What's the accurate meaning of "forget yourself"?

I was looking for a translation of the German expression "bevor ich mich vergesse" (lit. before I forget myself) and looked up if the literal translation could be used. In German this expression conveys a threat or warning. However, looking at several dictionaries confused me a lot as the dictionaries seems not to agree with each other.   The first two quotes I provide below get close to the German meaning, but unfortunately they don't provide any examples. All the other ones have a totally different meaning. > forget (oneself): To lose one's reserve, temper, or self-restraint.   >  forget oneself: to lose one's dignity, temper, or self-control > > forget oneself: to forget one's manners or training. (Said in formal > situations in reference to belching, bad table manners, and, in the case of > very young children, pants-wetting.) > >> John, we are going out to dinner tonight. Please don't forget yourself. > > forget yourself: to act boldly or arrogantly. Phrase used to humble a > person. > >> I believe you forget yourself sir! > > forget yourself: to behave in a way that is not socially acceptable > >> I'm forgetting myself. I haven't offered you a drink yet! I'm pretty sure that each of those definitions is correct, but probably some of them are only true for certain dialects or set of dialects. I think my question now is if you would hear or say "forget yourself", what does that expression convey? Which of the definitions above could be applied?   Is there a definition which is acceptable for most dialects, i.e. is any of those understood in most parts of the world? Finally, can this expression used as a threat or warning as in German?   Examples: > Hau ab, bevor ich mich vergesse. (lit. Take a hike, before I forget myself.)   >  Verschwinde, oder ich vergesse mich gleich. (lit. Get lost, or I'll forget > myself.)


What is meant by "communities of colour"?

When referring to the race and ethnicity does the word "coloured" mean anyone who is not white? For example "a distinct form of racism simply associates communities of colour with pollution." Also, is the term offensive? I found this in an academic paper.


what is the difference between a "deverbal noun" and a "verbal noun" please

I am currently working on -ing nominalizations and I've noticed that some grammar books refer to verbal nouns as deverbal nouns. Do you (English native speakers) make the difference or do you consider these two types of nouns as being the same ? The only thing I'm sure of is that both verbal nouns and deverbal nouns derive from verbs. I just want to be sure that these two concepts exist in English and that a difference exists. Thank you, because I'm starting losing my mind!!


What's the opposite of "no-show"?

It's called "no-show" if a guest doesn't appear. Is it right to call the opposite "show"?


Is it more correct to say "You have not yet <actioned>" or "You have not <actioned> yet"?

Having seen Correct placing and usage of "yet", it sounds like it may be correct to say either "You have not created any items yet." or "You have not yet created any items." Is one more correct than the other, or is it a matter of preference? The first personally sounds more correct to me, but I wanted another opinion!


"leave to" or "leave for"

Which of the following is correct? > I am leaving for London. > > I am leaving to London. I have always thought the first one is correct till I came across the name of this painting.


Which is correct? What comes around goes around OR What goes around comes around?

Which is correct?   1. What comes around goes around   2. What goes around comes around


Meaning of "for good or ill"

I saw a scene in _Downton Abbey_ in which one character said, > Here we are, ma'am, Crawley House. For good or ill. What does "for good or ill" mean here?


Can you explain the meaning of this sentence?

> I have asked for money from Jagan next time if he comes. I am bit confused, whether it is completed in past or it will be in future.


Ambiguous usage of "got"

I read this sentence: > I'm glad I got to know her. " _Got_ " can be used like permission, like " _I was allowed/able to_ ", but it can also be used like the ongoing status of something, as in > When I got to this point in my life… Which is it in this case?


Use of plural pronoun to avoid mentioning of gender

I'm aware that (at least today's) English allows the use of a plural pronoun to avoid mentioning a gender of the subject. Example: _"Everybody can do what they want to" instead of "Everybody can do what he wants to." A typical use seems to be whenever the speaker does not know the sex of the actors and thus does not want to state it wrong or to let the phrase apply to both sexes alike. As this example clearly shows, the numerus of the predicate then matches the numerus of the subject: "he wants" vs. "they want". This leads me to a dilemma if there are several predicates, associated to both the "everybody" and the neutral pronoun: "Everybody pays for what they get." The first verb feels better to be in singular case ("pays"), the latter obviously must be in plural case ("get"), yet both refer to the same entity which can hardly be singular _and_ plural. To use plural case for both verbs ("Everybody pay for what they get") sounds strange in the beginning of the sentence, and the mixed numerus given before sounds a little as if it isn't reflexively meant, i. e. as if everybody has to pay for whatever some other group of individuals ("they") get. What is the typical solution to my problem? EDIT: To make this clear: I'm not asking about the _singular they_ and its use, I'm asking about the "pay" vs. "pays" in my example (i. e. the verb of the "everybody") and about the observed or felt dichotomy of using a plural verb and a singular verb for the same actor in one sentence. Is there a more detailed answer to that besides "'they' can refer to a singular object and is to be used in _plural form_ "?


Do I capitalize "sincerely" in a correspondence signature?

I've been unable to find a consensus on whether or not one should capitalize the salutation before your signature in correspondence, email or otherwise. For example: > Sincerely, XedMada


What do you call someone looking for a job?

I am trying to compose a sentence, and I am currently stuck for the right word. I am trying to say: > In a job interview, the audience would be the employer and the --------- That is the word I am looking for. I cannot put "employee" as he has not been employed yet. Is there a single word for someone looking for a job? "Job- seeker?"


word for the act of each person in a group put in some money combined to buy something

What's the verb/phrasal verb to describe the act of giving/putting in a share of money towards a total amount to buy something as a group where each of the other members in the group put in their share as well, like buying a lottery ticket as a group or some other purchase. I.e. "we all **___** for the lottery" or "everyone **___** $2 for the lottery ticket"


At what usage level does a grammatical error become acceptable?

Is there any rule for the usage level of a grammatical error above which it is no longer treated as an error?


What word should I use for something that fails intermittently?

When something works, but it is unreliable and intermittently goes wrong, what could it be called? I'm actually thinking of computer software. In my work we tend to use the word "flakey", but there must be a better one.


Is the given usage of Outrage is correct?

**Outrage in my mind, Smile on my face. This is Life**. Can outrage be used the way I used above?


Difference between "take a taxi" and "get a taxi"

Which of the following is correct? If both are correct, do they have different meanings or usage? > Take a taxi/bus/train OR > Get a taxi/bus/train


Which are the word orders that can be found in English?

Besides SVO, which are the word orders that can be found in English? Are there any that are peculiar to dialects such as Singlish or Indian English? Please provide an example sentence for each order along with pertinent information such as tense, mood, voice, etc.


Why is it "sheet music" and not "musical sheet"?

I always had problem in understanding the reason people call it _sheet music_. Isn't it a sheet (an object) that has an adjective of being related to music? We don't say things like _sheet Excel_ , or _sheet cheat_. The correct syntax or grammar of English tells us that we should use the adjective before the noun. So, why don't we call it _music sheet_?


"We talked until late"

> We talked until late Is this sentence correct? It sounds strange to me but I'm not sure what's grammatically wrong about it. What about this? > We talked into the night This sounds better to me. But is there a simpler way to put this that has the same meaning?


Should "vice versa" be treated as an independent clause?

I know "vice versa" more or less means "conversely," but when it is used by itself, should it be punctuated as if it were an independent clause? > Dogs don't like cats, and vice versa. or > Dogs don't like cats and vice versa.


Is “Prewin” a well-received English word?

I find Maureen Dowd’s article in November 24 NY-Times titled “But can they eat 50 eggs?”amusing. She compares the leadership and charm of character between President Obama and Robert Griffin III, the quarterback of the Washington Redskins in the article. But I was caught by the word, “a prewin slump,” which I’ve never heard of, in the following sentence: > "While Obama has developed an unnerving and enervating pattern of going into > a **prewin** slump — as in New Hampshire and Texas in the 2008 primaries or > the first debate with Mitt Romney — RGIII never allows his batteries to run > down while he’s playing." I thought it’s “pre-winning” meaning pre-victory, and I checked Cambridge, Oxford and Merriam-Webster online dictionaries as I always do before posting a question. None of them registers “Prewin” nor “Pre-win.” Google Ngram neither shows any incidence of “Prewin” and “Pre-win.” What does “Prewin” slump mean? Is this a well-received English noun or adjective, or Dowd’s customary creative coinage?


additional local and domestic long distance minutes are $0.10 per minute

> All airtime is billed by the second after the first minute, additional local > and domestic long distance minutes are $0.10 per minute. My phone company and I are arguing over the use of the word 'additional' in the above phrase. I think it means that any additional local and any ADDITIONAL domestic long distance minutes incurred will be charged at a rate of $0.10 per minute. They think it means any additional local minutes are $0.10 per minute. All domestic long distance calls are $0.10 per minute regardless of time of day. From an English language point of view what role does the word additional play in this statement?


Difference between "implementing" and "executing"?

I would appreciate it if you could explain to me the difference between **_implementing_** and **_executing_**. Here is an example: "The implementing agency(ies) for this project is UNEP and the national executing agency is the Department of Environment"


Are prepositions a part of grammar or vocabulary?

If I you fill in the blanks with prepositions, is it a grammar exercise or a vocabulary exercise, e.g. He was here **______** the morning.


Meaning of "ask for"

I always wanted to understand the meaning of the word `for` when coming after `ask`, and I have two question about it: Let's say that `I'm asking for a flower on behalf of my mother`.   1. If the flower man asks me:`"For whom do you ask me for a flower?"` and I answer him `"I ask it for my mother"` \- is it equal to :`"For whom do you ask for a flower"` and `"I ask for my mother"` ? To be clearer: Do I have to mention any **noun** after I say `ask` so it wouldn't sound as if I want someone to give me my mother?   2. What is the difference between `I'm asking a flower` and `I'm asking for a flower`? Do the first option have to be that I'm talking to flowers? Thank in advance.


Etymology on "egging on"

What is the etymology on "egging on"? > e.g. It was Jack who did it. But Jane was really **egging him on**. Does it actually relate to eggs, or is it simply derived from "urging on"?


Contraction for 'are' with nouns

Is this correct? > the candys 're in the box, the womens're at the car I know ' **you're** ', ' **we're** ', ' **they're** ' are valid usages, but can it be used for nouns?


Is there a systematic difference between /a:/ in BrE and /æ:/ in AmE?

so another question I have is that whether it is systematic (a regular pattern) between /a:/ in BrE and /æ:/ in AmE or not. There are words that a pronounced differently like dance or rather. I have one source which indicates that this contrast is not systematic but restricted to 80 words. Then there is a passage which I do not understand I cite "For example, while the word pass is pronounced as expected in R.P. (/pa:s/), the word _standard_ has /æ/." - So what exactly is meant by standard since it is written in italic. I also though that in Am it is always the /æ:/ pronunciation and BrE always /a:/ I have thought the entire time that there is a systematic phonological difference! thx,


What is the opposite of an Epiphany?

I think of an Epiphany as a "Eureka Moment" as in a goldminer crying out, "Eureka!" upon discovering a vein of gold (I'm a native Californian (and former resident of Eureka), so that example comes readily to mind). What about the opposite, though - an "Oh, No!" moment? Such as, "What I thought was gold turned out to be iron pyrite."? Is there a word for it - an Apiphany? Antipiphany? Malpiphany*? Or...???   * Since "epiphany" seems to refer to a good sound (epiphone), would the opposite be a bad sound?


"Happy median" versus "happy medium"

Which is more correct and/or common "Happy Median" or "Happy Medium"? Any history on the two would also be interesting.


Large as life and twice as natural

What does this idiom mean?   Where did it originate from?   In what circumstances could I use this phrase? (Because it is so cool.)


Is ”Have you got paper?” a well-formed question?

Is it grammatical to ask _Have you got paper?_ Do you have to specify _have you got a piece of paper_ , _any paper_ , or _some paper_ — or can you just say _paper_?


What's the origin of "Copycat"?

I called one of my friends "copycat" the other day, and suddenly thought about it. Why is it a "cat"? Where did this expression come from? Does anyone have any information regarding how this phrase came about? Is there a story behind this?


"Unavailable" vs. "not available"

What is the difference between _unavailable_ and _not available_? In my opinion, _unavailable_ is something that will never be available, while _not available_ is something that is not available right now but might become available in the future.


Correct usage of Infinitive

Can we use to after a past form of verb? Example : I called **to** Rohini


A way to express how one feels after an exhausting wait before results are known!

What adjective or expression can describe the state of a person after a very wearing wait? Like the wait for the results of an important examination,of a decisive political election or of critical medical analysis?


"Invite" vs. "invitation"

I hear a lot of people saying "Send me an invite". I always thought that it was an 'invitation'. Is "sending one an invite" accepted usage? Or is it incorrect? If I need to get my wedding invitation printed, should it read "Wedding Invitation" or a "Wedding Invite"? Is this a US/UK usage difference?


Single word for both inbox and archive

I'm looking for a word that suggests both a place where new things can arrive and where you can safely store things, but where you wouldn't want to keep things that you are actively working on. In particular, I'm designing an email "diet" system to help email addicts and I want to suggest to people that their [word] is a combination of the inbox and the archive. The closest thing that comes to my mind is "log" or "record" but that isn't good because it doesn't sound quite right to move something out of the log and on to the to-do list, which is a key step in this system's success. The log sounds more like a place that would be kept in addition to the inbox and whatever else, not as a place to move things in and out of. Analogies to real-world places like basement or icebox, if appropriate, would also be fine.


What does 'open-work' mean here?

From _The invisible man_ : > His feet, save for socks of irregular open-work, were bare, his big toes > were broad, and pricked like the ears of a watchful dog. This is the complete chapter. The sentence means this guy was barefooted, but I'm not sure what _open_ means, there.


Processor vs Processer

Is there any difference between "processor" and "processer"? Some spelling dictionaries only have the -or form, and some have both. Is it a US vs UK English thing? Or something else? More specifically, is a computer algorithm that processes orders better called an `OrderProcessor` or an `OrderProcesser`?


Complex sentences question

I have 2 sentences that I don't understand: 1.) The girl [[sleeping]] in the room is my sister. 2.) People usually can get a sufficient amount of the calcium their bodies [[ need ]] from the food they consumed. These 2 sentences have one verb already. (is for (1) and get for (2)) why they don't use the same. And I heard that without the word "That" I have to use Ving after that, what is it? Where can I find the source to study.


Can I use "lighterweight"?

The word "lightweight" simply means, "relatively light in weight." If I want to compare two lightweight objects, can I say: > Is A lighterweight than B? Dictionaries don't seem to accept this as a word but would a native speaker be confused or annoyed by it? If so, which alternative would be most appropriate: > Is A lighter weight than B? > > Is A more lightweight than B? > > Is A lighter-weight than B?


What's the origin of "dinkum"?

_**Dinkum_** as a noun means work, especially hard work. As an adjective, like _fair dinkum_ , it means honest or genuine. Other than saying it's chiefly Australian and New Zealand, the OED simply says "Origin unknown" and has a first quotation from 1888 for the noun and 1894 for the adjective. But why _dinkum_? What is its origin? Are there any older quotations?


Phrase for ending up paying for having done a favor

In my mother tongue (Gujarati) there are two phrases describing the adverse effects of doing a favor. What are their English equivalents, if any? The phrases are:   * **આંગળી આપેને પ્હોંચો પકડે** (someone) is offered a finger and (they) grab the hand   * **ધરમ કરતા ધાડ પડી** Making a donation and getting robbed. ધરમ કરતા more often means performing religious ceremony, so another interpretation could be to get robbed while doing pooja.


Sentence using "hamartia"

Can any one tell me how to use the word **hamartia** in everyday writing? I have searched a lot but failed to find any sentence using this word. Any help would be appreciated.


Is There a Way to Remember Nouns, Verbs & Adjectives

Is there a simple and concise way to remember nouns, adjectives and verbs **aside** from poems? I am aware of a number of poems available to aid memory, but I am looking for something a lot more simple. I am also aware that everybody is different and, therefore, some methods will work for some people and not for others, but I am intrigued nonetheless. **UPDATE:** As tchrist correctly suggests, a mnemonic is indeed what I am seeking. Hopefully this clears things up. Many thanks.


"Company's engineer" - What does it mean in this context?

What is _company's engineer_ in this context? Does it refer to the stakeholders? > If aircraft maker Boeing is trying to win a contract from United Airlines, > it will emphasize different qualities when it talks to **the company's > engineers** , purchasing people, chief financial officer, and CEO -- since > each United participant will consider different matters during the purchase > process. > > [ _Market your Way to Growth: 8 Ways to Win,_ Kotler & Kotler, pub Wiley > 2012]


What part of speech is "methinks"?

Dictionaries call this word a verb, but it doesn't seem to behave like any other verb in the English language. Another question on this site calls it a “conjoined pronoun-verb combination”, which seems nearer the mark to me. What is the reasoning behind the dictionaries' decision to label _methinks_ as a verb?


Eyeglasses, spectacles, goggles and glasses. But in which order?

You would think that finding out if the word _eyeglasses_ preceded the word _glasses_ would be a simple matter. Not so. Did _eyeglasses_ and _spectacles_ as I suspect, precede the word _glasses_? Goggles I presumed came much later but surprisingly the word already existed in middle English. I found the following information on this optometrist article. Emphasis mine: > The word **_glasses_** probably developed firstly from the word spyglass, > often used for a telescope, and then adapted to “ _a pair of eyeglasses_ ” > that needed to be held up to the eyes for full effect. And on Etymology Online under spectacles I found: > **spectacles (n.)** "glass lenses to help a person's sight," early 15c., > from plural of spectacle. While goggles has: > **goggles** ; "spectacles, protective eyeglasses," 1715; Whereas "glasses" has: > **glasses** ; "spectacles," 1660s, from plural of glass But I found nothing concrete on eyeglasses strangely enough. Can someone trace the history of the word _glasses_ , or provide a chronological order of the words listed in my question?


To say in a threatening way without issuing a threat

Near the end of the movie _Mirror Mirror_ , I heard the following line uttered by the mirror: > "Are you ready to learn the price of using magic?" It was spoken as a threat, but the mirror was not issuing a threat. A similar statement was uttered in the movie series _Dune_ , when the girl was speaking to the villain about the doom that would befall him momentarily: "My brother comes." What is the term given to this literary device? Edit: The movie's name is Mirror Mirror, an adaption to the snow white story.


"Seek the truth in X" vs. "seek the truth with X"

Ran into the phrase > to seek the truth in love meaning "seek truth without hurting others in the process". I feel it should be "with" rather than "in." No rule in this case?


A single word for "Someone who cannot say no to anyone asking for help."

I happen to be this type who always finds it hard to turn down someone who asks for my help. You know, like when people ask to borrow some money, ask to take them to see a doctor, ask to help with English (I'm a nonnative speaker), ask to teach them some difficult subject, and anything. Moreover, this type of personality will not turn down one's request even if they are in a difficult situation themselves. I don't think that the word _kind_ or _nice_ or _selfless_ would be suitable for this. I read this too, but the word _altruist_ is used to describe someone who never asks for help, not for someone who can't say a "no" to someone else who asks them for help (which means that they may frequently ask for others' help too). Besides, I don't know whether this is a negative or positive personality. So I can't figure out the right word to describe it. Do I comprehend this in a weird way?


Difference between "Can't you" and "Can you not"?

I've been wondering about the difference between questions that use _can't you_ and _can you not_. Like: >   * Can't you tell just by looking? [I read this from a comic-detective > series] >   * Can you not hear me? [I heard this from an animation movie] > So, does it make a difference when you use _can't you_ and _can you not_? Or anything else like it, such as _is it not_ and _isn't it_? I also find that question tags often use those two types of tags, which in my mind are somewhat **not** interchangeable, such as: >   * It's surprisingly hard to find, is it not? >   * It's surprisingly hard to find, isn't it? > I think both forms are grammatically correct, but I can't figure how they differ each other.


Choice of plural and singular, definite and indefinite articles for multiple nouns

Which of the following is correct?   1. There are apple and orange.   2. There is an apple and an orange.   3. There are an apple and an orange.   4. There are apple and orange.


Is ‘anything in a skirt” a popular idiom? Does it have special overtones?

I came across the words, ‘anything in a skirt” in the following sentence of Jeffery Archer’s “The Fourth Estate”:- Page 202. > “(Captain Armstrong is entitled to a car and driver) if the brigadier wants > his daughter’s photo on the front page of Der Telegraph when she visits > Berlin next month.” “Why should he want that?” said Armstrong. “My bet is > that he can’t get her married off him in England.” said Sally. “And I’ve > discovered, **anything in a skirt** is jumped on over here.” As I was unfamiliar with the word, ‘anything in a skirt” I consulted Cambridge, Oxford, and Merriam Webster English Dictionary. None of them carries this word. However, with the example of the usage of this word on Google search, I was easily able to guess what it means: > My husband is a flirt and sleeps with **anything in skirt**! He sleeps with > girls; women and I have been embarrassed by his frequent affairs with my > maids. - www.nairaland.com/.../husband-flirt-sleeps-anything- Google Ngram shows that this phrase started to be in use around 1915, and its usage started to sharply rise in 1990s. Can I use “anything in a skirt“ as a plain alternative to “female” in conversation, particularly with women? Does it have any derogatory nuance or obscene tone, or just is as neutral as ‘women’? It’s intriguing that the author let a young lady utter this phrase.


Vestigialities: A word?

Is this an appropriate word to use? I did a quick google, and I'm only getting vague references. Does the word 'Vestigialities' exist?


Emotions: "running high" or "riding high"?

Quickly Googling both phrases brings up a number of results (mostly from sports websites) for each phrase; is one of the two in wider use and/or more correct?


Origin of “riff”

What’s the origin of _riff,_ a repeated musical motif? Wikipedia and the Online Etymology Dictionary both state that its origin is uncertain, possibly an alteration of _riffle,_ _refrain,_ or _rhythmic figure._ Is there any more solid information available on the etymology?


using phrase "weekend of"

Say the 24th is a Monday and you say that you’ll be doing something the weekend of the 24th, meaning the 22nd and 23rd. Isn’t that incorrect? I would say the weekend of the 24th means the 29th and 30th.


Using “she” with gender-neutral nouns

The song “Frozen” from Madonna’s _Ray of Light_ (1998) contains the lyrics: > Love is a bird, she needs to fly,   >  Let all the hurt inside of you die. Does _she_ refer to _bird_ or _love_? And why is it _she_ there? As far as I know, _love_ and _bird_ both are gender-neutral.


Verb form of statistics

May I ask what is the verb form of statistics or is there any replacement word with the meaning of "the act of doing statistics"?


Omission of the word “to”

Following is an excerpt from Michelle Dean's post in The Newyorker (my emphasis): > “One of the reasons Hank and I have always resisted being on television is > that we don’t really want nerdfighters to be a mainstream cultural > phenomenon,” **Green wrote me**. “I worry that mainstream cultural phenomena > need, like, Message Singularity and A Brand and an Institutional Voice and > stuff. That kind of thing does not interest us at all. We just want to make > cool stuff with people we like. Has the writer omitted _to_ when she writes _Green wrote me_?


Why  Obama's "spiking the bin Laden football" was replaced with "highlighting with bin Ladin's death"? What's wrong with the former expression?

The Time magazine’s (April 28) article titled “McCain Slams Obama on OBL” begins with the following lines: “Arizonan (John McCain) tweaks the President for _spiking the bin Laden football_ while "the Assad regime...kills thousands of its own people." McCain: "It is no wonder why President Obama is shamelessly turning the one decision he got right into a pathetic political act of self-congratulation." However as the phrase “ _spiking the bin Laden football_ ” was replaced with the phrase, “ _highlighting bin Laden's death_ ” in the other (later) version of the same article on Time website, I assume that “spike something football” here is meant something like “show off / demonstrate/ boast of.” I wonder why the Time took bother of replacing “spiking the bin Laden football” with “highlighting bin Laden's death,” if it means the same thing. What's wrong with “spike something football” as an expression? By the way, is it a frequently used English idiom, not only in America but in other English speaking countries, e.g U.K, Canada and Australia?


"Some" — singular vs plural

After reading "Is _everyone_ " singular or plural?", I would refrain from asking this question, but the husband of a colleague of mine (English professor, native speaker of British English) stated against it, so I am looking for further enlightenment. He advocates _some_ should be solely used to refer to plural forms. Thus, > some non-existent towns is perfectly correct, but > some non-existent town should be replaced by > a non-existent town Is that true?


Is "jux" a real word?

Urbandictionary.com says it means: > To rob. Verb. Present tense of juxt. It has 342 votes but I can't find any evidence of actual usage on a google or COCA search.


Origin of the expression "Get stoned"

My daughter asked me a question in the car the other day, and I didn't have an answer. She asked me about the origin of the expression "get stoned" (i.e. with regards to drug use), and how it might be related to "stoning".


"Unregister" vs "Deregister"

The concept of "undoing a registration" is widely used in my line of work. While most dictionaries define _unregister_ as the proper verb for it, several widely used and highly considered sources also use the verb _deregister_. Do both verbs exist? Are they synonyms? Is there a slight difference in their meaning?


wishing a happy week

As a non-native English speaker, I have a question: Can I write (and say) "Happy week everyone" to wish a good/happy week? Is there any more common English expression in everyday conversations?


"Mellisa is smart like John" or "Mellisa is smart like John is"?

I have many times read the first sentence. But it seems that the "like" is comparing "Mellisa's being smart" with John. Though we intend to compare "Mellisa's smartness" with "John's smartness". Which of the sentences would be technically right?


Used since sometime in the past until now (and still continuing)

How can I express that something has been used for a while and is still being used? > …used a xyz system that has been in daily use for several years. I'm not sure whether this expresses that the system is still in use.


Is "pedantician" a word?

Why is someone who is pedantic called a pedant and not a "pedantician"? If a person working in obstetrics is an obstetrician, why is not a person working with words not a pedantician?


Terminology for fake photograph

I think there is a good chance that a new word or phrase has been coined to mean _fake photograph_. Is there a single word to express it?


When to use "expectative" instead of "expectation"?

I'm not a native English speaker and here in Brazil we have the word "expectativa" as a noun. The expectative in English is defined as an adjective: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/expectative But I haven't see yet the usage in this form, rather we see "expectation", which act as the Portuguese "expectativa" (expectation). We do have this word as adjective "expectante" as is the "expectant" in English, but not the "expectative" form. So, in which case we use "expectative"? **EDITED:** I've googled and found this one: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05712b.htm > An expectative, or an expectative grace, is the anticipatory grant of an > ecclesiastical benefice, not vacant at the moment but which will become so, > regularly, on the death of its present incumbent. And this one: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X96000770 > Expectative land rights, house consolidation and cemetery squatting: Some > perspectives from Central Java Can you clarify?


Should I abbreviate word starting with “kn” as “K” or “N”?

Imagine you're abbreviating a title that has a _kn_ -word in it (e.g. _Should Know_ ).   What is the preferred way? Is it **SK** or **SN**?


Plural of "is" — "ises" or "isses"?

If I had many _is_ words, how would I refer to them in the form of a plural? Could I use _ises_ or _isses_? Example: > You use entirely too many isses in your sentences.


Take my word for it or take my word for this?

Me and a friend got into an argument. He says that you can say "Take my word for this". I say that the proper use is "Take my word for it". Could someone elaborate on each of those and tell us who is right?


Meaning of "What time do we got to do this at?"

I am struggling to understand the meaning of the following sentence: > What time do we got to do this at? I assume "do we got" means "do we have got". I guess they are asking at what time it has to be completed or how much time have they left. Is that so?


Why aren't there any common words for 'defecating' and 'urinating'?

Besides 'poo(p)ing' and 'peeing/weeing' used by and to children, besides 'shitting/crapping' and 'pissing' which are _spoken, not polite_ , says the _Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English_ , besides 'defecating/excreting' and 'urinating/micturating' which are technical and formal, besides a long list of euphemistic terms, why aren't there any common/standard verbs for these actions?


Is the idiom, "one person's word against another" or "another's"?

A common idiom is: > This is just **one person's word against another**. Is the correct form **another** or **another's**? I assumed the extended forms would be: > This is just one person's word against another person's word. > > This is just one person's word against another's word. But I often see the form without a second possessive.


What is the difference between "common" and "mutual"?

What is the difference between "He is our common teacher" and "He is our mutual teacher"?


Using localising adjectives + adverbial construction with 'where'

I am wondering whether it is possible to use an adverbial phrase with 'where' to describe words like 'ashore' or 'aground'. Examples: >   1. I stepped ashore where the sun was filling with a red gleam the water, > excited through a gentle breeze. >   2. The ship ran aground where lighthouse's beam didn't reveal the > dangerous reef. >


The shape of lightning

Is there any word to describe something that has lightning/tree/vein like structure? **Edit:** I forgot to mention that I'd prefer a word that emphasizes the random nature of these structures. Otherwise branching (as suggested by Harrold) seems fitting.


Is it affected to pronounce the "h" in wh- words such as "what"?

Almost no one does it except professors and cosmopolitans. Though some books will say that "what" should be pronounced "hwutt" and not "wutt", is it really recommended for us, the common folk, to espouse this pronunciation; or would we sound affected in doing so?


How can I differentiate between the pronunciation of "w" and "v"?

This something may be innately obvious to native speakers; however, to many outsiders, the difference is elusive. I only recently realized the difference and still have a hard time to distinguishing them. Please explain how to pronounce these two letters correctly, specifically lip/tongue movement (no pun intended).


How many "monophthongs" are there in RP? Do all the varieties of spoken English in the UK have the same number?

> A monophthong is a pure vowel sound. The monophthongs can be contrasted with > diphthongs, where the vowel quality changes within the same syllable, and > hiatus, where two vowels are next to each other in different syllables. > While "pure" vowels, or monophthongs, are said to have one target > articulator position, diphthongs have two, and triphthongs three. > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monophthong Do all the varieties of spoken English in the UK have the same number of monophthongs ? What about in the U.S.?


"that's why" in formal essays

"I'm", "it's" are forbidden in formal essays. Can I use "that's why" in the opening of my Statement of Purpose? > Fancy flights used to fill me with euphoria, that's why I named myself > Joseph, but now ... It sounds a little awkward to use "that is why," though I'm not a native English speaker.


Specific verb for "training an apprentice"?

Does a specific verb exist for the process of passing on information or skills including the passing of responsibilities between an experienced worker and a new one? The verb _train_ is too general, as it applies to any time frame during a job, not necessary during the beginning of one's employment. Moreover it does not include passing of responsibilities. There exists a slang term for this verb in Hebrew (loosely transliterated as "overlap"), and I'm looking for its English equivalent.


Writing the introduction, I want to know if using phrases like "in my opinion" are stylish or not

I want to know if using phrases like "personally speaking" or phrases like that contributes to good style. Do good writers use such expressions? Am I better off simply stating my thesis without using these phrases? I want to make the reader of my essay think that I am different from other writers. Is this the way to do it or do you have any other suggestions?


What does one's status being “less a blank check than an equation with multiple variables” mean?

There is the following line in a December 8 New York Times article titled “Clinton’s countless choices hinge on one: 2016”: > “But being Hillary Clinton is never a simple matter, and her next few years > are **_less a blank check than an equation with multiple variables_**. Her > status is singular but complicated.” Though it seems to me the author is simply saying Hillary Clinton’s plans and stand for next few years is unpredictable, I’m not clear with the phrase, “less blank check than an equation with multiple variables.” Cambridge Online Dictionary defines _less than ..._ as an idiom to describes “behavior which does not have a stated characteristic that is good or attractive.” Readers English Japanese Dictionary defines “less than ...” as an idiom meaning “never be ....” I know what a blank check is. In the phrase “less a blank check than an equation with multiple variables,” is a blank check more unpredictable (difficult to fathom) than a complex equation, or is a blank check as unpredictable as a complex equation, or is a blank check more predictable than a complex equation (which seems unlikely from the context)? Can I say “The recovery of Japan’s economy in the past decades was less a snail than a tortoise” in the same construction with “Her next years are less a blank check than an equation with multiple variables?


Combination of independent clauses containing quantities

> The Zaragoza-Ysleta International Bridge in El Paso, Texas, is one of the > 330 ports of entry where customs officials inspect the more than 350 million > travelers and 100 million vehicles, trains, and aircraft entering and > exiting the U.S. every year.   1. Is the author talking about 100 million as the total combination of vehicles, trains, and aircraft? (A) That is, 100 million == x vehicles + y trains + z aircraft. (B) Or is the author saying there were 100 million vehicles, 100 million trains, and 100 million aircraft?   2. If the answer to (1) is (A), what would be the best way to write (B)? My thought: (A) seems correct, because the same number of aircraft as the number of vehicles arriving to the same point is unrealistic.


How to say about Master's Degree

I really need to know how to say that a person studies something in MA level. I need several phrases for this to have choices for various circumstances. Can anyone help me? Thanks in advance


Word for "work completed on behalf of"

I hope you can help. I am updating my CV/résumé and I am using one word for each section. I must admit I am stumped in one area. I need a single word to convey the following description: "Work completed on behalf of" This is where I have carried out work (graphic design and web development) for other companies while working for my main company (e.g external rather than internal work).


What would be the proper writing of head-end, as a single word or two words separated by comma or space?

I see 3 ways of writing headend:   * `headend`   * `head end`   * `head-end` Note, I already know that all of them are acceptable but it has to be one that would be better. To make the problem more interesting, if I would apply CamelCase convention to it, it should be `Headend` or `HeadEnd`?


What does "we were both clunks" mean?

I am reading a book "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!: Adventures of a Curious Character" where an author wrote > So I could never understand why Tamara always went to the trouble of > introducing me to all these nice girls, and then, even though things would > start out all right, I would always end up buying drinks, spending the > evening talking, but that was it. My friend, who didn't have the advantage > of Tamara's introductions, wasn't getting anywhere either-- **we were both > clunks** > > After a few weeks of different shows and different girls, a new show came, > and as usual Tamara introduced me to a girl from the group, and we went > through the usual thing--I'm buying her drinks, we're talking, and she's > being very nice. She went and did her show, and afterwards she came back to > me at my table, and I felt pretty good. People would look around and think, > "What's he got that makes this girl come to him?" So what does it mean to be a clunk (if I can use it so)?


How do I use "Baby Steps" in a sentence

I want to convey that I am putting myself to something new to achieve a dream/goal. Hence I thought of using the phrase "baby steps" in a sentence as follows: "As I am laying my Baby Steps towards becoming a ..." I am wondering if this a right way to use "Baby Steps". If not, please let me know how do I put these words to convey what I mean. Thanks.


How to reply to someone's welcome

What should we say in reply to a person who welcomes us to a particular place, for example one says: > You are welcome to ABC company. or > I welcome you to our home. or > Welcome Mr. Abc to this party. Would " **Thank you!** " be the reply?


"Oil blue" color

Spotted a new collocation for the word `blue` today, when looking for a pair of jeans – `oil blue`. Admittedly, they are probably just being marketing-minded, _inventing_ (?) such a color of jeans. However, what gives? The color itself doesn't look blue to me: ![color](http://levi.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pLEVI1-14489107_pattern_s27x21.jpg). Isn't oil supposed to be black or yellowish? May it be that the denim is very smooth (like oil)? Is there a cultural meaning associated with this word combination?


Is there a sales term for how "hot" or "strong" a prospect a customer is?

I'm pretty sure my grammar is off in that title, because I'm awkwardly writing around a missing word. If a salesperson has time to call one of two customers, he or she will want to reach out to the one which, based on all the information available, is more likely to be interested in making a purchase. You could say "the stronger prospect". Is there a single-word adjective or simple phrase to represent a measure of this "likelihood-to-buy" quality in a prospect? "[Prospect] strength", "quality", and "score" come to mind, but they're vague, I'm hoping for something more specific to the world of sales. I'm not familiar with their jargon, I just learned what a "spiff" is the other day. "Interest" is close, but the context is one of data mining based on factors other than the customers' expressed interest, so I think that would be a little deceptive. For context, this will be a field in a customer relationship management app.


"One should warn" vs. "it should warn"

Can you explain to me when it is more appropriate to use _it_ or _one_ in the following sentence? > One/it should warn about the conflicts. I don't think there's a big deal using one or another because the meaning will be exactly the same.


Which of these is the correct use of this phrase

I frequently encounter this in technical documents and I am wondering which one is correct. > In the figure below or > In the below figure


deep roll of blue at the tops

I want some help with my question about the meaning of “deep roll of blue at the tops”: > "The men were dressed in blue, of the same shade as their hats, and wore > well-polished boots with a deep roll of blue at the tops." (The Wonderful > Wizard of Oz - Chapter 2 - Describing the Munchkins) Which part is the "top"? Is the roll like a curl over the toes? Or it could be also a cuff at the top of the shank, where the top of a boot will hit on the leg?


"May I ask if..."

A question like: > May I ask if you've seen it all? Can yield two answers:   1. Yes, I've seen it all.   2. Yes, you may ask. Can you avoid this (the may-answer), remaining a tad more polite than usual? Or is this just trying to be way too damn polite and the "may" should be dropped altogether?


Is the use of ‘in’ and ‘under’ in the phrase in ‘one’s dizzying journey in under a year’ redundant?

I saw the phrase, ‘Mr. Klein’s dizzying journey, in under a year from – to –’ in the following sentence of the New York Times’ (July 23) article titled ‘Ex- Schools Chief Emerges as Unlikely Murdoch Ally.’ > Mr. Klein’s dizzying journey, in under a year, from one of the nation’s > foremost education reformers to the corporate consigliere for a media titan > whose politics are far to the right of his own, has surprised and unsettled > many friends and colleagues, who fear that he will be unable to extricate > himself from a scandal that shows no sign of abating. I’m puzzled if the combination of ‘in’ and ‘under’ in ‘the journey in and under a year’ isn't redundant. Is ‘in and under’ an idiom? Can’t we say simply ‘within a year’? What is the specific nuance of ‘in and under a year’?


If I were him, I would doubt if she (is/was/were?) serious about this relationship

Which one is correct?   1. If I were him, I would doubt if she is serious about this relationship.   2. If I were him, I would doubt if she was serious about this relationship.   3. If I were him, I would doubt if she were serious about this relationship. I presume that (1) is definitely wrong but uncertain about (2) and (3). I see this sentence as a reported speech in the first conditional. My thought, "Is she serious about this relationship?", is reported by myself. Since it's reported, the tense should be shifted back according to the tense of the main clause, "I would doubt." The problem is that the "would" is resulted from a counter-factual hypothesis and without this hypothesized situation, the reported sentence, "Is she serious about this relationship?", wouldn't exist at all. That's why I'm bewildered by choosing (2) or (3).


replacement for expression "there are."

So my writing teacher hates the expression "there are" in essays. Does anybody know some good substitutes for this _overused_ expression? Thanx ya'll, much appreciated!


The X is on vs the X is at? What would you describe this variation as?

"The Knight is on D1." and "The Knight is at D1." Semantically the sentences mean the same thing. They are describing the position of a knight on a chessboard. The document I am writing contains a lot of these examples. They describe a valid scenario of a chess-style game which will be parsed by a computer program. e.g. > Given the game has just started   >  And the Pawn is on E2   >  And the Knight is at G8   >  When I move the Pawn to E4   >  Then I should be shown "Pawn to E4"   >  And the Pawn should be at E4 I have found myself changing between 'on' and 'at' for what I think is a variation for the sake of readability and to keep the reader engaged. Linguistically, how you describe this variation? Is there an academic term for it? And is there an academic term for keeping the sentences exactly the same? Note: I am not asking for which style is better or worse. I just want to write about what the difference is. How I would describe it.


What does "enrollment" mean here?

I have a sentence to translate: > The school shall notify parents in writing at the beginning of each school > year, and upon any enrollment during the school year, of the obligation to > ensure all children of compulsory attendance age attend school. wiki gives such definition of enrollment: "the process of initiating attendance to a school", which seems like a one time process that doesn't happen during the school year to me. So what does it mean here?


A word to describe an empathetic employee in regards to their business

I'm a software developer and I'm looking for the correct business term that best describes an empathetic developer. More often than not, a developer is just a code monkey. They receive a set of business requirements and follow them to a T, regardless of whether the requirements make sense or not. However there are developers who take an empathetic approach to coding per business requirements. That is, the developer will analyze the requirements with respect to the business needs, the end user, design, and implementation, and then discuss potential issues with the business when they spot a requirement that doesn't make sense. One would think this type of mentality would be inherent in a developer, unfortunately it is not, so I'm searching for the best term that describes this. To me it seems like “empathetic” would be the best term but I have never heard this term used in a business setting.


Can "neither" be placed at the beginning of the sentence?

Which of the following is grammatical? >   * Trust neither a new friend nor an old enemy. >   * Neither trust a new friend nor an old enemy. >


Byron and 'Eureka'

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  The spelling of "eureka" Why should Byron write "Now we clap Our hands and cry 'Eureka!'", Childe Harold, iv. st. 81? Being a hellenophile he should know that there were other options to spell 'eureka', (a) 'heureka' - the correct latinized form of the verb, and (b) 'evrika' - the contemporary demotic form. Was it a mistake, a mere slip of the pen? It seems that the form 'eureka' became common usage by the hand of Byron from then on.


Can "And so?" serve as a request for completion or continuation of the thought?

Can "Yes. And so?" serve as a request for completion or continuation of the thought? For example: > Merry: Jack, you can speak Japanese, French, Korean and Arabic. > > Jack: Yes. And so?


How acceptable is "asinine"

The relation between asinine and ass is pretty apparent, and I know that ass isn't a very acceptable word, but is asinine? If it were used in an essay for school or during discussion would it be considered vulgar or inappropriate? > Alexy's course of action in this text was rather asinine.


What's a gender-neutral way of referring to a nurse?

Good afternoon all, In Japanese there is a word called "看護師" which basically is a gender-neutral way of referring to a _nurse_. I was wondering, Is there such an equivalent word in English? Is there a gender-neutral way of referring to a _nurse_ ?


On or upon + gerund

Which preposition are we supposed to use - on or upon. i.e. "On/upon closing the door, set the alarm on."


When is "instead" optional?

> This is time when you're not working but playing. Is instead required in the sentence above? When can instead be dropped?


What is difference between implicit and explicit?

I have seen these words all the time in IT/Computer programming. Examples: "How to **explicitly** render a template" and "do not **implicitly** assign to the local variable". I am dyslexic and hard time to interpret the meaning of both words.


"Containing" or "consisting of"

My memory is shocking lately and would like your advice on choosing a word. See, I am building an app for a client, and there's a notification area that says (or will say), something like this: > New Order containing 6 items. But then I thought, should I replace "containing" with "consisting of"? So it reads: > New Order consisting of 6 items.


Correct pronunciation of "herbs"

In the past, I used to say "Herbs", then I was corrected and told that the "H" is muted and one should say "Erbs". Watching some video, the instructor keeps saying "Herbs". What is the right pronunciation?


"Helpful" means vs "Helpful" mean's

My son was marked down for the following sentence: > Helpful means helping other people. The error was with _means_. The teacher corrected the word to **mean's**. > Helpful _mean's_ helping other people. Is this correct? Keep in mind he is in 3rd grade.


Why is a door prize called a "door prize"?

I entirely understand what door prize means, but how did this name come about? Is this some kind of slang?


Why and when to use "end-of-period"?

I came across some manuals that refer to **end-of-period.** I wonder as to when and why they would use this style? Please support your answers with examples.


Are these commas correct?

I am unsure about the first three commas in the following sentence: > In this paper, I will explain, on the intuitive level, how to use different > methods of light polarisation to obtain interesting physical phenomena. Is it the right usage?


Is the following title correct? Document streams Segmentation and Classification

"Document streams Segmentation and Classification"      What I mean by this title is that i have a stream or a flow of documents and i want to separate these documents and classify them into for example insurance, receipt documents. Does it sound correct in english? Thank you.


What is the difference between 'try' and 'attempt' when used as nouns?

Why is it possible to say > The speech is an attempt to pacify all parties concerned. but not *"The speech is a try to ...." Although they are interchangeable in > I will give it another try/attempt > > It was a good try/attempt


What part of speech is "run"?

A JobInstance refers to the concept of a logical job run. In the above sentence, is the final word "run" a noun? and which word does the adjective "logical" modify? job or job run? Is the word "job run" a compound noun?


Differences in use of "mandate" and "remit"

What are the differences in use of _mandate_ and _remit_? For example, Googling for _the remit of_ gives me examples like: > The remit of the BBC is to entertain, educate and inform. whereas if I google for _the mandate of_ , I get things like: > The mandate of the Federal Reserve is to promote effectively the goals of > maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates. Both describe what a given organization should do, but what are the differences?


Tom had already eaten when his friend arrived. Tom had eaten when his friend arrived. Do I need to add "already" in sentences above?


Why can 'kick back' mean 'get relaxed'?

I came across the following sentence in today's NPR news: > In 2011, boomers start turning 65, the age when Americans traditionally stop > working and kick back. A dictionary at hand gives the definition of kick back as "1. (literally) kick back, retort. 2. pay rebate. 3. relapse into illness. 4. get relaxed, put oneself at home." Interpretations 1 through 3 are understandable to me. But I don't understand why 'kick back' came to mean definition 4, "get relaxed, put oneself at home." What is the etymology for this expression?


"I would like to ask you a favour" vs. "I would like to ask you for a favour"

Which form is to be preferred? >   * I would like to ask you a favour. >   * I would like to ask you _for_ a favour. >


"Production" vs. "manufacturing"

What are the connotations of _production_ and _manufacturing_? In what situation would you prefer one over the other?


Old times or old time?

Which one is correct? If none of them are, could you be so kind as to provide a correct alternative? > This song reminds me of the old times. or > This song reminds me of the old time.


Origin of "the nature of the beast"

_The nature of the beast_ is a well-known phrase or saying which means something like _an essential property of the thing_ , particularly when the property is a vexatious one. For example: > I don't like the fact that people always downvote my answers on > StackExchange, but that's **the nature of the beast**. What's the origin of the phrase? Is it biblical? Does it stem from some Hobbeseian metaphor? I had a look online, but couldn't find anything about the origin, and my copy of Brewer's is five miles away.


Backshifting in the that-clause of 'make sure'

Do you normally backshift a verb in the that-clause of 'make sure' when the 'make' is 'made,' 'could make,' 'would make,' etc.? Please take a look at the examples below. Are my thoughts on the right track? > _A man is asking his travel agent to get seats next to each other's for him > and his wife on a plane._   >  [1] If you could please make sure we (sat/ sit) together, I'd appreciate > it. **My thought:** Either is fine. You could backshift 'sit,' but you don't > have to. > > _A man asked his travel agent to arrange consecutive seats on a plane for > him and his wife, and they did._ > > [2] They made sure we (sat/ sit) together. **My thought:** If sitting has > not yet happened, you can say either, but if it did, you only can say 'sat.' > > [3] They made sure we (would/ will) sit together.   >  **My thought:** If sitting has not yet happened, you can say either, but if > it did, you only can say 'would.'


"He is me" — is this grammatical?

Referring to a picture, the question is "Who is he?" The answer I got back was "he is me". Is that correct? Shouldn't it be "It is me"?


what is allegory how is allegory used in poetry? Can you give some simple examples?

**Allegory and its usages? Simple Examples for allegory.**


Practical meaning of "Sale"

Its not uncommon that you walk on the street you see there are big malls hanging big billboard containing only " _Sale_ ". Sometimes, _Summer Sale_ , _Winter Sale_. In every case you get XX% price off there. ![Sale Billboard](http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/designzaptik/designzaptik1112/designzaptik111200092/11447360-high- res-big-sale-billboard-with-background-3d-rendered.jpg) If I ask you **_Hey, is there any sale running on Nike?_** what do you think?   1. I asked you if _Nike is currently selling products_. -- well they always sell. So whats the point of this question then?   2. I asked you if _Nike is currently selling products with discount_. -- this might be a meaning. I am not asking you to provide the meaning from dictionary. I know that. I just want to know the interpretation of that question to most people. In fact the practical meaning of _Sale_.


Why don't we need "the" in "from lack of sleep"?

> From lack of sleep Since we're talking about a specific lack, namely lack of sleep, it seems that the article _the_ should be there. That is, > From the lack of sleep.


Two past perfect verbs in the same sentence even though sequence is indicated

A group of environmentalists helped direct several small sharks that **had lost** their way after they **had swum** through polluted waters to migrate South. Swimming comes before losing the way, yet both verbs are in past perfect. I'm told that this sentence is correct. Is this sentence correct and what about the past perfect should I know to explain this usage?


Number of morphemes in "saw" (As in, I saw the cat)

Does the word "saw" contain more than one morpheme? If so, how is this possible in such a short word? Are there any other words of this length that have multiple morphemes? I have just started studying linguistics and morphology, so I am probably just missing something, but I don't understand how it could be more than one.


Can other words replace "consideration" in "with all due consideration"?

The following is a multiple choice question in an English test: > The employers prepared, with all due _______, for a conference with the > Trade Union. > > A. _caution_ > > B. _concern_ > > C. _certainty_ > > D. _consideration_ I feel A ("with all due caution") is ok, but I am not sure.


In a headline written with initial capitals, should "outside" be capitalized?

I'm writing a headline for an article ending with "outside the organization." According to our style book, we capitalize on headline. Should "outside" be capitalized in this context?


Meaning of "it will do you in"?

What is the meaning of the expression "it will do you in"? I came across this sentence: if you are not careful, it will do you in.


A word describes the person whose homeland/origins cannot be assurely identified

I am looking for adjective describes the person whose origins cannot be identified based on his appearance features, accent, background ... etc. Some people has typical appearance features of middle Africans, Scandinavian, Chinese, Latin and so forth. I am aware that there is no strict line defines whether persons is coming from this area or that (e.g. a Scandinavian looking could be from USA). But generally speaking, if you met someone and you could not locate his/her origins due to overlapping and confusing features, what word can describe that person? I am looking for something more specific than (mixed).


Are there any common phrases in the English language that use metric units of measurement?

We've got things like 'inch closer' or 'miss by miles' but nothing common that uses the metric system as far as I know.


English abbreviation for: added by redaction

In Dutch, for example in a newspaper, when someone is quoted, the redaction might decide to explain something, or add more information. This would be done using the 'red.' abbreviation (for redaction). Like this: > "Karen was very sad when Rodger ( her dog, red.) died..." Does such an abbreviation exist in English, and is this something that is actually done in English texts?


"Must Not" or "May Not" - which is the most correct

I work in the IT industry and often read software and standards specifications that start with a section with definitions for certain words used in the document. Recently I came across the following in section 1.3 of pdf document SSEK Version 2.0 by Andersson et al [verbatim except for added dashes]: > The keys words SHOULD, MAY, MUST and MUST NOT in this document are to be > interpreted as follows: > >> SHOULD – This word mean that there may exist valid reasons in particular circumstances to ignore a particular item, but the full implications must be understood and carefully weighed before choosing a different course.   >  MAY – This word mean that an item is truly optional.   >  MUST – This word mean that the definition is an absolute requirement of the > specification.   >  MUST NOT – This phrase mean that the definition is an absolute prohibition > of the specification. The question is whether the last definition really is correct, or if it should have been MAY NOT instead to have the defined meaning.


What is "Loan principal"?

I'm using an English financial application to keep track of my spending. When trying to categorize a transaction as a student loan payout, the closest built-in category I could find was "Loan Principal Received". What does that mean? The definition (according to Google) is > The total sum of money borrowed If I receive monthly student loans throughout a year, would it be correct to categorize those "income" transactions as "loan principal received"? Would it be more correct to create my own category and call it "loan payout"?


What is the meaning of bedshape?

I was listening to a song called 'Bedshaped' of English band 'Keane'. But, I couldn't find any meaning of it from any dictionaries. Maybe I can guess, but I would like to make sure about this. How do you think about the meaning? And, also, 'legs of stone' got me confused. Here are the lyrics below. You'll follow me back With the sun in your eyes And on your own Bedshaped And legs of stone You'll knock on my door And up we'll go In white light I don't think so But what do I know? What do I know? I know!


can the term "pro rata" include cutting for non-use in the middle of a period?

Suppose somebody pays pro rata every three weeks. I understand that if they cut short during that period, "pro rata" means the amount is recalculated according to how many days they use and only goes up till when they stopped. Suppose a company like a phone company takes into consideration if somebody's phone has been inactive for 7 days within a 3 week period. So within that three week period, there were 7 days, before which, they had their phone active. After which they had it active. But during which, they didn't. And the company is fine for refunding for that 7 day inactive phone period. Would the term pro rata also apply to if the company deducted 7 days of charges from the cost of the three week paying period? Or does the term pro rata only apply to contiguous/consecutive days between the point of stopping, and the end of the (in this case 3 week) paying period? this is not a question about company policy, as company policy is to refund for the 7 days the phone was inactive. This is a question of whether the term "pro rata" applies to that. though on a related note, if the company didn't refund for the 7 days the phone was inactive, would they still be able to say it was pro rata?


Which collocation should I use with "replacement"?

I am doing an English language test. Can you help me with this question? > “We will deduct $5.95 from your available funds **__________** of the lost > Gift Card.” > > a) upon the replacement   >  b) is replacing   >  c) during the replacement   >  d) as we issue you the replacement Is it A or D?


Where did the "Near East" go to?

I was reading some essays the other day written in the late 1940s and early 1950s, in which the phrase _Near East_ (meaning Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, etc) recurred quite frequently. It then occurred to me that I hadn't heard that name recently, as it seems to have been replaced by _Middle East_. So I wonder: when, and why, did the _Near East_ become the _Middle East_? It hasn't moved, after all.


“Firstly, secondly” vs. “Firstly, lastly” when listing just two points

Normally, if we which to illustrate our points, we can use firstly, secondly, lastly (or last but not least or finally). > There are a few pieces of information we need to notice:   >  Firstly,   >  Secondly,   >  Lastly, But consider that we have only two points, are we going to use > There are a few pieces of information we need to notice:   >  Firstly,   >  Secondly, or > There are a few pieces of information we need to notice:   >  Firstly,   >  Lastly, It seems like _firstly→secondly_ does not have an ending, and _firstly→lastly_ seems to be too fast to end. Is there a better way to talk about them for when you have just two points to make?


"a variable of type int" versus "a variable of an int type"

In programming books, I noticed that "a variable of type int," and "a variable of an int type" are often used interchangeably. Which one is the correct one?


Should "append to" be "append too"?

Which is correct? > append parts c to parts b or > append parts c too parts b I know too is used when there are supposed to be amounts, but appending something to something else is adding something to / too it. Can someone please explain this to me.


What is the difference between “close” and “close together”?

Examples: >   1. His eyes were small and close (together). > >   2. The two buildings are close (together). > > I can’t really understand the difference. Perhaps the second version is more emphatic.


The usage of “banzai”

I started to reread a pretty old mystery of Thomas Harris, “The silence of the lambs,” which I once gave up reading because of difficulty of understanding the narrative studded with technical jargons of abnormal psychology, entomology, police and security terms, and so many idioms and slangs unfamiliar to me. I was interested to find an apparently Japanese-origin classic word, "banzai," not "bonsai," being used in the following passage, in which Ardelia Mapp, a roommate of Clarice Starling, a trainee of FBI Academy at Quantico who is the heroine of the story gives an advice to Clarice not to skip the next day’s Criminal Code exam: > “Mapp had made the Law Review at the University of Maryland while working at > night. Her academic standing at the academy was number two in the class, > **her attitude toward the book was pure banzai**. > > "You're supposed to take the Criminal Code exam tomorrow and the PE test in > two days." – ibid. P.121. OCD (10th ed.) at hand defines “banzai” as; exclaim: 1. Japanese battle cry. 2. A form of greeting used to the Japanese emperor. We Japanese stand up and shout “banzai” when watching TV featuring the scene Japanese baseball (women’s soccer) team wins the world baseball (women’s soccer) games. We also use “banzai” for the meaning of “total surrender” in association with the gesture of banzai holding up and down both hands when crying “banzai.” However, neither of OCD definition and our notion of “banzai” seems to relate with the usage of “banzai” in the above quote - Her attitude toward the book was **pure banzai**. It appears to me “banzai” is used in the meaning of “extraordinary” or “super” there. Google Ngram indicates that the word “banzai” first appeared in circ. 1900 and its usage peaked in 1950 just after the end of the Pacific War. Its usage is low at 0.000036177% level in 2000 as against 0.0019679775% of “extraordinary”. What does “banzai” mean in the above context? Is it commonly used in that way?


Correct Present Perfect Usage: Is it Disappearing?

Certain verbs such as drink, speak, and swim seemed to be misused more and more with this tense. Is this a regional phenomenon or common in all English speaking countries? For example, in southern Illinois and western Michigan many people say, I have spoke, I have swam, or I have drank and opposed to using spoken, swum or drunk.


Which is grammatically correct: "woke up by the..." or "woke up to the..."?

Which is grammatically correct? > Sophia woke up by the rattling sound of her washing machine. or > Sophia woke up to the rattling sound of her washing machine.


What does the phrase "putting them in time out" mean?

I have a sentence, but there is an expression I can't understand. Could someone explain it to me? Here it is: > "You should treat your employees like adults instead of _putting them in > time out_ like a child." Could someone direct me to a list of explanations of similar expressions: _come out_ , _take off_ , and so on


What is a synonym for "profile picture?"

I can't think of anything that's one word that's distinctive over any other kind of picture. It needs to be something that's specific to an online profile or account.


Use of noun "immovable" and its plural form

I'm not sure about the plural form of _immovable_ (immovables). By the way, is "immovable" a word that English speakers use when referring to "real estates, properties etc."?


Five percent VS The five percent

Five percent VS **The** five percent. Which one is correct and why? Because i.e. this page exists http://www.thetwopercent.com/ or the famous slogan ;) "we are **the** 99%.". However, on the official apple website: http://www.apple.com/environment/renewable-energy/ is this without the article: By the end of 2012, we’ll meet the energy needs of our Maiden, North Carolina, data center using entirely renewable sources. To achieve this, we’re building our own facilities that will provide **over 60 percent** of the clean power we need. It’s another example of Apple’s commitment to designing for energy efficiency — from the ground up. or here: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/survey-81-percent- teachers-think-tablets-help-students-84895 Unfortunately there is some bad news as well: Only **about 22 percent** of the teachers said that they have access to the right level of technology. Nearly two-thirds — **about 63 percent** — explained that budget issues are the "biggest barrier to accessing tech in the classroom." (In low-income communities, that statistic jumped **to 70 percent**.) And these are the well known websites apple and nbc. I do not understand at all. Are both ways correct? When should I use the definite article and when I shouldn't?


How to say "bolillero"?

In lottery games or bingo games, sometimes an object like this is used: ![bolillero](http://i.stack.imgur.com/dUAxT.jpg) What is the name of this? In Spanish we call it _bolillero_ but I didn’t find the definition in Enlgish.


Are "might" and "should" past tenses of "may" and "shall", respectively?

According to the dictionary definitions (e.g. in Merriam-Webster) , "should" is the past of "shall" and "might" is the past of "may": But are these modal verbs really used as such? I know they are frequently used with other meanings (as confirmed by their other definitions in the dictionary), but my question is if they are really used with their original meaning of past tense for "shall" and "may". I give two examples below. Do the present and past versions have the **exact** same meaning (except for the tense, of course)? 1) MAY / MIGHT **Present:** When he is at school, he may not go to the bathroom without asking for permission. **Past:** When he was at school, he might not go to the bathroom without asking for permission. 2) SHALL / SHOULD **Present:** He thinks that they shall go the restaurant. **Past:** He thought that they should go the restaurant.


Where does "acutilobate" originate from?

I see the claim that _acutilobate_ is a “dictionary-only” word, for example seen in the 1913 _Webster’s_ dictionary. How would a word get into a dictionary that only appears in dictionaries and is not really a word in use? Once a word is in a dictionary such as _Webster’s_ doesn’t that confer it life and wouldn’t it generally begin to enter the language in actual use? Websters defines it as a botany term: “Having acute lobes, as some leaves”. Where did _acutilobate_ originate from as a word?


what's the difference between "Remarks" and "Note"?

When I make a table, there is a column we left for the things we forget to write down on it. What would we call this item? Remarks or Note?


*all of us's friend

There's this funny gap I tried to write a paper once upon a time when I studied linguistics, and I'd like to know if anyone has insight into it. The construction in question is the possessive determiner with 's in English. It's a noun phrase made up of a noun phrase followed by 's, and its extremely liberal in the noun phrases it allows:   * Jack's house   * Tom and Mary's music collection   * several stories' endings   * the bus's headlights   * the guy I talked to yesterday's cat   * a lighthouse in the bay's coordinates   * don't you know who's snide comment But there are certain noun phrases that are not allowed -- those that end in personal pronouns:   * all of us's friend [a friend of all of us]   * you and me's picture [a picture of you and me]   * the gift I gave to them's receipt Anyhow, I'd appreciate any thoughts on this and/or pointers to papers that discuss it.


What does "urge to kill" mean?

I've got an answer to my comment at Stack Overflow, and I don't get what it means. I've googled and looked over several dictionaries with no help. Seems like it is some specific slang/phrasal verb, which I cannot find. > **zerkms:** @OMG Ponies: I have an idea of writing small .net application > that formats any sql query accodring to the rules you've thinked of/invented > (to get a practice in lexers/parsers). What do you think of this? ;-) > > **OMG Ponies:** @zerkms: Urge to kill... rising... :p


Meaning and origin of phrase "wear heart on sleeve"

What does the phrase "wear (one's) heart on (one's) sleeve" mean? I would appreciate if you could also tell me the origin of the same.


nowadays with verb or verb+ing form

Does anyone know why B is better than A ? > A. Nowadays, public health is a topic that starts to get growing attentions. - > B. Nowadays, public health is a topic that is starting to get growing > attention.


Proper verb for power outage

What verb is used for power outage? > Power goes out everyday in the morning. Is "goes out" correct verb for power outage or there is any other verb for it. And what verb is used for power come back.


"The day of" into "a day of"

Is this grammatically correct? > The day of rest became a day of violence when a bomb exploded in a Belfast > cafe. Or is this better? > A day of rest became a day of violence when a bomb exploded in a Belfast > cafe. "Day of rest" refers to Sunday.


"List of items" is correct. Is "items list" correct?

Actually, my question is a bit broader. AFAIK, the latter is generally incorrect: "item" is adjective so it should be singular. However there are some well-known exceptions like "sales manager". Could anyone explain the rule here: when is plural form acceptable? **Update:** looks like here is an answer. Any comments are welcome, however.


Onomatopoeia for foxes

"What does the fox say?" Onomatopoeia, and Alien Languages claims there's no onomatopoeia for foxes: > But you don't find fox onomatopoeia in this context. Foxes tend to do one of > two things: either they are silent, or they speak like humans do. It's > certainly a testament to the fox's slyness that it's attributed with human > speech, which fits quite well with its trickster qualities (and of course > there are many myths that have the fox transforming itself into human shape, > too). The article goes on to cite a Wired article claiming that some of the sounds made in the Ylvis song The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?), such as "Chacha- chacha-chacha-chow", are accurate, but it doesn't indicate that they are commonly used onomatopoeia. Are there any commonly used onomatopoeia for foxes in English?


What "pining and repining" meant in 17th century?

...like in : may be dying or even pining and repining" or "dragging the pining ang repining victim to the grave"?


Can we use past perfect progressive in the context where present tense is predominantly used?

As I understand, past perfect is used to express an action that had happened before something else in the past. But in the paragraph I came across, there appeared past perfect progressive in the middle of nowhere. Please refer to the paragraph below. In the popular movie Good Will Hunting, a janitor working at MIT, one of the best universities in America, solves a complicated math problem that was written on a board by a professor. The janitor, Will Hunting, **had been studying** mathematics on his own. The professor, Gerald Lambeau, realizes that Will has a very special talent. In the following scene, he explains the situation to another professor, Sean. To me, it sounds more right to say "has been studying" because it is describing something that started in the past and extends to the present point("solves"). Can anybody explain how past perfect progressive is possible in this paragraph?


"I'm just like anyone else" or "I am not like other people"?

I am translating a Russian phrase, original meaning of which was: > I am the same as all other people. A suggested translation is: > I'm just like anyone else. I think it should be: > I am not like the other people. What are the differences in conveyed meaning between these phrases? Please, help me to clarify...


Meaning of "semi-pro"

I was watching The Big Bang Theory series and when Sheldon and Leonard went to a sperm bank and Sheldon changed his mind about giving sperm, Leonard told him > What, are you kidding? You’re a **semi-pro**. What does _semi-pro_ mean here?


"While" as a non-temporal adverb

Is it correct in formal writing to use _while_ as a non-temporal adverb? For instance > Phenomenon A is generated by XXX, **while** phenomenon B is generated by YYY Should I rather use : > Phenomenon A is generated by XXX, **but/and** phenomenon B is generated by > YYY Note that I do not want to imply that A and B are happening at the same time.


"Why wouldn't to use foo bar?"

"Why wouldn't to use xxx?" or "Why wouldn't do to use xxx?" - are these correct questions in the following context:               - Why wouldn't to use xxx? / Why wouldn't do to use xxx?     - Because I/we hate xxx!


How to speak English fluently?

I have studied English grammar for a long time. And the problem is now that I do not read and speak English very well. I'm really worried about that! How can I learn to speak fluently?


Is “blog-avatar” a proper word?

I’m envisaging something just like your avatar or profile picture but for **a blog entry.** Each blog entry has a single picture which will be displayed as a small thumbnail for each item on the list. I mean can I use the word _avatar_ for this representation of a single blog post, like 5 different blog posts will have 5 different avatars? Or should I call it a _blog avatar_ , or are there any other words to describe it correctly?


Usage of "but" in a sentence.

I'm reading Robinson Crusoe and came across many of these constructions with "but" in it. I can't help but thought they were a little unusual. I don't consider myself fluent in English, that's why I ask. Here is an example: > This I saw no remedy for _but_ by making an enclosure about it with a hedge; > which I did with a great deal of toil, and more, because it required speed. Second one: > However, as my arable land was _but_ small, suited to my crop, I got it > totally well fenced in about three weeks' time; By typing the second out I figured it is actually the normal textbook case of "but", just an, in my opinion, screwed ordering in the sentence. Is this what it means? > However, as my arable land was suited to my crop but small, I got it totally > well fenced in about three weeks time; Why did the author do this? Can you comment on the first sentence too? It's not a textbook-but-usage as I see it.


What is an alternative expression to "this"? As in: > Medicine is very important. **This** can be ascertained from the fact > that... I'm looking for a "synonym".


Did "et cetera" gain its popularity from "The King and I"?

Is it possible that _et cetera_ gained its popularity thanks to the 1956 movie The King and I? Since I wasn't around before 1956, I'm not sure how common "et cetera" was in day to day speech. Or was it still as common in everyday speech back then as it is today?


"Tourists" for visiting sports team

In news about English and "Commonwealth" team sports (e.g., rugby, cricket), I occasionally hear the visiting team being referred to as "tourists" (e.g., "the tourists won the match ..."). This usage is listed in very few dictionaries, probably because it is almost unknown in North America, and those are the sources I have available. I'm wondering what the connotations of that usage are. Does it simply mean "one who tours" in the very original sense of the word, or does it have sarcastic undertones, likening the visiting team to sightseers? Also, what constitutes a tour? If an English football team plays a match in another English town or, say, in Italy, are they also "tourists"?


How to abbreviate "deLuze"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How would you abbreviate surnames starting with Mc/O/D? How would I abbreviate Jane deLuze? If I were listing a numbe of people by initials, like John Doe or John Smith, I could use JD, JS etc.... but how would I do deLuze?


What does “As for Romney, the G.O.P. is over him” mean?

New Yorker (March 4) carries the article titled “Ann and Mitt Romney’s lost fairy tale” portraying an interview of Mr. and Mrs. Mitt Romney by Chris Wallace on Fox News on Sunday, which ends up with the following statement: > “Romney said, “We were on a roller coaster, exciting and thrilling, ups and > downs. But the ride ends. And then you get off. And it’s not like, Oh, can’t > we be on a roller coaster the rest of our life?” Maybe Congress thinks that > we can. As for Romney, the **G.O.P. is over him** —mostly. “ Though it may look quite obvious to native speakers, I’m at fault to interpret the phrase, “the G.O.P. is over him.” Does it mean that the G.O.P. forsook Mr. Romney, or the G.O.P. is the past tense to Mr. Romney ? Can it be possible for any major, decent political party to dump its former leader or champion like old shoes - 弊履の如く捨てる- in Japanese expression, simply because of his not making it, or vise versa? Is “over” used here in the same way as ‘over’ in ‘game over' or 'done’? I consulted OALED at hand. It provides 10 different definitions of the word, ‘over’, among which I find (6) not used or needed, and (8) ended. I wonder if either of them could be applicable to the ending phrase, ‘As for Romney, the G.O.P. is over him—mostly,’ but I’m not sure.


How should this sentence be punctuated?

I'm not sure how to punctuate the following sentence: > Besides the managers, Pete, John and Eric, also the secretary, Mary, came > along to the meeting. I think I messed up completely with comma usage. My idea's to fixed are the following   1. Besides the managers (Pete, John and Eric), also the secretary (Mary) came along to the meeting.   2. Besides the managers -Pete, John and Eric- also the secretary -Mary- came along to the meeting. The first one looks good, but I have the feeling that the parenthesis disrupt the flow of the reading. The second one looks not very slick. What do you suggest as punctuation for this sentence?


How do you capitalize and hyphenate "at a glance" in a title?

I'd like to use the following as a section title: Module At-a-Glance Is it capitalized and punctuated properly?


Is it correct to say "What was your name?"? The reason I am asking this is, generally the name of the person will not change. One should say "What is your name?" http://variationsonnormal.com/2010/05/26/sorry-what-was-your-name-again/


Question about headline "Inmate Dies Anyway"

I came across this headline: "Oklahoma Stops Botched Execution. **Inmate Dies Anyway**." (link) I was truly disturbed by the use of "anyway". To me, it implies a nonchalant attitude about something that is highly sensitive and controversial. Am I wrong? Is the use of "anyway" acceptable? **Update:** What made me post this question is the use of "anyway" in casual speech. For example, after a pause, one side says "Anyway, should we go to lunch?" So, I have this feeling about "anyway" being a less-than-worthy word that one would not use in formal settings. Am I still wrong?


Who says "mummy" and "daddy"?

Is the use of the terms _mummy_ and _daddy_ to (informally) refer to one's parents particular to a specific socio-economic class or culture? How does this contrast with the terms _mum_ / _mom_ , and _dad_?


Is this usage of "last" correct?

Let's say I have just written an argument for something in a text, and I then add: "Last argument implies that..." Is that correct? Or should I add "That/the last argument implies that" or "The previous argument implies that..." What is more correct, and more importantly, more formal? Thanks in advance.


Can one suppress the pronoun "one" in a list?

On another site it sometimes happens that I give answers like: > The first formula is correct but not the second one. This is probably grammatical, but I find the formulation a bit clumsy, perhaps because of the influence of other languages I am familiar with, where the pronoun _one_ is not used. So my question is whether a formulation like > The first formula is correct but not the second . or some other variant exists, which would be perceived as more elegant but still natural by a native speaker of English.


Let's suppose vs. Let us suppose

Imagine you are working on a formal research paper (several authors). At the time of making an asumption, what would be more correct: >   * Let us suppose that... >   * Let's suppose/assume that... > The latter sounds better and more natural to me, but I want to make sure.


Meaning of "welcome distraction"

I want to know the meaning of _a welcome distraction_. It has no meaning when someone reads it first. I want to know the exact meaning. Is there a distraction that we can welcome?!


"The horizontal and vertical transfers" vs. "the horizontal and the vertical transfers"

> The Horizontal and vertical tranfers in Local Governement Is this fragment grammatically correct?


http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/EWD/transcriptions/EWD04xx/EWD498.html: > We can found no scientific discipline, nor a hearty profession on the > technical mistakes of the Department of Defense and, mainly, one computer > manufacturer. I'd always thought that words after "can" should be in present tense, but the above sentence doesn't sound _wrong_ so now I'm wondering if this rule even exists at all. Must the word after "can" be present tense?


Meaning of "affectionate abandon"

> You should treat your book with **affectionate abandon**. In this sentence what does _affectionate abandon_ mean? Is there an abandon that is affectionate?


Is “Rouse me not” grammatically permissible?

In _A Song of Ice and Fire_ by George R.R. Martin, he writes that the “words” [see footnote] of House Grandison are _Rouse Me Not_. Is this grammatically correct? Does English allow such word-scrambling in sentences? * * *   1. Where a House’s “words” serve as the House motto.


What's an alternative idiom to "rob Peter to pay Paul?"

I'm looking for an alternative to the phrase, but I can't seem to figure any out. What's an alternative to "rob Peter to pay Paul?"


The Interrupting Colon – ie a colon after a verb

I was taught that a colon never, ever follows a verb: it can follow only a complete sentence. Does anybody on this site support this type of usage? Can anybody provide links or examples of colons used after verbs? Have you ever used the colon in this manner in your writing? I did some investigating this afternoon and unearthed some interesting information. _The Handbook of Good English_ and _Merriam Webster's Standard American Style Manual_ support colons after to-be verbs. Awesome! This debunks the myth that colons cannot be used in this way. Does anybody agree with this? Two strong sources support this principle. _The Handbook of Good English by Edward D Johnson_ The question was, did he like zucchini? is correct; the past tense of the question may seem to make it indirect, but it is still direct. Note that _did_ is not capitalized; it could be, and some editors routinely capitalize in such a situation, but a capital is a surprise after a comma and in the example would give the question more independence and emphasis than the writer may want it to have. Note also the comma after _was_ , needed to set up the question, almost as a weak colon. We could, of course, actually use the colon and capitalize after it: _The question was: Did he like zucchini?_ Or we could add quotation marks—which makes changing the tense desirable—and then would need no punctuation before the question The question was "Does he like zucchini?" These alternatives make the sentence rather stately, almost dramatic; the writer may prefer the smoother, more casual _The question was, did he like zucchini?_ * * * _Merriam Webster's Standard American Style Manual_ _The Interrupting Colon_ (as they call it) Opinion varies regarding whether a colon should interrupt the grammatical continuity of a clause (as by coming between a verb and its objects). Although most style manuals and composition handbooks advise against this practice and recommend that a full independent clause precede the colon, _the interrupting colon is common_. It is especially likely to be used before a lengthy and complex list, in which case the colon serves to set the list distinctly apart from the normal flow of running text. With shorter or less complex lists, the colon is usually not used. _MWSASM Example:_ _Our programs to increase profitability include: continued modernization of our manufacturing facilities; consideration of distribution terminals; discontinuation of unprofitable retail outlets; and reorganization of our personnel structure, along with across-the-board staff reductions._


What is the meaning of "zen is the art of being at one with the two'ness"

> zen is the art of being at one with the two'ness What's the _being at one_?   What's the _two'ness_?   Why _two'ness_ not _twoness_? I just don't know the meaning of this sentence.


“A mutual friend”, "A common friend" or “A friend in common”?

When I was a student of EFL, I was taught the word "mutual" implies a reciprocal relationship where X does to Y what Y does to X. If John admires Peter as much as Peter admires John, we can say their admiration is mutual. That said, can I say that Charles and I have a mutual friend ?


Replying to a favour done by someone

Some people did me a big favour. What should I ask them after their help? I have tried to ask directly, using the following sentences: > What would you like me to do to pay back what I owe you?   >  What would you like me to do to make it up for you? I can only think of two of such ways to ask them; I am not sure if I am rude to do that, but in my culture it seems alright.


Term for place to post flyers

What is a term for a physical place to post flyers?


As a color name, would "chili" or "chile" be the same as "chilli"?

The South African flag Wikipedia article consistently refers to the reddish color in the SA flag as _chilli_ , both outside of and within quotes from SA's official interim heraldic description and the SA Constitution's plain-English flag description. (However, Heraldry#Tinctures does not list _chilli_ among the common heraldry colors.) I looked (not successfully) for references for _chilli_ as a color, and am inclined to think the color would be the same whether called _chilli, chili_ or _chile_. Does anyone know different, or have access to an authoritative reference? meta.cooking.SE considers the "Chilli, Chili or Chile?" debacle at great length, but implicitly treating chilies as foodstuffs, not colors.


Term for knowledge that is unintuitive but obvious in retrospect?

Once learned, some bits on knowledge are so intrinsic to one's job or skill that one cannot remember what it felt like without that knowledge (and therefore difficult to document or teach to newcomers). What is the name for this phenomenon?


Is it possible to say "as you can"?

Is it possible to say that "someone does something as he or she can" to express that he or she is doing it with full enthusiasm or is this just badly translated German? Edit: Unusual language wouldn't be a problem in this case.


Can you rephrase this sentence (about storing files)?

> Starting from this date all such files will be stored in folder B. Is it possible to re-phrase this sentence without changing its meaning in such a way that it would start from "Starting from this date the storing of all such files will ..."


Word for half-hemisphere / quarter-sphere?

A _hemisphere_ is a half-sphere, for example, half the Earth: northern, southern, eastern, western hemisphere. In a forum post related to a ESA satellite station in Argentina, I came across the phrase "having such an strategic and experienced partner on the _South West hemisphere_ ". Now obviously, the _South West hemisphere_ is not a hemisphere, but a half- hemisphere. Is there a word for a quarter-sphere, south as, in the geographical case, the north west, north east, south west, south east? Maybe something like _quadrasphere_?


What is the origin of "Why don't you..." as a suggestion or command?

Frequently, in spoken dialogue one hears the above phrase used as a suggestion to the listener (or sometimes more strongly, as a command):   * _Why don't you give me that book?_   * _Why don't you go to the store and get some more milk?_   * _Why don't you make me a sandwich?_ In these examples, the speaker is clearly not asking for the reason the listener is _not_ doing the action in question. It's true that the listener is not actually doing the action (yet), but there is no particular reason for the inaction. The listener is simply unaware of the speaker's desires. In the instances above, _"Why don't you ..."_ could be replaced with _"Would you ..."_ and the meaning would be the same. The latter sounds more natural to me. What is the origin of the _"Why don't you ..."_ phrase and when did it come into use? Is this a regional usage?


Is this a correct construction: "Up to some point in the past I was not aware"?

How should I construct a sentence that would mean _Up to some time in the past I was not aware of something_ (e.g., _Until a few days ago, I did not know that you arrived in the city._ )? Is the sentence correct? Please suggest a few more equivalent sentences with better structure than this.