Meaning of "to run to their left"

What does "to run to their left" mean in the following article in The Washington Post of today? > One is the fact that the vast majority of Democrats and Republicans in the > House are in districts where their only electoral concerns are primaries. > For a Democrat in a strongly Democratic House seat, then, voting for an > attack on Syria amounts to an invitation for someone **to run to their > left** in 2014.


The word 'Any tooth or any teeth"

Should we ask: do your have any "loose tooth" or "loose teeth"?


"Half" or "A Half"

This argument has come up at work, and I actually found it pretty interesting. My colleague is arguing that you might say "a quarter of a pizza", whereas you'd just say "half of a pizza" rather than " _a_ half of a pizza". So my question is:   * Which is correct: "a half of an [x]", "half of an [x]", or both?   * Is there a difference in how we treat the word "half" as opposed to "quarter" or other fractions?   * If so, why? Hopefully this isn't a duplicate - there are some similar questions on the site, but nothing that addresses the first "a" used.


What is the word for "stepping stone" if it is used in a derogatory sense?

I checked the meaning of _stepping stone_ in a dictionary, it was > a means of progress What would be the word for _stepping stone_ if I want to use it in a negative sense? For example, > He used him as a stepping stone in his business but when he became > successful, he left him for dead.


Meaning and etymology of "tiger by the tail"

Am I trying to take someone's Frosted Flakes? Is this sage advice or an old wives' tale?


Is "human resources" men?

> We help you verify, validate and monitor your systems live, 24/7, with our > human resources who are rich in experience, commitment, dedication, > flexibility and with high analytical skills... Could you help me check if the words I used in this statement make sense? Is _human resources_ a thingie noun that I should use _which_ with instead of _who_?


Where do “‑ess” and “‑ine” suffixes come from?

English has a lot of words that end in _‑ess_ or _‑esse_ , such as _actress_ , _hostess_ , _huntress_ , _finesse_ , _duress_ , _prowess_ , _Lyonesse_ , and _Westernesse_. That looks like a suffix that is also used frequently in Italian, so I’d guess it has Latin origins. Are those all the same suffix? _Heroine_ uses what seems to be a Germanic suffix. Are there any other instances of using a Germanic _‑ine_ suffix to make a feminine version of something in English, or is _heroine_ unique in this? Are both these _‑ess_ and _‑ine_ suffixes still productive in English, or can we only use premade forms that somebody else already coined?


Are you familiar with the term "air-conditioningitis"?

According to this article, "[a]ir-conditioningitis occurs when the body cannot adjust properly to the sharp differences in temperature between the cool air- conditioned indoors and the warm outdoors." But I've never heard any native speaker use this term or any other term even remotely related to this sort of "disease". How familiar are you, as a native speaker, with this term or this type of disease itself? Is this something you'd consider a disease at all? Edit: If the disease itself is legit, what would you call it?


difference between "confer" upon & "confers" upon

In an example like: Aristotle University upon recommendation from College of Nursing and by authority of the Board of Governors of Aristotle University hereby "confer" upon Mr. John Williams the Bachelors of Science in Nursing Degree. Please suggest if ("confer" upon) as used above is right or it is better to use ("confers" upon)


What was slang for "absentminded" before "space cadet"?


"Gamers of platform" or "gamers on platform"

We're duking it out to come up with a strapline on meta.gaming. Which is correct? > Welcome to Q&A for gamers **of** all platforms. > > Welcome to Q&A for gamers **on** all platforms.


What does the word "Rep." mean?

![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/Oxkhh.png) What's meaning of the 'Rep.'?


What is the opposite of "meta"?

A while back I was talking about it with friends. Another question indicates a few meanings of the "meta-" prefix. Considering that "meta" means, in simple words, "about itself" (like how metadata is data about data), what would be the appropriate prefix to mean the opposite relationship? It seemed to us that "meta" raised a concept to a new level, and we were wondering what prefix would, conversely, lower a concept to another level. Is there another prefix I could use to cancel out the "meta" in "metadata" to get back to "data"?


Origin of the phrase "drink you under the table"

I have often heard people say > I could drink you under the table or > Mary drank Joe under the table This typically means that someone could drink more alcohol than someone else. What is the origin of this phrase? It doesn't seem to make much sense to me at face value. Sorry, I couldn't find any public uses of this phrase as I have never read it, I have only heard it used in conversation.


"Sour cream" versus "soured cream"

Does anyone besides my husband insist on adding an _-ed_ to _sour cream_? Etymonline dates "sour cream" to 1855, but has no mention of "soured", so I don't think this is analogous to "iced tea" or "ice cream". Is this a regional thing? He grew up in New England, but English is not his parents' first language, so his accent is more Uncle Walter than This Old House.


Why did Australian English change from spelling words like 'honor' to 'honour'?

I know there are other questions comparing the US and UK usage of _o_ and _ou_ in words like colour. My question is specifically in regard to Australian English. I was always taught that here in Australia we use _ou_ and that the other variant was yet another example of the insidious corruption of civilization as we know it by our cousins across the water. However, recently I've been reading old newspaper reports from the early 1900s and have consistently found them writing _color_ , _honor_ , etc. I wonder if anyone knew when and why this changed. As an example in a newspaper see the excellent trove in this article.


Why are foreign words used in modern vernacular?

Why are seemingly foreign words such as _hors d’œuvres, maître d’, garçon_ , and _Gesundheit_ used in American vernacular?


Yoga terms in English and the capitalization thereof

I'm editing a manuscript in English that contains numerous yoga terms for poses, concepts etc. These are generally derived from Sanskrit, if not actual Sanskrit transliterations. My publisher requires Chicago Style, however a search yields nothing helpful with regard to capitalization of these terms. For instance, is the word yoga itself to be capitalized? In some instances but not all? What about yoga/yoga concepts, like _Dharana_? Capitalized? Always? I'm in a pickle.


Why are social drinks referred to as cocktails?


Dull as ditchwater (not dishwater) ... specific questions thereon

(1) who specifically, or at least when specifically, did originate the phrase? _{Example answer - "that was one of Shakespeare's!"}_ (2) why? (3) when first did someone screw up and use " _..dishwater_ "? why? who? Thank you. (PS note that in print, apparently "...dishwater" become more popular from about the 1970s. I am interested in the above three questions, if anyone has any info on those three specific questions, thank you in advance.) BTW I appreciate very much that this question may be "easily answered by some reference book", if so, please (A) tell me the book and (B) close the question. (I'm afraid I couldn't find anything. Sorry.) * * * _Footnote - note too that "ditches" have sparkling clear water, like babbling brooks. So, if you go somewhere that's famous for the land culture cutting ditches (Bresse or whatever) they cut 'em beautifully and then you get torrents of bubbling brook -esque water in the spring and so on. (I'd guess the notion of "ditch" as "incidental messy puddle" is more modern; and "ditch" over the centuries would have surely meant the carefully-made land management structure?) Even if you think of muddy-filthy water, "dull" doesn't come to mind; it's more dirty, muddy, un-clear. So._


meaning of "mugging away ?"

What is the meaning of "mugging away ?" Can anyone help me with this ? I know mugging merely means attack on someone in public places to steal something . But what is the meaning when it become as a phrase like this "mugging away?"


Meaning of “panegoric”

What does _panegoric_ mean? Yes, it’s _panegoric_ and not _panegyric_. The word is given in my module with the meaning “medicine that allays pain”, but I can’t find any reference. Is it correct?


What is the correct plural of "chaise longue"?

Is it "chaises longues" or just "chaise longues"? Both examples exist in different dictionaries. Or should it be something else entirely?


Where does the phrase pattern “X! Whiskey! Sexy!” originate?

From around 2006-2007, the blog “Crazy Apple Rumors” sometimes used the phrase “Technology! Whiskey! Sexy!” in its posts (see e.g. http://crazyapplerumors.com/2007/01/09/post-keynote-keynote-live-blog/). I’d assumed this was a neologism, but then I saw this article from 2004 using the phrase “Democracy, Whiskey, Sexy”. What’s the derivation of these two?


Antedating preposition 'following'

The _OED_ has the preposition _following_ from 1947. I've found this :   * _Following the order observed in the report, the first branch of study noticed is Engineering, in its two branches, military and civil._ 1826 I don't see much in between though. Are there other examples of this preposition before 1900?


Can we use to-infinitive after 'have trouble'?

Given the example: > I have trouble **speaking** English. Can we use both present participle (speaking) and to-infinitive (to speak) after _have trouble_? If both are allowed, do the two have the same meaning or not?


"Ta" and "ta-ta"

If "ta" means "thank-you", how did "ta-ta" come to mean "goodbye?" Isn't it basically repeating "ta?", in which case, wouldn't it mean "thanks, thanks!"? Is there a reason why? Does it lie in their etymologies?


What is the difference between "complicated" and "complex"?

I can't understand: what's the difference between _complicated_ and _complex_? They seem to be used interchangeably. Are they actually different at all?


Where can I find sorted word lists used by native students?

I would like to find a sorted list of vocabulary that is studied by native students in primary and secondary school in UK or USA, arranged by grade level. Is there any official place to download such a list?


"Hussy" for a sewing folder in AE

Does the term "hussy" [alteration of Midde English _husewif_ "housewife"] have any currency in modern day AE to refer to a sewing folder, or is it sort of better known as a derogatory term for a slovenly or sleazy woman? http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=hussy Sources: > http://www.thefreedictionary.com/hussy > > http://onlinedictionary.datasegment.com/word/hussy > > She toiled unremittingly with the aid of a sewing hussy, source>/


What does “sign the final flourish” mean?

There was the following sentence in Time magazine’s a bit old article (December 11, 2013) titled, “Pope Francis, the people’s Pope,” in which I was drawn to the phrase, “sign the final flourish”: > “He returned o Buenos Aires and looked to retirement. - - He handed his > letter of resignation to the Pope when he turned 75 in 2011.”I’m starting to > consider the fact that I have to leave everything behind,” he said in 2010. > “It makes me want to be fair with everyone always, to **sign the final > flourish** ... But death is my thought every day.” He insisted he was not > sad, and he went on posing for pictures with the faithful.” > > http://poy.time.com/2013/12/11/person-of-the-year-pope-francis-the-peoples- > pope/ I thought “sign the flourish” an idiom, but I don’t find the phrase in dictionaries I use to consult, or on Google.” I wondered if it’s similar with Japanese idiom, “一花咲かせる－hitohana sakaseru” meaning to bloom the last blossoms at the ending, at the last stage of one's career, or before retiring, like a baseball player who passed his peak hitting a streak of homeruns before retiring, but then, the word, “sign” seems to be incongruent. Or, does “sign the flourish” mean “sign by using decorated-letters”? What does the phrase, Pope wanted to “sign the final flourish” mean?


what is the difference between "be into" and "be keen on" and "interested in"

I am keen on studying English, I am interested in studying English. Can you write with some examples?


What's the difference between heavyset and heavy set?

Adjective: heavyset or heavy set? With or without a seperator? E.g. a heavy set male, or a heavyset male? Could I say a male is heavy set? (space included)


Is it better to use "a" or "the" here in my book?

I have a peculiar situation, I am not sure whether to use "a" or "the" in my book. This takes place in a footnote of the title of the work that I mention. > Mario wrote the work "Principia de mathematica"[1] in 1920. > > [1] The titles of the work contain "principiae", "principea" and > "prinkepia"; **a/the** title with "prinkepia", for example, is provided in > the work "Buhaha" by John Firaldo in p.23. That is - there are many variations of this work's title. Then I provide an example of one of these titles. So should I write "a title" or "the title"? Any help is appreciated.


Signature for Doctor of Information Technology prefix and suffix

How can I sign my name with the degree of "Doctor of Information Technology" Is this all correct **Dr.Full Name** **Full Name D.I.T** **Dr Full Name (Doctor of Information Technology)** **Dr.Last Name** Can I use these king of signatures in my emails or letters?


A more formal way of saying "pointing out"

> The goal of an edge detection algorithm is identifying pixels that belong to > an edge of an object in an image _..._ The rest of the sentence should say something along the lines of "and point them out by ..." - but "point out" seems too informal. Pointing out is also the wrong phrase because the pixels don't need to actually be "displayed" to some user at all, and most likely will just be used as information for some next step. So the word/phrase I am looking for should not imply something visual, but **informative**.


"there were enough room" or "there was enough room"

Which is the correct verb, should it be singular or plural?   * 1.) _"There_ **_were_** _enough room."_ or   * 2.) _"There_ **_was_** _enough room."_


Difference between inculcate and indoctrinate?

I was curious about the difference between to inculcate and to indoctrinate? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.


"except for" vs "other than"

Is the phrase > "Are there any vegetables except for asparagus?" equivalent to > "Are there any vegetables other than asparagus?" The first feels wrong, and the second feels right, but I have no clear understanding of why that is, or when "except for" should be used rather than "other than", or if they are in fact completely interchangeable. A second case: > Except for asparagus, I love vegetables. > > Other than asparagus, I love vegetables. These two phrases _seem_ equivalent to me. Are they?


What is a word that means to bind a connotation to a word in literature? Generally how I am trying to use it: Shakespeare binds an ironic meaning to the word fair blabla so every time somebody says fair, it turns out to be foul blabla... ¶ After the initial [blank] (of the ironic usage of fair)... succeeding uses of the "fair" show this... If there is no such specific word, how can I say this?


What punctuation to use for "X or equivalently Y" and where does it go?

Suppose I have a phrase that expresses two statements as being equivalent. The details aren't important (they happen to be mathematical statements, and for the purpose of illustration, let's use "A is greater than B" and "C is greater than D"), but the structure of the phrase is: A>B or equivalently C>D What's the correct punctuation here - comma or semicolon, where does it go, and why? Possibilities (which all seem somewhat reasonable...my intuition is failing me here): A>B or, equivalently, C>D A>B or equivalently, C>D A>B, or equivalently C>D A>B or equivalently; C>D A>B; or equivalently C>D


"I want it rather than him"?

What's a good way to write a sentence like the following: > I want it rather than him. where I mean that "I want (to have) it rather than him (having it)," and don't want the sentence to be potentially misread as "I want (to have) it rather than (to have) him"?


What does "the D word" mean in the context of discussing the pros and cons of marriage over co-habitation?

I came across a phrase unfamiliar to me, _the D word_ , in an article of Time magazine (November 18, 2010 Issue) titled _Who Needs Marriage? How an American institution is changing_. The _D word_ appears as a caption of a sentence followed by the following sentence, which gives me no clue for deciphering, in parallel with other captions such as _the new marriage gap_ , _the kid may not be all right_ and _what to do about I do_. I checked _the D word_ into Wikipedia, which defines ‘the D-Word is a worldwide online community for professionals in the documentary film industry_. But this doesn’t make sense at all to me. I know D-Day, but I have no idea about _D word_. Can anybody tell me what _the D word_ means in the following context together with my second question? > _The D Word_   >  Even when couples are married, family life is a different experience for > those with a college education and those without one. Professional > occupations are much more likely to offer provisions for parental leave, the > ability to work from home and flexible hours. ( _The second question._ ) The above section is wrapped up with the following sentence: > Marriage (of the college-educated) is insulated from some of the stresses of > balancing work and family. A sick child throws a much bigger wrench into the > machinery of a factory or retail or service worker's life. In the above sentence, is _the machinery of factory_ a separate phrase from _retail or service worker’s life_ , or _the machinery_ is modified by _factory, retail or service worker’s life_ as a group?


The street is filled with vehicles and people. Suddenly, the whole place vibrates for a couple of seconds and then stops. Suddenly, earthquake shakes the street. Pedestrians puzzle and look around. Vehicles stop and people peek out of the window. Here "Vehicles stop and people peek out of the window." is correctly written? Is this how a native speaker will write it?


Why use "that" instead of "the"?

I read a quote somewhere and it seemed flawed in its language and word usage. Take a look at it: > "Trust a person to **that** extent, that he feels **guilty to cheat** you & > care for a person to that extent, that he fears to lose you." The letters in bold are the clauses that I found flawed in particular. Shouldn't it be: > "Trust a person to **_the_** extent, that...." At the same time I find "care for a person to **_that_** extent, that..." sounds alright.


Difference between phrase, idiom and expression

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What is the difference between an expression and a phrase?   >  Difference between "phrase" and "idiom" What is the difference between a phrase, an idiom and an expression? I am looking for the context where one is more appropriate than the rest. I've been using _idiom_ and _phrase_ more or less interchangeably.


Difference between phrase and idiom

What is the difference between a phrase and an idiom?


Aphorism or not?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Difference between phrase and idiom Is there a name for phrases which without context (cultural, historic, etc.) would not be understandable. Such as "This is not my strong suit". I thought at first it is called an aphorism but after google I am not so certain anymore.


Were there any other synonyms to "sustainability" before the 80s?

![](http://ngrams.googlelabs.com/ngrams/chart?content=sustain%2Csustainable%2Csustainability&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=0&smoothing=3) ![enter image description here](http://ngrams.googlelabs.com/ngrams/chart?content=nachhaltig%2Cnachhaltigkeit&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=8&smoothing=3) The German word for _sustainability_ , _Nachhaltigkeit_ , arose (according to Wiktionary) in the 18th century. Ngrams shows this. I was wondering if the concept of sustainability did not exist before the 1980s? At least in English science, wasn't there a technical term, phrase, whatever to describe this problem? Does anyone know if there were more common terms/technical phrases and when they arised the first time in English science/books? I need some keywords for a historical search.


Can I say, "Go slowly 'as to not' drop anything"?

My high school English teacher always nagged us about not splitting our infinitives, but this would just sound wrong if I said "as not to drop anything." Is this an acceptable exception?


What does ‘the Kardashians’ mean in the context of the Treasury Department’s sending a prepaid card to many Americans?

I saw the following sentence in today’s Washington Post.   I understand that ‘the Kardashian’ is picked up from a popular American reality TV series, ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians'.   But I don't understand what ‘the Kardashians’ signify in this particular context of the government's attempt at stimulating the economy (or helping needies). Please teach me. > “Uncle Sam follows 'the Kardashians' into prepaid card market: > > Uncle Sam wants you to have a prepaid card, and he's not the only one. Â¶ > The Treasury Department is sending letters to 600,000 people this week > encouraging them to sign up to receive their tax return on a new government- > issued prepaid card as part of a pilot program to help those with limited > acc...”


Continuing to do something just because it was done before, without knowing why

How would you describe someone that continues to perform and action solely because they have observed someone else performing that same action, but do not know the reason. Or, they perform an action in a certain way and do not change to a better method, only because they believe the current method must be the best way to do it because it has been done that way previously. What word/phrase/expression would you use to describe this scenario?


When and where did "not" become commonly used in contraction for, as in "didn't"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Were contractions less common in olden days? I have read some old books in which they did not use "didn't", "wasn't", or similar contractions with "not". I just watched the recent movie "True Grit" in which they also didn't use "didn't", etc. Were these contractions a recent or regional addition to the language?


Where does the term "Scandihoovian" come from?

I hear this phrase used to describe people who are sort of nordic, but where does it come from?


A word similar to hiccup?

I just had a nasty hiccup attack, and I want to know if there's a synonym for this nasty phenomena.


What could be the equivalent term in British or Australian English to the American English word “hillbilly”?

In Wikipedia, “hillbilly” is defined as: … a term referring to certain people who dwell in rural, mountainous areas of the United States, primarily Appalachia but also the Ozarks. Owing to its strongly stereotypical connotations, the term is frequently considered derogatory, and so is usually offensive to those Americans of Appalachian heritage. I am looking for a term of equivalent meaning denoting the highly loaded emotional characteristic.


"You which know the secret of my heart"?

Is it correct to say _"You which know the secret of my heart"_? If yes, what is the difference from _"You who know .... "_ ?


A sentence with too many commas

Can someone please explain the following sentence? > This perspective provides a primarily pragmatic justification, therefore, > for confidentiality, in that any perceived limitations to, or undermining > of, confidentiality will tend to adversely affect the quality of the therapy > being provided. The sentence is taken from a journal article related to counselling and psychotherapy. The commas are in the right positions according to the article.


"Active" or "activated"?

Is there a difference between an _active_ state and _activated_ state? For example, if I _activate_ an item, will it become _active_ or _activated_? Does it depend on the context? How?


How many of the "Top 10 favorite British words" are understood by Americans?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary online shows “Top 10 Favorite British Words”. I’m interested in knowing how many of the listed words are understood or accepted by Americans as English, whichever British English or English slang. The words listed as the top 10 Favorite English are:   1. _prat_ meaning “a stupid person”,   2. _twee_ meaning “affectedly or excessively dainty, delicate, cute, or quaint”,   3. _knackered_ meaning “exhausted”,   4. _jiggery-pokery_ meaning “dishonest activity, or nonsense”,    5. _plonk_ meaning “cheap wine”,    6. _chunter_ meaning “mutter”,   7. _whinge_ meaning “whine”,   8. _gormless_ meaning “stupid”,   9. _boffin_ meaning “scientific expert”,   10. _pukka_ meaning “genuine, first class”.


How to properly use "not...without" in English?

Please help me out by criticizing on the grammar and syntax of the following sentence used in my cover letter. I would like to make sure the sentence is not confusing in any way before sending it out. "Our success in the consulting project has demonstrated my good customer- orientation because the client would not pleasantly accept our cost-saving recommendations without my tactful and proactive approach." Any help appreciated


Different word other than "rude" for describing ellipsis usage

I am having trouble thinking of a word that can describe this type of situation. Just as an example, over text, explaining something in detail to someone only to have them give a response such as, "Yeah... I see." It's not really "rude" but it almost feels as if they have more to say about it. What would be a better way to describe this? Is there a word for it?


Is the verb "dose" used correctly in "an agent can be dosed into the tanks"?

Is this correct: > For process stabilization an anti-foaming agent can be dosed into the tanks. I use "dose" because I want to emphasize that the amount of stuff put into the tank is carefully monitored, but I'm unsure that you ay it like this in english.


Justification of "more perfect"

I've just read this interesting article. We were being constantly told back in school years that we couldn't use "more" to modify "perfect". I kept feeling guilty using "more perfect" until I read the following idea from the article: > Nothing is perfect. When we say "perfect man", it is an exaggeration. Using > "perfect" for things that are not perfect opens the door for "more perfect" > and even "most perfect". This is really a sensible and convincing justification to me. Then I think of other words that our teachers wouldn't allow us to modify using "more". For example, people begin to use "more excellent" fairly frequently nowadays. However, the use of "more excellent" might not be justified convincingly by the same logic that applies to "more perfect" above. The reason is people can absolutely be excellent while nobody can be perfect. If the justification logic for "more perfect" should fail to hold for "more excellent", what could a sensible way to justify the use of "more excellent"?


What are "schlieren" in English?

The German word for these patterns is "Schliere, pl. Schlieren", and apparently this word has entered the English language as a loanword (cf. article Schlieren in Wikipedia or entry schliere in OED). But the German loanword is probably not something most native speakers of English understand without the help of a dictionary, so what would you call, or how would you describe, the following patterns? Concrete: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/E8cGW.jpg) Air: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/9dY1s.jpg) Oil on water: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/UNFgu.jpg) Coffee and milk: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/ewjJq.jpg) Paint: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/FjtrX.jpg) Smoke: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/nBSMi.jpg) Rock: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/NACDZ.jpg) Marbled paper: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/z4G6p.jpg) And so on. * * * "Waves" is not applicable, because waves are vertical undulations of the surface, while these are a pattern on, or _inside_ , the surface level, with no amplitude. "Striæ" does not really fit either, because those refer more to the parallel layers, than to the curly forms.


What is the bone at both sides of the human head called?

I know the bone at the rear of the human head is occiput, how are those at the sides called?


"Bad with something" or "bad at something"?

In a question on Spanish.StackExchange, a question came up about expressing that you are bad at remembering or doing something. Is one "bad _at_ something" or "bad _with_ something" (nouns)? What about "bad _at_ doing something" vs. "bad _with_ doing something" (verbs)? If there are regional differences, what are they? Examples:   * I'm bad with names.   * I'm bad at names.   * I'm bad with cooking.   * I'm bad at cooking.


"This paper" vs "That paper" in an abstract

I'm writing an absctract for a paper. In Portuguese we write **_esse** trabalho_ ( ** _that** paper_) to indicate that the paper is near the person that we are adressing. We use **_este** trabalho_ ( ** _this** paper_) to indicate that the paper is near the person speaking. So, looks like when we refer to a paper, in portuguese, _esse_ ( _that_ in English) would be better. But, if we translate a phrase like > " ** _Esse_** _trabalho propõe um novo método._ (that)" we get > " ** _This_** _paper proposes a new method._". So what's better to put in the abstract? Can we use **that** instead of **this**? What's the correct/accepted way to say this in English?


Should there be a comma after 'and'?

This is a bit of a strange question because I know that there should never _ever_ be a comma after 'and.' But what if there's a parenthetical statement/clause-thing right after it? Let me demonstrate. > She spread her arms, tilted her head back, and, closing her eyes, let the > sun warm her face. Should it be: > She spread her arms, tilted her head back, and closing her eyes, let the sun > warm her face. I feel like the _,and,_ looks really bulky, but I also feel it's necessary to separate the statement between the commas. Help?


First communion, then communism?

On a slightly more serious note, what do you call a kid who goes to his first communion? Surely not a _communist_ , right?


What is the correct way to state which category is collecting an aggregate?

I would like to know how can I say correctly an aggregation on a certain category, for example, let's say that I want to collect event data and display the amount of events for each user. Then, is it correct to say "I am aggregating events on a _per-user basis_ "? Is it maybe more correct to say "I am aggregating events _per-user_? Can the prefix _per-_ be used for any possible category? Am I maybe overusing it, while some other form might be preferred?


Word for energyless-ness

What's a single word that can connote the concept of (or something similar to) "energyless-ness" (which, as far as I can tell, is not a word). This is meant to be used in the context of burnout. When an employee is losing energy for "working too much", he/she is experiencing feelings of... _[energyless-ness]_. Thanks for sharing the richness of your vocabulary. :)


What is wrong with "Where should this car be parked?"?

Why does Microsoft Word 2010 show an error for the following sentence? > 1. Where should this car be parked? Word 2010 also suggests changing the sentence to > 2. Where this car should be parked? Is the sentence (1) wrong? If yes, why? What about sentence (2)?


"Too low for the price" or "too less for the price"

>   1. Too low for the price >   2. Too less for the price > Please suggest which one is correct grammatically. Scenarios:   1. The cost for 15 minute show was Rupees 50. It is too low for the price.   2. I went to the market to buy bananas. The cost of 10 bananas was Rupees 100. It is too less for the price.


Is "even" a choice in this sentence?

I would appreciate your help. > He is not strong at all. He would not even lift me. I would like to express that he would not even lift me, let alone heavier stuff.


A conversation between 2 persons in two different languages

If you've seen the first Star Wars trilogy (meaning Episodes 4 - 6), in the original Star Wars movie, Han Solo is in the cantina talking with Greedo (and yes, darnit, Han shot first! no shame in that, Greedo posed a mortal danger to him). But each is speaking in his own language, Han in English (Empirish?) and Greedo in his native language. Yet the conversation proceeded normally -- for a little while, at least. I have a personal experience with this phenomenon, having once been in the US Army in the Netherlands attending a NATO class on how to maintain a particular kind of microwave radio, and for the lab portion of the class I was paired with a German soldier. It happened that we were both bilingual in English and German, and so rather than both of us using one or the other language, I proposed that we speak our native languages, and see how that would work -- both of us understood each other's language better than we spoke it. So we did and it worked out really well. I imagine that it sounded darned funny to some of the other US soldiers in the room who overheard our conversation (the class was taught in English, so non-US and -Brit soldiers had to have English as an additional language to attend). Designating one's native language as A, and a second language as B, is there a word for this kind of conversation where the two participants speak their own language A while understanding in their language B?


Order of adjectives in a sentence

I'm making a website that has search results, and I hide some of them I want to show the user that some are hidden Which one should I say?   * Showing first 25 results only or   * Showing 25 first results only edit: I've seen questions like this What is the rule for adjective order? But I was wondering what to do when you have 2 adjectives of the same kind. Or Perhaps "first" and "25" are not of the same type?


Past tense vs past participle in passive forms

For example:               The car is driven by my a friend of mine.      vs               The car is drove by a friend of mine.      Which one is correct?


divine a purpose = a divine purpose?

After reading and pondering on the answer for: http://philosophy.stackexchange.com/questions/8928/albert-einstein-on- divining-the-purpose-of-life/10169#10169 I wonder if the words marked in bold below could also be reordered to: > comes to a seeming divine purpose And if this word order "adjective + a + noun" construction has a special gramattical name. Googling did not help me out. > Albert Einstein once said, > > Strange is our situation here on Earth. Each of us **comes** for a short > visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes **seeming to divine a purpose**. From > the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that > man is here for the sake of other men - above all for those upon whose > smiles and well-being our own happiness depends.


What tense are wishes, not questions that start with "I wish..."

Given a wish of the form, "May he rest in peace," what tense is being used?


What's the origin and reasoning behind the phrase, "a pat on the back"?

I came across a sentence where it was written that " Mr. X got a pat on the back from his boss". I know that the boss definitely would have praised him. But why it couldn't be like "Mr. X got praise by his boss". I think both the sentence have the same meaning at all. So what's the catch to use the first statement?


Availability to meet vs availability to meeting?

I'm writing a thank you email to thank a person for finding the time to meet with me. Which of the following two forms is correct, and why?   * I wanted to thank you again for your availability to meet me.   * I wanted to thank you again for your availability to meeting me. Thanks for your help.


Artist management company or artists management company?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Nouns of plural form preceding another noun When talking about a company that guides professional career of artists (such as illustrators or photographers), helps them build their portfolio, promotes their services, would you refer to it as an "artist management" or "artist **s** management" company? Google results suggest that both are used: 626,000 results for "artists management" vs. 3.3 million for "artist management". What's the difference?


Difference between 'related to' and 'relating to'?

What is the difference between 'related to' and 'relating to'?


Where to learn about commas (academic/mathematical writing in particular)

I have recently tried to learn how to place commas properly when writing in English, but I experienced a great difficulty in finding some good material on the subject. My goal is to be good (or at least okay) at placing commas in English text in general, but it is mainly my academic writing I am concentrating on to begin with. More specifically, I am a mathematician, and it is in connection with my mathematical writing that I most of all would like to learn to place commas. So far, the literature have had the following shortcomings:   * They only cover 'compound sentences' and 'complex sentences' but not 'compound-complex sentences' of which there are tons in mathematics.   * Instead of teaching you about long-and-complicated sentences, they tell you to write/rewrite in short-and-simple sentences. This is often not possible in mathematical writing.   * They are mainly books on grammar and punctuation, and often only have a small amount of information about placing commas. I realize that you cannot write about placing commas without discussing grammar, but it would be nice if the commas where treated more thorough.   * Some focus a lot on direct speech which I do not use at all in my mathematical writing.   * Some literature seems to be a quite subjective opinion to comma placing, which does not necessarily agree with other places.   * Many places they give examples instead of rules. This said, examples are good, and there should be a lot of them, but they should accompany rules/guidelines.   * They do not tell you when rules are definite rules (as much as they can be) and when they are not, that is, when there is a lot of exceptions. What I am looking for are some good textbooks (or other means) from which I can learn about placing commas. Preferably avoiding the shortcomings I mentioned above. Especially the last point above would be nice to avoid. I looked at the _The blue book of grammar_ , and in this book the author lists 21 rules about placing commas, but do not mention whether there are exceptions or if some of them are just guidelines. My impression is that some of them are not definite rules (though I am clearly not an expert). So far, I have tried books such as _Oxfords guide to English grammar_ , _A student's introduction to English grammar_ and a few others.


Subject/Complement Agreement. How to describe problem with "The thing is the objects."

In my ell answer, version 32, I provided the following, problematic, wording (especially **_bold italic_** ), and I need help to better understand this issue so I can fix my answer:1 > > The thing is the books. (Reduced form of Sentence 2.a) > > **_Fundamentally, Sentence 2.a (the so-called "correct" answer), is > grammatically defective. Recall there is another grammatical rule: the > subject and subject's complement should match in number._** A clarification is needed here. I am **not** suggesting here, in **_this_** EL&U question, that there is any such singular grammatical rule as indicated in the quote above. The quote continues as follows: > The reduced sentence makes the disagreement between the subject's and > complement's plurality obvious. What is one to do? Language is linear and we > know "The thing is X" is better than "The thing are X", so we go with the > former, which is the subject-verb agreement rule. But what is "the books" > then? It must be thought of as a collective noun, even if it doesn't look or > feel like one. Forcing something to be a collective noun is related to the > idea of notional agreement. Others noted that **_grammatically defective_** is too strongly worded. There is no such "grammatical rule" for subject/complement agreement. Please help me understand/improve upon my line of thought here. I'm stating that Sentence 2.1 presents a fundamental "conflict" or "error" (however one might define _error_ ) at some level (morphological, syntax, grammatical, semantic): > The thing is the books. (Or, "The thing is the objects.") Based on the "obvious" morphosyntactic plurality conflict, the above sentence feels so wrong that I think many native speakers would think it "simply" grammatically incorrect. However, @F.E. gives counter examples: > And here are some more grammatical examples, where the number of subject and > predicative complement don't agree: "They were a problem to us all", "That > so-called work of art is simply four pieces of driftwood glued together" > (CGEL, page 254-5). As CGEL says: "What is required is semantic > compatibility, not syntactic agreement . . .". There are more examples on > page 512: "The only thing we need now is some new curtains", "The major > asset of the team is its world-class opening bowlers", "Our neighbors are a > nuisance", "This gadget is five different tools in one". I think all the examples given above can be explained as notional agreement. **Question 1:** If we explain this phenomena in terms of notional vs syntactic agreement, where does "grammatically correct/incorrect" fit in? **Question 2:** Can a simple sentence such as _"The thing is the objects."_ be grammatically incorrect while more complex sentences such as _"The thing is four pieces of driftwood glued together."_ be grammatically correct? (The answer, in my mind, must be no; this is my conundrum.) **Question 3:** Would it be better to say that Sentence 2.a has a low level of (linguistic) grammaticality? **Question 4:** How about a low level of gradient well-formedness and that it's semantically difficult to be (linguistically) acceptable? **Question 5:** Do we simply draw a hard line and say _"The thing is the objects."_ is 100% grammatically correct? I didn't particularly _like_ this option based on intuitive notions of "grammatically correct". * * * 1\. Please help me and be kind; I'm trying to improve my understanding. I'm looking for cool, objective advice on how to look at this. I numbered my questions so they can be easily referenced, if desired. My preference is the final answer would sufficiently answer all the questions, but of course that can be done explicitly or implicitly.


Is there a word to describe the positioning of words directly below other words, as in translations

I was hoping to use a word to say that in a song lyric, the translation of the original language appears directly below the original language throughout the song, without having to say all that. I thought "subscribed" made sense (sub=below; scribed=written), but can't find any dictionaries that give that definition to the word.


What tense is appropriate when a group includes alive and dead people?

In a recent article, I was comparing the atheism of Joseph Stalin, Ayn Rand, and Christopher Hitchens. Which of the following sentences would have been appropriate to describe them?   1. All three believe that there is no deity.   2. All three believed that there is no deity.   3. All three would agree that there is no deity.   4. All three would have agreed that there is no deity.


Do these sentences make sense?

Notwithstanding the argument, I would still consider you as a friend. I was exhausted, notwithstanding I stayed up for another two hours. Maybe too formal to use in everyday writing as a word for "in spite of"?


History/Orgin of "troubleshoot"?

What is the history of the word "troubleshoot"? At face value, it seems to be mean "aiming for trouble." Which must be short- hand for locating the source of the trouble by reproducing it under different circumstances. How did the term come to be? Who were the first "troubleshooters"?


What is a good word for a person who doesn't masturbate?

Is there a word for a person who doesn't masturbate? If so, what would he/she/it be known as?


What is the most effective single word to convey the concept of a phrase's meaning being "lost in translation"?

Basically I'm wondering if there is a concise way to represent the loss of understanding a foreigner would experience if they were to encounter an American idiom for the first time. An example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjwofYhUJEM


What can I call the two possible directions on a line (as a category)?

In English, a vector is said to have two properties: a length and a direction. The possible directions correspond to half-lines out of the origin (so that, eg, up and down are different directions). In many other languages, a vector is said to have _three_ properties: directions correspond to _lines_ (so that a vector pointing up and one pointing down have the same up-down direction), and a third property determines which way the vector is pointing along that line (up or down in our example). This may seem strange at first, but it's actually very useful to separate these concepts in mathematics. In fact, I need to do it in something I'm writing right now, but I can't find the right English words for it. Firstly, I need a word to indicate that third property. Is there any accepted term for it? In the wikipedia article on vectors, there is a picture where it is labeled as "sense", although the term does not occur anywhere in the article itself. Secondly, I might need a clear way to indicate which sense of the word "direction" I'm using (line or half-line). This does not need to be a single word, but it should be as clear and unambiguous as possible. It would be even better if any official references for this usage could be found. This problem is bound to have come up before in the translation of foreign scientific literature.


What is the difference between "definite" and "definitive"?

I still get confused between the two as English is not my mother language. I tried the following links to understand but still couldn't:   * thefreedictionary.com/definitive   * grammar-monster.com/easily_confused/definite_definitive.htm   * world-english.org/definite_definitive.htm


Difference between “laden” and “loaded”

In A. E. Housman's _With rue my heart is laden_ : > _WITH rue my heart is **laden**   >  For golden friends I had,   >  For many a rose-lipt maiden   >  And many a lightfoot lad._ he refers to _laden_ as loaded, burdened with regrets. But **laden** differs from **loaded** according to a pocketbook I have. Can somebody help with the big difference?


"Just deserts" or "just desserts"

Which is correct when referring to the punishment gotten by an evil-doer: _just deserts_ or _just desserts_? Are both acceptable due to common usage (see _buck naked_ / _butt naked_ and _strait-laced_ / _straight-laced_)?


"I have no money on my cell phone account" or "my cellphone is out of money" or how?

Situation: Soon you will not be able to use your cell phone because you almost have no money left on your cell phone account. How would a native English speaker quickly and naturally describe this situation?


What's the verb for 'to form a canonical representation'?

I'd like to describe the activity of turning a set of elements into its canonical (standardized base) form. Some candidates seem to be:   * canonicalize   * canonize I'd also like to name the device performing this action, candidates so far:   * canonicalizer   * canonizer None of these look _quite_ right, what's the right term?


Is "give an exam" grammatical for "writing the answers to exam"?

Amongst North Indian Students, the phrase "give an exam" is very popular. These students use the phrase to describe the act of writing the answers to examination questions. The reason being, in Hindi, it's known as "exam dhena" which translates literally to "to give an exam". In South India, however, a majority of people use the phrase "to take up an exam". Which of these usages is more common/appropriate/grammatical? (As a prof I have developed a strange aversion toward the "give an exam" phrase; I find it wrong and ugly.)


What does 'had been long settled' mean?

The family of Dashwood had been long settled in Sussex. (My question) What does 'had been long settled' mean? Here my ideas. ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/aVFnG.png)


Meaning of "dog-rodgering practices"

I'm a native Spanish speaker trying to understand this sentence: > The it would be a dog-rodgering practices and the poisoning of badgers he > would charge me with as lay cross-armed in the ruffled silk. I looked for the rodgering's definition in two English dictionaries, in one English to Spanish dictionary, also in Google Translator and Wordreference without luck. Hope this question is not off topic and that someone can help me.


Difference between "derogation" and "inferiorization"

If both _derogation_ and _inferiorization_ can be used to describe an insult, what is the difference between them?


"events in mind"

When talking about scheduled events or appointments can we use the following: > A. I am calling from Dr. A' office; I just wanted to let you know that you > have an appointment tomorrow at 2:00 PM. > > B. Yea, I have that **in mind**. [to mean like I already know about it and > have made my arrangements]


What does ‘“I don’t know if there’s a cloud name for where I am right now,” mean?

Christian Lopez, a New York student who retrieved Derek Jeter’s 3,000th hit and simply returned the ball to the Yankees shortstop was lauded for his honorable and unselfish act. He became the limelight of American baseball fans on the sudden. Tim Stelloh reports in the New York Times’ article (July 13) titled “Yankees Fan’s generosity is returned, With $50,000 to ease his debt,” as follows; > “At the news conference, Mr. Lopez appeared stunned. “ _I don’t know if > there’s a cloud name for where I am right now_ ,” he said.” What does “ _cloud name_ ” mean in this particular context. I find the word, “cloud name” in neither English Japanese dictionaries nor Oxford Advanced English Learners Dictionary at hand. Does it mean Lopez was dismayed with the great fuss around him and wished to hide from the mess that turned him out a baseball fan superstar?


Gender-neutral equivalent for "Take it like a man"

I'd like to find some gender-neutral equivalents of the phrase > Take it like a man I'm not looking only for existing phrases -- any interesting ideas for expressing the sentiment "be tough", without implying that _only_ one gender or the other would be tough, are welcome.


"A hundred percent" vs. "hundred percent"

Which sentence is grammatically correct: >   * I'm a hundred percent sure >   * I'm hundred percent sure > Any help would be greatly appreciated!


Is there one word for both horizontal or vertical, but not diagonal, adjacency?

I'm trying to describe a grid and I want to say that the adjacent grid square is chosen if it's horizontally or vertically adjacent, but not diagonally adjacent, to the current grid square. I was thinking maybe, laterally adjacent?


What is the technical name for an expression of the form "all good men and true"?

...by which I mean an expression wherein one of the adjectives modifying a noun precedes that noun and another follows it. I know that an adjective that appears after the noun it modifies is a Post- positive adjective but I'm not sure that's the same construction.


How does one pronounce /oʊ/ in /oʊvərˈsiz/ in American English?

Today when I checked the Oxford American Dictionary for the pronunciation of _overseas_ , I got this in IPA: `/oʊvərˈsiz/`. According to my understanding, the `/ʊ/` phoneme is pronounced _o_ or something like _put_ , so the pronunciation of this word would be very difficult, or even meaningless.


What's an appropriate word for "timestrip"

I'm not a native English speaker and I have to describe a certain scenario or a component that actually represents a strip of time. This strip would actually look similar to this with some point on it:               |00:00    |01:00   |02:00   |03:00   |04:00 ....     |___________________________________________ _ _     |     |___________________________________________ _ _      I have to write formal documentation but don't know what would be the best name for this kind of visual representation of time. I feel that using **timestrip** may not be best.


English term for a word that differs from another one by just one letter

When I was a child, pretty much every children's magazine I subscribed to used to publish those little word-chain games where you had to get from one word to another — often an antonym — by replacing one letter at a time. To simplify (or complicate) things a little, you were allowed to take only a certain number of steps. So, for example, you had to build a word chain from "cold" to "warm":               c o l d     _ _ _ _     _ _ _ _     _ _ _ _     w a r m      and one possible solution would be:               c o l d     c o r d     w o r d     w a r d     w a r m      Now, I have two questions:   * What is the English term for a word that differs from another word by just a single letter, the length of both words being the same?   * What is the term for such a word if the length doesn't matter? (Say, "band"-"brand", or "warm"-"war".) In Russian, the answer to the first question is "метаграмма", which I would translate, or rather transliterate, as "metagramm(e)" (obviously, of Greek origin). However, searching Wikipedia — or, in fact, the entire Web — for the term "metagramm(e)" doesn't seem to return any meaningful results. As to the second question, I can't answer it in any language I am familiar with. Can anyone offer any hints?


connotations of the word 'demure'

The official definition of _demure_ is: "reserved, modest, and shy." But does it also imply submissiveness?


Looking for a single word that describes "up to but not including x" where x is a number

Pretty straight forward; I am looking for a word that describes up to, but not including a certain number, if such a word exists.


What does “akin to” mean in etymologies in dictionary entries?

Many etymologies in dictionaries say that some word is “akin to” a word in some other language. For example, here is part of the _Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary_ entry for _salt_: > Main Entry: **1 salt** > > Etymology: Middle English, from Old English _sealt;_ akin to Old High German > _salz_ salt, Lithuanian _saldus_ sweet, Latin _sal_ salt, Greek _hals_ salt, > sea It says that _salt_ is “akin to” words in Old High German, Lithuanian, Latin, and Greek. What does that mean? Does it mean that the word is borrowed from those languages? How could a word be borrowed from more than one language?


Meaning of "more wood behind fewer arrows"?

What does the phrase "more wood behind fewer arrows" mean? Source: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/google-gets-serious-winds-down-google- labs/52848?tag=nl.e539


"Should" vs "have to"

Consider: > You **should** do it. > > You **have to** do it. Does _should_ show suggestion and _have to_ show compulsion or motivation? Correct me if I'm wrong.


Asymmetric hyphenation?

I want to talk about things being either “laminodental or apicodental”, but would rather avoid repeating “dental”. Omission of the second part of _hyphenated_ compounds is straightforward (e.g., “user- and hardware- friendly”). But I’m not mad about the asymmetric hyphenation of: > lamino- and apicodental nor do I want to have hyphens in both places: > lamino- and apico-dental given that I would normally write “apicodental” without a hyphen. My go-to style guide, the Economist’s, is silent on this point. Is anyone aware of any established practices in this regard?


Difference between "How are you?" and "How are you doing?"

I've heard a lot of times already, that there is a major difference between saying > "How are you?" and > "How are you doing?" Is that true? I've heard one was like an extension of "Hello" and does not mean anything, so you should not answer it with "Fine, thank you. What about you?", but also with "How are you (doing)?" - I just don't remember which of them means what?


Meaning, origin, and usage of “cor lummy”

I came across an expression I’ve never seen before when reading a Kate Atkinson novel. A quick internet search netted little information apart from a possible cockney origin as a distorted form of “god, love me”. Does anyone have any more information on meaning, origin, and usage? **Update** Here is the excerpt from the novel: > ‘You’ve been in a fight!’ Amelia looked at him for the first time but when > he caught her eye she looked away. ‘How exciting,’ Julia said. ‘It was > nothing,’ Jackson said. (Just someone’s trying to kill me.) ‘What day is it > today?’ ‘Tuesday,’ Julia said promptly. Amelia grunted something that > sounded like ‘Wednesday.’ ‘Really?’ Julia said to her. ‘Cor lummy, how the > days fly, don’t they?’ (Cor lummy? Who said things like that? Apart from > Julia?) ‘I always think,’ Julia said, ‘that Wednesdays are violet.’ Julia > seemed in an exceptionally merry mood. ‘And Tuesdays are yellow, of course.’


"Dark of the Moon"

Is it correct grammar to say "Dark of the Moon"? Should it not be either   * "Dark (insert word here) of the Moon" if there is some dark thing of the moon, or   * "Darkness of the Moon" if the moon itself is the "dark" being described. Example uses according to Wikipedia: >   * Transformers: Dark of the Moon, a 2011 film, third in the Transformers > series >   * Transformers: Dark of the Moon (video game), a video game based on the > 2011 film >   * Dark of the Moon (play), a play by American playwrights William Berney > and Howard Richardson >   * "Dark of the Moon" (The Unit), an episode of the television series The > Unit >   * Dark of the Moon: Poems of Fantasy and the Macabre, a 1947 poetry > anthology edited by August Derleth >   * Dark of the Moon, a 1968 mystery novel by John Dickson Carr >   * Dark of the Moon, a 2005 novel by John Sandford >   * Dark of the Moon, a 2009 paranormal romance novel, third in the Dark > Guardian series >


Everything going on with somebody

If you're continuously posting news about what someone is doing, including their latest projects, is it correct to say (in the description of a fansite, for example): > updates on everything going on with her Is there a better way to express the concept?


in or on the following business Day

I have been trying to find a quick answer of this, but my google searches didn't get me anywhere. I'm confused about using in or on in the following sentence. We will return your call **in** the following business Day or We will return your call **on** the following business Day Thank you


Is there a single word which means "turned out to be''?

I am trying to shorten a sentence which is somewhat structured as follows: > {something} turned out to be {something} Is there a single word that could replace _turned out to be_? (example): > I thought the food was real, but it turned out to be plastic.


Comma after "that" midsentence?

A comma after "that", midsentence, is increasingly common. Consider the examples below. Would you consider the commas after "that" to be correct? If you remove the information set off by commas, the sentences still logically connect and make sense.   * 1.) He said that, after considerable contemplation, he would retire.   * 2.) She said that, in 1969, she and her husband went to Woodstock.   * 3.) Please be advised that, on this day in 1954, a resolution was achieved. Thank you.


What word would I use for things that are bad for you?

I need a single or double word for a category name for my blog that means: Things that are bad for you, such as smoking, drinking, etc. when you have diabetes. The word must be for all things that can be bad for you.


Is the percent symbol okay in this construction?

Direct quote, so I cannot alter. > He said, "We've seen a 10–20 percent a year increase in revenue." Could the percent symbol work? > He said, "We've seen a 10–20% a year increase in revenue." Are both good (in your estimation)?


Another way to say "a measure of how easy it is" to do something?

I'm faced with the task of writing a slightly informal technical paper, where I'd define more than a dozen terms, all ending in "-bility". Examples: portability, maintainability, comprehensibility, etc., etc., etc. In essence, those are all instances of the concept "a measure of how easy it is to do [something]". But I'm afraid that the text will get repetitive if I start all definitions the same way. Would there be other phrases with a similar meaning that I could use in this context? Thanks, **Edit #1** : Shorter phrases with the same or similar meaning would be a plus... **Edit #2** : The finishes text will look somewhat like a dictionary, e.g.:   * **Portability** is a measure of how easy it is to...   * **Maintainability** is a measure of how easy it is to...   * **Comprehensibility** is a measure of how easy it is to... so, this is where the repetition comes from.


Is it "midsentence" or "mid-sentence"? Onelook doesn't say. Also, is it: mid- to late 50s mid-to-late 50s mid to late 50s I'd say, "mid- to late 50s" because "mid" is a prefix that requires a hyphen. Hence, we put a space after the hyphen.


Are both "in regards to" and "regarding to" correct?

Do _in regards to_ and _regarding to_ imply different meanings or is it okay to use them interchangeably? Example: > This mail is in regards to your inquiry.   >  This mail is regarding to your inquiry.


Meaning of “I've been too busy trying to keep my alleged consultancy afloat to think about illicit sex, beyond the YouTube variety.”

What does "beyond the YouTube variety" suppose to refer to here? and what does " illicit sex" mean ?


"than would be"

1. I was wondering if "... than would be ..." is ~~Irrealis~~ subjunctive mood?   2. What is neglected between "than" and "would", given that "than" is conj.? For example: > Programs are larger, more complex, or have a greater span than would be > practical within a single project. > > The weather here is warmer than would be expected at ~~that~~ this latitude > because of the influence of surface currents.


Difference between "Labyrinth" and "Maze"

I know the two are pretty much synonymous: > **labyrinth**   >  _a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is > difficult to find one’s way; a maze_ * * * > **maze**   >  _a network of paths and hedges designed as a puzzle through which one has > to find a way_ > >   * _a complex network of paths or passages_ > What are the differences between the two? Is a _maze_ just a kind of _labyrinth_ created as a puzzle? When should I use one and not the other? Any differences in connotations, formality, regional allegiance, etc?


What is the difference between "self-imposed" and "self-inflicted"?

I'm writing something about Fyodor Dostoyevsky's _Notes From Underground_ about how we sometimes revel in suffering. I want to then add > ... much of which is not only self-inflicted, but also self-imposed. Meaning that not only do we hurt ourselves, we do it on purpose. Is that correct? That was my first intuition when writing that sentence, but I'm not confident in that. What is the difference between _self-imposed_ and _self-inflicted_?


one word for one who is not really a photographer but with more interest in it?

Is there a single word for a person **with great interest in photography but not really a photographer**? who is an enthusiast for photography or atleast who is going to be one soon?


Is there supposed to be a comma when the word "had" is used 4 times in a row?

There's a particular sentence which I've been pondering over: > All the faith he had had had had no effect on the outcome of his life. Some people seem to think there's supposed to be a comma after the second `had` but I don't think there should be. Technically, 4 `had` words in a row in this scenario does make clear sense. Should there be a comma there or not?


What's the meaning of "clothing as meat bags"?

I'd like to know the meaning of _clothing as meat bags_ as used in the second box of this comic strips.


Is it typical native speaker usage to inconsistently use the pronoun "one" in a paragraph?

[NB: This is a re-post of a closed question that was rightly judged "off topic". It does present an interesting problem, though, so I've rewritten it and asked an on-topic usage question.] Is it typical native-speaker usage to inconsistently use the pronoun "one" in a paragraph? For example, in the following paragraph, **one** is often replaced by other pronouns, _viz._ , **you/your** and **we/our**. I'd like to replace these inconsistent pronouns with either **one/one’s** or **you/your**. Which of my two revisions ([2] and [3]) is more idiomatic and natural? > [1] **One** needs to be very careful about discarding **our** old cell > phones because **you** may leave behind information that **one** thinks that > **they** have erased. **You** never want to find that **one’s** bank account > has been drained because someone uncovered **our** PIN number and **one** > certainly wouldn’t want **your** boss to find their competitor's phone > number. Fortunately, there are precautions **we** can take if **one** wants > to avoid these problems.** > > [2] **One** needs to be very careful about discarding **one’s** old cell > phones, because **one** may leave behind information **one** thinks **one** > has erased. **One** never wants to find that **one’s** bank account has been > drained because someone uncovered **one’s** PIN number, and **one** > certainly wouldn’t want **one’s** bosses to find their competitor's phone > number. Fortunately, there are precautions **one** can take if **one** wants > to avoid these problems.** versus > [3] **You** need to be very careful about discarding **your** old cell > phones, because **you** may leave behind information **you** think **you** > have erased. **You** never want to find that **your** bank account has been > drained because someone uncovered **your** PIN number, and **you** certainly > wouldn’t want **your** bosses to find their competitor's phone number. > Fortunately, there are precautions **you** can take if **you** want to avoid > these problems.**


Ask about Verb form in this sentence

This sentence below is using V-ing in two different ways. It says "population enjoying" and "standing at". > The number of Internet users expanded nearly fivefold, with the proportion > of the world's **population enjoying** Internet access now **standing** at > nearly thirty per cent. I'm so confused about the way this sentence is using V-ing.


Is "Wrong side business" used in real life?

In the film "Australia", the phrase "Wrong side business" (or "Wrong sided"?) is used as slang for sex. It sounds like typical Australian English or Australian Aboriginal English. However, I've lived in Sydney most of my life, and I haven't ever heard it. Is it used in real life?


Phrase for expressing victory and teasing the opponent

I'm looking for a slang term that can be used when someone has defeated their opponent and the opponent is speechless and gave up the challenge. So he might want to to brag about how weak the opponent was. To be more clear, something like: > Haha! Don't have anything to say eh? **Update** : Seems like there was a misunderstanding about what I'd like to know. I've seen a scene in which a scientist was answering every question he'd been asked. Suddenly a guy asked a silly question which doesn't have a clear answer and when the scientist remained silent, the guy started jumping up and down and bragging about defeating him. The video was not in English and I was curious what that guy could say if he were speaking English.


What type of clause is this?

Can anyone say what type of clause this is — noun, adjective or adverbial? > I am glad **that you have passed the test**. Some people say that it is a noun clause. But I am not sure. What is the syntactic relation between _glad_ and the _that_ clause?


past tense of contrive

So I am looking up the meaning of 'contrive' in google using: `define contrive` And it says:               Verb     1. Create or bring about (an object or a situation) by deliberate use of skill and artifice.     2. Manage to do something foolish or create an undesirable situation.      However when I typed `define contrived`, I get:               Adjective     1. Deliberately created rather than arising naturally or spontaneously.     2. Giving a sense of artificiality.      I assume `contrived` is a different word altogether. But can it also be used as the past tense of `contrive`?


Where does the phrase "fair do's/dues/doos/does" come from?

I was researching the phrase _fair do's_ , attempting to determine which spelling was most appropriate, and where it had come from. Unfortunately most of the information I could find was very opinionated, or didn't mention the different forms. So, where is it from, and how common are the different spellings?


What is the right word for a company which takes photographs and videos for its clients?

I'm looking for the right word to describe a company which takes photographs and captures videos and edits them for its clients [in exchange for money]. I first came up with "Advertising Company" which is too much general for this purpose, and then "Multimedia Company" or "Media Company" which I'm not sure if that's the right word or not.


"One of this and that" or "One of this or that"?

I am wondering which is the proper way to say that one thing or the other is required. > Only one of passport and national id is required. or > Only one of passport or national id is required.


"for fear of degradation"

Is this a valid sentence? Degradation: 1\. the condition or process of degrading or being degraded. As used in this context: "...doing so would bring shame to the family. For fear of degradation, ..."


Word for "percentage of elements changed"

I have a table that shows the number of elements added, deleted, and changed in a graph. I'm calling the sum of additions + deletions + changes the "differences." I also want to include a column that shows the "percentage of elements that are different"--for simplicity, let's say this percentage is the number of differences divided by the total number of elements. My first thought is to call this _percent different_ or _difference percentage_ or _modification factor_ but it seems like there should be a more commonly-used term for this. I also considered _percent changed_ but since "change" has a specific technical meaning in this table I can't use that. Any suggestions?


Belong to x one of

Is it possible to use _he belongs to the greatest players_ to mean _he is one of the greatest players_? While I know that in other languages (including my own), these two are interchangeable, I feel that in English, although _belong_ has a number of meanings, this one _does not belong to_ them. Or am I wrong?


How is "World English" difficult for native speakers of English?

There is a newly used term, **_World English_** (WE). It is nobody's mother tongue. It is spoken across the world, for example, at check-in desks, airports, international trade fairs, world cup football seasons, etc. I read an article about this topic and it says that native speakers are not privileged anymore and they can't really manage WE. Is this that hard for native speakers? What they speak is also English so they should not have problems, in my opinion; but I may be thinking wrong. What about World English is difficult for native speakers of English to use or understand?


What’s the correct hyphenation in “trying to be a decision maker”?

Which of these three ways of writing it is right:   1. _decision maker_ (a space separates the two pieces)   2. _decision-maker_ (a hyphen separates the two pieces)   3. _decisionmaker_ (nothing separates the two pieces) I’ve looked online and in dictionaries, grammar books, source documents, and multiple documents within my organization, but I still cannot find an answer.


What's the opposite of "enlarge"?

In the context of a computer user interface manual, what word would you use to complete this sentence: > Drag the handle at the bottom-right corner to enlarge or **__** the window. To me, "shrink", "diminish", and "reduce" all feel wrong in this context. Is there a better word? (Or would one of those work if I changed the word "enlarge" to something else?)


"Baggage" versus "luggage"

I have the feeling that _luggage_ is more closely associated with vacation travel, whereas _baggage_ is for general transportation. Or... are they just exact synonyms?


"water pool" vs "swimming pool"

Is it correct to use **water pool** instead of **swimming pool**? In some hotel descriptions I have found **water pool** , but it looks like it was a mistake.


Is there a term for preloading video?

When playing videos with slow connectivity from YouTube, I often pause the video to allow the loaded video portion to grow. I was wondering if any of the technophiles could weigh in on a possible term for this practice. It seems to me that **_preloading_** could work, but I figured I could ask about a better term.


What is the right definition of "cheeky"?

Whenever anyone from US hears me say "cheeky" to (or about) my kids, they always ask what it means. When I try to explain, they suggest "mischievous", but apparently it has more negative connotation than the "cheeky" I mean (the best I can explain it is mischievous, but cute about it). When I mean it negatively I use "naughty", not "cheeky". So, is there a better definition, or am I using it wrong?


Use of commas and or in "either"/"any of" lists of things

Which of the following is "more" correct?   1. _Either_ one, two, _or_ three?   2. _Either_ one, _or_ two, _or_ three?   3. _Any of_ one, two, _or_ three?   4. _Any of_ one, _or_ two, _or_ three? What I am interested in, is the use of "or" within the list of options: should there be more than one?


What is the word for writing prose under self-imposed restrictions

There's a word for writing prose, or indeed poetry, under self-imposed restrictions such as only using one vowel, or maximum word length, or only on initial character (such as the poem _On Thriftiness_ ) What is that word, please?


When and why did "patronize" gain the meaning of condescension versus being a customer?

To patronize an establishment is generally a good thing, but to be patronized is bad. I assume that the former meaning was the original, but when did the other come into being and why?


"due to A or due to B" is the same as "due to A or B"?

I found "due to A or due to B" in a book. Can I use "due to A or B" instead of "due to A or due to B"? If so, which one is better?


"Much though" vs "much as"

> **Much though** he likes her, he doesn't love her. > > **Much as** he needed money for a new car, he decided not to borrow it from > the bank. Both are correct in a grammar book, but my teacher tells me that the first is wrong. Why?


what's the meaning of "Closing the Circle"

I saw this title at the end of an article (I'd guess meaning _conclusion_?) What is the meaning of _Closing the Circle_? Does in mean, _in conclusion_?


Can a person have a “dextrous mind”?

Can we say that a man has a _dextrous mind_? This would mean that he has a highly skilled brain which is capable of excelling at a certain mental activity, or that he as an individual is capable of picking up new skills rather quickly. I understand that the definition of dexterity is used to convey that a man is a fine craftsman or is capable of using his hands in intricate complex patterns. Can we extend _dextrous_ to refer to mental agility?


What is a "belligerent demands" of something?

The following is an excerpt from an article in the New York Times, which is the same one in a previous question: > No poet of our day has such a well-earned reputation for difficulty as the > Englishman Geoffrey Hill, and there are few whose moral vision is so > imperiously unsparing. Of late, however, the almost **belligerent demands** > of Hill's severe and densely forbidding poetry have taken an improbable > turn: part of what's become daunting about his work is simply keeping up > with it all. How can a demand be _belligerent_? Is it a metaphor? Does "the almost belligerent demands of Hill's ... poetry" imply that the readers like his poetry very much as if they will fight each other to buy it?


Plural form of “stuff”

Is it correct to use the plural form of _stuff_ as in this sentence: > I have packed all my stuffs. Should the singular be used or there is no difference in meaning?


What does "moral vision is so imperiously unsparing" mean?

The following is an excerpt from an article in the New York Times: > No poet of our day has such a well-earned reputation for difficulty as the > Englishman Geoffrey Hill, and there are few whose **moral vision is so > imperiously unsparing**. Of late, however, the almost belligerent demands of > Hill's severe and densely forbidding poetry have taken an improbable turn: > part of what's become daunting about his work is simply keeping up with it > all. ''The Orchards of Syon'' is Hill's fourth book in six years -- an ample > output even for poets of sunny disposition, but for one of Hill's > penitential austerity over the previous 50 years, it is something closer to > a mutinous outburst. I don't understand the sentence in bold. I've looked up the words one by one in the dictionary. But I still don't understand. Can anyone rephrase it with more accessible words?


"I don't bother to do" vs "I don't bother doing"

Which one of these sentences is correct? >   1. I don't bother to study. >   2. I don't bother studying. >


Meaning of "induce of" in letters by Thomas Jefferson

> March 24th 1789 > > In Europe I doubt whether you can; because our government gives it’s offices > on it’s own knowledge of persons, and not on the recommendations of others. > They give their diplomatic appointments with more caution too because of the > distance at which they are to be exercised and the necessity which that > **induces of** leaving to them a great latitude of discretionary power. * * * > May 25th 1795 Dear Sir > > My last to you was of Dec. 23. 1793. Since that I have received yours of > Nov. 7. 11. 13. 1794. May 22. 1795. Jan. 29. My not having written to you so > long a time is to be ascribed with truth to the eagerness and activity with > which I am pursuing my agricultural reformations, to the habit which this > has **induced of** procrastinating every thing which will bear > procrastination, and to the circumstance that my communications to you would > bear it, as there was no change in the state of your affairs till lately.   1. What does **to induce of** mean? I found the definition of _induce_ at Oxford Online, but it does not clarify it for me.    2. Is there a difference between **induce of** and _induce_?


Does the word "being" refer to now or past in this context?

The two women who were watching the hockey were on the other touchline, directly opposite where Cecilia, with Daisy and Amanda was watching it, too, since attendance at home matches was compulsory. Cecilia remembered the women being on the touch line before, because when the hockey ended they'd passed close to where she, Daisy and Amanda were looking for Amanda's watch, which had slipped from her wrist without her noticing. Did she remember the women being at the sam place but in a previous time or did she remembered them on a different place in the past? ** Is the word "being" describing the presence of the women on the touchline in present time or past time ? **


Is it correct to say that something is "claustrophobic" if it makes someone feel claustrophobic?

For example, people often refer to an elevator as claustrophobic, but I'm curious whether it is more accurate to say that an elevator causes its occupants to feel claustrophobic.


Apostrophe difference (Ones' and Two's Complement)

Why does the place of the apostrophes differ in the following two titles?   * en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two's_complement   * en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ones'_complement Which one is the correct?


Proper Capitalization of "ancient romans"

How should this be capitalized: ancient romans?


Is the "-b" to be pronounced in the word "limb"? What about "thumb"? "Crumb"?

I'm confused about the differing pronunciations of words that end in "-b". For example, I remember being told by some of earliest teachers that the "-b" in _limb_ was meant to be silent, and one should properly pronounce it as _lim_. Now, that seems to me in contrast with the pronunciation of the word _thumb_ , which I find, verifying through an impromptu poll of friends just now, is often pronounced with the enunciated "-b". If that weren't confusing enough, think of the pronunciation of the word _crumb_ ; the enunciation of the final _b_ seems clearly wrong to my ear. But the verb and the participle made out of the noun clearly have their "-b"s enunciated; think _crumbled_ and _crumbling_. So I guess my question is: What exactly are the rules here? Which pronunciation is more faithful to the etymology of these words?


Inanimate life companion

This is gonna be pretty vague, but hopefully by listing examples, someone will understand what I'm grasping for. I'm searching for a metaphor to describe a tool, weapon, vehicle, set of techniques, environment - something that supports what you do, that you build yourself, or at least "make your own" over time. Here are some examples I've considered, to give a sense of what I'm looking for. I guess the problem is that I don't know whether these are actually "things" - traditions that I can refer to. Or that I don't know whether there's a specific name you'd call them, or maybe a cultural reference that would best convey the idea.   * Becoming a warrior by forging the sword you will use in battle.   * Building a canoe or raft from materials you have gathered.   * Science fiction trope where people build their own robotic armor or spaceship.   * A souped up OS configuration that one has evolved over the years, with a specific set of utilities and modifications, e.g. a bash profile, or the kinds of things people would talk about on usesthis.com or thesweetsetup.com, or answer to a "The first things you install on a new Mac/PC" question.   * An office or workplace that someone has arranged to facilitate their own productivity.    * A hot rod car.   * A musician's favorite guitar.   * A knowledge management system, or "outboard brain" as I've heard people call it.   * Your grandmother's cookbook with her "secret" customizations to recipes scribbled in. Basically, things that feel like extensions of yourself. Inanimate things that you feel an emotional attachment to. Things that augment you, help you tackle life, that you'd feel naked without. The elements of a craft that aren't taught or handed down, but created and/or acquired. Does this make sense? I hope it's not too broad. I have a feeling that there's not one specific answer to this that I'm looking for, but I don't really know how to define the category either (obviously). I'd love to hear as many ideas as people have to offer. Thanks! EDIT: Thanks for the answers so far. To be clear, I'm not only looking for suggestions about a general name for this category. I'm looking for a shorthand way to convey the sense of this. For example, if I said I'm "building my canoe" or "it's like my Iron Man suit". For what it's worth, in the specific case, I'm trying to describe my new interest in designing a system/scaffolding/infrastructure for my own life - a collection of tools, automated scripts, habits and "lifehacks" - to help me overcome issues with chronic procrastination and ADHD. And as I write that, I realize that it's comically typical of my ADHD that I've gotten hung up on this particular question. But hey, no point backing out now. ;)


Usage of sobriquets in formal (philosophical) writing

I translate a lot of philosophical articles from Spanish to English. One of the quirks of Spanish academic writing is its use of sobriquets (i.e. nicknames) for philosophers and other thinkers, in order to avoid constantly repeating [Name-of-philosopher] over and over again. In the case at hand, the article is about Hannah Arendt, and uses the phrase "la filósofa alemana" (the German philosopher) or simply "la alemana" (the German). Any thoughts on whether this kind of "nicknaming" is appropriate in English academic writing?


"Allows not" vs. "does not allow"

Which should I use: _allows not_ or _does not allow_? Can I use both? Are there verbs that does not allow the two forms?


Thanks for help vs. Thanks for helping me

Is the sentence 'Thanks for help' easily understood? Should I use 'Thanks for helping me', or 'Thanks for help me'?


What are typical italian mistakes when it comes to sentence construction?

Sometimes people say to me that my english is kinda like "translated italian". They don't know how to put that themselves, anyway sometimes my sentences are not constructed in a "typical english way". In other words, even though they are grammatically correct, they sound "strange" to a native english person, because they would say the same thing in another, more familiar, way. Anyone knows about any "peculiar" english phrase construction? Something that differenciates English from Italian? I know they are both SVO languages and, while in italian you can sometimes omit the subject, in english you always need that. Anyway, except for that, I can't seem to find any english peculiarity about sentence construction.. edit: another example is the frequent utilization of the passive form. Even though a sentence can be correct both in active and in passive form, I noticed that english people are more prone to use the passive form than italian people. Anyway I don't know the rules behind that, the particular situation in which passive form sounds more "natural".


The married man with an affinity

I was reading a book about events in the 1920's US south; and came across the phrase in a quote from a KKK spokes person. I can't figure out what the phrase means, and haven't been able to find any other use of it to give hints from broader context. For clarity I've included the most complete copy of the quotation I could find from "The Ku Klux Klan In American Politics" By ARNOLD S. RICE, 1962. Here is a version of the quote from _The Emergence of the New South, 1913-1945_ , George Brown Tindall, p. 191: ![image](http://i.stack.imgur.com/EDIsD.png)


I'm reading the english wikipedia entry titled "Radiation".   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation   you can find the word in the first paragraph, or by searching. so... What is the difference between "matter-containing media" and "matter"?


Where to use the present tense and where to use the past in this sentence?

> Thus morality gave in to politics, so much so that the standard on which to > judge whether an act is right or wrong and whether a person is good or bad > was reduced to loyalty to the political head. I do not know exactly where to use the past tense and where to use the present tense in this sentence. To me, "the standard on which to judge whether an act is right or wrong" in this context refers to some kind of permanent standard. If so, "is" is appropriate. But I doubt this breaking of the unity of tense is not legitimate.


Is "I'm glad it helped" grammatical?

Is the phrase "I'm glad it helped" grammatically correct? And if it is, does it express correctly that I am more than happy that I could help someone?


People who use "no" in every sentence

I want to know whether using unnecessary "No"s and negations paints individuals with a negative/insulting attitude. Examples from my dear workplace. **Example 1:** 1: "Hey Eric, today is so warm." 2: "No. it's not warm." vs 1: "Hey Eric, today is so warm." 2: "Really? It's cold." **Example 2:** 1: "Well, what I did was implement A and B to get C." 2: "No. Don't use A and B to get C. No." vs 1: "Well, what I did was implement A and B to get C." 2: "Using A and B to get C isn't the best method." **Example 3:** 1: "Okay, I'll finish this first, and then do that." 2: "No. Do that first." vs 1: "Okay, I'll finish this first, and then do that." 2: "Do that first."


To represent with a graph

I am preparing a number of charts to show demographic trends. Is there a word meaning _to represent an event with a graph_?


How to introduce two arguments

How to introduce two arguments in a scientific paper? I used:               There are two arguments. On the one hand ARGUMENT1. On the other hand ARGUMENT2.      Now I was told I should not use this construct unless I am introducing two contradictory arguments. I was told to rather use:               There are two arguments. First ARGUMENT1. Second ARGUMENT2.      However I actually don't like the second way. Is there any other construct that suits better? Note: I am not a native speaker therefore I missing some expressions. Probably there is an obvious answer.


Comparative adjectives cannot have -er ending

Questions on the use of lesser have appeared on here before, but I was reading a book on grammar which states the following (I omitted parts to keep it brief, but I retained what I think are the important parts): "Adjectives which gave a comparative or superlative signification do not admit the addition of ... the terminations, er, est ... the following examples break this rule:" It then lists examples. Here is the one I am confused by: "From these various causes, which in greater or lesser degree, affected every individual in the colony, the indignation of the people became general." The book sets "lesser" in italics, suggesting this is in error, yet my search on-line doesn't seem to yield any issue with the use of lesser. I found questions discussing the use of less versus the use of lesser, with it being argued that lesser is used for 'quality'. Here, I assume that 'less' is more appropriate. My questions are as follows: Should 'less' replace 'lesser' in the phrase "greater or lesser degree"? Is the book claiming that 'lesser' is not a word?


What does "doing five to ten for one thing or another" mean?

I came across the following: > I've seen ... women on their way to visit boyfriends who are doing five to > ten for one thing or another. What does _"doing five to ten for one thing or another"_ mean in this context? Google was distinctly unhelpful to me.


In grammar what is the pattern of the sentence "My watch is running slow"

I am not quite sure about the pattern of sentence "My watch is running slow" ? Is it a SVOC or something ? Would anyone explain it in detail ?


Does appending a question mark to a declarative sentence result in a valid sentence?

Suppose I have the sentence: > "All apples are green." Although it is not a true statement, clearly it is a declarative sentence. Can _any_ declarative sentence like this be made into an interrogative sentence (a question) merely by replacing the period with a question mark? The reason I ask is because the typical word order for such a question would be: > "Are all apples green?" Notice that the verb has been moved to the beginning of the sentence. This is the way most of us would word the sentence when phrasing it as a question.


Meaning of "the waft of"

> Now he was beginning to have the waft of an old man who hadn't bathed for > several days. The meaning of the sentence is absolutely clear to me, since the second part of the sentence explains the meaning. But I have only a rough perception what the exact meaning of _a waft of_ is.   I found this explanation of _waft_ : > To cause to go gently and smoothly through the air or over water. And _to waft_ means: > to move, or make something move, gently through the air But at this point I stuck and I fail to figure out the exact meaning. It sounds like it means the smell itself in an foul-smelling way, but then it would be rather uncouth. Am I headed in the right direction or has _a waft of_ a deeper meaning?


What is the word that means to offer to be in a relationship?

There is a word that means to offer to be in a relationship. For example, it could be used in the following dialogue: > A: Let's go over to my apartment.   >  B: Are you [] me? However, I can't think of this word. Any help?


What could be an alternative word implying 'to endorse someone'?

On professional social network sites (like LinkedIn) there are terms like 'recommend someone' or 'endorse someone'. What could be an alternative term that is somewhat lighter in meaning as compared to endorsing someone, but rather more inclined towards meaning 'to appreciate someone in academic or professional context or to appreciate his works'? I need to use a noun as well as a verb of the term.


Why not "at set of the sun"?

> When the stars, at set of sun,   >  Watch you from on high. Why not "at set of **the** sun"?


What is a "dead ringer"?

> Elena is a dead ringer for Katherine This means Elena looks exactly like Katherine... but what is a "dead ringer" and what does it have to do with it?


How have British English U and non-U speech changed between the 1950s and now?

How have British English U and non-U speech changed between the 1950s and the present day?


What is the difference in meaning between "pattern" and "rhythm"?

What is the difference in meaning between _pattern_ and _rhythm_? It seems to me that the former is more American-English and the latter more British-English. Are these more or less synonyms or are there some subtile differences? It seems to me that _pattern_ is more common than _rhythm_.


Meaning of "It flaming spread" in a Tolkien poem

Tolkien wrote a poem called “Over the misty mountains cold”, which is featured as a song in the first _Hobbit_ movie. In this poem there are those verses that made me scratch my head: > _The pines were roaring on the height,   >  The wind was moaning in the night.   >  The fire was red, **it flaming spread** ,   >  The trees like torches blazed with light._ I don’t understand what “it flaming spread” means. To me it looks like a mistake and should be “ **its** flaming spread”, referring to the fire. But it doesn’t seem like it bothers native English speakers, so there’s probably something I don't get. Any hint?


What's the correct plural of "Raspberry Pi"?

What is the correct way to pluralize a proper noun like "Raspberry Pi" (a type of small, inexpensive computer)? Would you say: >   * This project uses two Raspberry Pis >   * This project uses two Raspberry Pi's >   * This project uses two “Raspberry Pi”s > None of the options look right to me. I think the combination of being a proper noun and an unusual second word makes this tricky.


What's a word meaning a never-ending source?

Insatiable means can never be satisfied, sort of like a sink that can never be filled. Whats the word for a never-ending source? e.g. My source of funding is [Missing word goes here]. While we are at it, what word should I have used in place of opposite?. (Since the opposite of insatiable is of course satiable).


"It may be updated below." or "It may be updated, below."

Which is the correct way to punctuate this sentence? Is the comma necessary? Context: > The following is our initial estimate. It may be udpated, below. The intent is to say that half a page from now, there may be updated text. This is not the actual context, but it is representative.


What's the meaning of 'annoyingly good'?

One student was describing his advisor as 'annoyingly good'. I was wondering what that means, and is it rude to say or write it on your homepage? I'm guessing it might mean he's the 'tough love' kind of advisors, or maybe he's 'annoyingly good' because he's much better than him. But that's my guess and would like to make sure.


Re: a sign on your residence: The Smiths vs. The Smiths’

I know the former is the generally accepted usage, as that’s all I’ve ever seen over the years; meaning, by extension, "The Smiths ..live here" – presumably; whilst the second example implies, "The Smiths’ Home", which seems to me an obviously superior proposition for a sign on a residence. My bias makes me suspect the former is just a pragmatic simplification that has become standard practice (but then, so is the latter an incomplete shortcut.) What might a pedantic English instructor think if driving by such a sign, _The Smiths’_ , and why?