"There is a plethora..." or "There are a plethora..."?

A simple question that has sparked some debate, and I couldn't find a concrete answer anywhere. There seems to be two camps: The word plethora indicates plural, so therefore it should be "There are a plethora"; and the other camp says that there is only one plethora (which contains multiple), so it should be "There is a plethora". I've seen many examples of both. Is there a consensus, or is it just one of those things that can go either way?


Why has Southern US English all but abandoned adverb forms?

In Southern US English, adverb forms are almost always replaced by their adjective forms. For example: > The journey was awful long.   >  He's running real fast.   >  He ran to the store quick.   >  He plays tennis good. This seems something unique to Southern US English. What dynamic is there in that region that has resulted in this loss of a distinct adverb and adjective?


What is the name of the basis writing stroke?

I can't recall the name of the standard writing stroke in the English script. Apologies in advance if this is off topic. This stroke is the single vertical stroke fundamental to many letters. A single stroke is the basis for the letter i, a lengthened one above is the basis for l, lengthened below is the basis for j. Likewise, connecting two at the top is basis for n, two at the bottom basis for u, and the bases for m and w follow by connecting three. Does anyone know the actual term for this basis stroke?


What does the noun "lucker" mean?

What does the noun "lucker" mean? It's not in the Webster, but Google does give search results for such key phrases as "I am a lucker" or "He is a lucker" (and those are not misspellings like "luckier" or "lurker"). So people DO use that word. I myself heard it a number of times. And if they use it, it should have some meaning. So, here is my question: what does the noun "lucker" mean?


When should I repeat the definite article?

I am a bit confused about the rule of setting the definite article in a sentence when it is associated to two nouns.   1. >     * The beginning and end of the channel.  >     * The beginning and **the** end of the channel.   2. >     * The arguments belong to the request and to data function.  >     * The arguments belong to the request and to **the** data function.


Change of meaning by replacing "into" with "in"

If you replace _into_ with _in_ , can a sentence change its meaning? For example, are the two sentences below equivalent in meaning? > I placed the coin **into** her hand. > > I placed the coin **in** her hand.


Word or phrase for a person who sets their watch forward to prevent being late?

My aunt does this. She sets her watch 15 mins early because she knows that she is chronically late all the time. Is there a word or phrase specifically for the act of setting your watch forward with this intention? Or perhaps for the kind of person who tries to correct themselves with techniques like this?


What is the adjectival form of "nemesis"?

If I have a non-person object or idea that I consider to be my nemesis1, how could I refer to the object as a noun but use an embellishing adjective to emphasize that the object is my nemesis? For instance, "Since the end of World War II, Communism has been the [nemesisical] ideology of the United States." Some words that come to mind include _adversarial_ , _opposing_ , _antagonistic_ , but these don't have quite the same meaning. * * * 1This question was prompted by a non-deleted question on Programmers.SE: Do you have a [programming] language that's your nemesis? (10k only)


“but, except, besides”?

When learning the infinitive construction, my teacher told us that if “but, except, besides” serves as a preposition and before them there exists “do” or its other forms (did, does), “but, except, besides” will be followed by an infinitive with “to” being omitted, such as “He wants to do nothing but go out.” I am wondering if you could give me an example about “besides” followed by an infinitive with “to” being omitted. In addition, I found this sentence in a dictionary “Besides making money, the company aims to set high standards of quality and design.” I thought “besides” could be followed by an infinitive and gerund. Am I right? Is there any differences? In addition, can "but" or except" be followed by a gerund ? Thank you so much!


Many more vs much more / many fewer vs much fewer

This year there were:   * many more people   * much more people Alternatively:   * many fewer people   * much fewer people Which is considered better English?


Proper noun capitalization. Language or Culture?

I've noticed over the years my perception of "correct capitalization of proper nouns" has been challenged, as I've interacted with more cultures and languages. For example:   * Days of the week, in Spanish.   * The language name, español.   * Romanized names of people from "Indian" cultures. (I use quotes, as I'm unsure of their actual origin. Maybe Middle Eastern?)      * sravan prince     * shrikanth shrikanth     * mohammad kumar     * meera azaruddin   * Those same romanized names, written by both India and English writers, are inconsistently capitalized. When I write these proper nouns, in an English discussion, are the rules in I've learned in English "thrown out"? In those discussions, should they conform to English rules? Is this not a bug deal and everyone is cool with it?


Has the meaning to the question "Do you mind" changed ?

When a person asks "Do you mind if I ..." The response now days seems to be "Yes ..sure go ahead" which to me means they DO mind.. I hear this constantly on TV and in the work place, it just seems to bug me...


Is "narcotraffic" a real word?

I know the meaning but does this word actually exist in English? Should I use it in a formal paper?


High level saying of the sentence "I don't just work for timepass"

Basically, I want to tell my superiors that whatever work I perform, I do it to the fullest and I do it efficiently. So I want to express the sentence: > I dont work forcibly and for time pass. I work with great care, interest and > perfection. I want this above sentence to be more high level which suits corporate environment.


Origin and Impact of "Blown" Meaning "Bloom"

According to MW, _full-blown_ means > having all of the qualities that are associated with a particular thing or > type of person : **fully developed** Having used it in this sense recently and noting its similarity (in sound and meaning) to the more easily explainable _full-grown_, I wondered why _blown_ is in _full-blown_. My first suspicion was the _blown_ was an analogy to the product of some craft, like glass-blowing. I was unable to find an entry dedicated to _full- blown_ on Etymonline, though I did find some entries that referred to it, particularly **blow v.2**: > "to bloom, blossom" (intransitive), from Old English blowan "to flower, > blossom, flourish," from Proto-Germanic *blæ- (cf. Old Saxon bloian, Old > Frisian bloia, Middle Dutch and Dutch bloeien, Old High German bluoen, > German blühen), from PIE *bhle-, extended form of *bhel- (2) "to blow, > inflate, swell" (see bole). **This word is the source of the blown in full- > blown**. Google nGrams suggests that a horticultural origin may make sense with _full- blown_. The oldest reference to _full-blown_ I found via nGrams was from "Satirical, humourous & familiar pieces" printed by G.Nicholson and Co., 1795: > "You must know that in my person I am tall and thin, with a fair complexion > and light flaxen hair; but of such extreme susceptibility of shame, that, on > the smallest subject of confusion, my blood all rushes into my cheeks, and I > appear a perfect full-blown rose. Assuming the origin of _full-blown_ is from this sense of _blooming_ (earlier or contradictory examples welcome), are there other uses of _blow_ or _blown_ familiar to the modern ear that retain or allude to this meaning?


Meaning of "Profit"

I was asking a question about how to deal with sweat in shoes. Some replied: >   1. Wash. >   2. Let them dry out. >   3. Profit. > What does "Profit" mean here? Someone suggested it is related to South Park. I have no idea.


"The bastard spawn of Spoo and Vox raised by RSS"

> Does a person who doesn't sweat really exist? > > Yes. The bastard spawn of Spoo and Vox raised by RSS. What is the meaning of the reply? What do "bastard spawn" and "Spoo and Vox" and "RSS" mean actually?


'Should've seen it glow' or 'should've seen it glowing'?

Which one of the following is the correct one?   1. I should have seen it glow.   2. I should have seen it glowing. Or are both correct? Would you parse them please?


What's the recommended way to refer to the September 11 attacks in formal writing?

_September 11 attacks_ , _September eleven attacks_ , _September eleventh_ , _Nine-eleven_? None of the above? What's recommended for formal writing?


What is the difference between "onerous" and "arduous"?

Is there any difference in the meaning of these words? Which one of them is used the most in everyday conversation? In my vocabulary for both words I've found essentially the same meaning: "difficult to do and needing a lot of effort".


adjective that means "someone who puts people down"

I was just thinking about someone I went to school with who had a penchant for putting people down, and I was trying to think of a word that describes this, but couldn't find it. It would be a synonym of "`caustic`", "`abrasive`", "`discouraging`" and "`undermining`", but these all have slightly different connotations ("to wear away", "cause discouragement" or "to make fall"), I want an adjective that has the connotation of a hammer hitting you on the head. The word does not necessarily need to describe someone who does this on purpose, out of evil intent. Is there such a word? * * * edit:   Removed the part that said " _and physically making you be lower than you are_ " since I realized this was misleading in what I am looking for. The word should give you a mental picture of someone barraging you with negative comments, but it not necessarily affecting you. Think of someone who so often has something negative to "contribute" that many can just either ignore it or roll their eyes at it, and that is the extent of its effect. As I mentioned in another comment, I keep getting the mental picture of the word "buffet" as in, how waves buffet the shore. A constant hitting, without the hitting necessarily being devastating in its destruction. Hopefully this helps to narrow it down a bit.


How common is "thrice"?

Our proofreader, a native speaker of American English, just won't let me use this word. Every single time I try to sneak it onto one of our sites, she replaces it with _three times_. Now, I do realize that _thrice_ is quirky, but how quirky is it really? Is it awfully archaic? Is there a chance that native speakers won't understand it at all? I know I could just search a corpus or five, but I don't feel like looking at cold stats (or the Wiktionary usage notes, for that matter). Instead, I am asking members of this community for their very personal, highly subjective, extremely biased opinions.


What is the plural of peafowl?

So, “the peacock’s mission is clear: to create as many baby __ as possible.” Dictionary.com is frustratingly vague on this — it says: > pea·fowl [pee-foul]   >  noun, plural pea·fowls (especially collectively) pea·fowl. So, apparently it could be either _peafowls_ or _peafowl_. Any idea which one sounds better or is more respectable?


'Wrapping up' term

When I start a task: that is called the PREPARATION PHASE. When I do the task: that is called the EXECUTION PHASE So, how would a say, correctly, when it is the WRAPPING UP PHASE. I know wrapping up is not a correct and professional term for calling this phase, so what would it be? English is not my 1st language, so I am trying to figure this out. Thanks for your assistance. Claudia


Is "leading" a superlative adjective?

Is "leading" a superlative adjective? In the following sentence, does "leading" mean "best"? > China's leading singer, Xue is holding a concert today. Should I necessarily say "one of China's leading singers" so that I do not end up meaning "China's best singer"?


When you say a man is a coward, does it imply femininity by default? Is ''girlish coward'' a common expression?

I was wondering about this and would appreciate your take on the question.


"The Dude abides" — what does "abide" mean in that context?

I'm unfamilar with the word "abide" which is famously used the the movie quote "The Dude abides" (The Big Lebowski). Looking it up in a German/English dictionary makes me believe it's "The Dude lives on", but I heard the word used on a way that makes it seem to be a variant of "approve", as in "The Dude does not abide this behavior". I hear it used as "to obey" a lot, as in "we must all abide by the rules". Can someone shed some light into the meaning of "The Dude abides" in the context it's been used?


1. It is => It's   2. I am => I'm   3. That is => That's Why do we say "This is " instead of "This's"?


Is the "weekend" part of the "week"?

Is the "week" only the five days in-between weekends or not?


What is the difference between "dissoluble" and "soluble"?

I noticed that there are words "dissoluble", "dissolute", and "soluble", "solute". In one word, the terms **with** "dis-" and **without** "dis-". What is the difference between them?


What does "message to the main" mean?

I have been listening to the song _Written in the Stars_ by Tinie Tempah and the lyrics go like this: > Oh written in the stars   >  A million miles away   >  A **message to the main**   >  Oh   >  Seasons come and go   >  But I will never change   >  And I'm on my way What does _message to the main_ mean?


"Under/straight from the horse's mouth" — etymology?

I'm reading Kim Philby's autobiography, _My silent war_ , where in the early pages he describes an acquaintance as being _under the horse's mouth_ , the proverbial _horse_ being some high-ranking official. Being situated _under_ the horse's mouth is silly because horses, as far as we know, don't talk in a natural language. It would also be somewhat careless as horses are known to bite unprovoked on occasion. But the phrase quickly conjures up the image of a squire or assistant, loyally standing by his mounted master, near the horse's head, quite close to its mouth. In this light the expression makes sense, but I'd like to verify that, hence my question here. To kill two birds with one stone I'd also like to ask about the etymology of the more canonical expression, _straight from the horse's mouth_. I'd expect the two to be somewhat related, but with issues of natural language one can never be certain.


What is the correct pronunciation of "AJAX"?

I have wondered for a while about how I should pronounce "AJAX" (asynchronous JavaScript and XML). I usually say "I-acs", as in the Amsterdam football club, but should I say "a-jacs" (as it looks in English) or simply as the acronym "A-J-A-X"? Or does it not matter?


Are there English sayings that correspond to the old Japanese saying, ‘There is no wild pig larger than the mountain from where he emerges’?

In connection with my question about the usage of ‘No detail is too small’ I posted today, I’m curious to know whether you have axioms to correspond to my favorite Japanese old saying, ‘There is no wild pig larger than the mountain (from where he emerges).’ Wild pigs are perceived as violent, reckless and dangerous animal that attack people in the mountain in Japan. The meaning of this proverb is the God is merciful. He does not impose you heavier hardship and acuter agony than you can bear, thus things always go better than you worry about, don’t panic. I used to tell this proverb to myself like a mantra to keep myself every time I have encountered hardship in my life. I bet it actually works. I’m curious to know whether there is a proverb similar to ‘There is no wild pig larger than the mountain,' which I would like to try to utter in case of emergency.


Is it OK when I say "I have a little request from you"? Is it commonly used?


You think you're right but you're actually wrong

What's a word for when someone is wrong, and they know they're wrong, but they insist that they are right? EDIT: If someone does something and you know they did it, and they know they did it, but they keep telling everyone they didn't do it, and they go out of their way to try and convince others that they didn't do it. (Example: Someone steals your dog. You know it's your dog. Your dog knows he's your dog. But the thief goes around saying its their dog and produces false receipts or photos (of other dogs), etc.)


Is there a term for French words adopted by the English language, such as "hors d'oeuvres" or "objet d'art"

I would call them "Frenchisms" or some such -ism, but I figured I'd at least ask first. So is there a name for such adopted foreign phrases? Also, how about those adopted from languages other than French? Same deal? I know neologisms are new terms or phrases that have yet to be made official, but that's not so relevant here, since these adopted phrases aren't exactly new.


Origins of the word "mother"

Apologies in advance for this question being only indirectly related to the English language, but I find it fascinating. I note with interest that the English words "mother" and "mama" have similar sounding equivalents in almost all languages, even those that appear to have no historical recent relationship. http://www.mothersdaycelebration.com/mother-in-different-languages.html Not even mentioned in that link is the Mandarin word "māmā", a language I always assumed had no relationship with English whatsoever. This suggests to me that "mother" / "mama" could be one of the oldest surviving words, belonging to some lost parent language from which most modern languages derive. My questions are:   1. Is this theory remotely plausible, or just fanciful thinking on my part?   2. Are there any other "universal" words like this? (Could "OK" be considered such?)


Sources say English was rhotic in the 17th century -- how do they know that?

Sources say English was rhotic in most places in the 17th century. How do they know that? Obviously, we don't have any samples of recorded speech from that time.


What is the origin in a strong Scouse accent of the phoneme /x/ or sometimes /kx/?

What is the origin in a strong Scouse accent of the phoneme /k/ in all positions of a word except the beginning being realised as /x/ or sometimes /kx/? Has this charateristic been taken from a different language?


Why is most North American speech rhotic?

Most North American speech is rhotic—why is that? Does it come from the early English settlers or perhaps from the Irish settlers?


How to use "have been —ing"

I know the present perfect continuous is used for activity which has stopped recently or now. When it combines with _for_ , _since_ , or how long an activity is done, it means the activity is still happening. I did a question on a grammar book which asked me to fill the bracket with the correct tense: > I (1) **_**(read) the book you lent me and I will return it when I (2) > **_**(read) it. The answers for the blanks are:                (1) have been reading       (2) have read       I understand the answer for (2), but I don't quite comprehend the answer for (1). It uses the perfect continuous tense even though the activity is not stopped and it is not followed by how long the activity is. Or the clause ( _you lent me_ ) indicates that the activity begins from the time the book was lent until now?


In this "while"-construct sentence, should I have used "would" or present tense?

"While everyone chafes under any ethical and moral systems, **we’d shine and prevail by** flagrantly ignoring and disregarding modernity in favor of successes, results and growth." or should I have written it as: "While everyone chafes under any ethical and moral systems, **we shine and prevail by** flagrantly ignoring and disregarding modernity in favor of successes, results and growth. Is it correct and/or does it change the meaning of the original sentence?


What is wrong with "I don’t like these kind of things"?

The _New Oxford American Dictionary_ reports that > USAGE 1 _Kind of_ is sometimes used to be deliberately vague: _it was kind > of a big evening_ ; _I was kind of hoping you’d call_. More often it reveals > an inability to speak clearly: _he’s kind of, like, inarticulate, you know?_ > Used precisely, it means _sort_ or _type_ : _a maple is a kind of tree_.   >  2 The plural of _kind_ often causes difficulty. With _this_ or _that_ , > speaking of one kind, use a singular construction: _this kind of cake is my > favorite_ ; _that kind of fabric doesn’t need ironing_. With _these_ or > _those_ , speaking of more than one kind, use a plural construction: _these > kinds of guitars are very expensive_ ; _those kinds of animals ought to be > left in the wild_. Although often encountered, sentences such as _I don’t > like these kind of things_ are incorrect. The same recommendations apply to > _sort_ and _sorts_. For which reason is _I don’t like these kind of things_ incorrect?


What does it mean to "bounce a(n) __ off" someone?

I recently tried to use the expression "bounce an _opportunity_ off someone" in writing, but using it seemed awkward to me. The expression "bounce an _idea_ off someone" felt much more comfortable, but it didn't convey what I meant to get across. I believe the expression means something like "I want to conversationally determine what someone's thoughts are about a particular idea", but I'm not even sure if that interpretation is correct.   1. What does it mean to bounce an idea off someone? Does the expression have a known origin?   2. Can I only bounce "ideas" off someone? Can it extend to other concepts (such as "opportunities")?   3. Is there a better way to idiomatically express the phrase "bounce an opportunity off someone", in the sense of "I want to conversationally gauge someone's level of interest in a particular opportunity"?


Oxymoronic soundtrack — mismatch audio to visuals

I am looking for a word or a turn of phrase to describe a situation whereby the music or a soundtrack does not go with the visuals of a film at all. This is to perhaps make it more poignant and create more of an emotional impact because of the sheer contrast of the ill-fitting music. E.g. really happy cheerful music in a violent war movie. Some adjectives I have considered so far include: >   * disjointed >   * contrasting >   * contradictory >   * out-of-sync >   * antithesis of each other >   * (oxymoronic?) > Perhaps there isn't a single word or phrase to describe this, but wondered if anyone had any other helpful suggestions or phrases in mind.


meaning of "consists of doing all that one ought to want to do and not being forced to do what one ought not want to do"

what's the meaning of this phrase "liberty consists of doing all that one ought to want to do and not being forced to do what one ought not want to do"


What is the adverb for 'seasoned'?

I am looking for a word that means the blend of maturely, beautifully, and correctly and has to be used the way some art is executed, for example: _Just for the sheer beauty of it, without understanding it, do you enjoy any language? if spoken **in a seasoned way**?_ _I fell in love with her house! the calligraphy on her wall was done so **seasonedly**?_ I know that word doesn't exist, that's why I am asking :)


Need a little help with rephrasing

So, this is the sentence: Faustus’s annihilation is a sobering reminder of our own human shortcomings; the parable resonates throughout the ages, encouraging even us, as a modern audience, to re-evaluate the things that we are using to make ourselves happy. And what _I'm_ not happy with is the final phrase, in particular the word 'things', which sounds a bit too sloppy... Any ideas? Thanks in advance!


Is there any word for the person who is running the business of "Prostitution"?

Is there any word for the person who is running the business of "Prostitution" ? Who indulge or force, girls or woman in the business of prostitution?


What's the complement or corollary of "influences"?

An article on Wikipedia about a literary work might include a list of _influences_ , i.e. a list of earlier works that influenced this one. What about the other way around – a word for a _later_ work that was _influenced by_ this one? Is there a noun for that?


Use of "in this light"

In my language there is an idiom _in this light_ which roughly means _from this perspective_ or _in connection with this_. Can I use this idiom in English? For example, > This presidential candidate was often accused of corruption, in this light > his anti-corruption speech looked as a nonsense


How would you say this? Or is it already grammatically correct?

X person and I's conversation was both a welcome call and a DBA.


how much more—question or statement?

> Since this, how much more another[.|?] I would have used a question mark to end that sentence; however, I've seen two different, recent authors end it with a period. **Is this type of sentence a question or a statement?** I'm assuming that from the answer to this question, the punctuation flows simply, that there are no hidden rules for punctuation in this case. * * * Examples that prompted this question: > "Since this principle is true of the OT Scriptures written before the end of > the ages has come, how much more is it true of the NT Scriptrues written in > the period of the end of the ages in which we today and they who originally > received it both live."   >  (George W. Knight III, "The Scriptures Were Written for Our Instruction," > _Journal of the Evanglical Theological Society_ 39, no. 1 [1996]: 12) > > "Now if people normally take the validity of the communication process for > granted in regard to daily human discourse, how much more plausible is the > notion that the infinite, personal God can communicate literal truth > verbally or propositionally."   >  (Robert L. Reymond, _A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith_ , > 2nd ed. [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1998], 20)


What is the opposite of commercial?

What is the opposite of **commercial**? Is it "personal" or "public"? I want to use these terms for a dichotomous variable I have created. **EDIT** : I was trying to create a variable for trucks and passenger car but writing commercial for the trucks


What is someone who for non-malicious reasons always interprets words in the least generous way?

I recently made the unfortunate mistake of apologizing for having been _"disingenuous"_ towards a friend. Luckily my friend was generous enough to assume that I had mis-spoken and ask for clarification; because somehow I had gotten the notion that _disingenuous_ was based on the root of _generous_ rather than _genuine_. While I had been sincere enough in everything I'd said, it was a lack of generosity in repeatedly assuming the worst intentions in everything they did that I needed to be apologizing for. Since then, I've been wondering if there even is an English word that means what I wanted to say. I've come up with many individual words that apply to one degree or another, but not something that easily sums up the demeanor I was trying to describe. Is there a single word that would carry the connotation of "always thinking/assuming the worst" in someone, not in the sense of being deliberately malicious but merely in the sense of being distrustful and bitter and hence reading the worst possible connotations into every situation?


Does the subject of this sentence make sense, even when split by the clarification?

I'm trying to be as terse as possible in expressing a few points, so I've ended up with the following sentence: > During the summer, my sister and brother, younger by five years and older by > two, respectively, and I lived with our mother. Is this grammatical and does it sound strange to read? Is there a better way to write it?


Can "alight" be used in reference to inanimate objects?

Merriam Webster says that _alight_ means, among other things, "to descend from or as if from the air and come to rest." So, the question is: Can one use _alight_ in a sentence like "A small kite alighted on the roof directly over that house"? Or, does the "come to rest" part imply that that word is currently used only in reference to animate beings, like birds or insects?


Is the punctuation in this sentence correct

My mom is concerned about my grades because she feels that I have not been studying enough lately.


Meaning of "constitution" in strange context

The following passage is from the first chapter of Emily Bronte's _Wuthering Heights_ (1847): > He’ll love and hate, equally under cover, and esteem it a species of > impertinence to be loved or hated again—No, I’m running on too fast—I bestow > my own attributes over-liberally on him. Mr. Heathcliff may have entirely > dissimilar reasons for keeping his hand out of the way when he meets a > would-be acquaintance, to those which actuate me. **Let me hope my > constitution is almost peculiar: my dear mother used to say I should never > have a comfortable home; and only last summer I proved myself perfectly > unworthy of one.** (emphasis mine) The text then goes on to describe the previous summer, wherein the narrator displays timidity, thus unintentionally snubbing someone he loved. What is the meaning of _constitution_ in this sentence? I've looked at the OED for _constitution, n._ , and the definitions seem to include the following:   * the action of constituting   * a decree or law, or the action of effecting such a decree   * composition; the way something is made up (its constituency, if you will)   * physical nature and temperament None of these definitions appear to readily fit the passage. Could someone define the word in context and explain what the sentence means?


Is there a rule about using the adverb "utterly" followed by negative adjectives?

I have noticed that most of the time it is the case in usage, but I'm not sure if it is a rule or not. I. e. would it be right to say "utterly wonderful" or does it sound oxymoronic? Thanks


Comma use dividing two lists in one sentence

How do I properly punctuate this sentence: "Prepared, packaged, and priced beef, pork, chicken, and seafood." I am trying to say that I did those three actions to those four kinds of meat, but I am unsure of what to do. Should there be a colon or semi-colon between priced and beef?


This is the title of a short story I'm writing: > The Sunday Earthquake and the Red Planet in the Sky I don't know why, but I think it reads better if I remove of the "thes": > Sunday Earthquake and the Red Planet in the Sky I've seen this be done before. For instance in two stories, by the Japanese author Haruki Murakami: > Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of The World > > The Wind-Up Bird and Tuesday's Women I'm not very sure, though. Maybe the second "the" isn't necessary in the two examples above. Is it OK to omit one "the" if there are two in the title of a book/story?


Should "the" and "a" agree in the same sentence?

Example: > She lowered her pen to the blank page and wrote **the** first verse—followed > by **a** second one. In this case, I used _the_ first and then _a_ at the end. Is this grammatically correct?


What does "intake" of central intake mean?

I was at the Employment and Social Services office and they gave me a leaflet that contains a list of useful numbers to call. One of the number is for _Central Intake_ and below it describes it is a number for homeless individuals and families who are in need of emergency shelter. I suppose _central_ here means it's a office that has power or control over other parts? What about _intake_ , what does it mean? I couldn't find an appropriate definition from the dictionaries.


Roast duck vs. roasted duck

We can say ‘fried fish’, ‘baked potato’ or ‘minced pork’ using past participles for modifiers. However, ‘roast’ is different - either ‘roast duck’ or ‘roasted duck’ works, it seems to me. How should we analyze this? Is ‘roast’ a noun modifying a noun here, or is it a different form of the past participle? (According to freedictionary.com, in Middle English the past participle was ‘roste’ – does that mean that this was once a strong verb?)


Is the sentence "Format complete" wrong?

As a Windows user, I see a message box with the message: `"Format complete!"` when I have finished to format a drive. According to the dictionary, `complete` is a verb or a adjective. If it is a verb, the message should be phrased as `"Format is completed!"` or `"Format completes!"` If it is a adjective, the message should be phrased as `"Format is complete!"` Why is the message `"Format complete!"`?


Is an excessively shy person a "gussie"?

I'm sure most of us are familiar with a shrinking violet as being an excessively shy person; however, while reading from _Flappers to Rappers: History of American Youth Slang_ Dr. Dalzell defines a "gussie" as 1920s slang for an excessively shy individual. Any ideas why this may be?


What are the origins of: to “bleed something”?

I've come across the answer about what it means to bleed something but am having a hard time finding its origin. What was the original thing that was bled and in what context was it used?


How would one say "An accent from the Southern States of the USA"?

One could say: > He speaks with a strong Southern dialect. If you are in the United States, one would picture a Texan. However, that same sentence said in Britain would mean he speaks like Hugh Grant. If someone says: > He speaks with a Southern American accent. One could still picture the Texan, but one could just as easily mistake the accent as being from anywhere in South America, such as Brazil. Is there any way to more concisely say "an accent from the Southern States of the USA" without the ambiguity?


Does "hopelessly lost" sound awkward?

The expression _hopelessly lost_ just sounds awkward in my ears. But it seems to be grammatically correct and googling it finds quite a few links, so it seems to be a valid expression nevertheless. So, is it just me, or is it generally felt as awkward?


Question on a job application form

I'm helping a friend fill out a job application where a strange question appears: > Do you seldom let your responsibilities interfere with having fun? (Y) (N) Am I crazy, or is this question ambiguously worded? Which response would an employer look more favorably upon?


"At my earliest convenience"

I'm quite used to using the phrase "at your earliest convenience" to express urgency but also polite sensitivity to others' schedules and deadlines. It means "Please do this as son as you can without dropping something else." Lately I've heard more and more voice mail greetings and written notes that use the phrase "at my earliest convenience." To me, this is rather rude, since it means "I'll do it when I feel like it." More to the point, politeness requires minimizing the bother of a request on oneself while expressing appreciation for the bother of a request made on someone else. Am I reading too much into this? Is it polite to use "at my earliest convenience?" It certainly _sounds_ rude to me.


Is it ok to use the irregular past tense of a verb as it were a regular one?

Let's say I say / write _catched_ instead of _caught_ or _buyed_ instead of _bought_ , etc. I know this is grammatically incorrect, but **is it incorrect or perfectly fine to use it in every-day life ?** English is not my first language so I am a little bit curious about this. Some people say it is correct and understandable, while others say it is incorrect and ridiculous.


"Fall from" vs. "fall off"

Which of the following sentences is correct? >   * She fell from the bike. >   * She fell off the bike. >


phrase to describe the diversity of age range of a group of people

Would it be correct to use "chronologically diverse" to describe a group of people whose ages range from very young to very old? If not, what would be a better phrase to use?


What is meant by “Cash it in” in Joe Biden's phrase, “I began to understand how despair led people to just cash it in.”?

The article of New York Times (May 2) titled “Biden shares tales of loss with military families” quotes the line in Joe Biden’s 2007 memoir - “I began to understand how despair led people to just cash it in.” The Vice President lost his wife and 13-month-old daughter in a car crash in 1972. The article reads: > “On Friday, Biden told the military families how low the crash had brought > him. “I probably shouldn't say this with the press here, but - no, it’s more > important - you’re more important,” he said. Biden had actually told the > story before, on page 80 of his 2007 memoir, “Promises to keep.” “I began to > understand how despair led people to _just cash it in_ ,” Biden wrote.” As I’m unfamiliar with the phrase, “cash it in,” I consulted online dictionaries: Cambridge Dictionary doesn’t register ‘cash it in’ but ‘cash in on sth‘meaning ‘‘to get money or another advantage from an event or situation, often in an unfair way.’ Oxford Dictionaries registers ‘cash sth in’ meaning ‘convert an insurance policy, savings account, or other investment into money. Neither of the above definitions seems to be applicable to the above line. Merriam-Webster doesn’t register ‘cash it (something) in.’ Google Ngram shows the linear increase of the incidence of the usage of “cash it in” since circ 1920. What does “cash it in” in Mr. Biden’s “I began to understand how despair led people to just cash it in,” mean? Is the phrase, ‘cash it in’ used ofen in this way as a popular idiom?


What's the meaning of "throw out"

> Ultimate fist pumping workout. > > My friend threw out her shoulder by fist pumping at a club once. The comment was made from a gif. In this gif, it shows a man doing a workout holding a barbell without the plates while pumping his fists.


"If it hadn’t been for the rock, the ship wouldn’t have gone aground"

> If it hadn’t been for the rock, the ship wouldn’t have gone aground. What does this idiom mean, exactly? From The Economist.


"Farthest" vs. "furthest"

My spellchecker insists on replacing "furthest" with "farthest". I was under the impression that _farthest_ is strictly speaking in terms of distance, whereas _furthest_ is more abstract. A poster on this forum gives the following example: > The further [quantity] you walk, the farther [distance] you get. What gives?


I'm looking for a single word to replace a 'lack of response'

For example usage, on asking a question. The lack of response was expected/annoying... Google gave me 'Indifferent' but I believe there must be something else.


Synonym for "media item"

I am looking for a synonym for "media item" by which I mean a single photo, article, video, document, etc. I need _one_ term as a handle for one of any of these types of items. I am honing my domain vocabulary for communicating with public affairs clients on software development projects. I find "media item" a little clunky, and I am wondering if there's a better handle out there. Unfortunately, "publication" can't do, as this leads to some confusion given the way I need to use the term "publish" for non-media items.


Is "New and Improved" an oxymoron?

It irritates me that advertisers often claim a product is "New and Improved". Surely, if something is **new** (ie, has not existed previously), it can't be **improved**! And vice versa!


What is the correct word to describe a turn or a bend — "hard", "sharp", "heavy"...?

If there is a very sharp turn or detour or bend — in a piece of plastic, for example, — what is the correct word to describe it ( _hard, sharp, heavy_...)?


Use of contractions in an exam

I am teaching Intermediate Level English to exam students in Spain and I have been asked when is it correct to use contractions. I am of the understanding that, in an oral or written exam, it would be more appropriate to use the full form. However, my query is, would it be incorrect to use a contraction? Would they lose points?


"Godness" vs. "goddess"

I've noticed people use (in speech) the word _godness_ for "feminine god", e.g.: > Oh my **godness**! However, in classic texts it is _goddess_ , e.g. Shakespeare's "King Lear": > Hear, nature, hear; dear **goddess** , hear!   >  Suspend thy purpose, if thou didst intend   >  To make this creature fruitful!   >  Into her womb convey sterility! It is my understanding that _godness_ can be an urban slang for "divinity", but not for an impersonated deity. Is _godness_ just a mistake?


Is it poor style to use adverbs ending in "ly" in formal writing?

I came across this infographic which contains the following claim: ![dubious infographic](http://i.stack.imgur.com/yquig.jpg) > Some grammarians consider "ly" ending adverbs as bad style in formal > writing. Are there any serious style advice sources that actually make this dubious claim? What's the theory for how avoiding such adverbs improves writing? * * * I've done some further research and found that this notion is widespread, but there is little citation or authority. Where did this idea come from? > For what it's worth, here's a blog entry that claims "Aspiring science- > fiction authors receive one piece of advice above all others: Forsake the > adverb, the killer of prose. It's terribly, awfully, horrendously > important." — Seriously, What’s So Bad About Adverbs? > > To make the point about as clear as I can - using "ly" ending adverbs is BAD > WRITING for fiction writers. — Those "ly" Ending Adverbs


"Objects in which" vs. "objects where"

I am confused with the correct usage of _in which_ vs. _where_ in the following example: > However, this pros, is limited for the objets **where** an edge resides > perpendicular to the ridge-line and connects via two other edges. I feel I should use _in which_ instead of _where_. Which is grammatical? Are both?


How to express the phrase "to look absentmindedly" in one word?

I'm not a native speaker and I need some help. I'm brushing up my English doing some exercises. One of them wants me to translate the phrase "to look absentmindedly" using just one verb. Could you, please, give me a hand?


Plastic or rubber stretched too much is (hardly/strongly) stretched?

If you want to describe a stretched plastic cable, would you say that it was _hardly stretched_ or _strongly stretched_?


Is there a word for a compilation of charts?

What word can best describe multiple charts put together? (Graphs, in math context - not projections or business)


Part of speech for "please" followed by a verb

I know that "please" can be many different parts of speech; interjection, an adverb, or a verb, depending on how it's used. I'm looking specifically to find out what part of speech "please" is when followed by a verb:   * Please send me your information   * Please find your shoes   * Please write down your name


"Connotation" vs. "Definition"

There seems to be some ambiguity between the _connotation_ and _definition_ of a word / word group / phrase. The dictionary entry seems to be that a _definition_ is more of a primary description of a word whereas _connotation_ seems to be more of an alternative meaning or implication. Further, despite the dictionary entry, I feel like I hear them used synonymously both on this site and in "real life." So, long question short, what constitutes a _definition_ and what constitutes a _connotation_?


Word to mean the specific component part of a honeycomb?

In the context of a math paper, I want to talk about the individual hexagonal parts of a honeycomb. "cells" can be ambiguous and "hexagonal prisms" is technically incorrect (the back of the cavity is angled outward). "Repeating component part" is wordy and vague. Is there a common phrase or word typically used for this?


What's the meaning of "a staple amongst the community"?

In this context: > trying to become a staple amongst the community


What is the exact equivalent to “daylight ghost’?

I came across the word, “ _daylight ghost_ ” in the following sentense of the fiction titled “The Lost Order” appearing in January 7 New Yorker magazine. > “I have not always – had not even long – been **a daylight ghost** , a > layabout, **a mal pensant** , a vacancy, a housewife, a person foiled by the > challenge of getting dressed and someone who considered eating less a valid > primary goal. I hade been a fairly busy environmental lawer, an accidental > expert of sorts in toxic-mold litigation.” I can imagine that “daylight ghost” is the word to describe an introverted and passive woman from the following words, ‘layabout,’ 'mal pensant,’ ‘ a vacancy,’ ‘housewive.’ However, no dictionary at hand carries the word, “daylight ghost.” I found two entries of this word in Google. One as the title of the fiction, ‘Daylight Ghost - A Memoir of War and Love’ by Janine di Giovanni, and the other as the same name title of a song of John Wesley Harding. What does “daylight ghost” exactly mean in a word? Is it well-used English word, or did the auther of “The Lost Order” just pick up the word from such a title of books and songs? In connection with the above quote, can I translate a ‘mal pensant’ simply as “wrong thinker”? Is there any other implications? Does this word pass as a day-to-day English word today?


Using "staffs" to refer to people

This is a sentence in a book by Rudy Giuliani. > I could ensure my deputies and commissioners were working off the same page > and could carry a coherent message back to their staffs. Isn't staff a mass noun with no plural when referring to people?


Experience ranks in engineering titles

I've seen terms such as "Associate Engineer", "Assistant Engineer", "Senior Enigneer" but I'm yet to find a ranked list of such terms. In a word-for-word translation for similar ranks in Brazil, we have:   * Engineering Intern — 5-year engineering graduation still in course;   * Engineering Trainee — fresh out of a 5-year engineering course;   * Junior Engineer — fresh out of the course, licensed (no experience is required for a license here);   * Full Engineer — at least 3 to 5 years of experience in their field;   * Senior Engineer — at least 10 years of experience, though time is less of a factor;   * Specialist Engineer — shows deep knowledge on specific parts of their field. What would be the ranks used in English and associated experience/requirements?


If someone thinks like you, can he or she be your 'alter ego'?

Wikipedia explains _alter ego_ thus: > An alter ego (Latin, "the other I") is a second self, which is believed to > be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. A person who has > an alter ego is said to lead a double life. So, _alter ego_ sounds more like an identity disorder. But I remember reading somewhere that a person who thinks like you and has the same views and perceptions as you do, can be called your _alter ego_. I would like to know if this term can be used to describe someone whose thoughts and behaviour usually match yours?


When is Christmas Eve Eve?

I have recently seen weather forecasters making predictions for Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Eve Night, and for Christmas Day. One also reads of Christmas Eve Eve, with two eves. Are those all meaningful and distinct (and clear to all!) , or are there redundancies or contradictions there? Is there a better way to say those? Given the apparent existence of a Christmas Eve Day and a Christmas Eve Night, is the period between those Christmas Eve Eve, or is it just Christmas Eve? Or does Christmas Eve Eve mean the day (or the night?) before Christmas Eve, so two days then before Christmas proper? * * * Me, I always thought of the _eve_ as being the **_night_ before** a holiday (or anything else), not the entire calendar day before as it seems now to mean — and I wonder when and why that has changed. So Christmas Eve Night seems like a pleonasm to me. And it seems that I am not alone based on this article published on Christmas Eve Eve Eve of 2012: > Just when I thought I was catching on to all the Christmas traditions, I > hear the phrase “Christmas Eve eve” or “the eve of Christmas Eve.” When did > that sneak in, and what the heck does it mean? It looks like _Easter Eve_ is (or at least was) sometimes used for Holy Saturday, sometimes the same as or related to _Easter Vigil_. Indeed, Anton Chekov wrote a story with the title _Easter Eve_ about the night before Easter. But now we see people talking about Good Friday Eve instead of Maundy Thursday. Thanksgiving Eve has now been seen in the wild, and even Halloween Eve to mean October 30th, which seems to go by the name of Devil’s Night in some circles. **Eve** n so, _Halloween Eve_ seems like another double: _All Hallows’ Eve **Eve_**.


Should there be a comma before "though" when it occurs at the end of a sentence?

Consider > I don't know how outdated it is though. Should there be a comma before _though_ , as in the following? > I don't know how outdated it is, though. * * *


After losing weight, how do I say I can wear my belt tighter?

So, yes, I have been losing weight, so far down 4kg and 2 to 3 inches in waist. I am happy and when I was trying to say to someone that now I can wear my belt tighter, I don't know how to say it because I wonder:   * Is there a specific name for the holes on the belt?   * Is there a specific verb for wearing a belt? In the end, I said "I can now comfortably **buckle** 2 to 3 **holes** tighter when wearing my belt." Sure, it is easy enough to be understood, but is there a better way of expressing that? Also, can I use "buckle" here for belt, in a same sense that it is used in "buckle up" (car seat-belt)? I know the word buckle actually refers to the rectangular metal thing that holds the belt in place, but the best I could think of is "buckle two holes tighter".


What does "hit margin" mean?

This is used in an economic context: > We don't monetize ourselves properly, so we don't **hit margins**.


Antonym to "news"

I have very old info. Is there a concise term like "news" that I can use to describe this? Update:   I am looking for the antonym for _news_. Can I say _oldies_?


Question on Champagne

The meaning for Champagne, which one is better? I found both in different reference books. A white sparkling wine. A sparkling white wine. :-)


What sentence structure is this?

Nelson Mandela just passed away today. Many of my friends are writing tributes on their Facebook pages. One goes like this: > I typically have an aversion to joining the masses on these matters, but > **far be it from me not to add to honouring of such a history-making, > extraordinary man**. If anyone deserves peaceful rest, it's you, Mr. > Mandela. A job well done. (Emphasis mine) I've never seen such sentence structure as _far be it from me..._. Can someone please help me analyse it?


Tools that help with acronyms and jargon in software requirement documents

Are there any tools that would help with comprehension of technical documents that contain a mix of domain specific and company specific acronyms and jargon? A tool that is functionally similar to the automatic acronym expansion done by Wikileaks in their Afgan War Diary (as seen at http://213.251.145.96/id/310B4FC4-2F89-4653-A546-1AD5D55BD9F7/) but ideally supports PDF or Microsoft Word documents. The list of acronyms and jargon and their expanded text could be provided in a separate file.


How did Persian words arrive in English?

Some Indian words which have entered modern English, such as 'bazaar' and 'cummerbund', are of Persian origin. So it seems they have completed a journey from Persia to Western India to present-day United Kingdom. How did they get from Persia to India? Was this due to the migration of Zoroastrians? And were there special linkages between the Parsees (descendants of the Zoroastrians) and the Westerners?


A more appropriate word for feeling "high"?

What is a more formal or appropriate word to replace the word _high_ when writing "feeling high"? By feeling "high", I don't mean the person has to be smoking weed or taking crack. So the person is _not_ in a trance, feeling dizzy or feeling psychedelic. He is perfectly healthy. For example, a person dancing in a club, jamming on his guitar, having lots of fun, etc, he could say he is feeling "high". But the word "high" sounds colloquial. What is a better word to replace feeling "high" in this context for writing?


"For food and diet to some enterprise that hath a stomach in't"

Here are some lines from _Hamlet_ , Act 1, Scene 1 (The Arden Shakespeare edited by Harold Jenkins) > His fell to Hamlet. Now sir, young Fortinbras, > > Of unimproved mettle, hot and full, > > Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there > > Shark'd up a list of lawless resolutes > > For food and diet to some enterprise > > That hath a stomach in't, which is no other, > > As it doth well appear unto our state, > > But to recover of us by strong hand > > And terms compulsatory those foresaid lands > > So by his father lost. Philip Edwards explains the phrase: > For food and diet to some enterprise > > That hath a stomach in't, as follows: > The resolutes are prepared to enlist for their keep only, because they are > attracted to an adventurous enterprise. "diet" = "diet-money", living > expenses. The enterprise has "stomach" in two senses: it provides resolutes > their real nourishment, and it is bold and spirited. On the other hand, Harold Jenkins explains: > For] denoting purpose. The sense is not , as sometimes supposed, that the > resolutes are hired for (no pay but their) food. Rather they are to serve as > "food ... to some enterprise". > > a stomach] The enterprise is personified by its possession of a stomach, or > a spirit of daring, the stomach being traditionally the seat of courage. I'm wondering which interpretation is more appropriate.


Better phrase for "taking care of one's responsbilities"

I am constantly talking to my kids about taking care of their responsibilities. Sometimes, in the heat of an emotional lecturing, I shorten it to "meet your responsibilites," in the sense that one can "meet an obligation". There has to be a better, shorter way to say the same thing. Some rejects:   * _Meet your obligation_ \- Eh, an obligation is not a responsibility, really.   * _Do your duty_ \- Not good for talking to kids.   * _'Tend ur rez'_ \- No matter how many "z's" you use, dad, you will never be cool. Can anyone suggest or invent a better way of hitting this bullet point for the attention-span challenged?


Correct punctuation of a phrase?

> Knowledge is expensive. But even more so, is stupidity. or > Knowledge is expensive. But, stupidity is even more so. I'm very confused as to the correct punctuation and order or the above phrase.


Meaning of the phrase "put down one's papers"

In India, the phrase "put down one's papers" means to submit one's resignation at a workplace. Is this usage universal? I suspect this is Indian.


Complete sentence: Is the subjunctive mood suitable for this case?

> The worst that can happen is that he **fail/fails/would fail/will fail** the > exam. Which of these is (or are) correct? In Spanish, the subjunctive mood would be used, is the case similar in English?


What does "with all the discrimination of a shotgun" mean?

"If you scatter commas into a sentence with all the discrimination of a shotgun, you might make it to the foyer before we politely escort you from the building." Source: http://goo.gl/ZH6lO Doesn't a shotgun fire one bullet per round? Wouldn't it be better to say 'machine gun' in this context? -Edit-  Found this on the web: United States Code (18 USC 921) defines the shotgun as "a weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder, and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger."


What's the difference between "neural" and "neuronal"?

Is it that something that is _neuronal_ has to do with neurons, while something that is _neural_ has to do with nerves or the nervous system? Is something that is _neuronal_ necessarily _neural_? Or does it depend on the context? E.g., if we have that, > A **neural** stem cell can go on to become a glial cell or neuron. and > A **neuronal** stem cell is committed to become a neuron. Is the latter no longer a _neural_ stem cell because it has lost its ability to become a glial cell?


Usage of the word “spoof”

In this SuperUser question titled "What are ways to prevent files with the Right-to-Left Override Unicode character in their name (a malware spoofing method) from being written or read?", what I wanted to convey was that some malware masquerade or disguise their filenames with the RLO Unicode character, and I'm looking for ways to prevent files with the RLO character from being written or read in the computer. ( _I worded the question title that way to not go beyond the 150-character question title limit, and to put enough info in the question title._ ) In the question text, I wrote: > What are ways to avoid or prevent files with the RLO (Right-to-Left > Override) Unicode character in their name (a malware method to spoof > filenames) from being written or read in a Windows PC? In the question title, is the usage of the word, "spoofing", correct in that context? In the question text, if I wanted to mean " _...a malware method to disguise or masquerade filenames..._ ", is the usage of the word, "spoof", correct in: " _...a malware method to **spoof** filenames..._"? If not, how should I have used the words, "spoofing" and "spoof"? Or should I have used another word to explain what I tried to mean instead?


What's the antonym of "serendipitous"?

What's the antonym of "serendipitous"? I couldn't find any anywhere.


Adjective for withstanding the passage of time

Is there an adjective meaning that an idea or object has longevity, or will still be relevant in the future? (I believe I've heard such a word, but I can't think of it at the moment.) Usage example: > While this textbook is interesting, it does not seem particularly **_[?]_** > ; five years from now, it will be useless.


Should I use "like a..." or "like the one of a..." in the following sentence?

What sounds more natural? This: > Her body was warm, like the one of a sunbathing cat. or this? > Her body was warm, like a sunbathing cat. (I'm open to other suggestions). **EDIT** Here's some context: > She put her glass down on the floor and wrapped her arms around me. Her body > was warm, like the one of a sunbathing cat.


Word for contrasting aspects of a work

Is there a word for the style/device of making one aspect of a literary work contrast with another drastically? E.g., a comic book about the Holocaust[1] or a very upbeat tune with very depressing lyrics? * * * [1] Nowadays, there are many serious graphic novels, but I strongly suspect that that was not the case when _Maus_ came out, so _Maus_ would have been seen as having contrasting aspects of the sort I'm asking about.


Noun for an individual that formulates a question and also for an individual that addresses an answer

Given a person who formulates a question, may he or she be called the _questioner_ or _enquirer_? Likewise, may a person that addresses or responds an answer be called _answerer_ or _responder_? Which are the correct words?


How do I express "hope you become less busy"

I have a friend who works at law firm. I suggested to him to have dinner with my family this weekend but he told me that he just got staffed on an new thing that will have him working through the weekend. I want to tell him that I hope deal he is working on closes soon so that he will become less busy (less assigned work to do). What would be the common expression to use?


What’s the word for the habit of writing “play’d” or “revolv’d”?

I’m working on an 18th-century manuscript, and I’m trying to explain to others the use of _’d_ in past tense verbs. Is there a word that encompasses the usage of _’d_ in early 18th-century manuscripts? I’m thinking of words like _play’d_ instead of _played_ , or _revolv’d_ instead of _revolved_.


When to use "click" and "click on"

In the context of computers or websites, when should one use _click_ or _click on_?   1. Click (on) the right mouse button   2. Click (on) the word 'Download'   3. Click (on) the Start button   4. Click (on) here for more information


Correct way to spell "young'un"?

As slang, this phrase: > Since I was a young'un... Is there an accepted way to abbreviate the last word there?


Difference between "Warm regards" and "Best regards"

Is there any difference between _Warm regards_ and _Best regards_?


Opposite of "most recently"

What is a good way to formulate the opposite of "most recently"? For example, > Display the five most recently updated streams. > > The two most recently hired coders are doing a great job. How do I better formulate these? > Display the five streams where the greatest amount of time has passed since > they were last updated. > > The two coders where the greatest amount of time has passed since they were > hired are doing a great job.


Meaning and usage of "It's in that vein"

I am really hooked on watching Seinfeld; it is really my favorite series. Now in one of the episodes the sentence in bold is used: > George: Hello.   >  Kelly the Waitress: Well, what's it going to be?   >  George: What's it gonna be?   >  Kelly the Waitress: Yes. What'll you have? Are you eating? **_It's in that > vein._**   >  George: I’ll eh, I’ll just have a bowl of chili. I always wondered what that means. I couldn't even understand it, I had to search for the script of the episode, and look at what was actually said. What is she trying to say, and how do you use this phrase?


"Can I help who's next?"

This seems to happen every time I go to my local bagel shop. Everyone is waiting in a line, and when the cashier is ready to help the next person, he/she asks, "Can I help who's next?" or "May I help who's next?" This seems wrong to me, shouldn't it be "Can I help whomever is next?" or "May I help whomever is next?"


Do we have an equivalent for Persian's proverb "to stretch one's leg more than one's rug"?

In Persian we have this proverb which translated literally becomes: > To stretch one's leg more than one's rug which means that you go beyond the circle of your authorities, or the circle of your capabilities. It simply indicates that you have some limitations, thus don't go beyond them. Like when you don't have enough money, but you want to start an expensive, costly business. Do we have something similar in English?


"I look for a place where I be free" — subjunctive or just bad English?

I'd like to know whether the phrase "where I be" is grammatically incorrect or whether it is correct if in the subjunctive mood. If it is in the subjunctive mood, what exactly would it mean? The entire example sentence is: > I look for a place where I be free.


How to say "possibility at maximum rate" correctly

How do we say > The possibility of dying in a car crash here, is always at the maximum rate correctly? Is the above sentence correct? I don't want it to sound very formal.


Is "he was leader" right?

> French surgeon Ambroise Paré (c.1510–1590) is considered one of the fathers > of surgery; he was leader in surgical techniques and battlefield medicine, > especially the treatment of wounds. This sentence is from Wikipedia's scientific revolution article. Why we don't say "he was a leader" or "he was the leader", is "he was leader" right?


Use of comma in separating ideas in a phrase

I ran into an interesting grammatical question while coding yesterday. We were doing a change to some in-app text, on a page where checks that are no longer valid are registered. The original text read "Stopped/Voided Checks", because the reason for checks to be stopped is because they have been voided, so the two words are connected in meaning (some checks that are stopped are stopped for different reasons, but they both fall under the same category for our app's purposes) As part of the change, we also have to include forged checks on this page, so my boss instructed me to change the text to "Stopped/Voided, Forged Checks". However, I contended that "Stopped/Voided and Forged Checks" seems more gramatically correct. It also occurs to me that "Stopped/Voided Forged Checks" could be used, or "Stopped/Voided, and Forged Checks". Which of these instances are most proper? I'm in favor of "Stopped/Voided and Forged Checks" personally, because it reflects the inclusion of both Stopped/Voided AND Forged checks, but I am not certain that this is correct.


Is "if I were going to simplify" a correct sentence?

Is this sentence correct: > If I were going to simply


What does the phrase "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish" mean?

It was Steve Jobs's ending comment in the Stanford Commencement in 2005, and Jobs mentioned: > Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. What does this phrase mean? I understand this may also seem philosophical, but when studying English, often we not only study the words, but we often study what the meaning is, and what a phrase or writing may mean or imply.


Comma or semicolon in this particular case!

The nationalities shall mingle, the nights shall sparkle. or The nationalities shall mingle; the nights shall sparkle. Two complete sentences, right? So, I guess they should be separated by a semicolon to show the connection. Am I right?


Difference between “Generally, I am…” and “I am generally…”?

Revisiting my CV, I have stumbled over a small question. I originally wrote: > _“I am generally willing and able to relocate worldwide.”_ Today, I noticed I could also write: > _“Generally, I am willing and able to relocate worldwide.”_ Now, I'm a bit confused which one to use. Maybe this origins from the fact that English is not my native language… Is there any – no matter how subtle – difference in meaning when putting the word “generally” in front of that sentence? As that line is part of my CV, I guess most important for me is to understand if there is any reason why I should prefer one version over the other. Or doesn't it matter which one I use?


What does “breathe down one’s neck” mean?

There was an article titled “Obama or Emanuel pushed to spotlight Solyndra” in today’s Washington Post, reporting that President Obama or his chief of staff were eager to help spotlight a solar company, Solindra. Eventually, the Department of Energy allowed (or was forced to allow) to pour $535 million in loans to the now shuttered company. In the article, there was a sentence: “Any word from OMB?” Department of Energy stimulus adviser Steve Spinner wrote to a department staffer about final terms of the Solyndra loan to be approved by the Office of Management and Budget. “I have the OVP and WH _breathing down my neck on this.”_ What does “ _breathe down one’s neck_ ” mean? Additionally, there was the line; “Ron said this morning that the POTUS definitely wants to do this,” one White House staffer told an _Obama scheduler_ on Aug. 17, 2009.” What does “ _scheduler_ ” mean? Cambridge Dictionary online defines “scheduler” as “a person who works for a broadcasting company putting the various programmes for the day, week, month, etc. into a particular order. But I don't think this applies to "Obama scheduler." What is Obama schedulers' job?


Is there more than a 'double' whammy?

I have three (could grow to be more) bad reasons for a situation and I wondered if there is such a thing as a triple whammy that is an extension of the double whammy. From my research online, a triple whammy means a totally different thing.I have pasted the definition I found in dictionary.com. **triple whammy** definition:   1. n. a powerful treatment; a powerful shock. : The market crash, the trade figures, and the death of the secretaryof defense was a powerful triple whammy in Washington politics this week. Is this just a higher "degree of badness," or does it mean something different altogether?


What's the noun form of "insufficient"?

I'm trying to write something and I'm trying to say "..but this is written by an insufficient lad.." but it sounds weird. I was wondering what's the noun form of "insufficient" ?


Describing "data backend"

I have to translate "data backend" to Russian and Hebrew without using borrowed words. I'll appreciate if someone describes what "data backend" means so I could find proper words in my language.


What is the difference between therefor and therefore?

I'm a non-native English speaker, and my automatic spellchecker seems to accept both therefore and therefor. Is one orthography preferred ? Is that a British vs. American difference ? Or an old vs. more recent orthography ? Or something else ?


How should I understand "She cracked open a door"?

I learned the following sentence from _100 Greatest Science Discoveries of All Time_ by Kendall Haven: > Marie Curie's studies rank as one of the great turning points of science. > Physics after Curie was completely different than before and focused on the > undiscovered subatomic world. **She cracked open a door that penetrated > inside the atom and has led to most of the greatest advances of twentieth- > century physics.** I don't understand the sentence in bold. Why can two verbs, "cracked" and "open", be put together in this sentence? Or do I misunderstand the part of the speech here?


"To shoot out of cannon into sparrows"

In Russian we have idiom/saying "To shoot out of cannon into sparrows" (literal translation) which is used to convey an idea of applying too drastic measures to small problems. I believe there should be some native-English equivalents to this saying. Can you share if there are any?


Word request: Well-known and generally accepted

I'm trying to find a word that is used to describe something that is generally accepted and well known, but is not necessarily written down or properly defined. The word is one I have used in the past but for some reason my neurons are not firing properly and I can not remember the word. Synonyms include: pragmatic, standard, well known, experiential, practical, empirical, observed, accepted. You might use it in a sentence such as > Most of the instructions are based on <blank> information by a variety of > individuals. or in a slightly different form > Their <blank> experiences in the field define the way the business operates. _[edit]I've added my own answer because I have since found the word I was looking for: Anecdotal. My synonyms above were slightly inaccurate, although the sentences, along with what I wanted to use the word for, still works as I intended it to based on the actual definition.[/edit]_


Contrary-to-fact conditionals usage error

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  “If I would have lost you” vs “If I had lost you” My question is about a usage error involving contrary-to-fact conditionals. Instead of something like this:   * If I knew French, I would go to Paris.   * If I had known French, I would have gone to Paris. People sometimes say/write something like this:   * *If I would know French, I would go to Paris.   * *If I would have known French, I would have gone to Paris. My sense is that the second kind of error is more common than the first. Ten years ago, the error was committed by ESL students only, or at least that's how it seemed to me. But now I frequently encounter it in the language of native English speakers. Here are some examples of the error, taken from Google:   * *"If I would set up the punishment you describe, I would at least grease or oil the hemp."   * *"If they would have seen it they would have known it was not."   * *"If I would have I would never have experienced the happiness that I have now."   * *"I have learned a hard lesson but still continue to torture myself, mostly with the thought that if I would have pushed harder and more sincerely to be there for her, she probably would have had the baby and we'd be together." I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed this error and written about it (e.g. whether the error has become more common in recent years). I'd especially like to see discussion by real linguists (e.g. Language Log or Languagehat). At least I'd like to find some searchable phrase referring to the error (e.g., "dangling modifier").


Words of Chinese origin in English?

When it comes to word-loaning, English sure stands out. Having come across many loan words from other languages, I started to wonder if China too blames us of contemporary word-theft. Well, apart from the obvious such as `Kung-fu`, `Ih-don-kno` or `tea`. I am on the look out for some strong words along the lines of Zeitgeist or Ménage à trois, something mainstream, something modern yet Chinese. Tuhao seems to have caught up.


Is “Stand-Your-Ground law” an official legal term? What is meant by “stand-in-your-ground”?

Regarding the Trayvon Martin case that took place in Sanford, Florida, which became a worldwide topic, AP News (March 26) quoted Ben Jealous, head of the NAACP in “Meet the Press” saying; “Florida’s _Stand-Your-Ground law_ does not apply in this case. The Sanford Police Department misconstrued the _Stand-Your-Ground law._ ” jargondatabase.com defines Stand-Your-Ground law as; > A law which places no obligation on a potential victim of crime to retreat > and call police. The potential victim is instead allowed to respond to force > with force even if flight is a possibility. Considering tongue-biting scrupulousness of legal terms in general, “Stand- Your-Ground” law sounds very colloquial to me as though a nickname to something. Is it an orthodox or acknowledged legal term? If not, what is the orthodox nomenclature used in court? How different is it from "self-defense"? What is meant by the word, “Stand- Your-Ground”, and what is the origin of this word? **Addendum** : I found the following statement in the NYT article titled ‘Fugitive Slave Mentality’ (March, 27) Before he temporarily stepped down from his position last week as chief of the Sanford, Fla., police department, Bill Lee Jr., gave an explanation of his decision not to arrest George Zimmerman for killing Trayvon Martin. Lee said he had no reason to doubt Zimmerman’s _claim of self-defense._ This tempts me to think “Stand-your ground” analogous to self-defense.


What kind of form is “don’t anyone”?

Does English have third-person imperatives, or only second-person ones? Consider:   * Jeff, turn the heat in here way down, please, but don’t anyone turn his suit heater on. We need to get used to that cold as soon as we can. [citation] The first part is obviously a normal imperative, vocatively addressing _Jeff_ in the second person by using the regular command form. But what then is the second half? Isn’t _anyone_ always a third-person pronoun? Is this a third-person imperative? Can those even exist? Or has _anyone_ become a second-person pronoun here? These are not rare, either. This Google Books search comes up with going on a million hits. But what are they? You can do similar things with _someone_ , _everyone_ , _no one_ , etc. This seems stronger than an indirect command like “Let them eat cake,” because it seems to be actually addressing all these _anyone_ -people. * * * ## Update The thing that throws me about the original citation is that if it is really a second-person in disguise, then why isn’t it   * But don’t everyone turn _your_ suit heater on. As in:   * Everybody give me your opinions. It almost seems that people randomly pick _your_ , _his_ , and _their_ to match with _somebody_ , _anybody_ , _everybody_ when used in a second-person command:   * Eric get me some water, somebody give up their chair so he can site down. [citation] If, as John says, this “must” be second person because it is a command, then shouldn’t it “always” be _your_ instead of _their_? Are there rules about this? Are any of these clearly “right” or clearly “wrong”?   * Somebody give me your ticket.   * Somebody give me their ticket.   * Somebody give me his ticket.   * Somebody give me her ticket. The first seems to be rare in comparison to the others, so just might be a mistake. But it looks the most correct of any of them to me.


Is fermentation another word for excitement?

My grandma phoned me recently for some help with a crossword. The clue was 'excitement', we had a few letters but couldn't think of anything. Anyway the answers came out and she rang me back a little put out that the answer was 'fermentation'. She has looked up in several dictionaries and doesn't feel that the clue is suitable for the answer. I can maybe see it from a chemical sort of viewpoint with fermentation involving bubbling, frothing etc. So is this a suitable clue? Is there a definition of fermentation that could mean excitement? Or the other way round?


What is the meaning of "fairly", "no going" and "going in" in this context?

> The tunnel wound on and on, going **fairly** but not quite straight into the > side of the hill - The Hill, as all the people for many miles round called > it – and many little round doors opened out of it, first on one side and > then on another. **No going** upstairs for the hobbit: bedrooms, bathrooms, > cellars, pantries (lots of these), wardrobes (he had whole rooms devoted to > clothes), kitchens, dining-rooms, all were on the same floor, and indeed on > the same passage. The best rooms were all on the left-hand side ( **going > in** ), for these were the only ones to have windows, deep-set round windows > looking over his garden and meadows beyond, sloping down to the river. This context is from "The Hobbit" and i've never seen these words in a context like this. "Fairly" means "to some extent", but I can't undertand that with the verb "to go". The same happens with "no going" and "going in". I believe this does not mean "to go somewhere". Does they mean there were no stairs (for the first) and the side from we go into the hole (for the second)?


Why is the word "being" used as a suffix with "human"?

Why is the word _being_ used as a suffix with _human_ , as in _human being_ , instead of _creature_? Please answer philosophically.


"Interested in knowing" versus "interested to know"

I am interested to know if, for some, there is a subtle difference between the two phrases in the title. I am equally interested in knowing if there is a subtle difference.


"cut the clouds off"

> I sat farther along the bar and got my glass of beer and said: "You sure cut > the clouds off them, buddy. I will say that for you." "We just opened up," > the kid said. "We got to build up trade. Been in before, haven't you, > mister?" This is from a first part of "Red Wind" by Raymond Chandler. What exactly is the meaning of the expression "cut the clouds off" in this sentence?


2nd Condition or mixing 2nd and 3rd for assumption time in the past

Which of the two following sentences would be better to use for a situation where I regret that I did not do something in the past?   1. If it were yesterday, I would buy the car.   2. If it were yesterday, I would have bought the car. I’m confused about the action _I buy the car_ didn’t happen in the past ( _yesterday_ ), so I think mixing 2nd and 3rd conditionals for this situation is correct. But my friend said it might be 2nd conditional. Should I use the 2nd conditional or a mixed one for this case? **Edit** : My "It" means "now" here.


etymology: to get rid of

_To get rid of_ something according to OALD means to make oneself free of someone or something that is annoying. One can get rid of old useless things by throwing them away or of bad habits. There is also a verb _to rid_. etymonline has _to rid_ , ca. 1200, meaning to clear (a space), to set free, to save. A connection is drawn to a verb in Old Norse that means to clear land of obstructions, old variants of Germanic languages are given, but modern German _Land roden_ meaning to prepare a field or a path by eliminating trees is lacking. According to the dictionary the expression _to get rid of something_ is younger, dated around 1660. My view is that _rid_ in _to get rid of something_ is connected with the verb free and the form freed, past participle or adjective which we also have in modern German _befreit_. One may imagine that a form like _rid_ can develop from _freed_ by dropping _f_ and shortening the vowel. I would not connect the expression _to get rid of something_ with the idea of clearing land as in German _roden_ , I think a connection with _freed_ is much more plausible. But I think the derivations of the two word families _free_ and _to clear land_ (as in German _roden_ ) have become so similar that in English a separation is very difficult. **Question:** What is more probable, the idea of clearing land or a connection with _freed_?


Are double negatives ever appropriate in English?

I have heard several sentences in which there was a prominent double negative, but the double negative "sounded right". Is this ever true, or is it just a misleading feeling? **Edited** to include an example: "Did you enjoy the movie?" "Well, I didn't _not_ enjoy it, but..." I suppose that may just be bad grammar, but sometimes it seems to be the quickest way to say it.


How to understand "You don't get no coffee"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Are double negatives ever appropriate in English? > "You don't get no coffee" I feel like the above sentence is a bit confusing to understand. What's the exact meaning of it? Should we say we `can` get coffee, or we simply `can't`?


Origin of "off the meter" idiomatic phrase

When and how did the phrase "off the meter" become established as an idiom? Urban Dictionary defines "off the meter" as the condition of being "very good, awesome, great". I have heard and said it on impulse to mean the great extent.


What does this phrase mean: "His set shoulders"?

What does the adjective _set_ refer to in this case? What would be a synonym for it?


Word or phrase that describes a group of acronymic initials that can be any order

Typical acronyms represent a phrase with a fixed word order. For example, _NATO_ (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is not coherent when reordered to, say, _ATNO_ (Atlantic Treaty North Organization). Yet a form of 'anagrammatic acronyms' exists where each word stands alone and can be represented in any order (although by convention, one order may be culturally dominant):   * Big five personality traits as _OCEAN_ , _NEOAC_ , _CANOE_ , etc;   * The elements of art as _SFTSLVC_ , _TFCSSVL_ , etc;   * The fire triangle as _OHF_ , _HFO_ , etc. > _What do linguists call a collection of word initials that may not mnemonic > and can be in any order that pleases the reader or author?_


Is there a name for how the Irish use so, so?

There is an Irish English structural usage of the word _so_ , that is I think unique to Ireland. > Are we going to the cinema, so?   >  Where is the dog, so? The word _so_ is unneeded and seems to mean 'then'. My wife, who is Scottish, used to want to wait for the rest of the sentence but it never came! Is there a name for this structure?


Why do photons and protons exhibit such anomalous behavior?

I first noticed in this answer that there is something sneaky going on with the word _photon_ : its ‹t› is the **stressed allophone** of `/t/`, a fully **aspirated** `[tʰ]`. It does not reduce to `[t]` or `[ɾ]` the way it does in words like _voting_. Other words with the same issue include _proton_ and _lepton_. The only way I can explain this would be if the second syllable in such words bears secondary stress, so `[ˈfoʊˌtʰɑn]`. Even so, the question remains: why does this happen? Is it because these are all “new” words? Or does Greek somehow enter into it? I notice other new scientific terms have the related issue of an unreduced vowel in the syllable without primary stress, such as in _hadron, quasar, protein, baryon, genome_. So the ‹t› in _proton_ and _photon_ works more like it does in _Motown_ or _cow town_ , but those are at morphemic boundaries. The only “old” word I could think of where it might work the same way (remain aspirated) might be in _canton_. But there the vowel in the unstressed syllable does seem a bit reduced, just not all the way. What is really going on here? * * * **Edit** : The mid-word aspirated ‹t› also occurs in _futon_ and _wonton_ (as in wonton soup), but not in _Briton, Milton, tartan, titan, wanton_ (as in a wanton woman).


"For how many days have you been there?"

I read the following and was wondering if it was grammatically correct? Can we use this if the person just moved from that place and you run into him in a new place? > For how many days have you been there? http://m.fanfiction.net/s/2086227/16/


Do I have to use the auxiliary before all the verbs?

Which of the following is correct? >   1. I will dance and sing at the concert tonight. >   2. I will dance and will sing at the concert tonight. > Does it happen with _to_ , too? For example: >   1. I like to play soccer and watch TV on weekends. >   2. I like to play soccer and to watch TV on weekends. >


More dastardly dashes: what are the 'horizontal bar' and 'figure dash' characters for?

Having read another excellent answer regarding the use of horizontal line-like characters, I'm interested to know the meanings of the horizontal bar and figure dash. In the other answer linked above, it is said that the em-dash is the appropriate character to use for parenthetical text, which I too believe to be the case. On the linked pages about the Unicode characters, the horizontal bar has the index entries "quotation dash, HORIZONTAL BAR, BAR, HORIZONTAL dash, quotation" and the comment "quotation dash; long dash introducing quoted text". The comment for the em-dash is similar, but it doesn't have any reference to quotation in its index entries. The index entries and (lack of) comment for the figure dash give no clues, but based on the name I'd guess that it's intended to be used with numbers, e.g. when giving ranges. But again, in the post linked above it is said that the en-dash is the correct dash to use for this purpose. If anyone can answer, it would be interesting to know whether the shortcuts for unusual dash characters on Mac, Windows and Linux mightn't be creating figure dashes and horizontal bars as opposed to en- and em-dashes, which look very similar. Personally I'm using the X Windows shortcut `Ctrl-Shift-u` plus the Unicode number, so they're all equally convenient for me--hence my desire to know what they're _all_ for!


"All your commas are belong to Array" and similar — is this grammar form "proper"?

I've often come across "weird" sentences like, say, instead of: > All of your commas belong to Array. It writes: > All your commas are belong to Array. It's not just once or twice, I actually see it _all_ the time. Is this usage actually grammatical or is simply a joke grammar?


Why don't we pluralize "foot" in measurements?

For example, to answer the question, "How tall are you?" valid answers include:   * Five _feet_.   * Five _foot_ three.   * Five _feet_ , three inches. Why the discrepancy between _feet_ and _foot_ , seemingly only in the second case. * * * This question is inspired by this question: "Forty foot" or "forty feet"? **edit:** I do not believe the answer to this is related to the other question. The explanation for the other question is because of how adjective modifiers work. My question is a very different case, unrelated to adjectives. My observation is that I am asking about a particular exception case which applies only when "foot" is followed by a number which is assumed to be inches. That's _extremely_ specific, and I doubt that the etymology has any relation to why we leave adjective modifiers singular.


Can I say "thus much can be said that"?

Thus much can be said that apart from geographical remoteness and the early formation of a highly centralized government, the commandments functioning as the moral core of the social and political order and believed universally by the people, must also plays a crucial role in development of Chinese civilization. (self-made) Can "thus much" be used this way together with "that"? I know we normally say "it can be said that". But I want to emphasize that I want to say much, but it is the most I can say now, since "it is.." is too weak, I use this structure now, what do you think of it?


What is the proper adjective form, if any, of apothecary?

What is the proper adjective form, if any, of **_apothecary_**? My best guess is ' _apothecal_ ', although my resources have not found a definitive answer one way or the other. For example: > Jordan opened the package he had brought from the apothecary. It had a clear > _apothecal_ smell.


Is there a word that conveys an extreme distaste to the point nearing phobia?

I'm a strong swimmer, and I enjoy recreational lap swimming in pools. I enjoy sitting by an outdoor pool on vacation, and swimming to cool off. But, I detest swimming in natural water (lakes, rivers, oceans, etc.). I will go out of my way to avoid it. I'm not afraid of doing so. I've never had a traumatic experience. My parents didn't drown. I'm not afraid to go over bridges. I've enjoyed sailing and motor boating. I've even swam in the ocean, lakes, and other bodies of water without incident. My distaste for it is more based upon the feeling I get while in the water. It is not at all a panicky feeling. It is not fear. I just feel unpleasantly dirty and disgusted. I dislike the feel of stepping on seaweed or mossy bottoms. I hate sand, and particularly wet sand. Is there a word to describe this level of irrational hatred for something? People always think I'm describing a phobia, but as I've said it's not fear based. I want a word to describe my utter revulsion that carries the same gestalt as phobia but, distaste rather than fear based.


what do you think of NP?

[i] She thinks of herself as a poet. (Collins #7)   [ii] People are thinking of her for president. (Webster’s, think of #2.b)   [iii] What do you think of the film? (Cambridge) It seems like verb _think_ licenses two consecutive prepositional phrases [PP] as in [i] and [ii]. I’ve not yet found these constructions: ‘think + PP + Noun phrase’ or ‘think + PP + adjective phrase’. So I wonder if ‘what’ preposed from after ‘the film’ in [iii] would replace PP. Does _what_ really replace PP, or is there any proper account?


What is correct in this case, "probable" or "probably"?

I usually don't have trouble distinguishing when I should use an adjective and when an adverb. But today I wrote a sentence, and wasn't sure — actually, the longer I looked at it, the longer both variants looked wrong. The sentence was about baking, and it said: > While it is best to use a recipe designed for a big batch, using a > multiplied by three small-batch recipe is no more probable to fail than > using the small-batch recipe for a single small batch. While there is probably a way to state the whole idea more clearly, what nags me is the _probable_. It qualifies _using_ , and _using_ is, of course, a form of the verb "to use" (my English classes are too far in the past to be able to name the form). So maybe it should be the adverb _probably_ , because it is qualifying a verb. But this is not what my intuition says, and after years of being exposed to almost always grammatically correct English, I have learned to trust my language intuition. Maybe in this case I am mixing it up with the grammar rules for some other language, but I feel that _probable_ and not _probably_ is correct here. Which, of course, is contrary to the rule above. My best explanation is that the phrase "using X" is describing a process, not an action, and is therefore somehow a replacement for a noun, and "using X is no more probable to fail than" is correct for the same reason that "the option of using X is no more probable to fail than...", but this could be just a poor rationalization of my already formed opinion. So which form is correct, and why?


(GRE) Verbal Reasoning

The following is taken from the Princeton Review's Cracking the GRE, 2013 Edition. Can someone please help me understand why choice (C) is offered as the correct answer? I know my confusion stems from my faulty analysis of the argument (attached at the end), but I am just unable to identify the gaps of reason from here. I would appreciate any insight on the matter. > Over the last several decades, the demand for Country Y’s auto-mobiles > increased in Country X but demand for Country X’s auto-mobiles in Country Y > has remained stagnant. Initially, this disparity was plausibly due to Y’s > manufacturers having superior technology, which has yielded more fuel > efficient cars with cheaper maintenance. However, now Country X’s cars are > comparable—if not slightly superior—in these respects. What Country X’s > manufacturers fail to acknowledge is that Country Y’s drivers drive on the > left side of the road. Clearly, to help lessen this trade imbalance, Country > X manufacturers should produce more cars with right-side steering wheels. **Which of the following is an assumption made by the argument?** (A) Reversing the trade imbalance requires making [right-hand-drive cars]. (B) If Country X makes auto-mobiles with right-side steering wheels, most consumers from Country Y will chose to purchase a car from Country X. (C) If consumers from Country Y drive on the left side of the road, these consumers are less inclined to buy [cars built with] steering wheels on the left-side of the car. (D) Cars from Country X will continue to improve their fuel efficiency and reduce their maintenance costs. (E) The government of Country Y requires all its citizens to purchase cars with right-side steering wheels. * * * My Analysis: > **Conclusion** : _to help lessen the trade imbalance, country X's > manufacturers should produce more cars with right-side steering wheels._ > > **Premise No.1** : _country X's manufacturers have upgraded their technology > and cut their maintenance costs to match that of country Y's manufacturers, > but there still exists a trade imbalance_ > > **Premise No.2** : _country Y's drivers drive on the left side of the road._ > > **Assumption** : _trade balance, and therefore offsetting any imbalance, is > dependent on the manufacturer's technology, maintenance cost, and assigned > location of the steering wheel._ Answer Key Explanation: > Choice (A) is not necessary—it strengthens the argument. In fact, it > guarantees that the conclusion is true, but it’s not the assumption. I don’t > need reversing the trade imbalance to require the plan advocated in the > passage. I only need the plan to help lessen the imbalance. The same problem > exists in choice (B): I don’t need most consumers from Y to purchase cars > from X in order to help lessen the trade imbalance. Choice (C) says that if > they are not inclined to buy them, then the plan is no good. Thus, this is > essential to the plan working. Choice D is not necessary: I don’t need > Country X’s cars to continue to improve. I only need them to continue to be > comparable to Country Y’s cars. Choice (E) makes me like the plan but it is > not essential. I don’t need the preference for right side steering wheels to > be government-mandated.


Examples for intelligent, brillant, smart, talented, wisdom and genius?

Out of the terms intelligent, brillant, smart, talented, wisdom, genius Which are the ones that is natural(by genetics) and which are the ones that is developed by practice and which are the ones required to practice others. Please give concrete examples to convey the meaning of the above words?.


Are there names for the measurements of an arrow?

I need to describe some measurements of an arrow shape. Are there names for the measurements described in the diagram pictured below? Blue lines indicate a measurement and are capped with red lines. ![http://bwroga.com/img/arrow1.jpg](http://i.stack.imgur.com/7ZYf5.jpg) image source


Etymology of "What could (possibly) go wrong?"

What is the (likely) origin of the popular usage of the phase "What could go wrong?" or "What could possibly go wrong?" as a theatrical plot device or ironic commentary? Does this usage pre-date or post-date Murphy's Law?


Word for "person that I supervise"

What is the best word to refer to _the person that I (directly) supervise_ , in the context of a corporate workplace? The closest I can think of is _employee_ , but that doesn't directly convey a direct supervisor relationship. Other options I can think of are _apprentice_ (usually used to refer exclusively to someone who is still learning where I come from), _underling_ (patronizing), and _worker_ (again not specific). For example when describing a project: > My _employee_ designed the front-end of the system while I worked on the > critical business logic.


Aberrant usage of the adjective "incredulous"

Below is a sentence I found in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. Could you please explain why the adjective "incredulous" is used as if it's an adverb? > 'You sold the car?' she asked, incredulous. Should it be amended to include "incredulously" and exclude the comma: > 'You sold the car?' she asked incredulously. P.S. I appreciate the possibility that this is a common structure, as opposed to being unique to "incredulous", yet I'm just not familiar with such a structure.


Should I put a comma before the last item in a list?

Should I put a comma before last item in list? > I would like crackers, cheese and some soda.   >  I would like crackers, cheese, and some soda.


Comma usage in a series of three

Which is correct comma usage in the following sentence? > It is time to shake, rattle **,** and roll.   >  It is time to shake, rattle and roll.


Comma usage for multiple words

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Comma before last item in a list Is it correct to write: >   1. a,b, or c >   2. a,b, and c > Is the comma used after _b_ correct?


Should there be a comma before ‘and’ with respect to different nouns?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Should I put a comma before the last item in a list? > What is the difference between tomato puree, **_paste, and sauce_**? OR > What is the difference between tomato puree, **_paste and sauce_**? Do we need a comma before _and_ in this case?


Can a comma be used here?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Should I put a comma before the last item in a list? In the following example, should there be a comma?   * John has a car, and a motorbike.   * John has a car and a motorbike. Are both correct? What about the first sentence with comma? **Edit** : I have been told that I should use comma to join two complete sentences. So I'm confused if "a motorbike" really considered a complete sentence?


comma question: (one, two, and three) vs. (one, two and three)

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Comma before last item in a list When listing items in a sentence, is it more acceptable to omit the comma between the penultimate and last item? (assume there will always be an "and" between these two items).