Better hypernym to substitute for “business agenda”

I'm using the words “business agenda” to describe the set of tasks, documents, processes, features and other artifacts that are related to a single “function” executed by a business. In my language (Czech) the word “agenda” would fit well. However, I feel like misusing “agenda” in English in this context. Further, the particular area I'm addressing is related to document management and collaboration software systems. The typical property of my “agendas” is that they are naturally repeatable (multi-instance in IT terms). To give some examples of what I mean by “agenda” in various business contexts:   * in _banking_ it may be corporate loans — the bank executes a business process to arrange business loans, which involves a ton of administrative work;   * in _construction_ it may be the mere act of building houses — for each house the construction company needs to assemble blueprints, permits, contracts, sign-offs etc.;   * in _project management_ the projects itself — the deliverables, documentation and tasks that are part of the project. In some contexts, a locally-relevant term may be used:   * in _project management_ the natural choice would be a “project”;   * in _legal_ it would be a _case_. What would be the appropriate umbrella term (or terms) covering such various “agendas” without the need for specifying a particular context (area of business), and allowing to get rid of the word “agenda”? I will also appreciate specialized terms for other verticals or types of business problems. **UPDATE:** I'm considering “workload” as a feasible umbrella term as well.


Does one capitalize “Portuguese” when used in a hyphenated adjective?

When _Portuguese_ is used as part of a hyphenated adjective, does it take an initial capital letter? Just checking on this while proofreading an article. ### Examples:   * **p** ortuguese-speaking college    * **P** ortuguese-based firm


Correct usage of the noun liaison

Is "liaised" the past tense of liaison? If so, is this correct or common usage?


Using 'stand for' in reference to persons

Can in the following sentence ... 'I know Christian would want to be here, but **I'm here in his place**.' ... 'I'm here in his place' be replaced with 'I stand here for him'? I.e.: 'I know Christian would want to be here, but **I stand here for him**.' I read that 'stand for' means 'To represent; symbolize,' and now I'm wondering whether it can be used in reference to a person. I'm asking because it is unclear to me whether a person can 'represent' or 'symbolize' another person. To me, 'to represent' or 'to symbolize' are more suitable to use for abstract things.


What is the word for "the fear of being grammatically incorrect"?

Is there a word for "the fear of being grammatically incorrect"? If not, then what's a good way to describe such a situation? Context: > A: I noticed you were quiet during the talk. Why was that?   >  B: I (have / am, ...) ______, so I didn't speak.


"I believe it's valid" vs. "I believe it valid"

Over on another network site, a helpful user corrected the grammar of a post of mine. The answer now says > I believe it's valid. where I originally wrote > I believe it valid. Is the original sentence gramamatically (or at least idiomatically) correct or do I absolutely need a form of 'to be' here? (What's more, is 'to be' a copula or an auxiliary verb if used like this?) I am quite certain that I have seen sentences like the original one in the past, but I am uncertain where. Given that I am frequently exposed to the somewhat made-up English of authors in the fields of sci-fi and fantasy, I might have fallen into a trap here. _Edit_ : I don't doubt that the correction is valid and enhances readability.


Why is the past tense used in this scenario?

Forms for user login typically contain links like these: > Forgot password? > > I forgot my password Why is the past tense used? I would expect present perfect. I mean: > I have forgotten my password


"Old days" or "olden days"?

Sometimes I use the phrase "back in the _old_ days". I was recently in a class where the trainer kept using the phrase " _olden_ days." Which usage is acceptable?


Meaning of "six-three"

What is the meaning of "six-three" in this excerpt from a New York Times article? > “Turn around,” Mr. Florence, in an interview last year, recalled being told > by jail officials. “Squat and cough. Spread your cheeks.” “I consider myself > a man’s man,” said Mr. Florence, a finance executive for a car dealership. “ > **Six-three**. Big guy. It was humiliating. It made me feel less than a > man.” I could not find on Google nor Urban dictionary.


"Start" vs. "begin", "finish" vs. "end"

I am not a native speaker and I have came up with a problem of using _start_ vs. _beginning_. Which one is more proper to indicate a date (year)? For example: >   * The year in which physiotherapy treatment has begun. >   * The year in which physiotherapy treatment has started. > And the same goes for _finish/end_. >   * The year in which physiotherapy treatment has finished. >   * The year in which physiotherapy treatment has ended. >


The meaning of 'be of'

What about such a statement that I found in one of the books for ESL learners: 'what is it of?' or 'what are they of?' What's the meaning of 'be of' here?


How do I pronounce the word "lounge"?

How do I pronounce the word "lounge"? The problem is on Google I found many links which play audio for pronunciation. Unfortunately I am not having an audio device so I cannot hear anything.


How did the word "humor", which originally represented bodily fluids, end up representing funny things?

The etymology of _humor_ shows it represented bodily fluids. It is understood that there was a belief in the ancient time, when each type of bodily fluids were attributed to particular state of mind. But it is not clear how it ended up representing something funny.


Does The Following Sentence Contain Grammar Mistake?

I feel as though the following sentence lacks commas and such, but I wouldn't know. I'm in the middle of working on an article. > Thanks for asking, imaginary person I just created to get my point across.


Fixed vs Have Fixed

Suppose I am writing an email to let people know I fixed a bug (and committed the fix). What should I write ? > I _have fixed_ the bug and committed the fix or > I _fixed_ the bug and committed the fix. P.S. I know the difference between Past Perfect and Simple Past in theory but I am not sure I can use them properly in practice.


Regarding old Greek word usage and it's use in modern words

Is there an Old Greek word or phrase that approximately means non-existence ? I know thanatos means death , I think ; what about the concept of non- existence?


Is it correct to write "backup" as a noun?

I was about to create a folder to keep an archive my important files in. This question got stuck in my mind while renaming it. How do I have to rename that folder?   * Back up   * Backup   * Back-up Are all phrases correct?


What is "the hottest seat/seed in town"? I am not sure if it's a `seed` or `seat` or something else. I heard it a few times on "CNN" when a new upcoming "Larry King Live" program was being advertised. Also what does it mean "in town" here? It seems that it has nothing to do with a physical human settlement on some territory, but rather with some sphere or even some time period, I am not sure.


Is the phrase "having a rave up" still in use?

I found the title of a 1965 album by the Yardbirds called _Having a Rave Up_ quite funny when I first saw it. Dictionary.com defines "rave-up" as "a party, especially a wild one," and notes that this is an informal, British term. The reason it seems funny to me is because, although I have heard the term "rave" often, I have never heard "rave up" used. Is this phrase still in use today, or is it something of a relic from the 60s–70s?


a more appropriate word for "bank"

Just like `bank` in "bank of the river", I want a word for Ocean's bank. I don't like "bank of the ocean" -- so is there any better word? I am writing a literary essay -- and in that article, by "bank of the ocean" I mean happiness compared to an ocean of sorrows and misery.


Does "exotic" have any connotations of sexiness?

Part of a (possibly offensive or at least cringe-worthy) ad says > "We have to go out accompanied and what is better than dating a beautiful > exotic Latina woman here in Colombia, right?" From a prescriptivist and etymological perspective, I assume "exotic" ought not to have any connotations of sexiness, since it's just derived from the Ancient Greek for foreign. And there's plenty of uses of "exotic" that have nothing to do with sexiness, for example cane toads being introduced to Australia from other countries. But from a real world, descriptivist perspective, does "exotic" have any connotations of sexiness? Wiktionary says that exotic means "Foreign, especially in an exciting way.". I suspect, but can't prove, that the main way a woman can be exciting to some men is by being sexy. In at least American English (but probably not as much in Australian English), Exotic dancer is a euphemism for a stripper / pole dancer / belly dancer (I suspect some belly dancers would take issue with this!). William Safire notes the similarity between the words "exotic" and "erotic" (which is to do with sex), but notes that there isn't really such a phrase as "erotic dancer". I don't know whether "exotic dancer" has influenced what people interpret the word "exotic" by itself as meaning. Does the word "exotic" have any connotations of sexiness?


Multiple hyphens make this phrase feel unwieldy... but are they right?

I'm writing a paper in which I refer to " _natural-language-controlled robots_ " about thirty times. I'm curious about this phrase's hyphenation. I would write > robots controlled by natural language without hyphens, but when I turn the phrase around to avoid ambiguity, it turns into > natural language controlled robots which seems to need hyphens all-upons! The robots are not controlled robots of the language variety, so I need a hyphen between language and controlled. They are similarly not language-controlled robots of the natural variety, so it seems I need hyphens between all three words. However, > natural-language-controlled robots feels unwieldy, which brings me here. Is this really how this phrase should be punctuated? The alternative I've come up with is applying a partial initialism, yielding > NL-controlled wheelchairs which seems better, but prompts similar problems; do I really want a hyphen attached to an initialism? That looks wrong. But the sentence seems semantically wrong without it! I'm sure I'm overthinking this.


Synonym of "at a time"

Is there a synonym of _at a time_? For example, > Only four controllers can be connected **at a time**.


"à la" + masculine

I'd like to say > I'm baking a cake _à la_ Ramsey. Here, _à la_ means _in the style of_. My problem is: what if Ramsey is male? The French _la_ goes with _feminine_ nouns. So, should I write the following? > I'm baking a cake _au_ Ramsey. That might be more grammatically correct in French, but seems wrong in English, since _au_ isn't a phrase in English in the same way that _à la_ is.


How and why did "absorb" morph into "absorption" and not "absorbtion"?

Simply put, how and why did "absorb" morph into "absorption" and not "absorbtion"? Additionally, can you think of any other words which morphed in like manner?


Native speakers and the use of conditional statements

I often hear people say that native English speakers don't make grammatical mistakes. But I don't understand the use of conditional statements as most people don't really pay much attention to the verb agreements of the two clauses, specially in the case of hypothetical present and future. Here are some examples: > The worst outcome **would be** if Apple **wins** a large judgment. Read more > on The New Yorker > > If the NATO troops **do pull** back, it **would** leave vast areas of the > country unprotected including border areas with Pakistan. It would > essentially mean the end of the strategy of trying to win hearts and minds > by working with and protecting the local populations. _From AP_. I have heard numerous native speakers use the same structure in spoken English. Can we say this is acceptable grammatically or is it me being a bit too thick to see the thin line?


Is there a word "lazies"?

I see many usages of this word in google (http://www.google.com/search?q=lazies), but I can't find its definition. What does it mean? Is it proper to use it in the following sentence: > This book is for lazies. (It's easy reading)


Usage of the expression "go they went"

I noticed the usage of _go they went_ in the TV show _How I Met Your Mother_ : > Marshall: Where are all my underpants? > > Lily: Did you check your suitcase? > > (Marshall checks his suitcase, gives a thumbs-up) > > Marshall: Let's go. > > Future Ted VO: And **go they went** , all the way to St. Cloud, Minnesota, > Marshall's hometown. Is using this expression correct?


"Have been + verb-ing" vs. "have + past participle"

What's the difference between the following constructions of present perfect: > I've been waiting for you for seven years. > > I've waited for you for seven years. Googling yields no satisfying results. I also asked a native speaker and the one wasn't sure about the difference between the two, so I would like to know if there is any.


"Appealing for" or "appealing to"?

Are there guidelines for when to use _to_ or _for_ with _appealing_? I was writing this sentence: '... choose a time that is appealing to you', and then thought it was likely _for_ , but either seems to make sense or "sound right". Any advice?


What's the name of this pronunciation guide

In dictionaries I see two guides for pronunciation. for example, for the word "ambiguity": _[am-bi-gyoo-i-tee]_ AND _/ˌæmbɪˈgyuɪti/_ I know the second one is named _IPA_. My question is, is there a special name for the first one? and is there probably any difference between them?


Auxiliary verbs

I wonder if there are more other auxiliary verbs in addition to that 23 common verbs. for example when we say : "I let him go." , can we consider the verb "let" as an auxiliary, just because of that it's followed by a bare infinitive as that 23 auxiliaries do? in other words is any verb followed by a bare infinitive called an auxiliary? if not, what is the exact definition of an auxiliary verb?


Question about punctuating the following sentence

Are the commas correct in the following sentence. In the essay A Plague of Tics, the author, David Sedaris, addresses the people who had to put up with his obsessive-compulsive behaviors when he was younger. I am unsure about the comma after Sedaris.


Is there a wiki for this forum?

Is there a wiki for the ELU Exchange? Where is it?


The oppsite word of "indent" is "outdent" or "unindent"?

Is the opposite word of "indent" is "outdent", or is it "unindent"? Corresponding to "Tab" and "Shift Tab" in most editors.


What does 'serval days away from' mean in this sentence?

Her cart was nearly overflowing in preparation for **several days away** from her family, and she still had packing to do at home.


"has to be" or "is to be"

What is the difference between "has to be" and "is to be"? This is the example sentence: _In case a diarization is desired, a proper XYZ algorithm is/has to be used._ I would like to point out, that my personal opinion is using the XYZ algorithm.


Incorrectly taking something facetious seriously

Is there a word for taking something that's meant tongue in cheek seriously? For example trying to prove someone wrong after they taunt you by saying “You couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag”.


What is the difference between "Road", "Avenue", "Street"?

As shown in the title. _What is the difference between Road, Avenue, Street?_


Problems with relative pronouns

I have a question related to punctuations. Please tell me whether the following sentences are correct or not.   1. Innodata is a company that provides BPO and KPO services.    2. Innodata is a company providing BPO and KPO services.    3. Innodata is a company, providing BPO and KPO services. Is it always correct to replace "that" with a comma after changing the verb into "ing" form?


What word means "the city in which one lives"?

I need to find a word which means "the town or city in which one lives". Words like "residence" or "domicile" appear to have this meaning, but because "residence" and "domicile" can also mean "the home in which one lives", my readers will be confused. Is there a word which only refers to the geographic location?


"Bridging X and Y" or "bridging X with Y"?

Which is the correct (or more correct) version of this phrase and why? >   1. Bridging ancient wisdom **with** contemporary science >   2. Bridging ancient wisdom **and** contemporary science. >


Where in the world does "a lift" mean "a ride in the car"?

In the United States and Canada, when someone asks you for "a lift" or you offer "a lift", you are speaking about riding in a car with them. However, in England and other places, a "lift" is an elevator. "Taking a lift" means "taking an elevator". Where else in the world does "a lift" not refer to, or cannot be construed as "a ride"?


Is an en dash before 'which' proper punctuation?

In this sentence > In conclusion, the reading claims that minimum wage is harmful to the > companies, which the lecturer contradicts by providing three points –which > form a compelling argument, to illustrate his viewpoint. Is it grammatical to use "–" before _which_? And if so, should I replace the comma at the end of the same clause with an em dash as well? Or should I only use commas to set off the clause?


Why is the word 'Hello' used frequently when starting a phone call?

Why is the word 'Hello' used universally to begin a phone call? What was the origin of it?


How is "gone" pronounced?

I'm a native Spanish speaker who's trying to grasp some of the subtleties of (American) English pronunciation. I think the sounds that give me the most trouble are the triplet of low back vowels: /ɑ/, /ʌ/ and /ɔ/. The word "gone" is especially tricky, because each time I hear it I hear something different:   * Sometimes I think it's with a /ɔ/, as if it was "gawn". From my very limited experience, it would seem like this is more common in Southern accents.   * Other times it sounds like a /ɑ/, the same vowel as in "pot".   * The third option would be /ʌ/, like "gun", but I'm pretty sure this is not it. Which one of these is it? Does it depend on the accent?


What's the difference between a vicar and a pastor?

What's the difference between a vicar, preferably of the Church of England, and a pastor? I browsed Wikipedia, but most of the gist of the article is that _vicar_ is an ecclesiastical office, and oft-invoked title (e.g. the Pope is known as the _Vicar of Christ_ ), but there's not much else there except for it going into mind-numbing details of the hierarchy between they and rectors and curates, which I don't much care about. [The reason I ask is that through reading various novels and histories, I noticed that quite a many famous scientific figures and intellectuals were sons of vicars, or married vicars' daughters -- in the other words, the office of vicar seemed to have significant social prestige, and require a formidable mind to achieve it, but I can't figure out why, because I don't know what their official duties were or what they were in charge of. What does it mean to be vicar, and how is it different from being a pastor?]


Should I use comma after i.e. clause?

> Automatic translation of classes to relations requires every regular, i.e. > non-subclass and non-association classes to have a primary key. > Automatic translation of classes to relations requires every regular, i.e. > non-subclass and non-association classes, to have a primary key. Which of the above is correct?


Are English language books translated to contemporary English?

Were Shakespeare books translated to contemporary English? Which version is more common? Is there a rule to choose which books will have its language updated? Are poems updated too? From which year I should expect that books have a "translation"?


Telling the truth sarcastically

Is there a term for saying something in a sarcastic manner but you actually mean what you're saying? All the time I say things sarcastically even though I mean what I say. Or if I want to tell the truth but I know no one will believe me I say it sarcastically even though what I'm saying is true. For example, everyone thinks I kissed my friend but I didn't. So when asked I reply sarcastically, "No I never kissed her", insinuating that I did because of the sarcasm in the response. But in reality I'm telling the truth that I didn't. It's almost like a false sarcasm?


"Paid" vs "payed"

I think I have always used these two words interchangeably without noticing until my professor was saying how some students misspelled the word and he was amazed. Can someone tell me when I should use _paid_ over _payed_? I searched for a similar question and got even more confused with this title: _you paid for a persons drink and expect to be payed back_.


Add-in, addin, add-on, addon

For example, Firefox uses **add-ons** whereas Microsoft Office uses **add- ins**. I've seen all 4 versions (add-in, addin, add-on, addon) used in various software programs, but I wonder if all of them are interchangeable. May there be cases where they convey different meanings?


Alternative for "room for improvement"

Is there a 'better' or different way of saying _room for improvement_? e.g. > Despite the success of X, there is still _room for improvement_...


Is there a difference in meaning between "does not seem to" and "seems not to"?

Consider the following sentences: >   1. Try not to be alarmed if a rule doesn’t seem to work for a specific > sentence. >   2. Try not to be alarmed if a rule seems not to work for a specific > sentence. > Is there a difference in meaning between "does not seem to work" and "seems not to work"?


Why do we say that one can "talk the hind legs off a donkey"?

Unlike this questioner, I'm not asking what my phrase means (in case anyone doesn't know and can't guess, it means to _talk incessantly_ ). But I don't know anything _at all_ significant about donkeys' hind legs (apart from the possibility of them being metaphorically talked off). I doubt we can find an actual **origin** for the phrase, but perhaps someone can come up with a plausible reason for _how_ it came about, and/or why it continues to be used.


Why does "one-night stand" mean sex?

What does the word _stand_ mean in this phrase?


"Would rather [infinitive1] than [infinitive2]" vs. "would rather that [subjunctive]""

I am aware of sentences like > Beth **would rather** study at the library **than** go to parties. There is another type of using _rather that_ : >   1. She **would rather that** the plane leave early in the morning. >   2. My parents **would rather** that I drive slowly. > What does this indicate in above sentences in terms of meaning?


What is the grammatical name of the part of the sentence that is in bold?

1. **SEWING** the cassock,John pricked his finger.   2. Mercy and Mary like **smiling**.   3. The Municipal Assembly has a **towing** car.   4. The boys are **playing** their roles well.


What is the origin of 'Just Kidding'?

The phrase is quite popular but I wish to know its origin. Is it possible that it has something to do with childbirth (also called kidding)?


"Fight with the grape": what does it mean?

I am reading _Why the West rules---for now_ and found the idiom "to fight with the grape": > Like the Medes before him, he fought with the grape: he let the Massagetan > vanguard loot his camp [...] I just did not get it. What does it mean?


What is the precise meaning of "soul"?

I was translating a sentence which contained the Arabic word "نفس (nefs)" in an answer to a question. نفس is physical entity of a living thing, that feels and experiences earthly desires and emotions like sleeping, hunger, frightening, and lust. It is the basic animal instincts and desires of a living being. I translated نفس as "physical body", but someone opposed it and said that the word "soul" was more fitting for it. However, I thought that there was a different word for "soul" in Arabic, which is "روح (rooh)". روح is consciousness, power to decide, ability to think and decide. It is the intelligence of a living being. So, which meaning is more fitting to "soul"? Nefs or rooh?   What does "soul" actually mean in English? How do you define it?


"Iterate" vs. "Iterate over"

Is it redundant to say _iterate over_? I cannot think of any other word that you'd use with _iterate_ , so is it acceptable (or correct, even) to drop the _over_?


Etymology of "throw good money after bad"?

The idiom "throwing good money after bad" refers to spending more money on something problematic that one has already spent money on, in the (presumably futile) hopes of fixing it or recouping one's original investment. My question is as to the etymology of this idiom; presumably the "bad" at the end of the phrase means "bad money". Why would the original money spent be considered "bad money"? Surely it's what was done with the money that was bad, not the money itself. And why would the new money being spend be "good"? If the original money is "bad" by virtue of the fact that what it was spent on was bad, then wouldn't this new money be "bad" by the same token?


Is a definite article needed before "sleep"?

Do I need a definite article before "sleep" in the following sentence? > How do they call in English that yellowish substance that is gathered in the > corner of a human eye during **the** sleep?


A word describing the substance in the human eye

How do they call in English that yellowish substance that is sometimes gathered in the corner of a human eye during the sleep?


What does Mitt Romney aide's remark "keep Boston off message all week" mean?

Mitt Romney seems to be haunted with the plague of gaffes of his own and his aides’. Time magazine’s (August 4) article titled “Worse gaffe than Etch-A-Sketch” reported another gaffe that Romney’s aide, Eric Fehmstrom, made and the author Mark Halperin says it could derail the campaign and _"keep Boston off message all week"_. I think I know the idiom, “keep sb/stg off,” but I’m not clear with the specific meaning of “keep Boston off message all week” in the article. Does this mean (1) Fehmstrom’s gaffe keeps Romney's right and intended message from reaching Boston voters, or (2) it keeps Boston voters absorbed in the gaffe all week (thus making them forget about Romney’s campaign message), or (3) otherwise? What is the exact meaning of ‘ _keep Boston off message’_? FYI. The episode goes like this: When Fehmstrom was at his desk at an ad agency working on a press release for a new menu of Popeye’s’ Fried Chicken, he received a phone call from Romney asking for help on his gubernatorial campaign; he said: “I said to myself, _there has to be more interesting things in life than spicy fried chicken,_ I hung up the phone, walked down the hall and quit.”


Is there a single word that means "under the table"? I am looking for a single word that conveys a knowing, sly, violation of law or ethics — like an _under- the-table_ or _off-the-books_ payment.


Word for having a definite opinion while simultaneously withholding judgement?

Someone with this attitude would have a definite or even strong opinion on a given issue, but would also be willing to change their mind should new information arrive. The word could also be used to describe someone who was open minded, but also had a clear working opinion which they were prepared to use with confidence. An example of this would be an Agnostic who nevertheless considers it very unlikely that God exists. But the meaning shouldn't be limited to a religious context. `Agnostic` is close, but only seems to describe the open minded aspect of the attitude, not the having a definite working opinion aspect. Any ideas?


Is there ambiguity in this sentence?

> **Further to fathom** Aquinas on this matter, however, it is useful to > remember that, when he explains what goodness is, he typically says that to > be good is, quite generally, the same as being desirable. (On Evil, > introduction, by Brian Davies) I think there is ambiguity in this sentence. I can understand "further" to mean "furthermore". Also "further" can be seen as tightly following "fathom". More probably, I think the author means **"to fathom further..."**. If so, I think the word order better remains to be "to fathom further.."


What is the word for the kind of thing that legal laws can apply to?

I know this question title is awkward, so let me explain by example: > The word "law" means different things in different contexts. You have the " > _laws_ of natural science" (e.g. the law of energy conservation) versus the > " _laws_ of __" (e.g. shoplifting is against the law). I have trouble filling in the blank. _States_? _Nations_? _Jurisdictions_? Am I on the right track at all by thinking about governmental jargon?


Difference between flooding and inundation?

_flooding_ vs. _inundation_ Watching the News, I noticed that the above two words are a bit different. Some Disaster Management organization has one of its goals listed as _To prevent inundation and flooding of the low lying areas during cyclone._ What is the difference between the words as implied in the above sentence?


Is the word "minute" drifting?

In the past year, I've started to hear phrases like "I know I've been gone for a minute..." when the speaker is referring to a time period that is significantly longer than 60 seconds (multiple days). That is, they don't even mean a relatively short period of time (unless they compare it to a decade or something). Is this word drift actually happening? And, if so, where did it start? Is it purposely ironic? Examples: 1, 2


How alive is the distinction between 'not any more' and 'not any longer'?

Does > I don't love you any more. mean that my love dwindled till there was not any more of it left, focus(s)ing on the process, whereas > I don't love you any longer. would mean that there came a day when I had to admit my love had ceased to be, focus(s)ing on that day's more or less sudden realisation rather than on the process which led (had led?) to that day? How alive is the distinction between 'not any more / no more' and 'not any longer / no longer'?


What is the difference between 'need' and 'want'

Helping those who are in need. What does that mean? Does that mean to help people with anything they want, i.e. buy them the latest fashion accessories, or does it mean to help them with their basic needs, i.e. food, water, shelter etc?


Are "betwixt", "trebble", etc., acceptable in American English?

I grew up speaking British English. The words I learnt were occasionally marked off in papers, despite their being English words. Are words like _betwixt_ , _trebble_ , _learnt_ acceptable in papers for English classes for professors in America, specifically Texas?


Difference between "how you want" and "how you will"

Is there any difference in meaning betweeen these two?   Is one a valid grammar construct and the other not?


"Today's assumption" or "todays assumption" — which is valid grammar?

We (non native English-speakers) are writing a paper and are wondering if the following construct is valid English: > Yesterday's assumption is no longer valid. Specifically the apostrophe after _yesterday_ (and likewise in _today_ and _tomorrow_ ) brings up some debate. Can anyone give a clear answer whether this is proper English?


What are the most popular gender-neutral pronouns that aren't the same as other contemporary pronouns?

There have been attempts to use other contemporary English pronouns to stand- in as a true gender-neutral pronoun, given that English is lacking a commonly- accepted one for adult humans (non-humans and even babies can be referred to as 'it'). Examples of this include 'he/she', 'one', and the singular 'they'. However, these can be confused with the contemporary pronouns which have been used as stand-ins, and they can at times be awkward to use. Other pronouns exist which can avoid this problem, such as ' **thon** ', which seems to have historically picked up the most momentum, and was in the dictionary as recently as 1964! Which are the most commonly used gender-neutral pronouns in English around the world today, to be used when referring back to an adult human, that aren't the same as other contemporary pronouns?


Whose + article

Why does ' _whose_ ' no longer precede an article? If ' _whose_ ' is equivalent to ' _of which_ ', it should be allowed to, should it not ?


"Perverse interest" vs. "perverted interest"

Does anybody recognize differences between the following sentences? >   1. She took a _perverse_ interest in photos of boys. >   2. She took a _perverted_ interest in photos of boys. >


Term for use of descriptor or noun in place of proper name?

What is the term for the literary use of a 'descriptor' in place of a proper name, as in Shakespeare's play Much Ado about Nothing, when Benedict refers to Beatrice as "Lady Disdain" instead of Lady Beatrice?


Why is "busy" pronounced "bizzy"?

Of all the ways I could come up with to pronounce the word "busy", "bizzy" would be very low on my list. At least "bussy" or "boosy". Why "bizzy"?


Is it correct to speak of an object as "cover" ? or to say "behind cover"?

In gunfights, fighters protect themselves from shots by staying behind objects. It's called _taking cover_ and _staying behind cover_. But cover, just like shadow, is the consequence of the position of two things (persons or light and a person) in relation to a third one (tree). So because both are limited in time and space, I would tend to consider them more as concepts than objects. However, in my mind, a shelter is definitely an object.


Why does the ending -ough have six pronunciations?

There are "cough", "tough", "bough", "through", and "though" (and "hiccough", if you're not from the U.S.); each of which has a different pronunciation for the ending "-ough". Why is this? Edit for clarification: I'm trying to figure out why "cough" is spelled with an "-ough", if it's pronounced with an "-off". And then "tough", pronounced "tuff". Why is that not spelled "tuff"? "Bough", "through", and "though" should be spelled "bow", "thrue" (or "thru"), and "thoe". Where did "-ough" come from? And then "hiccough". Since that derives from "cough", it should be pronounced "hickoff", but it isn't.


What does “double-down” mean when used in a context other than Blackjack?

I saw the phrase “double-down” in the following sentence of the Washington Post article (June 28, 2011) titled “Why Michele Bachmann is no Sarah Palin.” > “Palin is notorious for doubling-down on perceived missteps, typically > blaming a biased media for not telling the whole story.” I know "double down" is a term of Blackjack meaning the players’ option of doubling their bet and receiving one more card, but what does the phrase exactly mean in this particular context? Does it mean Sarah Palin makes most of her missteps or gaffes to turn into her political (or campaign) advantages? Is the use of "doubling-down" like this a casual usage to be applied to anything else, or a kind of "purple prose" that I recently learned?


Does one apply "to university" or "to a university"?

Is one of these more correct? > I will apply to university next year. > > I will apply to a university next year. Also: > I go to university. > > I go to a university.


What do you think if you see an image with its description "last night at New York"?

I saw that a friend of mine who moved to New York City 3 months ago posted a picture on Facebook. She described it as "last night at New York." The first time I read it, I thought she meant that it was her last night in New York City and that she was going to move somewhere else the next day. So I asked her and it turned out that "last night" means "yesterday night." There are two questions I have.   1. Is it confusing to say "last night at some places"? How can I know whether it means "yesterday night" or "the last night that she will be there"?   2. If the usage of "last night" in this example is not clear, what are some clearer ways of differentiating between "yesterday night" and "my last night in the city"?


What does “the line turns on somebody’” mean?

I came across the phrase ‘ _the line had turn on us’_ in the following paragraph of the article titled “Running in the red: How the U.S. on the road to surplus, detoured to massive debt,” appearing in Washington Post (April 30.) > “Still, Hoagland (CBO analyst, William Hoagland), said, the abandonment of > fiscal discipline in the wake of the surpluses clearly didn’t help. ‘Nobody > pushed for paying for this stuff,’ he said. Not even after “it became very > clear in the middle of 2003 that _the line had turned on us_. And the > surpluses as far as the eye could see were no longer there.’” I searched for the definition of ‘the line had turn on somebody,’ through Google to find no entry of this phrase. Isn’t _“the line turns on somebody’_ ” an idiom? What does ‘the line’ here stand for, and what does this phrase mean at all?


Word for updating one single "square" in a grid

What would be an appropriate word for updating one single _square_ in a grid/matrix, e.g. in a game of Tetris?   What are those _squares_ called? I was hoping for something like "Update square."


Etymology and meaning of the word "snog"

Having looked to urban dictionary, witionary, online etymology, dictionary.com, Wikipedia and wordfreaks.tribe.net, I have found a wide variance in the etymology and definition of the word _snog_. I believe this to be a British phrase meaning simply kissing, but several of the above references push it to the level of making out. Does the OED, or a some specific example in common usage provide any insight or guidance to differentiate the connotation?


using present progressive with present simple in subordinate clause

There are two corrects answers in this sentence according to the answer keys, but I don't know why and when (like in a certain situation) which one should be used. Before the train departs, all the tickets --------- collected.   1. are being --correct   2. were being   3. had been   4. will have been --correct I understand that number 4 is correct if the writer wants to say that tickets will be collected in the future before the train departs. As for number 1, under what circumstance is this used? Does the writer want to say that all the tickets are being collected not before the train departs? Thank you.


Quotation near full stop

What is the correct way to quote this piece of text? The issues here are the initial letter which is now capitalized (I believe that is correct) and the omission of a few words **near the period**. Should the period still be present, should I remove it, is there any need for space there? Original phrase: > This is how the clerk obtains user details and verifies its authenticity. > Then, he is ready to proceed with the activation of the user account. My attempts at it. Are these properly constructed? > [T]he clerk obtains user details ... . Then, he is ready to proceed with the > activation of the user account. > > [T]he clerk obtains user details.... Then, he is ready to proceed with the > activation of the user account. > > [T]he clerk obtains user details ... Then, he is ready to proceed with the > activation of the user account. > > [T]he clerk obtains user details ... [t]hen, he is ready to proceed with the > activation of the user account. Usually I read through OWL when I have these kind of doubts but I could not find anything regarding the specific case where you take out the words near the period but keep quoting right after it. I don't think it will matter but this is for a technical document.


What does “straight out of [person]” mean?

I know the meaning of the _straight out_. But what does it mean with _of_? For example: > It’s straight out of Alice Miller.


What is the reason that American English and British English use "Post" and "Mail" with different frequencies?

Common usage in the UK is that a _postman_ of the Royal _Mail_ Service delivers the _post_ , and someone may _post_ a letter (see BrE Ngram), whereas in the USA, usage has become equally common that a _mailman_ of the United States _Post_ Office delivers the _mail_ (AmE Ngram). Why do both forms of English have the same two words and have parallel but reversed inconsistencies between the name of the Service and the objects manipulated by that Service? And what do Canadians do? (There's no "Canadian English" option in Ngram!)


What is the opposite of "euphemism"

The comments in an older question of mine on E.S.E leave an issue unresolved: What does one call the situation in which a taboo concept is referred to as being a specific case of a more general nonvulgar concept? The specific example that I would like to address is the Hebrew verb לדעת. This verb has several meanings. One meaning is to have knowledge of. Another meaning is to have sexual relations with. One could argue that the latter is a _what_ for the former?


Capitalization of honorifics such as "your excellency", "your majesty", "your holiness"

When addressing an ambassador, is it > I agree with your excellency. or should _your, excellency_ , or both be capitalized? Likewise with "your majesty" and "your holiness".


Word for parent of a single child?

Is there a word that means “a parent who has exactly one child”? **EDIT** : I am asking for purposes of creating a computing construct. But if there were an answer that is clearly correct for another domain, I’d be delighted to use it.


Sparrow is to bird as snake, human, and lion is to __?

One can call any flying (or even non-flying) feathered thing a bird (excluding oddities such as bats). But what would we call any animal that stays on the ground? A ground animal? Note: this isn't a homework question or anything, it's a word I want to use to describe a class, which inherits from `Animal`. Edit: Clearly this is a very broad question, I believe that I should be more specific. So lets narrow the choices of "ground animals" to those that you could find in a zoo, which means not bugs, dinosaurs, etc.


Is it correct to use "anniversary" to commemorate a sad event or is it better to use "memorial". Or is there, in fact, a better term? For instance, "observing the 20th anniversary of the Rwanda genocide" vs "observing the 20 year memorial of the Rwanda genocide?


How do I use, "Be it" in a question, or can I?

I'm writing a poem and I want to use this specific wording, but I'm not sure if it's grammatically correct. Here is the line: "Will you ever ask for the truth or be it ignorant you stay?"


Pronunciation of the word Leicester

I was playing Monopoly the other day (haven't played for some time) and I bought Leicester Square. However, everytime someone landed on my block, I was unsure as to its pronunciation. So far I've heard two: > **Lei- _ses_ -ter Square**   >  and   >  **Lei- _ches_ -ter Square** Which is the correct pronunciation?


What is a fork's single point called?

A fork usually has three points, what are the individual points called? Trident points?


Accent of the word "invalidity"

In my legal studies class, this word cropped up and the whole class, including the teacher, couldn't pronounce it. They usually tried it several times and then ended up with different results. Where does the accent on this word go? > **In** -validity ?   >  In- **va** -lidity ?   >  or   >  Inva- **li** -dity?


Use of 'The' in names containing 'Of'

Names, often, are related to places or regions like   * Mahmud of Ghazni   * Christopher of Bavaria My questions are:   1. Are such names always related to people from political backgrounds (Kings, Ministers, Feudal Lords etc.)?   2. Against conventions for general names, is it correct to prefix such names with 'The'?   3. Is it correct to simply write 'The' + First_Name and ignore the location, as in, 'The Mahmud' instead of 'The Mahmud of Ghazni'.


"Newly found" vs. "New Found"

What is the grammatically correct way to say the following sentence? > "I have come away with a **new found** respect for the author..." or > "I have come away with a **newly found** respect for the author..."


Elven or Elfin?

I am writing a fantasy book and am having trouble with when and how to use words such as "Elfin", "Elven", "Elfish", and "Elvish". I don't understand the difference between using a V or an F. Help?


Is there a difference between "elfish" and "elvish"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When to use "Elven", "Elvish" and "Elfic"? The dictionary seems to think that they are the same. Here are their definitions: > **Elfish**: elflike; elfin;   >  **Elvish** : Just provides a link to "elfish" I know that "elvish" can also refer to the language of the elves, but what I'm asking, is there a difference between "elfish" and "elvish" in this way: "Elfish" is like an elf, as in "elfish looking girl". But "elvish" means that something is of an elf, that is, it comes from an elf, or is an elf, i.e. "Elvish man" meaning a man whose race is that of an elf. Is there such a difference in meaning? If that's not clear enough, something like this. > a: That's an elfish man. Yes the one in the jacket. Small and sprightly and > everything.   >  b: He's actually elvish. His father was an elf.


Intolerance and Bigotry

Consider this statement: "I will not watch two men kissing" Surely this is an example of bigotry? But what about: "I will not watch reality TV" The sentence takes the exact same form and is identical in all but the subject. Both express intolerance towards something. Is it also an example of bigotry? If not, why not? * * * EDIT 1: I guess what I was after was the acceptable usage of the word biggoted - for example one meaning is intolerance of ideas. A genre of TV could be construed to be an idea, but this seems like a very odd usage of the word to me. Would my second usage of the word be acceptable?


Common usage of "namely"

I got an email today: > Medical will be sending some people over to give a talk, namely Joe Foo and > Bob Bar. I know the dictionary says _namely_ means: > adverb /ˈnāmlē/ That is to say; to be specific (used to introduce detailed > information or a specific example) \- to me there is only one kind of rock, > namely, loud rock But I always thought it means "mainly" from context, e.g., "The students are rioting, namely the engineering students." What does it mean to you?


Is subclassing a valid verb?

Is (to) subclass a valid verb? It comes from this background: Inheritance (object-oriented programming). A class models something and to create a subclass means to extend this class.


Alternative for 'setting the heather on fire'

I have a thing for idioms and one such idiom I regularly use is 'to set the heather on fire'. It fits well whenever referring to doing something sensational. Now, is there any alternative to this? Any other idiom or word which comes close to meaning the same?


What does "small amount of ease" mean?

If you say you want something to occur with a "small amount of ease", what are you actually saying? I understand that the intention of this phrase is typically that you want something to be done easily; but, does it literally mean that something should be hard?


Usage of "elbowroom"

In German there is the word _Spielraum_ which literally translated means "space available for limited movement" and is used for example to describe a limited location/angle tolerance in mechanical bearings or joints and the like, more often however it's used figuratively to describe the range of tolerable actions an individual can take in order to reach certain goals. The dictionary translates _elbowroom_ (among other things) to _Spielraum_ and I'd like to know whether it is fine to use it in the same way for describing the range of actions someone is able to take.


Why do non-native English speakers get the present participle wrong?

I see people saying things like this: > With a new infusion of cash it allows to make the film. ...instead of... > With a new infusion of cash it allows making the film. I can't find a specific example right now, but it always takes the form of verb + infinitive instead of verb + participle. I've seen this repeatedly with the verb "allow"; there are others but I forget what they are. This grates on my ears more than anything. What is the cause? **Update:** Here are some examples from the web (searching Google for "allows to": http://www.thedigitalbus.com/new-google-analytics-allows-to-measure-site- speed/   http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-03-06/news/28660032_1_border- areas-mobile-towers-border-districts   http://getandroidstuff.com/clap-phone-finder-android-app-find-phone-clapping/   https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=413451 These sites have constructs like "allows to steal", "allows to find", "allows to erect", and "allows to measure". Perhaps it is the missing direct object that a respondent mentioned, but the present participle is the first thing that comes to my mind: "allows stealing", "allows finding", "allows erecting", and "allows measuring". There is also "requires to" and "helps to". **Update 2:** Here are some specific examples - taken from the web pages linked above. All of these phrases are _wrong_ : > New Google Analytics Allows to Measure Site Speed > > Android app allows to find your Phone > > allows to steal data from sessionstore.js (The last one is a fragment, I know.) Here's more examples (all _wrong!!_ ): > Creating a Google Account Requires to Enter Your Birthday in the US > > Host now requires to use SMTP with PHP > > Smart Array 6402 always requires to press F1 to continue. I sincerely hope this is clear now. All of the examples given need a past participle (or some sort of direct object). **Update 3:** (Hope I'm not overdoing this!) I would correct each of the above examples thusly: > New Google Analytics Allows _Measuring_ Site Speed > > Android app allows _you_ to find your Phone > > allows _stealing_ data from sessionstore.js > > Creating a Google Account Requires _Entering_ Your Birthday in the US > > Host now requires _using_ SMTP with PHP > > Smart Array 6402 always requires _pressing_ F1 to continue.


An English equivalent to “débroussailler un projet”

This week, I was stuck trying to explain to my boss that I started to “ _débroussailler le projet_ ” (a French expression, literally: remove brushwood from the project). What I meant with this expression is that I already explored some lines, tried several approaches, analyzed important parts, although I've not got to the core yet. The best I could find, without resorting to complex periphrases, was “to explore the project”, but I believe a better translation exists, closer to what I meant. Any ideas?


Should I use the singular or plural here?

The following two phrases MS Word marks as wrong, whereas I think they are correct; but I would like feedback to be sure. > Microsoft and Cisco _are_ both designing ... MS Word suggests changing the _are_ to _is_. > What additional hardware and software will the business _be_ required to > obtain? MS Word suggests changing the _be_ to _are_. In both cases I think MS Word's suggestion is wrong, but I would like to have this confirmed.


What is the origin of the phrase "to go apeshit"? An example usage would be: > And then he went apeshit over the prize he just won. Obviously there is a strong visual associated with an angry ape, but is there a known history to the phrase as it is used today?


What's the difference between "call off" vs. "cancel"?

> You have to get Chang _to call off_ some of this homework.


Word for a person who is "in charge"?

When you contact organization units like a department, an agency, etc., there is usually a main person whom you should contact. He/she is also the main responsible person for critical problems. Should we call him/her _person in charge_? Is there a simple word for that? And, is following right? >   * Who is the person in charge of this department? >   * To contact the person in charge of that department, dial 234 567. >   * Do you know that department's person in charge? > P.S. The problem behind: It's used in a data table, a column "PersonInCharge" seems too complicated, though. And, the _manager_ or the _supervisor_ may be someone else, so I'm not likely to use them as well.


What are comparative strong points of online dictionaries and other useful reference sites?

> NOTE: This question was composed in an attempt to follow Guidelines for > Great Subjective Questions. I hope I do not fail them too hard, but if you > see how the question can be improved please edit it or let us discuss it on > chat or meta. Apologies if I failed searching and if this is a duplicate. There are two sites that I most commonly use as a first stop when looking up words online:   * onelook, the _reasons_ are that, for example, looking up a word "dictionary" gives not only quick and short definition (from macmillan), but also links to 44 other dictionaries and to etymonline   * wordnik, the _reasons_ for this one are that it gives you immediately on the results page definitions and examples from a few dictionaries that you can compare, however it does not give links directly (compare a lookup for "dictionary" \- it gives definitions from four dictionaries, reformatted to consistent look and some examples) (Both of these are aggregating from different sources, but similiar reasons could be given for specific dictionary sites). I would like to find out **which** other dictionaries or sites people are using as the first stop (regardless if they are aggregators or specific dictionaries) and **why** (in a sense of how or when they would be best used)? Please one site per answer.


Confused with Present Participle + Noun pattern, does the "copied file" refer to the "original file"?

## Patterns: Past Participle + Noun In my understanding `Past Participle + noun` means the action applied to the noun as follows:   1. He `murdered` a little girl = The little girl was `murdered` by him. The `murdered girl` is being investigated by polices.   2. He `copied` my file without my permission = My file was `copied` (by him) without my permission. The `copied file` is very confidential. ## Question Does the `copied file` refer to the original file? Or does it refer to the copy of the original file? Based on my understanding above, the `copied file` should refer to the original one. But it is not the case when I read the following quote > Subversion does not create an entire new file version in the repository with > its copy. Instead, the old and new versions are linked together internally > and the history is preserved for both. The `copied versions` take up only a > little extra room in the repository because Subversion saves only the > differences from the original versions. where the `copied version` represents the copy of the original one.


a line in Dracula

In Dracula, a passage: > My dear young miss, I have the so great pleasure because you are so much > beloved. That is much, my dear, even were there that which I do not see. I am stuck at "That is much" and "even were there that which I do not see." Would any native speaker be so kind to explain the meanings? Thanks in advance.


Payed or paid, is there a rule for this change in vowels?

Why do some verbs combine the "y" and the "e" in the past tense, while others retain "ye"? For example, pay to paid, but flay to flayed? Is there a rule for this change? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. JRH


Can I use "what are you talking about." with the words in that order?

We've got a dispute on the point whether the phrase should be "What you are talking about." or "What are you talking about." in the affirmative sentence. I was arguing that it should be the former, and the word-order is not so important in that phrase, is it? Help us solve the dispute, please :)


What is meant by "cock a snook" . How to use it in sentence

When I was reading an article I came across a phrase "cock a snook". After browsing I did not find any convincing or clear meaning of this sentence. I also what to use this word in a sentence.


In June–July 1967? Between June–July 1967?

Which is correct and which is not?   1. In June--July 1967, there were...   2. Between June--July 1967, there were...   3. Between June and July 1967, there were... If I want to use "June--July 1967", how can I express?


What do you call someone interested in learning many languages?

What do you call a person who is interested in many languages? I think _linguist_ and _polyglot_ refer to a person who is already well-versed. I need a word for a person who is just interested and starting off to be a linguist in the future.


Is lamb meat called ‘agnew’?

In Wikipedia, specifically at the entry on the Middle English creole hypothesis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_English_creole_hypothesis it appears that ‘agnew’ is being listed as being the aristocratic form of ‘lamb meat’, but I cannot find confirmation of that anywhere, including the online dictionary of Merriam-Webster. Can anyone confirm/refute this entry?


What are some colloquial English expressions for comparing hot/cold weather to something else?

I'm looking for colloquial expressions that compare hot, cold, and wet weather to something else. For example, “It’s hotter than two goats in a pepper patch”, “Colder than a witch’s tit”, etc. Often these expressions use a superlative formula, such as “Hotter than [X]” or “Cold enough [to do Y]” or “Wet as [Z]”. Some make statements about cause and effect, such as “It’s so cold [X event could happen]”. I'm especially interested in examples that have widespread or historical usage. Something you’ve heard different people say, or something your grandparents used to say - not something you just made up. This is for an art project, focusing on expressions from the United State and Ireland, in English and Gaelic, but will include expressions from other languages as long as an English translation is included. Thanks in advance for any help!


What is the deeper meaning of the phrase "as I was just saying to X"?

This is the scenario I'm thinking of. Person A talks to person B about something. Then person C joins them. For some reason Person A says something to Person C that they were just talking about with person B. They preface it with "As I was just saying to B...". If person B weren't within earshot they wouldn't say it. I've only my own experience to go on, but this isn't an unusual thing for me to hear. I'm in the SE of the UK. What is the meaning behind those words? I have my own theory, but I'd like to hear yours.


Golf Define "Rolling Draw"

In the context of golf, what does "rolling draw" mean? I do not having an example sentence unfortunately, but other words in the same context include Walker Cup, Forecaddies, Niblick, Fairway bunkers, and Greens. I've tried both Google and Wikipedia without any luck.


I often say to people ''you're feeling all made up'' when they are really happy about the outcome of a situation, where does this saying come from?

I often use the phrase ''you feel made up'' or ''all made up'' when someone feels really happy or pleased about the outcome of something or how things have gone. Where does the meaning for this come from?


What do you call a web advert that obscures page content forcing you to look at it?

When you visit certain annoying websites, as soon as they load, they display a full-page advert that blocks the content. And you usually have to click "Skip ad" or similar to get rid of it. Is there a name for that kind of ad? * * * **Clarification** : I don't mean those banner ads that expand when you roll over them, partially obscuring page content... I mean the big ads that appear **before you see any content** , when you first open a web page, almost like a splash screen. Sometimes they disappear after a few seconds, and sometimes you have to click to skip past them.


Is there a name/term for phrasing something such that to disagree implicates yourself?

For example: > Now available in all good stores. . . where to not agree to stock an item suggests that your store is not good, or: > All rational people agree that. . . where to refuse to agree suggests that you are not rational, or: > Those who can, teach. (a slogan used for encouraging people to become teachers) which suggests that if you aren't _teaching_ a subject you are implicitly "worse" at that subject. Obviously, all of these are subtle phrasing tricks that may be used casually or quite deliberately. Is there a term for this type of phrasing?


What expression do you use in a CV if you have redone something?

I am writing my CV at the moment and I am at a tricky part. I have redone a software for a company and I want to include this in my CV. I have in my CV: "Erstellung eines Warenwirtschaftssystems in Visual Basic", although even this does not quite cover this. They had an old system using Basic or something and I used a modern language, Visual Basic (don't trash me on that — I was young and needed money). What would be the expression in correct English?


Why do we brew beer but make wine?

Why not brew wine and make beer? Non native speaker so I can't fully discern the difference. Thanks.


Can the Future Perfect be used in a main clause of a conditional sentence that has a stative/non-action verb in the if-clause?

A student asked me this question today about a sentence like: _(1) If Canada's population is 40 million, the Canadian economy will have been more dynamic._ I was asked if it corresponded, in a future conditional sense, to the third conditional sentence _(2) If Canada's population had been 40 million, the Canadian economy would have been more dynamic._ To me, sentence #1 sounds utterly ungrammatical, and my tentative theory is that the ungrammaticality is because of the **stative/non-action** verb in the if-clause. I can come up with unusual--but grammatical--sentences using Future Perfect in the main clause and a Simple Present **action verb** in the if- clause, such as _If she agrees to marry me, we will have lived together for a year by next Christmas._ But I have not been able to dream up a corresponding, grammatical example that uses a **stative/non-action verb** in the if-clause, nor can I think of a way to transpose the meaning of #2 (third conditional) to #1. I need some help with this, and my search of umpteen grammar reference books, Google, and the ELU archives has not helped. Please enlighten me.


When to use "I was ... " and when "I had been ... "?

I guess it's about simple past vs. past perfect usage but some examples are welcomed, I'm really not sure if I understand it correctly. EDIT: Right, probably I should be more specific. The thing is currently I'm reading one (american) book where, of course, a narration style dominates. And yet, the main protagonist often changes a tense from "I was" to "I had been" and I simply can't figure out the rule.


Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray: "I wonder will you understand me?"

In _The Picture of Dorian Gray_ , I came across the following passage, spoken by Basil Hallward: > There is nothing that art cannot express, and I know that the work I have > done since I met Dorian Gray is good work, is the best work of my life. But > in some curious way — _**I wonder will you understand me?**_ — his > personality has suggested to me an entirely new manner in art, an entirely > new mode of style. I fail to understand the lack of a comma separating _I wonder_ and _will you understand me_. Doesn't it make it sound somewhat awkward? Or is it part of Wilde's style? Or perhaps simply a printing error, which survived through successive editions? Googling the sentence only returns pages quoting _The Picture of Dorian Gray_ , hence bringing little information. Can someone explain this to me?


I thought "spare me with ..." means "don't bother me with the details of ...". Does it?

But according to my friend I am wrong. What do you think?


Pronunciation of "Oceania" in British English

How is _Oceania_ properly pronounced in British English? Is it /ˌəʊʃɪˈɑːnɪə/, or /ˌəʊʃɪˈɑːnə/? I know a lot of people who use the latter, but I have always been taught the former.


Is there an online sample sentence database or search engine?

Sometime, I am not sure if I use a specific word correctly. I would like to get some sample sentences to learn from. So, is there a online sample sentence database/search engine?


Single word for feeling bad about feeling bad

There arises situations when at first we feel bad about something and then later we feel bad about _feeling bad_ in the first place about that something. I don't exactly remember the situation I was in, but I do remember having this feeling. **EDIT:** "feeling bad" means the opposite of "feeling good" (about something) or "good feeling" (about something). **NOT** naughty, ill or ashamed.


What does “Lose the whiny entitled air” mean after the sentence “Say, ‘could you warm the soup up,’ Not, ‘How dare you serve me cold soup!’”?

There was the following sentence in New York Times’ (May 3rd) article titled, “Complaining is hard to avoid, but try to do it with a purpose,” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/04/your-money/the-satisfaction-and-annoyance- of-complaining.html?_r=0 And I stumbled on the ending phrase “Lose the whiny entitled air.” > “Instead of using a complaint as a conversation opener, he (Will Bowen, an > ordained minister who has written the book “A Complaint Free World”) > suggested, “talk to them about something good or positive.” > > He is not arguing that you can’t note when something is wrong. He says you > should just do it directly in a neutral manner to the person responsible, > not to everyone around you and not with a voice of outrage. > > “Say, ‘The soup is cold, and could you warm it up,’ ” said Mr. Bowen, “Not, > ‘how dare you serve me cold soup!’ ” **Lose the whiny entitled air.** As I wasn't able to understand what “ **Lose the whiny entitled air** " means, and its connection with the preceding line, I first looked for the idiom “lose the air” in both Cambridge and Oxford online dictionaries in vain. Questions:   1. Is “Lose the whiny entitled air,” here an imperative form? Can we order someone to “lose the air”?   2. If this is not an imperative form, what is the subject of this phrase?   3. How is “Lose the whiny entitled air” connected with the preceding sentence, “Say, ‘the soup is cold, and could you warm it up,’ ”? To me it doesn’t flow smoothly.   4. In essence, what does “Lose the whiny entitled air” mean?


Cipher vs. Cypher

I recently came across a (not very well written) piece of writing in which "cipher" and "cypher" were used interchangeably. Is there any difference between them, or are they two spellings of the exact same word? If so, is it similar to the difference between "gray" and "gray", where one is more common in a certain geographic area?


What would be a proper alternative word or phrase for "social network", but have the same impact or meaning?

What people normally first think in my opinion when they hear "social network". What else could you say apart from social network?


How should we treat a plural term that refers to singular term?

I'd like to better understand why is the following grammatical: > One of the problems is flags. Here _flags_ refers to the flagging system. However, _flags_ is plural and the flagging system is singular. I would consider the following alternatives grammatical: > One of the problems is the flagging system.   >  **This is the actual meaning.**   >  One of the problems is the flagging.   >  This would be best option if the problem is in the _process_ of flagging.   >  One of the problems is caused by the flags.   >  Best if the problem was with displaying the actual flags, but avoids the > _[singular] is [plural]_ pattern.   >  One of the problems is “flags”.   >  Quoted to denote unusual usage. The original is semantically clear to me, but I am unsure if it is grammatically correct. * * * NOTE: This is related to the following question and this answer. There is already a short answer there, but I wanted more details and references to grammatical rules that govern this case (so I can further explore on my own) and thought it would be noise over there.


a word for water after it falls

Is there a word ( noun ) that refers to the condition/ place at the base of a waterfall where the water that has fallen over upsurges upon hitting the bottom and rolls back on itself before continuing downstream ? I watched a child's ball caught in this, rolling on itself unable to float further with the flow.


Why do 'organization' and 'organisation' both seem to be commonly accepted spellings, and when is one used over the other?

Looking at several online dictionary resources, it seems that the accepted spelling of "organization" is with a 'z', however, even on this site, "organisation" is frequently used as the spelling. Why the difference, and when is it appropriate to use one over the other? **EDIT** : Here is a link to the Oxford Dictionary article, just for ease of reference: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/organization?q=organisation The link for the non-American-English article as well: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/organization


Historical use of 'repetitive' and 'repetitious' in BE/AE

Two oddities (I think so, anyway) I've just now stumbled across with the ngram viewer:   * In 18th century American English, things got very repetitive. Is there an historical reason that books written in that era show such a large spike in use of the words?   * What happened in 2002 that caused such a dramatic turnaround in use of 'repetitive' in British English? I cannot think of an exact synonym, nor any particular reason. Am I reading to much into these? They both seem statistically (without actually running any numbers) significant to me - especially the latter.


What's the meaning of "endorse" here?

What's the meaning of _endorse_ here? > A visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the > territory for which it was issued, subject to permission of an immigration > official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, > but more commonly it is a stamp **endorsed** in the applicant's passport. The closest definition I find from AHD is: to place (one's signature), as on a contract, to indicate approval of its contents or terms. Could it also be applied here?


Will grammar errors become correct after enough people use them for enough time?

First let me state the obvious—based on my own experience—that hordes of people are confused about certain basic grammar principles. For example, I so often see mistakes in choosing the pronoun to use with direct objects, especially when introduced by _and_ with another person, as in "Joe talked about the book with Anna and [I/me]." Another one is the near 100% usage of "lay" instead of "lie" (and "laid" instead of "lay") nowadays, even in published sci-fi books that most certainly had professional editors proofread them. Do you see these kinds of changes as predictors of the future? Will they become correct after enough people have used them long enough? Both of these problems drive me bonkers, and I fight my own little battle against them when possible. I know that dictionaries are descriptive rather than prescriptive. They're technically history books. But grammar and style books seem less so, to me. Those seem as though they ought to be prescriptive in order to reduce the erosion of structured and meaningful language. In this tension between "what people are doing" and "what people should be doing," are we doomed to forever bear these errors just because too many people don't know the proper way? Is it worth fighting against them? Do I capitulate to the people who are quick to accept any mass public usage as a fait accompli? **Update** I don't imagine for a second that my own writing is error free. The difference with me is that when I do learn I have something wrong in my mind, I immediately change once I clearly understand it. I also am not imagining that language is static or ignorant that today's correctness is all too often yesterday's error. The whole point of my question here, then, is: **is** there value in slowing the change, and if so, how is that done and how effectively? Another way to look at what I'm trying to ask is that in a way I am hoping to define the limits of pedantry. If being pedantic is slavish adherence to outdated rules in the face of actual and foregone changed reality, then when do we conclude that a change **is** a foregone conclusion? Poking fun at my own errors to highlight supposed pedantry on my part is to miss everything I am trying to say. **Update 2** It may not be an easy question, but since language change actually does or does not happen, and every person acts with more or less intention in regards to language change, there must be an answer. What I wanted to explore is the value in efforts to teach the "proper way" vs. the opposite end of the spectrum where any new usage is not just accepted but welcome or even sought out. You know, I'm reminded of something: the conservative/liberal scale:                  |------+------+------+------+------+------|     radical              moderate             radical     liberal                                 conservative      The funny thing about those at the ends of the spectrum is that they both want things to change. The radical liberal wants language to change to something new quickly, just for the sake of newness or evolution or some other not- necessarily-realistic ideal. Similarly, the radical conservative wants things to change just as much, but back to the way it used to be, just for the sake of sameness or continuity or some other just-as-not-necessarily-realistic ideal. I'm not particularly asking where we _should_ be on this scale as that's purely subjective. I'm trying to ask about something purely practical and real-world: what is actually effective? Is language change inevitable, and how fast? Are efforts to reduce its rapid morphing either effective or worthwhile in any measure? All these things considered, what position with respect to language evolution is livable, practical, and sensible? Feel free to edit my grammar. No comment necessary. **Update 3** Something that may be of interest to both my supporters and detractors: this 'Kinetic Typography' video by Stephen Fry. I enjoyed it. I don't disagree with him, but I am not sure I am wholehearted in this lack of disagreement.


Term for nicknames with different first letter

I have an uncle Bill and an uncle Bob. Is there a term for name diminutives in which the first letter is different from the root name? There are discussions of name diminutives here and in this question, especially these comments: > There is a noticeable tendency in English to substitute a plosive (stop > consonant) for the initial consonant in forming pet-names: Dick, Bob, Bill, > Peggy, Polly. I don't know why this might be, or whether it is seen in other > languages. – Colin Fine > > Rick/Dick, Bob/Rob, Bill/Will, Polly/Molly are examples of rhyming > nicknames, and they've been around in English since the 13th century. A much > more obscure example of a "significantly different" nickname is Hudde (as in > Hudson), which was used for Richard. – JPmiaou Is there a term for this particular phenomenon -- different first letter -- compared to other nicknaming phenomena (abbreviating, adding a -y ending, etc.)?


How do I take a partial quotation that ends with a question mark (but not within my quote)?

I am in the process of writing a paper on Shakespeare's Macbeth, and I want to take a quotation from the following passage: > Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life   >  And live a coward in thine on esteem,   >  Letting "I dare not" wait upon "I would"   >  Like the poor cat i' the adage? However I only want to take the first three lines of the passage: > It is written, "Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life / And live a > coward in thine on esteem, / Letting "I dare not" wait upon "I would"... How should I punctuate the end ( _..._ )?


What category of words do "Rural/Urban" come into?

I'm trying to categorise the words Urban/Rural/Suburban etc. I liked the term "rurality" but turns out that isn't an actual word I think, and "neighbourhood type" doesn't really seem to fit the bill. I was thinking of demography but that focuses more on the population than the area. Might be a silly question but anyone?


What does 'live it for the best good of others mean exactly?

we were sent into this world for a wise and good purpose, and must do our duties without repining, take our life as we might find it, **live it for the best good of others** , and never mind about the results; they were not our affair. from _A dog's tale_ by Mark Twain


What are the terms for the parts of a comparative?

If I am comparing "thee" to "a summer's day", in other words comparing for equality a == b What are the proper terms that relate to a and b?   I'd call == the comparator, maybe a the subject.. b the object? I looked here and they only mention 'entities' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative


"Cherry picking" - What is the correct usage?

**Cherry picking** A quick Google search yields the following definitions: Definition One > Cherry picking is the act of pointing at individual cases or data that seem > to confirm a particular position, **while ignoring a significant portion of > related cases or data that may contradict that position.** Definition Two > To pick out the best, or most desirable items from a list or group, > especially to obtain some advantage or to **present something in the best > possible light** * * * My Question:   * Does the term cherry-picking _necessarily_ imply that one is ignoring significant data?   * Or does it merely imply that one is selecting the best items from a list or group?


I had a quiz and I failed because I wrote that 9.45 was "forty-five past nine" instead of "quarter to ten". I think it should have been accepted by my teacher. I searched the Internet and I found the possibility of saying so. Is it correct to say "it is forty-five past nine"?


What is the correct relative pronoun for "government"? Which of the following phrases is correct? I am writing for an American [English] audience. > The Queensland Government, who licenses several casinos, ... or > The Queensland Government, which licenses several casinos, ...


I have been thinking of this for the past couple of days. Does the sentence sound naturally because it is grammatical or is it grammatical because it sounds naturally?


Why is "afford" always accompanied with "can"?

**afford** means > " _to have enough money or time **to be able to** buy or to do something_". Why is it used with " **can** "? Why don't people simply say " _I don't afford it_ " instead of " _I can't afford it_ "? As you can see, "being able to" is hidden in the meaning of "afford". So it seems redundant to me to use it with "can". To me, " _I cannot afford this car_ " means " _I am **not able to** have enough money **to be able to** buy this car_". But " _I don't afford this car_ " makes more sense to me since it means " _I do not have enough money to be able to buy this car_ ".


What does Tutankhamen “died on his knees” mean?

Time magazine (November 4) carries an article titled, “Tutankhamen _died on his knees_ , then his body spontaneously combusted,” which is followed with the following statement: > Working together with car-crash investigators, a team of British scientists > says that the legendary pharaoh Tutankhamen died after being run over by a > chariot **while on his knees.** http://science.time.com/2013/11/04/study- > tutankhamen-died-on-his-knees-then-his-body-spontaneously- > combusted/#ixzz2jpEknncO The article adds that a theory presented last year held that the pharaoh might have died from epilepsy. What does “die on one’s knees” mean? Was he killed when he was praying on his knees in ritual, which seems to be an extremely unusual occurrence? Does it have any connection with “die / live on one’s feet / knees” in the saying, “Better to die on one’s feet than to live on one’s knees”?


Proper use of "what's"

I've seen people write a sentence like this:   * Example A: _"I'm often asked_ **_what's the story_** _behind my work."_ To me, it just seems that this reads rather poorly. I feel like it should be written as:   * Example B: _"I'm often asked_ **_what the story is_** _behind my work."_ Is there a right/wrong way here, or is this purely preference?


How does one mention “first class honors” and GPA correctly on a résumé?

On my résumé, I have the following: > \-----Bachelor of ABC, Institute of XYZ, Country----- > >> "first class honors" and GPA I can't construct this line in a way that sounds completely correct. Which of the following is the right way?   1. Graduated _with_ First Class Honors _and_ a GPA of X.   2. Graduated First Class Honors _with_ a GPA of X.   3. Graduated _with_ First Class Honors _with_ a GPA of X.   4. ... Also, should it be capitalized _first-class_ , _First-class_ , or _First Class_?


"Still" versus "Yet"

In the following sentence, is using of _yet_ correct? > Inserts settlement in a duty that needs it, in the most suitable _yet_ > available place. It seems to me that I must use _still_ instead of _yet_ but at the same time the sentence with _still_ does not sound right.


Is "left for heaven" a common phrase in English?

Is "left for heaven" a common phrase for native English speakers?


a phrase for "to lure and chop a turtle's head"

There must be a similar phrase in English, meaning to lure the target from protection (like turtle's shell) or hiding, in order to capture or kill it. My English dictionary gives "draw a snake out of its hole", but Googling suggests it is also used literally, not metaphorically. For example, someone accidentally let loose their pet snake and want to catch it back. So is this the expression that you would use? I am looking for an expression, the more compact the better.


What is the significance of the name John Doe in the 1940's?


Word Meaning "A single thing that's an indicator of greater overall trends"?

What's a word that means "a single thing or a subset of things that could be used to represent greater overall trends"? I work for a bookseller. The other day I was discussing a subset of several books that have consistently been bestsellers for the past few months. These books could be used to represent sales trends on a larger scale - something like "blue chip" books. In the conversation I referred to them as "bellwether books", but later on I doubted this was the correct usage of the word. "Bellwether" is defined as "an indicator or predictor of something". Is there a more appropriate word?


i have a hard time understanding / with understanding

have a hard time (doing smth) have a hard time with (smth) In the phrase: "have a hard time understanding" was used verb "understand" in -ing form, but "understand" is state verb and don't has -ing fom. "Understanding" is noun, so it must be used in the phrase like this "have a hard time with understanding". However, Google by requests "have a hard time understanding" and "have a hard time with understanding" gave me many results, so i don't know now that which are more correct?


How do you define "system" here?

The definition of currency is _a system of money in general use in a particular country._ Does _system_ in this context means definition #11 from Google definition? > sys·tem noun /ˈsistəm/ systems, plural > >   1. A set of connected things or parts forming a complex whole, in > particular > >   2. A set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an > interconnecting network - _the state railroad system_ - _fluid is pushed > through a system of pipes or channels_ > >   3. A set of organs in the body with a common structure or function - _the > digestive system_ >   4. The human or animal body as a whole _\- you need to get the cholesterol > out of your system_ >   5. A group of related hardware units or programs or both, esp. when > dedicated to a single application >   6. (in chronostratigraphy) A major range of strata that corresponds to a > period in time, subdivided into series >   7. A group of celestial objects connected by their mutual attractive > forces, esp. moving in orbits about a center - _the system of bright stars > known as the Gould Belt_ >   8. A set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; > an organized scheme or method - _a multiparty system of government_ - _the > public school system_ >   9. Orderliness; method - _there was no system at all in the company_ >   10. A method of choosing one's procedure in gambling >   11. A set of rules used in measurement or classification - _the metric > system_ >   12. The prevailing political or social order, esp. when regarded as > oppressive and intransigent - _don't try bucking the system_ >   13. A set of staves in a musical score joined by a brace >


How to refer to people and how they're related?

I'm trying to document an issue with an application, and I'd like to refer to the people using different words regardless of the relationship (father, son, etc.) being used. To better explain the issue, see the following: > A. Carl is the father of Oscar.   >  B. Fred is the son of Martin. I'd like to refer to A's Carl and B's Fred using the same word. I would think that they are the **_subject_** of the sentence, but is there a different word? Also, A's Oscar and B's Martin should also have a word that refers to them. Are they the **_object_** of the sentence, or is there another word?


What is one word for - endlessly spread in all directions? It may be in context of a forest.


"Yeah, no, I agree" meaning

This is a passage in the movie _The Social Network_ at 01:14:49: > Mark says: "Yeah, that reminds me, we're gonna need more money, Wardo."   >  Eduardo replies: " **Yeah, no, I agree.** More servers, more help." (Emphasis mine.) I want to know why Eduardo says "no" after "yeah". How can he use them both in the same sentence? Is this an idiom? Note that the quote is based on the subtitles, so I didn't mishear a "yeah, I know" or anything like that.


Does ordering make a difference?

I would like to know whether there is a grammatical or semantical difference between "notion of " and "-notion". I do not know what to search for to answer this question so maybe someone can help me here :-) For instance "development of a notion of IT-Infrastructure" vs. "development of an IT-Infrastructure-notion". The first one is very long and doggerel, but the second one is maybe wrong/not good style. In other words: I need a section title where I develop (extract literature, derive facts, ...) a notion or understanding of the term IT Infrastructure. What would be a correct one?


A word or phrase for something that seems modern but comes surprisingly from the past?

A few examples of this "future in the past" phenomenon: >   * SR-71 Blackbird aircraft (1964). >   * Douglas C. Engelbart's "Mother of All Demos" (1968). >   * World's Fair: Columbian Exposition (1893). >   * Huge telescopes over a century old with crystal clear optics, Nikola > Tesla's inventions, WW II technologies, Bathyscaphe Trieste's deepest dive > record of 35,800 feet (1953), this "time traveler"—the list goes on… > If there is no such word or phrase, how can this be described?


Do people in Miami really talk like they do in the television series "Dexter"?

as I'm far from being good English speaker, I use to watch series to improve my skills. I'm fan of various genres, from Star Trek to How I Met Your Mother and I can say until now, I felt "aligned" with it, meaning I knew why such and such grammar was used, when it was slang, shorter form etc. Just recently I've picked up Dexter, nice one btw, and I can't stop wondering. People there (actors) speak completely different than what I was used to listen to. I don't mean accent or pronunciation (although I can see differences here, too) like in thread Why are movies so hard to understand (and what can you do about it)? but more like the actual (lack of) grammar. For example, people many times skip words ("[are] You [willing to] be there?" or "See [you] tomorrow?") and what was most surprising for me, they rarely use past and future tenses. So instead of let's say "You have had a fight?" actor just asks "You fighting?" or instead of "Have you you told her that?" just "You tell her?" or similar (yes, it's often combined with mentioned skipping of some words). So my question is, is it really some kind of Miami slang (with influence of immigrants from Cuba who don't speak so well English) or it's just the series or it's just me being completely wrong?


Could you name some numbers that have a special meaning in English, like 666?

The question "What does the term “86'd” relate to?" made me wonder what similar cases we have in English. I'd like to know some other numbers that have a commonly understood meaning beyond their use as a mere number. I have seen "666" used many times with a special meaning. It is written on fences, and used in US movies like "The Exorcism of Emily Rose": I believed that its meaning is commonly known. However, I was bewildered by an answer contending that the meaning of "666" was unknown. Is 666 commonly understood? (For example, in Russian, the number 7 symbolises luck, if anyone knows any Russian.)


Pronouncing "A": "ai" vs. "ah"

There are words where we say _A_ as _Ai_ , and say _A_ as _Ah_. First I thought there were some sentences where it sounds better then the other. However, when Koreans say _Amen_ they say it as "Ah-men", and I keep hearing Americans say it as "Ai-men". What is the reason for this?


What's the name of a large curly brace?

I'm looking for a particular element for a project and I'm not sure what to google. What's the name of that large brace that is used to group items together? A crude Paint rendition: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/DO7lC.png)


"I had a dinner" vs. "I was having a dinner"

A friend of mine showed a video on her Facebook wall post. She posted this: > I had a dinner with Chinese friends, I was happy at that moment!! Should it be "I was having a dinner" instead of "I had a dinner"?


What's the meaning of **Pioneers Often Die with Arrows in their Backs** I mean i can roughly gauge it to be the first to move dies, but why **arrows in the backs** ?


The usage of "being" in passive voice

I was reading the following sentence on the Internet and did not understand the usage of "being" in it: > They might have been being thrown away. "They" refers to spoons here. I guess it is the passive usage. Can someone elaborate and give more examples?


"Download from" vs. "download off"

>   * I usually download music **off** the web. >   * I usually download music **from** the web. > What is the difference in between _off_ and _from_ in these sentences? Which one is more suitable in this context?


the usage of "otherwise"

In this article, I don't quite understand the following sentence: > Instead of bothering to sort out that little difficulty, let's see why it is > in fact enough to let B be the set of all bilinear functions to R, > **otherwise** known as bilinear forms. I looked up into the dictionary, but none of the entries can resolve my confusion: > What does " **otherwise** " mean in this context?


How to express desires in English so that they don't sound like commands?

> At that time I won't want you to again land up in the thread to tell me the > rules. With the above statement, I wanted to express my _desire_ , but it was interpreted as a _command_. How can I rewrite the same statement so that it doesn't sound like a command?


What's a British equivalent to the more American expression 'Kiss my ass'?

I have the feeling that 'kiss my ass' isn't as widely used in the UK as it is in the US. I'm looking for a more British sounding equivalent.


Two children from/with/by my ex-husband

Are all of the following sentences OK? > I have two children with my ex-husband. > > I have two children from my ex-husband. > > I have two children by my ex-husband. Do they mean the same thing? Is any of the variants to be preferred over the others?


What is the word for fear of growth?

Is there a word or term for people who have a fear of growth?


Etymology of "rinse and repeat"

I've noticed that people love to use the phrase _rinse and repeat_. Where exactly did it come from?


How to express misusing a tool

I am not a native English speaker. I was wondering how to express the situation in which one uses a tool for something other than what it was meant to be, and in a bad way so that you are not doing your best, or you are hurting yourself with your ignorance about the tool you use.


Polite phrase to ask for details

Usually, I send to a client "Cover Letter" with phrase "May I get the details?", if I need to get more information about his project. Suddenly, I have discovered that it is not very polite. And now I can not understand - which phrase is best to polite and formal request for the information? I found some variants:   1. Could you please give me the details?   2. Could I please get the details?   3. May I please get the details?   4. Do you mind if I get the details? I can not decide which is best to use in this situation, and will be acceptable both in US and British English.


What is the origin of the phrase "do a line with someone"?

What is the origin of the phrase "do a line with someone", meaning "have a regular romantic or sexual romantic relationship with someone"? I learnt this phrase from an Irish colleague of mine the other day, but she did not know how the phrase originated. Oxford dictionaries online say: Definition of _do a line with_ in English (Irish and NZ, informal) _have a regular romantic or sexual romantic relationship with (someone)_ : _"I knew if I went home for Christmas, I'd have to pretend I was doing a line with some man."_


How can I explain why the following sentence is poorly written?

I came across the following sentence in some instructions and it almost seems like a double negative to me, yet there are not two negations in it that I see, so I am wondering how to explain what intuitively feels wrong about this sentence: > All of these are not applicable to both events or people. To me, this is more clearly written as: > Some of these are only applicable to either events or people.


Is the adjectival form "to be concatenated" correct?

I have the following sentence: > Fetch the transformations which need to be concatenated. Is the following adjectival form of _which need to be concatenated_ correct? > Fetch the to be concatenated transformations. Are there any more (even more succinct?) variants?


American English: poor vs. pour

Is there any difference in the pronunciations of poor and pour in American English? I can't hear a difference (in my own pronunciation), at all. Consulting the advanced English dictionary I'm finding two different IPA spellings: poor: p'ʊr pour: p'ɔːr But I'm imagining this is based off of British English, where there is a clear difference in pronunciation of both words.


Future tense in both main clause and subordinate clause

I have encountered in some grammar books that you can never have the future tense in the sub-ordinate clause when the main clause is also in the future tense. It seems to hold in conditional clauses and time clauses (those that contain when, if etc). Based on that, the sentence **"What will be will be"** has always stuck out in my mind as an abberation. So my question is, is this an actual rule? That is, should the above sentence be rewritten in some way to make it grammatically sound?   For example by replacing **_what will be_** by **_what is to be_** or **_what is going to be_** or something in that line. Another such example: **I will decide what I will do**


Fronted adjuncts

Is it correct to begin sentences with adjuncts? To which degree are the sentences below acceptable? Do you need a special context to license this word order, or can you start a text with these sentences?   1. In the first part of the book the author describes the influence of the drug on the neural system.   2. Early this morning my friend left the house.   3. Ideally, the literature section will contain all references to previous work on the topic.   4. On the pretext of watching a Saturday night show, I lingered in front of the TV until 11.30 p.m..


"None" and "Any"

Can anyone tell me more about the relationship between the words **none** and **any** I'm specifically interested in their grammatical overlap, when they share a similar grammatical function in a sentence, and what that function is. Also, any consideration of them, their relationship, or functional overlap in the fields of linguistics or semantics would be amazing. And info about their etymology is also really useful.


Is starting an email with "Hi All, " rude?

In my job, I need to interact with a bunch of senior, super senior and junior guys. One of the medium to interact with them is email. I need to send new updates, status reports, upcoming releases, etc. I put more than 10+ people in `To:` and the same number or less in `CC:`. People who are in `To:` are seniors and the ones in `Cc:` are juniors (those just need to know what's going on, they are not decision makers). Now to address all these people I use `Hi All`, I sometimes think that "Isn't this rude?", because people are senior in age, hierarchy and experience. If yes, it is rude, suggest a better way to address all these guys in one gesture.


What is the meaning of "as of" in this context?

> The moon shone on his face as he spoke, and the girl was pleased to watch > it, it seemed to breathe such an innocent and old-world kindness of > disposition, yet with something high too, **as of** a well-founded self- > content. What does this "as of" mean here? I would need a sentence structure explanation.


"On the third attempt" vs. "in the third attempt"

For talking about attempting something: > He succeeded __ the third attempt. According to Google, the preposition of choice is "on". Would "in" cause outrage?


"He would do that, would he?" Is this correct?

I've always known a type of sentences like this: > He would do that, **wouldn't** he? However, what about > "He would do that, **would** he?" Is this correct? Maybe I'm wrong, the first one expresses a different thought?


Receivables/lend

If I lend an amount of $100 to my friend, I can refer to the amount as _receivable_. Suppose she returns $100 (or $70) after one week, what should I call this amount? It is the "return amount which is borrowed"?