Words that can be repeated and still make sense

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Are there other repeated single word sentences like the Buffalo sentence? Are there words in English like _had_ that can be repeated while still making sense? For example, > He **had had** quite enough of this nonsense.


What are some examples of awkward sounding but grammatically correct sentences?


Interesting sentences in English language

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Awkward sounding but grammatically correct sentences? The following sentence is one eminent speaker _"It is difficult to use, three times consecutively, in a sentence the word **because because because** is a conjunction" - C. N. Annadurai_ Please post the sentences that you found interesting


Are there other repeated single word sentences like the Buffalo sentence?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Awkward sounding but grammatically correct sentences? My friend told me about the Buffalo sentence: > Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. It is a grammatically valid sentence in the English language, used as an example of how homonyms and homophones can be used to create complicated linguistic constructs. I was wondering if there are other examples of this type of sentence?


Where to use "!", ";", "`"

Where should I use the following symbols while writing something in English language?   1. `!` — exclamation mark   2. `;` — semicolon   3. ` — grave accent


As title says: Is there difference between acne and pimples? As far as I know "acne" is skin condition, meaning that there are number of various "pimple" types on and under the skin.


How do you understand "I have to change my file names"?

If I say: > I have to change my file names. What does an English speaker understand?   1. "I have to change names of a single file."   2. "I have to change names of many files." What is the rule here?


"Dream, dreamt" and "learn, learnt" irregular verbs: correct or not?

Often when I am writing emails or any other documents, I would like to use the irregular forms of _dream_ ( _dreamt_ ) or _learn_ ( _learnt_ ). But the computer spellcheckers always underline these words as being “wrong”, including right now on this very question that I am writing ! However, I know I have seen the words before. Don't know where, but surely I don’t have a habit of making up words of my own. Also, I believe that checking the Using English website confirms that the words do exist and should be correct? Can someone please clear up what this is all about, and why (some?) spellchecking software treats _dreamt_ and _learnt_ as incorrect?


Why is Gilt a word when we have Gilded? Is this town big enough for the both of them?

We would never say "I builded my own house", and we would never say "I ment my fences" - as far as I can tell, words either went the d-to-t route, or they went the add-ed route. Gild, for some reason, went both ways. (Progressive, for its time!) Is there any reason why this word bucked the trend and kept both past tense forms? I've reviewed existing material here on English SE and the interwebs in general and can't find any historical reasoning.


Too X, X enough, enough X

Can someone explain why the choices not marked as 'correct' in these fill-in- the-blank questions are wrong? **It was ___ __ so we didn't get it.**   expensive enough   too expensive -correct   enough expensive **It's ___ ____ to read; I don't understand it at all.**   enough difficult   too difficult -correct   difficult enough **It's not ___ ____ to sort things out.**   enough late   late enough   too late -correct **It's ___ ____ to pass.**   enough difficult   too difficult -correct   difficult enough **It's ___ ____ walk--I'll take the bus.**   enough far   far enough   too far -correct   too much far Are 'much enough' ever used together? For example, **He ate ___ ____ and felt ill.**   enough much   much enough   too much


Are there differences between "all-day lunch" and "all day lunch"?

What are the differences between:   1. All-day lunch   2. All day lunch for example: > all-day lunch from 12.00-18.00 The dictionary say _all-day_ means available throughout the day, but is the hyphen necessary?


Finnegan's Wake: "the least successful of whom was..."

Does the following sentence sound awkward because of the positioning of _whom_? > Beans grew up in a Roman Catholic household with four brothers; the least > successful of _whom_ was the bank president.


Why was the Bletchley bombe so called?

This has always puzzled me. It looked nothing like the dessert. If they thought it was in some way bomb-like, why the extra 'e'?


Meaning of "if the shoe fits wear it" doesn't fit

Just now I read the phrase's meaning and was surprised. I always thought that the meaning goes like this: if something is in a really bad or unacceptable condition, but it's serving the purpose, then don't dispose of it, or don't complain unnecessarily about it. Don't you think the meaning I explained is closer to the phrase?


Difference between Let, Let's and Lets?

Many people use "let, let's and lets" in conversation What's the difference between them?


Which has stronger sexual connotations, "corset" or "bustier"?

Our fashion content writers are trying to choose the word that describes a fashion triend, but has the least sexual connotation. (Corset and bustier seem to be used interchangeably when it comes to fashion trends.) Is there any evidence for one having a stronger sexual connotation over the other?


What expression do you have in English as a counterpart to Japanese saying “Earthquake, Thunderbolt, Fire and Father"?

As you know, we Japanese experienced tremendous disasters of Magnitude 9 earthquake accompanied by tsunami exceeding 10 meter high in northeastern regions recently. Living in the country always under the threat of big earthquakes, we have two popular saying that come to top of mind when we talk of disaster. One is “The great (natural ) disaster comes always when you have totally forgotten it.’ The other one is (the most fearful things under the sun are) “Earthquake, Thunderbolt, Fire and Father.” – Please note that the earthquake comes first. Do you have popular saying or English cliché to be likened to such expressions? I'd like to teach them to my English enthusiast friends.


Difference between "measurement" and "measuring"

What is the difference between the nouns _measurement_ and _measuring_? Can I say _the measurement has stopped_ the same way I can say _the measuring has stopped_?


Term for second hand dealers

Is there a better term to describe second hand dealers (for electronic devices) and second hand dealers (for collecting newspapers and magazines for recycling)?


Difference between "mythical" and "mythological"

What is the difference between _"mythical"_ and _"mythological"_? I find these two interchangeable. Also, please give some examples.


Meaning of "scared the hell out of someone"

The phrase I read on yahoo.com is the following one. > Tendulkar never scared me, says Akhtar.   >  The Pakistani maverick pacer said it was Adam Gilchrist and Brian Lara who > **scared the hell** out of him. Here, I just want to know the meaning of "scared the hell out of someone."


"Have a look" vs. "Take a look"

What is the difference between _Have a look_ and _Take a look_ (meaning/connotations)? For example: > _Have a look at the question_. > > _Take a look at the question_. For some reason I only found first version, but Google Translate suggests second one.


Meaning of "whoa"

Some dictionaries define _whoa_ as _Stop!_ while some define it as _an expression of surprise/astonishment_. Is there such a word as _whoa_ , where did it originate from and what is its actual meaning?


Differences between "stupid to the last drop" and "stupid"

My colleague was screaming _You are stupid to the last drop_ at another colleague who accidentally formatted her hard disk. Is there such an expression as _stupid to the last drop_? Are there differences between _stupid to the last drop_ and _stupid_?


How did 'patriate' develop to mean 'transfer ... from a mother country to its former dependency'?

What's an intuitive derivation behind ODO's definition that helps to internalise its meaning: > **to patriate** = Transfer control over (a constitution) from a mother > country to its former dependency: > > Etymonline: 1966, in Canadian English (perhaps coined by Lester B. Pearson) > in reference to constitutional laws, probably a back-formation from > repatriate. > > Wikipedia: The word "patriation" was invented in Canada as a back-formation > from "repatriation" (returning to one's country). As the Canadian > constitution was originally a British law, **it could not "return to" > Canada**. So I know that this is a Canadian term, but what's the relationship between **it could not "return to" Canada** and the elimination of the prefix 're'? How's this word a 'back-formation'?


Change of Number(?) for "does" used with "this"

I just revised a program comment from: > This needs to come out eventually. to > Does this need to come out? In both cases "this" is functioning as a third-person, singular, demonstrative pronoun (granted, out of context and, thus, without antecedent). In this case, "this" refers to a set program statements. My question, why does "needs" become "need" in the second sentence?


What do you call a man's skirt?

I've got an article of clothing I'm struggling to name. They're typically worn by men in pictures from ancient Egypt. They look like a light fabric skirt. ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/2pEwI.jpg) I don't want to refer to it as a skirt because it would create a cross- dressing suggestion. I don't feel it's a kilt because it's made out of a much lighter material, maybe cotton. What are these items of clothing called?


Is it "quit" or "quitted"?

What is the correct (grammatical) simple past and past participle form of the verb _quit_? Is it _quit_ or _quitted_? > She _quitted_ her job. (She _has quitted_ her job.) or > She _quit_ her job. (She _has quit_ her job.)


What does “the man who had ‘no room for Churchill’ in the White House” mean? Is it a set phrase or just a turn of words?

http://frontpagemag.com. (April 16) reported that President ‘Obama snubbed Margaret Thatcher’s funeral’ by saying “Obama is not fit to lick Ronald Reagan's boot heels after walking behind his horse,” and went on sarcastically; > "The man who **had no room for Churchill in the White House** would > certainly have no time to take a break from his umpteenth golf game to pay > tribute to a woman who represents everything that he is working to destroy." Is “ **have / had no room for X** ” in the White House a set phrase or an ad hock turn of words to mean “have no special attachment / reverence to a big name or specific person, or even country?


Can the word 'freed' be used as an adjective?

For example: "Freed memory can be reused by another computer programs"?


Imperative vs. cohortative in a scientific paper

Which of the following is more correct to use in a scientific paper? > Consider the set A..., Recall that the set A..., Put the set A... or > Let us consider the set A..., Let us recall that the set A..., Let us put > the set A...


What is the pronunciation of the 'a' in aqueous?

My teacher pronounces aqueous as "ay-kwee-ous", and as a result that's what my class has learnt. However, I've become aware through several pronunciation guides (including Howjsay.com and a pronunciation video on YouTube) that "ah-kwee-ous" is seemingly a more common variant. The Yahoo dictionary lists both variants, with the "ah" version first. Dictionary.com also lists both, but the audio clip is of the "ay" version. So what is most common/correct, and what should be used?


Punctuation question: quotation marks around names in dialog?

If you refer to a name alone and not along with a person in dialog, do you put single quotation marks around it? E.g., "Yeah, I agree with you there. 'Jon' is pretty common, but the same could be said of 'Jeffrey,' too." E.g., "I could go with the name, Jon, sure, but I prefer 'Jeff' instead; or maybe since my last name's Thomas I'll go with 'Tommy.' Made up examples, but they convey what I'm iffy about fine I think. Thanks for the feedback!


"At the cost of giving expression to the obvious..."

I have read this phrase somewhere. If I remember correctly, it was > At the cost of giving expression to the obvious (or truism), I'd suggest > that ... Does it mean that the author wants to emphasise the fact that what he is saying is already a well established fact? Is this phrase grammatically correct?


Is it ever appropriate to use a space before and after an ampersand?

A colleague and I have a difference of opinion. I believe our department should be abbreviated as "L&D." She believes it should be "L & D," which just looks silly to me. I never see spaces used before and after an ampersand when the term is an abbreviation (two distinct words, yes, but an abbreviation, no), but I haven't been able to find a rule pertaining to this particular issue. Is there one?


What's the term for flickering eye movement

If you're looking out of the window of a moving train and at things as they go by (rather than a single object that you're leaving behind), your eyes appear to be flickering. There's a specific term for this.. which I can't remember!


Question tag for a sentence starting with "few"

Which is correct? > Few people knew the way, didn't they?   >  Few people knew the way, did they?


Where is the term clockwork used?

I was watching some cartoon show with a bunch of rugrats over the weekend and the term clockwork toy was used. It seemed to be referencing a wind-up toy. Is there any part of the English speaking world that uses clockwork more commonly than wind-up? What is the normal term outside the US? > Example: I could walk into a toy store in my area and ask if they have any > wind-ups? It might take the kid working there a few seconds to process it > but he would understand wind-up toy. > > If I walked into a store and asked if they had any clockworks, I am positive > they would take me to some clocks/alarm clocks. > > I want to know where the term clockworks is common enough to be used without > major context.


Plurals in titles of lists regardless of number of items

Not sure how to describe it, so here is an example. This looks right, even though “tests which failed” has only one item in the list: > Tests which failed > >   * Test #1 > > > Tests which passed > >   * Test #2 >   * Test #3 > This looks wrong: > Test which failed > >   * Test #1 > Not sure what English rule explains why the first example looks correct and the second example looks wrong. Collective noun, mass noun, headless noun, grammatical number...?


How do I combine verbs?

Is it possible to shorten verbs which consist of more than one part when they are used together? For example, from the first sentence to the second below. > I had gone and had seen the city. > > I had gone and seen the city. Which of the two is corrrect?


What does the expression "as bad as it is" mean? Does it mean **on top of that** for e.g. as bad something (accident or something like that) is, something similarly bad? > I have been sick all week. As bad as it is, there are exams this weekend. Or is it similar to "even though", like this expression: > As much as I like you, I don't agree with you on this.


Comma? "Dance until dawn at Festive then receive a VIP experience at Escape Spa."

"Dance until dawn at Festive then receive a VIP experience at Escape Spa." Should I use a comma before then?


Departed to vs Departed for

Which of the following is more grammatically correct? Could you let me know reason for using the favourable preposition (either _to_ or _for_ )? >   * After having my dinner, I will depart to my house. >   * After having my dinner, I will depart for my house. >


Usage of "screened for" in the context of a study sample

One of my friends, who corrected my manuscript, said this sentence wasn't immediately obvious to her. > The sample was screened for birth defects and major disabilities. It's supposed to mean that the final sample/result of screening process didn't contain any people with birth defects and major disabilities, because we checked for it and rejected anybody who had such disabilities (to preclude alternative explanations for our findings).   Now I find that the word is less clear than I thought based on what I read in scientific papers (can mean both selecting AND rejecting). I'm not sure if "screened for" is already clear enough (from the article context it should be obvious that we weren't interested in birth defects) or if I can use another preposition to be able to keep this simple sentence and still let everybody know that the final sample didn't contain any people with birth defects etc.


Origin of "We didn't start the fire"

"We didn't start the fire, it was always burning since the world's been turning" is from a song by Billy Joel, but I vaguely remember Malcom X saying it in one of his speeches that I heard on YouTube. Is this an old phrase? Where had it originated?


What would be a good word to refer to beating an opponent in football (soccer)?

I would like to know a good word to refer to the skill of getting past an opponent with the ball during a match. In Brazil we call it _drible_ , which is close to _dribble_ , but from what I know dribble in english is: to move with the ball. I am looking for a reference word to the ability to beat your opponent; the closest thing i found was _trick_ , but that is too generic. Another problem is that there are names for the different ways to get past an opponent; what I want would be the simplest way, not some elaborate football trick.


What is it called when you say something but it does not imply for the other?

I'm really lost for words... For example, I like people with short hair. But then someone could say, so you hate people with long hair? But, of course, I did not give any information on people with long hair. I could've liked/hate it. What is this called? I'm sure there was a name to this, maybe an expression?


Continuous vs contiguous when talking about files

> Files on a file system can be fragmented meaning they're split into several > parts that are scattered all over hard disk. This usually means that reading > these files is much slower because disk heads need to seek individual parts > before reading them. There are tools to defragment files, but I wonder what they do.   1. do they make files **continuous** or   2. do they make files **contiguous**? English is not my native language. That's why I'm having problems distinguishing between the two. To me the first one seems more appropriate, but who am I to judge...


Meaning of "Meeting agenda"

I don’t really understand what a _meeting agenda_ is. I don’t know if it is possible to use _meeting agenda_   1. when you have to register all the topics (conclusions, ideas, members, date, etc.) of the meeting,    2. or whether _meeting agenda_ can only be used for the planning that goes before the meeting.  What is a suitable expression to name this type of record sheet?


“Ever” vs “Always”

I have read that _always_ is more used in American English, while _ever_ is more used in British English. In this context, which of the following is correct: > This always increasing interest brought. . . . or > This ever increasing interest brought. . . .


What is the difference between "in times of" and "in time of"

All the two phrases, "in time of" and " in times of" are in use on the Internet. But I can not distinguish between them correctly. Here are some examples I have come across: >   1. How did Hawkwood make money in times of peace? _New Concept English, > Vol 3, Lesson 14_. > >   2. A Prayer In Time of Trouble, www.iocc.org/pdffiles/prayeradslick.pdf. > > Can anyone tell me the differences between the two phrases?


Is there a pair (at least) of really absolute synonyms in English?

Are there two words that in the same grammatical form have the same set of meanings? In meanings here context of use and necessary construction about the word are included. For example, if one word is used by children and other by scientists, they are not really absolute synonyms. If one verb is used as is and the other needs a preposition, they do not fit, either. If one word has only a verb meaning and the other has a noun meaning, too, that is not a problem. _**Edit:_** An answer is found, but I'll upvote any further relevant answer.


Why "shrink" (of a psychiatrist)?

I know it originates from "head shrinking", but it doesn't help me a lot to understand the etymology. Why are psychiatrists called that? Is it like "my head is swollen [from anguish, misery, stress, etc.], I must have it shrunk"?


Is there a word for beings that will eat other Sentient beings?

This wouldn't by necessity include OR preclude cannibalism, but certainly would be predicated on there being aliens (though humans might well do this). Most humans won't eat Dolphin or any of the other smarter mammals. In particular I'm more concerned with sentient beings eating other species/beings that are self-aware and have language. For example if aliens landed and were okay with eating humans, but not their own species, they wouldn't be cannibals, they would be... what?


Can "cess" mean either "go, move" and "cease"?

In "incessant", "cess" mean "cease", while in "secession", "cess" mean "go, move" So can "cess" mean either "go, move" and "cease", two meanings contradictory to each other?


Which is better: "bidirectionally-anonymous channel" or "bidirectional-anonymous channel"

I am writing my thesis (in computer science) and me and my supervisor disagree about the correct way of describing a communication channel which is anonymous in both directions. Without delving in too much technicalities, think of this channel as if there is a special button on your mobile phone that, when you click on it, will call someone else in the country, such that you do not get to know his phone number (or any other information about him) nor does he get to know your phone number or any other information about you. You both are anonymous with respect to each others. This is a property of the channel: it provides anonymity to both its ends. So it is bidirectional[ly]-anonymous channel. Which is the right way in English to describe it:   * Bidirectionally-anonymous channel, or   * Bidirectional anonymous channel? Thank you.


What does the expression "on the go" mean?

I don't really remember in which context I saw it. Is there more than one meaning?


Why bread crumbs and not stones?

In UI navigation jargon, bread crumbs are used to describe a trail of links back to the starting point. This is obviously a reference to Hansel and Gretel, where they use a literal trail of bread crumbs to mark their path back to their house. But if you remember, the bread crumbs were eaten by birds and so pretty terrible as a navigation aid. The stones or pebbles, which he had used on the previous days actually worked. How and when did bread crumbs come to have the meaning it seems to?


Numbers and units

I'm looking for a single word to describe the combination of a number and unit. For example, “6 watts” or “2.5 kilometers”. _Measurement_ is the closest I’ve come, but sounds cumbersome. Does anyone know of a better word to express this idea?


Is it a phrase?

I just came across these couple of lines and I am trying to understand their meaning. I am confused as I am not able to confidently point at one of the two narrowed down meanings which I could come up with. Surprise me if both of my choices are not even close to the actual meaning. "His children arrive by degrees. Most don't have far to come, still living in or near Calcutta. None of them or Rajesh's more distant descendant have followed him into thaumic physics" Now how do you interpret, " his children arrive by degrees". Does the degree mean proximity, as in distance from Calcutta or educational qualification of his children, for eg - degree in computers ?


"unorthodox" vs "heterodox"

What's the difference between "unorthodox" and "heterodox"? The dictionary I use roughly states that "heterodox" means "not orthodox", and "unorthodox" means well, "not orthodox". Are they perfect synonyms?


Is it possible for the words "exorbitantly grateful" to be interpreted as a bad thing? (or over the top)

Normally I use the word exorbitantly to describe an excess in a negative sense, however this time I used it to express an abundance of appreciation and gratitude. Could a critical reading of "I am exorbitantly grateful for your words of support" be interpreted as over-the-top, or confusing? Does it properly highlight the humility of the person saying it? Is this considered a non-standard, or a creative usage of the word?


Ordinal form of zero (“0”)

The ordinal form of zero doesn’t always make sense, but is used in math and computing. But how do we say and write it? Is it said _zeroth_ , _zeroith_ , or something else? In writing, is it _0 th_?


Using Ngram to Choose an Antonym

I'm looking at using Google's Ngram to pick out the word that is the closest to an opposite of a given word by looking at the frequency and correlation over time of the two words. For example, I predicted and found large and small have similar frequencies and appear positively correlated, and so do huge and tiny. Nevertheless, a careful reading of the descriptions of words from a dictionary is still likely to be the best way of finding an opposite. What suggestions does everyone have for refining this approach? What concerns of potential pitfalls to this approach are there? ![opposites](http://i.stack.imgur.com/k29Hh.png)


A phrase that describes each member of a group

There are small units and each unit has its own clear mission. Each unit has only one mission. "Only one clear mission" is important and I need to emphasize it. I'd like to express the situation with a phrase and use it as a title of a presentation. I have made some candidate phrases. "Small units with a clear mission", "Small units with their own clear mission", "Small units with clear missions", etc. I think no one of them carries my intention properly. For example, "Small units with a clear mission" means that there is one mission and all units execute the mission. How can I express the situation with a phrase appropriately?


Is there a word to describe someone who often inaccurately uses words?

Or a word to describe the act of inaccurately using complicated or unusual words (often in an attempt to sound more intelligent)? I considered 'bombastic' but it doesn't have that quality of inaccuracy.


The proper term for a person who uses words incorrectly

What is the proper term for a person who uses words incorrectly, hoping to impress others?


"Neither he had" vs "he neither had"

Example: > Despite the fact he was nearing his thirties and got stressed a lot at work, > he still had a full head of hair. No thinning at all. **[Neither/he]** had > wrinkles, and his face was still long and thin—not the least sign of weight > gain. Should it be _neither he_ or _he neither_? If both are grammatically incorrect, what's the right option?


Is it proper to use the word "bandwidth" as it relates to time allotment?

I'm a web developer and I've often heard other technical and developer types say: > Sorry, I don't have the bandwidth to take on your project at this time. I started using the term myself and thought it was an excellent way of expressing that you don't have enough time for something. Recently, I used this term with a potential client and he interpreted it as meaning that I still had a dialup internet connection so would not be able to handle his needs. I then realized this is where the term originated from so I guess I could understand his confusion. Should I use the word only in specific circles of people that I know will understand it?


"Come + X" construct

I've come across the "come + X" construct in a passage of a New York Times article. Here it is (emphasis added): > Politicians like to keep the fiscal levers in their hands **come election > time** What kind of clause does it introduce? Plus, how common is it? Is it typically American? Formal or informal? Are there any other instances where it is used, besides "come election time," which seems to me a set phrase? Lastly, which mood is that "come"?


“She had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd.” technique?

“She had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd.” The words are increasing in intensity, is there any literary technique I can use?


What does "cooks crystal" mean?

> Jack Reaper: So he works here?   >  Sandy: Ya. It's bullshit though. He cooks crystal. ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/zL6Rl.jpg) I saw this conversation in the movie called Jack Reaper. What does "cooks crystal" mean? From the context it seemed like it means the work is of bad quality, but I'm not sure.


I saw her dance/dancing? I saw a flash of lightning strike/striking? I caught her steal/stealing?

Meta: I found a very similar post asking the difference between "I saw him cross" and "I saw him crossing". I have three additional questions on sentences of this form. * * * In the post I am referring to, the accepted answer was "I saw him cross the road" implies I saw the entire event of him crossing the road and "I saw him crossing the road" implies I saw him in the middle of the crossing but I didn't wait to see whether he finished crossing the road. **Q1.** But what if we watch instead of see? Consider the sentences below. > _I watched her **dance** alone in the room._   >  _I watched her **dancing** alone in the room._ Watch implies something that goes on for a while. But does the original explanation still hold, i.e. does the first sentence imply I watched the entire dance and the second imply I did not? * * * **Q2.** What if you see actions that are almost instantaneous? Does the explanation still hold good? Here is an example: > _I saw a flash of lightning **strike** the pole._   >  _I saw a flash of lightning **striking** the pole._ Here, we cannot stop seeing in the middle of a lightning since it happens so fast. Does that make the second sentence wrong or can we still use either sentence to mean the same thing? * * * **Q3.** Which of the sentences below is/are correct? > _I caught her **steal** the diamond ring_   >  _I caught her **stealing** the diamond ring_ When you catch someone in the act, that person could not finish the act. So does that make the first sentence incorrect?


How to use in-text citation for a sentence in an article that also uses in-text citation?

I want to use in-text citation about a sentence I'm borrowing from a journal article. But I'm confused on how to properly use it because the journal article also uses in-text citations on the same sentence I want to use in my paper. How solve this issue?


"There was some [fine skiing there / shooting in the streets]"

I would like to ask if the following sentences are grammatically correct and whether the constructions are similar: > There was some fine skiing there. > > There was some shooting in the streets.


When writing names for .mp3 and .pdf files (songs, books etc.) in Windows, do you use hyphen, en or em dash to separate an author and his/her work? Ex. "Linkin Park - In the End" or "Linkin Park – In the End" or "Linkin Park — In the End" "Edgar Allan Poe - The Black Cat" "Edgar Allan Poe – The Black Cat" "Edgar Allan Poe — The Black Cat" Also, do you put a space between a hyphen/dash and two words? Ex. "Vanessa Mae—Storm" or "Vanessa Mae — Storm"


How to capitalize a word with an adverb separated by a hyphen in a title? Ex. "Make-up" or "Make-Up" (noun) "Strap-on" or "Strap-On" (noun) "Stripped-down" or "Stripped-Down" (adj.) "Up-to-Date Account" or "Up-to-date Account" or "Up- To-Date Account"


Proper sentence choice, while sending reply through email

I have to reply someone through email asking for more information. Which one of the following two statements is the most prefered one in this scenario?               Can you kindly send me more information about the project?      or               Kindly send me more information about the project.      Or if there is a better alternative to the above two, then let me know as well. Thanks.


Pronoun use, objective or reflexive

In the following sentence, I am not sure if "she" should be the object "her" or the reflexive "herself and himself" "It is not Irene in this circumstance that should have felt uncomfortable in carrying out her duties, it is the officer who put both himself and she in that position."


Looks like there's nothing for it but the lake. (A sentence in the novel of "A Burglar's Christmans by Willa Cather)


"The odor of strong rum made a greasy pass through the room."

I found the sentence as a ldoce sample sentence for "odor". > The odor of strong rum made a greasy pass through the room. " _... made a greasy pass through the room_ ". What does the writer mean? The odor made the greasy pass?


What are a stag's comrades called?

Before a man gets married he is referred to as the 'stag'; what are his comrades called?


What should I call this kind of animation?

On opening this link you will see a car that has a kind of glowing bulb on it. ![in the animated version, concentric rings of yellow expand outward when moused over - this is a static screenshot of part of the image](http://i.stack.imgur.com/TTxR6.png) I am talking to my client and we both are not good in English. I have to find this kind of animation from a search engine. I have tried the keyword _glowing bulb_ but didn't get my desired results. What do we call this kind of animation; what should I search for? A _glowing bulb_ or _glow_ or _alert_ or what?


Referencing problem with the word "which"

I have written the following sentence: > I had taken Course A at School A _that_ is similar to Course B in School B, > _which_ appears to be more difficult to get through _its_ prerequisite. In case the sentence is not making a lot of sense because of the messy references, the idea is: I have taken Course A at School A. I find that Course A is similar to Course B, which is offered by School B. Course B has more difficult prerequisites to get through. In the sentence, I have a few doubts on the correctness of the references that I have used.   1. First, although I have the temptation to use "which" in the first part of the sentence as " _...taken Course A at School A, **which** is similar to..._", I wanted to avoid word repetition and used the word " _that_ " in the sentence instead to refer to Course A at School A. Is this correct?   2. Second, I always think that " _which_ " refers to its nearest subject and in this case, it is referring to Course B. Is what I have said correct?   3. Third, if the word " _which_ " is referring to Course B, can I then assume that using the word " _it_ " within this clause would automatically refer to what " _which_ " refers to, in this case, Course B?


How is this sentence 'Passive Voice'?

> _I am finished the website for now_ , but if you have any more problems > please feel free to contact me. Thank you for the work and experience. I looked up the above in a grammar checking website, and it says that _am finished_ is passive voice. From what I understand, this is something that should be avoided for the most part. Can anyone explain to me why this site said this was passive, and if possible, explain why this is bad?


Word to call Followings and Followers on Instagram / Twitter

What word can I use to call Followings and Followers on Instagram / Twitter? E.g.I have 100 Followings and 100 Followers on Twitter. In total, I have 200 **_XXX_**.


Where does the word (magic) cookie come from?

Who named the file that websites can place on your computer for, for example advertising, and what is the connection with cookie as a food?


Is there a word for one who enjoys to eat for the sake of eating (a food hedonist)?

Does such a word exist? I don't mean to excess (IE, a glutton), but rather one who eats because he enjoys eating. Essentially, I'm looking for a word that's synonymous with "a food hedonist", or "a hedonistic eater." A word would be ideal, but a term would suffice as well :). I love to eat!


The meaning of "from that of"

I came across the following sentence on a website: > Deaf children's emotional development differs _from that of_ hearing > children. I am guessing that the sentence simply mean that deaf children's emotional development differs from hearing children. But I may not be aware that the phrase " _from that of_ " could have changed the meaning of the sentence. How does the phrase " _from that of_ " add meaning to the sentence? What does " _that_ " refer to in the sentence?


The problem is threefold?

> The problems **_are_** threefold.   >  The problem **_is_** threefold. Which is the right way to use the -fold suffix? * * * _Note - This question was previously asked bya user whose account has been suspended, so the question was auto-deleted. I'm re-posting now it because I think this is a valid question._


Is it correct to use the word "then" to imply something of the past?

I am trying to identify something that was once a new thing. I used the word " _then_ " to imply the subject as something that is already a past. But I am not sure if this is grammatically and semantically correct. For example: > The team wanted to show the features of the _then_ new Windows XP. In this case, Windows XP _was_ new. It is _not_ new now. However, does the word " _then_ " imply this meaning? Also, should it be " _then_ new", or " _then-new_ "?


Indirect, quoted speech: He's all

What does it mean, when someone is alluding to quoted speech, and says to be **all** something? Is this just slang? For example: > "I'm all.. I don't think I'm gonna go".   >  "And he's all.. I think you should." and etc...


What phrase/idiom can be used to refer to procrastination?

Suppose I'm replying to someone's email and it's long overdue - completely hypothetically :) Starting with "Sorry for [ ... ] this". At first I thought I'd use "dropping the ball on" but it seems that "dropping the ball" refers more to making a blunder than to simply putting something off for too long. Any ideas?


unable to provide vs. unable of providing

Someone proof read a document I've been working on and made the following amendment. I would like know which one is correct or sounds better. Please develop your answer. > ...such strategies are unable to provide continuous benefits to > ...such strategies are unable of providing continuous benefits


What is the difference between clothing and clothes?

There is a story that a worker at the airport, while unloading a number of boxes, accidentally discovered a man who was hiding in a box in order to save the cost of the trip. The man was lying on the top of a pile of WOOLEN GOODS. And my question is if I intend to replace WOOLEN GOODS with some other type of goods, for example, CLOTHES or CLOTHING, which one is better? And what is the difference on this occasion? Please explain in detail, thanks!


Suitable description for this type of sentence

Lyrics from The National's Ada > Ada don't talk about reasons why you don't want to talk about reasons why > you don't wanna talk Is there a word for the structure of this sentence - for me it loops like **circular reasoning** If I have to describe this as a __ sentence - can it be " _helical_ " ?


What overarching category do "street," "road," "avenue", etc. belong to?

_Apple_ belongs to the category of Fruit. What category do _street_ , _road_ , and _avenue_ belong to?


Which is the opposite of "ode"?

I have been thinking on which may be the opposite of ode, even though there probably isn't any exact opposite. An ode is a poem which has certain characteristics; here is a list compiled from various sources:   1. Lyrical, perhaps even intended to be sung   2. Devoted to praise of a person, animal or thing   3. Expressing deep feeling   4. Longer than many other types of poetry   5. Elevated style: this one is tricky, as it depends on the style or period the piece is from. Older odes tend to have rigid, stanzaical structures whereas more recent forms can involve lines of varying lengths and complex, alternating rhythms. I am asking: is there a name for poems which have the complete opposite characteristics on them? Thanks!


Does "fathers" in RP exclude R and unvoice the S?

In received pronunciation, the word "father" ends in /ə/. I haven't found an IPA transcription of the plural form, and am wondering:   * RP being non-rhotic, is the "r" here excluded?   * Is the S voiced (/z/) or unvoiced (/s/)?


What is the meaning of the phrase "duly require"?

Is it the same as "need"? What meaning does "duly" add to "require"? EDIT: Adding example I found online from the 1957 _Penal Code of the Empire of Ethiopia_ : > **Art. 326. Capitulation**. > > A commanding officer who: > > (a) in battle or in the face of the enemy lays down his arms, despatch a > bearer with a flag of truce, hauls down his flag, or surrenders with his men > without having done everything that the exigencies of military duly require > of him; or [...]


Subjunctive "what be"

> [1] "I don't know what is the best vehicle for that." > > [2] "I don't know what would be the best vehicle for that." > > [3] "I don't know what be the best vehicle for that." My ear says [2] would be best. But [3] is shorter; is it also acceptable?


“Curriculum Vitae” vs “Curriculum Vitæ”

I was just seeing the CV of Dr. Donald Knuth, which he calls as his _Curriculum Vitæ_. So is _Curriculum Vitæ_ more appropriate than the commonly used _Curriculum Vitae_?


What does "heavy" mean in this sentence?

> The site is a little bit slow because of installed heavy zencart application What's the meaning of _heavy_ in the above sentence? Does it mean the application is too large or something else?


“Blow your heads off ” or “blow your head off ”

Is it _heads_ or _head_? Google told me both are okay. What do you think? > I will blow your head[s] off if you don't tell me.


Word to describe sounds from a one-year old child

Which word can I use to describe random nonsense sounds like 'aaaa', 'papa' etc. from a child who still cannot speak.


Grammatical usage

If I say Lonnie and Lonae will be celebrating their birthday is that correct usage of their? Or is it there? I think there is reference to where something is and their is reference to property of people


Word form dictionary/system/tool

Is anyone aware of any word form dictionary available (online): If we were to take a common word. For example: eat Then you would have the following:   * Present: eat    * Simple past: ate   * Past participle: Eaten    * Gerund : eating   * Adjective: edible   * Adjective: eatable (edible more correct) Please note: I am not looking for synonyms. So therefore the use of a thesaurus would be an unfitting solution. Thank you for your help


What word or phrase expresses briefly detaining a suspect on the street and then letting him/her go?

Today, a Dutch paper published a little research triggered by a politician outing the English phrase (abbreviated) "65 percent of them have been detained by the police at least once." I think, and checking online dictionaries seems to confirm it, that _detained_ means: > apprehended and keep in custody for a (short) while. The newspaper however translated it with _aanhouden_. In Dutch this usually means: > stopped by a policeman for a (small) offense, which _may_ result in a fine > or worse. The severity of either is different and the research results published by the newspaper will be different depending on the understanding of the English word _detained_. If you cycle on a pedestrian zone, you are "aangehouden" and fined, but you are not detained (at least I hope not). **How would you paraphrase that in English, or do I misunderstand the wider meaning of _detained_?** * * * ### More context In response to Kris's request below, I'm afraid it's hard to give a better context. The whole reason for the Dutch research article was to check the claims that the politician made. In the speech of the politician, he didn't give a context, he just said "65 percent of them have been detained by the police at least once.", where _them_ refers to a certain minority. The discussion in the journalistic article is about whether or not the claim is true. It can be assumed that he means to say that "65% of group X were brought to prison", at the same time _knowing_ that the figures he referred to talk about "65% of group X was ever stopped or halted or had otherwise a registered encounter with the police". I wondered whether the politician would have deliberately chosen the wrong word, or whether the chosen word is just correct, which is why I popped the question. Since I don't want this to be an extension of any political debate, I didn't want to point to the original source of the politician (you may also call it shame), which he made on Fox News.


Comma usage in list

Are the commas in the following sentence correct? > At the bottom, you can find more quick links to the Charity Commission, and > Haringey, Waltham Forest and Enfield council websites.


Why we use preposition while a verb has own meaning?

I want to know about usage of preposition in sentence where a verb has own meaning but we put preposition why? Pleas answer me briefly


When to use “make” versus when to use “do”

I have trouble choosing between _make_ and _do_ in a sentence. Could someone please explain them to me?


What is the purpose of using the word "automagically" when we already have "automatically"?

Is there a difference between the two? I see it used regularly in the tech community to mean automatically. Has the word been adopted into any recognised dictionary? For example: > That was the day I officially stopped caring what version Chrome is. I mean, > I care in the sense that sometimes I need to check its dogtags in battle, > but as a regular user of Chrome, I no longer think of myself as using a > _specific version_ of Chrome, I just … use Chrome. Whatever the latest > version is, I have it **automagically**. \-- Jeff Atwood (The Infinite Version)


Hyphenate "powers that be" when used as object?

Here's part of my sentence: `"I'm going to ask the powers that be whether[...]"` Should it be `"I'm going to ask the powers-that-be whether[...]"`? Bonus points for why, of course..


Is there a hypernym for debit/credit?

I’m looking for a generic word that means “debit or credit”. Say I have a transaction, and I don’t know whether it’s a debit on the account or a credit on the account, and I want to ask about it, is there a word I can use? For example, if I were asking whether a book were green or blue, I would ask, “What’s its color?” If I ask whether a transaction was a debit or a credit, can I fill in the blank, “What’s its **_**?” (Background: I’m looking to name a variable while programming, and the best I can come up with is _type_ , which is not very descriptive).


One word for either Income (credit) or Expense (debit)

What word better denotes a money transaction: debit or credit?


What is the hypernym of Earnings and Deduction?

If **Earnings** means an item that adds value to any stack. And, If **Deductions** means any item that subtracts value from any stack. Then what single _< word>_ can be an _either_ Earning or Deduction? As in:   * You will be Earning 200 this June. (plus 200)   * You will be Deducted 100 this July. (less 100)   * You will be _< word>_ +500 this August. (plus 500)   * You will be _< word>_ -400 this September. (less 400)


"I ordered us..." vs. "I ordered for us..." vs "I ordered ... for us"

I usually use a phrase such as: > (1) I ordered us a box. Would it be more correct to say: > (2) I ordered for us a box. Or, better still: > (3) I ordered a box for us. Example 3 sounds the most correct, but are 1 and 2 improper English or are they perfectly valid in written form?


"Describe with" vs. "describe by"

I'm not entirely certain about when it is most appropriate to use _with_ and _by_ , respectively. An example should clarify my problem: > We describe the input **with** an exponential function. or > We describe the input **by** an exponential function. My understanding is that in this type of situation, _with_ is used if the object is more like a tool and _by_ if it is the active agent. This would suggest that _with_ is more appropriate in the above example but in the following example, _by_ is better: > The input is best described **by** an exponential function. Is this usage correct? Is there a clear grammatical or stylistic rule?


There are no comments /  There is no comment

Which is correct?   * "There are no comments."   * "There is no comment." Which would you use for a web application, i.e. what to display when a blog post or an article has no comment attached? Actually, I am trying to fix an application that says: "There is no comments" ! Would that ever be right?? More generally speaking, it feels wrong to have a plural after the negative no/none or with the preposition "without" (see my previous question). Those words imply zero, i.e. less than 1, while plural is 2 or more. Yet, I know that phrases like "There are no comments." or "He is without friends." are common. It seems illogical to me. Are the majority of people making a grammar mistake when using such expressions, or else can you explain why this is correct?


Correct plural form of a zero quantified noun

When using zero as a quantifier, is it correct to use the singular form on the object of the quantifier, or the plural form? It sounds confusing when I put it that way, but what I mean is: Which is correct?   * Your password expires in 0 days.   * Your password expires in 0 day. Essentially I suppose I'm asking, does "singular" mean "one" or "the opposite of more than one", as zero is not "plural" in the traditional "more than one" sense? I'm pretty sure "days" _sounds_ correct, but I can't be sure.


Is singular or plural standard for state of none of something?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  There are no comments / There is no comment Which of these is more standard? > There are no balls in the room. > > There is no ball in the room. Or if both can be appropriate, which would be used to discuss the requirement that one or more balls is required to be in the room, but at present none are in the room?


Singular plural clarification with none objects

Should I use "no entries are found" or "no entry is found" or "no entries is found"? Which is more correct and which is wrong in usage?


Plural or Singular? "There are no books."

This is really just for fun. Why is this grammatically correct? "There are no books". "No books" means a zero quantity of books which is singular per definition of plural (2 or more). So isn't it incorrect and we should instead use: "There is no book."


is it 0 degree or 0 degrees outside?

This is in relation to the question "It's “1 degrees” or is it “1 degree” outside?". I have heard many people say that it is zero degrees outside. Is this correct, or is it 0 degree? The latter simply doesn't sound right.


Do I write "zero millimeter" or "zero millimeters"?

> **Possible Duplicates:**   >  Correct plural form of a zero quantified noun   >  There are no comments / There is no comment. In the sentence "There is 0 mm of attached gingiva," is the proper word "is" or "are" when asking about the millimeters?


Why is "zero" plural?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Correct plural form of a zero quantified noun I could have:   * Zero **books**   * One **book**   * Two **books** _Why is zero in plural form?_ * * * # Edit Per Merriam-Webster:   Plural (adj): of, relating to, or constituting a class of grammatical forms usually used to denote more than one or in some languages more than two Singular (adj): of, relating to, or being a word form denoting one person, thing, or instance So by this logic, our choices are `one` or `more than one`. Maybe it's a bug :-)


How to explain why do we use, e.g. "1" video but "0" videos?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Correct plural form of a zero quantified noun It's getting really complicated when you have to explicate to a student a bunch of habitual _"Whys"_! For example, how do I explain, why do we say: "1 video but 0 videos?". It's understood, if we say 2 videos but when we refer to '0' why is it also plural?


Is -1 singular or plural?

Do we say "-1 thing" or "-1 things"? Edit: I am interested in both of these cases: "two things minus one thing(s)" and the quantity "minus/negative one thing(s)." Bounty: While there are some good answers, I'm starting a bounty in an attempt to get an authoritative answer. I'm looking for either a solid, undeniable argument either way or a well-cited answer.


Singular and Plural for numbers

Why is it correct to say `0 votes` and `1 vote`? When, `0` signifies the lack of `votes` and is technically _less_ than `1`? Also what's the correct way to say: `-1 vote` or `-1 votes`?


Grandma and Nan, origins and differences?

What are the origins and differences between these two? Same for Granddad/Grandpa? Why was there the need for the two different names?


Is "unredactable" a word?

I googled it and even though it's been used on the Web, I can't find any entries for it on online dictionaries. If it's not a real word, then is there a good equivalent? The context is a record where new items can be added but existing items _cannot_ be edited. A good example would be the minutes of a meeting, where you can add new entries, but not change entries that have already been entered.


What is an adjective for "requires a lot of work"?

For example, Starting a new business requires a lot of work. What would be an adjective in: Starting a new business is ___.


Correct way to write High Scores? (Possibly High Scores or Hi Scores)?

Which of these (if any) would be the correct term for a leader boards type of thing? I've seen HighScores fairly often, but I've only ever seen a game called RuneScape using the term "HiScores". (I know this is a dupe, but the old "thread" had some pretty conflicting answers and is now closed)


Can "an act of protest" and "a sign of protest" be used interchangeably? Are they idioms that are synonymous to each other?

Can _"an act of protest"_ and _"a sign of protest"_ be used interchangeably? Are there contexts where one of these phrases should be used, and not the other? Also, are " _act of protest_ " and " _sign of protest_ ", idioms? Are they synonymous to each other?


Idiomatic Expression "at a loss"

Im trying to understand the idiomatic expression "at a loss." According to this source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/at+a+loss it can either mean "Below cost" or "Perplexed; puzzled." However, I'm wondering if it can also be used to mean the same as the definitions of the word "loss." Can one say: > "I'm at a loss of a pencil, can you help me find it?" And would this have the same meaning as: > "I lost a pencil, can you help me find it?"


Should I say "product of" or "result of" with something abstract?

Should I say _product of_ or _result of_ with something abstract? As in, > These questions are the **product** of my studies. or > These questions are the **result** of my studies.


Meaning of the phrase "it is worth noting that"

I'm a little bit confused with the following phrase. I was reading an article about concurrency in Java and there was a sentence saying: > It is worth noting that both `unlockRead()` and `unlockWrite()` calls > `notifyAll()` rather than `notify()`. This phrase seemed quite strange to me, so I googled a little and found this: > -I am writing a paper and I want to say "It is worth noting that..." But > I've already used the phrase. What's another way to say it? Thanks.   >  -Apropos So, I have two questions:   1. "It is worth noting that" == "apropos" == "besides"?   2. Does meaning depend on the context of usage? Does this phrase always mean the same or sometimes it's actual meaning is "useless", "costs nothing", etc.?


is past tense necessary here?

I saw the following dialogue: > A: Do you think John can come over and help us?   >  B: I called him. He says he can't. He says he is busy this evening. Is it correct to use present tense in B's reply? How about past tense? Any difference?


Can we use "it" as a generic reference for a human being?

I was watching a Hollywood movie few days ago. In one scene the son says "See, Mama: it's Dad," using _it_ for a human. Is that right? How? In another case, when one of my colleague was explaining some scenarios, he started explaining in this way: > The user will click on a website link, then **he/she** should see a pop-up > "Sign up now", then **he/she** should fill the form ... Why can't we use the word _it_ instead of _he/she_? We don't know who the user is to be, male or female. If we cant use _it_ in place of _he/she,_ which word should we use?


_(if you can think of a better title please change it, I know it's bad)_ Is there a name for an answer to a question that does nothing but rephrase the question in an answer form? For example, if you were asked something that you didn't know the answer to and were trying to be funny / intentionally not helpful. Examples: > Q: What is a dog house?   >  A: It's a house for dogs.   >  Q: What is the typeDefinitionAccessCode variable used for?   >  A: It's used to store the access code of the type definition.


Can we use the word "initiative" as an adjective?

I'd like to ask if we can use the word _initiative_ as an adjective. I have found it used that way, but there is no entry for _initiative_ as an adjective in the Oxford Advanced Learners' Dictionary.


What's the word for a person who can read lines on a forehead?

Is there a word for a person who can read lines on a forehead? In India, some people can read forehead lines and claim to tell you your future.


Does this sound vulgar or have sexual connotations?

I'd like to ask you to help me clarifying if a brand name sounds sexual/vulgar/queer for native English speakers. It is "I Job You" which is a social job recommendation site. However, we had some feedback about the name that is has some sexual connotation (blow job? hand job?) How do you see it? Does it ring any sexual bell for the first read? Can it be used on a native English market?


A more acceptable word to replace the word "rectum"?

I wrote in a short paragraph describing how a cartoon character, after being eaten up by a shark, swam through the shark's internal body and fled from its rectum. It was meant to be a cartoon/game-like kind of idea. A friend read and thought it was not very nice of me to have written it in this manner. I suspect it could be the word " _rectum_ " that has made him feel uneasy. Seriously, is it really crude of me to have written it that way? What could be a better phrasing or word to replace " _rectum_ " so that the meaning remains and does not sound too offensive?


"I didn't finish" versus "I haven't finished"

If I worked on something yesterday but it was not finished, should I use "I didn't finish it yet" or "I haven't finished it yet"?


What is the difference between "environment" and "geography"?

I'm writing a paper on how environmental and geographic factors influence economic development and, having already established that as my research question early in the semester, am having trouble actually defining the difference between the two. It seems like there's a lot of overlap. This is a slightly more subjective question than just the straightforward English definitions, but I'd appreciate any help you can give me. **Edit:** I just realized that maybe the relationship between _environment_ and _geography_ is a sort of micro/macro relationship, where environment encompasses more of the micro-level details of an ecosystem and geography is more a macro-level analysis. Thoughts? **Edit 2:** I should clarify that I'm writing about the features of the natural environment, rather than environment in a more abstract sense.


How do you quote a passage that has used '[sic]' mistakenly?

The usage of '[sic]' is well defined for quoting a passage that you believe has an error in it: nearest to the mistake you place '[sic]' within the quotes. For example, suppose I write a letter from I to you. This last sentence of mine is counter to most norms of English writing (it's wrong), so in quoting it someone would naturally want to write: > ...suppose I write a letter from I [sic] to you. Suppose though that I do something else, suppose I write a letter from me to you. This follows accepted grammatical practice (it's correct grammar). But then further suppose that someone thinks you should use 'I' instead of 'me'. And they quote it thus: > ...suppose I write a letter from me [sic] to you. The '[sic]' has been mistakenly used. But how do you quote the passage I just wrote? Would it be: > "...suppose I write a letter from me [sic] to you." [sic] or > "...suppose I write a letter from me [sic] [sic] to you." or > "...suppose I write a letter from me [sic [sic]] to you." None of these sound right to me: the first because it doesn't point out where the error is, the second because you can't tell (for either '[sic]') if you're using '[sic]' or it is part of the thing quoted, and for the third example...well, that might be a way to mark the error, but surely the mechanics of '[sic]' could have been designed better to begin with. So which of these three, or something else entirely, should be used for quoting a passage where '[sic]' is used wrongly?


Oh fudge knuckle!

What does this expression mean? I heard it in a video where the person said something like > This sounds right, but in fact, son of a gun, or as my younger son would > say, fudge knuckle, it goes wrong in the end.


Comma after address

Here's an example: >   * Chocolate lovers rejoice! >   * Chocolate lovers, rejoice! > To my understanding, the first one says that chocolate lovers are rejoicing and in the second one, we are asking the chocolate lovers to rejoice. Am I correct? Or is it fine to use both 1 and 2 interchangeably? Also, if am wrong about the second one, then how do you convey to chocolate lovers that they should rejoice?


Are dependent subclauses allowed in the middle of sentences?

I have recently finished writing an academic thesis. During proofreading, my supervisor and I had quite a number of discussions related to the placement of dependent subclauses (I think that's the English term) in sentences. Here is an example of a sentence in the form that I would usually write it: > The above discussion points toward a need, in a complete assessment of A, to > take B into account. My supervisor would typically want to change this into: > The above discussion points toward a need to take B into account in a > complete assessment of A. I prefer the first form since the subclause "in a complete assessment of A" is there placed close to that which it adds information to (i.e. it elaborates on "a need"). My supervisor think that this is a Swedish grammatical habit (I'm Swedish by the way) and is not suitable in English. Would you agree with him, is the second form preferable? If so, how strongly do you feel that way?


confusion about the 'ch' sound

i am confused about using the "ch" as there are three sound starting with "ch" as-/k/sound, and like these. is there some important rules to find out word formation?.someone please help me.


Pronunciation of CH

Why is ch pronounced as "Q", as in choir, and are there any other instances where ch is used as the letter "Q"?


Difference word descriptions

Why do we say >we are going to sea< when we board a ship that will travel across an ocean?


"Tell me why I should marry you" or "Tell me why should I marry you?". Which is correct?

I have always followed the former rule, i.e, "Tell me why I should marry you" (without a question mark). But my cousin insists the latter is correct. He seems equally confident that he is correct. So can you please answer which is correct? Or are both correct? Or the following example would illustrate my question better: >   1. Give me reasons why I should marry you. >   2. Give me reasons why should I marry you? > Which of the above is correct?


Which one is correct "Where I was or Where was I"?

I am little bit confuse to use Where I was or Where was I. For Example I use - > My brother wanted to know where was I? Please help


A single word for a person who suffers great loss

Can anybody give me a single word for a person who suffers great loss as in the context below. The word loser is not appropriate: > Mike lost everything after his failed business venture. > > Phillip suffered great loss due to the flood.


It is I who am at fault?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  “It is they who lied” or “it is them who lied?”   >  What rules make “Remember me, who am your friend” grammatical? Which one of these is correct? > It is I who am at fault. > > It is me who is at fault. The word " _is_ " is a conjugation of " _be_ " which is a linking verb. I also want to know the same for 2nd person. > It is you who are at fault. > > It is you who is at fault.


How to conjugate verb in relative clause where case changes?

I'm not sure how the following sentence should be built: "She gives a blanket to me, who (am/is/?) cold" I can't come up with anything that _sounds_ right, and I'm not certain there _is_ a right. Can this be done in English? Obviously in this example sentence, it should be restructured to sound normal, but I'm looking for a rule on this structure.


"I who has" vs "I who have."

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What rules make “Remember me, who am your friend” grammatical? Am aware it is correct to say `"I have written..."` and `"I am a doctor who has writen..."` I have, however, severally come across the sentence `"I, Tertius, who have written..."`. Shouldn't it be `"I, Tertius, who has written..."`? Related


Is "It is you who are mistaken!" correct?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What rules make “Remember me, who am your friend” grammatical? This is a line spoken by the Emperor to Luke in Star Wars. I always wondered if this is grammatically correct. Luke says something like " _You are mistaken ..._ " which the Emperor answers with > No, it is you who **are** mistaken! Why wouldn't he say > No, it is you who **is** mistaken! instead? I don't know what rules apply here but my stomach tells me the latter is (at least _also_ ) correct, although you would say "you **are** mistaken". It feels as if he should be referring to "you" in the third person. Could you please shed some light? Are both correct or -- if not -- which one is correct? And why?


The use of "who has" or "who have" in a sentence

Consider the following example: >   * It is you who has taken the garbage out. > >   * It is you who have taken the garbage out. > > Does one use "has" or "have" in this sentence construction? Which of the two best fits? Which is grammatically correct?


"Who" usage in interrogative form

When using "who" in a question, which is correct: Is it I who has erred? Is it I who have erred? The latter seems correct by test (take out who), but the former seems correct by question form (singular, but take out I).


If , as John Lawler says, orthography is not part of language, how can these commas interfere with today's discussion about gun control?

> A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, > the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. I read an interesting article on The New York Times regarding the punctuation used in the amendment above, which today interfere with gun rights and gun control discussions. Below I quote what I read in reference to what I'm interested to. > Nelson Lund, a professor of law at George Mason University, argues that > everything before the second comma is an “absolute phrase” and, therefore, > does not modify anything in the main clause. Professor Lund states that the > Second Amendment “has exactly the same meaning that it would have if the > preamble had been omitted.” > > But, according to the journalist, Professor Lund is correct that the clause > about a well-regulated militia is “absolute,” but only in the sense that it > is grammatically independent of the main clause, not that it is logically > unrelated. To the contrary, absolute clauses typically provide a causal or > temporal context for the main clause. Question is: Under a grammatical perspective is it correct to say that "absolute clauses typically provide a causal or temporal context for the main clause," so that eventually it is untrue that the Second Amendment "has exactly the same meaning that it would have if the preamble had been omitted.”?


Is "oftener" obsolete?

Does any native speaker of the English Language ever use _oftener_ instead of _more often_?


Is the history of h-dropping in English in any way related to the silent h of French?

I was reading up on Richard the III, and his exploits just now in Wikipedia -- as is the nature of Wiki, that further me led to stumble to Stafford, Duke of Buckingham's page, where I learned that one of the motivations he might have had to kill the Princes, Richard III's nephews, was his inheritance of an estate from his great-great-great grandfather, Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, Essex and Northampton. Most of that is besides the point. But note these words: 'Ereford and North 'ampton. In _My Fair Lady_ , one of the sentences the protagonist, a linguist, uses to illustrate Eliza's h-dropping is to have her repeat these sentences: > In 'artford, 'ereford, and 'ampshire, 'urricanes 'ardly ever 'appen. Now, it's well known that for a long time among the English people, French held a privileged position as a language indicating education and class; it was even spoken as a primary language in lieu of English amongst the upper class, for a couple hundred years after the Norman conquest. More "prestigious" words in English often come from the French; it's where we get lots of words for governmental and legal bodies, words like _conveyances_ and _attorneys general_. Moreover, I believe that _h_ in French is rarely aspirated, and those words where it _is_ pronounced are often descended from the Germanic, which English would likely have cognates to, and might have been looked down upon. So what I'm wondering is: Would French pronunciations of English place names and estates, which perhaps might have included h-dropping, have percolated in a similar way amongst the population as a result of their prestige? If your lord, your bishop, and your judge pronounce Hampton with a French-affected 'ampton, would you have been likely to have pronounced things in the same way yourself? I tried checking Wiki for dates, which would helpful to verify this hypothesis: I know that French died out as a basic communicative language amongst the English in the 15th century, but really have no clue when h-dropping entered the language. Any comments or insights as to its origin would of course be appreciated.


What is the meaning of "a lot of sleep last night."?

I have read this sentence but can not understand "a lot of sleep last night."                I didn't get a lot of sleep last night.      Can any one explain about it ?


Why is endpoint a word while startpoint is not?

My text editor complains when I type 'startpoint' and does not complain when I type 'endpoint'. Why does this difference exist and what should I use for each?


word meaning 'in large numbers'

I want to know a word which can be used to indicate that a particular object is ordered 'in large numbers'. The terms like _numerous_ and _many_ do not reflect my stress on numbers. Can anyone suggest a better word? Example sentence: "Why was this spoon not ordered (suggested word)?"


Why is the letter 'X' given importance in mathematics?

In mathematics the letter 'X' is always given importance over other letters. Why is it so?


"unconservative" or "inconservative"?

Which one is correct: "unconservative" or "inconservative"?! If both are incorrect, what word should we use instead?


Where can I obtain an English dictionary with structured data?

I would like to download an English dictionary -- **not just aword list** \-- in a structured format such as TXT, XML, or SQL. Specifically, I need **phonetic pronunciation** and **parts of speech** (definition is not required). Surprisingly, I can't find this online anywhere. Wiktionary is available for download, but it only the mediawiki articles themselves. Crawling all articles and extracting the phonetics and parts of speech would be a huge exercise. Is this available anywhere? I don't mind paying. _Note: cross-postedon StackOverflow._


English dictionary for download

I'm looking for dictionaries for download. I have found word lists from some Scrabble game sites, etc. but these lists are incomplete and do not cover word definitions and, perhaps, a thesaurus. I also know about dictionary APIs, unfortunately they either have query limitations or do not allow downloading their database. I should mention that my interest in this is strictly personal. * * * ### ** NOTE ** I should also mention that this question is not about a _program_ (or software), but the raw files. I am hoping something like XML, JSON, MySQL dump, text, etc. But not necessarily limited to this. * * * I know it's a bit to ask, but I'd like to know if such thing even exists? Is there anyone who would know where I can download en entire dictionary database, with word description, etc. (and possibly the synonyms)? Thank you.


Dictionary of English word syllables and stresses

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Where can I obtain an English dictionary with structured data? Does anybody know of a downloadable dictionary of English words with their syllables AND stress patterns? I want to do some analysis of rhythms in texts but haven't been able to find such a database. For instance, I'd want to be able to feed my script a line and have it tell me if it is iambic or not.


British versus American English?

Anyone know how much of the world uses British versus American English?


Is it acceptable to call a hot dog a sausage?

This sounds like a silly question, but I've heard some very strong opinions about this, so I find this intriguing. A hot dog is a type of sausage (at least according to Merriam-Webster, Wikipedia, and Encyclopedia Britannica), but I find that very few friends and coworkers agree with this, and they go so far as to say that a hot dog isn't a sausage at all. It seems that there is a perception that goes along with the term "sausage" that people refuse to associate with the term "hot dog," even though the former is a generic term for the latter. I noticed the strength of this perception when watching an episode of American Idol last year. When Jacob says, "A hot dog is a type of sausage," not only did the others disagree, but so did people on Twitter. Enough people tweeted in disagreement with his statement that "sausage" became a trending topic for a few hours. It seems odd to me that there would be that much resentment to his statement, since it was trivial. And technically, he was correct. I'm curious to know if this is a localized perception or if this extends to outside the U.S. as well. Am I correct in believing that a hot dog is a type of sausage and that it's not widely accepted to refer to it as such in the U.S.? If so, is this unusual perception (that a word is acceptable as a definition but taboo as a substitution) confined to the U.S., or is this sentiment common in other countries as well?


What do you call someone who reviews, and approves or denies, an application?

The person who applies is called the _applicant_. What is the correct term to use for the one on the other side of an application? [such as a job application] In my case, the _applicant_ applies to be promoted as say, a super user. I want to know what is the correct way to name the one who approves or denies the application.


What does "devil a bit" mean?

I’ve read this in older books, and I get the impression that it means “not at all”, but the construction doesn’t make sense. Am I right as to the meaning? And how should I interpret the form? Here’s one usage: > And that’s the reason why, if a man speaks his mind too freely against the > gospel according to Saint Mat Thew, the _Devil-a-bit_ does Mat care about > it.


How to label a digit according to its position in a number

Let's say there is some number like 12345. In Konglish (Korean English), I can label 3 as the _hundred's position number_ and 5 as the _one's position number_. I don't think this is correct English. How can I label each number according to its position correctly?


The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons

> The louder he talked of his honor, **the faster we counted our spoons.** What does "the faster we counted our spoons" mean in the above expression?


Barrack or barracks?

I am translating something from German to English (my mother-in-law's war stories), and she wrote of having lived in various labor camps while she was in the custody of the Soviets after WW 2. She writes of having lived "in einer Baracke", and the singular form for it in English is "barrack", but do we really ever use the singular form? Despite my 8 years in the US Army where this word was used frequently, I never heard the singular form used. My German-English dictionary says "hut, barrack", and the Free Online Dictionary says "A building or group of buildings used to house military personnel. _Often used in the plural_." Well, _always_ is not _often_ , clearly. The reason I am asking is because I am considering using the singular form (making her story into a book, you see) in order to keep somewhat of the flavor of the original account. But is that a good idea, do you think? It will be English speakers who will read this book, and I don't want them to think I spelled the word wrong.


Why was someone considered mentally unbalanced or crazy called a "crackpot"?

I believe "crackpot" dates back to the last decade of the nineteenth century; however, I'm curious to know why "crackpot" was used to describe someone mentally unbalanced or crazy. Any thoughts?


Using "so that" without modal verbs

I know that usually with "so that" there is a modal verb. However, I do not know **if this is correct** because there is not a modal verb. > I will wake him up so that he does not (will not) miss the train.   >  I woke him up so that he did not miss the train.


How to describe relations that are not good?

**Question 1** If someone's relations with any of their relatives (say father), are not good, what adjectives would be appropriate in the following cases:   1. They don't fight or have frequent quarrels yet do not interact too much with each other(but not because they dislike each other)   2. They have frequent fights, both of them dislike each other and so do not interact with each other.    3. For some reasons they have a great enmity with each other?  **Question 2** What do we say to mean that someone's relations with their relatives are getting bad or worsening? Can we simply say that their relations are worsening or are getting worse.


labour v.s. labourer

What's the difference between them when I mean "worker"? In other word, which one below is right?   1. Companies can barely find young labours in an ageing society.   2. Companies can barely find young labourers in an ageing society.


When using the singular pronoun "they", should the verb be in the 3rd person singular or the 3rd person plural?

> A person who has perfectly good relations with their father, who loves their > father, and has a great respect for them, can never shout at him like that. > A person who have perfectly good relations with their father, who love their > father, and have a great respect for them, can never shout at him like that. Which one's correct?


Which is more correct: “skewen” or “skewn”?

Which spelling for the past participle of _skew_ is more correct: _skewen_ or _skewn_? (I recognise it is not the more common spelling of _skewed_ , but regionally and personally _skewen_ is more in use in Quebec.) Also, out of curiosity, is _skewn_ even a word? Or was it ever a word? I’m thinking of _strew/strewn_ and _sew/sewn_ and am wondering whether _skew_ ever matched to _skewn_ at any point over the course of its usage.


Read, write, speak and?

Saying "I can read XXX" is precise in referring to the ability to understand only written text. Saying "I can understand XXX" could refer to either reading or understanding audio. Is there a single word that means only the ability to understand audio?


Difference between "isolated" and "insulated"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Difference in meaning in "insulation" vs. "isolation"? What is the difference in meaning between _isolated_ and _insulated_?


What does "I must have you dance" mean?

What does "I must have you dance" mean? What kind of a sentence is it?


Difference between "to do as much for you as" and "to do for you as much as"

In Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary 3rd ed., one of the usage examples given for the entry _much_ is: > One day I hope I'll be able **to do as much for you as** you've done for me. Is the meaning still the same if I move the prepositional phrase _for you_ just before the expression _as much as_? > One day I hope I'll be able **to do for you as much as** you've done for me.


Sentences ending with both a colon and a question mark

How should sentences that end with both a colon and a question mark be formed? Two examples are below, both questions, but one in which the colon presents a piece of information and the other in which it begins a list. > Is this the one you meant?: > http://blah.com/somebody/blog/article/foobarbaz.gif > Do you have any of these symptoms?:   >  • Headache   >  • Nausea   >  • Dizziness   >       Obviously a question-mark—colon combination is no good, and at best, looks odd. Putting the question mark after the item(s) is no good either. Do they have to be rewritten in a more pointed way such as below or is there another option? > Is the one in the following picture the one you meant? > > http://blah.com/somebody/blog/article/foobarbaz.gif > Do you have any of the symptoms below?   > > > • Headache   >  • Nausea   >  • Dizziness   >


When is the construction "I myself" suitable?

A previous question, _How to call attention to "I" without "I myself" or the pretentious "Even I"?_, suggested that the _"I myself"_ construction is often used for emphasis, with one answer correctly pointing out that it is grammatically correct. I find this completely redundant. When is it suitable to use "I myself"?


Is the word "Ray" related to the Egyptian "Ra"

My Communications professor was quite adamant that the word "radio" could be traced back to the Egyptian word for sun, "ra". Radio comes from the Latin "radius" and I could find no sources that connected radius to ra. In fact, I'm pretty sure that Latin didn't develop out of Egyptian at all, but I could be mistaken. Can anyone offer further insight?


What is the effect called when one looks at a bright light, and the image "burns" into one's eyes?

When I glance at the sun, or a bare light bulb, I find that when I blink, or move my eyes, a superimposed image of the bright object appears wherever I look. What is this called?


What's a term for pure text data (non-image non-video non-audio)?

I am looking for a word that means plain old normal data. I am trying to express the size of a database and clarify that doesn't contain any images or videos or audio files so that the number is meaningful (1.2TB of video isn't nearly as much data to manage as 1.2TB of text). > The databases each contain approximately 1.2 terabytes of [insert_word_here] > data. My gut is leaning toward the word _textual_ but that does not sound right to me, since there are plenty of other data types in a database (numeric, decimal, XML to name a few) that don't fit my personal concept of _text_. Is _textual_ a good fit here? What word conveys what I am trying to explain?


Quoting prices informally

To the question, "How much does this cost?" which of the following answers is/are grammatically correct (at least informally)? >   1. Two pound forty. >   2. Two pounds forty. >   3. Two pound forty penny. >   4. Two pounds forty penny. >   5. Two pound forty pence. >   6. Two pounds forty pence. > Is the answer the same if "pound/pounds/penny/pence" is replaced with "dollar/dollars/cent/cents"?


"The place where I go is nice" vs. "the place where I go to is nice"

I'm French and I'm wondering if the preposition _to_ is needed in "The place where I go to is nice". I can see myself saying both "where I go to" and "where I go".


Does an adjective apply to both nouns when joined with 'and'?

> Can you grab the blue shirts and socks? Is the above sentence stating that both the shirts and the socks are blue? Or only the shirts? At this stage, I am leaning towards the earlier (only the shirts) — though writing "Can you grab the blue shirts and blue socks?" seems redundant.


What does "vampiric" mean in this context?

In Sam Harris's blog he writes > Most of us have been around this block often enough to know that many > “former atheists”—like Francis Collins—spent so long on the brink of faith, > and yearned for its emotional consolations with such vampiric intensity, > that the slightest breeze would send them spinning into the abyss. I pride myself in usually being able to understand Mr Harris's writings, but the word "vampiric" was new to me (indeed, the spell checker underscores it in red here on english.SE). Looking it up in a dictionary, it is defined (naturally enough) as "pertaining to vampires." But that hardly helps give it meaning to me in the present context.


Antonym of all: none, not all, both?

If you ask someone what the opposite of "all" was, most times the answer will be "none", such as the example of "no one" is the opposite of "everyone". There are three antonyms for "all" on Thesaurus.com: none, zero, and incompletely. I'm most concerned about the last one, "incompletely". As a math student, I am taking a maths logic course, and a couple of logical quantifiers are frequently brought up: ∃ (there exists), and ∀ (all/every). The negation of these is specifically defined as "there does not exist" and "not all/every" respectively. `Everyone knows John` becomes `Not everyone knows John` `Someone knows John` becomes `No one knows John` Which would be more appropriate to define as the opposite of "all" in English? Is the antonym "not all" or "none"? My understanding is that there can only exist one antonym per word, but is it really binary? To refer back to mathematics: ¬`Everyone knows John` can mean both `No one knows John` and `Not everyone knows John`. Both of these fall outside the domain of which `Everyone knows John` would be true. Maybe I'm reading too into it. edit; this isn't a mathematics question. I only introduced mathematical logic to have some kind of reference to what the "antonym" (actually negation) of "all" is. This question is essentially asking whether the antonym of "all" is "not all", "none", or both.


When does the time window start for the term "due"?

Say something (a bill, a task request) has a deadline of May 1st. It's pretty clear that on May 2nd, it's overdue. What's less clear, and is leading to some arguments where I work, is: at what point is it _"due"_? As soon as it's assigned/generated? Two weeks before the deadline? Midnight on April 30th? Edit: to clarify, the debate centers around **when is it correct to _start_ using the term _"due"_**. We've been using it to label tasks about 2 weeks to a month before the due date, and some people are saying that that is misleading, because those tasks are only _"available"_ that early, but aren't _due_ until... well, some nebulous time closer to the due date. (Which leaves the rest of us wondering why the word _"overdue"_ bothers to exist.)


"into" vs. "in to"

What's the difference?


"Successfull"/"successful" — is this a UK/US difference?

I would tend to write double-l, but Google gives me more single-l, so I'm guessing it's an Atlantic divide thing. And I guess all the other *full words.


Where did the second `L` in alright go?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Which words may start with "al-"? The word _alright_ comes from _"all right"_. Where did the second _l_ go? Similarly: _altogether_ from _"all together"_.


What is the origin of the phrase "buck naked"?

The phrase _buck naked_ is well known and means "completely naked". It is synonymous to _butt naked_ and _stark naked_ , both self-explanatory. However, there are a few confusing aspects to the etymology of _buck naked_. My research brought me across a few plausible explanations:   1. The word "buck" comes from buckskin, which is a deer/horse like animal.   2. A slang used by Americans against natives(Indians) for young males who often fought or hunted without clothing.   3. It is a Bowlderization of "butt naked" so that it can be used in public without causing unnecessary discomfort. An euphemism of some sort. All three explanations seemed equally possible to me and I failed to unearth an authoritative source to confirm any of them. _It would also be interesting to know if the phrase is more popular in some parts of the world than others._


What's the part of speech of the noun after 'twice'?

He could earn **twice** _his present salary_ at the new job. **Twice** _two_ is four. Merriam-Webster says ‘twice’ followed by a noun is an adverb. In this case, is the noun still called a noun or something else?


Origin of the phrase "fire away"?

The phrase "Fire Away", meaning "Ask me questions", appears to be a metaphor stemming from an old military term involving discharging firearms (source). However, "Away" is generally a directional term, yet in the phrase "Fire away" it seems to mean "at will" or "with abandon". How did it get such an unusual meaning? Was this a sarcastic instruction perhaps?


Origin of "Black & blue Friday"?

I know what "Black Friday" is and how the phrase first came about. What I would like to know is how the phrase evolved into "Black & blue Friday" which seems to have come about in very recent years. Although I can make a guess, I have not found any clear cut explanation. My guess is that the phrase slipped from _black_ that depicts the crowds of people in the shops and streets on that particular Friday to _black & blue_ to depict the bruises shoppers get from jostling in the heavy crowds. First question: is my guess good? If not why do people say _Black & blue Friday_?   Second question: when (and how/where, if anyone knows) did the phrase first appear?


Subject-verb agreement

Which sentence is grammatically correct? > We learn that environment shape civilization and influence liturature. Or > We learn that environment shape ** _s_** civilization and influence ** _s_** > literature. I'm confused if the verbs, "shape" and "influence" need to agree with the word, "environment." In microsoft grammar-check, both versions seem to be correct.


"Wash hands of" — why not "off" instead of "of"?

The phrase " _wash hands of_ " is supposed to mean giving up or having nothing to do with something. But why is it " _of_ " and not " _off_ "? Using " _off_ " sounds more like giving it up and distancing oneself from the object/subject.


What word describes the dislike of non-human (extraterrestrial) species?

In this Science fiction question, I use the world "Racist" to describe the human predominance of the Empire, in Star Wars. Someone suggested _xenophobic_ : > Well, this is getting a bit into anecdotal territory, but every Science > Fiction piece I've read used "xenophobic" to describe those that hated other > species. It may be that you need to further define "foreign." All you have > to do is take the existing definitions, and extend "species" to the locality > qualifier. This isn't unreasonable, and given that the whole idea is > something we have not had to combat yet I find it entirely accurate.   >  – draeath Is there any better word to define this fictional problem?


'Patriotism' is to 'Country' as _______ is to 'City'

The title's pretty self explanatory! I can't seem to find a word which means exactly this, but I would be amazed if it doesn't exist.


What qualifies that as "Best practices"?

Previously asked here. We hear a lot of things about best practices, quite a lot, actually. However, the question I've linked to has a great answer for why it's important to evaluate best practices. My real question is, what are the criteria that something fits into before we can call it a best practice? What makes criteria makes version control a best practice? What criteria does premature optimization miss such that it is not a best practice?


Term used for the number of items in a singular or plural noun or sentence

Can anyone confirm the name of the term used for the number of items in the terms singular, plural, etc.? Does singular or plural indicate the _cardinality_ of a part of the sentence, or is there a more appropriate word for the term _cardinality_? E.G. When "We went to the store" has a plural subject, does plural refer to the _cardinality_ of the subject, or is a different word used to refer to the fact that the count is more than one?


What does "intellectual fit" mean?

It appeared to me when a graduate school application form asked me > Why do you think X university is an intellectual fit for you? What does _intellectual fit_ mean?


The difference between fight for and fight against

I wrote a paper about whether online privacy should be regulated by laws. My point is that laws cannot set universal rules to regulate online personal information, but laws can help people prevent their personal information from being eroded by gaining more knowledge. So should I say "people fight for battle of online privacy" or "fight against"? My instructor commented that I should write "for" while I used "against" all the time. So can anyone tell me the difference between them?


"Iterate" vs. "Reiterate"

**Definition of _iterate_:** > to say or do again or again and again **Definition of _reiterate_:** > to state or do over again or repeatedly sometimes with wearying effect The distinction seems to be that _reiterate_ is conventionally used when the repeating of this thing is supplementary to the attempt to convey the point at hand. I don't think I've ever heard _iterate_ used similarly. Would it be wrong or awkward to? If not, then why are there two different words? When should one be used over the other?


Is there a word for a woman going away from home to learn etiquette

I was wondering if there is a word that describes either the act of a woman going away to learn etiquette from someone outside her immediate family, or describes a woman who is going away to learn etiquette from someone outside her immediate family? Old fashioned words are fine, it would be especially good if the word is tied to feudal culture. Update: I have been asked to provide context. This is part of a conversation between a witch and a faerie queen. The faerie has stolen the witch's granddaughter and naturally enough the witch wants her back. Their conversation is a combination of courtroom argument and a magic battle over the granddaughter. The witch has said being a blood relationship gives her custody of the child, the faerie is making a counter argument that children leave their families all the time: “You are old and all your sons and daughter have grown. A boy must learn a trade. A girl must **___ __** and find a husband. The Child may be of your blood, but blood is not so fair. Since it has come up in the comments, I'd also like to add that in this setting finishing schools do not exist. Instead one to one mentorship with an older woman is used, I know that happened in the real world. Elizabeth Báthory is rather infamous for killing the girls sent to her to learn etiquette. I'm just hoping there's a specific word for it.


Is this grammatical? "Each method has features in which context to use it."

Is this a grammatically correct sentence? > "Programming language has a four methods. Each method has features in which > context to use it."


“A person” versus “some person”

What is the difference between:   1. There is **a** person in the room.   2. There is **some** person in the room.


Is the position of "rather" interchangeable?

> He is not satisfied with her praise. He is **rather** satisfied with my > praise. I am sure this "rather" modifies "with my praise." But the position of it doesn't have to be in front of "with?" Like only, as in "You only clean your room when it gets helplessly untidy."


Citation of internet webpages that have limited lifetimes

Some websites, especially news websites, either leave up content for limited periods, or archive content after a few days and charge readers to access their archives. It seems to me that citations in a footnote or bibliography to the former are rather useless since the content cannot be accessed. Should I just cite such material using the old-school methodology, as if it were printed matter available (maybe) on microfilm at the public library? If archived and available only for a fee, should my footnote or bibliography also make reference to the charge? How?


It's not ___, but it's not not ___ either

Are there general modifiers for adjectives that indicate a gray area between the adjective and its negative? E.g., "Plywood isn't wooden, but it isn't not-wooden either. Therefore, plywood is ____ly wooden." What goes in the blank? "Partially" doesn't sound quite right, because it suggests that one piece of the noun really _is_ described by the adjective; I'm looking for a word that places the whole noun in the middle of an adjective-spectrum. Sorry for the dumb example, but that's just off the top of my head. Better examples would be appreciated as well.


Meaning of "sup my homeslice? harvard jv field hockey is da bomb..."

I completely don't understand what this star's line means, even though the words are simple. > sup my homeslice? harvard jv field hockey is da bomb... What's _homeslice_?   What does _da_ mean?


"Though" vs. "although"

Can we use _though_ and _although_ interchangeably? Somebody told me that the difference is that _though_ cannot be used at the beginning of a sentence. Is that the rule?


How should one punctuate “upper right most”?

For _upper right most_ , I’ve seen it written _upper-right most_ , _upper- right-most_ , and with no hyphens at all. What makes the most sense to me is _upper rightmost_ , but it’s hard to tell that _upper right_ is the adjective to which _most_ is being applied.