as a preposition instead of _at_. It seems to be of Yiddish influence. Though _nearby_ is correct, _by_ alone doesn't seem to be. Is this true? Can someone account for the difference between _by_ and _nearby_?


title: Difference between "remain" and "be left"

text: What is the difference between _remain_ and _be left_? Which sentence below is correct or normal? > An ace of spades **remained**. > > An ace of spades **was left**.


title: Legal name for "individual" vs. "company"

text: I'm creating an online service and I want both individuals and companies to use it. In the registration form, I want to ask the user: > Are you an **individual** or a **company**? Are these terms correct to refer to individuals (real persons) vs. companies and organizations? Are there any better legal substitutions for them?


title: Can I pronounce a "t" as a glottal stop in the word "Netflix"

text: I am talking American English now. Usually when a "t" comes at the end of the word "wheat" or before "n" or "m" sounds as in "mountain" and "treatment", the t sound is not pronounced and i pronounced as a glottal stop instead. Can I do the same with the word "netflix"?


title: Could the sentence "Not even death can do us part" be considered correct?

text: > Not even death can do us part. These are lyrics from the Beyoncé song "Sweet Dreams" (link to the part in question.) I've been curious about this for a while. If one considers "Till death do us part" to be correct, could this sentence be considered correct as well? Interestingly, these lyrics are changed in the album version (link): > Not even death could make us part.


title: Is "auditory aid" correct when talking about helping someone through audio signals?

text: I'm not talking about the concept of a "hearing aid" (those little things you put in your ears). I'm talking about sounds like the ones emitted by traffic lights, letting us know they've turned green. Is the term "auditory aid" correct, or is there some other term for that?