Substitute X for Y

An awful lot of people seem to use the phrase "substitute X for Y" to mean "replace X with Y", while I've always used and understood it as "replace Y with X". This makes sense to me, given that a substitute is the replacement, not the thing which has been replaced. I thought I might be able to figure things out from a dictionary, but now after seeing two sorts of definitions, I'm even more confused:   1. to put or use in the place of another   2. to take the place of; replace The first one suggests that the object will be the substitute (replacement), the thing put into place, while the second suggests that the object will be the thing which has been replaced. Is one of these usages more correct in any sense? (I know this is probably a pointless question, since people will continue to speak the way they speak.) Is there perhaps a difference between American and British English? And most importantly, is there any reliable way to tell what someone means when they ask how to substitute honey for sugar, or is the verb simply guaranteed to cause confusion?


Who "substitutes" whom?

Context: Equation 1 requires substituting A for B. Does this mean all "A" in equation 1 is replaced with "B" or vice versa?


Another word for an 'upgrade old version to new'

I am trying to present on a new technology/system that is based off something old... I am struggling to have a catchy title. I want to say something along the lines of: > 'the old-technology upgraded' or > 'old-technology with a face-lift' ...


Are "heterosexual" and "straight" exact synonyms?

Of course, **heterosexual** and **straight** are interchangeable in most contexts, but there are times when I find myself wanting to make the distinction of whether the attraction to the opposite sex is _exclusive_. In my experience, _straight_ certainly means "exclusively attracted to the opposite sex." Thus, a straight woman is attracted to men, and not women. It would be incorrect to describe a woman who has been involved with both men and women as _straight_. But could one describe such a woman as _heterosexual_? I feel as though, given the literal meaning of the word roots, one ought to be able to use _heterosexual_ to mean "attracted to the opposite sex" without implications about lack of attraction to anyone else. (Same thing goes for _gay_ vs. _homosexual_.) Is this idea backed up by usage - do some people, sources, etc. utilize this distinction in meaning - or does English not have an easy way to express it?


Does "not uncommon" mean "common"?

When somebody uses the phrase "not uncommon", do they mean "common" because of the double negative? I was recently informed that "not uncommon" could imply that something was anything but uncommon (e.g. rare), whereas I thought that _rare_ would be a subset of _uncommon_ and that saying it was not uncommon must mean it is common.


What's the proper American English and British English word for the wind shield used on beaches?

In England, the beaches can be windy. I have seen people put up a "wind shield" like this. ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/fMgSl.jpg) I haven't seen people use this in America or Europe, but I haven't been to many beaches there. I'd call this wind shield, simply because it shields the wind. But in America, windshield means the frontal glass of a car. Is there a more proper name for this in British English, American English and other English (South African, Australian, etc)? Thank you


Verb to use to describe a photograph "losing" its colors?

At first I wanted to just write: "A photograph slowly losing its colors." But I think _losing_ isn't the right verb here. What can I use instead of _losing_? (I want to keep the word _colors_.)


Is "from whence" correct? Or should it be "whence"?

I just saw a parody on the Lord of the Rings, where one of the characters says: > it must be cast back in the fire from whence it came! This struck me as odd, since I expected them to say "whence it came"; but now I find that "from whence" seems to occur as well. Does anybody know whether this is correct, or whether it has been correct at some point and subsequently fell into disgrace (or vice versa)?


Does Shakespeare use the word "whence" incorrectly?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Is “from whence” correct? Or should it be “whence”? From the Shakespeare's Sonnet XLVIII, > ...   >  From **whence** at pleasure thou mayst come and part;   >  And even thence thou wilt be stol'n I fear,   >  For truth proves thievish for a prize so dear. Isn't the definition of _whence_ is "from where" or "from what place" which when converted from the phrase above will be "From from where at pleasure..."? Does Shakespeare use the word _whence_ incorrectly?


Is the phrase "...no longer" being properly used in the following sentence?

> And the even stronger feeling of detachment upon reaching mine **no longer > knowing who I was.** Is this use of "no longer" grammatical? Should I add a comma before _no_?


Why put the verb before the subject?

The opening sentence to _The Hobbit_ by J.R.R. Tolkien reads, > In a hole in the ground there lived [verb] a hobbit [subject]. I wonder if there are accepted stylistic purposes for such a structure. When is it natural, and when is it unnatural?


Creating words with "-able" suffix

What are general rules of thumb for creating adjectives with _-able_? I wanted to denote an object as having an ability to be tiled, but "tileable" and "tilable" both yielded as incorrect words by spell check and standard English dictionary used by Mac OS X dictionary widget. Is "tileable" or "tilable" a correct word/form for denoting an object having an ability to be tiled?


Present simple and present perfect in this context

I have been told that the following are the same: > It has been twenty years since I last saw her. > > It is twenty years since I have seen her. But I somehow do not understand why; usually the present perfect is somehow related to present ("I have not seen her recently"). I would tend to say that he has been seeing her since then (twenty years ago). Also why does the first one contain "It has been" and the other one "It is". Does it matter?


When is comparative degree adjectives with no "than" preferable?

Are there any rules / recommendation to using comparative "larger" instead of positive "large" when there is no comparison? What are they (recommendation of course)? Examples: _"I, **__, take you, __** , to be my lawfully wedded(husband/wife), to have and to hold, from this day forward, for **better** , for **worse** , for **richer** , for **poorer**..."_ " _The main participants in this market are the **larger** international banks."_(Wikipedia)


When is it correct to use upper case letters for nouns that may only be unique in a given context?

First off, the title is misleading; feel free to improve upon it. I've noticed words surrounding titles often start with upper case letters, but I'm uncertain if this is correct. After reading this article I cannot find rules that justify the uppercase letters. EXAMPLES: 1) The student union building of many universities is abbreviated SUB but I often see the full name written as "Student Union Building". By itself "student union building" is not a proper noun since it doesn't refer to one unique entity but when speaking of a certain university it might. 2) Common buildings often have names beginning with upper case letters. For example, I've seen _fire hall_ written as "Fire Hall" and _city hall_ written as "City Hall" (example). 3) I have a ticket which reads "Winter Formal Dance". Is the capitalization of these words correct? If so, then why? Is it a matter of rules, or is the deciding factor whatever the owner decides? For example, if a swimming coach decides practices on Wednesday will be known as "Wednesday Practices", would it be correct to always write 'practices' with the upper case "P"?


Does "run around" also mean "run away"?

I got a note from a fortune cookie, which says:               " Never gonna run around and desert you"      I was wondering what does "run around" means here. Similar to runaway?


"When he went out he left the radio on so that his parents shall think that he was still in the house"

> When he went out he left the radio on so that his parents **shall think** > that he was still in the house. This is a past sentence. Why is _shall think_ used? Can I use _should think_?


Word beginning with "auto" which means "to watch over and over again in mind's eye"

I encountered the word I am searching for in R.C.Robertson-Glasgow's Crusoe on Cricket; but, since I do not have the book, nor online access to it, I cannot search for that word. The meaning is roughly "to watch an act over and over and over again in mind's eye" and in the context he mentioned of a cricket match that can be watched over and over before going to bed. Any help? Edit: In response to comments, I checked the list of all the words starting with "auto" and could not find it. If that is the case, then it could be a word, he coined.


"Demand that the dismissed employee be reinstated" or "demand is that the dismissed employee to be reinstated"

Which one is correct? > The demand of the workers' union that the dismissed employee **be** > reinstated, has been accepted by the management. or > The demand of the workers' union **is** that the dismissed employee **to > be** reinstated, has been accepted by the management.


What is a single-word synonym for "hobbyist writer"?

I am trying to find a single-word synonym for **hobbyist writer**. Any answers please.


When did "sci-fi" become popular?

When did the term sci-fi come into usage?


Which vs. What in regards to Continuous Numbers (like Temperature)?

As this question makes clear, "which" is used when there is a set number of choices available, while "what" is used when there is not a set number of choices available. Which term do we use, however, when we are referring to continuous numbers as opposed to discrete numbers? How about numbers that are technically continuous but are in practice discrete? Discrete number example: Which parking spot were you assigned to? (There are a discrete set of parking spots which one could be assigned to). Continuous number example: Which/what temperature do you brew your beer at? (There are an infinite amount of temperatures available; however, brewers typically brew between the ranges of 40*F and 85*F, so it would seem to be discrete. On the other hand, there are an infinite amount of numbers between two consecutive integers, i.e 41.1, 41.2, 41.22, 41.3333 ...) When referring to time, which is another example of continuous or discrete (there are 24 hours in a day, but an infinite number of units in between two consecutive hours), I always hear people use "what"-- "What time is it? What time shall I pick you up?"


A word to the wise?

I don't get the phrase "a word to the wise". Shouldn't it be "a word _from_ the wise"? Isn't the person with the word the one with the wisdom? Isn't the person receiving the word the one in need of it?


Polite swearing words?

I hate to swear, i.e to say "fuck you" or whatsoever of those words. However sometimes I get angry and I wish there are words that could be a polite replacement for those swearing. I wish there's a polite way to say "That was so fucking hard". I want to express such a frustration or so with a polite word but with the same strength of expression. & I actually wonder what would a good author use as a way to make such a strong expression. So my questions: 1 - what words could I use to swear in a polite way? 2- how would a good author swear in a good book?


"In the mid of 1990s" Is it grammatically correct?

What is the correct way to write the following phrase? > In the mid of 1990s What are the (writing) variants of that expression? (I just want to know, to diversify my writing.) Thank you.


Word for "A Song that Sets a Scene in a Particular Region or Culture"

This is a technical term in theater and movie arts for stereotyped piece of music that is played when to cue the audience that a scene is set in a particular location. E.g.               London --> Rule Britannia     Italy --> Ole sol Mio     German --> Ompa music     New York/Broadway --> No Business like Show business


"More than one" is to "plural" as "less than one" is to what?

We call the quantity of more than one (singular) _plural_. Is there any general word similar to this for a quantity less than one (singular)?


What are the guidelines for usage of "will" and "is/are going to"?

I use them interchangeably, however I'd like to know when one is better or more appropriate than the other.


Difference between "been to" and "been in"

In the following two examples, what is the difference between the usage of _been to_ and _been in_? They seem like they have the same meaning but I’m not sure. > -Have you ever **_been to_** Florida?   >  -Yes, I’ve _been to_ Florida many times. > > * * * > > -Have you ever **_been in_** Florida?   >  -Yes, I’ve _been in_ Florida many times.


Confused about the comma at the end of a sentence

Examples: > We haven't spent much time together(,) recently. > > I think you're good at dealing with problems. And not only yours—but > other’s(,) too.” I always get confused by this. Should the comma be in those places? Is there any technique to figure out?


Word for "to put something you earned into a project to make more money"

I forgot the word that means "to put something you have earned into a project to make more money". For example, > ABC ___ _ its profits into a new venture.


In the sentence "It's one of the best films that has/have ever been made." what should the verb agreement be ?


Term for the state of a deciduous tree during winter?

Normally I live in Australia where winters are quite mild. But right now I've been travelling in Asia and seeing all the trees which look dead but are not, due to it being winter, have got me thinking. There must be a term for the state a tree is in that has lost all its leaves and resembles a dead tree but will "come back to life" next spring. Like an equivalent of "hibernating"? Or "dormant"? I don't mind an everyday word or a technical word only botanists would know. I don't care if it's a single word or a multi-word term. Nouns and adjectives are both fine too.


Shoo-in vs Shoe-in and etymology

I noticed a USA Today article today that said "Mary Barra has been a growing force within General Motors. While she wasn't necessarily a shoe-in to be named to the CEO job...". I was pretty sure _sho **e** -in_ should be _sho **o** -in_ and m-w.com confirmed that for me, but didn't give any etymology. In other sources, I have seen references to horse racing and an argument for _shoe-in_ as a salesman would try to get his shoe in the door to further the sale. What is the etymology?


Perspectived or Perspective-Based

I want to use a word for showing that a different perspective from all possible perspectives is considered in something. Should I use perspectived or perspective-based? For example, should I use "perspectived method" or "perspective-based method?" I mean that a method that is dependent on the chosen perspective. i.e. according to the perspective chosen, it acts differently.


Quoting non-contiguous paragraphs

How do I quote two non-contiguous paragraphs from a longer article? I want to be clear that they're non-contiguous, but not have an editorial interlude between them. Here's an example quotation from an article by Clay Shirky, with how I _want_ to format it: > Over the decades, though, [higher education has] behaved like an embezzler > who starts by taking only what he means to replace, but ends up extracting > so much that embezzlement becomes the system. [...] > > When the economic support from the Golden Age began to crack, we tenured > faculty couldn’t be forced to share much of the pain. Our jobs were secure, > so rather than forgo raises or return to our old teaching loads, we either > allowed or encouraged those short-term fixes—rising tuition, larger student > bodies, huge introductory lectures. I thought about moving the bracketed ellipsis to its own line, which seems more proper but looks clunky. I'm also interested in how you might quote this if it weren't a block quote -- specifically, should you close the first paragraph with a quotation mark or not? (Also, this is in an email, not an academic paper, so I'm worried about readability rather than about adhering to an official style guide.)


What does mean "authority" in the sentence?

"These honourable Accessories [supporters] of the Heraldic Shield are said to have been introduced, (like Quartering) by Edward III, but they are of uncertain _authority_ until the reign of Henry VI." (Boutell, Charles., A Manual of Heraldry, p123) What does mean "authority" in the above sentence? At first, I thought it alludes to citations of references but it is meaningless in historical point of view. is it possible it means importance in there? There is another similar sentence: "A lion and an antelope, and sometimes an antelope and a swan, have been assigned to Henry IV. and Henry V., but upon no very reliable _authority_." (Clark, Hugh., An Introduction to Heraldry, p67)


What is the meaning of “runneth”?

What is the meaning of “runneth” in _My Cup Runneth Over_?


"God bless you" equivalent for fart?

In response to someone sneezing there are a few possible phrases you can say as a form of polite acknowledgement: > "God bless you" > > "Gesundheit" And others. But with a fart you laugh, deride or come up with something clever to say on the spot. Is there a commonly known polite word or phrase that says "I acknowledge your flatulence" similar to things said after sneezing?


A word that means beneficial for the individual or few but bad for everyone if everyone is doing it?

I came across this word/concept when reading a philosophical book but I cannot remember where. It basically means if only a few people do something its ok, but if everyone does it it becomes bad for everyone. For example a good fishing hole. If only I or a few others go there, everyone benefits. If everyone goes then there are no fish and everyone loses. The word has a meaning to do with reaching some tipping point. If a few are firemen, that's great, but if everyone was a fireman that's bad as nothing else will get done.


What's proper English for 'experimentee'?

What is the English word / phrase for things / persons that are experimented on? I think of experimentee but I believe there may be more common words.


Use of ' to indicate missing letters/text

You can write > this ol' man 'ere when you mean > this old man here But can the ' be used to indicate whole missing sentence parts? For example: > 'been a pleasure! for > It's been a pleasure!


Why are "scaring" and "scarring" confused by some dictionaries?

_Scaring_ is related to the word _scare_ , while _scarring_ is related to the word _scar_. Why is it that some dictionaries get these two words confused? For example, when you use Mac OS X Lion's lookup feature on the word _scaring_ , you get the result for _scar_ instead of _scare_ : ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/Gb6IR.png) Looking at Apple's built-in Dictionary app gives us a bit more insight into the source of the problem. If you search for the word _scaring_ , you get the following result: ![scaring](http://i.stack.imgur.com/Eklmw.png) Notice how it shows entries for both _scar_ and _scare_. Notice, also, that _scarring_ appears under the word _scar_. The entry for _scare_ has no form ending in _-ing_ : ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/c0y3w.png) Had this only been an issue in Apple's OS, I would think it's a bug specific to that system. However, this appears in other dictionaries as well. The second result on Google for the word _scaring_ is from The Free Dictionary, and their entry for _scaring_ takes you to the entry for _scar_. Why do some dictionaries get these words confused?


What is the appropriate response to compliments

Consider a circumstance when someone compliments during a conversation saying something like 'Your voice is so lovely'. I usually end up smiling and pushing it away. What can be the actual response to it. Also how to deal with such responses with a bit of humor knowing that its just blind flattering ;)


Is the "one's" and "their" used correctly?

It is important that one’s decision of their own life is respected.


Word similar to a friend

What is the word in English language to refer to a person who is only a friendly acquaintance but we don't hesitate to be just ourselves in front of them and sometimes, have deep conversations about intellectual topics yet we don't hang out often and talk only when needed to ?


Are there any general rules or guidelines for creating abbreviations for words?

**Are there any general rules or guidelines for how to create abbreviations of a word when there isn't any established abbreviations of it already?** Context: I'm writing an article in which I have to abbreviate the word "questionnaire" (it's going to appear in a figure and have to be cut down to size) and I just don't want to wing it if there actually is a more or less proper way to do it.


It seems like a basic concept, but I want to make sure. Can the antecedent ever be in a prepositional phrase? For example: > Jill likes running with Julie. She is a good person. Does _she_ refer to Julie or Jill?


How can I say "Staff Only" with a formal warning sentence?

I need to write a door writing that states formally, "students are not welcomed in this kitchen, please use the café..." I've drafted some examples but I was wondering if there is a formal sentence which may sound more formal (like a warning from the principal) and also more native. z.B. "staff only" "Students are not allowed" "We kindly request students to use the ... Cafe provided." or What about ""We kindly request students to use the other areas(opportunities) provided for the tea service."


Expression for advantages of solution being disadvantages of alternatives

Is there some expression for situations where you can conclude that a solution's advantages are the same as the disadvantages of alternative solutions?


"If not" vs "If it is not"

You were sent a package.   If it is not received please call customer support. or You were sent a package.   If not received please call customer support. Which version is correct? Is there a better version?


Describing a worsening crisis

How can I describe that the financial crisis got worse in two ways:   1. it involved more people   2. it increased in intensity Is there a particular phrase I can use that captures both aspects?


Parallelism question with adverbs

I'm trying to understand the parallelism error in this sentence: "The university's board of trustees, being worried over declining student enrollments and their failing to secure additional funding from the state, has formed a committee to determine what cuts need to be made to staff and programs." I believe the parallelism error is this: The board is worried over "declining student enrollments" and "their failing to secure". What exactly is the error? "declining student enrollments" is an adverb + adjective + noun structure right? Is "declining" an adverb here? Does "their failing to secure" need to be in that same adverb + adjective + noun structure too? Can I change "their failing to secure" to "increasingly insecure funding"? Is "declining" an adverb?


Help reworking a sentence to make it less ambigious

Are there any rules governing what the "which" refers to in a sentence like this: > Every five minutes, the Node.js application posts a JSON document to my > CouchDB instance which looks like: Above, the meaning of "which" was meant to refer to the "JSON document", but I feel that people might interpret it as referring to "CouchDB instance". I would like to retain the active voice, but feel like rewording it is _awkward_ : > Every five minutes, the Node.js application posts a JSON document, that > looks as follows, to my CouchDB instance: UPDATE: What follows the colon is an example JSON document like:                { foo: bar,        key: 2       }


Compound Adjectives and -ed

A colleague asked me this question, and I couldn't come up with an answer that satisfied him, so I'm wondering if anyone can help: Why does _a man with a short temper_ become _a short-tempered man_?   In other words, why do you need the _-ed_ at the end? Are there any special rules for this?


Correct hyphenation for conjunction of hyphenated compound adjectives

Consider the following sentence: > The labour-intensive and time-intensive part starts tomorrow. I want to write this without rewriting the word "intensive." Is this the correct way to do it? > The labour- and time-intensive part starts tomorrow. Note the hyphen hanging after the word labour. Or should there be no hyphen after labour? Can anyone point me to a reference that talks about this?


Which one is it all-time or all time?

all time or all-time, not sure which one it is. Are they different in different scenarios?


Origin of “up and at ’em”

The phrase `up and at ’em` (commonly construed as `?up and Adam`) is used a lot. Where did it originate?


"Were" or "was" in this sentence from a The New York Times article

I was interested in the following sentence which appeared in an article titled “Hemingway's Prize-Winning Works Reflected Preoccupation With Life and Death" in The New York Times, ON THIS DAY, (July 3, 1961). > Mr. Hemingway earned millions of dollars from his work; for one thing, **a > great many of his stories and novels were adapted to** the screen and > television. Is the fragment "a great many of his stories and novels were adapted to ..." ungrammatical, as I think it is? I would reword "were" with "was", but I'm not sure on this correction, because I'm not able to precisely identify the subject[s?] of the verb, and if I think that the subject is "a great many" the problem becomes entirely incomprehensible (to me), at all.


"Sparsity" vs "sparseness"

What is the difference between _sparsity_ and _sparseness_? Is it that the latter emphasises the extent to which something is sparse? I'm not sure I can see the thin line that separates them.


Is the expression “Be flattered that” right? Couldn’t it be “Be flattered to do sth.”?

Michigan State Rep, Lisa Brown’s comment using the word, vagina in her address against banning abortions in Michigan state House caused a big dispute, and she was rejected to speak on the another bill by the House speaker. According to NPR (June 18), she spoke on the floor: "I have not asked you to adopt and adhere to my religious beliefs. Why are you asking me to adopt yours?" she said. But what came next is what got her in trouble: "And finally, Mr. Speaker, _I'm flattered that_ you're all so interested in my vagina, but 'no' means 'no.'" I’m interested in the use of the word ‘ _be flattered’_ in the last line, “I'm flattered that you're all so interested in my vagina.” Is “I’m flattered that” a right expression? To me, a non native English speaker, it appears to say “I’m flattered to do (say, speak, tell you that ....) is more natural, if not grammatical, than saying “I’m flattered that ...” Is the meaning of “say” included in “be flattered,” not simply meaning “being urged “(to say a nice thing)?


What is the correct phrase to ask to determine which group a first nations person considers themselves to be part of?

I met a women who I gathered was First Nations (or something like that). I struggled to ask the question to elicit the response to find more about her heritage and culture. What is the word that distinguishes between different North American aboriginal people? I've heard them called "nations" but it would be ambiguous to ask "what Nation are you from?" because the "official" one would be Canada. For example would it be politically correct to ask "What type of First Nations are you?" or "Are you part of a certain band?". I was looking for an answer like "Cree" or "Salish".


Close to the Chest or Vest. What does it mean?

Hi fellow language enthusiasts, so what does "Close to the Vest" or "Chest" mean may I ask? Or more appropriately "Chest" or "Vest" because I also learn that Chest appeared First. But what does the phrase mean at all? Any help is eagerly appreciated.


Is Shakespeare really the source of our modern meaning for odd?

In a recent article, the Guardian states that > Shakespeare is also responsible for the modern meaning of "odd". What is the evidence for this? The textual evidence alone is thin and unconvincing. Is Shakespeare really the source of our modern meaning for odd as unexpected, strange, or unusual?


Downtime (Computers and people)

I know I can say **I'm having downtime.** How would you say it about a computer (system). **It has/ it's on downtime every night from 2 till 5?**


"Would it be" vs "Will it be"

I was writing an email to my colleague and as part of it I wrote > **Would** it be possible for you to help me with this? I felt a bit awkward after sending the mail. Should it be _would_ or _will_? I know that _would_ is a past form of _will_ but it is also used to indicate politeness. In this case, it was extremely important for me to sound polite and formal. Please advise regarding the correct usage. I have already seen these questions: "Would" vs "Will" and "Would" vs "Will", but I need some more insights as to when _would_ is used as part of a question asking for a favour.


"Drive" in compounds

_Sex drive_ means you want sex. Does _blood drive_ mean you want to kill people? Does _talk drive_ mean you (want to) talk a lot? I know it might not be something people say a lot if at all, but does it make sense?


Some sentences for reference to clear the doubt regarding would

1. Few people would have been surprised to know another case of corruption in India. (A sentence from a newspaper)   2. "I came in and ordered some shoes from you." 'Oh! yes, sir. When would that have been, exactly?'   3. His test appearance would have triggered jubilation in Ludhiana where his grandparents live.   4. Harbhajan Singh would have been joyed reading that he was at top of batting charts in the just concluded Test series.   5. Such cases have not been reported in Delhi. Although there is a good chance that like the Mumbai big team many would have been reluctant to go to police. My question: Why is _would + perfect infinitive_ used in the above sentences whereas it appears that they do not represent the third conditional? They appear to represent a case of prediction. Please suggest a good book in which the use of a modal verb is clearly explained in detail and particularly this use of _would_.   6. (A conversation between correspondent of a newspaper and a leader contesting election for MLA.) _Correspondent:_ Would any state have accepted an outsider as a chief minister? _Leader:_ I'm not an outsider.I belong to this state. My question is: Why is _would_ used here and not _will_?


Difference between  “robot”, “machine”, and “automaton”

What is the difference in meaning between a _robot_ , a _machine_ , and an _automaton_? I was inspired to ask this because I really can’t understand the subtle (or not so subtle) difference in meaning here.   * I believe that _robot_ is something that can operate on its own with AI (artificial intelligence).    * An _automaton_ is something like a black box: if we enter A, we know we will receive B (although we have no idea why).    * _Machine_ is everything mechanical.  What brings all this to my attention, and that maybe my understanding about the meanings of these three words is wrong, is this question.


A term that can be used to group towns and provinces together

I've been given some names of towns and provinces for a tourism web-site. Is there a hypernym that could categorize both of them together? I've been thinking of the word "locality" but I'm not sure if that's suitable.


A Pre/postposition that resembles Proximity, Multiplicity, and Miniature (or any of the three)

I am looking for a preposition or postposition that shows one or all of the following characteristics The order matters:   1. Proximity   2. Multiplicity   3. Miniature The word I am looking is something like "let" that is added to book to make the word booklet (that resembles miniature). But "let" does not show multiplicity and especially proximity. I was thinking of "Leaf", but I guess it only shows thinness and miniature. The most important feature I am looking for is proximity and closeness. Pls let me know If further explanation required. Thanks


"when I clicked on video file nothing has happened"

> when I clicked on video file nothing has happened. Is that correct?


Is the word a or an used if it is in front of 80%?

Here is the sentence I'd like to use: I reviewed the applications of those who passed the written test with an 80% or higher.


How did "stiff" mean cheating someone?

When someone gets taken advantage of, we would say "he got stiffed", where "stiffed" means "cheated". What is the etymology of the word "stiff" used this way?


What does "wax lyrical" mean in this context?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Is there any other way you can "wax" as you do when you "wax > philosophical"?   >  What does "waxed rhapsodic" mean? > Sorry to keep this short, but some people can **wax lyrical** about this and > I'm not sure it's as mystical and magical as some will make out. I understand it intuitively, but would like to have the exact definition.


Is there any other way you can "wax" as you do when you "wax philosophical"?

The _wax_ in the phrase "wax philosophical" is a pretty strange bird. Its _wax_ is obviously not the ordinary definition of _wax_ , which my dictionary summarizes as an "oily, water-resistant substance", a definition which also serves as a fair summary of other, closely related "waxes", as in earwax or beeswax. Neither is, I think, the _wax_ in "wax philosophical" referring to another sense of _wax_ , as in _to grow_ , and which I know best in reference to the Moon "waxing and waning"; it means, as best I know, that the Moon is shrinking and growing in size. So is _waxing philosophical_ "growing philosophical"? Sounds pretty strange to me. The truth is, I only know how to use this set phrase, and can't really break it down into its constituents. It seems fairly archaic; the _philosophical_ isn't even in the standard canonical form of an adverb, with no ending "-ly". So I was wondering three things: What is the canonical definition of _wax_ as its being used here? In what other ways can you _wax_? Finally, if _wax_ is acting as a verb here, why is it _philosophical_ , as an adjective, and not _philosophically_ as an adverb?


What is the "sports" in "sports car"?

Why are nice cars called "sports cars"? Where does the "sports" come from? Is it simply because they are eligible for racing and racing is a sport (or is it)? Or is there some other origin?


Words with most meanings

I am not a native speaker and it sometimes surprise me how many different meanings some words have. An example is the word **call** \- when I was learning English I thought it was only "shout" or "to ring someone" but the list of meanings is almost endless: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/call . What are some other such words so that I can be careful when interpreting their meaning? As if I could execute the query "give me a top ten list of words with most definition lines on TheFreeDictionary".


> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Words with most meanings For example: > ### in·se·cure [in-si-kyoor]   >  _adjective_ > >   1. subject to fears, doubts, etc.; not self-confident or assured: _an > insecure person._ >   2. not confident or certain; uneasy; anxious: _He was insecure about the > examination._ >   3. not secure; exposed or liable to risk, loss, or danger: _an insecure > stock portfolio._ >   4. not firmly or reliably placed or fastened: _an insecure ladder._ > We find the word _"insecure"_ has four distinct definitions. Which English word has the greatest number of distinct definitions?


What does ‘shoe–leather journalism’ mean?

I found the word ‘Shoe-leather journalism’ in the following lead copy of the New York Times article (July 28) titled ‘In baring facts of train crash, bogs erode China censorship.’ > “China’s Twitter-like microblogs posted an astounding 26 million messages on > the crash, a potent amalgam of contempt, suspicion and shoe-leather > journalism.” Merriam-Webster com.dictionary gives the definition of ‘shoe-leather’ as ‘involving or using basic, direct, or old-fashioned methods', and shows shoe–leather journalism as an example without any explanation. Does ‘Shoe-leather journalism’ mean old-fashioned journalism or stereotype reporting style? Does it have something to do with a country’s governing system? What is the origin of ‘Shoe-leather journalism’?


If a person depends upon you, what are you for him?

Are you his _dependency_ , _dependendee_ or something else? What is this type of opposite word called? I believe it is not called antonym, as that would be _independent_.


Capitalising “river” or such geographical entities when preceded by “the”

In British English, it would be River Thames, River Jordan, etc, (as opposed to AmE requiring “River” after the name). So: > I swam in River Jordan. But, what happens to _river_ ’s capitalisation when _the_ is added? > I swam in the River Jordan OR > I swam in the river Jordan as in > I played the game Half-life **Edit** Damn! I just came across a PDF on Chicago Manual of Style. Agreed it's for AmE, but the first page itself talks about “the river Elbe” having a lowercase “R” because it’s “added by way of description”. Hence, my question stands. Does something similar apply to BrE or do we stick to capitalised “River” in all situations as long as it’s followed by a proper noun.


Floating in/on atmosphere?

Which of the following two are correct?   1. Melodies floating in relaxing atmosphere.   2. Melodies floating on relaxing atmosphere. My gut feeling says that it should be 1, but I am just a bit confused. Thanks.


“Comportment” vs. “deportment”

What is the difference between _comportment_ and _deportment_? I have tried looking up a comparison, but with very little results. The few discussions I found were contradictory. I also tried looking them up individually to do my own comparison. However, the definitions I found were almost indistinguishable. Even the example sentences made them seem like they could be used interchangeably.


Where to use the word "tumbleweed"

What is the correct place to use the word _tumbleweed_? Can we use it as a metaphor for a person who always irritates us?


Is it “good English” or “correct English” or something else?

Is it appropriate to say “I speak good English” or “I speak correct English”? I believe there can be varied replies depending on context, so let me narrow it a little; let’s say I want to convey how well I speak English.


I was sat thinking why you were stood there before I was took away by the word police

I know my sentence is dreadful but everyone now uses these words in this way, including my eight children aged 19—26. Yes, they are from Manchester but my husband uses _he was took_ and he’s from Leicester. This was never used when I was younger. Is there an easy way to explain why it is wrong, or do I have to accept it?


“feel tired” vs. “am tired”

Which of these two sentences is more appropriate in a given situation? > I am tired. > > I am feeling tired. I know this might be a very childish question, but English is not my first language and I just want to know more about authentic English.


"It isn't" vs. "it's not"

Is one stronger than the other? More correct? Just curious, one of the many abstract things to pop into my head on the drive home today...


"It isn't" or "It's not"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "It isn't" versus "it's not" When contracting "It is not Tuesday" are there any grammatical reasons to use either: "It's not Tuesday" or "It isn't Tuesday" If not, what do you prefer?


"It isn't" vs "It is not" (Google suggestion) - which one is more common?

Everyone agrees that: > Semantically "It's not" and "It isn't" mean the same thing: "It is not". No doubt here. See: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110704115859AAmQmxZ The reason why I'm asking is because Google is suggesting one way regardless the fact the one other one has more hits, see: "that isn't my problem" and "that's not my problem" ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/PrjFi.jpg) In general: which one is **more common** and what examples where it **makes difference** come to your mind?


Why is it "serviceable" but not "servicable"?

I came across this word in the answer provided by Robusto for the question about Thank you. Because the last _e_ in _service_ is not pronounced, I thought it should be deleted when _service_ is appended by _able_. I guess the reason for _serviceable_ may be related to the fact that the _i_ in _service_ is pronounced as [ɪ] but not [aɪ]. However, I am not sure, and I would like to know the reason behind that.


"Is key" or "is the key"?

I wrote this: > This means that, as with any distributed application, concurrency is key: we > have at least one flow of execution per node running concurrently with all > others, and [...] I was told to change it to "is the key". Is that right?


Why can positive statements end with a negative question and vice versa?

I had a hard time phrasing the actual question title—hopefully this doesn't mean it's too subjective—, but I'm curious about why positive (or negative) statements can be terminated by negative (or positive) questions: >   * You **do** like apples, **don't** you? >   * We **can't** all be rich, **can** we? > Why is it (arguably) common to turn a general statement into a question like this when the intent remains the same? Is this a common use of a rhetorical question? If so, what is afforded by not simply making a statement without turning it into a question?


"Weapon platform" or "weapons platform"?

For a game I need an "orbital weapon platform"/"orbital weapons platform" and wonder which one is correct, or sounds better for an English native speaker.


What does dig mean in "You are dug into a position"?

The context is : > I think you are dug into a position. And you think it's a sign of weakness > to change your mind.


Has elision revised the standard spelling of any words in the past century?

Elision ("the omission of one or more sounds in a word or phrase") produces the following: > going → _goin(')_   >  going to → _gonna_   >  Worcester → _Wuster_ (ˈwʊstər) However, this hasn't affected the accepted standard spellings of the examples above. Are there any cases in the past century where the standard spelling _has_ changed? (Note: I'm not looking for a list, just the existence of a documented change.) If not, are there any notable trends that indicate we may see a spelling shift in the near future for certain words or phrases–perhaps due to the increasing acceptance of txtspk and informal English in previously "formal" communication? A concrete example or two would suffice, but I'd prefer a link to a study or paper if one's available. To reiterate, I'm looking for **a change no earlier than the 20th century**. In the early 20th century, there were multiple efforts to simplify spelling (most unsuccessful). Arguably, it was to make the written word closer to speech, in which case elidid words may have been good candidates. Historically, that seems to be the case, yet it seems elided words don't catch on other than in informal speech. Still, at least one example of an elided word replacing the original exists, albeit centuries ago: > In speech, commonly elided in _he, him, his, her_ in unstressed positions, > especially following a consonant: _What did 'e do_ ; _Tell us 'er name_. > This elision affected the spelling and pronunciation of the Middle English > pronoun _hit_ , resulting in Modern English _it_. Lacking any concrete examples, perhaps someone can answer **why does pronunciation _not_ appear to pressure orthographic changes? Why do elision- based spellings, _while noted in dictionaries_ , remain "informal" or "colloquial"?**


"Change" for the future?

Is there a single-term for the _Change_ or _Update_ for the future? I am currently developing an application where the user will add an entry with an effective date but I am having a difficulty labeling that button. Let's say I label the button as > Add New Entry This doesn't seem right because the user will not add a new entry on the list of active entries but rather he/she will create an entry that will be active on a certain date, or one-at-a-time. > Update Entry This will not work because the action will not immediately update the entry, the entry will change on the effective date specified by the user. What is an appropriate label for such button?


how to handle EN US/UK differences

If you are from Great Britain, or other English speaking country (except US), or even most of European countries where you learn british-english and are working for an American company would you use, in your communications with them, English or American words, e.g. signalling (en-uk) or signaling (en-us)? **Edit** : also saying that, because I have seen texts where both syntaxes coexisted, probably multi-authors, so a global policy should be set in the company


Can a word be contracted twice (e.g. "I'ven't")?

I've seen a contraction of two words. I can't see why it wouldn't be possible to contract twice. Is it possible and how should it be punctuated? **Update** : Ok, to sum up the answers so far   * This appears in spoken British and American English   * It is from one of the lower registers of English   * Even if spoken this way sometimes, it isn't really written as a double contraction, except as written speech in fiction.   * And from my own googling in Wiktionary, it appears most written forms are old British words, often nautical like fo'c'sle.


Is "I'd've" proper use of the English language?

While reading a book, I came across the word _I'd've_ , as in: > I'd've argued against it. While it was obvious what it meant, it left me puzzled. Is _I'd've_ a proper word?


Are compound contractions proper grammar?

I've been told that compound contractions like _couldn't've_ and _I'd've_ are proper grammar. Are they?


Can you chain / combine contractions in correct English?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Can a word be contracted twice (e.g. "I'ven't")? I would like to know if it is proper to chain multiple contractions into a single word when they are in a continuous string. For example: "They are not ants." You have the choices: "They're not ants." and "They aren't ants." How about: "They'ren't ants." If this case doesn't suit your fancy, feel free to suggest a more appropriate example.


Does "it'll've" exist, and if not, why not?

From what I can glean, _it'll_ and _I've_ exist as standard contractions, but I am unsure of whether _it'll've_ either exists or is acceptable. "It will have" should be able to be reduced to "it'll've", shouldn't it?


Is "I'ven't" a valid contraction?

We can contract "I have" to "I've" and "have not" to "haven't". My question is, is "I'ven't" a correct contraction for "I have not"?


Is there any syntactic technicality preventing double contractions from ever becoming valid?

> **Possible Duplicates:**   >  Is "I'd've" proper use of the English Language?   >  Can a word be contracted twice (e.g. "I'ven't")? I think the contraction "we'd've" for "we would have" is disallowed, but it doesn't seem technically incorrect. It seems to work well with common phrases like "we'd've gotten killed out there". Of course, it's common in spoken English, but single contractions are quite common in written English, so I can't really see any reason that doubles shouldn't be allowed. Is there a non-historical reason that it's invalid now, other than that it's not in any dictionary? Could it possibly become valid over the course of time?


He overcame his defects ________ sheer force of habit

What is the correct preposition to be used in the blank?


Where were "should", "shall", and "must" in the 18th Century?

According to the following Google Ngram, in the U.K. the modals _should, shall,_ and _must_ were virtually missing from English writing during the 18th Century (I've added _will_ for a comparison modal which was unaffected). I have never seen this mentioned anywhere, and I couldn't find it in a brief web search. What happened? Was this a real phenomenon, or could this somehow be an artifact of Google Ngrams? Were these modals absent from speech, or just formal writing? More interestingly, how did they get reintroduced? A brief search shows that Shakespeare definitely used these words quite frequently. ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/31tbs.png)


When to use "hit" instead of "go"

In some movie I heard someone say "I am hitting now" when he was leaving. Did he use "hit" instead of "go"? edit: " **I am hitting it** " is what I exactly heard in the movie. Two guys were sitting on a bench and one of them decided to leave.


such term or such a term?

I saw on the FDA website the following definition of cosmetics. What puzzles me is 'such term'. I have been taught that 'such' is used with singular nouns (e.g. such a book), plurals (e.g. such idiots), or uncountables (e.g. such nonsense). (i) The term "cosmetic" means (1) articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body or any part thereof for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance, and (2) articles intended for use as a component of any such articles; except that such term shall not include soap.


"stop to do something" vs. "continue to do something"

A transcript of a recent speech by Barack Obama contains the following sentence: > Boston police, firefighters, and first responders as well as the National > Guard responded heroically, and continue to do so as we speak. The usage of _continue_ in this case contrasts what I have learned about the verb to stop, as in > We stopped to let the pedestrians pass the crosswalk, so the car did not > move. > > We stopped letting the pedestrians pass the crosswalk, so I accelerated. I suppose that these three examples are grammatically correct. People like me, who learned English as a second language, could misunderstand Obama's usage of _continue_ as > [...] and continue (with doing something) in order to do so I do not believe this is the actual intention. I conclude that this _to do_ vs. _doing_ issue is not a general pattern, but rather a restricted phenomenon. So my questions are:   1. Is it correct that the aforementioned phenomenon is only relevant for a few verbs? If yes, could somebody provide a list of these verbs?   2. Is it helpful, to regard the verb _to stop_ as a homonym, where one version of _to stop_ refers to a process of ceasing movement, while the other version is an auxiliary verb followed by a gerund?


"Checked shirt" vs "check shirt"

My son is learning English as a foreign language and I notice a mixture of British and American words in his vocab lists. Is there such thing as a _checked shirt_ , or should it be a _check shirt_?


"Shepherding" vs. "sheepherding"

What is the difference between _shepherding_ and _sheepherding_ (sheep herding?)? What is the difference between _shepherd_ and _sheepherder_? I had only heard _shepherd_ until I found _sheepherder_ on a page on the California minimum wage.


Another word/phrase for "meticulous"

I am looking for a word that describes a person's work as being detail oriented. For example: "His peers had confidence in his meticulous manner." Meticulous just seems too strong. The latin origin of the word is: > mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘fearful or timid’): from Latin meticulosus, > from metus ‘fear.’ The word came to mean ‘overcareful about detail,’ hence > the current sense (early 19th cent). And when I use it in the sentence it doesn't seem right. Does anyone have suggestions for a better way to phrase this? Thanks.


Is libre the only English single-word adjective signifying 'liberty' without also meaning 'at no monetary cost'?

The Wikipedia entry Gratis versus libre contains the following text: > Libre /ˈliːbrə/ in English is adopted from the various Romance languages, > ultimately descending from the Latin word lībere; its origin is closely > related to liberty. It denotes "the state of being free", as in "liberty" or > "having freedom". The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) considers libre to be > obsolete,[2] but the word has come back into limited[3] use. Unlike gratis, > libre appears in few English dictionaries,[3] although there is no other > English single-word adjective signifying "liberty" exclusively, without also > meaning "at no monetary cost". If there truly is no such word, then I must grudgingly accept the ugliness of Libre. I must admit that nothing springs readily to mind. Is there such a word? EDIT: The basis of this question is that the people who coined (or revived) the term Libre didn't do so lightly. They were obviously of the opinion that it was necessary.


A better word for 'hot' (spicy)?

I never know how to order food correctly but succinctly the first time. :( Basically: I can't eat hot stuff (i.e. most pepper, similar spices, ...). On the one hand, I don't want to say _"Please don't make it spicy"_ , because I really don't mind spice (heck, a lot of them are great!) -- I just don't want it to be _hot_ spice. On the other hand _"Please don't make it hot"_ would seem to imply I'd like my food cold! Possibilities I've considered:   * _"Please don't add hot spice"_ just sounds weird   * _"Please don't add pepper"_ is the best I've thought of so far, but I'm pretty sure I've come across foods without pepper (or apparently so) which nevertheless tasted pretty hot.   And not just that, but it would also exclude bell peppers, etc. which I don't mind much. Any ideas for how to communicate this clearly? The fewer words the better, haha.


How is "æ" supposed to be pronounced?

The Encyclopædia Brittanica still uses the symbol "æ". However, I still hear everyone pronounce it as "Encyclo _pee_ dia", when their spelling suggests more along the lines of "Encyclo _pah_ dia" or "encyclo _pay_ dia". In a more general sense, should æ or Æ always be pronounced as a long e sound? When I see it used, it is in dæmon, æther, or æon. The wikipedia page makes it clear that they should be pronounced with another sound along the lines of ah or eh... confusing because I want to pronounce it as "ai" or "ay". Given the name "Aion" as a recent videogame, and the common pronunciation of a CS mailer-daemon as "Daymon", clearly others behave the same way. The problem lies in that æ used to be pronounced as ah/eh, and now seems to be pronounced as ay. Encyclopædia is the only exception... being pronounced as ee? How do I pronounce it when seen in English? ee, ay, or ah/eh?


What is "outbearded"?

I was reading Scott's _Woodstock_ the other day, and came upon the word _outbearded_. Searching with Google reveals nothing relevant and I am wondering what it means. The context is that Everard and a youth, Kerneguy (King Charles in disguise) are quarrelling, and are barely able to remain civil to each other:- > Everard, on the other hand, stung beyond his patience, and from the grace > and composure of the youth's carriage, still conceiving him to be either > Wilmot or some of his compeers in rank and profligacy, returned to the town > of Woodstock, determined not to be _outbearded_ , even though he should seek > redress by means which his principles forbade him to consider as > justifiable.


"Seemed to have [...]ed": is this structure grammatical?

I came across the following sentences:   * Defying expectations and maybe logic, people seemed _to have combined_ the countercultural sixties and the achieving eighties into one social ethos.   * I seemed to have broken the pattern, but all the time a classroom was waiting for me.   * Its personality, at the moment when I was about to leave it, seemed _to have detached_ itself from its inhabitants and all the human memories associated with it, and _to have become endowed_ with a friendly charm of its own. As usual, these sentences in The New York Times appear; and they appear together numerous others where the same structure occurs: _seemed to have [...]ed_. Can someone clarify if this structure is grammatical? Or should we reword the above sentences replacing the words "to have combined", "to have broken" and "to have detached" with, respectively, "to combine", "to break" and "to detach"?


What is the term for an idea that requires/creates its opposite?

An example would be that the concept of 'light' necessitates an opposite: 'dark.' The idea of one entails the other. Is there a term for this?


Is "subtle" a positive, neutral or/and negative word?

I wonder whether _subtle_ is a positive, neutral or/and negative word? Looking up its definition, it seems that the word means things unclear for good reason. For example, I  wonder if _subtle_ can be used to describe a class that is not easy to understand? If so, would that mean more of that the class is difficult to understand because of the complexity of its content, or due to the inability of the lecturer?


Does "was forced" automatically imply some identifiable external activity?

In the following sentence               The citizens were forced to render up their town to the conqueror.      what does `were forced` mean exactly? Does it mean that _some proactive party literally forced the citizens (like for example threatened to kill a hostage)_ or does it mean that _for whatever reason they concluded they had to perform that action_?


Verb Forms and Their Usage

What is meant by "present perfect", "past perfect", and "future perfect" verbs? How can I identify them or know which is which?


What does "The categories and types that we isolate from the world of phenomena we do not find there because..." mean?

The following paragraph is quoted from Steven Pinker's "The Language Instinct" and it's originally presented by Benjamin Lee Whorf in his "Language, Thought, and Reality" > “We dissect nature along lines laid down by our native languages. The > categories and types that we isolate from the world of phenomena we do not > find there because they stare every observer in the face; on the contrary, > the world is presented in a kaleidoscopic flux of impressions which has to > be organized by our minds - and this means largely by the linguistic systems > in our minds. We cut nature up, organize it into concepts, and ascribe > significances as we do, largely because we are parties to an agreement to > organize it in this way - an agreement that holds throughout our speech > community and is codified in the patterns of our language. The agreement is, > of course, an implicit and unstated one, BUT IT’S TERMS ARE ABSOLUTELY > OBLIGATORY; we cannot talk at all except by subscribing to the organization > and classification of data which the agreement decrees. I think I may know literally what does "The categories and types that we isolate from the world of phenomena we do not find there because they stare every observer in the face" mean, or maybe not.But I don't see the logic it bears. My understanding is that we isolate the categories and types because they stare every observer in the face, what does that supposed to mean?


What does it mean to be "hard done by" - a phrase I heard from a Canadian friend

From the context of discussion, I took "hard done by" to mean "taken advantage unfair of" as in "He felt _hard done by_ by former friends." I had never heard the phrase before and have not heard it since. In fact I'm not sure my example sentence is properly constructed using two "by's". Is it generally Canadian? A Canadian regionalism? Or is it more widely used by non-American English speakers around the world? EDIT: Does the phrase include the word "by" and then require a second by for proper usage? If the meaning is akin to "betrayed", then does the sentence "He felt betrayed by his friend" equate to He felt _hard done_ by his friend ("by" is not part of the phrase)   OR   He felt _hard done by_ **by** his friend ("by" IS part of the phrase and so needs another by) Another example, is it: The situation made him feel _hard done_   OR   The situation made him feel _hard done by_


Why do many professional writers hate adverbs, and what should be used in their place?

In response to the death of Elmore Leonard the New York Times has posted a list of writing tips he composed back in 2001. Among them is the following: > To use an adverb this way (or almost any way) is a mortal sin. This is not the first time I have read of professional writers discouraging the use of adverbs. While technically (adverb!) appropriate English, why are they treated with such disdain, and what makes a good adverb substitute?


What is the difference between "Sofa" and "Couch"?

Is there any difference between the two? Which one is more common? Which of the two words is more appropriate if the _"piece of furniture"_ is big, comfortable and expensive?


When, and why, did breaks become brakes?

Reading an account of the Round Oak Train Crash, I came across this passage:- > A good deal of suspicion, to say the least of it, must fall upon the hind > guard, Frederick Cook, as to the mode in which the break of the last van was > employed on the journey towards Worcester; and this suspicion is by no means > lessened by the circumstance that he permitted half-a-dozen passengers to > ride with him in his van, and that he employed one of their number, > according to his own admission, to take the break off in two cases. And later > In descending the incline from Round Oak to Stourbridge, there were four > persons acting as breaksmen in different parts of the train... which fixes the spelling _break_ in 1858. But no dictionary definition of _brake_ I have been able to find mentions this older spelling. Does anyone know when and why the spelling changed? Is there some etymological reason for this?


What is the correct subject-verb agreement for chemical quantities expressed in moles?

I'm currently editing some chemistry test questions, and I have several sentences like the following:   * What is the total number of moles of HCl produced when _3 moles of hydrogen **is_** completely consumed?   * How many _moles of hydrogen **are_** consumed in this reaction? I originally flagged "are" in the latter sentence to be changed to "is" in order to be consistent, but intuition is leading me to doubt this. Does the "How many..." construction of the sentence make "moles" dictate agreement in this case? I suspect that "How many..." contextually sets the expectation that the subject is a count noun ("moles" in this case), whereas in cases like the first sentence, there is no clear contextual indication whether the subject is a count or mass noun. Does anyone know if there is a clear rule for cases like this? If not, would you stick with "are" in the second sentence or change it to "is"?


Butchering a simple "How do I" question

Of course, I understand that the nature of the Internet means that a given person is not necessarily fluent in the English Language. But what I don't understand is how people can mangle a simple question. > How do I go from X to Y? As questions go, this kind of question is quite an important one to be able to ask. And yet, more often than not, I see this instead: > How to go from X to Y It looks more like a heading that's about to be followed by an explanation, not a question. The strange thing is, though, is that so many people make this error. It's not like other mistakes that vary from person to person based on their own knowledge, it's like an epidemic: Either the person knows how to ask the question in its proper form, or they use the exact erroneous form shown here. One thing I've noticed is that often a person will try to directly use their own language's sentence structure when speaking/writing in a foreign language. But in all the languages I know, none of them have this kind of sentence structure. Where does this malformation come from?


Is "gift" accepted as a verb?

I have always argued adamantly, as long as the issue has been around, that _gift_ should never be used as a verb. However, someone whose English knowledge I quite respect disagrees. I’ve done some searching and I haven’t found a consensus; should _gifting_ be shunned?


Word for more than several, but less than many

What word or sequence of words can I use if I have more than several, but less than many? E.g. if I have 10–15 of something, it may not be many (depending on context), but it's too many to be several. What word or phrase can I use?   * There are many studies which show... (not true, in my context I don't consider 10–15 is many)   * There are 10 studies which show... (not correct, it's not exactly 10 and I don't know the exact number, nor is it relevant)   * There are several studies which show... (not correct, 10 is too many to be several)   * There is a number of studies which show... (means nothing? 0 is a number, as is 1000?) What is the correct word or sequence of words here?


Usage of YMMV: Can I use it in day-to-day conversation?

I found the word _YMMV_ in an answer to my question "How important to write down mission statement in learning English? Do I have to?", which I posted on January 6.   As _YMMV_ is a quite strange word to me, I consulted Urban dictionary, and found that it's an abbreviation of _Your Mileage May Vary_ , meaning _your results will be varied_ and that is often used in forum talk. However, is the expression _Your mileage may vary_ by itself a well-established idiom? Do baby-boomers use this expression casually in day-to-day conversation? Would I raise somebody's eyebrows if I use the abbreviation _YMMV_ in ordinary conversation? Please teach me.


Did the English language ever have noun genders?

And if so, how did they differentiate between male, female or neuter nouns? Did English ever have gender-specific (in)definite articles? (like der/die/das in German)


best way to express urgency status

If I want to express that I'm in urgent state what is the best way to say it?   like `I'm in haste! let me enter first please.` Update:   I want a word used for general purposes: like a child is late for his school, or employee is late for his work. ex `It's your work time! you must be in (some word)` .


Is there a single word that means "cause(s) of death"?

It seems like this word exists, but maybe it's because I know it in another language (non-Romance) that I thinking it exists. I'm drawing a blank on it. I'd like to write a sentence that says "He listed the [causes of death]: ...."


What is a misplaced modifier?

For example... The Animal Control representative described the lost puppy as a golden retriever wearing a silver collar weighing 150 pounds. In this case is "weighing" used correctly? My book says this sentence contains a misplaced modifier but I don't know which modifier is incorrect.


What does "new normal" mean?

From one of the survey result (IT related), I came across the following line: > Agile Development and Service-Oriented-Architectures (SOA) represent the > “new normal.” What does "new normal" mean here? Is it an idiom?


"Both of you" vs. "the both of you"

When we refer to two people, which is right — "both of you" or "the both of you"? Are both the same or is there any difference between them?


Is it possible to verb anything other than a noun? Although slightly meta, I noticed that English SE has verbing as a tag, rather than verbing-nouns.


What do I call a number that has a period in it?

My brain is standing completely still on this. I'm sure I've known this in the past. The difference between the number:               123      and               123.25      is obviously that the first number number is a "full" number. There is no fraction of a number that requires that the number be written with a period symbol and more numbers describing the fraction. What is a number _called_ when it can be written without a period, and what is it called otherwise? Also, what are the numbers behind the period symbol called? (So really this is a request for three words, not one. I hope that flies.)


Is "whatsoever" a formal word in written English?

> The authors make no mention **whatsoever** about... Is this sentence appropriate for formal writing?


unsigned 64bit integer vs. 64-bit unsigned integer?

I found several way to write the same thing, but it may be that only one is really correct, can you help me to find the correct sentence. I want to specify the type of a parameter for a function (a C programming API). What is the correct version ? 1,2,3 or 4 ? And for `bit`should I use `s` as their are 64 ? :)   * unsigned 64bit integer (1)    * unsigned 64-bit integer (2)   * 64-bit unsigned integer (3)   * 64bit unsigned integer (4)


Which one is it? "Damn" or "damned"?

I know that commonly in America, they use "damn" or "damned" to describe things.   Sometimes, more appropriately, it's even "darn" or "darned".   For example, > This damn/damned computer is too slow. But what I can't wrap my head around is when to use "damn" and when to use "damned"?   Or is only one of them correct?


Necessity of "in" and "the"?

Please let me know which sentence is correct. I have faced the first and third one in the Longman dictionary, but dictionaries are prone to typos and errors. So I couldn't be sure which one is correct and which one is not. Please help me know. >   1. The verb is **in the** past tense. >   2. The verb is **in** past tense. >   3. The verb is past tense. >


I work "in a grocery store" or "at a grocery store"

I am not a native speaker but both sounds good to me. Which one should be more accurate or in fact correct.


Is one of them wrong? "Working at a new job" vs. "Working in a new job"

Can "at" and "in" be used interchangeably without worry or is one of them specifically wrong especially in the case of: Working at a new job vs. Working in a new job? and Living in a new apartment vs. Living at a new apartment?


What's the antonym of "prioritize"?

If someone is asked to do something important, they might say "I'll prioritize that". But if someone is asked to put something aside to work on something else more important, what could they say? In the past I've used "de-prioritize", but I'm not sure if that's actually a word. Is it a word? Is there some other way to get this point across?


Bigot and Hypocrite - What's the difference?

What's the difference between the two.


What is the term for making a cross in the air (like when passing a cemetery)?

Is there a word for making a cross with your hands in the air? It's a four point motion that goes from head to chest, then shoulder to shoulder. An example situation where someone does this might be a funeral procession passing by.


What does “Less is never more” mean? Is it a popular saying?

I found the phrase “ _less is never more_ ” in Maureen Dowd’s article “An Irish Catholic wake-up,” dealing with vice-presidential debate on October 11 in October 13’s NY Times. It comes in the following statement: > “Biden was trying to do what Romney did well: come across as a senior > partner chastising a junior associate who screwed up. For this vice > president, though, _less is never more_. He mugged condescension as if he > were the star of a silent movie. But who ever accused Uncle Joe of > subtlety?” Does “ _less is never more_ ” mean it’s better to overdo than underdo, or is it vice versa? What does it imply in particular to Joe Biden case? Is it a fancy turn of word, or just a cliche? PS. We have a Japanese adage, 過ぎたるは及ばざるが如しliterally meaning "Too much is as bad as too little," which I presume to be similar to "Less is never more."


"Drove to the main road," or "drove off to the main road?"

> After helping with the dishes, Eri swung her purse on her shoulder and said > goodbye to her mother, promising she'll come back to see her soon. **Keys in > hand, her dad led Eri to the car, and then they drove (off) to the main > street.** Do I have to add _off_ in that last sentence? I've seen examples like that before. When is neccesary and when not?


unitize (unitise) or unify?

I am about to collect information from multiple sources and transform them into one language/terminology. I wonder what would be the correct term for this process? Maybe a different word would fit even better? Thanks!


How would you punctuation this sentence?

How would you punctuate this sentence? If someone gives you a hard time about ending a sentence with a preposition, feel free to respond to the criticism, as Winston Churchill, according to unconfirmed legends did, his tongue firmly in cheek: 'This is just the sort of nonsense up with which I will not put.' * * * Or would I use dashes and parentheses? If someone gives you a hard time about ending a sentence with a preposition, feel free to respond to the criticism—as Winston Churchill (according to unconfirmed legends did, his tongue firmly in cheek): 'This is just the sort of nonsense up with which I will not put.'


A word or term for a physical type of a prize?

Is there any phrase with the word "prize" that would describe that the prize is a material one? I.e. you would get some kind of a product or thing, not money.


Is there a verb for making a statement/sentence milder or "dumbing it down"?

Is there a verb which means the same as "to dumb down" or "to make milder", in relation to an account of something I had witnessed? More specifically, a verb which describes telling your account of something you witnessed in a milder form so as to not scare the other person and "play down" the event.


What is it called when your laptop cursor goes wild?

Working on the laptop all day, I want a word for when my cursor (pointer) just keeps going on its own even though my hand is nowhere close to the laptop mouse controls. Profanity is fine! Note that I have only witnessed this phenomenon when using the native mousepad or mouse control button on a laptop. If I plugged in a regular usb mouse this wouldn't happen. I have not noticed this on tablets yet. But I have had at least 20 laptops and happened with all of them. Usage: Coworker - "What is taking so long?" Me - "F*cking mouse thing, wait a minute." Would like to have a phrase to replace "F*cking mouse thing."


Difference between "aim" and "purpose"

The explanation in the dictionary of "aim" is "The aim of something that you do is the purpose for which you do it or the result that it is intended to achieve. "and the explanation of "purpose" is "The purpose of something is the reason for which it is made or done. " So are there any differences between "aim" and "purpose"? And which word should I fill in the blank? "But for the ___ __of communication, we dress in clothes of different colors."


Smart used as expensive, why?

I sometimes see phrases like "smart hotel", "smart restaurant" (especially in guide books). From context I usually understand it as "expensive but worthy". Is it correct understanding? Why is word "smart" used? I rarely see it used in that way outside of this context. I never heard "smart car" in that sense for example. **Edit:** Example of usage (that actually encouraged me to ask this question), this is quote from guide book about Morocco: "However, it is a waste of time trying to negotiate at peak of the high season, or in the very smart hotels, such as the La Mamounia in Marrakech". So it is even used in comparative form. Apparently this La Mamounia Hotel is one of the most luxurious and expensive hotels in Marrakech.


Is "as you need" different from "as you need to" in this sentence?

To utilize things as(when) you need to, but never be captivated by things.(self-made, a translation from ancient text in Chinese) I think "as you need" and "as you need to" is different in this context. Because "as you need" may be followed by noun, but "as you need to" is to be followed by verb. Which one do you think is more appropriate in this sentence?


A word for a complex problem that needs to be approached form different angles at the same time

For example: There is a problem A. To solve A x, y and z are needed. But you can't have x without y, the lack of y is problematic for z, without which x is impossible. Looking for a word that would describe this and would be more colorful than 'complex'. Thank you!


What does "what's the hangup?!" mean?

On this page: http://bugs.mysql.com/bug.php?id=27645 There is a sentence: > All these database servers allow this, so what's the hangup?! What does `what's the hangup` mean?


What's the origin of “yo”?

I have some friends, and they say “Yo!” when I call them. I haven”t heard this response until quite recently (somehow), and I thought it was some word coined by rappers in their songs, and was adopted as a response by other people (like my friends, who happen to listen to rap). So I was rather surprised, when looking this up on Wiktionary, I read: > (military slang) Present! Here!   >   >  Sergeant: Smith?   >  Private Smith: Yo! I thought to myself, “Obviously this ain’t coined by them rappers!” Then, I saw a similar question on Yahoo Answers, with an answer stating (one link provided): > Yo is an American English slang interjection. The origins of the word may > possibly be traced back to 14th century England. However, it was highly > popularized after being commonly used among Italian Americans and African > Americans in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Clicking on the link provided, it turns out to lead to Answers.com. But the funny thing was, the new source included this information: > An exclamation used as a greeting, to express excitement, to attract > attention, or as a general sign of familiarity (originating among young > African-Americans). (1966–) . I am inclined to think that the word _yo_ came from the 14th century, but have no real evidence to say so. Can anyone provide solid stuff? That is, did it come from a military response, or a word used among young African-Americans in 1966? **Edit** : I am asking specifically in relation to _yo_ being used as a response/reply.


Referring collectively to the teachers and students at a university

In designing a learning management system for a university, and I would like to define a user role which groups together teachers and students. Is there any word that refers to them collectively? The only word that I can think of is "participants", in the sense that both teachers and students participate in learning activities. Luckily, aside from participants, I only have "system administrators" in my system, so there is no notion of e.g. university administration staff.


When is a gerund supposed to be preceded by a possessive pronoun?

I assume that the following sentences are grammatically correct: >   * He resents your being more popular than he is. >   * Most of the members paid their dues without my asking them. >   * They objected to the youngest girl's being given the command position. >   * What do you think about his buying such an expensive car? >   * We were all sorry about Jane's losing her parents like that. > I'm still getting used to this possessive gerund structure. It sounded me so weird at first. Is the structure used in both formal and informal contexts? Are there any alternative structures that result in the same meaning and are more frequently used? (Examples taken from http://grammartips.homestead.com/possessivewithgerund.html)


Clinton becoming the first woman president would be ... or Clinton's becoming the first woman president would be

The following ia a quote from CNN News: > A Gallup poll Friday showed that 18% of Americans surveyed said Clinton > becoming the first woman president would be "the best or most positive" > thing about her winning the election. Is it possible to say "Clinton's becoming ..." instead of "Clinton becoming ...?" If both are correct, which is more common?


Is this usage correct: "my [verb]"

I have been thinking of this sentence: > All these factors culminated in my choosing [some life decision]. Is the usage of _my choosing_ correct?


Please explain the grammar behind these sentences

I have used these kinds of sentences in talking and writing for so long without really knowing the grammar behind them: > This resulted in **my getting** late > > It's unfortunate that even after **his trying** to convince her, she didn't > agree > > He couldn't resist himself despite **my warning** him


Is "We look forward to your spending time with us" a proper use of "your"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is a gerund supposed to be preceded by a possessive pronoun? The phrase “We look forward to your spending time with us” is common in invites in my industry but it feels like “all your base are belong to us” to me. `:-P` Is it proper English?


Possessive Question

Would a hypothetical sentence be marked with it? For example, as opposed to: "It's your beating me in chess that angered me." a sentence such as: "It's like you beating me in chess: it'll never happen." It raises a circumstance that is in theory, so I don't think anything can be attributed to it. The chess match hasn't been won yet, so the listener does not yet "possess" the win. Another way I could expound upon it is as "A case of you beating me in chess." I don't think this would take the possessive because it's not definite. Or does it not matter? Would the possessive form of the pronoun be used regardless, and, if so, is it a set rule? * _EDIT_ *They're both gerunds, but the meanings are changed because of their syntax. The former represents a case where a reason is provided, involving an embedded gerund and the effect. It's the normal situation that's been addressed.  The second is a situation that has not been experienced while it's being said. In a sentence like "I'm frightened by his reddening." it's the typical gerund with a prevedent possessive, all in the present-tense. "The idea of him reddening." is another type of sentence, altoghether. And on purpose, too. I doubt the answer is the same as that question from the threas that was compared to this one. Try: "The situation of [a person] [verb-ing]." In other words, the situation where one is performing a verb. Suddenly, the possessive seemls unneeded. Compare it to: "A person's [own] [doing a verb](The respective activity attributed to their behavior.). Yeah, the constructions and implications differ, but the extent at which they do leads me to velieve the simple pronoun is actually preferred over the possessive, or should be. (I'm on my phone, so sorry about any typos.)


Putting "my" in front of a verb

Tough to choose a title for this question. Here's my sentence: "An outcome of this was **my** leading the development of a budget management plan." OR "An outcome of this was **me** leading the development of a budget management plan." I've heard it both ways, but I'm guessing one way is correct and the other is not. For now, I've revised the sentence to be "As an outcome, I led the development of a budget management plan." to get around the grammar question. I would also be curious to hear the explanation. Thanks.


case: 'my' or 'me'?

> Thank you baby for **my** being able to share this with you or > Thank you baby for **me** being able to share this with you Which is correct?


Must I use "their" or "them" in the following instance

Which of the following is correct? In the case of "their" being granted a bond the deal will go through. or: In the case of "them" being granted a bond the deal will go through.


"Because of our doing something ..." - Is this correct English?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is a gerund supposed to be preceded by a possessive pronoun? I am a German mathematician. In some research papers I find grammatical constructions like the one in the title, e.g.: "Because of our ignoring the boundary conditions, the following analysis is easier." I wonder whether this is grammatically and stylistically correct English. I know there are some original constructs in "mathematical English", so if it is not standard grammar, it might very well be an import from another language. Can you help me?


Use of possessive or object pronoun

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is a gerund supposed to be preceded by a possessive pronoun? >   *     1. Do you mind _me_ smoking? >     2. Do you mind _my_ smoking? >   *     1. There's little chance of _you_ getting a sunburn. >     2. There's little chance of _your_ getting a sunburn. > I was taught in school to use the latter of each pair, though have heard the former in daily life. Which is correct, or does it matter?


Would you mind me / my opening the window?

> Would you mind **me** opening the window? > > Would you mind **my** opening the window? Who uses which form, and why? Is this a difference in dialect? A difference between formal and informal grammar?


What is the correct form of a gerund?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is a gerund supposed to be preceded by a possessive pronoun?   >  “Me being” versus “my being”   >  Usage of the gerund preceded by the possessive pronoun I don't really know what to call it but basically there are two forms that I have seen across different texts: > _My_ being here obviously upsets him. > > _Me_ being here obviously upsets him. * * * > _My_ taking interest in her research has had fantastic effects. > > _Me_ taking interest in her research has had fantastic effects. * * * > _Your_ coming here is quite disturbing > > _You_ coming here is quite disturbing * * * > Please forgive _my_ being aggressive. > > Please forgive _me_ being aggressive. I think I must have seen the latter more often but in my head the former makes more sense.


Analysing clause elements and their function

I have a problem analysing this sentence from the point of finite/nonfinite clauses, clause elements and their functions: > He does not want to destroy his parents' **dream of him achieving a > Cambridge degree**. I am especially interested in the: dream of him achieving a Cambridge degree. I know that 'achieving a Cambridge degree' is a non-finite -ing participle clause. However what is its function? and what is the function of 'of him'? Is it a postmodification?


You vs. Your -- as in "Jane is confused by you/your using the metric system"

Which of the following two sentences is preferred (and why)? > Jane is confused by you using the metric system. Or: > Jane is confused by your using the metric system. I've seen both but my intuition says that the latter is preferred. Is there a definitive answer? If so, what is the rationale for one being superior to the other?


gerund/possessive usage quandary

1. He did not appreciate the men taking charge of the project. vs.    2. He did not appreciate the men's taking charge of the project. If sentence 2 is technically correct it seems awfully silly and affected.


I appreciate you(r) noticing this

I often use the pattern 'I appreciate your noticing this' but recently decided it sounds strange, and switched to 'you'. (I do this with different verbs; this is just an example.) Are they both valid?


"Me being" versus "my being"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Gerund preceded by possessive pronoun (e.g. "He resents your being more > popular than he is") Until a few months ago, I had always thought that sentences like this were correct: > They always hated me being an atheist. Only later to find out that the correct form is: > They always hated my being an atheist. I came to understand the reason behind this and started using the proper form, but as I've seen the latest futurama episode, I found out the problem is far from over. The main cast character, Fry, said the following: > Never bet against me being stupid. And now I'm totally lost. I've tried googling for an answer and all I found (by @Cerberus here or by others here, here, here and here) seems to disprove the fact of "me being" being correct. So I ask: did the creators of futurama make such a horrible mistake, or does this problem go deeper than meets the eye?


Can someone please tell the Usage of "its" in the following is correct?

Here is a quote from "Ever Wonder Why / the color red angers a bull? " (page 20). > It has been suggested that this reaction to red (my note: of bull which is > color-blind to a shaking cape in red) may be due to **its** being the color > of blood. My question : the above "its" should be "it"?


Is it grammatically correct to use the word 'your' before a verb in present progressive tense?

Can I say: > I understand **_your wanting_** to wait a while longer. I have heard it being said, but how correct is it?


Which of the following are gramatically correct when describing people's speech?

"I like horse," screams Hendry. "I like horse," scream Hendry. "I like horse," Hendry screams "I like horse," Hendry screamed (why used past tense) Say you are writing a story about people talking to each other. Which one will you use? For example, in http://www.fanfiction.net/s/569887/1/Little-Red-Riding-Hood- The-Wolf-s-Version people use past tense to describe speech. In most stories I read people use past tense. I wonder why. Here, another story also uses past tenses http://www.magickeys.com/books/noblegnarble/page9.html#pictop Is there any stories that use present tense so it's easier to understand? Is using past tense the de facto standard in grammar?


What is the meaning of "in the realm of"?

There is an expression " _in the realm of ..._ ". What does it mean exactly, and in what cases it is used?


What’s the difference between ‘as much, if not more, than’ and ‘as much, if not more, as’?

When I found _as much, if not more, than_ , I had an impression that _than_ might be wrong at first because the phrase looked like a variation of _as much as_. However, there’re a lot of examples of both of them on the Net. Do they have different meanings?   1. as much, if not more, than ( _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (5)_ [US Version]: p501) > He was no longer their sullen host of the summer; now he seemed determined > that everyone should enjoy themselves as much, if not more, than they would > have done at Hogwarts, and he worked tirelessly in the run-up to Christmas > Day, cleaning and decorating with their help, so that by the time they all > went to bed on Christmas Eve the house was barely recognizable.   1. as much, if not more, as (From Google search) > The imports in 1877 amounted to as much, if not more, as in 1876, though I > have not been able to procure the exact figures.


Antonym of "capital"

What is the antonym of "capital" (in the sense of city of governmental seat)? A related question: is there a term for referring to the whole set of cities that are not the capital within a country (or state, province)?


“Be” as an action rather than a state

I’ve heard, on rare occasion, a subtle differentiation between _be_ as a state (to passively embody) and _be_ as an action (to actively embody). The latter form often occurs in parallel with _do_ to add emphasis to the active nature of the verb.   * What do you **do** with all your money?     * **Be** rich.     * I **be** rich.     * *I **am** rich.   * What does the Pope **do**?     * **Be** Catholic.     * He **bes** Catholic.     * *He **is** Catholic.   * **Does** he always **be** idiotic like that?     * Yes, he always **does** ( **be** ).     * No, he **doesn’t** always ( **be** ).     * *No, he **isn’t** always (idiotic like that). Rhetorical questions demonstrate a similar, possibly related device:   * Why **don’t** you **be** sure first?     * If I take the time to **be** sure, I’ll be too late. It is not at all related to African-American Vernacular English and its use of _be_ as a tense marker. It’s also not necessarily indicative of a habitual action (e.g., _(will) be_ ). Is this standard? Moreover, is it predictable? Could it be a vestige of a distinction that used to be marked in English but has since been largely lost, or is it a wholly new development?


Linking sounds?

When one word ends in a consonant sound and the next begins with a vowel sound, can you tell me how you say these words in American English?   * **can I..?** ( _Can nai_ or _Ca nai_?)   * **take it** ( _teɪ kit_ or _teɪk kit_?)   * **push it** ( _pu shit_ or _push shit_?)   * **find out** ( _fain-dout_?)   * **bridge is** ( _brid- ʒ iz_ or _bri-dʒ iz_?)   * **Put it in** ( _put tit tin_ or _pud dit din_?)   * **like a** ( _laiy-ka_ or _laik-ka_?) Should the final sound always be shared between two words or should the final sound jump to the next word? What is the basic rule about that? Or does it depend on the accent? When I hear linking sounds in a long sentence, it’s difficult for me to understand. And is it strange if I say them without linking sound?


What is a word for the 7 deadly sins AND the 7 heavenly virtues all together?

Obviously, just for the 7 deadly sins you would use 'sin' and for the 7 heavenly virtues you would use 'virtue' or 'heavenly' but what word would you use to describe all 14 of them together?


"Looks more genuine than me/I writing"

In the following sentence, which is more appropriate — _I_ or _me_ , and why? > Sending separate mails will look more genuine than me/I writing on behalf of > everyone.


Meaning of "work ethics" in Australian English

Inspired by this question, I'm left wondering if the phrase "work ethics" has a slightly different meaning in Australian English than in other dialects. > I came across this term some time back: _Flexible work ethics_ in an ad for > an IT job. Anyone know what it could mean? Im sure its not as dodgy as it > sounds To my (US) ear, it sounds like the ad is looking for people willing to engage in ethically questionable business practices. I'd hope that's not the case, and that it's just a nuance in the meaning of "work ethics." My best guess is that "flexibe work ethics" actually means "willing to work flexible hours." A quick search reveals several job listings that use the phrase, mostly in Australia. Is this a case of differing meaning in a dialect, or is it just really, _really_ poorly worded corporate-speak?


What is a less offensive synonym for "retarded"?

I occasionally use "retarded" when chastising myself or other friends. I know it's not Politically Correct, but am I only allowed to say stupid? How long before we can't say that anymore? Other words like "ignorant" don't work well because well, I don't like that word because it's misunderstood (even though it works well for how I say retarded . . for me it's like if you don't know something you should know).


I need a word or a phrase to call someone an idiot, but with good humor

It's so easy to do in a chat room. I just do this: click here. I want to capture that same benign, eye rolling, gently mocking disdain - but I have to stick to small words. An example of an actual circumstance (true story) after which I might want to use such a phrase or word is when he ever-so-patiently explained to me that "rocket surgery" was an incorrect use of idiom. Perhaps a quote? I realize that this question is _at least_ borderline for the site. If you feel I've crossed that line please edit if you feel that the question is salvageable. EDIT: He's 56. Perhaps an instantly recognizable (to an American of his age) quote from pop-culture? Kind of like the way I might say, "Laugh it up, Fuzzball" to someone my age (46) who is very much enjoying the fact he's winning a card game?


How do you punctuate something you paraphrased?

Sometimes I need to adjust a quote for whatever reason. I don't want to steal somebody else's words, so I want to quote, but if it's no longer their exact words, wrapping it in "" doesn't feel right to me. For example, I just altered > if I couldn’t do it within 10 minutes, I couldn’t do it at all To squeeze it into a tweet. I wound up changing it slightly to > If I couldn’t do it in 10 min, I couldn’t do it at all I wrapped it in ~~ to try to show that it's not a direct quote, but wonder; is there a way to 'almost' quote somebody?


Word for student's notebook

What is the American word for a notebook that students have at school in which they do their homework assignments? I mean the notebook in which a teacher marks good or bad behavior of a student and which parents have to sign weekly.


Short description of an accomplishment

Sometime in the near future, I will achieve the (dubious) distinction of being "the person who has cast the most votes on questions and answers on StackExchange." I want to add a short statement about this to my SE profile. But the way I phrased it in the last paragraph seems awkward and somewhat ambiguous. To be clear, I mean that if you add up all the up/down votes people have cast on all the SE sites they participate in, my total is the highest (approaching 50,000). Something like "Highest-voting person on StackExchange" seems ambiguous to me - in addition to Q&A votes, there are moderator elections, close votes, deletion votes. And although "on Stackexchange" is probably ok, I'm not sure that makes it clear that I'm talking about total votes cast across multiple sites. Perhaps "Highest Q-and-A-voting person on all of StackExchange" would be ok? I might just wait until I reach 50,000 total votes and say something like "First person on all of StackExchange to cast 50,000 votes across multiple sites." UPDATE 21 SEP 2012: By the time I verified today that I'd passed the next-most-active voter, I'd also exceeded 50,000 votes. So I've included most of the answers in my updated SE profile (see link above), especially: > I am the most active voter on all of StackExchange. (That is, I have cast > the most total question and answer votes across all Stack Exchange sites.)


One word for "a person who takes happiness as his/her goal of life"

I'm unable to remember a single-word substitute for "a person who takes happiness as his/her goal of life"


“ameliorate” vs “alleviate”

The meanings for _ameliorate_ and _alleviate_ are quite similar, but I don’t think they are exact synonyms: what are the nuances behind choosing which one to use in a particular context? I’d like some example sentences to show where one of them **_can’t_** be substituted by the other.


pro-active/initiative-taking as an adjective

How can we describe someone who always takes the initiative? He is very **_**. The only word I can come up with is _pro-active_ but it sounds/feels a little awkward to me. Edit: Dictionary[dot]com has a list of synonyms: _aggressive, anxious, ardent, banzai, can-do, dedicated, eager, energetic, enthused, enthusiastic, excited, extremely enthusiastic, fanatical, fired up, fired up, intense, keyed up, lively, passionate, proactive, spirited, take- charge, zealous_ But nothing really strikes me...