title: What is the best way of conveying respect to elders in English?

text: In Afrikaans, it is considered very disrespectful to use "you" ( "jy") when referring to someone who is above the level of a peer. Instead, it is expected that you use "u", which is a very respectful form of "you". Also you can talk in the third person "How is ma'am today" would be the equivalent. I cringe internally when I say "How are you" to someone older than me, because in Afrikaans it would be very rude. I was bought up to only ever refer to my parents in the third person. "how is mom today", "what is dad doing" when speaking in Afrikaans. The lack of English equivalent feels very wrong and disrespectful. What is the best way to convey this in English? I have been reassured that saying "you" to a parent isn't rude, and I understand that this can be cultural, but I'm particularly looking for what options English offers in this regard, as far as existing vocabulary, that convey respect. I'm in South Africa.


title: When do you use 'in' vs 'by' when talking about payments and transactions

text: When talking about buying things and making payments for them etc... what context would you use "in" vs"by" when referring to the payment. For example...               She paid by credit card. (ok)     She paid in credit card.  (not)          She paid by mail. (ok)     She paid in mail.    (not)          She paid by check.    (ok)     She paid in check.     (not)          She paid by cash.    (not?)     She paid in cash.    (ok)          She paid by dollars.    (not)     She paid in dollars.  (ok)          She paid by goats.  (not)     She paid in goats.  (ok)      My sense is that 'by' is used when talking about a method of transmitting value ie: credit card, mail, check where as 'in' is used when talking about the thing of value you are giving as payment ie: cash, dollars, coins, stock. Is there any relevant literature that talks about this? or is this just idiomatic?


title: What is the word(s) for someone who is very particular about the small details of something?

text: I am looking for a word or multiple words to describe someone who is very (perhaps even 'overly') concerned about the fine details of something. It could be describing someone who is a perfectionist, or someone who is overly strict with obeying rules, or someone who wants everything to be 'prim and proper'. I recall knowing a couple of words with these connotations but they have completely slipped my mind.


title: Can I use verb "to ride" referring to a car?

text: If I'm behind the wheel, "I'm driving". But if I am in the back seat or the passenger front seat what am I doing? Am I riding in the car?" "I rode 20 miles." (My Dad was the driver.) "We are riding the through the tunnel." Are the above sentences common and correct?


title: Difference in the implied meaning when different words for “Shining” used?

text: Please consider the sentences below: > The grass was **glittering** with dew.   >  The grass was **glistening** with dew.   >  The grass was **glinting** with dew.   >  The grass was **gleaming** with dew. Below are the definitions given by my dictionary. > **Glisten** = (of something wet or greasy) shine with a sparkling light.   >  **Glitter** = shine with a bright, shimmering reflected light.   >  **Glint** = give out or reflect small flashes of light.   >  **Gleam** = shine brightly, especially with reflected light. I know that even if two words are synonyms, they can imply different meanings, even when the dictionary definitions look almost identical (as they do here). Are there any such differences between the _implied_ meanings of the example sentences above?


title: "Differentiating", "distinguishing," or another word for "that helps to tell apart easily"?

text: I am trying to come up with the right word that means _that helps to tell apart easily_ , for example, one that fits into the following sentences:   * Beak shape is a **___ _** feature among birds.   * Language is usually the **__** feature for ethnic groups. I tried _differentiating_ and _distinguishing_ , but was not quite sure.


title: What's a word or phrase that means "saved in the wrong file format"?

text: I'm writing a report on a website. There are files that were saved in the wrong format which has reduced the quality of the images. How can I say this, but still sound professional?


title: 'how many of us' vs. 'how many of we'

text: Which is correct: 'My friend asked how many of us are going to watch the Superbowl' or 'My friend asked how many of we are going to watch the Superbowl' Note: 'my friend' is not a part of the group implied by we/us, but the speaker is a part of that group.


title: Algorithm to determine if an "e" in a word is silent

text: I'm working on a software that requires me to know if an "e" in a word is silent or not. I thought of using Artificial Intelligence and pattern recognition to determine if the "e" is silent. The AI approach is expensive, I was wondering if there is a fixed finite set of rules I can follow to find if the "e" is pronounced or silent. If no such list exists could you please provide me with a list of words with both silent and pronounced "e" to feed them to my AI engine? Thank you :)


title: What is the origin of the term 'going to wrack and ruin'?

text: 'Wrack' refers to wreckage, vengeance and retributive punishment. From looking at its copious entry in the OED it is clear that the word 'wrack' has had a considerable history. But other than for this expression it seems to have disappeared from use. Is anyone able to contradict this?


title: What's the etymology of English letter casing terminology?

text: The popular consensus around the web (i.e., Wikipedia) seems to be that "upper case" and "lower case" originate from typesetting convention of upper and lower drawers for letters, possibly preceded by the Latin terminology of majuscule and minuscule. However, none of these references seem to be backed up properly, and frankly, I find the explanation tickling my urban legend senses - my suspicion is that this is an incomplete or even false etymology, but I can't find anything better. Is there a more authoritative source that attests to whether or not this is a true etymology?


title: " 'Such' amount" or " 'such an' amount"?

text: Is there any difference between them!? If you **google** both: 1 and 2, the amount of retrieved results are very similar. I'd like to know if there's any (grammar) rule that makes it clear when to use _an_ after _such_. PS: I used _amount_ only as a means of an illustrative example. UPDATE (example using _such [an] amount of money_ ):   * "provisions shall be deemed **such an amount of money** or indebtedness as bears the same proportion"   * "on and after 2011, **such amount of money** as may be authorized by the Secretary of the Defense may be withheld temporarily..."


title: Is this formal enough? "Should I expect to get a call from you sometime this week?"

text: I'm contacting HR person from a company after an interview. She told me she will contact me right after the interview, but she sent me an e-mail she will contact me at a later time. So I'm trying to send an e-mail to ask when to expect a call. Is the sentence: > Should I expect to receive/get a call from you sometime this week? I would > greatly appreciate if you could let me know. formal enough or should I write something else?


title: The pronunciation of "was" has changed since the Seventeenth Century. When and why did it change"?

text: In Chaucer and John Donne "was" is pronounced like "wahss" but nowadays we say "woz". When did the change occur? and why?


title: What is the origin of the phrase "when push comes to shove"?

text: "When push comes to shove" means "as a last resort" or "if absolutely necessary". Does anyone know why the phrase came to be used in this way?


title: Phrase for having nearly completed something

text: Is there is a phrase for when you're very close to achieving something you've been working on? When the detective gets that final clue, but hasn't quite solved the mystery yet. When you've done 90% of the work and rest is easily achievable. I keep thinking it's something like "you can taste it", or "the home straight" but that doesn't quite sound right


title: "Do you not" vs. "Don't you"

text: I live in the UK and I mostly hear people saying _Don't you..._ , but some people say: _Do you not..._? What is the difference and which one is more correct? You can put any example really. Something like: > Do you not like to come to school with me?   >  Don't you like to come to school with me?


title: could or can + would?

text: > If I could make it back to the office, I would come. Should I use _could_ or _can_ here?


title: One word for "insulting someone by mimicking them"?

text: Suppose John has a foreign accent and Mark does not. The two get into an argument with each other. At some point, Mark has no good reply, so he simply mimics John in his accent to insult him. Is there a word for such behavior?


title: "Can't it also be" or "Can't it be also" in a question?

text: They both have plenty examples available, but which one is preferable?   * "Can't it also be" — 1,310,000 Google results   * "Can't it be also" — 1,430,000 Google results


title: What is a single word meaning "authoritative source of knowledge"?

text: I'm looking for a word that means authoritative source of knowledge. The word would preferably be a noun and could refer to a group of people or a collection of knowledge. Additionally it'd be strongly preferred if the word would not be a derivative of encyclopedia.


title: Is the word 'staithe' used outside of Norfolk?

text: In Norfolk a landing stage for unloading boats is called a 'staithe'. The Norfolk Broads and rivers are dotted with staithes. Notices proclaim things like 'Public Staithe', or Private Staithe'. But I do not ever recall seeing the word 'staithe' outside of Norfolk. Does anyone else know of staithes? It comes from the Old Norse 'stoth' meaning 'landing stage'. Does no one else in Britain recognise the word 'staithe'? If that is the case, this is very interesting. Patricia Poussa in her article 'Dickens as Sociolinguist' links many Norfolk words to Scandinavian languages.


title: Is it "expert in" or "expert on"?

text: When would you use "expert in" and when would you use "expert on"? A quick google search yields about the same for both, but I have a feeling "expert in" can occur in sentences somehow with a different meaning altogether.


title: Passive voice for sentences like "He is going somewhere"

text: I have this sentence that I trying to render into passive voice: > Tom is going to school. According to the rules described in this document (“Passive voice with direct and indirect objects”), it should be like this: > School is being gone by Tom. I know that it is very artificial, but is this right?


title: "Dilemma" vs. "dilemna"

text: I understand the correct spelling is 'dilemma' but many people I've spoken with, including myself, were convinced the spelling was 'dilemna'. A quick search on google shows this is not isolated to just America. Many people claim they were taught the incorrect spelling in school. I don't remember where I learned to spell the word but I've always spelled it with 'mn' not 'mm'. Whats the cause of this? Is there some long forgotten etymology of dilemma that involves an 'n'?


title: drink vs drink of

text: I am having trouble with these two sentences: >   * He drinks of the spring. >   * He drink the spring. > Are these two sentences correct? Do they have the same meaning? By the way, is there anyone having any suggestion for Chinese students in English?


title: Don't mind if I do!

text: > Jim: Have a donut. > > Steve: Don't mind if I do! [grabs honey cruller] What exactly is Steve telling Jim here:   1. Steve doesn't mind if he has a donut   2. Steve warns Jim, lightly, not to mind if he takes a donut (Jim did offer, after all)


title: What's the difference in meaning of the two sentences?

text: 1. **A good watchdog barks loudly when strangers come on your property, which gives you a feeling of security**   2. **A good watchdog barks loudly when strangers come on your property which gives you a feeling of security** From the first sentence we get a sense that "property" gives a feeling of security. I find this absurd in the given context. But if I remove the comma before "which", does the meaning get changed to 'a good watchdog's barking gives a feeling of security'?


title: Is “duck and dive” only a British idiom?

text: I was interested in the phrase “duck and dive,” which is put in parentheses, in the following comment of a video ran by the Guardian with a caption, “Senator Marco Rubio's in-speech water break” - http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2013/feb/16/marco-rubios-water-break- video) : > “In a video that has turned viral, the Republican politician displays a > **'duck and dive'** lunge for his bottle while barely averting his eyes from > the lens” Oxford English Dictionary defines “duck and dive” as "British use: one’s ingenuity to deal with or evade a situation." But Google Ngram shows a constant currency of this phrase since cir 1840 and growing increase of use around after 1995. Is this phrase still predominantly used in Britain, less in the U.S.? P.S. I think the expression “Duck and dive" posture is very similar to Japanese expression, “屁っぴり腰-heppirigosi" meaning 'move / behave nervously / apprehensively with one's buttocks stuck out,' thus indecisiveness. If somebody is familiar with Japanese language, please advise me if my interpretation is correct or not.


title: What is the correct way to refer to a web page that is part of the same website?

text: When referring to specific web pages that are part of the same website, should the name of the page be capitalized, put in quotation marks, or both? In other words, which of the following sentences is correct: >   1. If you would like to contact me, please complete the form on the > contact page. >   2. If you would like to contact me, please complete the form on the > Contact page. >   3. If you would like to contact me, please complete the form on the > "contact" page. >   4. If you would like to contact me, please complete the form on the > "Contact" page. > Please explain your reasoning and/or list your reference (source).


title: Semicolons after ages

text: Would a comma or semicolon correctly follow the word "Florida" below? I used the comma for the last city-state entry. Is this correct? > Mike Jones, 45, of Lincoln, Nebraska; Sandra Stevens, 42, of Memphis, > Tennessee; and Rupert Falcone, 35, of Tallahassee, Florida, were arrested on > charges of conspiracy and fraud. And does a comma--instead of a semicolon--correctly follow "51" below? > John Smith, 25; Frank Jones, 44; and Amy Horowitz, 51, were all involved in > the fraud.


title: Sending a work email. Does this sound professional. A little lost, help please!

text: All, I found a problem with the setup of our Merchant Accounts that has affected our sales. We have had a lot of recent declines from our customers within Limelight and the reason is our Merchant Accounts are requiring a CVV code after our initial order. Can someone please fix this problem?


title: Is "jipped" a politically incorrect word?

text: I recently read a line of chat conversation, where somebody said: > … get jipped by some guy … A different user construed this as "casual racism", even though the whole conversation was completely unconnected to racial issues. It seems that the problem is the word "jipped" which Wiktionary says is > _Probably_ from the term gypsy (“Roma”), due to a stereotype of the Roma as > swindlers. (emphasis mine). So I wonder, is this really a politically incorrect word to use? Do speakers and listeners generally connect the word with actual Roma stereotypes? Or is it a rarity to think about its origins, and people generally just use it without thinking of the possible historical etymology, just like people use malaria without ever thinking of bad air? I heard/read the word for the first time, and did not make a connection to "Gypsy" at all, even though I am European and I am generally aware that "gypsy" is a pejorative racial term.


title: What does "liquidated" mean in this sentence?

text: What does the word "liquidated" mean in the following snippet taken from _Readings in Social Research Methods_? : > When society becomes industrialized, a peasant becomes a worker; a feudal > lord is liquidated or becomes a businessman. Dictionary.com shows 5 possible meanings for liquidated, but none of them seems to suit the passage:   1. to pay a debt   2. to determine the amount of   3. to convert into cash   4. to kill   5. to do away with


title: What's the difference between "Beware" and "Be careful"?

text: I have seen different kinds of notice in Computer games like "BEWARE!!!" and "BE CAREFUL!Watch your step!" and What's the difference between them?


title: Which Verb to Use Depending on the Context?

text: I want some clarification on the verbs _tell_ , _say_ and _speak_ because they mean the same action to me. For example, you can use both of these sentences. > He said "I am not attending the party." > > He told he is not coming to the party. I am not sure about the second one but in any case > He spoke he is not attending. seems kinda awkward. My impressions are based on the common uses as I see and hear people. Is there any formal rule about which one is most appropriate in a given context for native speakers?


title: Is there a term for what 'sheveled' is to 'disheveled'?

text: Is there a term to describe an unprefixed term like _sheveled_ that is used less or not at all compared to its prefixed relative _disheveled_? > My word Helen, you look very sheveled today! **Edit:** Below Malvolio brings up the example of _kempt_ which is another example of what I'm talking about. A word that has both prefixed and unprefixed forms in English, but the unprefixed form has mostly fallen out of use. ![kempt vs. unkempt](http://i.stack.imgur.com/u5bzh.png)


title: Can supper and dinner be used interchangeably?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  “Lunch” vs. “dinner” vs. “supper” — times and meanings? Wikipedia states that the words _supper_ and dinner can be used interchangeably. But I am not thoroughly convinced as, well, they are two different words. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary: **Supper** is _a light meal served late in the evening_. **Dinner** is _the principal meal of the day_. I am confused as to if at all using these words interchangeably would be deemed correct and if so, under what circumstances? _**NOTE:_** The question Lunch vs. dinner vs. supper — times and meanings? attracted some attention but the last sentence in the accepted answer put me off! > So whether you use Lunch/Dinner or Dinner/Supper is heavily determined by > when your culture traditionally has its largest meal. Maybe, I eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper. That doesn't make my breakfast my dinner right? ;)


title: Correct order and terminology for meals in the day

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Lunch vs. dinner vs. supper — times and meanings? I know there are copious amounts of debates on this matter but is there actually one _definitive_ answer for the order of meals in the day? For e.g., Breakfast, lunch, dinner or Breakfast, dinner, tea ... Normally the opinion seems to be based on the area you are from, but does the English language have a definition for which one is actually correct?


title: Is there a specific word for a list of [word + how to use it in a sentence]?

text: Like a dictionary, but instead of a list of words and their definitions, it contains words and how to use them in a sentence. If there is no such word, is there a specific word for a dictionary that also show how to use every entry in a sentence (list of [word + definition + use]?


title: "I want to pay" vs "I would like to pay"

text: I was recently in a bar in Prague, Czech Republic. When I was going to leave I said to a waiter: > Excuse me, I would like to pay. He laughed a bit and explained that I should have said: > I **want** to pay. because when I say > I **would like** to pay. it means that I want to pay for him (i.e. pay his bill). Was he right indeed? I thought both forms have the same meaning, besides the second one is more polite.


title: What is the correct version of "upfront", "up front" or "up-front"?

text: I can't find a definite spelling of this term. Different resources on the Internet show all three versions of it. What is the correct way of spelling it?


title: What do Australians mean when they say 'He came a gutsa'?

text: What does it mean to 'Come a gutsa'? I think I may have the Australian spelling right.


title: plural objects and relative clause

text: If you have two objects which are plural (e.g. apples and oranges) and a non- restrictive relative clause, to which does the relative clause refer? E.g.: > He noticed the apples and oranges, which were rotting, in the room next > door. Are the apples rotting? The oranges? Both? Is this statement clear or ambiguous? If you tried to restrict the relative clause only to "oranges": > He noticed the apples and oranges (that were browning) in the room next > door. Is that not an improper "that," since it is non-essential? Does it still appear ambiguous? What is the proper protocol on this?


title: Syntax in poetry

text: Could you please explain why the syntax in the following stanza is wrong? > Surrounded   >  by that sturdy assertiveness   >  that walled England the din   >  of traffic in my mind quietens,


title: "He acted strange(ly?)"

text: It would make sense if both of these sentences were grammatically correct; but is anything different between them meaning-wise? > He acted very strange when I told him about the missing amulet. > > He acted strangely about the whole deal. What difference is there between using an adverb here and using an adjective?


title: "Do it very quickly" vs "do it ASAP"

text: What is the difference between these phrases? > Please, do it very quickly, since the deadline is approaching. and > Please, do it ASAP, because the deadline is approaching.


title: Does 'turn off (a person)' always have a sexual connotation?

text: I want to say something like "I hope saying xyz will not turn the interviewer off (from hiring me)" or "I don't want to turn off your interest in the project" but I am unsure if it is an awkward way to use "turn off" as I have only heard it in a sexual context. If yes, what would be a generally applicable term equivalent to it that can be used in the context I am in? Thanks


title: Opposite of "blaming people"

text: My girlfriend is currently writing an appraisal for work but I was wondering if there was a word/phrase that convey what she is thinking better. She wants to say that while some people like to criticise and blame when others make mistakes, she is the opposite. She has come up with the following: > "acting with integrity/helping others rather than blaming others" It seems a bit clunky with a repetition of "others" and the forward-slash may seem to show a lack of thought. Upon googling "opposite of blame" and some thought, I have come up with some words and phrases: >   * non-judgemental >   * positive reinforcement >   * highlighting issues and putting suggestions forward >   * mistakes are seen as opportunities to learn (although this seems to > suggest mistakes made by yourself) > I was wondering if anyone had any helpful suggestions/comments on this. I am looking for something more concise and something that upon reading, is easily understood. Thanks in advance!


title: Is "free education to all" correct?

text: At the time of writing, there is a group of Cooper Union students protesting the university's decision to charge tuition. They are holding a banner that reads: > Free Education to All Can this be construed as correct (under any scheme of interpretation)? It seems that "Free Education _for_ All" would be expected, but I wonder if using "to" here is also correct (perhaps with a different meaning).


title: Alternative term to "Blacklist" and "Whitelist"

text: In short, my company is developing a management tool for managing SIM cards. One of the features of the tool is to block the SIM card if it's put into a disallowed device by device IMEI validation. The feature for this was mocked up using the terms _blacklist_ and _whitelist_. However, after a while someone raised the point that these terms could feel a bit controversial. The advantage of using these terms is that they are clean and easily understandable, but then again if they could invoke any racial issues we don't want anything to do with them. So far we've come up with these possible alternatives:   * Blocked List   * Unblocked List   * Allowed List And honestly, we're not very excited for any of these words. Do you feel that these words are controversial? Are there better words we could use?


title: English word for the nature of thumb bending backwards?

text: One of my friend used to bend his thumb backwards. I wonder, is there any word in English to call the nature of **thumb bending backwards**?


title: What's the practical difference between "allot" and "allocate"?

text: I've noticed _allot_ is usually used as an adjective (as in, "your allotted amount"), and _allocate_ is more often used as a verb (as in, "I will allocate some resources"). Any other notable differences?


title: "Cannot be null or empty" vs. "cannot be null nor empty"

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Should I use 'or' or 'nor'?   >  Using "nor" in a list without "neither" Translating this meaning into English: There is a value that a computer user can set. Not setting the value is an invalid program state and should not be allowed. Setting and empty value is equally forbidden. If setting a value is done so:               value = "ExceptionalCoconut";      setting an empty value is done so:               value = "";      With the latter software command, an attempt to set the value is made but the actual value, between double quotes, is effectively empty. This should be disallowed. Now on to the error message to display if either erroneous usage is attempted and my attempt at phrasing that in English: > `value` cannot be null nor empty. I chose this over: > `value` cannot be null or empty. Which one is correct — _or_ or _nor_?


title: "can't see neither A nor B" or "can see neither A nor B"

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Still confused with "neither…nor…" > ...can't see neither A nor B. Is that grammatically correct? Or is this? > ...can see neither A nor B. What if "can't" was used?


title: Using "nor" in a list without "neither"

text: This is the classic usage of _neither/nor_ : > I would **neither** hide **nor** run away. But is the following construction grammatical? (More than two choices, no _neither_ ) > I wasn't going to play dead.   >  I wasn't going to hide.   >  **Nor** was I going to run away.


title: Neither vs either in a negative statement

text: Is it correct to say:   * A: You can't say a word to anyone.   * B: Yes, but you can't say a word to anyone _either_. or   * A: You can't say a word to anyone.   * B:You can't say a word to anyone _neither_. _Neither_ a person A, _nor_ a person B can't say a word. Shouldn't it be _neither_? (In the example I found it's _either_ )


title: What is the correct way to use "neither" and "nor" in a sentence together?

text: Given these facts:   1. The tool cannot be found in the kitchen.   2. The tool cannot be found in the bathroom. Which is the correct sentence to represent the situation above? >   1. I _can_ find the tool neither in the kitchen nor in the bathroom. >   2. I _cannot_ find the tool neither in the kitchen nor in the bathroom. >   3. I _cannot_ find the tool, neither in the kitchen nor in the bathroom. >


title: I have a question regarding the proper usage of the word "nor"

text: Is "...not legal advice, nor is it intended to be" the proper usage of "nor" in the prior partial statement?


title: Use "or" or "nor"?

text: I've always wondered this but never asked. Given this statement: > Energy can be neither created nor destroyed. Should it be _or_ or _nor_? This is on Wikipedia so they are probably correct in saying _nor_ but why is this so? In my opinion it sounds like it should be _or_. The more I think of it the more I think it can be left up to interpretation or emphasis. For example, it could be interpreted to mean: > Energy = ¬Created ∨ ¬Destroyed or > Energy = ¬(Created ∨ Destroyed) Some help here?


title: Using "nor" at the end of a list begun with "no"

text: Which is correct? >   * "The book has no marks, tears, wrinkles or writing." >   * "The book has no marks, tears, wrinkles nor writing." > (I understand the use of neither/nor and either/or.) In this case, I thought the first sentence "no/or" was correct, but was told that "no/nor" was the correct usage. Can you help?


title: 'Am I interpreting' vs 'Do I interpret'?

text: >   1. Am I interpreting the results correctly? >   2. Do I interpret the results correctly? > Do they have the same meaning? Are both or just one correct?


title: What do you call something that is not first in a sequence?

text: Is there a word to describe something that is not the first element in a sequence, but can be in any other position? A synonym of "not first", in fact. > This element is __ in this sequence.


title: How to pronounce letter "e" in new invented brand names? (in fictional words)

text: Ok guys, let's imagine that I'm creator of names of legal entities. So, if the name of the next organisation is fully new (the words don't use ever before), then how can I understand what sounds it's should be? Particularly, I am interesting in cases when it comes to words with such syllables: "de", "dem". My question is (in IPA): when it sounds like "dɪˈvɛləp", and when like "ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃən". May I determine the pronunciation of these words?


title: What is a predicative phrase?

text: What is meant by the 'predicative position' when it refers to a part of a sentence?


title: Narrative in second person: singular or plural?

text: The lack of distinction of singular-plural pronouns for the second person in English (quite strange for native Spanish speakers, as myself) is usually unimportant, I guess, because the ambiguity is either irrelevant or obvious from them context. But I was wondering, from a translator point of view, about narratives in second person. Take for example the beginning of "The catcher in the rye": > If **you** really want to hear about it, the first thing **you'll** probably > want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and > how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David > Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if **you** > want to know the truth. Or, from "The mating season" (P. G. Wodehouse) > I wonder, by the way, if **you** recall this Augustus, on whose activities I > have had occasion to touch once or twice before now? Throw the mind back. > Goofy to the gills, face like a fish, horn-rimmed spectacles, drank orange > juice, collected newts, engaged to England's premier pill, a girl called > Madeline Bassett ... Ah, **you** 've got him? Fine. In Spanish, these examples areusually translated as plural (ustedes/vosotros), but the truth is that literature uses both forms: singular (the author speaks directly with the present individual reader) and plural (the author speaks globally to "the public"). Do English native speakers assume (from some rule, convention, or spontaneously) the singular or the plural person here, or it's inherently ambiguous?


title: Appositives with possessiveness?

text: I would like to say something like > The boy, Adam's, favorite toy was a bike. What is the proper way to say this?


title: "I'm going to take and stir the cake mix"

text: Please explain why this sentence is grammatically incorrect. > I'm going to take and stir the cake mix.


title: Do you say two baskets of apples?

text: * Plural of basket is baskets.   * Plural of apple is apples. Assuming there is more than one apple in each basket. > There are two baskets of apples. Is this sentence grammatically correct?


title: A number off or a number of?

text: I am reading some technical documents and there is a list of items that make up the product. Throughout the document where there are multiple items, they are listed as _2 off_ , _3 off_ and so on. For example it would be similar to this: My product comprising of:   * 2 off card 1    * 1 off card 2    * 1 off transit case Is this correct? I thought it should be _2 of_ , _3 of_ and so on. I would like to know if the usage is correct and if possible why _off_ is used in this context.


title: What does "the guns of spring" mean?

text: I saw this expression used in a Washington Post article about the possibility of an Israeli military strike against Iran's nuclear program: > US officials don’t think that [Israeli prime minister] Netanyahu has made a > final decision to attack, and they note that top Israeli intelligence > officials remain sceptical of the project. But senior Americans doubt that > the Israelis are bluffing. They’re worrying about **the guns of spring** — > and the unintended consequences.


title: What's the meaning of "I casually drink alcohol" and "I socially drink alcohol"

text: If I said, > I casually drink alcohol or > I socially drink alcohol What would you think about how often I drink?


title: Why police used as singular in this link?

text: With reference to this question Collective noun "police" — singular or plural? and as per my understanding _Police_ is always plural. But I got shocked after seeing police used as singular noun in this article. > Two days after the death of the 23-year-old gangrape victim, Delhi Police on > Monday said it has finalised around 1,000-page chargesheet in connection > with the incident and plans to submit it in court on Thursday. I can't figure out why they have used police as singular. Also its one of the prominent newspaper in India. I doubt on myself about its usage. Could any one elucidate it further ?


title: What is the right way of asking questions?

text: This is a follow-up question to this question that I asked yesterday. There are a couple of similar expressions that I need help with: >   * How **[am I supposed to/do I]** get to the stadium from here? >   * Where **[am I supposed to/do I]** get the cab from? > Are these expressions okay? Does using "supposed to" in place of "do" affect the meaning of the sentence here?


title: The construction of "Known but to God"

text: The Tomb of the Unknown Solider has the engraving "KNOWN BUT TO GOD", as presumably no man knows his name, but shouldn't it read " _un_ known, but to God", as the default for everyone is "unknown", with the exception "but to God"? Is the construction older? How should it be parsed?


title: Difference between "but" and "nothing but"

text: Every now and then I stumble about a construction like this: > It was but something.... and I understand it to be > It was nothing but.... or > It was only... depending on the context. I do know what this "but" means and I do know what else "but" can mean. My question is this? Is the a difference between "but" and "nothing but" in this context, be it ever so small and hidden in tone or emphasis? Is there such a difference between "but" and "only"? And finally is "but" in this context something you can say or does that make you sound way out there? Thanks a lot


title: What does "but" mean in "Life is but a dream"?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  The construction of "Known but to God" What does "but" mean in this case and what other uses is this word used in the same context. I'm trying to explain what this word means but I can't think of any good common use examples with the same meaning. The clearest word I can think of is "just" _Life is just/only a dream_ Example sentences I did think of used "nothing": I found nothing but junk at the store. But is this the same meaning? I found nothing, _just_ junk, at the store?


title: "Nothing but" usage

text: I have seen the phrase " **Nothing but** " used in many places. e.g.: >   * Inertia is nothing but the mass of the object. >   * Time is nothing but a line > How did nothing but come into existence?


title: "Cure of" vs. "cure from"

text: What's the difference between the following two? >   * God, cure me _of_ this sickness that I have. >   * God, cure me _from_ this sickness that I have. >


title: Tricky Past Perfect Tense

text: I have been reading a lot about the Past Perfect tense recently and I think that I am getting more and more confused with the logic behind it the more I read about the tense. Many sources say that we only need to use the past perfect when the sequence of events is not clear without it. Also, they say that we do have to use the past perfect tense every time you mention two things that happened in the past. But many examples that are given about the tense include something like this: "I **had switched off** the lights before I went to bed" or "after they **had had** breakfast, they left for the park". Could someone explain to me why the past perfect is necessary in these examples when it is already clear from the sequence of events which action had occurred before the second action?


title: Does "sell" have a direct object in "This is the car that Peter wants to sell"?

text: For the below sentence, I can identify "This car" as the direct object of the verb "sell". > Peter wants to sell this car. However, if the sentence is changed as follows, does the verb "sell" still have direct object? > This is the car that Peter wants to sell.


title: Is it ever correct to have a space before a question or exclamation mark?

text: In written English (mainly online) I often come across sentences ending with a question or an exclamation mark with a space before it. Is it always just an error or a typo? Or there are cases when it is a correct English, for example after closing parentheses or some other punctuation marks?


title: Should punctuation characters have a preceding space?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Is it ever correct to have a space before a question or exclamation mark? Often, I see special punctuation characters such as exclamation points (!), question points (?), and ellipses (…) separated from surrounding words by a space. I've always put such punctuation directly after the word. What is the correct method? ### Example I: > We sell books, t-shirts, drinks, and more… As opposed to: > We sell books, t-shirts, drinks, and more … ### Example II: > What is your name? As opposed to: > What is your name ?


title: Why add extra space between a word and punctuation (e.g. a period, question mark, etc.)?

text: I was just wondering this because of noticing a lot of people I've worked with typed this way. Examples: Okay, that's great . Thanks, Stephanie . Was there anything else ? I was wondering if there is something that this could derive from.


title: What does "to be caught in a controversy" mean?

text: Can I use something like "I am caught in a controversy" to express that I am witnessing and confused by the controversy between other entities?


title: Where does the phrase "the many faces of ..." originate?

text: There are countless titles of the form "the many faces of ...". A quick Google search finds nearly 500 million hits, starting with "The Many Faces of the Public Domain", "The Many Faces of the Freshman Seminar", "The Many Faces of Go" and "The Many Faces of Influence Infographic". What is the origin of the phrase "the many faces of ...", in particular when used in a title? The closest I came to finding an answer was a search using Google Ngram Viewer. This seems to show that use of "the many faces of ..." really took off around 1955. Thus, probably the origin of the phrase is neither the Bible nor Shakespeare.


title: Spaces after periods in abbreviations

text: Should I put spaces after periods in the following examples?   * A.B. Buffington (between the initials)   * Vol.2, No.6, pp.195-200 I see people missing spaces in their academic writing all the time and I am not sure if I should correct this.


title: What is a verb for "the usage of an angry tone of voice"?

text: I am looking for a term meaning _the use of an angry tone of voice without the raising or lowering of one's volume._ Something like _yell_ , but without the implication of raising one's voice. I'm hoping for something general. Words like _snarl_ and _snap_ don't work in all contexts, so I'm looking for something better. I'm looking for something that might fill this sentence: "You're XXX again, Dave." as a speaker is counseling a person with anger management issues.


title: Can "if", "while", "whenever", "when" recurse deeply? How deeply?

text: I would like a generative BNF-style complete description for English grammar. Some of the more subtle stuff leads to awkward questions of grammaticality (a complete answer to this question, and all related questions, is a publication with a complete description of a comprehensible and comprehensive formal grammar which generates exactly the set of grammatical English sentences) Here are what I believe to be the toplevel rules (hopefully complete), describing the words of type "if", "when", "and", "maybe", in the situations where these apply at the level of complete sentences (it is not necessary to know BNF to answer the question, I'll generate the confusing examples. In the BNF below, vertical lines separate options, brackets enclose optional constructions, CAPS are nonterminals, lowercase stuff in quotes is actual words you speak) SENTENCE: IF STATEMENT [THEN] SENTENCE   | SENTENCE IF STATEMENT   | SENTENCE AND SENTENCE   | WHEN STATEMENT SENTENCE   | MAYBE SENTENCE   | STATEMENT   | QUESTION   | COMMAND   | "" IF: "if"| "only if"| "if only"| "if and only if"| "if and if only"   AND: "and"| "or"| "but" | "else" | "otherwise"   THEN: "then" | "only then" | "then and then only" | "then and only then"   MAYBE: "maybe" | "possibly" | "perhaps" | "yes" | "no"   WHEN: "when" | "while" | "unless" | "until" | "whenever" | "while and when" | "when and while" | "whenever and while" | "when and whenever" | "when or whenever" | "whenever and whenever" | "unless and until" | "until and unless" | "whenever and wherever" | "if and when" | "when and if" | "if and while" | "if and whenever" | "whenever and if"   The distinction between the WHEN and IF class is that IF can take THEN, but WHEN cannot. I will ignore commas for the BNF, place them as required from the generative structure. Also, there is a bit of post-processing required here: the sentence can't end up empty. Anyway, this BNF (assuming you know how to form STATEMENTs, QUESTIONs, and COMMANDs) tells you exactly how to use the IF THEN AND WHEN word at the top level of grammar. I should point out that there will be a redundancy in the description, in that the words in the MAYBE class are adverbs, and will occur inside statements, questions, and so on as adverbs too. ### Counterintuitive productions Nested "if"s start to sound weird, although they are fine by the BNF rules:   * If if John writes Jane reads james falls. Is this production considered grammatical?   * If jane reads if john writes then james falls. This one sounds ok, but it is just a reordering of the previous one   * If, if, if john runs to the store Jane runs to the bank, James eats, linda falls Is this one ok? Stuffing in the "then"s   * If, if, if John runs to the store then jane runs to the bank, then James eats, then Linda falls. Rearranging using different options for expanding if-then,   * If, James eats if Jane runs to the bank, if John runs to the store, then Linda cries. This sounds ok to my ears. Is it ok? There are also counterintuitive productions:   * yes yes maybe possibly no, I will go to the store. Is this grammatical? ### EDIT: In response to comments and downvote I was using unnaturally short statements inside the if's, because the exact nature of the sentences inside is irrelevant. But it seems to psychologically make a difference. Here are more natural sounding versions, with different tenses and more semantic meaningfulness:   * Me: If, only if John helps her will Jane cook, I'm not going to eat. I hate John's cooking. Is this production considered grammatical?   * Me: If jane cooks only if john helps her then I'm not going to eat. I hate John's cooking This one sounds ok, but it is just a reordering of the previous one   * Jane: If, if, only if John helps me will I cook you won't eat then I won't ever invite you to my house again! Is this one ok? Stuffing in the "then"s   * Jane: If, if, only if John helps me will I cook then you won't eat, then I won't ever invite you to my house again! Rearranging using different options for expanding if-then,   * Jane: If, you wont eat if I will cook only if John helps me, then I won't ever invite you to my house again! This sounds ok to my ears. Is it ok? It's just a transformational rearrangement of the previous Jane utterances. There are also counterintuitive productions:   * Me: yes yes maybe possibly no, I don't know whether I will stay for dinner. Is this grammatical?


title: 'The talk was about' vs. 'We were talking about'

text: I want to point someone about theme of conversation with another person. What sentence is correct? > The talk was about airplanes. or > We were talking about airplanes. I want to make accent on a theme.


title: How to obtain a list of compound words as nouns?

text: > **Example:** polar bear I can only detect _polar_ as an adjective and _bear_ as a noun. But _polar bear_ is actually a "noun". How do I obtain a free list of such? > **Another example:** hot dog.


title: Two translation suggestions: "friend of the people"? "practicioner"?

text: I need to translate some personal info and the original text includes a phrase (literally) "friend of the people". It's a bit tongue in cheek, intended as a personal touch, since the dossier is mainly about the person's professional experience in creative areas such as advertising and promotion. What phrase would you suggest using here? I don't want it to sound awkward, pompous or political (and the first Google hit when searching for " _friend of the people_ " happens to be a Wikipedia entry on a historical revolutionary figure...). Another word that I'm not sure how to translate is "practicioner" (?), whose meaning is supposed to be: someone valuing practical experience and accomplishments over book knowledge. Someone whose know-how comes from doing real things and who excels at getting things done. It's not for a CV, it's a dossier for publication.


title: Does "girlfriend" or "boyfriend" always indicate partnership?

text: My usual understanding is that someone's girlfriend is their (female) partner in an exclusive romantic relationship. Same for boyfriend. Is this correct, or are there instances where girlfriend refers to just a "normal" friend that also happens to be female?


title: Transportation fee + Lunch money =?

text: > My son goes out for the day every weekend, so I have to give him > transportation fee and lunch money every time he does so. I'd like to know if the above sentence sounds natural to native speakers. My concerns are:   1. Is there any way to make the expression "transportation fee and lunch money" shorter? I'm wondering if it can be described as "xx for transportation and lunch".   2. Is it awkward if I omit "he does so" and put the period after "time"?


title: Non-financial costs

text: I am interviewing someone about the newly proposed bike paths in our city. I want to ask them not only how much the paths will cost financially, but also find out what other costs (such as the removal of parking bays, etc.) may be associated with this project. Is there a nice and clear way of asking this question succinctly?


title: Why there is "the" before some names but not others

text: Is there a rule beyond the common "no _the_ with proper nouns and names" for the following problem? > I saw the Empire State Building. > > We went to the White House. > > We saw the Golden Gate Bridge. but > I went to Death Valley National Park. > > I crossed Brooklyn Bridge.


title: "Green Park" or "The Green Park"?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why there is "the" before some names but not others When do you use definite article with names of places? I have gathered from the Wikipedia article that it is correct to say "The Green Park is a park ..." and "... a fireworks celebration held in Green Park". What are the differences between these sentences? Why the use of _the_ in the former situation but not the latter?


title: How does "each" change "are" to "is"?

text: > Relevant: 'Each' with plural or singular verb and What should I use between > “triple” vs. “all”? The answers in the linked question don't quite help me. Specifically, what happens with this case: > My three pens are green. > > Each of my three pens are green. > > Each of my three pens is green. Part of the confusion seems to stem from the inclusion of "three": > My pens are green. > > Each of my pens are green. > > Each pen is green. There doesn't seem to be a way to rewrite the last example with "three": > Each three pen is green. The more common application would be: > All three pens are green. But in the event that I want to say, "Each of my three pens are green" which is correct? And, in the event that the correct sentence is "each of my three pens is green" why does prepending "each of" to the beginning of "my three pens are green" change the verb?


title: Where can I find a good list of MLA citation formats?

text: I am working on programing a citation generator. It will only make citations in MLA format. Does anyone know where I can find a good MLA citation form resource


title: How does one correctly use a semicolon?

text: How does one correctly use a semicolon? It is probably one of the more difficult punctuation marks to master in my opinion.


title: Correctly using a semicolon?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How does one correctly use a semicolon? I was wondering if the following was the correct usage of a semicolon or if a comma is more apt for this use. > Well, have we got some news for you; there is a way!


title: Semicolon use in statement-questions?

text: I have often written sentences in the following form which combines a statement with a question, separated by a semicolon. For example, > I understand you have received payment for my order; will it ship by Monday? Is this use of the semicolon correct, and is the semicolon commonly used in questions?


title: Am I using the semicolon correctly?

text: Is this sentence correct? > I've never been to Toronto before; do you get the opportunity to visit > Montreal often?


title: Is "With friendship truly," a proper valediction?

text: I want to close a letter with: With friendship truly, My Name For some background; I wrote a letter of recommendations of features to a site, but by my tone it is not extremely clear that I am serious (it's fairly light hearted) and my intentions sincere. I don't want to say "Sincerely, " because I think it could be over looked or misinterpreted, and I don't want to change my writing style because that would be boring. It's a weird valediction because it seems like there might be a comma required as in "With friendship, truly,"


title: "Unless someone lives under a rock"

text: Could the expression _unless someone lives under a rock_ be used in a formal setting? If no, what are some alternatives that could be used instead?


title: To find/get/take one's bearings

text: Is there any difference between these three expressions?   * _to find one's bearings_   * _to get one's bearings_   * _to take one's bearings_


title: What to call a person with whom you spend time just because?

text: What to call a person with whom you spend time not because you like them but because you haven't found anyone better? **EDIT** : I am asking more about a romantic kind of relationship than mere companionship, and about a situation when one person kind of uses another.


title: Predicate inner components in sentence (object without determiner)

text: I'm working on a computer program that might output the following sentence: > Analyst Mark Mahaney upgraded rating on Apple to Buy Is that sentence valid in English? (That is, nothing betwen the action `upgraded` and the word `rating`)


title: A Geordie connection with Hawaii?

text: I read somewhere the term "Wahini" is a Hawaiian expression for "A beautiful young girl" (confirmed in the Urban Dictionary). Seeing as the islands were first visited by Captain Cook, and he actually perished there in the 1770's, and he was a "Geordie" - one raised in the North East of England around the city of Newcastle, he and his crew would have been familiar with the dialect expression "Wor Hinny" meaning "our girl", or "our lass". I wonder if there is any definite proof out there that the words were adopted and corrupted to the current Hawaiian word...?


title: Confusing structures with modal verbs

text: I have skimmed through the part on **modals** of a classic grammar book (Murphy's " _Grammar in Use_ ") and picked up all the structures that look **strange** to me. Could you, please, explain **how often they are used** and how do they sound in the contemporary _British_ and _American English_? [Lately added] This page explains some of the usages: British and Am. English: Differences in usage * * * 1) _I should ..._ / _I shouldn't ..._ to give somebody advice: > --Is it cold? --Yes, **_I** should wear_ a coat. (It is not a misprint! " ** > _I_** " refers here to another person.) > > _**I** shouldn't stay_ up too late. **You** 'll be tired tomorow. 2) _might_ to ask for permission: > I have finished my work - _might_ I go home? 3) _will_ for present habits: > Every morning I _will_ get up early. > > I've tried everything - the car just _won't_ start. 4) Using _should_ after a number of adjectives (strange, odd, funny, typical, interesting etc.): > It's strange that he _should be late_. He's usually on time. > > I was surprised that he _should say_ such a thing. 5) _If_ something _should_ happen ... : > _If_ the situation _should change_ , we'll let you know. > > _If_ Tom _should phone_ , tell him I'll call him back later. 6) Begin the sentences from 5) with _should_ : > _Should_ Tom _phone_ , tell him I'll call him back later. 7) _It's (about) time ..._ : > _It's time_ the children _were_ in bed. > > _It's about time_ he _did_ something instead of just talking. 8) _Needn't_ and _needn't have (done)_ : > Everything will be OK. You _needn't_ worry. > > It didn't rain. I _needn't have taken_ the umbrella. 9) _might as well_ for an alternative: > Buses are very expensive - you _might as well_ get a taxi. **10** ) _oughtn't [to]_ ( _ought not [to]_ ) > You _oughtn't to_ watch scary movies before sleep. > > You _oughtn't_ come to me for news, but here's some anyway. **11** ) _shan't_ ( _shall not_ ) > I'm goint for a walk. I _shan't_ be late. > > He hath promised I shall never want money; and you _shan't_ want money > neither, mother.


title: use of being in a sentence

text: What is the grammatical reason for the following use of the word _being_?   * _Thank you for willing to come_ : (wrong, I know)    * _Thank you for being willing to come_ : (right)  But what is the grammatical reason for inserting _being_ here?


title: What does "patent rocker" mean?

text: From Steinbeck's _Cannery Row_ , > He sat heavily in the patent rocker that was his and shucked off his wet > tennis shoes. A rocker is a chair. But what is a "patent rocker"?


title: "The Cry of Jousts of King Richard II" — a problem with translation

text: I'm trying to translate this text to Polish and everything seems pretty clear to me, apart from the usage of the words "within" and "without". I presume it's some kind of technical vocabulary referring to the subject of jousting. Could someone explain to me what these words mean? Here are three excerpts from the text:   * > At those jousts the noble ladies and damsels will give **the knight who jousts best of those without** a horn garnished with gold, and they will give to **the one who jousts best of those within** a white greyhound with a collar of gold around its neck.   * > And the noble ladies will give a circlet of gold to **the one who jousts best of those without**. And **one within that jousts best** will be given a golden belt.   * > And there will be given in the same field to **whoever jousts best of those without** a noble courser, saddled and bridled. And **whoever jousts best of those within** will be given a fine chaplet well worked with silk.


title: Are semicolons mandatory in a non-bulleted list after a colon?

text: Are semicolons required (rather than commas) in a list after a colon when the list is not bulleted? I was told that it was a rule, but I can find no authoritative prescriptive source. Consider the example sentence below. > The following are unclear: whether a change in Rule C is regarded as a > violation; whether it is possible to add conditions to rule D in Category 5 > when submitting a report to the Committee; and whether Rule G and Rule H > satisfy the professional requirements. If there is no potentially confusing internal punctuation in the list elements, and if parallel construction (e.g., whether . . . whether . . . whether) shows clear demarcation, are commas not sufficient?


title: Word or phrase to refer to self-employed professionals working from home in the UK?

text: Other than _homeworkers_ (which is vague), _freelancers_ (which is, to my knowledge, US-specific, and non-exclusive to this), what other words do self- employed people working from home describe themselves, that are uniquely highlighting these features of their working condition?


title: Why are some words not capitalized in titles?

text: I understand the how, but the why escapes me completely. After a decent amount of searching on the internet I can only find people talking about how to capitalize a title (or more importantly which words to not capitalize). Even the style guides have been mute about why they are asking us to use such a convoluted set of rules. Is there some typographical or grammatical reason for some words to not have intial caps in a title (other than the arbitrary "because that is what is done")?


title: Morrow vs. Tomorrow

text: What's the difference between _morrow_ and _tomorrow_? Why are there two similar words for the same meaning? I noticed it in the title of a song of Michael Nyman, "Second Morrow", on Gattaca OST. There is no sign that it was an ancient word.


title: Can the word 'BFF' be applied to decent adults like Senate members?

text: The beginning lines of today’s New York Times article titled “As State of the Union Nears, Congress Plays Musical Chairs” provided me with a set of interesting acronym, word, and idiom new to me, such as “BFF,” “play musical chair” and “good hair,” whose meanings I was able to find out by UrbanDictionary. However, UrbanDictionary defines BFF as ‘an abbreviation mostly written on binders or notes _by girls in grade school_ , however, over the last few years, people who use to use the term in grade school have actually started saying ...’ Is it appropriate or natural to apply an acronym (BFF) being used primarily by gradeschool girls to dignitaries like Senators as exampled by the following sentence. In addition, do you use “BFF” in your colloquial conversation? > Mary from Louisiana asked Olympia from Maine because they are BFFs, but had > a backup in Bob from Tennessee in case she was rebuffed. Kirsten from New > York went the Sadie Hawkins route and asked John from South Dakota, and thus > the deal between two members of the Senate with seriously good hair was > sealed.


title: What is the origin of the phrase "'til the cows come home"?

text: What is the origin of the term _'til the cows come home_? While discussing this with friends tonight, the group had two possible explanations:   * Cows return to their barn for milking at a given time late each night.   * If a cow runs away or escapes, it doesn't return, unlike horses, which will return to their stable. As such, _'til the cows come home_ is an indefinitely long time. So, which is correct? If anybody can point me to a reputable source explaining the history of this phrase, I'd be interested to know.


title: When and how did "fail" become a noun?

text: Does anyone know when and how _fail_ became a noun? I'd love to see one of those charts that shows the date of origin and subsequent growth of this usage.


title: Why is "lucked out" such a good thing to be?

text: This still strikes me as odd, even after 12 years in the US. Being _out of luck_ is a bad thing, but _lucked out_ is a good thing, e.g. _we 'lucked out' and were able to get two extra tickets for the show_. Any idea why?


title: Is there a good substitute for the word "scarper" in American English?

text: I used _quick, let's scarper before the boss comes back_ to inject some levity into a recent meeting, but got only blank stares for my trouble. When asked to explain _scarper_ to my American chums, all I could think of was _you know, as in "scarper lads, it's the filth"_ , i.e. run away quickly before the police catch you, but _run away quickly_ really doesn't convey the essence of this truly useful word. Is there a good American English equivalent? Note: it is difficult to convey the exact context. Imagine high school kids (not the good ones) deciding to try and evade the deans, or maybe a bunch of dropouts or low-level criminals about to get caught breaking in.


title: How to parse "once upon a time"?

text: Native speaker, but I got to wondering what the grammar and semantics of this old phrase are. What would be a direct translation to modern English? I'm not looking for a loose translation; everyone knows what "once upon a time" means. I'm trying to understand the various semantic and grammatical components of the phrase the way they were originally used.


title: "No more", "no longer", "not anymore"

text: > You love me no more. > > You no longer love me. > > You don't love me anymore. How are these three sentences different from one another? I use _not anymore_ more often than the others. But once I used _I use your service no more_ and an English guy standing by burst into laughter.


title: Complement or object?

text: > I saw him cross the road. Is _cross the road_ the object of _saw_? Or is it the complement of _him_?


title: What is the meaning of the subclause of 'goes off the deep end'?

text: If a real-time program **goes off the deep end** , the system can become unresponsive.


title: "Approach mathematics like/as a creative activity"

text: Given the sentence: > Teachers in this country have generally been trained either to approach > mathematics **like/as** a creative activity or that they should force > students to memorize rules and principles without truly understanding how to > apply them. Should I use _like_ or _as_?


title: Word for company that takes bets on illegal events or helps you bet

text: As I understand _bookmaker_ in English is a person or company that takes bets on events. But I have two questions related to this word:   1. Is there any special word for a person or company that takes bets on illegal events?    2. What are companies that provide help and tell you what to bet on (like brokers) called?


title: Is it correct to use "for" with "required"?

text: I am editing a sentence that is of the form: > A has required for B to effect a change. To my ear, this sounds better: > A has required that B effect a change. Am I wrong in my dislike of "has required for?"


title: "cold cash" vs. "hard cash"

text: Context (New York Times): > Besides piling into Treasuries, institutional investors are also seeking out > the safety of **cold** , **hard cash** , pouring billions into commercial > bank accounts backed up by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Dictionary.com: > **cold cash** : Also, **hard cash** . Actual currency (bills and coins); > money immediately available, paid at the time of a purchase. The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary lists **cold cash** as American English, and **hard cash** as British English. Is the OALD correct? Is there a difference between these two terms or not?


title: Which kind of problems are described as "That's no rocket science"?

text: In German Language and Usage we just had the question German analog for “That's no rocket science”. As a native German Speaker, I do not know which situations this phrase is used in. I understand it means the problem isn't too difficult. But can I conclude something about the time needed to solve the problem? Can it for example be used when simple and almost boring repeated effort is needed to solve the problem?


title: Etymology of "cronyism"

text: _Cronyism_ probably comes from Greek _khronios_ ("long-lasting") which has a sense of "old friend". But how is it connected with today's meaning?


title: Antecedent of "size 6”" in "Pig traps, Pressure and Level Control Valves, MOV’s, Shutdown valves, Relief valves, manual valves of size 6” and above"

text: > As a general guidelines EN10204 3.2 certification is applicable to all > process wetted parts which include the Corrosion Inhibitor injection skid, > Lube Oil Pumps, Pig traps, Pressure and Level Control Valves, MOV’s, > Shutdown valves, Relief valves, manual valves of size 6” and above. I am confused about whether the _6” and above_ is applicable to all valves or only the manual valves. What does that phrase qualify?


title: What's a word I can use to describe "putting a collar on a pet" in a comical way?

text: I thought of something like "stick a collar on" but "stick" doesn't satisfy me. What are my other options? Anything with some "edge" will do if comical is too hard.


title: "you" versus "You" as polite form of writing

text: Is it correct to write "You" with a capital Y as a form of politeness? If yes, should I use that form throughout the entire letter/document, or only at specific places?


title: Infinitive vs. present participle (time relations)

text: I was told that one of the following refers to the past and the other to the future. I cannot decide which is which and would appreciate it if someone could explain the difference between these sentences:   1. Did you remember locking the door?   2. Did you remember to lock the door? It would be especially useful if the difference could be shown using these very examples. :)


title: What is the difference between "so much" and "quite so much"?

text: I was told that "so much" is more emphatic than "quite so much", but I am not sure. Could you explain the difference between the following pairs of sentences? >   * Don't put so much emphasis on that sentence.   >  Don't put quite so much emphasis on that sentence. > >   * He figured if he had a rubbing of Grace's tombstone in his collection, > maybe it wouldn't feel quite so much like she was gone forever.   >  He figured if he had a rubbing of Grace's tombstone in his collection, > maybe it wouldn't feel so much like she was gone forever. > >


title: A word that describes the polite phrases we use to begin our letters

text: How can we refer to the polite phrase used at the beginning of a letter (email in my specific context)? For example, we may start our letter: > Dear Bob, I hope that you're well and had a nice weekend. If we want to make reference to the line > I hope that you're well and had a nice weekend in such a way that we could say: > I often wonder how to begin a letter of bad news, but my [interjection] > stands genuine non the less The term "interjection" doesn't seem like a good fit here. Is there a word that describes the polite phrases we often use to begin our letters?


title: Describing the absence of equality or competitiveness

text: Situation: talking about a president of a country. Only the incumbent one is okay. All other candidates are either too inexperienced or are simply stupid. Question: How to describe this situation? 1) At the present moment I don't see anyone equal to him 2) At the present moment I don't see any adequate counterpart for him 3) At the present moment I don't see any right substitute for him 4) At the present moment I don't see any proper replacement for him 5) At the present moment I don't see any prospective successor to him What's the right way?


title: What does "emdash" mean here?

text: From a link for rain boots, > Whole sizes **emdash** ; half size buy next size up I am not sure what it means. Wikipedia says _em dash_ is a version of dash, a punctuation mark. It doesn’t make sense in the description of the rain boots. So I wonder what _emdash_ means in the quote?


title: How to answer “Is this John?” on phone

text: What is the most appropriate answer (American way)? > Yes, John speaking.   >  Yes, it is him.   >  Yes, it is he.   >  Yes.   >  Yes, speaking. I need to answer calls when interviewers/hiring managers call.


title: Identifying the class of this word

text: I'm reading the Wikipedia page on garden-path sentences. One example is: > The government plans to raise taxes were defeated. What class of word is _government_ in this sentence? I read this sentence as having the subject noun "plans". "Government" describes the noun, which would make it an adjective. I thought that the adjective form of "government" was "governmental". The sentence may imply ownership of the plans by the government (as opposed to describing the _type_ of plans, distinct from council plans or building plans). In this case, I would have written it as "the government's plans...". Either way, I'm unsure how to determine whether the given sentence is grammatically correct. Assuming it is, what class of word is _government_? [Slightly separate question: what's the correct term for "the class of word", such as 'adjective', 'noun'? Had issues phrasing my question without knowing this.]


title: Response-uncountable?

text: I am an elderly Australian teaching translation from Chinese and Korean to English at an Australian university. A Korean student's translation read: > There have [sic?] been much response to ... When I suggested that he should have written something more like _There has not been much of a response ..._ (though my own translation was _The response has been considerable_ ), my students protested that a model translation prepared by a previous Canadian lecturer read: > There has been considerable response ... I beat a strategic retreat and said I would look into the question. _Considerable_ is a flexible word that can qualify countable and uncountable nouns, so its use does not appear to be decisive. But the Canadian teacher's omission of an article indicates that he thought _response_ could be uncountable; so I am beginning to think that North American differs from British English (which I usually use) in this respect. Perhaps this tells us something about the development of English.


title: Why is "the ball of the foot" called as it is?

text: I understand the ball of a foot is where the toes join with the rest of the foot. But I don't think it looks like a ball. Why is it called a "ball"?


title: Word or phrase for when someone opens their arms wide proposing a hug

text: What's the correct way to refer to the action of one opening their arms wide to offer a hug? I've been thinking about "hug request", "hug proposal" and "hug offer" but none of these seem quite correct. Context: I believe I've misunderstood a person's physical expression, thinking it was more of a shrug than a (the word/phrase I'm looking for), and I'd like to apologize for that.


title: Sun/moon dial on a watch

text: What's the name for the dial on a wristwatch or clock which rotates to display a sun symbol at midday and a moon symbol or or night scene at midnight?


title: Does "up to [date]" include the end date? What about date ranges ("the week of...")?

text: > The quiz covers all the material up to the week of the quiz Sept.30 - Oct.6. Does this mean that September 29 is the last date, or that the week Sept.30 - Oct.6 is included in this span?


title: Is "up to" inclusive or exclusive?

text: > The study was carried out up to visit 11 under the name of `X1`, whereas all > later visits were carried out under a different name, `X2`. In the above sentence, does V11 belong to X1 or X2? I want the sentence to mean that V11 was included in X1, how should the sentence be then?


title: The first live processing date is December 29, 2014 for the pay period of December 22, 2014 to December 28, 2014

text: The question I have is the use of the word "to" in the phrase "to December 28". Does the "to" definitely include December 28th, or is it (as I think it is) ambiguous? The way it reads, I feel it is ambiguous as to whether hours worked and record on December 28th will be included in the live payroll processing date of December 29th. I think a less-ambiguous word choice would be "through" instead of "to".


title: "Turn on the radio" or "put on the radio"?

text: Are both of these correct? > "Turn on the radio" > > "Put on the radio"


title: Is there a standard for speaking "1500" as "one thousand five hundred" versus "fifteen hundred"?

text: I was asked by a French colleague, and had no clear answer, whether it's more correct to say "One thousand five hundred" or "fifteen hundred" when speaking the number 1500. Putting aside how we say dates, which have their own formula. After some thought, my best answer was I tended to say "fifteen hundred" when dealing with abstract things ("fifteen hundred dollars") that I tend to think of as a unit (when I think of $1500, I think of that sum, not of 1500 individual dollar bills), but "one thousand five hundred" when dealing with countable objects, like "there are one thousand five hundred marbles in the box." I was wondering if there was a standard or guidance documents, possibly for broadcast, that would provide some sort of structured answer to the question.


title: Word for a time discrepancy in a story

text: What is the word for the mistake of placing an event or object in the wrong age or decade, such as a film star in a movie about Roman times wearing a robe made of nylon?


title: What's the formal and informal reply to question "Let's meet XXXX"

text: My professor wrote an email to me and said "Let's meet Thursday". I do not know how to reply this email formally and politely. In addition, if a friend said "Let's meet XXX" in an informal occasion, how can I respond?


title: How to use "and" "is" "are" with locations

text: I am confused with how to use "is" and "are" with locations. Which is correct?               a)Library and lecture room is crowded.     b)Library and Lecture room are crowded.


title: Single word for "personal vocabulary"

text: I find that I have a sort of "personal dictionary" of words that I like to use. I use "salient" a lot. I use "hence", "perhaps", "incapable", "fortuitous" frequently. I store a sort of "cache" of words - both common and uncommon - that I use regularly as a part of how I speak. I figure this is the case for everybody - certain friends use some words more than others in regular communication, etc. I'm sure you have your own set of words that you tend to "fall back" on. So the question is - what is the name for this cache? What is the word or phrase for "collection of words or phrases a person commonly uses to communicate"?


title: Punctuating a Sentence Containing a Question

text: If a sentence contains a complete question, but ends with a statement, should it be punctuated with a question mark? Example: > Could she go to the store, he wondered


title: What’s the proper punctation for: “Work”, you ask?

text: I’m writing a tweet that starts with: > Put on a tie today. “Work,” you ask? But I’m not sure where the punctuation should be. Is the above correct? Or, is it something like: > Put on a tie today. “Work?” you ask. Or something else?


title: Meaning of "Thanks for your insights"?

text: What does "Thanks for your insights" mean? And how should I use this sentence?


title: Is the suffix "-ette" used for referring to a female?

text: I recently came across the word **scooterette** in an Indian newspaper. I wondered if this is an Indian coinage; a quick search on Google showed me it's almost purely Indian. I could not find a reliable dictionary reference, but this article says these scooterettes are scooters manufactured specifically for women. What is the reason this suffix "-ette" is used to refer to a female? Are there other nouns which become feminine by this addition? Or is this just some neologist's portmanteau of **scooter** and **dudette**?


title: Meaning of "What else is new"

text: I sent an email to my colleague for any questions he had, he could feel free to ask me. This is the reply from him: > Will do, just got sidetracked for a bit here… what else is new. =) Should I understand "What else is new" as a question or something else? It happens to seem an informal way of saying something but I couldn't really understand the informal meaning. I know what it says literally though. TheFreeDictionary.com defines it: > Inf. This isn't new. It has happened before; Not this again. But personally, I couldn't fit its definition in my colleague's sentence.


title: "Warm" is to "warmth" as "cool" is to what?

text: Is there a word for "coolness" that corresponds to _warmth_?


title: Pluralization rule for "five-year-old children", "20 pound note", "10 mile run"

text: Why are year, pound and mile in the singular form in the phrases below?   * five-year-old children    * 20 pound note   * 10 mile run Is that because they're acting as adjectives, which are always invariable in English? Is it incorrect to say...   * five-years-old children?   * 20 pounds note?   * 10 miles run?


title: Plural for decimals?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  0.25 mile or 0.25 miles? When writing out a quantity and then a noun what is the correct form for decimals?               1 day     2 days     .5 days?      It seems that if you were to say "half day" then the singular is reasonable but if you were to day "point five days" that also seems correct.


Which one is the correct (or more commonly used) form: "3-month retreat" or "3-months retreat"? How about "3-day" vs. "3-days" and "3-week" vs. "3-weeks" in the same context? (This is retreat as in meditation retreat and for U.S. English.)


title: Why is the singular of "year" used in phrases like "72-year-old" and "20-year jail sentence"?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Pluralization rule for "five-year-old children", "20 pound note", "10 mile > run" > 72-year-old Giselle Gilbert was taken to hospital.   >  He was given a 20-year jail sentence. Why is the singular of _year_ used in these sentences?


title: What is wrong with " He participated in two-miles race "?

text: What is the Grammatical mistakes in " He participated in **_two-miles_** race " ?


title: Is "They all had 15 minutes waits" grammatically correct?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Pluralization rule for "five-year-old children", "20 pound note", "10 mile > run" I was reading an article that used the phrase "15 minutes waits" and it sounded odd to me. I've always said "15 minute waits". Which is grammatically correct? Or are they both acceptable? Google seems to indicate that "minute waits" (157k) is much more common than "minutes waits" (11.3k). It also occurs to me that perhaps the former is only valid when 15-minute is hyphenated. i.e. "They all had 15-minute waits." EDIT: To be clear, the context of the original sentence was that every one of them had a 15-minute wait. Is it **ever** correct to say "They all had 15 minutes waits"?


Are the apostrophe placements correct in every example? • two weeks' vacation • four days' personal time • three months' sabbatical time • ten nights' accommodations • three hours' sleep • eight months' pregnancy • eight months pregnant • five minutes' time • a penny's worth • two pennies' worth • a nickel's worth • two nickels' worth • a dollar's worth • five dollars' worth • two seconds' time • five years' probation Thank you kindly.


title: "Forty foot" or "forty feet"?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Pluralization rule for "five-year-old children", "20 pound note", "10 mile > run" Is it correct to say > "This is a forty foot drop" or > "That is a forty foot telescope" Shouldn't it be "forty feet"? And what if it is > "This is a thirty nine foot drop" instead? Are both correct? Does it depend on the context? How does it work?


title: the world('s) population speak/speaks

text: Which one is correct: 1- 4.23% of the world (world's) population SPEAKS Arabic. 2- 4.23% of the world (world's) population SPEAK Arabic.


title: Is it hour or hours when used in a phrase?

text: I recently joined a company as a trainee and we have to skype our priorities or task that we are gonna do on that day. For example, people write priorities like this: **1\. HTML/CSS training - [0.5 hours].** **2\. PHP training - [9 hours].** Now I do know about quasi possessive but this doesn't sound like a quasi possessive. I wanna know whether it should be 9 hour or 9 hours? Maybe it might be 9 hours because it's more than 1 but writing 0.5 hours seems a bit confusing. Please let me know what's the correct usage. Thank you.


title: Why is the singular of “week” used in “two-week business trip”?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Pluralization rule for "five-year-old children", "20 pound note", "10 mile > run" According to Google, it is correct to say "two-week business trip" instead of "two-weeks business trip". So "week" word should be used in singular form which looks strange for me as non-native speaker. Is there any special rule for this kind of phrases?


title: 1.99 dollar or 1.99 dollars?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Are these plural or singular?   >  Should we use plural or singular for a fraction of a mile? I want to write price of some thing in my site. As I know (maybe I am wrong) for things more than one we have to use "s". Related to 1.99 which is correct? What is the correct pronunciation?


title: Is 1.0 singular or plural?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Should we use plural or singular for a fraction of a mile? I'm working on a website that displays distance to various locations to the nearest 1/10 mile. One of the developers (a non-native speaker) asked me an interesting question: If the distance is 1.0 mile(s), is that singular or plural? Clearly, anything other that 1.0 is plural, but is it: > 1.0 miles away or > 1.0 mile away The first option sounds more correct to my ear, but the voice of my elementary school language arts tells me that the latter option is correct. Edit: Added the word 'away' to the example. It doesn't change the question, but might provide clarity for the answer. Also, regarding numbers between 0 and 1, after more thought, I'm not sure that the answer is as clear as I originally thought. See http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/57224.html.


I have seen people say both 0.25 mile and 0.25 miles. Should we use plural or singular for a fraction of a mile?


title: rent for three months

text: I'm drafting a lease which requires tenants to pay rent for the first three months when they sign the lease. Which one of the following is correct? Thanks. three month rent   three month's rent   three months' rent


title: Should "forty-year" in this context be hyphenated?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Pluralization rule for "five-year-old children", "20 pound note", "10 mile > run" > Mr. Willow’s more than forty-year experience in the industry persuaded me to > apply. Or is the following a better way of saying it? > Mr. Willow's more than forty years of experience in the industry persuaded > me to apply. Are they both correct, or should the hyphen in the first example be removed?


title: What is the difference between: "two-day" and "two days"

text: I would like to know which would be the correct form: >   * a major two-day auction >   * a major two days auction > The duration of the auction is two days. Which form is the right one to use?


title: Pluralization rule is different when we say, 10 pound note and 10 pounds?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Pluralization rule for "five-year-old children", "20 pound note", "10 mile > run" We usually say "10 pounds", but for a single bill we say "10 Pound note" and not "10 pound(s) note". And when we have a lot of notes we say again "10 Pound notes". Why this disparity?


title: One and a half minute/minutes

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Pluralization rule for "five-year-old children", "20 pound note", "10 mile > run"   >  Should we use plural or singular for a fraction of a mile? When talking about "one and a half" of any object, do we use the subsequent noun in plural or just singular? I'm aware that "A minute and a half" is also correct but I'm looking for the specific "One and a half"-construction here. So for example, which of the below phrases is correct? > You're one and a half **minutes** late! or > You're one and a half **minute** late! Is there any difference when using the phrase as an adjective like so: "One- and-a-half-minute recipe"?


title: "30 year" vs. "30 years"

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Pluralization rule for "five-year-old children", "20 pound note", "10 mile > run" Reading a report online, I read something like this. > during his 30-year rule. Is it 30 year or 30 years?


title: Two step method or two steps method

text: It seems like a particular dance is called "Two-step". It gave me some doubts about how to spell step in the description of a method I use. If my method has two steps, should it be called a two step method or a two steps method?


title: Should "two weeks vacation" be "two weeks' vacation" (possessive)?

text: I've always understood that the phrase "two weeks" usually turns to "two weeks'" when used as a modifier -- as in "I'm giving my two weeks' notice" or "I get two weeks' vacation" ("two weeks' holiday" for Brits) -- with an apostrophe on the word "weeks", indicating that the vacation belongs to the weeks. One way to explain this is the phrase "two weeks of vacation" being contracted to "two weeks' vacation" -- the vacation is _of_ the weeks, i.e. possessed by it. But I've seen a lot of people omit the apostrophe in casual writing, and thinking about it, it seems plausible that the noun "vacation" would be plainly modified by the adjectival phrase "two weeks"... but on the other hand, shouldn't adjectival phrases be hypenated, viz. "two-weeks vacation"? But then that seems wrong too; the hyphenate should be singular, "two-week vacation" (like "two-tone shoes") because preceding adjectives are not declined for number. Why is the singular of “week” used in “two-week business trip”? touches on this (and references a good Wikipedia page on noun adjuncts) but doesn't explain why the plural must be possessive in this case. Explanation on when the possessive should be used instead of an attributive noun suggests that "two weeks" might be adverbial rather than adjectival, and thus resist being used attributively. But that still doesn't quite explain this particular muddle of pluralization, possession, and attribution...


title: Variable that depends on another variable

text: In a software system, we allow users to define variables. The variables can be related to one another using mathematical formulas (for example, A = B + 1). If a change of value of a variable A affects variable B, we would call B a "dependent variable". How should we call the variable A - that is, a variable that is affected by a change of another variable?


title: What terms should be used to mean the different states of attendance of volunteers in a clinical study?

text: In a clinical trail with several visits, it is common to see volunteers not attending their visits at some time point for different reasons. I have these different situations, and I would like to know whether a certain term or phrase should be fittingly used in each case, the different conditions I have are:   1. The participant didn't come, because he was not needed to come, he did come before and he is no more needed to attend.    2. The participant didn't come, but he was needed to come, though he couldn't make it to come for whatever reason.   3. The participant did attend, but the objective of his attendance was not fulfilled. For instance, the sample needed could not be collected or lost after collection. In effect the objective of his attendance was not completely achieved.  I know that there is a term for the second situation which is `drop-out', but how to use it with the correct punctuation? is it: He was _dropped out_ from the study at visit 10. He _dropped out_ from the study at visit 10. He was a study _drop-out_ at visit 10.


title: Is it correct to say (Name of University) Academic Community welcome guests and participants to the first youth congress of ~?

text: I saw a tarp with this text: (Name of University) Academic Community Welcome to the First Youth Congress~~~~ June 15 - 17, 2013 (Name of University) Social Hall Theme: "~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~" I did not mention the name of the university for the obvious reason.. My concern is the word welcome. I think it should be welcomes because the community is taken as one but when I pointed that out they said welcome is correct.. I'm confused..


title: Why is "Rosen Plevneliev" pronounced with a /z/?

text: As I have told you in my previous question, I have heard the CBS news about the Bulgarian president visiting the US here. I don't know why, but the way the reporter has pronounced his name makes me smile. I know that that isn't an issue since we speak different languages, but I was wondering why she pronounced it that way. His name is _Rosen Plevneliev_. In Bulgarian there are duplicate consonants like _s_ in _sauce_ and _z_ in _zebra_. In Bulgarian we pronounce it with clear _s_ sound while this reporter has used the _z_ sound. My question is: What is the rule in English that makes her pronounces it that way.


title: How should I parse a sentence that’s broken up with a dash?

text: What is the correct "parsing" of this sentence: > Futuristic but not out of time — like an artifact from the 1960’s, someone > trying to imagine what 2013 would be like. I came to two interpretations of the above sentence and would like to know whether either is correct:   1. [Futuristic] but not [out of time — like an artifact from the 1960’s, someone trying to imagine what 2013 would be like.] And so it is saying the device _does not_ look like an artifact from the. . . .   2. [Futuristic but not out of time] — [like an artifact from the 1960’s, someone trying to imagine what 2013 would be like.] Therefore, the device _does_ look like an artifact. . . . The full paragraph the sentence is taken from (to provide additional context) > The design of Glass is actually really beautiful. Elegant, sophisticated. > They look human and a little bit alien all at once. **Futuristic but not out > of time — like an artifact from the 1960’s, someone trying to imagine what > 2013 would be like**. This is Apple-level design. No, in some ways it’s > beyond what Apple has been doing recently. It’s daring, inventive, playful, > and yet somehow still ultimately simple. The materials feel good in your > hand and on your head, solid but surprisingly light. Comfortable. If Google > keeps this up, soon we’ll be saying things like "this is Google-level > design."


title: Unisex slang for "man"

text: In slang, one can use the generic "man", to describe his conversant. For instance: > Man, it's sure hot here this season How can I express that for a woman I'm talking with?


title: What's the difference between a gerund and a participle?

text: What is the difference between a gerund and a participle?


title: Does "ducking" have anything to do with a canard?

text: Wiktionary has a passage explaining (no citation) an origin to the use of the word canard as a means of diverting aggression from vulnerability: > Specifically, the term Canard refers to a tactic used by a parent duck to > deceptively draw a predator away from its offspring or nest by quacking and > feigning a broken wing For canard, Dictionary.com offers "from French: a duck, hoax, from Old French _caner_ to quack, of imitative origin". The passage on 'duck' (as a verb) is less explanatory and offers only the definition, however the Online Etymology Dictionary reads: > "to plunge into" (trans.), c.1300; to suddenly go under water (intrans.), > mid-14c., from presumed O.E. *ducan "to duck," found only in derivative duce > (n.) "duck" (but there are cognate words in other Germanic languages, cf. > O.H.G. tuhhan "to dip," Ger. tauchen "to dive," O.Fris. duka, M.Du. duken > "to dip, dive," Du. duiken), from P.Gmc. *dukjan. Sense of "bend, stoop > quickly" is first recorded in English 1520s. Related: Ducked; ducking. The > noun is attested from 1550s in the sense of "quick stoop;" meaning "a > plunge, dip" is from 1843 So when it comes to 'ducking the truth' or posing a canard in an argument (or resorting to trickery, deception, lying), are these two words only related by coincidence or did something give rise to their linked usage?


title: Superlatives with "the"

text: What is the rule regarding using _the_ with superlatives? For example: >   1. John is _the_ fastest among his friends. >   2. John is fastest among his friends. > Both appear to be correct. I have seen both formats in a variety of places.


title: Is there a word for the desire to care for an injured or vulnerable person or animal?

text: Specifically, I'm looking for a word or phrase that captures the feeling of wanting someone to need you to care for them, and feeling guilty that the desire implies that you want the other person to be hurt or vulnerable.


title: When to drop the 'e' when ending in -able?

text: I've seen a thread that generally asks about Creating words with “-able” suffix But I don't think it answers my point, though they _are_ admittedly dangerously close topics. When do you drop the _'e'_ when forming words suffixed with - _able_. My Spell checker likes _Unforgivable_ but dislikes _Forgivable_. Dropping the ' _e_ ' in the first case, and adding it in the second makes my spell checker happy. How do you determine when one is ok? Note that this is different from the linked question, where neither with or without the ' _e_ ' is accepted. (Having checked the OED it seems there is one accepted spelling of _Forgivable_ but two of _Unforgiv(e)able_ )


title: A word for something that is both useful and beautiful

text: Is there a word to describe an object that excels in form and function? I am trying to avoid very general words like _great_ , _superb_ or _excellent_.


title: Use of “would” in the specific situation

text: > A man asked a question to his friend, “Why was it the best time for Bilal to > be in his home?” > > His friend replied, “It **would** be the best time for Bilal to be in his > home because his uncle visited him at that time.” In what sense is the modal verb _would_ being used above? Can we replace the _would_ used there with this instead: > It might have been the best time. . . .. What job does _would_ do in the quoted dialogue above?


title: Synonym for "Passion driven"?

text: What's a word for using one's motivation to accomplish something? I tried _passion driven_ but it doesn't seem to fit. The sentence is: > Motivation fosters the dedication needed to **____**.   >  or   >  Motivation fosters dedication needed to [be good at what you do] If the question I've asked doesn't make sense, just complete the sentence that describes the importance of having motivation in a career.


title: What is it called when people wrongly anticipate something and their actions eventually make it happen?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What word means “to speak something into existence”? This is probably something that economists would quickly recognize. It often happens that people would wrongly speculate something; for example, a sudden rise in gold prices, and as a result of that speculation, the buyers will rush to buy gold in a bid to escape the anticipated rise in price whereas the sellers will hold it back looking forward to the price rise. The sudden demand for gold, on one hand, and the shortage of supply on the other, will eventually bring about the rise in its price. I was recently reading about this phenomenon on some website and the author, stating that the trend applies to a variety of economic activities including foreign exchange, had called it something using a term which I now wish I had made note of. Economics apart, I believe this is something that can happen anywhere where anticipation and speculation are involved. I request you to please share if you know what this phenomenon is called.


title: What is the proper use of [square brackets] in quotes?

text: I sometimes see square brackets used while quoting. My assumption is that they are replacing a pronoun with what the object of the pronoun, but I never know for sure because I don't usually get to see what the original quote looks like before the modification. What are these called and what are the rules of use?


title: Bracketed Capital Letter

text: What does the bracketed capital letter indicate in the revised version below? Is it essential, per the rules of proper punctuation, to do so? Are the ellipsis points (i.e., the spacing of the dots) spot on in that sentence to indicate the omission of one or more sentences? Original quotation "It need hardly be said that shortness is a merit in words. There are often reasons why shortness is not possible; much less often there are occasions when length, not shortness, is desirable. But it is a general truth that the short words are not only handier to use, but more possible in effect; extra syllables reduce, not increase, vigor." Revised quotation "It need hardly be said that shortness is a merit in words. . . . [S]hort words are not only handier to use, but more possible in effect; extra syllables reduce, not increase, vigor." Thank you.


title: What do brackets in a quote mean?

text: > **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What is the proper use of [square brackets] in quotes? What do brackets around a word or words in a quote mean? This may seem silly, but I've never figured this out. Bad fictional examples: > "That's what all this is about it is [terrible]" It's also used at the beginning of a quote sometimes like: > "[Albert Einstein] was genuinely a genius."