Word or phrase for someone who annoys you as soon as they walk in and start talking

Looking for both a journalistic and perhaps playful term. In a journalistic sense, how would I describe a CEO figure who holds a company meeting and the employees are either annoyed, bored, or rolling their eyes the entire time he talks. In a playful sense, a similar personality walks into my office, but is the context is such that I can make the comment aloud, such as, " _oh god, there goes my chance to get any work done_ ", but in a declarative sense: " _here comes the ...._ "


Do phonetic symbols have names in English?

I know diacritical marks have names in English: cedilla, umlaut, etc. Are there names for phonetic symbols too? How does one call the "sh" sound which is referred to by the integral sign /∫/? Or the /ch/ represented as /t∫/? This may be unikely, but if the answer is a no, why are there no words for sounds, given we even have onomatopoeic words for alphabets (aitch, tee, ell, etc)?


why use "are down" instead of "doesn't work"

I got an e-mail in my work where men wrote that something application are down but I`m not advanced in English and could you help me why is use this form? In my opinion I would have written: application dosen't work. Thanks in advance.


What is the name of the behavior that makes you believe more in something when it contradicts your beliefs?

What is the name of a common human behavior that makes you believe more in one thing when you are contradicted? I read an article a while ago about this behavior saying that people naturally (or instinctively) tend to pay more attention to details that are the opposite beliefs of the ones with which he agrees. A good example for that is a fanatic religious person, that the more you try to convince someone that his beliefs are wrong, the more he gets convinced that you are talking bullshit. I am pretty sure there is a name for that, does anybody know?


"Don't know of" vs. "Don't know"

What is the difference between the following? > I don't know of any other place. > > I don't know any other place.


"log in to" or "log into" or "login to"

When writing an instruction about connecting to a computer using ssh, telnet, etc., I'm not sure what spacing to use in this familiar spoken phrase:   * " **Log in to** host.com"   * " **Log into** host.com"   * " **Login to** host.com" Maybe this is entirely subjective or the realm of industry jargon, but I couldn't think of anywhere else to ask. Any insight?


Logging in or on?

There are a plethora of words for user accounts, like _logon_ , _login_ , _signon_ , and also the action of _logging in_ (or _logging on_ ) or _signing in_. Are there any usage guidelines here?


Which is standard: "log on/off" or "log in/out"?

> **Possible Duplicates:**   >  Logging in or on?   >  UI Terminology: Logon vs Login on Stack Overflow On Windows computers, the terminology _log on/off_ is used. In SE and on many sites, _log in/out_ is used. Are they both correct and equally appropriate for any situation, or are there differences? If they are exactly synonymous, which is standard?


Login vs Logon?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Logging in or on?   >  “log in to” or “log into” or “login to” In computers, it seems like both login and logon are used. When I was taking some networking courses at the college, we were told to "Login to Windows", and "Logon to Novell". Is there really a difference?


Is there a difference between "bitter" and "better" in pronunciation?

I was wondering if there was any difference between _"bitter"_ and _"better"_ in pronunciation? My assumption is that one is pronounced with a soft "d" as in "better" and the other one with a hard "t" as in "bitter". What do you guys think?


Usage of "|" in English sentences

I have a book about punctuation marks, but it doesn't report when to use _|_ in a English sentence. I notice that the _New Oxford American Dictionary_ uses that character to separate the examples it reports. Are there other uses of _|_ in a sentence written outside specific contexts?


What is the difference between "solidus" and "slash"?

I was reading a text, and I found the word _solidus_. What is a solidus? Is the word normally used in everyday language, or is there another word that replaces _solidus_ even if it's not the completely correct word?


Using the word "quota" in plural and singular

If I need to use the word "quota" in both the plural and the singular, what is the correct form? Is it "several quota" and "one quotum" or "several quotas" and "one quota"?


"Dob the pill" (Child's phrase)

In some British private schools the phrase "dob the pill" is a request that someone should throw the ball to you. The Internet is almost completely silent on this phrase with the only use I can find in the first comment at http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/pieces-of-the-power-puzzle/story- fn83zjlm-1226049635520 where it says "With his build Ebert would be a better back pocket where he could dob the pill deep over centre.". What is the origin of this phrase?


Meaning of "a few lost beams of latent light"

What does _a few lost beams of latent light_ mean? > I think it's summer still outside   >  **A few lost beams of latent light**   >  – moi Caprice


Using "so" and "very" for ungradable adjectives

We generally use modifiers such as "so" and "very" for gradable/normal adjectives (water can be quite/so/very HOT, but not quite/so/very BOILING (an ungradable/extreme adjective). Yet would you say the following sentences-- which, I'd say, are quite commonplace in colloquial speech--are grammatically incorrect?   1. You told the teacher I'd been cheating? You're SO dead! ("Dead", obviously, is ungradable.)   2. Simon Cowell was seen with his VERY pregnant girlfriend. (A woman is either pregnant or not--it can't be graded.)


Usage of dwell/hail

When I describe myself, I normally have to say where I'm from. If I were actually born and raised in Chicago, could I use dwell and/or hail? >   * I _dwell_ in Chicago. >   * I _hail_ in Chicago. >


Is there a short term for "without a date of expiry"?

Is there a short term for _lack of a date of expiry_ when talking about documents? I'm specifically interested in identification document (ID).


I've been betrayed by the Jedi Order, but I don't wish "for" them to all die

Does the presumably nonstandard construction "(verb) for someone/something to (verb)" instead of "(verb) (someone/something) to (verb)" have any currency in modern day colloquial AE speech and "not so formal" writing? The reason to this question is that I occasionally stumble across this type of construction in paperbacks, movies, comics, etc., and wish you could tell what the story is to it, plus if it's acceptable to use it for casual to "not too formal" correspondence like emails and memos. Consider these examples: > We **_want for you to_** become a part of this family. source > > But I didn't **_mean for you to_** behave like this. source) > > We **_ask for you to_** show respect to our elected officials. source > > May we **_suggest for you to_** contact your shipper to make necessary > arrangements. source > > May I **_recommend for you to_** read the citations a little more closely. > source > > May I **_advise for you to_** spend more time reading. source > > I should **_expect for you to_** drop the child off tonight. source > > We **_anticipate for you to_** serve as interim CEO. source > > I **_would like for you to_** act that way less often. source>/ > > I **_would love for you to_** act that way in our One-Act Play festival. > source>/ > > I **_would hate for you to_** be out and someone tells you this other than > me. source>/ > > We **_hope for you to_** be as comfortable as possible during your > stay.source>/


Can a "who" act as both a pronoun and a conjunction at the same time?

Example: > I will sue the person who murdered my neighbour. In the above example, should we treat _who_ as a relative pronoun, a conjunction, or both?


Synonyms, Antonyms, and "Neutralnyms"

Two words A and B are synonyms if they mean the same thing, and antonyms if they mean opposite things. But is there **a word to describe the relationship where A means "neither B nor its opposite"**? > For example: "Indifference" means "neither love nor hate". I would like to be able to use it in sentences of the form: "What is a `neutralnym' for love?" (The wikipedia page for the -onym suffix says that "anonym" is already taken, sadly, as this would have been a good neologism. That's why I used "neutralnyms" even though it mixes Latin and Greek roots.) **Edit:** A further more example to illustrate what I am asking. > right and wrong are antonyms, and ambiguous is a neutralnym of both.


One may, two verbs

I wonder which of the following is grammatical. >   * Your account password or username may have changed, but hasn't yet been > updated on our side. >   * Your account password or username may have changed, but haven't yet been > updated on our side. >


Use of 'On the ..." in titles

I'm wondering if there is a convention on the use of " **On the** ..." at the beginning of a title of a report / paper etc. I've realized that I have (unintentionally) used this form in the titles of the last two scientific papers that I have written. This got me wondering if I am actually using this correctly (although no one commented throughout the publishing process - i.e. co-authors, reviewers, or editors). After doing a brief search on Google Scholar, I don't seem to find all that many titles that use this structure, although those that do seem to be often papers from earlier times (ca. pre-1970). One of the best known examples is Charles Darwin's (1859) " **On the** origins of species by means of natural selection". I don't know if this was his reason but, for me, the alternate title "The origins of species by means of natural selection" is more authoritative. This was the reason for the inclusion of "on" in my titles. In my cases, the topics were either somewhat speculative, or did not cover all aspects of the issue at hand. I would be very grateful to hear if anyone has an informed perspective on this.


What does Theoden's quote in The Two Towers 'oft evil will shall evil mar' mean?

The formulation of this phrase seems odd and I can't pick the full meaning out of it. He says it after Wormtongue has thrown the Palantir out of Orthanc, which seems to be a great example of evil shooting itself in it's own foot, but that doesn't seem to be the thrust of the phrase.


No comma preceding quote from a document?

I am a court reporter, and I was recently informed that I should not put a comma before a quote from a document. E.g., in the sentence: John said, "We need to clear this item," the comma after "said" is appropriate, but in the sentence: Paragraph 2 says "We need to clear this item," a comma after "says" would be inappropriate. Anybody else ever hear of that rule? It's new to me.


Do adjectives ending in "-ed" derive from words that were once used as verbs?

_Talented_ derives from _talent_ , which is not a verb in Modern English. Has _talent_ ever been used as verb? Are there any words ending in _-ed_ that derive from words once used as verb that is not used nowadays?


"List of tasks" or "tasks' list"

Which of these forms is better: _list of tasks_ or _tasks' list_? Another question is whether I should use an apostrophe or not ( _tasks's list_ vs _tasks list_ ). Other phrases which are similar to this, but aren't quite what I'm looking for, are _list of projects_ and _task's action_ (one task this time). Maybe the answer is obvious, but English is not my native language so I need to understand it.


What's the difference between a graph, a chart, and a plot?

_A graph_ , _a chart_ , and _a plot_ can all refer to the same thing. Is there any even somewhat consistent distinction in these three words? (I mean, in this particular sense of the words; it is not relevant that a chart is also a nautical map, and a plot is also a scheme.)


Difference between "calculus" and "calculi"

What is the difference between _calculus_ and _calculi_? Both of these words are used to identify formal languages in computer science (e.g. π-calculus, λ-calculus, process calculi).


Why sometime we see 'Save As' while sometime we see 'Export' when dealing with file(s) Are 'Save as' having the same meaning as 'Export' when dealing with file(s). Suppose, I want to save this particular file to another file, I will 'Save As' to another file. Same goes as 'Export' if I want to export to another file. Any Insight?


Breaking the set - meaning

**Breaking the set** What does this expression mean? I hear this expression often used in the context of alternative media reports and debates. Here's the link, right at the beginning the host uses that phrase: > Hi, I'm Sean Stone, today we're breaking the set on Buzzsaw


Do I need a comma after which in this sentence?

Do I need commas around " _on that morning_ "? While technically correct (I believe), it just seems like so many commas sounds too choppy if one pauses at each comma. > As they passed the cathedral, they rode alongside the River Irwell, which, > on that morning, had a thick layer of fog blanketing the black waters.


What is the word for statements that aren't ironic but have an interesting juxtaposition?

For example: my grandmother went to university and learnt to speak RP; I went to university and picked up her cockney drawl. Or: I was searching for a book on the internet and when I found it, it turned out that it my next door neighbour was selling it.


Comma separating subordinating clauses

I'm a software developer and occasionally write user documentation and project proposals for my boss. I've been running into a punctuation problem recently that I've been unable to solve. I have a sentence in the form > SUBORDINATING CLAUSE + "and" + SUBORDINATING CLAUSE, MAIN CLAUSE. For example: > If Jack and Jill were going up a hill and Bob were simultaneously driving > down the hill, Bob would run over Jill. I've been rather confused whether there should be a comma before the _and_. I realize the two subordinating clauses actually share the _if_ , but a part of me still wants to insert a comma like one would do if the _and_ separated two main clauses. Is there any standard (American) punctuation rule that applies in this sort of corner-case? I realize I could rewrite the sentence in a way to avoid this problem, but I'd really like to know what the generally accepted (American) standard for this is.


"Todo list" or "to-do list"

I always thought it was a _todo_ list, and quite a few places online refer to it as _todo_ , but various spell checkers are telling me it should be _to-do_. The only meaning I could find was http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/to-do which is different from the use I need for the word. Which is correct?


Applying/earning/validating leave

When someone attends an event, he will be awarded some additional leave subject to his boss's approval. Therefore, he will need to submit a leave application to his boss for approval. Should I call this (action 1) _apply leave_ , _submit leave_ , _apply new leave_ or something else? Note that if we use _apply leave_ or _submit leave_ , we will have another problem as follows. If that someone wants to _use_ the leave that his boss had approved for action 1, he will need to submit this further application to his boss for approval. Then, should I call this (action 2) _apply leave_ (not again?), _submit leave_ (not again?) or something else?


Is there a difference between "at the example of" and "using the example of"?

"This is illustrated at the example of Foobar." versus "This is illustrated using the example of Foobar." Are they interchangeable? If not, what is the difference?


Grammatical correctness of a sentence

Recently I read a sentence - > The French Rooms, at least until modern periods are reached, are a > demonstration that in the sphere of aesthetics, science does not produce the > greatest artists - that something other than intelligent interest and > technical accomplishment _are_ requisite to that end, and that system is > fatal to spontaneity. I am not sure if _'are'_ instead of _'is'_ should be used since it is referring to _'that something other'_ which seems to be clearly singular. So what should it be?


With + adverb structure

The strange example makes me confused - **with + adverb** : " **Red items need dealing with immediately after the process...** " How correct and common of this structure?


Someone who comes across as "airheaded" but is really quite the opposite

What is a word for someone who comes across as "airheaded" but is really quite the opposite? I will add that the person is not deliberately trying to act stupid, they just come across that way when they speak. Without knowing them, you would assume this person holds no intellect.


A verb for performing foot tricks with a ball?

Is there a word for when a soccer player does the kind of tricks where he would try to kick the ball with his feet into the air, catches the ball with his knee cap with another hit to bring the ball higher into the air, and then hit the ball with his head and so on? I don't know how I can describe it, but it's a common move/trick that soccer players do. They would "play" around the ball with different moves. I used to think that a verb for performing such actions is _shuffling_ , and would say: > "The soccer player is _shuffling_ the ball." But now I think I'm wrong because shuffling sounds more for something else. So, is there a verb for performing such an action?


Definite article with "Wiener filtering", an uncountable noun

I have a sentence something like this > We apply Wiener filtering to obtain a solution. In this "Wiener filtering" is a uncountable noun. I am not sure whether "the" is required before it.


be wondering - tenses

In reference to: Why is the past tense used in "I was wondering if you would like to come for dinner?" I'd like to ask why we usually use _"I was wondering if..."_ not _"I have been wondering if..."_. Anyone?


Meaning of the word "snood"

What does actually _snood_ mean when someone says, 'He is a _snood_ arm wrestler. He eats more than he trains, but he's beaten some of our toughest guys.' Does it mean that person who's called _snood_ arm wrestler is kind of lazy to train hard and has some extra weight? Link to the video, I've heard that word there, at 54 second The video is available only in USA.


meaning of "internetz"

What does _internetz_ mean? I realize it's not a Real Official Word™, but what is its meaning when it is normally used?   * Urbandictionary has several competing definitions.   * The Google results are irrelevant for "what is internetz" and "what does internetz mean" (with no options, with "-internet", and with "-internet -internets").


There isn't and there is no

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  “There is no rule” vs. “there isn’t rule” If I'm not mistaken, both _"There isn't a storm."_ and _"There is no storm."_ have the same meaning. I understand that the first one is the "contraction" of the second one, but what I can't understand is that if it is the contraction of the second, why the is second _"There is no storm"_ and not _"There is no **t** storm"_?


Adjective form of "collide"—"collideable" or "collidable"?

I need to name an interface in a program I'm writing as being able to collide, but I've seen use of both _collideable_ and _collidable_ in projects with a similar type. Both of them look right in some ways, and wrong in others. Which spelling is more correct?


What is the historic process for converting vulgar words into simply rude words?

I have noticed a pattern involving vulgarities where the previous generation's evil words become accepted as merely off-color or rude in the following generation. Is this merely each generation's small rebellion against their parents? Does society get bored with certain blacklisted words and move onto different choices? It seems that some offensive or vulgar words maintain their status far longer than others while some don't last too long. Am I simply suffering from an odd form of selection bias? Other interesting observations are the choices of insults that particular communities choose to use. Online video gaming has become quite fond of "rape" which is probably a completely inappropriate word to trivialize as meaning pwned. That community seems particularly attracted to violent or overtly offensive terms. Is there a historic precedence for this? Are such communities related to the aforementioned shift in what is considered vulgar?


Etymology of "age of majority?"

What is the etymology of the phrase "age of majority," meaning, e.g., 18 in the US? Does it have something to do with democracy, the age at which one can vote, and the fact that democracy is based on the will of the majority? Or does it come from some other, unrelated sense of "major" or "majority?"


Customizable style checker

I am looking for a customizable style checker. Preferably with Ruby bindings. I have seen previous posts on here about static "grammar" checkers. However, I want something much more flexible allowing you to add/remove/rank warnings. Native Slavic users may want to rank missing "a/an/the" highly. Newspapers may want their writers to use conventions. Technical writers in certain professions like lawyers seeking uniformity may want to flag paragraphs with writing styles that deviate from those found in a database of appellate opinions.


we could have written the following and BE RETURNED the same result set (grammar)

_When there is only one instance of the column name in the query, then qualifying column names becomes optional. Thus, we could have written the following and **be returned** the same result set..._ I can't understand how **_be returned_** is worked into the sentence. Is it _we could be returned the same result set_ or what? Who's the subject of **_be_**? Please, break it down for me.


Should I write "repartee" with an accent?

Does _repartee_ need an accent with it in writing? Also, what does it mean? **Edit:** Can you please provide an example sentence or two? I'd really appreciate it!


Graduate student in or of?

In my cover letter I want to write that I am a graduate student in statistics. But I am not sure about the "in". So what is correct? > I am a graduate student in statistics. > > I am a graduate student of statistics.


Unique for how many reasons?

Does the phrase "The holocaust was a unique event in history for two reasons:" mean that the following two reasons will individually cause uniqueness or will in conjunction cause the uniqueness? Here is the phrase in context: > Fackenheim argued that the holocaust was a _unique_ event in history for two > reasons: (1) The Nazis persecuted the Jews not because of their religious > beliefs or practices as in former times, but strictly because of their > genetic makeup. (2) The demonic will of persecutors to exterminate the Jews > superseded their aims at winning the War. I feel as though both must be in conjunction to be unique as it is not the first time in history that people have been persecuted because of genes (black people have been persecuted for that reason). Therefore the author must either be wrong or the two reasons must be in conjunction to be unique.


"all but at most one" - What does it mean?

I came around this one just now and I can't tell the meaning of this sentence by the context. > no new vehicle is used unless all but at most one other vehicle has at least > 50% of its time scheduled Does it mean something like "all are, but one is not"?


Which is correct? "the traditional and the modern" or "the traditional and modern"

I heard this from a film without subtitles. Which is correct? > The island of Taiwan in East Asia is a melting pot of the traditional and > the modern. or > The island of Taiwan in East Asia is a melting pot of the traditional and > modern.


Are there any rules governing what we call people from different countries?

>   * people from China = Chinese >   * people from Japan = Japanese >   * people from Australia = Australian >   * people from Lebanon = Lebanese >   * people from Sweden = Swedish > Are there any rules that govern this? Like people from asian countries all end with an "ese" or something? Or maybe some rules within the name of the country?


When to use -Ites / Ians / Ish / An / Ni / Ese / Elsh / Er

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Are there any rules governing what we call people from different countries? I have some confusion regarding usage of suffixes such as _-ites_ / _-ians_ / _-ish_. For example: I have seen some people using the words Kerel _ite_ and Mumba _ites_ for people from Kerela (a state) and Mumbai (a city). Other examples:   * Ind _ians_ (where India is a country)   * Span _ish_ (Where Spain is again a country)   * Americ _an_   * Pakista _ni_   * Chin _ese_   * W _elsh_   * New York _er_ So on what basis do we decide what suffixes should be used, or is it very dependent on mood or environment?


Is there a rule to what ending you use when you construct the nationality adjective? Or where did the various endings come from?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Are there any rules governing what we call people from different countries? In the English language, you have several endings used when you construct an adjective out of the name of a nationality. For example, the nationality of Japan is Japanese while the nationality of Korea is Korean. Is there a grammar rule that decides what ending should be used? Or what did decide on what ending to use? And is the -nese ending connected to Polynesia somehow? As the -nese endings seem concentrated in that area?


Are Pounds Sterling referred to as squid (in addition to quid)

Commonly pounds are called _quid_ , but I've come across references to pounds as > _squid_ Is that a typo or actually a common usage? Example from Football forums: > It is believed they have offered them over a million **squid** to take on > the role and gave them till this morning to give them there decision. > Allardyce or O'niell ???.


When did the word cutlery first include spoons and forks?

In the comments in Where is the word "cutlery" in common usage this question came up with no obvious resolution. In British English today the word cutlery just refers to implements used for eating, such as knives, forks and spoons. However this is not the definition given in the OED (where the current entry still dates from 1893), nor is it the usage one can see using Google books from the 19th century. What is the first usage of cutlery in its modern meaning? If one needs more proof of the modern meaning, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutlery says "The major items of cutlery in the Western world are the knife, fork and spoon." and a web search will show no end of shops in the UK selling knives, forks and spoons as cutlery. * * * To try to hone in on a date, in 1939 cutlery apparently included spoons and forks even in the US. See http://bit.ly/1a0P1hZ . There is also a linguistic distinction between kitchen cutlery and table cutlery.


Why is 'unexpectedly' common but 'expectedly' not?

"unexpectedly" is common, but "expectedly" is not, whereas "predictably" (the synonym of expectedly) is common but "unpredictably" is not. Is there any rationale for this? See Ngram


What are the implications of "at my disposal"

I found myself using the phrase "[something] is at my disposal" as a way of indicating that a particular resource is available for my use. My question arises from the word disposal. It seems to imply that the resource is gone once it is used. As in, "I disposed of the trash". ~~Another use would be, "He was going to help me, but was already disposed". In that case, it seems to mean "otherwise occupied" or "not currently usable".~~ @mfe pointed out that this usage was incorrect. So I can say, "The tool is at my disposal". This naturally seems to mean that while I am using it, others probably can not. If I say, "The firewood is at my disposal". It would mean that I am able to permanently deplete the firewood by using it. So the question is, if I'm referring to a resource that can not be used up and a particular use of it does not prevent furtherer use (such as a concept in the mind), is it correct to say that it is "at my disposal" simply because I am able to use it? Its also possible that I'm confusing similar terms. Can anyone help me straighten this out.


What do you call a person who is easily replaced?

I was thinking "interchangeable", but isn't really used on people. How do you describe someone who is easily replaced by another person. The implied connotation is that they have no inherent qualities that make them more suitable for the job than any of their peers, it is just a matter of selecting one of them at random to do it. Example I wish to fill: > "I complained that I didn't want to be in the conference call so they had > Joe do it. Feels awesome." > > "Feels awesome to be [interchangeable]?"


What is the difference between "been" and "being"?

What is the difference between _been_ and _being_?


Is "not having...full time" partial negation or complete negation?

I got a bit confused by this sentence: "I’ve got used to not having a man around full time." I am not sure if it is partial negation or complete negation. Does this mean:   1. I've got used to occasionally having a man around, or;    2. I've got used to not having a man around at all? Thanks. Here is the context: > I’m a bit afraid of us being together all the time; he is full of vigour and > I’m a tired middle-aged woman. And besides I’ve got used to not having a man > around full time.


Is there a name for this kind of phrases?

I often times heard phrases like itty-bitty, nitty-gritty etc, the latter word followed part of the previous word's syllable(mostly ends with -y), I want to know the names for this kinds of phrases.


What does "my point being" mean?

I have heard someone say in a conversation, "Well, my point being,,,". As an English learner, I was puzzled but assumed that it was roughly the same as saying "My point is that..." or "Here's my point:" Even if my guess was right, the phrase strikes me as a bit odd. Can anyone elaborate on the meaning/usage/gramatical explanation of this phrase?


If "whenever possible" is in the middle of a sentence, does it need to be preceded by a comma?

The sentence in question is "We believe that the best way to think about the mentor-mentee relationship is to remember that whenever possible, all adults in a child's life should act as a team. It seems odd to add a comma before "whenever" as there's no pause intended, and I don't think the phrase, "whenever possible" is truly parenthetical, as without it, the goal isn't really achievable anymore.


What's the adjective to the word "sibling"

I'm looking for the adjective that goes with _sibling_. My sentence would be something like: > The [...] relationship. So the adjective would be used to denote that the relationship is one between siblings. A native speaker told me it was simply _sibling_ , however, I'm not convinced. I have tried googling for the answer, but it hasn't yielded any results as of yet. Unfortunately, my Oxford dictionary is having a sleepover at one of my fellow students.


What did Petrucci mean by the book title 'Wild Stringdom'?

His book name is "Wild Stringdom", I don't understand... — what is it? I'm from Russia and I speak English very bad. I want to translate this book for me into Russian.


When proper usage impedes communication

This question may be moderated as unanswerable, but I am interested in opinions. Take this scenario: Most people I know will improperly correct "The ball belongs to John and me." to "The ball belongs to John and I." The simple rule I was taught is that you remove the other party and see if the sentence makes sense. Would you say "The ball belongs to I?" No. "The ball belongs to me." Therefore, the correct wording is "The ball belongs to John and me." If I am giving a talk to a group of people and use the correct "John and me" construct, I will cause a good portion of my audience to lose focus as they mentally (improperly) correct my grammar. My question is this: If the purpose of language is communication, what do you do when proper grammar is a barrier to effective communication? Do you use the proper construct, causing over half the room to stop paying attention; do you use the improper construct that most accept and lose the respect of the more educated people in the room; or do you avoid the situation altogether by wording your thoughts such that you don't need to use the distracting construct at all?


Word for “decorated too much”

I'm looking for a word (verb) meaning decorate/embellish too much — in a bad sense — and in particular having the tint of being too much so that something instead of being beautiful becomes fussy and ugly.


Is this sentence correct: "She didn't have any book with her."

Is this sentence correct? "She didn't have any book with her."


What does "written out" mean?

What does _Her character was written out_ mean? > (My emphasis) > > On _That '70s Show,_ the veteran actress played the promiscuous elder sister > of Topher Grace's Eric Forman for five years. **Her character was written > out,** though Kelly returned for a few episodes in Season 5. Then, she was > replaced by Christina Moore in Season 6. I assumed a number of things but I can be sure to be wrong in each case. It doesn't make sense if it relates to writing down individual letters.


Meaning of "Blood, Fish and Bone"

For this text: > The weeds on the compost heap, I began feeding the shrubs with Blood, Fish > and Bone.---- I am wondering whether the "Blood, Fish and Bone" above indicates "the weeds" and "the compost heap" or not, or indicates something else? The context is : > And she'd reply, "I prefer to be called by my maiden name, from now on." > > The weeds on the compost heap, I began feeding the shrubs with Blood, Fish > and Bone. Three miles away Patrick Beeman would be working down a list of > bullet points with Lorna: General Procedure, Custody, Money, House, > Pensions, Miscellaneous, Standard Fees. * * * Excerpted from David Mitchell's novel "The Massive Rat": http://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/aug/01/david-mitchell-short-story-rat * * * [Edit, following comments received:   I now think the narrator used the _Blood, Fish and Bone_ to feed the shrubs.   It seems I have to learn something about the gardening...]


Which is the correct word to use here: "consensus" or "majority"?

I was just told that: > What you call a consensus isn't a consensus, but a majority. He implied that it was not a consensus because a few disagreed with the decision made. From my understanding, consensus does not require unanimity. For example, when we talk about a scientific consensus, there might be a few dissenters, but not many. Is that correct?


Stack of Paper vs. Stack of Papers

I question the usage of "stack of paper" vs. "stack of papers". I purchase a ream of paper, and set it on a desk. In that process, does it change from a ream of paper to a stack of papers - changing from a singular word to a plural? In both cases it is still 500 sheets of paper. When is it proper to use stack of paper vs. stack of papers? A stack of bricks is always plural isn't it?


what does "early next week" means when said on Sunday?

I just received an email from my boss on Sunday afternoon saying that "please submit your work early next week". Does this mean the Monday or Tuesday of the coming week or the Monday or Tuesday of the week after. I appreciate your help. Thanks


I’ve an Italian degree in “engineering informatics”, so I am a what?

I studied Engineering Informatics in Italy, and I always have difficulty when trying to define my title (in several contexts, e.g. In my researchgate account, as well as in the subscription form to some conferences where they ask for your title or position). I read What is the difference between "Computer science" and "Informatics"?, "IT specialist" vs. "computer scientist" and What is the difference between "Computer science" and "Informatics"?, because I usually define myself as a "computer scientist", which I feel is wrong. What would be the correct job title for somebody who has studied, like me, Engineering Informatics? Would _Informatic Engineer_ work? **\----- UPDATE 1 ------** To be more precise, I studied "ingegneria informatica" which wikipedia refers to (in english) as "Computer engineering" After some digging, after discussion with university colleagues, and also reading what is reported on the italian "ingegneria informatica" wikipedia page, I discovered my title is equivalent to a Master in Computer Science AND to a Master in Engineering. I suppose then that "Computer Scientist Engineer" is the title which match bettter than the others. Does it sounds reasonable?


Is this phrase gramatically correct? [sb] found [sb]to not only have a [] but able to [] due to [] and []

For example: [Amy] found [Bob] to not only have a [good sense of humour] but able to [do other impressive things] due to [Bob's personality] and [wealth] The above is just a random example where I filled in the blanks. The structure I wanted to ask if it was grammatically correct is in the title. See, I'm a native speaker of English and I used this structure in passing when writing to a friend (ESL learner) who says I'm wrong to use it like that, whereas I think it sounds right, but can't explain why. Help pls? Thx guys.


"As did I" vs "So did I"

Which is the (more) correct response? > Me - "We have more tweaks for the ABC job" > > Other - "Really? I thought we'd completed that job!" > > Me - "As did I / So did I" Thank you for any suggestions you can offer.


"Now I am" vs. "I am now"

Which is more correct? > Now I am the main stakeholder... or > I am now the main stakeholder... Do the intonations imply different meanings?


What is a "Mexican Ultimatum"?

This is a term I read recently, but I didn't understand what it meant. I can't remember the exact context except that it had nothing whatever to do with Mexico. Edit: ElendilTheTall suggests this might be "Mexican Standoff". Which it could be, I suppose. So could anyone explain what either of these things are?


Timepoint vs. time point

When speaking of a point in time, what would be the proper usage: "Timepoint" vs. "Time point"? This funny confusion comes from my life as a programmer: While one of our style checkers enforces "timepoint" instead of "time point", another style checker contradicts that and prefers "time point" over "timepoint"...


Is "would" the past future tense of "will" or just a modal verb?

What's the difference: >   * Would you give me some advice? >   * Will you give me some advices? >


”Demand in/on/for something”

I am not sure whether to use _in_ , _on_ , or _for_ after the word _demand_ in the following sentence: > The continuing demand on high-quality software that is reusable and easy to > maintain and modify after it has been released was a driving force > throughout the 1980’s How should one deal with this _demand in/on/for_ issue in general?


Dinky cars (toy cars)

I came across this term while proofreading an unpublished poem by an Irish poet. The context is not important so I'll just say that it is clear that it means “toy cars”. I Googled the term and see that it refers to a brand-name of die-cast toy car made by the British company Meccano starting in 1931, but, as far as I can tell, petering out in the early 1970s. Is this a term that’s generally recognized, today, on both sides of the Atlantic? If I said “that’s a _dinky car_ ” in the US to an 18-year-old, would they understand? Or would the term only be understood by an older person (I’m Canadian and in my 40s, so I'm guessing older than me)? Would it only be understood in the UK/Ireland (/Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, etc.)? In other words: 1\. Is the term recognizable to a younger person? If so, in which countries?   2\. Is the term recognizable to a North American? If so, of what ages? And finally: 3\. Is there a term for a toy car (other than _toy car_ ) that _is_ widely recognized by English speakers of different ages and from different countries?


'makes' or 'make' for this sentence

Which sentence is grammatically correct? > What are the elements in the poem that make it joyful. or > What are the elements in the poem that makes it joyful.


Are these sentences grammatically correct?

>   1. He is standing **at** the gate. >   2. He is standing **among** the crowded place. > If both are wrong what is the right usage?


Should "anymore" only be used in a negative statement or question?

I don't know why this is so, but I've always believed that the word _anymore_ should only be used in a question or negative statement. > Do you go there anymore?   >  Don't do that anymore. But I often hear people use it in a declarative sentence, such as > Anymore, I eat pizza with pepperoni. To me this is just wrong. Am I wrong?


Is there a word that means "structure and function"?

"Structure and function" is a fairly common pairing of words used in structural biology; is there some word that means the same as the both? I've taken to using "anatomy and physiology"--"structure and function" applied to the macroscopic--but I feel that it requires some poetic license.


"Who" versus "whom" with multiple verbs

Which of these phrases is more correct? > The man **who** I know to be unhappy > > The man **whom** I know to be unhappy Is one of the verbs in the phrase more important, thus determining the noun case, or is something else happening with the particular combination of verbs? ( _The man whom I know_ is valid but _the man to be unhappy_ isn't; the tense must be specified as in _the man who is unhappy_.)


I need an adjective to precede the word "commitment"

I'm looking for an adjective that has a close meaning to _strong_ , _undying_ , _relentless_... > the school’s **__** commitment to bring change. I'm writing a personal statement for a school.


Word meaning the opposite of "belated"

If you say "happy birthday" a day late, it's a "belated happy birthday". What about when you say it one day early? Is there a single word fitting this definition?


Term for useful unreproducible keyboard shortcut

Is there a expression that describes the situation where you accidentally hit some combination of keys in a software application, and you discover that it triggers some useful keyboard shortcut that you didn't know about, but you don't know what the exact key combination was, and you aren't able to reproduce it?


"Enormity" in figurative sense

The word _enormity_ is widely used to mean _excess of size_ , but if somebody talks about the _enormity of his achievements_ he would look foolish. Why is that so? Does it depend on the tone used, or are there deep linguistic reasons?


Where did "the price of tea in china" come from?

Usually when someone does not think your current statement has to do with the conversation at hand they can ask, "What does that have to do with the price of tea in China"? Where did that form of statement come from?


Expression “if and when something happens”

What is the level of formality in the expression “if and when” while referring to a possible happening? Googling “if and when _X_ happen” gives me all sorts of entries, some formal some clearly informal.


"which" refers to which one?

In the sentence: "Great helm was worn with a hauberk which also covered the neck and the head of warrior." The word "which" refers to great helm or hauberk?


Wording an 'If-Then' Statement Tense

I need help phrasing the last part of this conditional sentence (assume I can't change the first conditional statement): > If I died tomorrow, I _would have wanted_ to go skydiving. or > If I died tomorrow, I _wanted_ to go skydiving.


Is there a word which describes the experience of not being able to comprehend new sensory input? Specifically, I am trying to find a word which describes my experience whenever I listen to a new Chopin piece: though generally highly harmonic and melodic, his pieces are often so complex that I cannot discern their harmony or melody at first, they sound disorganized. But after a few listenings, they comes into focus and I can see that contrary to being disorganized, their organization is so complex that I am unable to comprehend them at first. For those who are not musically inclined, I think a similar experience would be that of a ~~blind person who receives sight but is disoriented at first / not able to comprehend the new sensory input~~ person who has never seen or even heard of the ocean coming to it for the first time: I image they would not know how to process what they were seeing for some time.


Origin and meaning of "Action item"

Where was the term "Action item" was first coined, and isn't just a fancy and euphemistic way to say "task"?


"Copies of documents" vs. "copy of documents"

What is the grammatical difference between "copies of documents" and "copy of documents"? Same applies to other nouns. Also, an example will be very much appreciated.


What is the name of the grammar structure of the words in the sentences below

What is the name of the grammar structure for sentences or expressions in the examples below? Your **_coming_** here is always a pleasure!! Your **_talking_** to her made all the difference !! In these sentences the expressions : coming and talking are what? Verb , noun etc ?


Word for something that can be validated

What is a word to describe something that can be validated? From _verify_ we have _verifiable_. What is the equivalent for _valid_ or _validate_? Obviously _validifiable_ is not a word, so what is the alternative?


Is the suffix "-ize" particularly productive in the morphological domain of nouns ending in "-nym"?

On a recent question asking if _acronymize_ is a word, a comment caught my attention: > Why bother to _acronymize_? If I'm going to take such liberties, I might as > well just _acronym_ the text. This really got me thinking. I am quite certain I've never used either verb. But I am just as certain that if I had to verb _acronym_ , and do it quick, my brain would not so much as consider _to acronym_. There's just something about it that doesn't quite feel right. _To acronymize_ , on the other hand, sounds perfectly natural. So not only would I go with the latter, but I'd do so without giving it a second thought. On complete autopilot. Instinctively. Why would that be? That instinct has to come from _somewhere_. My first and only guess right now is that _-nym_ is the perpetrator here. That it outright attracts the _-ize_ rather than the null morpheme. Just like _-(o)log-_ attracts _-ical_ over _-ic_, that kind of thing. But is that really true, or is there something else at work here? And as a bonus question: are there other morphological domains in which _-ize_ is especially productive? For a suffix that common, I suppose it's not too unlikely that someone actually went to the trouble of compiling a handy list of them all.


Which is more strong in business, "complain" or " claim"?

Could you explain the difference between "complain" and "claim" in business, please? In case that I do not satisfy the ability or the capability of my business partner, which is suitable or appropriate word at the first letter or information to show my frustration? My image is "claim" is more strong than "complain".


Remind me of the word that fits this 'concept'

I'm a developer, and as part of the development process we'll often 'do something once if it hasn't been done before' in certain parts of our code. For example, if I require a connection to a database I will connect only if I'm not already connected, I will not try to connect to the database if I am already connected. I want the word that goes into these blanks: > I am acting or am coding [......] by checking for a connection first prior > to connecting. > > If I connected to the database twice it would not be [.......]. There is definitely a word for this, but it escapes me. Apologies for the example, but it's the exact context in which I'd typically use this word. Another example may be only assigning a value to a variable if it hasn't already been assigned a value. Basically, avoiding redundant and unnecessary action by checking it had already been done. **Word It's Not:**   * Efficient/ly, efficiency   * Optimal, optimisation   * Concise   * Singular, single   * Elegant, elegance


How do I explain “The man on the Clapham omnibus” to the man on the Clapham omnibus?

I have found that I had to explain what "the man on the Clapham omnibus" means to someone.   I had taken it for granted that the phase was in standard usage, as my parents used it when I was a child. So what is a good and short way to express the same concept in a way that "the man on the Clapham omnibus" can understand?


What is the difference between metaphysical and spiritual?

I'm trying to explain the difference to a group, but cannot describe it myself. Any analogy or anecdote will also help, in addition to the defining differences.


As much as "you" or "you do"

I came across this sentence in a blog.. "You'll receive no more than 1-2 emails per week, as we hate spam just as much as you. " While I appreciate the sentiment, i can't help but wonder if they hate me! So here's my question : Is this sentence correct? To me, it seems like it should be "we hate spam just as much as you DO". In the third person though, there are two different forms, owing to two different words for the subject pronoun and object pronoun (unlike "you")   1."we hate spam just as much as SHE". (girl + bloggers hate spam)   2."we hate spam just as much as HER". (bloggers hate girl + spam) Since this is not the case with "you", should there absolutely be a "do" at the end of the sentence, or are we supposed to just understand it based on context? Or is "we hate spam just as much as we hate you" the actual right way of conveying that they hate me, making me completely wrong (and a little paranoid)?


Where do we get the word "peanut"?

Alternative names, like groundnut and earthnut, make sense. In German, peanuts are called Erdnüsse, literally, earth nuts. Where did the word "peanut" come from, and how did it become the dominant English name for Arachis hypogaea?


What is a word for "experts' self-serving practice"?

Is there any word to refer to the practice of experts in a given field aiming at maintaining their position as experts, rather than producing anything that could possibly challenge their position? I would like to describe this concisely, if possible in one _-ism_ word, rather than as "experts' self-serving practice". Is there any existing word for this? If not, could you suggest a neologism?


How should one say times aloud in 24-hour notation?

A couple years ago, I switched all my personal clocks 24-hour notation. I live in the US, and 24-hour time is used very, very rarely. So, I haven't been able to listen to anyone say times aloud. Here's my question: **What is the proper way to say a time aloud in 24-hour notation?** "Fifteen o'clock" sounds bad to me. I think I like "Fifteen hours" best, but it sounds a little formal. "Fifteen twenty-two" sounds okay to me, but still strange. Is there a 'best practice' here?


24 hour time. How to say it?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How should one say times aloud in 24-hour notation? Which words can be used to say time in 24 hour format? If, for instance, for 4:00 one might say "four o'clock", is it also correct to say "sixteen o'clock" for 16:00? Is it different for a casual conversation and for a presentation of some kind? It is also probably different for US and UK, and maybe for Europe too.


"If you went" what tense is it? Is it a subjunctive mood?

I was watching an anime, and saw a sentence > **If you went, you will die** in translation. The context is _Some guy is forbidding his friend to go to some place_. My question: Is it a subjunctive mood?


Is this a proper usage for a semicolon?

> I enjoy kayaking, hiking, tennis, volleyball, skiing; and I really want to > learn how to snowboard this winter.


Etymology of wasteweir?

I would guess that this word is derived from waste (english) + weir (german)? Can anyone provide a more definitive derivation explanation? (couldn't find anything via etymonline.com) Will keep googling for more info and update if I find anything interesting.


Dear Dr. vs Hi vs none in E-mail communication

I am in contact with the my doctor by email. We exchange about 3 messages per week, today we exchanged 2 messages. Now I have a situation where I think it is a bit silly to write each time Dear Dr. Lastname. For example: I send him question > Dear Dr. Lastname, > > question here > > Kind Regards, > > FirstName LastName he reply me within 2 hours. Should I write again Dear Dr. Lastime? And the same each time? Or maybe just Hi or just short answer for example > Yes, I confirm.


Does it make sense to say someone is your senior, such as a sibling?

Does it make sense to say someone is your **senior** , such as a sibling? I'm writing an essay about myself and was wondering whether or not it is a correct usage of the word.


Adjective for "character" or "alphabet"

Imagine you want to say something like 'Men' are always inside 'Women'... and you want to add something like, _character-wise_ or _alphabetically speaking_. How do you go about it? The problem with _character-wise_ is, character is already associated with a person's character.


What is the name of the place trophies go?

My best guess is _trophy case_ but I'm assuming I'm wrong.


Use of "petri dish" as metaphor in non-scientific context

Can the word _petri dish_ be used as a metaphor in a non-scientific context?


Why do we use 'up' as adverbs for verbs?

Why do we use _up_ as adverbs for verbs? For example, 'wake _up_ ', 'throw _up_ ', etc.


Is it "house is on fire" or "fire on the house"?

What are the origins behind our use of "house is on fire" as opposed to "fire is on the house"?


What are the differences between "from" and "of"?

Both _of_ and _from_ are possible, with different meanings, of course.   * > ....a magnificent picture in a book, called **True Stories of Nature** , about the primeval forest.  This means that the stories are about Nature, they speak of Nature as a whole or they may speak of different happenings, a boa constrictor eating a prey, the birth of baby dolphin, the first flight of a sparrow.....and they are seen as manifestations of Mother Nature.   * > ....a magnificent picture in a book, called **True Stories from Nature** , about the primeval forest.  This means that the stories are about the different things that may happen in Nature: a story about a boa constrictor eating a prey, a story about the slow growth of a little pine tree, the story of a salmon that swims against the drift in a river, the story of the birth of a baby owl.....these are all pictures taken from Nature. Although one of my friends has already explained them, in fact I cannot yet understand this logic or argument well. Would anyone possibly readily explain the difference between _from_ and _of,_ considering the bold parts?


University's vs Universities', correct spelling of the possessive

Something belongs to the University. Is it the _Universities' logo_ or the _University's logo_? I somehow don't think _University's_ exists.


Alternatives to "computationally expensive"?

The current version of a sentence I'm writing has the structure: > Computing [such and such] is the most computationally expensive part of > [algorithm]. At the moment, I cannot think of a better phrase to replace "computationally expensive". I know it is legitimate to say this ("computationally expensive" has been published numerous times). However, it sounds a little informal to me. What are some alternatives to "computationally expensive" in the above sentence?


The word to know when you don't know how to feel?

What is the word to use when you don't know how to feel? Such as instead of 'he didn't know how to feel' 'he felt ___ _'.


and would be a professionally paid engagement

Which is correct? "This would be a professionally paid engagement." or "This would be a professional paid engagement." Maybe "professionally" as paid is a verb and "professionally" is an adverb? Thanks


Catchy phrase to express or mean "always in stock/no back orders etc"

I'm looking for a neat phrase to coin the message of 'we're never out of stock of a product' or 'We always ship all of your order, no back orders' etc. Best I can come up with so far myself, is, 'Delivered In Full'.


Duplicate vs. replicate vs. reduplicate

What is the difference in usage between these three apparently-synonymous words: _duplicate, replicate, and reduplicate_. (Definitions from ODO) > _duplicate_ : make or be an exact copy of   >  _replicate_ : make an exact copy of; reproduce   >  _reduplicate_ : repeat or copy so as to form another of the same kind Why is it correct to say that the results of an experiment are replicated, but copies of a thesis are duplicated? How should I discuss the following: > Procedure X should work as though each node i in a graph were replaced with > v_i identical copies of it. Have the nodes been replicated, duplicated, or reduplicated? Should I reserve duplication for doubling in quantity?


Burst in or into laughter?

Which of the following phrases is correct grammatically? >   * burst **in** laughter >   * burst **into** laughter > Or are they both correct (this is my guess)? I'd think that to "burst in laughter" could translate to something like "burst in a state of laughter." Is this correct?


Is it a past event or present event?

Note: feel free to rephrase the title to be much better. I am still confused with determining whether an event can be regarded as a past event or present event. I will use a timer (format `mm:ss:pp`) to ease our analysis where `p` stands for `1/100` seconds. ## Case 1: an event completes before my speaking 00:00:00 - 00:02:00 : A boy is smiling at me. 00:02:01 - 00:04:00 : I want to say but I am not sure which one is correct?   * He smiles at me as if he felt happy.   * He smiled at me as if he had felt happy. From mathematical point of view, I choose the second option. Unfortunately, there are some people also use the first one. ## Case 2: an event completes at the middle of my speaking 00:00:00 - 00:02:00 : A boy is smiling at me. 00:01:51 - 00:03:50 : I want to say but I am not sure which one is correct?   * He smiles at me as if he felt happy.   * He smiled at me as if he had felt happy. I have no idea which one I should choose. ## Consideration It is impossible to say at a single point in a time interval. It takes some interval to do any action. The problem is how we can determine an event is a past or present. What is the width of present interval measured from the point we start speaking?


To bone up on something

What's the origin of this idiomatic expression meaning to study something thoroughly.


Why are checks cancelled when approved?

A friend of mine just asked if I had paid him back for some money he lent me. I told him the check was cancelled on the 9th. Concerned, he asked, "why'd you cancel the check?" I replied, "I didn't stop payment on it. It was deposited and so the bank cancelled it." This is obviously a source of confusion so I looked around online but didn't find anything satisfactory. What is the etymology of "cancelled check?"


A and B and C and D (comma)

There is a sentence:   "I am grateful to Mr. White for A and B[,] and to Mr. Black for C and D."   Should I put a comma before "and to Mr. Black" or not?   Thanks in advance.


What is the difference between "If I must" and "If I had to"?

I read a message from an American friend saying "If I must leave [place], [...]". What´s the difference between "If I must" and "If I had to"? Is there a subtle difference in meaning?


"Wednesday week"

I know that the English will say "Wednesday week" to mean a week from Wednesday. Is there a name for this sort of construction? Also, I have a friend from India who will say "today morning". Is this a similar English (as in people from England) idiom? Or is it an Indian-English idiom? Or just an individual idiosyncrasy?


What does this "expose" mean?

“The novelist must begin by playing the sedulous ape, assimilating the craft of his predecessors; but he does not master his own form until he has somehow **exposed** and surpassed them.”Source Does "expose" mean that the secrets of the predecessors are now revealed? Or does it have another meaning?


I want to divorce vs I want divorce

Is there a difference between > I want divorce and > I want to divorce. And concerning the second one should I rather say > I want to divorce my wife And is "to divorce" A verb here or or object of the verb "want"?


Alignment or alinement?

I was reading _Wonders of World Aviation_ the other day, published in the late thirties, and have found a couple of articles where _alinement_ is preferred to _alignment_. While this seems to make sense, it also appears to be rare:- ![Alignment vs Alinement](http://i.stack.imgur.com/IlFZE.png) (Google Ngram) Does anyone know how _alinement_ came into being? Was it a (doomed) attempt at spelling reform, or is it just a minority spelling (or mis-spelling)?


Is "What's your Islam question?" grammatically correct?

The placeholder text in the title input box here reads: > What's your Islam question? Be specific. Is that sentence grammatically correct? Islam being a noun.


Meaning of ‘draw out’

I’m translating an English novel into Italian but I’m stuck on the meaning of one sentence and I was wondering if you could help me: > Why—his voice **seemed to draw out soft and subtle** , it penetrated her > nerves—why, what do you think it is?


Is micropreneur or micropreneurial correct as an adjective?

A micropreneur is basically an micro-entrepreneur. In the following phrase, is micropreneur or micropreneurial correct? > A micropreneur software company


Improve translation of citation

I need to translate the following citation from French to English: > La seule révolution possible   >  c’est d’essayer de s’améliorer soi-même   >  en espérant que les autres fassent la même démarche I tried this: > The only revolution possible   >  is to try to improve yourself   >  hoping that others do the same approach How can I improve my translation? The meaning sounds different.


Etymology of "chain rule" (calculus)

In calculus there is a formula known as the _chain rule_ , used for differentiating composite functions. What is the origin of this expression?


What does "drop the beat" mean?

From Yahoo answers and other sources I could find, it is suggested this means that the beat of the song changes, however when it is mentioned in song lyrics it is usually mentioned as something someone does e.g. > Beastie Boys known to let the beat, mmm, drop! ... > Will.i.am drop the beat now What is someone doing when they "drop the beat"?


Why are names that begin with 'Mc' first in order over names that begin with 'Ma'?   For example,   in references sections in books, we see that "McGann, Anthony" is first and "Maddox, Graham" is second.


Where does 'cooling your heels' come from?

I can't think of a possible scenario where one would tell another to cool his heels (the very first time). Even if you walk a lot, only your legs hurt a lot. Why particularly heels? How did it come into existence?


Usage of "terrorist"

Has the word _terrorist_ evolved in meaning or context in recent times?


Is there any difference between these two sentences?

Is there any difference between these sentences apart from structure?               The tiger is a ferocious animal.     Tigers are ferocious animals.


Which verb should be used with self-control?

So I know that one _loses_ self-control, but what if you mean to say that someone is responsible for that? Which verb would be OK to use? Perhaps: > You **disturb** my self-control.   >  You **shake** my self-control.   >  You **take** my self-control.   >  You **vex** my self-control. I can't find any instances of the first or last and only a couple of the second example. I found a lot of accounts using _take,_ but it's part of a song so that taints the results. What sounds most natural?


Is "Create Product" a <Verb> + <Subject> or <Verb> + <Object>?

I am software developer and trying to develop a new language. I need to learn that basic information in English:   * _Create Product._   * _Update Page._   * _Stay Here._ _Create_ , _Update_ and _Stay_ are verbs, of course. What about _Product_ , _Page_ and _Here_?


what does "Not Hannah Samuel more" mean?

I'm reading _A Woman of No Importance_ by Oscar Wilde. Below is from Mrs. Arbuthnot to her son, Gerald: > [...] Gerald, when you were naked I clothed you, when you were hungry I gave > you food. Night and day all that long winter I tended you. No office is too > mean, no care too lowly for the thing we women love- and oh! how I loved > you. Not Hannah Samuel more. And you needed love, for you were weakly, and > only love could have kept you alive. Only love can keep any one alive. [...] Really, I couldn't understand "Not Hannah Samuel more", from a grammar point of view. What does it mean actually? Are some parts omitted? What is the complete form of this sentence? ### Background I suppose Hannah and Samuel are from Bible, below is quoted from Wikipedia: > In the biblical narrative, Hannah is one of two wives of Elkanah; the other, > Peninnah, who bore children to Elkanah, but Hannah remained childless. > > Nevertheless, Elkanah preferred Hannah. Every year Elkanah would offer a > sacrifice at the Shiloh sanctuary, and give Penninah and her children a > portion but he gave Hannah a double portion "because he loved her, and the > LORD had closed her womb" (NIV). One day Hannah went up to the temple, and > prayed with great weeping (I Samuel 1:10), while Eli the High Priest was > sitting on a chair near the doorpost. In her prayer she asked God for a son > and in return she vowed to give the son back to God for the service of the > Shiloh priests. She promised he would remain a Nazarite all the days of his > life. > > Eli thought she was drunk and questioned her. When she explained herself, he > sent her away and effectively said that her prayer would be heard and her > desire granted. As promised, she conceived and bore a son. She called his > name Samuel, "since she had asked the Lord for him" (1 Samuel 1:20 NAB). She > raised him until he was weaned and brought him to the temple along with a > sacrifice. The first 10 verses of 1 Samuel 2 record her song of praise to > the Lord for answering her petition. Eli announced another blessing on > Hannah, and she conceived 3 more sons and 2 daughters, making six in total.


What are the differences between the etymology of "ingenious" and "ingenuous"?

As a matter of fact, I don't know whether there is any difference between the source words in bold below: From Latin **ingeniosus** (“endowed with good natural capacity, gifted with genius”), from ingenium (“innate or natural quality, natural capacity, genius”), from in (“in”) + gignere (“to produce”), Old Latin genere. Compare French ingénieux; see also engine. From Latin **ingenuus** ("of noble character, frank") And I wanna know the help of discerning the Modern meanings of those two words with the grammatical suffixes in Old Latin or Greek above.


Is corrosion an onomatopoeia?

I mean, obviously _"corrosion"_ isn't _actually_ onomatopoeic, because corrosion doesn't make a sound (or at least not one that humans can hear). Yet it seems to me that the word _corrosion_ sounds like its meaning, in some hard-to-define way. Is there a term for words that suggest their meanings, without necessarily recreating the sound, but that aren't quite onomatopoeic? There are a lot of similar ones, e.g. grind, shuffle.


”voice controlled” versus ”voice activated”

While researching a computer game, I came across the terms “voice controlled” and “voice activated”. What is the difference between them?


What does it mean by "Is that still a thing"?

Someone asks "I want to know about your girl friend. Is that still a thing?" to his friend. What does he exactly ask about? I don't understand. Please help me understand.


Is “zzzzz” the most common spelling to represent a person sleeping?

What is the most common or correct spelling of "zzzzz"? > (1)    _zzzzz_ (5 letters)   > > > (2)    _zzzz_ (4 letters)   > > > (3)    _zzz_ (3 letters) My question stems from when I first wrote it as "zzzzz" (5 letters) in an English text, but a friend told me it should have been written as "zzzz" (4 letters) so I decided to ask here. More confusion arises from the following source because Susan Ince, the journalist, uses "zzz" (3 letters): > People who get too little sleep (six hours or less a night), plus have poor- > quality rest, face a 65% higher risk of heart disease, a Dutch study of > 20,400 people found. So take your **_zzz_** 's seriously. Tell your doctor > if you're having trouble sleeping or if you're waking up without feeling > refreshed. And adopt good sleep hygiene — no caffeine after lunch, regular > bedtimes and wake-up times, plenty of exercise in the early part of the day, > no television or computer in bed — to help you get the rest your heart > needs. (For more tips, read 25 Ways to Sleep Better Tonight.) Before that I had checked it out on some online English dictionary and Google search but I wasn't able to clear it out. I've seen this and this, but neither answers my question.


If the result of creating is creation

then what is the result of getting?


Word for someone quick to blame others

What is a single word to describe a person who is quick to blame others or the system in almost any situation, regardless of whether that is legitimate or not?


When I should use "assure" vs. "ensure" vs. "insure"?

When is it appropriate to use _assure_ vs. _ensure_ vs. _insure_?


"Could not happen" vs. "could have not happened"

Which one is correct? > These changes **could have not happened** without outstanding help kindly > provided by the queen. > > These changes **could not happen** without outstanding help kindly provided > by the queen. The changes happened last year and thus the process of changing is done.


Why is this sentence correct? “She suggested that he go to the cinema.”

Why is this sentence correct? > She suggested that he **go** to the cinema. I would definitely use _goes_ instead of _go_.


Why is this a correct sentence? Her uncle prefers that she speak with him personally

An native English speaker said the correct grammar should be ... 'she speak,' rather than ...'she speaks.' What is the grammar rule?


"If he is polite, then he gets the job", or "if he be polite, then he gets the job"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When should I use the subjunctive mood? Which sentence is grammatically correct? Which sentence make sense (apart from syntactical analysis)? First? Second? Both of them? Are they patterns of conditional statement about future (if something happen now, it will have an effect in future)?


When should I use the subjunctive mood?

In which cases should I use the subjunctive mood? > I suggest that every applicant fill out the form carefully. > If she were rich, she would live on Long Island.


Do I use "be" or "is" in this sentence?

Which of the following is correct? >   1. I request that my proposal _is_ communicated to the team for necessary > action. >   2. I request that my proposal _be_ communicated to the team for necessary > action. > I would appreciate further discussion on the topic so that I do not make similar mistakes or face this indecision in future.


I do not OR I not

In the below sentences, **_do_** is not present. > My doctor insists that I ( ** _do_** ) not eat donuts with chocolate sauce > and hamburger patties for breakfast. > > It's imperative you ( ** _do_** ) not sing when your voice hurts. Why is the **_do_** not present in the sentences? Which grammatical rule would be violated if **_do_** is included in the sentences?


Under what circumstances can the word "be" be used directly without any change?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When should I use the subjunctive mood? 2 examples first: 1.It is announced that the accounting class of the 3rd and 4th hours on the morning of this Wednesday **be** cancelled 2.It is expected that everybody and each household **be** on guard Someone told me this kind of examples above appears in the textbook as strict sentences to be taught in the classroom, so is that right for the usage of **be** Meantime I looked up the word **be** at thefreedictionary.com and found one piece of interpretation says that way: > Archaic Used with the past participle of certain intransitive verbs to form > the perfect tense: "Where be those roses gone which sweetened so our eyes?" > (Philip Sidney). So is there any connection between the archaic usage & the examples above? BTW, how to understand the short phrase "the 3rd and 4th hours". Many thanks!


"I thought it was important that he say it in his own voice." – That he say it?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When should I use the subjunctive mood? I have often come across constructions such as the one highlighted below and wondered how to explain the grouping of a third person singular subject with a plural verb. > _I thought it was important that **he say** it in his own voice._ My question is about the subject-verb agreement. If I'm not mistaken, the above sentence has two clauses: 1) _I thought it was important_ 2) _that he say it in his own voice_ How does the subject in the second clause, _he_ , agree with the plural verb _say_? Shouldn't it be _says_ since _he_ is the third person singular? > Another example can be: > > _Personally, I'd recommend that **he speak** in public as soon as possible._ I am curious to know how these constructions are not rare despite _seeming_ ungrammatical.


Using an infinitive

"It is imperative that he **writes** a letter to his sister as soon as possible." In this case, is the correct form **write**? If so, why?


Is "ask something be done" grammatical?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When should I use the subjunctive mood? > The city council has asked a comprehensive survey **be performed** in order > to determine the measures to lessen the serious traffic congestion during > rush hours almost everyday. Could you please explain why "be performed" is used here?


"Important that John bring/brings"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When should I use the subjunctive mood? Given the sentence > John brings his lunch to school, is it correct to say > It is important that John **brings** his lunch to school (using the third person singular present form of _bring_ ), or > It is important that John **bring** his lunch to school (using the infinitive form of _bring_ )? [ **Edit** : The answers indicate that this is actually the _subjunctive_ form, not infinitive.] I have been told that the infinitive form is correct, but if this is correct I would like an explanation. It doesn't seem like adding _it is important_ should modify the tense of the rest of the sentence.


Why doesn't the singular verb “pass” take an “-es” suffix in this sentence?

As I was studying Peterson’s _Master TOEFL Writing Skill_ , I saw the sentence: > Teamwork requires that a player **pass** the ball whoever is in the best > position to make the goal. I wonder why _pass_ does not take an _-es_ suffix in the sentence cited above. Is it a mistake? If not, could you please explain under which particular circumstances we don’t add _-es_ suffix to a present tense verb that’s in the third-person singular?


What's the difference between England, Britain, and the United Kingdom?

I'm a little confused over which regions of the world these terms are really referring to. Also, when is it appropriate to refer to someone as British vs. English?


What is the word that means conversation where no important information is conveyed?

I believe there is also a computing or physics theory that contains this word. (i.e. "Something Theory") It's definitely at least two syllables long and I'm pretty sure there's at least one 'b' somewhere in the word. Thank you!


Correctness and spelling of "misscheduled"

I'm sure I've heard the word _misscheduled_ used multiple times in my life. But just now, my spell checker threw a fit. Since I wasn't sure if it should be _misscheduled_ , _mis-scheduled_ , or _mischeduled_ I started searching - but I'm not finding it in any of my digital dictionaries. Is _misscheduled_ a proper English word? If so, what is the proper spelling? If not, what is a concise word that means someone scheduled something at the wrong time?


A one-word verb meaning to "make use of"

I'm struggling to find a concise one-word verb (for a paper title) that means "to make use of". The context is that I have a material—let's call it "Thulium"—that people don't think is very useful. I'm writing a paper that discusses how Thulium can be quite useful. I would prefer the title to be of the form " _[verb]_ **ing Thulium** ". I have thought of the following:   * " **Leveraging Thulium** " (sounds too mechanical and is clichéd in my area)   * " **Harnessing Thulium** " (refers too much to controlling, not enough to making use of; plus since my Thulium is quite boring, it sounds a bit like "Harnessing Grass")   * " **Consuming Thulium** " (doesn't clarify a benefit)   * " **Exploiting Thulium** " ("exploiting" has too many negative connotations) Any other suggestions? Ideally the verb should convey a sense of excitement about using Thulium.


Origin and exact meaning of "taken to the cleaners"

I know the meaning of this phrase by context, but the German analogs are no literal translations of this phrase and very dissimilar metaphors, meaning roughly: > being tricked into something being pretty unprofitable for you (deal, duty > or else) A short Google search didn't show in-depth explanations. What is "cleaners" referring to here? Is this American or British English and in which branch arose this phrase?


Is "anecdotally" a proper adverb?

And if yes, is it common or rather odd? Example sentence: > Anecdotally, we do see instances of customers buying both our products at > the same store. The Chrome spellchecker doesn't seem to know it, by the way: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/euani.png)


What does "The weather naturally also matters" mean?

> **The weather naturally also matters.** Fewer spectators will visit your > arena in bad weather, but those who come will be more interested in buying > more expensive tickets and sitting under aroof. It is therefore possible > that your total income will be similar in any weather, provided there enough > appropriate stands. What does it mean ?


Is this saying grammatically correct?

Is the phrase _seat well and hold steadily_ grammatically correct? If it is, why does it use _seat_ instead of _sit_? PS:the instruction will be used on the bus.


What does this mean: To be thus is nothing; But to be safely thus

This is taken from Shakespeare's Macbeth, and I am having difficulty comprehending what this means. Can someone please put it into normal English, with all explanations?


The pose of a model

Is there a term for the pose when a woman covers her breasts with her hands (like for a photoshoot or movie)?


Word or phrase indicating incompetence or unsuitability?

This may be as simple as a synonym for _hallmark_ , but with a negative connotation. An example: A security consultant publishes an article on security practices that is so egregiously erroneous that it reflects poorly on 3rd parties who cite the article or author. The poor reflection is what I'm trying to describe. _Black mark_ is close, but I'd like to find a word taking a stronger stance - one could have multiple black marks that are overcome by strong qualities, while _this word/phrase_ is effectively the end of the discussion. Maybe _deal breaker_ , but less vernacular.


What lexical relationship lies between the days of the week?

I'm confused, What is the lexical relationship between "Monday" and "Tuesday"? I mean is the relationship hyponymy, prototypes, polysemy, homophones, metonymy etc?


The term "No problems" meaning?

For example you send an email to an acquaintance or friend. "I've been busy. Recovering from unexpected surgery. My recovery is going well. I will send information on that hobby, could email it soon. Hope you're day is wonderful." Their response. No problems. Thanks for the note. Hope surgery went well.... Rest up... The term "No Problems" What does it signify? Means no worries? Difference between no problem and no problems?


How come you say "best part" if meaning "most of something"?

When I read the first time that someone _spend the best/better part of the day doing something_ , I took _best_ literally. Although I now know its meaning, it's confusing me over and over again whenever I read such a sentence. What's the reason for saying _best part_ and not, for instance, _most part_?


'idiot smile' vs. 'idiotic smile', idiomaticity and usage

I observed that 'idiot' is sometimes used as a modifier, which, as grammar.ccc says, ' _are like teenagers: they fall in love with whatever they're next to. Make sure they're next to something they ought to modify!_ ' Some instances of real English usage I found, among others, are the following: > What kind of _idiot teenager_ agrees to baby-sit on a millennial New Year's > Eve, anyhow? > > They tried a plastic slide, but some _idiot teenager_ broke it. Wood? It > splinters as it ages. Other than those there are a lot of other example, especially in reference to children, boys and girls. So, I would like to know whether the English language has some limit in using 'idiot' as a modifier outside those cases. I ask because I want to say that a friend of mine has an 'idiot smile', but after searching a bit I didn't find a lot of occurence of that expression and it seems that 'idiotic smile' is preferred.


Phe- prefix - etymology

What is the meaning, origin and usage of the " ** _phe-_** " prefix? According to one source, it means "to speak".


What do I call it when a word is "with the"?

Wiktionary's definition of "open" as a noun includes two that say: >   1. _(withthe)_ Open or unobstructed space; an exposed location. >   2. _(withthe)_ Public knowledge or scrutiny; full view. > **What is that " _(with the)_ " called?** It's not a scope, is it? Note that I know it means to use "open" with "the" before it, as in "the open". I'm asking what one would call that usage.


Is correct this expression " The exercise consist of making something"?

I posted the following sentence in a blog and the majority of people could not understand it. > The exercise consist of making the buffer A dynamic so that the application > is able to read and print an arbitrary long string. I am wondering if the sentence structure is correct. In particular, I am not sure whether I am correctly using "consist of". What I am trying to say is that to correctly solve the exercise is required the use of a dynamic buffer.


Is a "To Do List" familiar to other countries?

I'm researching if a "to do list" is a familiar term or concept to English speakers around the world. I found this related question on how to **spell** _to do_. Specifically, Hugo's answer hints that _to-do list_ may be familiar at least to the US and UK. My specific scenario is explaining the idea of a "task" (for example, what Microsoft calls a task in their Outlook program). Would a _to do list_ be an okay comparison for English speakers of various countries (the US, UK, Netherlands, and Japan could be the primary audiences)?


Names of some months don't make sense

I'm not a native English speaker but I'm always trying to do my best. Unfortunately I have a real problem with dates for some odd reason, I couldn't learn when was my birthday until I was 12 years old. Anyway, as I was learning names of the months on English, and since I know some Latin from high school I noticed that English months don't match up with their Latin numeral counterparts. For example: September - 9. month October - 10. month November - 11. month December - 12. month While on latin septem, octo, novem and decem are words for 7, 8, 9 and 10. So, does anyone know why is that. At first I thought it had something to do with switch from Julian to Gregorian calendar but I figured it's too small of a difference. Anyone? :)


"Approach to" or "approach for"

When do you use _approach for_ , and when do you use _approach to_? (How can I answer questions like this? In which dictionaries should I look? How do I google it?) * * * The reason to ask this question is an argument with my friend: what's right, _approach to caching_ or _approach for caching_? (Caching in the software engineering sense) (But I'd like to hear _more_ general answer.)


A formal way to say "I don't want to sound too cocky..."

Allow me to clear the situation. I was talking with my professor about a piece of software that I had developed. While we were discussing, I _wanted_ to say something like > I don't want to sound too cocky, but my code is way much more efficient than > what we have right now. But I didn't because I thought _"I don't want to sound too cocky"_ is too informal. What is a formal way of stating such a phrase?


Synonyms for small in stature

With "big in stature", we have large, tall, rotund, huge, mammoth-like, towering and so on. What would be valid (and if possible, comical sounding) words that would be able to describe somebody who is small in stature, short, petite?


Using a period… the mean way?

Should you put a period after one-word "sentences?" For example, my boss frequently emails me this way: > Name. > > Content content content. > > Thanks. It feels very angry, rude, and standoffish to me and I feel a bit as though it's backed with a dismissive/sarcastic undertone. As if she's not TRULY thankful for my help but rather following some societal requirement for her to at least appear to be grateful. In other words, I really don't like it. Thoughts?


Difference between "meaning of life" and "purpose of life"

I have seen and heard both, but I cannot tell the difference between "meaning of life" and "purpose of life". Could anybody explain it to me? When to use which?


"I have to" vs. "I must"

When would you use the following?   * I have to go the market.   * I must go to the market.   * I need to go to the market. If I replace 'have' with 'had' would you have any other way to say it? E.g. I had to go the market.


Modal verbs (must or to have to)

As far as I know, When you speak about yourself and you refer to your own feeling of necessity of doing something you use **must** and not **to have to**. If I am talking about outside command or necessity I should use **have to**. But what when you are talking about someone else (the third person singular or plural)? Eg. She has to take this pill, She has to go to doctor, she has to study better, etc which would be a better choice 'must' or 'have to'? How to show that you are talking about either one's own feeling of necessity or about outside command when you speak about a third person and not about yourself? I must be at the meeting at 10:10. (I require myself-must should be used and not to have to) I have to be at the meeting. (I am required to be there by someone else, only to have to and not must shoud be used here) My textbook says that when you are not talking about your opinion you shoudn't use 'must'. When you refer to a fact **have to** is used but not **must.** At the same time I came across this example; 'Students must pass an entrance examination to study at this school.' This is not someone's opinion, but a fact and if so **have to** should be used here instead of **must** I would be grateful for explanations.


"have to be moved" or "must be moved" or "must move"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "I have to" vs. "I must" Which of these is correct? > The camera have to be moved sideways instead of rotate to track the scene. or > The camera must be moved sideways instead of rotate to track the scene. or > The camera must move sideways instead of rotate to track the scene. Should these read “instead of rotate” or "instead of rotation"?


Why are Australian redheads often called 'bluey'?

From Wikipedia's article on Virgin Australia: > Virgin Australia was launched as **Virgin Blue** in August 2000, with two > Boeing 737–400 aircraft, one leased from then-sister airline Virgin Express. > Initially offering seven return flights a day between Brisbane and Sydney, > this has since been expanded to cover all major Australian cities and many > holiday destinations. The Virgin Blue name was the result of an open > competition; it was a play on the predominantly red livery and the > **Australian slang tradition of calling a red-headed male 'Blue' or > 'Bluey'**. This is confirmed on other sites such as this one. How did _blue_ come to represent _red_ in Australia?


What is a term to refer something in the middle of a list just like "former" and "latter" is used in a list containing two things?

In a sentence, if someone says the _former_ , they are talking about the first thing they listed, and says the _latter_ for the last thing they listed. What would be the term to refer something in the middle of a list? Consider the following two scenarios: > I like to eat burgers and hot dogs, although I like to eat the _former_ > more. > > I like to eat burgers, hot dogs and ribs, although I like to eat the **___ > _** more.


Is the "live" in "He only lived a few days after the accident" intrasitive or transitive?

An example sentence from the Cambridge Dictionary: > [I] He only lived a few days after the accident. [I] means "intransitive verb". He (subject) + lived (verb) + a few days (noun). What part of speech is _a few days_? From the Longman dictionary: > number 5 > >   1. way of life[intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to > have a particular type of life, or live in a particular way > used 'transitive verb' like 'She lives a very busy life.' From the ELU question Adjective pluralization: > She is 16 year old. '16 years' as acting as an adverb. My questions are:   1. In "He lived a few days.", is _a few days_ an object (noun) or an adverb?   2. How is it different from "He lived for a few days."?   3. "I walked ten miles." Number + measurement — how can I deal with 'part of speech'?


"Cater to" vs. "cater towards"

I've heard both "cater to" and "cater towards" used, but I was wondering which one was correct. For example: >   * The event's theme seemed to cater to the artistic crowd. >   * The event's theme seemed to cater towards the artistic crowd. > Are there rules for this? Which is correct?


What's a collective name for the states of Alaska and Hawaii?

Wondering if there is a common name for the "Dis-contiguous" states of Alaska and Hawaii. If not, what would be a good single word label to describe these two states, especially in context of dividing the country up into time zones. Context: this is for a web application that presents data based on various filters. One of these filters is time zone. I want to use Pacific, Mountain, Central, Eastern, and some other word that encompasses both Alaska and Hawaii, even though they are really in two different time zones.


to have + verb in the context

I wanted to tell my friend that he should do something nice today (it's his birthday): > You should do something nice, you do not want to have your birthday ending > this way. I know it is wrong but is there a way how to say it still with the "want to have" in the sentence? Or is the "have" here entirely incorrect?


When to use trust and believe?

What is the difference between trust and believe , and when should we use them . For example "I don't believe him " is correct or "I don't trust him " .


Placement of 'always'

Which of the following is the most appropriate usage   * "You have to be _always_ logical in your analysis."    * "You _always_ have to be logical in your analysis."    * "You have to be logical in your analysis _always_."  Thanks.


How to write the date of an event that lasts a few days

What is the correct way to write, in American English, that something will happen over a date range?   * The event will take place through July 1-10, 2011?   * The event will take place from July 1 to July 10, 2011?   * The event will take place starting on July 1 through July 10, 2011? Any other suggestions are welcome.


Is "Give you into trouble" correct

My wife often uses the phrase "I'll give you into trouble if you do that again" and it seems to be reasonably common in western Scotland, however I can't find any way for it to be grammatically correct. I can understand "I'll give you trouble" which means the same, or "I'll get you into trouble" which is obviously a bit different.


What is the origin, and correct spelling of, "shtook"?

I quite frequently use a word that sounds like "shtook", to mean, trouble with the law or other authorities, as in, "You'll be in dead _shtook_ if you do that" or "you'll be in real _shtook_ if you don't finish your homework", but I have never seen it written, and don't know how it is spelt. Can anyone shed some light on the matter. A search like this doesn't get very far; the real dictionaries don't recognise it and the Urban Dictionary here has only a typically obscene interpretation not in the least bit like I remember it.


What's the opposite of "happy to"?

When I need to deliver someone an unfortunate news, what would be the opposite phrase to: > I'm happy to inform you... or > I'm delighted to give you this news...


What is the plural of "BlackBerry" (as in the handheld device)

Is the plural of "BlackBerry", _BlackBerries_ or _BlackBerrys_? I am asking, because I'm altering the underlying brand name to look more like the food and less like the product, leaving the reader to infer it from context.


Terms for collections of animals

As I watched the murder of crows sitting on the line above my house this evening, I got wondering where all of the collective nouns for animals (pod of whales, gaggle of geese, pride of lions) came from and why we need so many. If sheep can be a flock, why can't whales, geese, lions, and crows?


Etymology of seemingly weird collective nouns

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Terms for collections of animals In the collective names _unkindness of ravens_ , _shrewdness of apes_ , _murder of crows_ , I cannot find any remote relation to a _group_. What is usually the reason for such collective names to have originated?


Difference between "change is constant" and "change is a constant"

The boss asked me the other day whether it's more correct to say > In our business, change is constant. or > In our business, change is a constant. Both of these sound perfectly correct to me, which is what I told him; but there's a slight difference in meaning that I just can't seem to articulate. Help? Definitions, not that they're much help: > **constant** (noun): a quantity that does not vary   >  **constant** (adjective): unvarying in nature; steadfast in purpose or > devotion or affection; uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long > continuing


Definite article in the beginning of a sentence

I'm confused with the usage of the definite article. > During the development the following tasks were accomplished: > >   * Software with a graphical interface was created; > >   * [some other things] > > I know exactly the software which was developed, and I am writing an annotation for my work. Should I use _the_ before _software_?


"consumers may not trust producers for (??) enforcing the property"

Here's an example sentence: > "consumers may not trust producers _for_ enforcing the property" Should it really be " _for_ " there on the middle? Or should it be some other word?


"Outside" or "outside of"?

> The word rarely turns up outside that context. and > The word rarely turns up outside **of** that context. Which one is correct and why?


Outside of usage

Is it ok if I use _outside of_ like this: "It can do much more outside of a gaming machine".


Appropriate preposition to go with "outside their comfort zone"

Is the preposition "of" necessary in the phrase "outside their comfort zone"?


Does one consider "vs." or "versus" when alphabetizing?

I work at a game store, and my manager insists that "versus" is to be considered when alphabetizing, and is not in the same league as "a, as, the, and, of, or," and the like. Although I do deem it more important a word than those other smaller ones, I don't think it should be considered when alphabetizing. What's the right way?


How broad is the definition of sodomy?

In this article, a top French official is in trouble for sodomizing a maid. Yet, the article says that he forced her to perform oral sex. I always understood sodomy as involving anal as that seemed to be what was going on in Sodom in the Bible. Then I looked at this definition on Onelook.com and found that it includes bestiality. Did other taboo sex acts just get lumped in with sodomy over the years, or did it include all those from the beginning?


Talkies, Motion Pictures, Movies, Films and 3D Films

The term, talkies, i.e. _talking pictures_ , I was surprised to learn was not coined in 1927, after the release of _The Jazz Singer_ , but in 1913. The term is now obsolete whereas _motion picture_ , meaning _moving pictures_ on a screen, has existed since 1896, although nowadays it's become very dated. Movie, its shortened and more modern version, dated possibly from 1908, is still very much in vogue in the US. The Online Etymology Dictionary says that _film_ (the more popular BrEng equivalent for _movie_ ) was > First used of "motion pictures" in 1905. British speakers will say: > Have you seen the new James Bond film?   >  We watched a film about prison life.   >  The film was made on location in India. American speakers, if I'm not mistaken, will use _film_ in sentence number two, and _movie_ in the others. _Movie_ is connected more with entertainment, whereas _film_ is considered more of an art form, an undergraduate will take _Film & Media Studies_, not _movies_. My questions:   * I'd like to know when the term _talkies_ as in "talking pictures" died out. When was it no longer considered a novelty and people reverted back to saying _motion pictures_ /movies*?    * Why the term, film, was adopted by British speakers and most European countries, when _motion pictures_ is arguably the authentic expression and therefore, the more accurate term.    * Lastly, which term is more common, _3D film_ or _3D movie_? (The latter does sound odd to my ears.)


Adding "re" prefix

Can all verbs have "re" attached to the front of the word? I play Scrabble with a friend who feels that in the English language you can put "re" in front on any verb, and not just the ones listed in the dictionary.