Should I use " related" or "-related"

What is **the correct use of the term _"related?"_** For example, should I use it like _computer related_ , or is it more proper to use _computer-related_ (where the word _"computer"_ is just part of my example?) Are the cases where it is used in one form and case in another form, or should it always be used in only one way?


Multiple compound words

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How to connect a word and a phrase with a dash? Hello, I'm a non-native English speaker and I'm writing a scientific paper about biometric identification based on heart sounds. In this context, is the following phrase correct? > Comparison of recent articles on heart sounds-based biometrics. I am using it as a caption for a table.


"state lattice-based motion planner" or "state-lattice based motion planner" ?

Which one in the following groups is correct respectively? > (1) state lattice-based motion planner   >  state-lattice based motion planner   >  (2) spatiotemporal sampling-based planning method   >  spatiotemporal-sampling based planning method The motion planner uses a state lattice. The planning method is based on spatiotemporal sampling. Thanks!


How to connect a word and a phrase with a hyphen?

For example, "file system" and "related". Is it "file system-related"? It will appear as if it is a compound of "file" and "system-related", won't it?


Compounds involving compounds

Consider the following use of a hyphen: > There are many bear-like animals. Now, how does the hyphenation change if "bear" is replaced by "grizzly bear"? Which of the following would be appropriate: > There are many grizzly bear-like animals. > > There are many grizzly bear -like animals. The intended meaning is _not_ "There are many grizzly (gray-haired) animals that resemble bears," but rather "there are many animals that resemble grizzly bears ( _Ursus arctos_ )".


Operator preference in English: space vs. hyphen

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How to connect a word and a phrase with a hyphen? Consider a hypothetical object whose name is formed by joining the names of its two constituent parts together to get "A B-C". Would the casual reader assume that the two parts are named "A" and "B-C", or that they are named "A B" and "C"? For that matter, if one were in need to devise a compound name from the names "A" and "B-C", what would be the correct way to do this so that the casual reader will be able to decipher the two constituent parts? Conversely, how should he combine the names "A B" and "C" so that the casual reader will be able to decipher the two constituent parts? This is not an academic exercise, this is in reference to a naming confusion that I am involved with right now. Thanks.


Game-development-oriented or game development-oriented?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How to connect a word and a phrase with a hyphen?   >  “Hardware-counter-based tools” or “hardware-counter based tools”? As the title states, which is the correct hyphenation of the adjective formed by multiple words? Is it **"game development-oriented"** or **"game- development-oriented"**? By "game development-oriented" or "game-development-oriented", I refer to something that is oriented towards game development. Sample usage: > The company's year-long plan is more _game development-oriented (game- > development-oriented)_ this year compared to last year.


Proper use of hyphens for compound noun 'system model driven approach'

> **Possible Duplicates:**   >  How to connect a word and a phrase with a dash?   >  Multiple compound words   >  Should I use " related" or "-related" I'm aware of the general rules for using hyphens in compound nouns, but I'm baffled by the correct use of hyphens in the compound noun 'system model driven approach'. This is a specialty term in computer science and is interpreted as " _approach_ , that is _driven_ , by _system models_ (compound noun)". My manuscript editor wants to typeset this 4-word noun as "system model-driven approach" but my eyes tell me it's wrong because I read it as "system {model driven} approach" whereas what needs to be communicated is "{system model} driven approach". I've tried to check this from some available style guides but can't find good guidance. So the question is which one of these alternatives is best, or are all these wrong?   * system model driven approach   * system-model driven approach   * system-model-driven approach


"e-mail me" or "e-mail to me"?

What is the correct way to direct a request: "Would you please **e-mail me** the check?" or "Would you please **e-mail to me** the check?" And why?


Do the Eskimo/Inuit languages really have more words for snow than English

I've read in some sources that there are more words in the Eskimo/Inuit language to describe types of snow that have arisen out of necessity. I've also read in other sources that this is just urban legend and that they really don't have any more words for snow. What is the correct metric used to measure if they have more words (for example do we count only single words such as snow, sleet, powder and not include compound words like snow-drift)? Do they actually have more words for snow?


Explaining the structure of a thesis

The following sentence, and in particular the bold part, has no entry in google. Does it sound natural to native speakers? > The work in this thesis **is organised around three research themes of > current interest** in mathematics.


What is the opposite of 'deflationary?'

Recently I often hear or read the expression 'deflationary environment' as something bad for he economy. I may assume that its opposite might be something good, but what is the opposite of deflationary. Plus, what is a more appropriate way to say that a deflationary environment is 'bad' for the economy.


A single word for "liking someone's speech/quote/idea"?

I usally hear the word compounds "well-said, well-spoken etc.." to express the appreciation of someone's speech or a useful idea, but I never heard such a single word to express that. PS : I'm not searching for answers like : "To agree etc..." or general terms of "admitting/accepting things". **EDIT** : I've found a useful interjection "Touche", but still wondering if it can be used in business speech.


What is this usage of harrumph?

So this question was just asked and it made me realize I didn't understand what was going on this particular movie scene (Mel Brooks' 1974 _Blazing Saddles_ ). Transcript: > **Governor William J. Le Petomane:** Holy underwear! Sheriff murdered! > Innocent women and children blown to bits! We have to protect our phoney > baloney jobs here, gentlemen! We must do something about this immediately! > Immediately! Immediately! Harrumph! Harrumph! Harrumph! > > **Governor William J. Le Petomane:** _[pointing to a member of his cabinet]_ > I didn't get a "harrumph" out of that guy! > > **Hedley Lamarr:** Give the Governor harrumph! > > **Politician:** Harrumph! Anyways, I thought that harrumph could be used to voice general agreement to or approval of what was just said. This is incorrect. Merriam-Webster's says this: > _intransitive verb_   >  **1:** to clear the throat in a pompous way   >  **2:** to comment disapprovingly   >  _transitive verb_   >  **:** to utter (a comment) disapprovingly   > The actual meaning in this usage is the exact opposite of what I thought. So is there another accepted definition? Or is the governor and his cabinet **[standing] around _harrumphing_ about the current state** of affairs? (from MW link above) Or is that, as they say, the joke?


Meaning of 'saving' in 'not one single saving vice'

> [He is] devoid of any human weakness, with not one single **saving** vice, > sans prejudice, procrastination, ill-nature, avarice, and absence of mind, > as careful for his own safety as he is for that of others, this excellent > but odious character stands like a monument in our courts of justice, vainly > appealing to his fellow citizens to order their lives after his own example. > > A. P. Herbert, Uncommon Law (Methuen, 1969), p. 4 Would someone please explain what **saving** here means? Which definition fits? Source: P48, Law, Raymond Wacks


What is the difference between "anyone" and "everyone" in this context

What is the difference between "anyone" and "everyone" in the following context? For example, > _Anyone_ is welcome to do such and such. and > _Everyone_ is welcome to do such and such. mean exactly the same thing to me. But since I am not a native speaker, I guess there might be some subtle differences. Can anyone explain?


Disinterested vs. uninterested

I’ve always understood the difference between _disinterested_ and _uninterested_ as follows:   * _uninterested_ : not interested, not up to it   * _disinterested_ : impartial Consider the situation of someone unwilling to help another in need. Is that person uninterested or disinterested? I’d always thought it has to be _uninterested_ , but I’ve read _disinterested_ used in contexts like the one just given.


Accurate definition for poetic devices

Although I can recognize and construct phrases that include usage of poetic devices, I certainly cannot define all of them accurately. For example, I read in a book that _metaphor_ is defined as _transfer of qualities between two certain physical objects_. And I found the definition to be so accurate that anyone reading it the first time would understand the meaning of _metaphor_ without having to go through tons of examples. Likewise, _simile_ would mean _the similarities between two objects_. So I wanted to ask if there could be a similar accurate definition for other existing devices like _irony_ , _alliteration_ , and _analogy_. I mean I know what _irony_ means and can distinguish between an irony and other given devices but I'm somehow not able to accurately define it without the help of examples.


What's a word for a group of questions asked together?

Is there a word for a set of questions that are asked together and are related? For example, one asks the question: > Do you go rafting? And follow up with: > If yes, where?   >  If no, what do you do instead? I'd like a word that represents this collection of questions, some of which are meaningless outside of their grouping. Is there such a word? I have a couple of ideas in mind (linked here so I can limit influencing your opinion). I'm looking for something much smaller than an interview (which is a larger collection of loosely-related questions), and different from a page (which is a physical arrangement of questions).


Word that describes a problem that is missing a precondition

I'm an engineer, and sometimes I want to describe a problem that is unresolvable in it's current state. The problem might be easy, or somewhat complex, but the key aspects of it are understood and it cannot be solved without changing some other condition. An example:               Deliver this physical letter from our location in the US to this address in Cambodia.     It must arrive within 10 minutes.      This problem is understandable, but it is not (practically?) possible. If the requirements are changed to allow digital transmission, it can be done. Another example, emphasizing that the problem is not too little information, but competing requirements which are incongruent with a single solution:               Describe a physical object which meets all the following criteria:     Is as big as bread basket     Is colored red     Is invisible      In this case, coloring the thing and having the thing be invisible are incompatible. Or the classic:               Car Repair:     Fast     Cheap     Done Right      Choose any 2, as the joke goes. All 3 are at the same time are... insoluble? irresolvable? This is the word I'm looking for. Hopefully these analogies communicate my point, I wanted to avoid tech jargon. These problems could be described as:   * Inextricable \-- "Too involved or complicated to solve. Extremely intricate." Not really. Complexity is not in the way of a solution here.   * Inscrutable \-- "Incapable of being investigated, analyzed, or scrutinized; impenetrable. Not easily understood; mysterious; unfathomable:". Closer, but the definition implies some complexity in the problem itself which I don't want to communicate.   * Unsolvable \-- "[Not] capable of being solved, as a problem.". Completely accurate, but could be more descriptive. _Why_ isn't the problem solvable? Similar: Insolvable, insoluble, and unsolvable


"Take a photo" — why "take"?

I don't understand why it's " **take** a photo". Why _take_? Is there any rule for this?


What's the right way to pronounce "Louis"?

The name of the comedian Louis C.K. is pronounced LU-EE-SEE-KAY. Is the **S** pronounced as a part of the given name "Louis", or just the first constant of the of the letter **C**? Is there a canonical way to pronounce the English name "Louis", or is the pronunciation dependent in geographic location or origin? Credit: this tweet (Hebrew).


same question different way

During college, I worked the summers landscaping, which cultivated a fascination with wild plants and folk medicine. or this: During college, I worked the summers as a landscaper, cultivating a fascination in wild plants and folk medicine. or this: During college, I worked the summers landscaping, cultivating a fascination with wild plants and folk medicine.


What is the origin of the phrase "a map is not the territory"?

The phrase "a map is not the territory" is identified with the philosopher of science Alfred Korzybski and his 1931 lecture at an American Mathematical Society meeting. In both of its prominent meanings (philosophical and practical) this is certainly an ancient idea. In fact, it sounds like an inevitable Roman maxim. Is Korzybski really the first person to use this expression? Doesn't it in fact have a much older, perhaps ancient origin?


Help with email to customer: negative balance

can someone help me with this please. Need to write an email to customer who forgot to paid and so his/her balance became negative. It is related to prepaid service... Thank you. * * * Dear `Customer_name`, Thank you for using our `service_name` prepaid subscription service. As of today it came to our attention that you created a negative balance of **$`amount`** on your prepaid credits for our service. We would like you to pay the above balance at your earliest convenience and if you intended to continue to use our prepaid services in the future, please proceed to this link to place an order for additional prepaid credits. NOTE: Please note that this is your `notice_number` notice. Our commitment to providing you the best `service_name` service is our primary goal. We look forward to continuing our relationship with you in the future. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. Sincerely, * * * We plan to send two notices to the customers with negative balance. A third one would be final and the NOTE line would be replaced with below: NOTE: Please note that this is your **third** and **final** notice. Unless we get a response from you today by midnight (EST), we will be forced to cancel our service for you. However, your affiliate function will still remain active so you will still be able to earn free credits with us by inviting others.


Name for words with same number of letters (size)?

There's anagrams, lexigrams, palindromes and many others... But is there a name for words that have the same "size"/"length" (number of characters)? For instance, "car" and "bat" both have 3 characters. "Eggs" and "near" both have four. Is there a special word for the size/length-based relationships these words share?


Using the word "coon" as part of a company name

I'd like you to ask if it's ok to use the word "coon" as part of a company name? The website isn't related to racoons at all, but has a racoon head in the logo. Will it offend visitors? As a foreigner I don't get all the finer points of the English language.


Is there a word for satisfaction in others receiving justice?

Is there a word for satisfaction of hearing about justice that does not affect you? e.g. you hear on the news that a diet foods company has been ordered to compensate customers for deliberately misleading customers into buying their products by making false claims about its benefits. This makes you pleased as justice has been served however   * you have never bought or attempted to buy any of the diet products   * you will not receive any compensation   * no-one you know has been affected I suppose this is a mix of satisfaction, a restoring of faith in karma and a sense of the world being "put to rights" and better as a result..?


awareness of or awareness for something?

This program was initiated to increase the awareness for breast cancer. does this seem correct? or the preposition 'for' be replaced with 'of'?


Does this expression makes sense?

> W : I'm impressed at how expertly you played that piano sonata. > > M : **Sorry. I'm still just an apprentice**. When the man says "sorry", what does this exactly mean in this circumstances? Is it kind of a humble expression I can use when praised? One more question, > W : Mr. Smith, the tiles in the restaurant bathroom need to be replaced.   >  M : Why? There's nothing wrong with them.   >  W : Yes, but they're starting to look old.   >  **M : I don't think that warrants the expense.** Does this mean "That is not enough for changing the whole tiles."? Do you frequently use this expression?


Comma splice proceeded by conjunctive adverb

I'm wondering what the rule is as to where any commas or semicolons would go. (a) and (b) are showing the two sentences that are to be combined, and (a)+(b)[1,2] show the sentences in question. (a): I like tea, especially chamomile tea.   (b): I like tea; however, I prefer coffee. (a)+(b)[1]: I like tea, especially chamomile tea; however, I prefer coffee.   or,   (a)+(b)[2]: I like tea, especially chamomile tea, however, I prefer coffee. It'd be great if it could be:   (a)+(b)[3]: I like tea, especially chamomile tea,; however, I prefer coffee. I have a feeling that (a)+(b)[1] is correct; however, I'm not really sure what rule would govern that. Is there some precendence rule making a semicolon 'trump' a comma?


Is "vernissage" in common use in American English?

I'm translating a novel from Swedish to English. The book is slightly above the level of chick-lit, so I don't want it to sound too fancy. In Swedish vernissage is a common word. I have personally never heard or used this term in English.


Word whose form is contrary to its meaning?

Is there a word for a word whose form is contrary to its meaning? For example, "quotidian" is anything but quotidian.


What's the difference between "speak" and "talk", grammatically speaking?

There are a number of questions (example, example) that deal with the slightly different connotations of the words "speak" and "talk". However, there also seem to be some grammatical differences between the two words. This question is about whether there's a way to formally pin down these differences, or whether they're just contingent features of the two words having different histories. Some examples of grammatical differences are as follows:   * be talkative ... ~~be speakative~~   * speak French ... ~~talk French~~   * give a talk ... give a **speech** (as opposed to a speak)   * speak up ... talk up (the meanings of the two phrases being completely different, with "up" being a preposition only in the latter case)   * speaking of which ... ~~talking of which~~   * grammatically speaking ... ~~grammatically talking~~ On the other hand, many other constructions work just as well with either (though they might have subtly different meanings), for example   * speak to ... talk to   * speak with ... talk with   * speak about ... talk about I'm interested in whether there's a way to pin down these differences (e.g. are the two words classified as different types of verb in some way?), or whether they're essentially just arbitrary. I'm also interested in why we have these two different words with subtly different meanings. Is the distinction between "speak" and "talk" a feature of many languages, or is it just a peculiarity of English? Etymologically, both words are from Germanic origins. "Talk" seems to have been formed from the Middle English "tale", even though "speak" already existed in the English language by then (as far as I can tell). This makes it even more mysterious: why did we form a new word as a synonym of one that was already established? Or were the meanings different at that time?


Why use apostrophe-s to denote possession when using 'of'

Think of the simple phrase "Bill's friend". If you were going to turn this around using the preposition 'of' would you say:   * A friend of Bill's or   * A friend of Bill It appears to me that, in the US anyway, people always say "A friend of Bill's". Even though I'm a native American English speaker, this just sounds weird to me. It seems to create a 'double possessive' (a term I just invented). I always want to respond: "A friend of Bill's what?" A friend of Bill's aunt? So what's at work here, and do British English speakers also do this?


Why is it usually "friend of his", but no possessive apostrophe with "friend of Peter"?

As this NGram shows, we nearly always use the possessive form of personal pronouns for _friend of mine/his/ours/etc._ But when it comes to actual names, we prefer friend of Peter _without the possessive apostrophe_. That preference is even more marked with, say, friend of America. Not that I think the usage itself is particularly American - it's much the same with Britain. Personally, I find _friend of him_ grates. In general I've no strong feelings either way as to whether it's _friend of Peter_ or _friend of Peter's_ (though I deplore the possessive in this example), but in line with many others, I really don't like the possessive in relation to things like countries. Why is this? Edit: Noting an apparent "progression" (pronoun -> person -> nation) marked by reduction in use of the possessive, I checked at a finer "granularity". NGram shows that although it does occur, friend of me virtually "flatlines" against _friend of mine_. But the bias reduces through _of you, of us,_ and by the time I get to of them it's much less extreme. There seems to be something "egocentric" about the double possessive. Presumably when babies learn to speak, they soon notice that possessive pronouns, possessive apostrophes, and the word "of", all do the same job. Parents would correct a child who says _"of mine's"_ , but probably wouldn't even notice the same "redundancy" in _"of Peter's"_. Younger speakers are unlikely to even be talking about something _"of America's"_. Perhaps as we mature we tend to discard the "double possessive" for the more "distant" things that only adults are likely talk about, but we keep it for "closer" people because that's how we spoke when we were younger. **EDIT2** I note that _I'm a great fan of him_ is vanishingly rare compared to _...fan of his_ , but with **...fan** _(of John)_ the double possessive occurs far less often than **...friend** _(of John's)_. Usage seems to be affected by the noun **before** "of" as well as the one **after** it. This is getting complicated...


"A friend of my father" vs. "a friend of my father's" — which one is right? Why?

I have seen them both in my reference book, which is written by a native speaker. I wonder why there are two different phrases to describe the same meaning and am looking forward to some reasonable details to explain why this is so.


Are there other grammatical ways to say, "I'm reading a novel of Steinbeck's"?

I would like to ask why the following sentence is only possible according to grammatical rules: > I'm reading a novel of Steinbeck's What's wrong with "I'm reading a novel of Steinbeck" or "I'm reading Steinbeck's novel"?


Possessive of name?

He was a friend of Mike. He was a friend of Mike’s. Which one is correct, and why? Thank you.


"Of her brother's" or "of her brother"?

Is there a difference in whether _brother_ is explicitly possessive in sentences like this? >   * A friend of her brother's called > >   * A friend of her brother called > > Perhaps both are correct; do they have a subtle (or not-so-subtle) difference?


What is the reason behind using "apostrophe S"?

> The woman over there is a friend of my sister's Would you let me know the reason why we must use 'S?


I get so confused in possessive pronouns

Can you please correct these sentences. 1.Can I click a picture of yours. 2.Do you know the email address of John's? 3.I think of both of yours betterment. 4.You are a friend of John's.


"A friend of Susan" vs. "a friend of Susan's"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why is it usually “friend of his”, but no possessive apostrophe with > “friend of Peter”? I'm currently having hot debates with a friend of mine about which one is more natural and more grammatically correct: >   * A friend of Susan >   * A friend of Susan's > I vote for the first, but I don't have anything to prove I'm right.


How to make the genitive of a person's name with "OF"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Why is it usually "friend of his", but no possessive apostrophe with > "friend of Peter"? We built an engine for the boat of Mr. Sander or We built an engine for the boat of Mr Sander's ?


Usage of both apostrophe and “of” together

I was reading Agatha Christie’s _The Murder of Roger Ackroyd_ and noticed following sentence: > About those boots of Ralph Paton’s. It is really in old (old as in early or mid twentieth century) English that they use apostrophe and _of_ together? Would it not be proper to say: > About those boots of Ralph Paton.


"Friend of my father" vs "friend of my father's"

What is the difference between this two sentences - 1\. An friend of my father 2\. A friend of my father's


Proper use of 's?

What would be grammatically correct? Would I need to use `'s` after "Supreme Court"? > ...overruled a prior decision of the Supreme Court, defined in the... or > ...overruled a prior decision of the Supreme Court's, defined in the... ...I know I can structure the sentence in a better format as so: > ...overruled a prior decision made by the Supreme Court, defined in the... However, I want to know which one from the first two is correct.


Why do you say "friend of mine" instead of "friend of me"?

I think _friend of mine_ can be translated to _my friend._ In that case, doesn't _friend of me_ make more sense? If we translate _friend of mine_ to _one of my friends_ then I guess _friend of mine_ makes sense for _my friends_ being _mine._ Is there a difference? When do you say _... of mine_ instead of _my ..._? Is there a specific situation when you use one or the other?


Question Regarding Possessives with ('s) and (of)

Question: Is the first one redundant and proper, or is it redundant and not necessarily correct? > (1) He is a friend of Doug's. > > (2) He is a friend of Doug.


American English, meaning of a phrase

In Homeland S03E11               00:10:06,353 --> 00:10:07,987     - Carrie Mathison: Masud Sherazi?     - Yes?     - Carrie Mathison: I'm a friend of your niece.     ----/---     00:11:16,356 --> 00:11:18,824     - You're CIA, aren't you?     - Carrie Mathison: I'm a friend of your niece's.      **Q: what's the meaning of the "'s" in the last sentence** "I'm a friend of your niece's." (Carrie is speaking to the same person: Masud Sherazi) Thanks


Explanation on when the possessive should be used instead of an attributive noun

How would you explain to a person who is learning English, and whose native language does not have attributive nouns, when the possessive should be used instead of an attributive noun? In particular, how would you explain it referring to the following list of sentences?   * Today's news is bad   * This week's schedule has been changed   * Tomorrow's lunch will be at the French restaurant   * This year's report will be communicated in the reunion room   * Last summer's vacations were memorable   * Last year's meetings were a complete disaster


The subject is after the verb in this sentence?

"Please hand _me_ the comb." My textbook says to identify what 'me' is, I was able to do that for sentences in which the subject before the verb but I cannot do that for this sentence? I know that hand is the verb, and the comb is the object but what would me be? The indirect object?


"hypothetically speaking" vs "theoretically speaking"

What is the difference between the phrases "hypothetically speaking" and "theoretically speaking"? If one wants to make a point using an example that would likely never happen, which phrase would be more appropriate?


Is the word "usurp" already archaic?

I have some doubts whether the word "usurp" is still used in the modern language. The doubts are based on reading newspapers and magazines. It looks like expression like "to seize" or "to hold" are used more often in this meaning. So I am interested whether this word is used. Maybe I just didn't came across it somehow.


where to position the preposition in the phrase:  "not only... but also"

I have the following sentences, of which I don't know whether the prepositions are correctly positioned: > The solution depends _not only on_ Condition A, _but also on_ Condition B. > But when C happens, it depends _only on_ Condition A. Another possible way is: > The solution depends _on not only_ Condition A, _but also_ Condition B. But > when C happens, it depends _on only_ Condition A. Thank you very much for your help!


What is the counterpart English word to Japanese word, “Match-pump”?

When I was posting a question about the difference between “Strike _a_ match” and “Strike _the_ match” today, I recalled a made-in-Japan English compound, “ _Match-pump_ ,” which means a person who instigates others to do something, e.g., to call a strike, or make a fuss, and scurries about to stop or quell the subsequent movement / commotion when the matter gets serious. Pump in this compound means water-pump. In other words, it means the person who strikes a match to burn something (in a fun more often than not) and tries to extinguish a fire when it flames up. I wonder if there is the English word that purports the same meaning _in a single word_.


How do we pronounce the camera company name "Canon"?

How do we say Canon - the camera company name? Is it Keh-nun or Keh-non?


Is the verb "redouble" just a redundant way to say "double"?

A colleague and I were reading a corporate memo that contained the phrase 'redouble our efforts'. His claim was that the word _redouble_ was equivalent to _double_ and simply nonstandard. (Similar to, say, using _irregardless_ in place of _regardless_ ). I've heard this phrase fairly frequently, and don't see anything wrong with it in particular, but I was wondering if perhaps there was some style guide that prescribed against it or something similar that marked a preference for simply _doubling our efforts_ rather than _redoubling_ them.


Help with sentence: don't come in

Which of the following is correct: 1) Don't come in, I'm busy.   2) Don't come in; I'm busy.   3) Don't come in. I'm busy.   4) Don't come in I'm busy. And why?


What is the demonym for Norfolk, Virginia?

According to this Fritinancy entry, the demonym for Norfolk, England is "North Anglian," rather than "Norfolker" or "Norfolkite," for historical reasons. What about Norfolk, Virginia, in the United States? I suppose you could argue for the same historical reasons, since it was named after Norfolk in England, but that just feels wrong to me.


Why is it “I better not (+verb)” instead of “I better don’t (+verb)”?

This question will seem weird to a native speaker because “I better don’t” sounds inherently wrong and unusual. But if you think about it, it’s an irregularity; normally when a verb is negated and there is no auxiliary already present, the auxiliary “do” is inserted and usually contracted with the “not” to form “don’t”. The exceptional construct “I better not” baffles some non-native speakers. What is the etymological history behind the construction “I better not (+verb)”? Did this sentence use to contain an auxiliary which has disappeared?


What is the proper abbreviation for "version"? (in English and Japanese literature)

I see both (for example) "ProductName v1.0" and "ProductName ver 1.0" and wanted to know what was the proper use for technical/computer literature. Bonus thanks if anyone knows the proper usage in Japanese of the same acronym, e.g. if its more proper to write "商品名バージョン1.0" as "商品名Ver1.0" vs. "商品名v1.0" in Japanese language literature. Thank you.


Why is it a good idea to avoid 'like' in English?

In the video JULIA BOORSTIN -- Interview a Broadcaster! -- American English (0:34 to 1:20), a reporter from an American news television channel mentions that it's not a good idea to use the word ' _like_ '. I've tried to find some information about it but nothing comes up in Google. Does anyone know why ' _like_ ' shouldn't be used and in what contexts it's invalid? Below the below line is my first guess but it's completely wrong and can be ignored: * * * I assume that it's not about this kind of sentence: > I **like** learning. But it's more about this kind of sentences: >   * Flying a plane is **like** driving a car but it's a bit more > complicated. >   * You can multiply a number by two to have an even number, **like** 3*2=6. >


Single name to cover "drawing", "painting", "sketching" etc

Is there a single name (word or short phrase) to cover the art of creation of images — _drawing, painting, sketching_ etc. — and specifically excluding sculpture, crafting and other arts that create other products than still images? "Graphic design" is close, but focuses on the utilitarian side, leaving "high art" out. "Traditional art" includes sculpture and excludes digital imagery.


Correct word for work vacant, place, employment

In Human Resources, we want to implement MOF (Manual of Functions) for each employee based on their area and position, so that when an employee leaves, the functions remains for the next employee. We now lack of a word to name this in HR. What is the best word to describe the position (that is, job title) of an employee in a specific area of an organization? Can anyone please help suggest a word? Possible candidates I found are _vacant_ , _place_ , _employment_ , and _job_.


Is it true that

Is the following sentence grammatically incorrect? > Is it true that 1+1=2 ? I know it is easier to say: Is 1+1=2 true?


Proper punctuation for "and what's more"?

I have seen this phrasing as > And what's more - > > And what's more, > > And what's more! Which one is most proper?


Origin of "the wrong end of the stick"

If someone has the **wrong** end of the stick it means they've misunderstood something. If they've got the **shitty** end of the stick it means they've got a bad deal in some bargain or share-out. This doesn't seem particularly close to the **wrong** end meaning - so unless someone convinces me different, I'm not inclined to think these idioms share a common origin. Does anyone know where either or both of these expressions come from?


Adjective meaning "that can be tied"

What is the most common adjective used to describe objects that _can be tied_. I would think of _tieable_ but it does not seem to exist in the wiktionary.


"All is not lost" vs "Not all is lost"

I guess I've been in mathematics for far too long, and I tend to use the phrase "Not all is lost" as the negative of "All is lost". To me the phrase "All is not lost" suggests that _nothing_ is lost. It doesn't send the message I'm trying to give which is that "at least one thing is not lost". What's your interpretation of the two phrases?


What is the difference between ‘Hot Corned Beef’ and ‘"Hot" Corned Beef’?

I have seen the phrase '"Hot" Corned Beef' on several convenience store signs in my area. Since corned beef is is usually served warm or hot, am I missing part of the meaning of the sign?


Present perfect tense sentence

For the following sentence: > I haven't been there in a long time. I want to know if the above sentence conveys any connection with time up to now. How can I correct this sentence it if it is incorrect?


What is a more formal way to say "Don't get me wrong"?

I think the phrase "Don't get me wrong" in conversation means, "I'm about to say something that you might misunderstand, so don't." I'm looking for a similar phrase that sounds better when speaking to a group of people. I sometimes use the phrase "Don't take this the wrong way", but that seems even clunkier.


Fox News comment on Romney--"self abjination?"

Watching the discussion led by Dana Perino after the GOP debate this evening, Perino asked if "humility" was a good thing. Another commentator remarked, "humility yes, self-abjination no." (The spelling is a guess.) Perino said, "abjination? I don't know that word." Someone else said "must be one of those Harvard words." The commentator said, "it means self deprecating." So what is the word? I tried Googling some variants, but came up dry.


Can I use "verbally" in a written context?

Can I use "verbally" to refer to textual communication? For example, can I say "Verbally encourage this behavior" meaning "Encourage this behavior in writing"?


What does "last August" refer to?

Recently (September 2011), I hear some people would say "last August", which confuses me a little bit. Does "last August" refer to August this year or August last year? And can we also say "this August"? And what does "this August" mean?


Is it “the xᵢ’s” or “the xᵢ”?

Let _x_ 1, . . . , _x n_ be a collection of mathematical objects. When I refer to them, do I have to say _the x i’s_ or just _the x i_? **Edit:** In this article (written by an American mathematician), one can read > ... is the set of all x's which have the form ...


Why is "me" pronounced like "me" but "ne" is not pronounced with the same e sound? According to a professor, "ne" is pronounced like "nuh". Why is it like this? And more generally, does there exist a rule set on how to pronounce things so I don't have to ask a question like this again, or is it all word dependent and of unknown origin like idioms?


Is it correct and natural to respond with "interested in" in this context?

I was told: > Glad to come across someone who knows Theology. My (proposed) response: > It's my pleasure to find someone else interested in Theology on the other > side of the World. I am unsure whether to use _interested in_ or _interested by_. Google Translate gives me the impression that I may be wrong.


Longest word In English language

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What is the longest word in the English language without a repeated letter? What is the longest word in the English language in which no letter repeats itself?


Which is right for the possessive: “companys” or “company’s”?

How should one form the word _company_ when something belongs to a company? Is the correct form _companys_ , or should it be _company’s_ instead?


Referring to people by surname

I notice that there is a tradition in English of shortening names by omitting given names, which has been formalized in contexts like academia (the theorem of Gauss, the textbook by Young and Geller, citation rules) and law (the firm Baker & McKenzie, the case Roe v. Wade). Should we really be adopting this practice in contexts where surnames show less varied? For instance, I found that the most common surname is the US (Smith) takes 0.7% of the surnames, while the most common in China (王, Wáng) takes 7.3%.


What does “red faces” in “There were a lot of red faces in the general staff” on inefficient wreck of Russian war machine mean?

There was the following sentence in Time magazine (September 16) titled “”America’s weak and waffling. Russia’s rich and resurgent”: > “2008 summer also put Russia’s military to the test when a war broke out > with Georgia. Although Russia crashed its tiny adversary in less than a > week, its war machine was shown to be an inefficient wreck. More tanks were > lost to malfunction than enemy fire, and at one time Russian officers were > forced to use store-bought navigation gadgets after the official ones gave > out. “ **There were a lot of red faces** in the general staff,” recalls > Sivkov, the military strategist. Oxford online English Dictionary doesn’t carry the ‘red-face’ as a headword, but includes ‘red-faced’ as an adjective meaning ‘having a red face, especially as a result of embarrassment or shame.’ Cambridge online English Dictionary has entry of neither ‘red face’ nor ‘red- faced.’ Now, what does ‘red faces’ in the above quote exactly mean? Does it refer to people (Russian army’s general staff) with red face, or their sentiment (anger / embarrassment about the incompetence of their war machine)? Why is it ‘ _in_ ’, not ‘ _among_ ’ the general staff?


What other words/terms are used to mean 'sleep'?

Are there alternative words to 'sleep,' when used as a noun to mean 'the substance that sometimes forms in the corners of your eyes after you have been sleeping?' Are 'eye crust,' 'eye boogers,' 'eye gunk,' 'eye goop,' 'optibooger,' 'sleepy,' or 'gound' acceptable?   It seems most dictionaries such as Oxford, Cambridge, Longman, Macmillan, Merriam-Webster, etc., don't include most of those words/terms. Why?


Order of words and using of "of"

Which phrase is better: "software developer life" or "life of software developer"? First one sounds better but I would like to get why in a rather formalised way.


Difference between use of "ephemeral" and "transient"?

What are some differences between the ways/contexts in which one would use "ephemeral" versus "transient", and vice versa?


Etymology of "mullet"?

I was pondering the names of haircuts the other day, and I could understand the origins of most of them: _pudding basin_ , _crew cut_ , _duck's arse_ , and _bog brush_ are all reasonably obvious, but I was rather stumped by _mullet_. A _mullet_ is defined here and here as a man's haircut in which the hair is short at the front and sides, but long at the back. Does anyone know how it got this name? The sources both say "etym. unkn.", but differ as to the time of origin, one saying 20th century, and the other 1990s.


What is a better word for "exponentially"?

I often hear news reports of rapidly increasing problems use the word "exponentially" for emphasis. For example, tonight's BBC America World News included a segment on the growing Syrian refugee problem, saying the number of refugees was "increasing exponentially". Now clearly this usage is not consistent with mathematically accurate usage and though I'm sure most understand the intent, it still bothers me. For reference, the number of registered Syrian refugees increased from 471,808 on 2012-12-31 to 2,241,100 on 2013-12-13. Neither "five-fold increase" nor "quintupling" seem to have the same impact. Can anyone suggest an alternative word that is not so mathematical in nature to describe such an increase? Of course, I'm looking for a word to describe future growth, not past.


What is a word for someone who always feels (inclined to feel) pity for others?

Doesn't have to be "always", could also just be someone who shows a lot of pity for people around him. Could also be that some people may not always show it, but do feel very inclined most of the time to feel pity for others.


What does "happy the man who changes Emma for Harriet" mean?

From _Emma_ by Jane Austen, Chapter 31, the last paragraph: > "There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart," said she afterwards to > herself. "There is nothing to be compared to it. Warmth and tenderness of > heart, with an affectionate, open manner, will beat all the clearness of > head in the world, for attraction, I am sure it will. It is tenderness of > heart which makes my dear father so generally beloved—which gives Isabella > all her popularity.—I have it not—but I know how to prize and respect > it.—Harriet is my superior in all the charm and all the felicity it gives. > Dear Harriet!—I would not change you for the clearest-headed, longest- > sighted, best-judging female breathing. Oh! the coldness of a Jane > Fairfax!—Harriet is worth a hundred such.—And for a wife—a sensible man's > wife—it is invaluable. I mention no names; **but happy the man who changes > Emma for Harriet!"** [emphasis mine] What does the last sentence mean? Does it mean "I wish the man who changes Emma for Harriet to be happy" or does it mean "The man who changes Emma for Harriet is happy"? What does "changes Emma for Harriet" mean? Does it mean "make Emma a better person for Harriet"? And if you've read the book, who does "the man" refer to? My guess is Mr. Elton because he made Emma see some very good sides in Harriet and appreciate her much more. But I'm not sure if this was what the author meant. Thank you!


Term for the amount from which commission is calculated

I'm looking for a word for the larger amount from which a salesman's commission might be calculated. Something like **sale price** presupposes that his commission is calculated from that particular figure. I have used **principal** before because it's a very similar concept to interest being calculated from the principal of a loan, but it's technically incorrect for this purpose. I've considered **dividend** (i.e. dividend ÷ divisor = quotient) but this has other connotations Whereas **multiplicand** (i.e. multiplicand × multiplier = product) is too obscure. Anyone got a winner?


Could "old fashioned" mean "angry" or "disconsolate" in early 19th Century England?

Patrick O'Brian wrote the Aubrey/Maturin seafaring novels during the late 20th Century, but the novels read as if they were written during the early 1800s (at least as far as I can tell, which isn't all that far). O'Brian sometimes uses the phrase "old fashioned" in a way that apparently means something like "irked", "angry", or "disconsolate", depending on the situation. Here are two examples from his novels: From _Post Captain_ (second in the series): > “...and John Lakey, maintop. Do you remember him? You sewed him up very > near, the first time you ever sailed with us and we had a brush with an > Algerine. He swears you saved his privates, sir, and is most uncommon > grateful: would feel proper old fashioned without ‘em, he says.” From _Desolation Island_ (fifth in the series): > “I dare say," said Cobb. "But he’s only a blue finner, a nasty, spiteful > thing. You plant a harpoon in his side, and what does he do? He rushes on > you like a thunder-clap and beats the boat to splinters and then runs out a > thousand fathom of line. You don’t want to take notice of him. Now by your > leave, sir, I must go aloft. There’s Moses Harvey looking down quite old- > fashioned, for to be relieved.” The first quotation discusses a man who was wounded in the genitals during a battle and nearly lost them, but for the swift and capable action of the ship's surgeon. Presumably, when he says he would "feel proper old fashioned without 'em" he must mean something like disconsolate. The second quotation refers to Moses Harvey who is waiting to be relieved and is looking down disdainfully on Cobb, who should have already relieved him. I'm curious if this is how "old fashioned" was really used in England, or at least among British sailors, in the early 1800s, or if O'Brian is perhaps taking some literary license and coining a phrase that sounds right for the ambiance he's trying to create.


Less-technical synonym for "timestamp"

I've already looked at Is there a word for "a point in time"?, but there doesn't seem to be any answers other than "timestamp". While I agree that it is the most technically accurate description, is there a term that lends itself more to a business environment? For example, I have a spreadsheet with a list of customer feedback. The date and time that each issue was reported is listed in a single column. What would be a good business-y name to call that column? I'm looking for something that means "timestamp" without using a term that could be…misconstrued…as overly technical. **EDIT:** To be more specific and concise, I'm looking for a term that means "timestamp", is used more popularly in a business environment than "timestamp", and is generic enough to always mean "timestamp" with almost any data.


Is "on-parade" an actual term?

A google search came up with almost nothing. Am I just imaging things? I could have sworn one could use the term "on-parade" to mean a succession of something. For example: Life is an on-parade of unexpected events. or something like that.


What does "contact drivers" mean?

I have a document like training manual for troubleshooting networking, and one section in it has a title "Contact Drivers". Since this troubleshooting does not talk about device drivers at all, I have no idea what this means.


The times they are a-changin'

I have always been intrigued by the word usage in the title of this Bob Dylan song. Wikipedia mentions that the song was influenced by Irish and Scottish ballads: > Dylan recalled writing the song as a deliberate attempt to create an anthem > of change for the moment. In 1985, he told Cameron Crowe: "This was > definitely a song with a purpose. It was influenced of course by the Irish > and Scottish ballads ...'Come All Ye Bold Highway Men', 'Come All Ye Tender > Hearted Maidens'. I wanted to write a big song, with short concise verses > that piled up on each other in a hypnotic way. The civil rights movement and > the folk music movement were pretty close for a while and allied together at > that time.   * Is there a dialect where the form a-< _gerund_ > is common? e.g. a- _cooking_ , a- _cleaning_ , etc.    * If so, in what context would you use the form a-< _gerund_ >?


What does "a-" before a verb mean?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  The times they are a-changin'   >  The times are a-changing? Why a-? While listening to some Bob Dylan I've noticed how he sometimes uses the construction **a-verb** (e.g. _The Times, They Are A-Changin'_ ) and wondered how to interpret it. Where does this **a-** come from? What does it mean? When can it be used?


"Is this the right way?" vs "Is this the correct way?"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  “right” vs “correct” I've had this question for a long time. Which sentence is grammatically correct? > Is this the **right** way? > > Is this the **correct** way?


"Is it right?" or "Is it correct?"

Which question is more proper? > _[some statement]_ , is it right? > > _[some statement]_ , is it correct?


How does one correctly use a "-" outside of hyphenation - if at all?

When writing out emails I often find myself replacing semicolons with hyphens or dashes. For example, "Let's meet up at the pub - or would you rather go to a restaurant?" I feel this is wrong, but I don't know why. Would someone care to explain, please?


Is this correct "I'll be looking forward to helping.. ? Read on please

First of all some background. An acquaintance asked by email if I'm willing to offer advice on a project he's starting to develop. I answered yes for sure.He responded Wonderful,Stay tuned. I have no idea when I will receive the info to give my advice. This email was a few weeks ago. Today I decided to let him know I'm still interested, a little reminder. I wrote "I'll be looking forward to helping xyz (xyz- his name)." A friend told me my above response sounds like you aren't yet but will be in the future. I didn't consider this before sending it. He knows I want to help and it sounds like this project is a work in progress.I'm waiting to hear from him so I can offer advice. What I wrote does it convey yes I'm looking forward to helping you? My friend is right? Or is this not a correct sentence and should be worded differently? Thank you for your help.


What is the meaning of the italicized "do" in this sentence?

> A child meets this kind of discipline every time he tries to _do_ something, > which is why it is so important in school to give children more chances to > do things, instead of just reading or listening to someone talk (or > pretending to). _Three Disciplines for Children_ by John Holt And also, what does _pretending to_ mean here?


Is there a correlation between "bad" and "bat"?

I saw something about _Batman_ somewhere online, and for a very brief moment it crossed my mind that it sounds like 'bad man'. A fraction of a second later I noticed the bat logo. Bats are usually considered scary animals, so I came to wonder: > Is there a correlation between the animal _bat_ and _bad_?


Is re a prefix in respect?

Is re a prefix in respect or just a part of the word? Any guidance on this would be appreciated?


Is ‘hero’ applicable to females?

There was the following sentence in today’s (June 4) New York Times written by its Op-Ed columnist, Nickolas Kristof under the headline, “There’s a Kind of Hush.” > “Aung San Suu Kyi should be one of the **heroes** of modern times. Instead, > as her country imposes on the Rohingya Muslim minority an apartheid that > would have made white supremacists in South Africa blush, she bites her > tongue. > > http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/05/opinion/kritstof-theres-a-kind-of- > hush.html?hp&rref=opinion&_r=0 I understand “ hero” here is used as a generic of brave or great persons to cover both male and female 'heroes' ? However, OALED defines ‘hero’ specifically as male, as;   1. A person, **especially a man** , who is admired by many people for doing sth brave or good.   2. The main **male character** in a story, novel, film / movie etc.   3. A person, **especially a man** , that you admire because of a particular quality or skill that they have. CED also defines ‘hero’ as;   1. A very brave person, **often a man** , that a lot of people admire.   2. **The main man** in a book or movie. Can I apply ‘hero’ when I’m refering to Aung San Suu Kyi singly as “Aung San Suu Kyi is the hero of Burma”?


Is it wrong to say something is X if it cannot not be X?

I'm having a discussion with someone who thinks that it's a non-sequitur to describe something as X if it's not possible for it to not be X. Here's an example: > It's wrong to say a chair is amoral, because a chair cannot be moral. I don't agree, who is correct and why?


"Any salary or compensation or experience certificate" vs. "any salary certificate or compensation certificate or experience certificate"

How should I write this? >   * ... shall not be eligible for any salary or compensation or experience > certificate if the Trainee fails to co-operate with XYZ for the exit > formalities >   * ... shall not be eligible for any salary certificate or compensation > certificate or experience certificate if the Trainee fails to co-operate > with XYZ for the exit formalities > What I want the reader to understand from this sentence is that they wouldn't be entitled to any certificates (for salary/compensation/experience) if they don't co-operate with XYZ.


"If I were you, I'd apologise to my/your mum"

I'm stuck with this example which I don't know how to solve > A: I've said bad things to my mum.   >  B: If I were you, I'd apologise to **your** mum. Is it supposed to be _your_ or _my_ instead? My feeling tells me that _your_ is right, but _my_ sounds more logical.


Where did the term 'moral fiber' come from?

I was reading a novel that used the term moral fiber - defined as strength of character - the other day and it occurred to me that it was a somewhat strange conjunction of terms. It sort of conjured up images of 'the stuff morality is made of'; but morality being an intangible idea it's not usually made up of tangible fibers… I found myself wondering how it originated.


Figuring the SVO of the sentence "I'm Tom."

I was under the impression that every sentence has a subject–verb–object (`SVO`) where `S` and `V` are compulsory and `O` is optional. So basically I was wondering in the sentence "I'm Tom." is the subject "I" and the verb "am" ? But what about the "Tom" ? It simply can't be an object right?


What is the degree of strength of the verbs listed below dealing with rules/advice?

I used to have a list that showed the increasing strength of these words, but I seemed to have lost it. The words/phrases are: must/mustn't, should/shouldn't, have to/don't have to, can/can't, and are allowed to/aren't allowed to.


Words to describe the person who made the complaint and the one who is being complained

I am looking for nouns for   1. A person who made a complaint;   2. The person who is being complained about. I would have used "complainer" but that sounds wrong as it is closer to saying that person likes to complain a lot.


Difference between "ad hoc" and "impromptu"

Is there any difference between " _ad hoc_ " and " _impromptu_ "? Can you find sentences where only one of the words is acceptable and the other is not? And where they are interchangeable? What about the following use case, which is better? > You have to book meeting rooms in advance, but there are also some meeting > rooms available - for _ad hoc_ meetings / for _impromptu_ meetings - which > you don't have to book.


How to add contextualizing text to a quotation?

How do you add text which provides context to a quote? For example, consider if I were to quote someone as having said: > This is unacceptable! Were that the _whole_ quote, can I add any text to the quote to indicate what "This" refers to? I think I've seen it done with square brackets... > This [the death threats directed towards bloggers] is unacceptable! Is this correct? If no, how can it be done? Note my citation is simply from the top search result for the term "This is unacceptable"


Why are the words "lose" and "choose" written differently and pronounced the same way?

I do know that there isn't only one pronunciation for syllables, and I also know that there isn't only one way to write a phoneme, but this intrigues me a lot. Lose is spelled with only one O, and it's frequently misspelled with two Os. Choose is spelled with two Os, and it's frequently misspelled with one O. One of the forms of the past tense of "to choose" is "chose", which is pronounced very differently from "lose", even though both words share the same vocals and ending syllable. I'd like to see an explanation for this. Even on origin, or something I'm missing out here. Note: for me, double Os seems way more logical, as every time I read "lose", it seems a little weird.


Can I conjugate "acyclic" as "acycle"

I was thinking about the word "acyclic" meaning not having or containing a cycle. Then I thought of the word "bicycle" and wondered if it made sense to call something that an "acycle". As an example I would want to say that stilts are an acycle (because they do not inherently contain a cycle or cyclic motion).


Meaning of "jarring sales." Is it negative?

> The first harbingers of Christmas arrive in October when **jarring** sales > and decorations follow fast on the heels of summer. Does the word _jarring_ here mean _annoying_ , or _early/preliminary_?


Are there only so many state-of-being verbs?

> This candy tastes so sweet. Isn't 'tastes' a state-of-being verb? If it is why do people say there are only 8 state-of-being verbs - _is, am, was, are, were, being, be,_ and _been_? State-of-being verbs seem to be a fairly standard term.


"trust the fact" vs. "trust to the fact"?

I think "trust the fact" is more natural than "trust to the fact", but the search result shows that the latter is more popular. What's the difference between them? Thanks. Yet another derived question: What's the difference between "trust to the fact" and "trust in the fact"?


What's that word to describe "technology becoming invisible over time"?

There is a word similar to _dematerialization_ that represents a slightly different concept. The concept goes something like this: everything eventually becomes invisible. The concept is particularly evident in technology. For example, paper was (and still is) an important technology but it is rapidly disappearing. It's gradually being replaced by computers. So, although the purpose & concept of paper is still around - the physical form is disappearing. Another example is the horn on a car. A century ago it was literally a pump you squeezed. Later the pump was integrated into the center of the steering wheel. And now, many cars there is no pump at all; it's simply an electronic button. That is this concept in action. I want to say _demapherialization_ but couldn't find any matches when Googling. But I do know for a fact there is a Wikipedia entry on it. The term was dubbed many decades ago. Anyway, it's a pretty cool concept. Perhaps someone may know it.


Can we use "dynamism" as a noun for describing the amount of change and changeability?

According to dictionaries, one of the meanings of the word `dynamic` is: > a system with continuous change http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dynamic   http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dynamic However, it's used as **adjective**. I'm writing a text in which I need to refer to **continuous change and changeability** and I thought of the word `dynamism`. In other words, I need the noun form of the `dynamic`. However, seems that `dynamism` is not used as that meaning. For example, instead of **the level of changeability and the amount of change in a system** , I'd like to write **system's dynamism level**. Can I use `dynamism` in that meaning? If not, what word should I use?


Usage of "we" as plural second-person

I often hear people saying phrases of the type "How are _we_ doing over here?" by servers at restaurants, for example. Obviously they mean "How are _you_ (plural) doing?" Where does this type of usage of "we" come from? Is this pronoun misuse a regional thing? Has it entered mainstream American English? Am I wrong in thinking that it is incorrect?


Meaning of the phrase "Lean in"

There's a book entitled Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. It's not clear what exactly phrasal verb **Lean in** in it's title means. Does its meaning differ from the meaning of the verb **to lean** in the context of the book's name?


Fractal vocabulary

A book is typically divided into sections, chapters, paragraphs. I'm looking for a noun that can be used to describe all of these - **book** , sections, chapters, **figures** , clusters of paragraphs and individual paragraphs - in a way that can be used recursively. I'm thinking perhaps something around the word "idea", but not sure what exactly and would appreciate other suggestions. Updated: I'd like a word that applies equally well to books as well. Updated again: If possible, I'd like also to be able to apply it to diagrams, tables and other such figures. It does not need to apply to the contents or index in the book.


Which expression isn't an old way of speaking: Fell to, Fell on, Fell onto, or Dropped to

My linguistic teacher told me I am speaking like the people who lived hundreds of years ago, when I told him, "The paper fall to the ground when I pass it by," this afternoon. Please tell me which form below is correct when speaking? In addition, which expression seems more modern **in conversational English**? 1.The paper fell to the ground when I passed by. (fell to) 2.The paper fell on the ground when I passed by. (fell on) 3.The paper fell onto the ground when I passed by. (fell onto) 4.The paper fell onto the ground when I passed by it. (add it behind by) 5.The paper dropped onto the ground when I passed by. Please select one answer from these 5 **or type another one that you think is better and more appropriate than them**.


Word for showing strong opinion for

I'm trying to remember a word that means showing strong opinion for; where someone has to make a choice between two opposite things. For example, say you have to choose what your favorite fruit is, apples or oranges, and in this sense, lets say apples and oranges are total opposites. There are people who strongly agree / favor with apples and people who strongly agree / favor oranges. Inherently, these people strongly disagree / oppose with the opposite choice. It might also be just a single object and there are people who like it and some who don't (1) What would the person be described as when they feel that strong, opinionated way? (2) And what is the word that describes this situation, in which one must decide between two opposites?


Is "X supposing to be" proper English?

> The whole point that him pretending to be rich is to get a date. > > The whole point of this supposing to be a big wall is to hold off the > barbarians. The first one seems correct, the second one doesn't sound quite right - but why wouldn't it be possible to use the equivalent forms here? I was thinking about > The point of this supposedly being a big wall... but that clearly does't mean the same thing. I am aware that one could say "The point of this being a big wall" even if the wall is not yet big, yet that doesn't seem to work in all cases. > The whole point of this supposing to be a macro is that it shouldn't matter > where it is located. This is the sentence I actually want to construct. I don't want to say "the whole point of this being a macro...", because that would too strongly imply that it is or should be thought of as one. Instead, the idea that it is _supposed to be_ a macro is first raised, and then dismissed.


Looking for a word that means the opposite of 'gilded'

I'm looking for the opposite of gilded when used as: > having a pleasing or showy appearance that conceals something of little > worth. Most of the antonyms listed from different sources mean 'dull' or 'boring'. I'm looking for a word that literally means 'mundane on the outside but with a heart of gold'. Does such a word exist?


What word/title should I use in an email asking for updates

I would like to contact my recruiter (via email) asking for updates on my application. What should I put in the title so it is informative, but also at the same time does not sound like I am too impatient? (I also would like to provide additional information about my accomplishments in the email) Thanks


Usage and spelling of "wordlength" and "bitbreadth"

As far as I know, these are the meanings:   * _wordlength_ — for instance, 4 bytes when the bitbreadth is 32 and 8 bytes when the bitbreadth is 64.   * _bitbreadth_ — for example, 32 or 64 or 4 bits for a system.  Are these spelled correctly, or should they be "word length" and "bit breadth"? Or perhaps different terms entirely should be used to express these meanings?


The clock (has kept/kept) precise time for over forty years?

The correct answer is "kept" but I don't understand why because shouldn't "over forty years" make it past progressive? This is from an ACT practice test. The passage talks about a guy making the clock on 1753 so maybe it is because the clock is not functional today?


"Neither Michael nor Albert is correct" or "Neither Michael nor Albert are correct"?

What is the correct sentence? > Neither Michael nor Albert is correct. > > Neither Michael nor Albert are correct.


Neither is or are

Should this be _neither is_ or _neither are_? > Neither of these two books is suitable. > > Neither of these two books are suitable. Which one is correct?


Which is correct, "neither is" or "neither are"?

**Bob:** "Can I set the font color? Can I customize the text?" **Frank:** "Neither of these options is available. Sorry!" * * * Is "neither is" always correct or should one use "neither are" in some cases and what are the exact rules? I tried the googles and found a big mess of this-is-why-stackexchange-exists :P


"Neither Billy nor Suzy look" vs. "neither Billy nor Suzy looks"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "Neither is" or "neither are" Say you take a photo of Billy and Suzy, but they both end up looking funny. Would you say > Neither Billy nor Suzy _look_ like _themselves_? > > Neither Billy nor Suzy _look/looks_ like _themselves/himself/herself_? I'm confused because usually with singular subjects, I would use a singular verb, saying "Neither Billy nor Suzy _is_ coming to the party," but this sounds off when I refer to the subjects with a pronoun later in the sentence.


Which should I use with "neither/nor": "has" or "have"?

> **Possible Duplicates:**   >  Which is correct, "neither is" or "neither are"?   >  "Neither Michael nor Albert is correct" or "Neither Michael nor Albert are > correct"? In my sentence I mean to say that (both) original versions did not survive. I am not sure whether to use the **has** or **have** in the following sentence: > Neither the first nor the second version of the original, written in Latin - > the language of science at the time - have/has survived until our time Or should I use plural for versions? > Neither the first nor the second versions of the original, written in Latin > - the language of science at the time - have/has survived until our time


Is "either you or [third-person]" followed by a singular verb or a plural verb?

Or, put in examples: which of the following is grammatically correct? > Either you or your sister is going to have to do the chores. > Either you or your sister are going to have to do the chores. The second option comes off as really strange; am I right to say that the first is grammatically correct because "is" directly follows "your sister" as opposed to "you"?


"Neither of you understands him as I do"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Which is correct, “neither is” or “neither are”?   >  “Neither Michael nor Albert is correct” or “Neither Michael nor Albert are > correct”? > Neither of you understands him as I do Neither of you (more than one) is plural. Why does it say _understands_ instead of _understand_? It was taken from Harry Potter, Deathly Hallows. Conversation between Voldemort and Severus. When Voldemort says "neither of you" he means Severus and Lucius. And "him" is Potter.


> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "Neither Michael nor Albert is correct" or "Neither Michael nor Albert are > correct"?   >  Is "either you or [third-person]" followed by a singular verb or a plural > verb? If a noun phrase is made of two noun-like words that conjugate differently, then which conjugation do you use? Consider: 1) He nor I has...   2) He nor I have... "He" and "I" are connected with a conjunction. Between 1 and 2 which is correct? Are they both correct? Is neither correct?


"Neither is" or "neither are"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Which is correct, “neither is” or “neither are”? Which is correct? > No, neither of these websites **is** biased as they give a wide range of > informative information without being one sided. > > No, neither of these websites **are** biased as they give a wide range of > informative information without being one sided. I am confused about the subject-verb agreement here.


Usage of the word 'adroitly'

Is it correct to say that a barkeep was _" **adroitly** pouring out drinks behind the bar"_? Something rubs me the wrong way here. Perhaps it would be better to use some synonym in this context? If so, which one?


What is the rule for using "with" in place of "and"?

What is the rule for using _with_ in place of _and_? For example: > Ubix is located in Denver, Colorado [with/and has] manufacturing plants in > Taiwan and Indonesia. How do I explain this to my students?


"Furniture" or "Furnishing" or "furnishings"?

What's the best option in the following case? > The place had no furniture/furnishing/furnishings, no beds, no decor, nor > appliances of any kind.


Origin and meaning of "strealish"/"streelish"

I've heard the word _strealish_ (or _streelish_ ) used to describe someone with a lost or wan look or someone unkempt or untidy. I know it's an Irishism, but what is the origin of the word and what did it originally mean?


Proper use of quotation marks

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Should one stick to American style of placing punctation marks within > quotes if one uses the american spelling of words? This may seem infantile, and it probably is a bit. If your final line in a paragraph happens to be a quote, do you "end it like this." OR "end it like this".


Adjective of "heritage"

I want to say that my city has a great combination of **_** structures and an ever growing urban life. What adjective of _heritage_ (or other word if suitable) can I use here?


Using "now" when talking about past events

The whole story is given in the past. Is the sentence in the middle of the story "But why did she wish to do it now?" grammmatically correct? Is it correct to use the Past Simple tense with the adverb "now" talking about past events?


What's the difference between glinted, glittered, glistened, gleamed, and glimmered?

They all mean _to shine_ and they all start with _g_. But do they mean the same thing? Acording to "Google Dictionary" (the one that appears when you search on Google). > **glint:** give out or reflect small flashes of light. > > **glitter:** shine with a bright, shimmering, reflected light. > > **glisten:** (of something wet or greasy) shine; glitter. > > **gleamed** : shine brightly, esp. with reflected light. > > **glimmered** : shine faintly with a wavering light. Example sentence: > The city lights [...] at the distance like an ocean of stars. Do all the verbs above fit the sentence? Or it would mean a different thing depending on which one I choose?


"Let's": similar contractions

First, I'm aware of this question. What I want to know is if there are other similar constructs, done by contracting a verb with _"us"_.


"A/An" preceding a parenthetical statement

When _a/an_ precedes a parenthetical aside (sometimes seen in informal/conversational writing), should the vowel rule depend on the first word in parentheses, or the next word in the "regular" flow of the sentence? > I need a (memorable) idiom (preceding an _m_ word; use _a_ ) or > I need an (memorable) idiom (preceding an _i_ word; use _an_ )


"An (sweet) apple"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "A/An" preceding a parenthetical statement is the correct form               A (sweet) apple      because the article "A" precedes the word sweet, although it is put in brackets (as a side remark), or is the correct form               An (sweet) apple      because the effect of "sweet" on the form of the article has been nullified by the brackets? One might argue this depends on whether I regard the word within the bracket to be pronounced when the text is read aloud.


Should one use 'a' or 'an' when the following word is in parentheses?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "a/an" preceding a parenthetical statement This question is a little hard to summarize in the title. I sometimes like to use parentheses to add additional (but nonessential) details to a sentence - like I did just there. My criteria for such use is usually that the sentence could be read with the text in the parentheses, or excluding the text, and each would be an equally valid and grammatically correct statement. So I am curious: in a case where the parenthesis is preceded by the word 'a', and the word in parenthesis begins with a vowel (or unsounded h) that would require it to be changed to 'an', what is the correct statement?   1. In addition to these three journal articles containing background information, I have included **a (anecdotal) reference** describing this proposed cure.   2. In addition to these three journal articles containing background information, I have included **an (anecdotal) reference** describing this proposed cure. I feel as though if I use the word 'an' it draws too much attention to the word anectodal, and I might as well just remove the parentheses. I'm just trying to slip the word in there to cover my ass if someone says "That's not a valid reference - it's just an anectote." If you are curious about the context: the anecdotal reference is included because it describes the process in greater detail than is captured by my summary. Feel free to comment on the validity of my use of parentheses while you're at it.


"An" versus "a" before a bracketed word that starts with a vowel followed by a non-bracketed word that doesn't start with a vowel

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "A/An" preceding a parenthetical statement Which of the following is right/preferred: > The request is fulfilled by _an_ (ideally) close by node. or > The request is fulfilled by _a_ (ideally) close by node. I'm not sure, as if you skip over the bracketed word when reading, then "a close" would be correct, but if you read the bracketed word, then "an ideally" would be correct.


"a" vs. "an" when the following word is in a bracket

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  “A/An” preceding a parenthetical statement Let's say I send a text to someone saying: > Can you get me a coffee? Over here, I use _a_ as the following word doesn't begin with a vowel, which is all very good. Now what if the person got me a bad coffee (like decaf or something). So I send another text: > Can you get me (actual) coffee? Now what would I use? _a_ or _an_? As _actual_ is in brackets, does it enforce the rule of requiring _a_ to become _an_?


"I wrote a (albeit very rough) draft" or "I wrote an (albeit very rough) draft"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "a/an" preceding a parenthetical statement Does the parenthetical phrase change the "a" to an "an"? If you remove the parenthetical phrase, then you'd obviously be saying "I wrote an draft" which is incorrect...


Add parentheses when using alternative content?

Would you add parentheses in the first place when you write alternative content? Example: "This car has a(n) (optional) navigation system." or "This car has a (optional) navigation system." ? Remark: I am not an native English speaker, so please be gentle.


'An' or 'a' when followed by information between commas

In the following sentence, I'm unsure whether to use ‘ _an_ ’ or ‘ _a_ ’. > ..primarily meant as **a** , albeit large, donation. On the one hand ‘ _an_ ’ sounds more appropriate when read, as the vowel beginning to ‘ _albeit_ ’ suggests. Alternatively, one might say ‘ _a_ ’ is correct; is a sentence not supposed to make perfect sense with the word between the commas removed. If so, it must be just an ‘ _a_ ’. I'm tilting towards the latter, even though it sounds odd. Please enlighten me.


Does the article "a/an" apply to the parenthetical or the word that follows?

I just asked a question a moment ago, the subject of which was "Is there a word for taking an (possibly undeserved) authoritative tact?" And I immediately had the follow up question of "was that sentence grammatically correct?" Namely, does the article a/an connect to what's in the parentheses (in which case I should have used "a") or to the adjective that follows, which the article actually refers to (in which case I did the right thing).


What indefinite article to use when there is an adjective in parenthesis?

When using a or an before a noun should you take into account any additional information provided in parenthesis? For example, is it better to say "I would like a (emerald) necklace" or "I would like an (emerald) necklace"?


How to properly use brackets and articles when the article is changed by the bracketed word?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "A/An" preceding a parenthetical statement I was just posting a question on another Stack Exchange website. And I ran into the following sentence: > How do I safely reinstall a (audio) driver? What should the article be, _a_ or _an_? Should I use brackets to get _a(n)_?


Use "a" or "an" in a sentence with parentheses?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "a/an" preceding a parenthetical statement Should I use "a" or "an" in a sentence like this: > There's just an (usually small, but) unbounded number... or is it a bad style, anyway?


How do I handle articles with parenthetical statements?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "a/an" preceding a parenthetical statement If I were to use a (normal) parenthetical statement, the article would not cause problems. If I were to use a (unusual) parenthetical statement, the article seems incorrect. How should I proceed? Is one of these options correct: > This is a (unusual) statement > > This is an (unusual) statement > > This is a(n unusual) statement The last seems most appropriate to me but I suspect that is due to me and not the appropriateness of the sentence.


Using correct indefinite article before (in-line) parentheses

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "A/An" preceding a parenthetical statement This is rather question of readability: Which article should be preferred? > There is an (seemingly) easy correction to this issue. favoring "an easy" or > There is a (seemingly) easy correction to this issue. if you hear "a seemingly easy".


Should I use 'a' or 'an' when the following word is within parentheses?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "a/an" preceding a parenthetical statement I'm asking a question on Stack Overflow now, and I'm unsure about this: > I have **_an_** (Ruby on Rails site's) API which returns JSON data.   * 'API' starts with an 'A' so I should use 'an': `an API …`   * 'Ruby' (within parentheses) starts with an 'R' so I should use 'a': `a (Ruby …` Must I use 'a' or 'an' in this case? In other words, is the 'a' or 'an' only dependent on the following word **not** within parentheses?


The choice between “frame” and "construct"

> Early in the twentith century, Qichao in his works such as _On the New > Citizen_ tried to frame an ethics for the new society. "Frame" vs "construct": Which is better when the job is some doctrine and theory?


What are the subjects of these questions?

1.Do you think I did well in my Spanish examination? 2.Who won the music festival?


I came Or I went

Which one is grammatically fine? I was surprised but then having no knowledge about this issue. I came/went back to my city.


Antonym for ameliorate

I have been searching online for a particular word; that approximates to an antonym of ameliorate. I am after a specific word. > ameliorate verb > > to make better   >  Synonyms ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, help, meliorate, > perfect, refine, upgrade   >  Related Words correct, emend, rectify, reform, remediate, remedy; edit, > fine-tune, redraft, refurbish, rehab, rehabilitate, revamp, revise, rework; > beef (up), boost, fortify, intensify, reinforce (also reenforce), > strengthen; fine, hone, polish; retouch, touch up   >  Near Antonyms damage, endamage, harm, hurt, impair, injure, spoil, tarnish, > vitiate; blemish, blight, deface, disfigure, flaw, mar; diminish, lessen, > lower, reduce   >  Antonyms worsen The word is eluding me... it sounds like detiliorate.. not deteriorate. My example is, probably, misleading, as my searches on google are not throwing up any alternative words.. So I'm probably way off base. Anyone know the word I am trying to remember?


The difference in the meaning bristle and stubble

Talking about short stiff hair. Do bristle and stubble mean the same? Is there any subtle difference? Dictionaries say roughly the same thing and yet they're not synonyms


Why is a judge or magistrate called "the beak"?

Does anyone know why a judge or magistrate is referred to in less reverent circles as "the beak", especially in the phrase "up in front of the beak"?


Which one is correct, "best wishes to you" or "best wishes for you"?

Which one is correct, "best wishes _to_ you" or "best wishes _for_ you"?


What is the difference between optimal and optimum?

My question is exactly as the title says. Someone used "optimum" in an email to me and in my response I used "optimal," so I began wondering what the difference between them is.


When should I use "opportunity of" and when "opportunity from"?

Which is the proper preposition, _from_ or _of_?: > There are many opportunities **from/of** the energy turnaround.


Coughing captured in writing

My native language is German and although many people find German to sound like a coughing fit, the language totally lacks an onomatopoeia for coughing (real coughing). Nor can I think of one in English.   * Is there an onomatopoeia for coughing?   * If not, how can I capture it in writing?


Why do we "chalk it up" to something (or someone)?

What is the etymology and meaning of the phrase "chalk it up"? For instance:   * "I will _chalk it up_ to a colloquialism" (source).   * "Just _chalk it up_ as an odd case and move on" (source).   * "I would _chalk it up_ to more ignorance than apathy..." (source).


Why is the verb to be in the infinitive in 'Praise be to God.'? Other sentences that look similar are: 'May you be always in our presence.' 'May you be forgiven.' But May + sub + infinitive of be is used to make a wish and 'Praise be to God' is more of a informative statement rather than a wish.


Term for systems of measure with arbitrary units

What is the term for systems of measure whose units are not simple scalings by magnitude, but instead "arbitrary" units, that is, units unrelated by magnitude? I'd regard metric lengths scaling simply by magnitude. For the purpose of this question, I'd regard imperial lengths (foot, yard, mile) and common time reckoning (hour, day, week, month, year) as arbitrary.


Word meaning "the state of having (specific) metrics"

I'm looking for a word that means an object is in such a state that it has specific metrics able to be associated with it. I'm thinking "metered" but I'm not sure if that is necessarily appropriate as the dictionary definitions for "metered" point to measuring using the metric system, traffic meters, or metering the distribution of something in distinct units. The use case is that at a certain state of being, an object has specific data associated with it (performance metrics), but it would not have this data in some other state. So when it is in the state that has the data, what word would I use to describe this? I'm looking for a generic word as well, not being directly related to the state itself, as the object could satisfy this condition in multiple different states (the inverse also being true: the object could not satisfy this condition in multiple different states). Sometimes naming things is the hardest part of programming.


Verbs that change meaning depending on object position

I was writing a text and I stumbled upon the differences between:   1. Lily slipped and threw up her keys   2. Lily slipped and threw her keys up [in the air] For a moment I was finding phrase 1 more natural to hear but then I realized the meaning there is completely different. Is there a name for this phenomenon in English (if this is not an exception), in which a verb+adverb change completely its meaning by repositioning the object on the sentence? Should I learn some rule in order to be cautious when using this composition?


Why do we "get cold feet"?

A sudden loss of nerve when embarked on a venture is called _cold feet_. Does anyone know why that should be? An etymology is suggested at englishdaily626. > If your 'feet' are 'cold', you can't walk or move forward very well - you > are frozen in one place. Is it correct? It doesn't seem to me particularly convincing.


Use of 'blancbec' in English

In the March 4 issue of TLS a Mr. Brown wrote a letter recalling how when he was an undergraduate at Columbia and Allen Ginsberg came to give a reading, it was in fact the students that heaped scorn upon him, whereas most senior faculty treated him with what they (the students) saw as undue deference. At the end of the letter he writes: > It was a time when American social and cultural totems were falling, > something Highet, a pillar of the New York literary establishment, > recognized and we young **blancbecs** did not. This is the first instance of the word _blancbec_ I've seen in English (it means a kind of arrogant upstart.) I was wondering if anyone knows of any usage in any other context (I have been unable to locate one.) Any other information - etymological or historical - would also be very welcome - especially if it sheds light as to how idiosyncratic an anglicization it is.


What is the difference between "hang on" and "hold on"?

I often hear the words _hang on_ and _hold on_ , especially on TV. People use them when they want someone to wait for something. What's the difference between them?


What does "Alice started to her feet" mean?

In the book _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_ , what does “Alice started to her feet” mean? > ... But when the rabbit actually took a watch out of its waistcoat-pocket, > and looked at it, and then hurried on, **Alice started to her feet**...


gopher wood / coffer

I am trying to find out if there is any connection between 'gopher' wood, the wood from which Noah is supposed to have built his ark and 'coffer', in the sense of a strong wooden chest. Gopher seems to be derived from 'kophein' the Greek for basket and an ark is also a strong box as in the ark of the covenant ('arca', 'arcere' etc.). Any thoughts?


When to use ellipsis (suspension points)

Continuing this thought: Learning English as a second language I was taught that suspension points meant uncertainty, omission of words or interrupted thoughts. There are plenty of threads explaining the meaning but I'm looking for explanation on a few examples:   * In subjects of emails. Email subjects should be short and to the point, why use suspension points.   * Before and after a quoted block of text, not the quote itself but the preceeding/proceeding sentence(s). For example _As noted by John Smith... [quote] ...pay close attention to this or that, etc, etc._   * At the begining of a sentence (the opening sentence) of an article. There is no mention of previous conversation, article, quote, etc. The only time that I use suspension points is when quoting text to indicate I took part of a sentence, or that it continues on. However, I wrap it with a brackets, like so _[...]_.


What happens when baker's, butcher's, etc. are in the plural?

If the singular it is: > The baker's and the butcher's are closed on Sundays. Which one is the plural? >   * Bakers and butchers are closed on Sundays. >   * Bakers' and butchers' are closed on Sundays. >


"Thank you very much" vs "thank you so much"

Would you briefly explain the use of the following wish in different perspective with various examples please?


what are the specific term for these words?

I often in children's literature come across the rrrrrrrrrrrrS when a plane take off and the bumpity-bump when someone falls, etc. and I am wondering if these are called with a specific term? written sounds? transcribed sounds maybe?


Are these sentences both grammatically correct?

I am going to sleep. I want to sleep now. Are both sentences correct? Thanks.


"I thought they have taken it off" vs "I thought they took it off"

What is the difference between the usage of simple past and present perfect in the following: Update: Here is the conversation. > A. I am going to get some food. [Apparently the food was there] B. I thought > they have taken it off. > > Or B. I thought they took it off. Is one preferred over the other if there is no difference?


Question about "either and neither"

Which of these answers is correct? > Which way did you go the first one or the second one? > > A) I went neither way > > B) I didn't go either way


Meaning based on emphasis

Is there a term used to explain how some words change meaning based on the accent? For example, "convict" can be both a noun and a verb depending on which syllable is emphasized. The same is true for "reject", "pervert", "subject", "address" and probably others. Is there a technical term for this?


I would like to have come

I wonder how can it be it is correct to say: I would like to have come but I was not informed. (I found many examples on Google). Wouldn't it better to say: I would have liked to come? Or is there a difference between the two? Thanks.


Meaning and usage of "hit the nail upon the top"

What is the meaning of and proper way to use the phrase _hit the nail upon the top_? I've gotten this comment on my blog: > Unquestionably believe that which you said. Your favorite reason appeared to > be on the internet the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I > definitely get irked while people consider worries that they just do not > know about. You managed to **hit the nail upon the top** as well as defined > out the whole thing without having side effect , people can take a signal. > Will likely be back to get more.


Using the definite article with acronyms and initialisms

I'm wondering when to use or not to use the definite article, when using acronyms or initialisms in a sentence. Is there a rule for this, or does it depend on the context? For example, let's look at some example sentences   DDR = detailed design review. NASA is planning to launch the final shuttle soon (no article)   The FBI shut down this website (article)   ESA is a full partner in the ISS (no article, article)   The project was cancelled at the DDR. (article) What confuses me is that if NASA or ESA would be written in full, the article would be necessary.


Definite article with proper nouns, titles followed by a common noun

Over time I developed this rule where if a title or a proper name is followed by a common noun that represents the class of the entity I am referring to, then I use the definite article. In Example 1, the title of a publication in the first sentence is followed by the noun "whitepaper", thus the definite article in front of it. Is this a valid rule? Example 1: _**The_** "Advanced programming in Java" **_whitepaper_** was an excellent read. "Advanced programming in Java" was an excellent read. Example 2: _**The_** Microsoft Office 2010 **_product_** was released last year. Microsoft Office 2010 was released last year.


Is it proper to use "the" before the name of a government organization?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Definite article with proper nouns, titles followed by a common noun   >  Using the definite article with acronyms and initialisms When I listen to major news programs, often I notice that they seem to intentionally omit "the" before the name of the government organizations. For example: > We contacted E.P.A. for comment but they refused our requests. or > Others consider the actions of treasury to be detrimental to the economy. These just sound wrong to me. I think it should be "the E.P.A" or "the treasury". However I most often hear this on very credible news programs (The PBS News Hour and Frontline come to mind) so I am sure they know what they're doing... Is it proper to use "the" before the name of a government organization, or is it optional?


Using 'the' with abbreviations of nouns

Consider `United States of America` or `United Kindgom`. While using these, it is customary to add _the_ before it.   Eg. `I'm travelling to the United Kingdom` However, when I use the abbreviation, it doesn't seem right to add _the_ before `UK`. It will usually be sans the _the_ , like, `I'm travelling to UK`. Is it because when I use `UK`, I treat it as a proper noun, and in case of `United Kingdom`, it is mainly used to denote a cluster of kingdoms, and not treated a proper noun? Is skipping the _the_ correct usage?


Polite synonyms for "a——hole-ish" behavior

Are there any polite synonyms for _asshole-ish_ behavior? A good synonym would probably have about the same impact and wouldn't send people looking for their dictionaries.


the meaning "off"

> Emergency services were found on Aberdeen's Marywell street, off College > Street, on Friday. What is meaning of the _off_? Is it preposition or adverb?


How to use "summers ago"

It is November 2011 now. If I want to refer to something that happened in August 2009, which phrase do I use? >   * **two** summers ago > >   * **three** summers ago > > Or is there a better phrase that conveys the relative time span? (No offense meant to the folks in the Southern Hemisphere for my assuming definition of "summer")


What word best represents "academic status"?

I'm working on a project for a college that involves students who have done poor academic work, and I'm looking for a way to succinctly describe the various academic status codes that these students belong to (both in meetings and internally to the project, as I'm also the programmer). In the past, the college referred to these students as "probationary" or "on suspension", but the new academic standards policy expanded its definition of these students from two groups to four (or six, or eight, depending on how rigorously you interpret the policy). Currently, I'm just using "academic status" as a placeholder, but it's become awkward. I've considered using terms like **demerit** and **disposition**. However, demerit is a discrete noun, and while disposition more accurately describes the process-oriented nature of the new policy, it's a little too generic for my taste. Can anyone suggest a more specific term that could describe a student's academic status, or am I close enough with demerit or disposition? **Edit:** To be clear, I'm looking for a word that would describe the student's **overall, college-level** academic status (as in, your cumulative GPA qualifies you for [insert poor academic status descriptor here]).


Term for check-in location

What is a general term for a check-in location? Specifically this is a location where people can be assigned. They include offices, deployment areas, staging areas, site-locations, warehouses, command centers and trailers. These locations can also hold equipment and inventory. Unfortunately the only thing I can come up with that isn't too specific is _location_.


"Something that work" or "something that works"?

Googling both sentences I find many references with or without _-s_. Should I add the _-s_ to the verb after "that"? Is it considered a third person singular? I'm searching for a rule to apply to the verb after "that". Another example could be this: > people that work (56,100,000 hits)   >  people that works (710,000 hits)


Naïve, naïf, naïvety, naïveté

I have two related questions about the word "naïve" and its relatives. The first is, shouldn't it be "naïf" if the subject is male? I've been told that it's correct to use the correct ending of foreign words when applied to objects in English with determinate gender (i.e. people). Second, if not, is the diaeresis absolutely necessary? If "naïve" has become an English word, is the accent still compulsory? (I'm sure there are examples of foreign words whose accents have atrophied away as they become English words) Third, should the noun from "naïve" be "naïvety" or "naïveté"?


What should be the plural of “kibbutz”

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Plurals of foreign words A _kibbutz_ is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Since this type of a settlement is unique to Israel, its name is in Hebrew and it doesn’t have a translation in other languages. The plural of _kibbutz_ in Hebrew is _kibbutzim_ , which is also the form that the Wikipedia uses. However, this is not a correct English form, and when a non-Hebrew speaker reads _kibbutzim_ they don’t necessarily understand that it’s the plural form of _kibbutz_. What form is the proper English plural form of _kibbutz_ : should it be _kibbutzim_ or _kibbutzes_?