What kinds of words or phrases would you use to describe this situation?

As a teacher I am obliged to look after children during the recess/break. How would you call this situation in English? Let me elaborate a little bit: Each lesson lasts 45 minutes, then students are entitled to a break. During that break, usually two teachers take care/look after the children in order to prevent any dangerous situations to happen. I am curious about how we can describe this situation. I would go for 'I have a break duty after my 4th lesson on second floor'. Am I correct when I use 'recess/a break duty' term?


Can the term "etymology" be applied to a phrase or only individual words?

I have always heard the term used in referring to a single word. When browsing questions on this site, I've seen it used applied to entire phrases, and have suppressed the compulsion to edit them and replace the term with _origin_.


"When" vs. "what time"

> When are we meeting, dear, I am hungry? or > What time are we meeting, dear, I am hungry? Please elaborate on the semantical differences.


Meaning of "bulging with Pongo's lunch" in the following sentence

From Uncle Fred Flits By by P.G. Wodehouse: The meaning of bulging by dictionary is: protruding part, a sudden increase in number or quantity, and last is: an advantage. I don't see any of these fit in the phrase "bulging with Pongo's lunch" - How can these be applied to "lunch" - a food ? > So when, on the occasion to which I allude, he stood pink and genial on > Pongo's **hearth-rug** , **bulging** with Pongo's lunch and wreathed in the > smoke of one of Pongo's cigars, and said: 'And now, my boy, for a pleasant > and instructive afternoon,' you will readily understand why the unfortunate > young **clam** gazed at him as he would have gazed at **two-penn'orth** of > dynamite, had he discovered it lighting up in his presence. Please explain me the meaning of the sentence also, I am not able to clearly get its meaning although I have referred the oxford dictionary for all the words I don't know.


Does "fare" apply to non-persons?

If one pays for transportation of oneself a _fare_ has been paid. What is paid if the transportation is of a non-person object (a parcel, a letter, a vegetable, a box of rocks)?


Pronunciation of letters "g" and "c" in blend words

According to this article: > The Pronunciation of ‘C’ and ‘G’ generally (but not always) depends upon the > letter following either 'C' or 'G'. If the following letter is ‘E’, ‘I’ or > ‘Y’, the pronunciation is said to be “soft” (as in _cell & large_). If the > following letter is anything else - including a space - the pronunciation is > termed “hard”. (as in _call & great_) I'm wondering if these letters (‘C’ and ‘G’) retain their pronunciation in blend words.   For example consider the word " **Regex** ". This word is made from combining " **Regular** " and " **Expression** ". How should the letter "g" in Regex be pronounced? Soft, like in " _General_ "? or hard, like in " _Regular_ "?


Why is "hiccup" spelled with two c's?

Is there a historical or grammatical reason for spelling hiccup with two c's?


When to use "huge" and "big"

What is the difference between _huge_ and _big_? For example: >   * He made a huge difference to the team. He made a big difference to the > team. > Is there a difference in meaning?


Using Past Perfect after an event

While reading a book, I came across some sentences that used past-perfect "after" an event had taken place. Actually, I've seen many books do this, so this must be the grammatically correct way, but I'm curious why. > It was after Dad died and we had moved to New York. Why shouldn't it be the other way around, as in "It was after Dad had died and we moved to New York"? > Not long after that, she had made the decision to sell the house. I'm really confused why it isn't "Not long after that, she made the decision to sell the house"? It feels like the decision making took after "that." > He stayed out until the sun had set. Well, I guessing that this one means that he went home after the sun had set, but I'm still not sure why the writer would write this way.


Is "in about" grammatical in "I'll reach there in about 5 minutes"?

Is it correct to say "I'll reach there in about 5 minutes?" Is "in about" correct in this sentence?


Correct phrase for “Chain of equations”

In math, one often writes > _a = b = c = d_ to prove that _a=d_. How is such a sequence of equations called in English? In German, there is “Gleichungskette”, but the direct translation “Chain of equation” is not found very often by Google, hence my query.


A pejorative term for "unreasonably gregarious"

I am looking for a pejorative term to describe someone who constantly needs social interaction regardless of quality. Something along the lines of "social nymphomaniac", but not necessarily gender-specific, and preferably in a single word. I would also prefer it if it were not colloquial.


Words or expressions to describe having a difficult time in your dreams or nightmares

What is the best word to use in the following sentence? Any other words or expressions that can be used? >   * That day as well he had barely woken up after a night spent tossing and > turning in a nightmare. >   * That day as well he had barely woken up after a night spent flailing in > a nightmare. >   * That day as well he had barely woken up after a night spent floundering > in a nightmare. >


Word to describe a sensation of death coming over your entire body?

This is the context where I want to use the word: > He closed his eyes. The living did not come to mind, neither friend, nor > family—only the dance of death, plain to see. The dancing figures of death > were beckoning him. How could he not end his life? _The sense of death > already enveloped him._ His body grew cold and he felt stiff like lead. What words can be used here? Can 'aura' be used here? Doesn't your body have an 'aura' intrinsically? > The sense of death already enveloped him. > > The aura of death already enveloped him. The OED definitions I found are: > **Sense** _noun_ > > 1 a faculty by which the body perceives an external stimulus; one of the > faculties of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch::the bear has a keen > sense of smell that enables it to hunt at dusk > > 2 a feeling that something is the case:: she had the sense of being a > political outsider > >   * an awareness or feeling that one is in a specified state:: you can > improve your general health and sense of well-being > >   * (sense of) a keen intuitive awareness of or sensitivity to the presence > or importance of something:: she had a fine sense of comic timing > > > > **Aura** _noun_ (plural auras) [usually in singular] > > 1 the distinctive atmosphere or quality that seems to surround and be > generated by a person, thing, or place: the ceremony retains an aura of > mystery > > 2 a supposed emanation surrounding the body of a living creature, viewed by > mystics, spiritualists, and some practitioners of complementary medicine as > the essence of the individual, and allegedly discernible by people with > special sensibilities. any invisible emanation, especially a scent or odor: > there was a faint aura of disinfectant


Is "mainstream" an acceptable verb?

I recently read the word "mainstream" as a verb and doubted whether it was the best choice in the sentence. Can you say you want to "mainstream" something? Perhaps it is grammatical but just unadvisable?


Word pairs that are both synonyms and antonyms

The words "catholic" and "parochial" are synonyms or near-synonyms meaning "pertaining to the Catholic Church" (e.g., a parochial school is a Catholic school) but they're antonyms in a different sense; one means "universal" and the other means "local" or "provincial." Are there any other word pairs that are synonyms in one meaning but antonyms in another? I'm excluding words that can be their own opposites; there are lots of questions about those, and lots of examples. Here I'm asking about distinct pairs of meanings.


What does the title "Whose line is it anyway?" mean?

_Whose line is it anyway?_ is a comedy show in which participants are given a theme and they are supposed to come up with an act according to the theme given to them. According to Oxford Dictionary, one possible meaning of _anyway_ is to ask a question, like > What are you doing here anyway? but I am not able figure out the meaning of _anyway_ in this expression. Maybe it is because I am not able to imagine the context it has been said in. What is the explanation?


Is “in a greater scale” grammatical?

Say the facts are   * Method A produces score of 101.   * Method B produces score of 102. when using data set 1, but when using data set 2:   * Method A produces score of 100.   * Method B produces score of 1000. Method B is better than Method A in both datasets; what I want to say is Method B performed much better with dataset 2. Is the following sentence correct? > Method B outperforms Method A in a greater scale in dataset 2 compared to > dataset 1.


A word for "not needing directions in order to solve an issue"?

Is there a word to describe the ability to be able to complete tasks without necessarily needing instructions, i.e. finding it out yourself. It's for a personal profile in a CV.


Does the next word after a colon have to be capitalized?

If I write this line in a story: She said: when are you going? Does the "when" have to be capitalized? Also, if the "she said" part is not part of a conversation in a novel does the word after the colon have to be capitalized? _Additional info from OP's comment:_   I know English uses a comma after "said". I just use a colon for some avant- garde writing. What I am curious about is the capitalization of "when" if a colon is used in whatever context.


What would be a good idiom for this?

In Hebrew there is an idiom that translates to English like this: "To go without and to feel with". The usual meaning is that one doesn't have some object or ability but is nevertheless is able to act or to be perceived as if one did have the object or ability. An element of deception is usually **not** involved, at least not overtly. EXAMPLES: For instance, you can use it in engineering when you use an approximate method to get cheaply/quickly an otherwise expensive outcome. Another usage example from a random search: I found an article with this idiom as its title. It refers to the USA going without but feeling with in the wake of the 2011 credit downrating. The idea is that although the USA no longer has stellar credit rating it is still able to borrow money as cheaply as before.


Is “gaze de naval” English idiom, French idiom or a half-breed?

I was drawn to the word,“gaze de navel” appearing in New York Time’s (July 6) article titled “Goodbye Old World, Bonjour Tristesse” written by Maureen Dowd). http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/07/opinion/sunday/dowd-goodbye-old- world-bonjour-tristesse.html?hp&_r=0 It goes: > Joie de vivre has given way to **gaze de navel**. The French are so busy > wallowing in their existential estrangement — a state of mind Camus > described as “Should I kill myself, or have a cup of coffee?” — that they > don’t even have the energy to be rude. And now that they’re smoking > electronic cigarettes, their ennui doesn’t look as cool. It’s not that > they’ve lost faith in their own superiority. They’ve lost faith that the > rest of the world sees it. Merriam-Webster online English Dictionary defines “navel gazing” as “useless or excessive self-contemplation.” Google Ngram shows that the usage of “navel gazing” emerged in / around 1960 and the currency is on a sharp rise. Neither registers 'gaze de navel.' However, “gaze de naval” sounds to me foreign - somewhat half-breed (Pardon me if this is the misuse of word) of English and French words. Does “gaze de naval” pass as a chic English idiom that I can try to use in conversation and in writing, or it is just Dowd’s special coinage?


Which is the correct syllable division for 'banana'?

Having looked up _banana_ in two separate online dictionaries, I see that depending on the dictionary, the syllables are: >   * ba-na-na >   * ba-nan-a > Although I imagine this only matters when deciding where to hyphenate, I want you to help settle the argument that this started — which is _really_ correct?


Sign In "to" or Sign In "with" the website

I'm working on a "Forgot Password" text and don't know which one is correct: To reset your password, enter the email address you use to Sign In **to** (website name) or To reset your password, enter the email address you use to Sign In **with** (website name)


My grandpa used to ask _"Do you live around here or ride a bicycle?"_ fairly often, finding it hilarious (him and only him). While it is quite an awkward, malformed piece of logic, what is its source? It seems to exist as a phrase more often than chance, occasionally in humor/"wit" books.


What does “run on a ticket with somebody” mean? Is it a well-received English idiom?

I found the phrase, “ _run on a ticket with a man_ ” in the today’s (December 9) Washington Post article titled, “Gingrich run could bring up bad memories for former colleagues.” The article begins with the following sentence: “If former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is the Republican presidential nominee, many members of Congress will _run on a ticket with a man_ they worked with two decades ago. Judging by some of their public comments, not all of them would necessarily welcome the idea.” As I’m uncertain of the meaning of “run on a ticket with a man,” I consulted OED, Cambridge, and M-W online dictionary. Only Cambridge Dictionary registered ‘run on sth.’ as the idiom accompanied with the explanation; ‘If a machine runs on a particular type of power, it uses that power to work; e.g. Some calculators run on solar power, though I don’t think this definition is applicable to the usage of the phrase in the above quote. Neither OED nor M-E registers “run on ticket” nor “run on something.” However, GoogleNgram shows the usage trend of “run on a ticket.” The phrase emerged in circ.1870, and its usage has been dwindling after peaking around 1930. What does " _run on a ticket with somebody_ ” mean? Is it a well-received English idiom?


Dialects where days of the week end with "dee"?

Someone recently posted a question about the pronunciation of _Wednesday_ , which reminded me of a _different_ question about pronouncing the days of the week I've had floating around in my head for a while. In Standard American English, the word seems to be pronounced "Wensday" [wɛnzdeɪ]. However, I occasionally hear people say something like "Wensdee" [wɛnzdi], and in general the days of the week are Mondee, Tuesdee, Wensdee, Thursdee, etc. What puzzles me about this is that I haven't been able to associate it with one particular dialect or region - I've hear people say it in (to give three examples) Arizona, Minnesota, and New York. My question is: What US dialects characteristically use this pronunciation - where does it come from? Also, I feel like I often hear older folks using it - could it have something to do with age?


What is the meaning of "as clear as a bell"?

What is the meaning “as clear as a bell”? I met this expression long time ago but I have forgotten what it means.


what is the one word for the phrase "noise made by broken glass"?

Please provide me with a single word for the phrase "noise made by broken glass".


"have been working" vs. "have worked"

What is the difference between the following two sentences? >   1. I have been working here for 20 years. >   2. I have worked here for 20 years. > The present perfect tense is used for repetitive or constant actions that began in the past and continue to the present. The perfect progressive tense is used for continuous actions that began in the past and continue to the present. But I really don't see the difference here.


What is the difference in meaning between "choice" and "option"?

When must we use _option_ but not _choice_ , and where do we use _choice_ but not _option_? Or can we use them interchangeably always?


Which best describes the English language?

1. English has complex morphology and less rigid phonology.   2. English has less complex phonology but more rigid morphology.   3. English has both rigid and complex morphology and phonology.


Difference in naming between consulting and consultants

I have a domain research for a company and since English is not my first language I was wondering about the difference between e.g. _Boston Consulting_ and _Boston Consultants_ My guess is that the first one refers to the company as a whole and the second refers to the people of the company. Thank you for your guidance.


Decadence of the word decadence

Everyone who is not from the US that I know gives the same quizzical look when some food commercial claims that a TV dinner is _decadent_. When did it start being used to mean luxurious? And why? (Our best guess is that it was a joking bet by some people in advertising that got out of hand...)


Etymology of "ping"

According to Wikipedia `ping`, the IP network utility, was named after the sonar "ping", which is apparently onomatopoeic. However, "ping" is now used in the vernacular in the sense of "pinging" someone via (usually) electronic communication to request acknowledgement of a message. Does the usage of "ping" in this latter sense directly derive from the network utility `ping`, or does it predate it? And how common is usage of the word "ping" like this by people without technical backgrounds or who are otherwise familiar with the `ping` utility? Also, assuming the vernacular usage does derive from the `ping` utility, are there examples other technical jargon that have entered the common vernacular and become (mostly) dissociated with their technical origins? (Computer jargon terms like "bits" and "bytes" that are commonly known but commonly understood as computer jargon do not count...obviously this hinges on what is considered common knowledge so cannot be answered precisely, but I'm looking for things generally in this category.)


Etymology of "crush"?

How did crush come to be used to mean "an intense but usually short-lived infatuation"?


Etymology of "card" referring to an eccentric person

What is the origin of the use of the word "card" to refer to an eccentric person? How did this meaning develop?


Is the term "city boy" a commonly used appellation for London bankers? Does it only apply to them, or is it colloquial for other London denizens?

I was watching the British series _Sherlock Holmes_ and I noticed a couple of times they referred to bankers Sherlock was investigating or talking to as _city boys_. How common is this usage? Would the average person from the UK understand it? Or perhaps it's only specific to London? Does it only apply to bankers?


Reservation "under the name", "in the name", or "by the name" of Ms. X

Which idiom of "by the name", "under the name", and "in the name" is appropriate for reservations? e.g. _There's a reservation **by the name of** Cullen_... _She made the reservation **in the name of** Jordan Sinclair_... _Make your reservation **under the name of** ECW_... Instinctively, I would go for "under", but I'm just not positively sure. If all three options actually work, is any of them more typical of a variety of English than another, or they all can be used just about interchangeably in all varieties?


Is the phrase "getting on" commonly used in British English? What register would its use be in?

I've collected a new phrase from my watching of British television, _getting on_ , as in "How's he getting on?" From various contexts, I think I've gotten the meaning down to "how's he doing?" Anyway, I was wondering, is this phrase commonly used throughout the UK, or is specifically London argot? Second, does its use invoke any class stereotypes? I.e., would using it in formal situation reek of informality, is it very slang-y?


“They had whatted the car?”

The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language says this: > Echo **_what_** is syntactically very different from the interrogative > pronoun _what_. It can replace words of more or less any category, and can > take on the inflectional properties of that category — cf. _You bought three > whats?_ or even _They had whatted the car?_ CGEL does not use any symbols indicating questionable grammaticality or grammaticality in some dialects only for those examples; therefore, the authors consider the examples correct in all dialects of English, including International English. As the echo _what_ would naturally occur in spoken English (as opposed to written English), it is difficult to ascertain whether the examples would sound idiomatic in major English dialects (e.g. British English, American English) using Google Search. So, my question is: Which of these are more natural in various spoken English dialects? > They had _what_ the car? > > They had _whatted_ the car? > > You bought three _what_? > > You bought three _whats_? EDIT: Or more generally, what constitutes idiomatic use of echo _what_ in British and American English?


How to express this statement better - ill toward

We have this paragraph here: > The forum is here for collectors of all persuasions, so unless you're in a > thread specifically geared towards comparison/discussion, **keep your ill > toward comments out of the thread**. Note that there is a difference between > having a reasonable argument in the correct thread and trolling. How can we express the bolded part better - it just doesn't sound right!


What does a patient and doctor "got off" to a rough start mean?

To a non-native English learner like me, understanding of, and familiarizing with the wide scope of usages of idioms associated with basic verbs such as “do, get, go, let, make, and have” are always a great headache. For instance, there was the following sentence in New Yorker’s (July 11) article titled, “How to tell someone that she is dying”: > “This raises a fundamental question about the doctor-patient relationship: > Is modern medical practice all about “patient knows best?” or do physicians > still need, on occasion, to cajole their patient into doing the right thing? > The encounter between Elizabeth and her oncologist **got off** to a rough > start and only got worse.” What does the patient and doctor’s encounter “got off” to a rough start mean? Doe it mean they went or diverted into a rough start? What is a single word (verb) to represent for “got off” used here? Why is it "get off to," not "get off from (a rough start, and got worse)"? CED defines “get off” as an idiom to mean; 1\. escape a punishment, be acquitted. 2\. go to sleep. 3\. (usu. get off with) have a special encounter. 4\. (usu. get off on) be excited or aroused. Collins Cobuild English Dictionary defines “get off” as an idiom meaning; 1\. not punished, or given a very small punishment. 2\. leave a place because it is time for you to leave. 3\. tell someone “get off” when they are touching you don’t want them to. Which of the definitions of CED and Cobuild does the “got off” of the above article come under?


Is a stem word required with a prefix and suffix combination?

Suppose the following lexeme: > mononess Consisting of the prefix "mono-" (meaning "one") and suffix "-ness" (meaning "the quality of"), but no stem/root word. Could this lexeme be a valid word in the English language? If so, is this construction allowed explicitly or implicitly ("not disallowed" by any rule)? Also, are there examples of any real words that follow this pattern?


Is "Yankee" derogatory?

I have heard of the term "Yankee" often referring to people in the Northern U.S. by Southerners. My question is: is this term considered derogatory or offensive and should it be avoided in formal settings?


Is a hyphen required or is the proper use of it subjective?

My question is as stated in the title. In a very famous article, I noticed the author used the word - "nonexperiment". I looked up the word and it is not actually a word, so I believe it should be written as "non-experiment". Am I wrong? Furthermore, my professor used the word binwidth, and it is not a word. Thus, I would write it as bin-width, but only because it is not a word. I believe grammar and sentence structures are not explicitly well defined. But I do believe there are general definitions, and on top of that, experts in writing have extended the definitions based on their own opinion. Thus, even though I consider myself a beginner in writing, I would rather accept and use the words "nonexperiment" and "binwidth". My professor considers himself as a terrible writer, but I like his style because it is not difficult for me to understand. Is it possible he used the word - "binwidth" incorrectly?


"on" that isn't "on top of"

Sorry if the title is bad, I didn't know how to put it. Take the following sentence, "He flipped the pancake so vigorously it got stuck on the ceiling". When we think about the word "on", we usually think of "on top of". So is there a word that doesn't sound as weird that could be used in place?


In my example, can I use a comma before the word "thus"?

> Graph 4 improves Graph 3 because it shows potentially similar outliers that > occur at each birthday, thus this represents our best range of x.


How can you paraphrase "Here you are?"

When you hand something to someone, you say "Here you are." I know this it a set phrase but it looks incomplete and doesn't make much sense to me. How can you paraphraze or complete the sentence?


What's the meaning of the expression "flow of bloodlines, and yours is far too thin"?

A man is talking to a woman. > We choose who we mate with. We decide the flow of bloodlines, and yours is > far too thin. I am not sure about the meaning of _flow of bloodlines_. When someone says that a person has a _thin bloodline_ , what does he mean? Is it common to say that someone has a thin bloodline?


Single word for "humorous in an intellectual way"

How to describe something (in this case, a description) that is humorous in an intellectual way?


Why do Americans say "tuna fish"?

I mean, it's not like there is a tuna vegetable or animal that it can be confused with.


Placement of "ever" with "have"

I'm having a hard time telling if my wording is correct or not. In the following sentence, **"...a job like that would be the first of its kind I will ever have worked,"** does it make any difference if "ever" comes after "have" rather than before? Is one wording better than the other? Or, alternatively, are they both examples of faulty ways of phrasing it?


"The Sultan of Swat" is to nickname as "Babe" is to what?

Trying to name things in a computer data model. People have a variety of name roles, such as legal name, maiden name, etc. "The Sultan of Swat" is a nickname or pseudonym of George Ruth. It seems to stand alone. You don't often see him called "The Sultan of Swat" Ruth. "Babe" is also his nickname, but is often used together with other parts of his name, as in "Babe Ruth". It's more like the "Bobby" in Robert "Bobby" Kennedy. I've seen "diminutive" as well as "appellation" used. Are the two kinds of nicknames actually different? And if so, what terms to use? Update. A few more examples for clarification: Is Malcolm X a sobriquet, pseudonym, or just his preferred name? If an Asian student at a western college takes a more western name is that a sobriquet or preferred name?


the usage of "insalubrious"

Does it make sense to say an insalubrious relationship between two countries? If not, what would be a better replacement? hey this is my first post on this website.. I'm a non-native english speaker.. THANKS a lot!


adjective-born or noun-born?

Which is correct? _Claudette Colbert was a French-born American actress_ or _Claudette Colbert was a France-born American actress_? and _The Texas-born LBJ was a political reformer_ or _The Texan-born LBJ was a political reformer_


Is there something grammatically strange about the expression 'To blame'?

Is there something unusual about the phrase: 'He is to blame'? It seems to be a shorter form of the passive 'He is to be blamed'. Does this make it some kind of adjective with a to-infinitive form? Are there any other phrases that follow this pattern?


In the U.S., why is octothorp used to signal an apartment at a particular address?

In the book "Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers" it says: > The octothorp ("8 fields" ) has been used in cartography as a symbol for > "village "... . But, the octothorp, as a number sign, is used in the U.S. to signal an apartment or unit within the block at a particular address. For example: > _Mr. M Murphey   >  72 President St #4   > NORTHFOLK_ Is it possible that this use of the octothorp has its roots in its use in older cartography to mark the site of a village?


Is it "query on ...." or "query about ...."

Which is grammatically correct? >   1. Query **on** Physics Final >   2. Query **about** Physics Final > Say if this was a subject field in an email you're about to send to a teacher. Which would be better English, or are they both acceptable? The meaning of the word "query" here is question or enquiry, not doubt.


Using verbs with multiple meanings

Is it grammatically incorrect to use a verb with multiple meanings so that the meanings are used at once? I'm thinking of a line from the classic Flanders Swann song Madeira M’Dear: > … he hastened to put out the cat, the wine, his cigar and the lamps. Is there a name for this kind of structure?


What is the difference between "clearance" and "sale"?

I want to understand the difference between _clearance_ and _sale_. So are these words synonyms or not? E.g. >   * Receive 60–90% off CookiesKids Clearance from Cookie's Kids. >   * Receive 50–85% off After Holiday Sale Items from Woodwind & Brasswind. >


Meaning of "Let us hit with him, and not miss with him"

I'm reading one of Sir Philip Sidney's prose essays, "An Apology for Poetry" and I bumped into the following phrase which I never heard of. Can anyone please help me with it? > Yet will some bring in an example of Eunuchus in Terence, that containeth > matter of two days, yet far short of twenty years. True it is, and so was it > to be played in two days, and so fitted to the time it set forth. And though > Plautus have in one place done amiss, **_let us hit it with him_** , and not > miss with him.


Hype-driven Definition

What does "hype-driven" means in this paragraph? > There have been a few examples of Internet criticism making an impact on > American film culture. It’s aided the rise of South Korean cinema and > mumblecore. In the case of Korean cinema, Filmbrain’s blog, among others, > hosted interesting debates on the films of Park Chan-wook, Kim Ki-duk, and > Hong Sang-soo. Bloggers like Tom Vick seemed to respond to the snobbery > implicit in Tony Rayns’s attack on Kim in Film Comment. In the case of > mumblecore, **_the blogosphere’s attitude was more hype-driven_** ; when the > IFC Center launched its mumblecore series last year, every blog affiliated > with indieWIRE united to promote it. The only criticisms heard about the > films related to their all-white casts, not esthetics. I’m not sure what > Korean film and mumblecore have in common, although the parallels between > the latter and the blogosphere are obvious, but I think bloggers like making > discoveries they can claim as their own. I Couldn't find the definition anywhere! Any help would be appreciated.


Is there a name for the words used after dialogue?

For example, "he said" "she replied" "they inquired."


Is the phrase "awaiting customer" bad English?

In customer support software, issue tracking systems and the like, I frequently see a state titled `awaiting customer` to signify no action is required until the person (customer) who raised the issue has responded. Is this use of the word `await` incorrect, should it be `waiting for customer`? My reason for asking is because I found a description of the difference between wait and await where it says the object of sentence is not a person and normally inanimate: > The verb 'await' must have an object - for example, 'I am awaiting your > answer'. And the object of 'await' is normally inanimate, not a person, and > often abstract. Customers are people, so why use `await`? Unfortunately the example given has confused me further: > I am awaiting your answer In this case `your` must mean a person, not an inanimate object. I'm guessing the use of `awaiting customer` is just a convenient short phrase to put in the software, but is it correct?


Can answering questions on Stack Exchange sites be called volunteer work?

Can the term "volunteer work" be applied to answering questions on Stack Exchange or Stack Overflow trilogy sites?


Origin and evolution of "hapless"

I would like to know what the origin of _hapless_ is. For example, > He is a _hapless_ person means > He is an _unfortunate_ person. Has it got anything to do with the fact that hapless people live their lives with no good things _hap-pening_ to them? Was there _hapful_ or a similar word back in the times?


Plagiarism: How to cite the citation of your source?

I am being prosecuted by my school for plagiarism. However, I had no idea I was plagiarizing. They claim I incorrectly cited my source. But I beg to differ. Generally, how does one cite a source's quote that is cited elsewhere in said source? The example for which I am subject to prosecution: Talking about the negative effects of pornography, I found the article “7 Negative Effects of Porn”. In this article, I found the following quote: > As men fall deeper into the mental habit of fixating on [pornographic > images], the exposure to them creates neural pathways. Like a path is > created in the woods with each successive hiker, so do the neural paths set > the course for the next time an erotic image is viewed. Over time these > neural paths become wider as they are repeatedly traveled with each exposure > to pornography. They become the automatic pathway through which interactions > with women are routed In the article above, the author cites this specific quote as (Wired For Intimacy, 85). So, as that does not belong to the author of the article, that is how I cited that quote in my project. If anyone has insight into this exceedingly peculiar and special case, please share. I am really looking for some clarity.


What term describes the classification of "non-fiction/fiction"?

Suppose there is a form like this, describing a book:               Title: Farming in the Alps     Author: C. Chaplin     Year: 1995     _______: non-fiction      Which term belongs in the blank?


A real important dream, like XXX, is worth every possible effort to guard

I wrote that sentence in my composition but I really feel that it doesn't sound natural. What will you write to express the meaning?


"Over-protected" or "over-secured"

A person I know is always well-protected by his mother. His mother goes with him whenever he goes, he is already 26 years. Which word sounds more correct for me to use as in the following sentence? (His mother's heart is just great; I always need him to realize that.) > He was over-protected/over-secured by his mother.


What is the meaning of the idiom "Like the Nation"?

In the book _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_ there are several curious references to "the nation". For example, in chapter 22: > And at last, sure enough, [...] the horse broke loose, and away he went > **like the very nation** , round and round the ring... Next, in chapter, 23: > "But dis one do SMELL so **like de nation** , Huck." There are also different uses of _"the nation"_ in the book, for example in chapter 2: > but how in **the nation** are these fellows going to be ransomed if we don't > know how to do it to them? The last use is more common in the book, and does make more sense - _"the nation"_ seems to refer to a large area, similar to the modern _"how in the world"_ or _"how on earth"_. I can't really figure out the first two though - in both cases _"the nation"_ seems to refer to something negative... What is the meaning of this idiom? Note about the quotes - in all cases I have added the emphasis, and all the rest of the mistakes are [sic]. It is not an easy book to read.


Are synonyms always bidirectional?

By bidirectional I mean, if word A is synonymous with word B, does it follow that word B is always synonymous with word A? Are there any common exceptions to this rule? Extending this - if word A is synonymous with word B, and word B is synonymous with word C, word C may or may not be synonymous with word A?


Asymmetric spacing of dashes in interpolated phrases

I have come across a dash-spacing style that I haven't seen anywhere else, and I'm wondering where it may come from. The person who writes in this style asserts that he has learnt it in school in the UK. Briefly on dash styles: Style manuals vary in how they recommend using dashes to separate interpolated phrases, the two most common appearing to be the spaced en-dash and the unspaced em-dash (see Wikipedia article Dash, and the questions Is it wrong to space en dashes and em dashes? and When should I use an em-dash, an en-dash, and a hyphen? on this site). But the style I have come across is different and seems to have the following rules that are a mix of other rules I have seen:   1. When a phrase is interpolated so that the main sentence continues, it is set off by the sequence "space, en-dash" in the beginning, and "en-dash, space" at the end.  _Example:_ This sentence -being an example- makes no sense.   2. When a phrase is interpolated at the end of the main sentence, it is set off by the sequence "space, en-dash, space".  _Example:_ This sentence makes no sense - it is an example. Has anyone come across this style before? Where could it originate from? Is the rule set above complete and correct for this style, and is there any rationale for the style?


What is the defiant "HMPH!" sound called?

What's the name of the sound a child makes after an angry, declarative and usually defiant statement. **Parent:** > John, you can't take a cookie out of the cookie jar. **Child:** > Yes, I can! **_HMPH_**!


What are some interesting phrases which suggest that you are extremely busy?

If I want to say > **I’m extremely busy** , I have no time, since I have my exams next month. What are some interesting replacements for the bold text, both colloquial and written? e.g. I am busy as a bee


How is "stripping such words as remained of orthodox meanings" meant to be understood grammatically?

I was wondering if someone could help me out with a certain phrase I want to grasp the meaning of. I have two different meanings in my mind, and I was hoping that someone could point out the right one. > ...stripping such words **as remained of orthodox meanings**... The context of the phrase is the process of the diminution of the English language by the ruling party, as depicted in the appendix to the novel _1984_ , designed to expurgate words of all their undesired meanings, so as to preclude the articulation of subversive thoughts by people. The full sentence is as follows: > This was done partly by the invention of new words, but chiefly by > eliminating undesirable words and by stripping such words **as remained of > orthodox meanings** , and so far as possible of all secondary meanings > whatever. I'm wavering between reading "as remained of orthodox meanings" as   1. "so that they retain only orthodox meanings" (orthodox in party terms) and   2. "that had retained their original, conventional meanings (and are now ought to be revised)". Which one is it?


Mark: outstanding (as in: not yet known)

I’m updating my tabular CV for an application and I’d like to include my master thesis even though it’s not yet finished (soon!) and marked. So I’d like to write that the mark is still outstanding but I fear that if I simply write > Master thesis: ‹topic›   >  Supervisor: ‹supervisor›   >  Mark: outstanding this could be misconstrued to mean that the result is in, and that it’s outstanding (as in: spectacular). What can I say here instead? It should be as salient as possible, single word preferred. I specifically want to avoid writing half a sentence.


How can you encourage native speakers to correct mistakes non-native speakers make?

My English is pretty advanced, yet I still make mistakes (not many, but some). I am constantly talking to native speakers and always tell them to correct my mistakes. My problem is that in most cases they just won't do that! The keep telling me that my English is so advanced that they always understand what I am up to and I keep telling them that I still feel embarrassed when I find out afterwards that I made a mistake. Obviously this is some combination of misconceived politeness and laziness. **My question**   How can you encourage persons to correct the mistakes you make?


"in for a penny, in for a pound"

What does this mean? I'm English and I've never come across the meaning!


**How I use en dashes and em dashes** **En dashes** :   * Sybrand Engelbrecht (1814–2177): Unspaced en dash.   * January–December: Unspaced en dash.    * Sybrand loved three things – soccer, jazz, and living forever (he unfortunately couldn't.): Spaced en dash instead of an em dash. **Em dashes** :   I don't use em dashes; I use spaced en dashes. Is it wrong to space en dashes and em dashes?


Meaning of 'take it to the hoes'

I came across the following sentence: > You can just take it to the hoes on Broadway if you need to get your freak > on. And not only can I not understand the phrase 'take it to the hoes' but I also couldn't find any references to it on the Internet. Is it some kind of neologism? What do you think it means?


Grammar of "Love is the pearl of great worth"

According to the book I read, "Love is the pearl of great worth" is grammatically wrong. Why is it? (It says "the" is [sic].)


"No restriction" vs. "no restrictions"

> The data center must be flexible. There should be no > restriction/restrictions on user's choice of protocols. What should it be?


Using "how" preceded by "of"

This is the sentence that is confusing me: > Thanks to this screenshot we have a better view [of how] this model is > built. In my language it is correct to use something like **"of how"** to introduce an explanation. But I'm not sure about using that in English.


Monthly or One month

I am offering membership of my web page and now I have these: > One Month   >  Semi-Annual   >  Annual   >  Lifetime I am not sure about _One Month_ , maybe I should write _Monthly_? Do these membership names fit together?


What verb form is contained in 'books are written by authors'?

If I say 'fiction is written by those with a creative flair'; and 'Oliver Twist is written by Dickens', what part of speech is the word 'written' in each of these? I recognise that it may not be the same for each of them.


How many articles should go in "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"?

On the very first Christmas card it was written as "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year..." http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/christmas-card-sayings- and-phrases.html In Wiktionary that same general phrase is "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Merry_Christmas_and_a_Happy_New_Year A few quick searches in Google show that many people use it without any articles at all: > Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Does anyone have a source explaining if one of those phrases is more correct than others and if there's any difference implied by the number of articles used? **Edit** just to make it more clear: I'm asking for the case when you design a Christmas card, for example, and you have to write the phrase on the card — not personally to anybody, but rather as an impersonally commercial message to the general audience.


What does the term 'consequential seniority' mean?

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/devesh-kapur-the-honourable- men/483076/ > The Supreme Court struck down the Uttar Pradesh Government Servants > Seniority Rules – which provided for consequential seniority in promotions – > holding that, although the Constitution has been permitted to enable > consequential seniority, the state had failed to satisfy conditions relating > to the determination of backwardness and the appropriateness of > reservations. It is unclear what shape the proposed amendment will take, but > it seems that the state does not even want to discharge the burden that the > case for special treatment must be made out. I searched in google about consequential seniority, but i could not understand.


A word for my tech stuff

I am looking for a one word definition of all the tech stuff we use in our everyday life. PC, iPad, cell phone, MP3 etc. When I am on a trip I always want to have my....with me!!


What's the difference in meaning between "I never would have thought..." and "I never have thought..."?

With the sentence,'I never would have thought that he would behave like that', does the meaning change if I omit 'would'?


The ironic correlation of the words "Ineffable" and "Circumlocution"

Both the word "Ineffable" and "Circumlocution" are contradictory by definition. For context; first The very existence of the words shows defies its definition; so should one say "indescribable" as that expresses the nature, and connotes the meaning of the word _Ineffable_ Likewise, I can't quote this hear any longer as the definition has changed in both Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com have recently changed their definition from to So two questions; 1. As far as writing, does the use of these words have any effect on a writers prestige, and 2. Is there a word for _Words that defy their very definition_ Also; I'm very interested to see if anyone has any other words to add to this **Please don't dislike or _arrow down_ this post just because you have no interest, if you believe the subject to be inane, hyperbole, or not worthy of Merritt please leave a comment.**


What word means "someone who ignores emotion in the face of pain"?

What word means "someone who ignores their own emotion in the face of their pain"? (Does it start with C?)


Can a person be described as being "ill read"?

I recently read a comment disparaging an individual as being "ill read" as opposed to well-read. Is this an accepted usage?


Which meaning of "to conceive" came first?

"To conceive" has two primary meanings   * to give birth   * to originate (an idea) Either one could be a metaphor for the other. MW just gave the etymology of the Latin parts without giving a history (and I don't have the OED available). Which meaning came first?


Going to the theater vs. seeing a play

As far as I know British people "go to the theatre" meaning "go to see a stage play" but for Americans theater is a place where you can watch either a movie or a play. So would an American say "Would you like to see a play?" instead of "go to the theater?" Another question When someone says "Chicago is famous for theaters" how do I know if he's talking about live stage theater or a movie theater?


Difference between "creed" and "credo"

What is the difference between _creed_ and _credo_? They seem to have the same definition in online dictionaries. Do they have different connotations?


coffee flights in a six-seat bar

What do _coffee flights_ and _six-seat bar_ mean in the following post? > The Orange County Register is now reporting that 39-year-old Duggan plans to > open a slow bar adjacent to Portola, offering **coffee flights** and food > pairings. “There are three other concepts like this that I know of in the > country,” Duggan told the paper. > > Here’s a description from Register reporter Nancy Luna: > >> _Taking the craft coffee craze up a notch, Duggan plans to launch a “slow bar” called Theorem later this month. The **six-seat slow service coffee bar** , adjacent to Portola, will sell creative cocktails where coffee is the main component._ > > [ **emphasis added** ] http://dailycoffeenews.com/2012/08/13/oc-coffee-company-portola-to-open-six- seat-slow-bar/


Does the word “too” in a series of items decide the placement of the conjunction?

Original: > A boy, a girl and a dog too went for a walk. Would the original or the following be better, or does it change the meaning? > A boy and a girl, and a dog too went for a walk. Is there any improvement with regards to commas that you can suggest?


Does the sentence "His confident visage hid insecurity" make sense?

I was wondering if this sentence makes sense, and if it does, is the meaning of _visage_ in this sentence metaphoric? > His confident visage hid insecurity.


Readable vs legible

Could you explain what is a difference between readable vs legible? Which should I use when I want to say "This diagram is easily readable/legible" while meaning - "It is very easy to read and understand meaning of this diagram"?


A word for passing through a tollgate, turnpike, etc

I'm looking for a noun that describes a car passing through a tollgate; it's this event I'm trying to name. A person going through a turnpike might be similar, I guess. Possible use of word would be for example:   * 500 cars passed through this tollgate today.      * There were 500 " **x** "s today from this tollgate.     * There were 500 car " **x** "s today from this tollgate. _Passage_ was the first word I thought of, but google doesn't seem to agree (I'm still not sure though). **Clarification:** It doesn't have to be a tollgate (which guards the boundaries of a highway). Let's say, for example, a person is standing next to a road and counting the number of cars that pass. At the end of the day, he says "500 cars passed today; there were 500 **x** 's".


adjective for something bad that one did not deserve

I need an adjective to qualify something bad that one gets but one did not deserve. It's used as following "One single action of hers had freed her from the chains of [adjective] ignominy" I can think of misplaced, ill begotten, unearned, but none quite fit the bill here


Another word for "consume" that's clearly about incorporeal things?

I'm looking for a single verb with similar meaning to _gaining_ , _consuming_ or _gathering_ , but only in a context of _information_ , _knowledge_ or _ideas_. So the word itself should make clear that I'm talking about immaterial goods. It shouldn't frequently be used for material goods. Which word in the English language fits that best?


I am interested in sports journalism. As I was watching ESPN one day, Stephen A Smith stated, "What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?" during a sports segment. What is the meaning of that phrase? Is this a common phrase used in sports journalism?


English term that groups notes and coins of a currency

I'm programming a web application and I need to name the "class of things" that are notes and coins. So far the best I could find was "currency piece". Is that the correct way of naming the notes and coins of a currency? Are there any alternatives?


deceit vs deception

There seems to be a boundary between these concepts, but I can't quite work out where it is. _Camouflage_ and _mimicry_ are **deceptions** ; telling untruths is **deceitful**. In common usage we would say, 'The bowler deceived the batsman in flight,' but do we classify a spin bowler as attempting **deception** , or **deceit**? Alternatively, if a fielder falsely claims a catch this is **deceit** , not **deception**. There seems to be ideas of volition and purpose related to the difference, but there is more and I can't see it. Camouflage and mimicry in animals is certainly deceptive, but is almost always without individual volition. Predators and prey have different takes on it, but it is based on hardwired behaviours and evolved form and colour. The purpose is survival. Human camouflage is a matter of volition. In war, camouflage or mimicry have the same purpose as in other animals – enable killing, avoid being killed. I suspect this falls within **deception**. The extreme deceit end of the spectrum is deliberate, misleading behaviour designed to gain an (undeserved?) advantage over another. Any ideas about that boundary?


"On Tap" in the Sense of "Coming Up"

Starting with the Fifth Edition (1936), seven generations of the _Merriam- Webster's Collegiate Dictionary_ have included (under the entry for _tap_ ) three definitions of "on tap," currently worded as follows: > **on tap** **1 :** ready to be drawn from a large container(as a cask or > keg) ["ale on tap"] **2 :** broached or furnished with a tap **3 :** on hand > : available. ["services instantly on tap" —Hugh Dwan] (The first two of these three definitions go as far back as the 1864 edition of Webster's _American Dictionary of the English Language_.) But the Tenth Collegiate (1994) introduced a fourth definition for "on tap": > **4 :** coming up ["other matches on tap" —H. W. Wind] The "H. W. Wind" cited by Webster's appears to be Herbert Warren Wind (1916-2005), an American sportswriter who wrote most often about golf. I have frequently heard "on tap" used in this relatively new fourth way in recent years, mostly in connection with impending sporting events. In fact, the San Francisco Giants radio network has a sponsored segment called "What's On Tap" ("brought to you by TAP Plastics") devoted to identifying and briefly discussing the next game or series of games on the Giants' schedule. I can sort of see how "on tap" in the sense of "in reserve" or "at the ready" might be extended to something like "ready to happen but still in the future"; however, the meaning "next on the schedule" seems another (and rather long) jump from there. My questions are (1) did the fourth meaning of "on tap" emerge from one of the other three, and if so, how? (2) how far back in time does the usage of "on tap" to mean "coming up" go? (3) is this a U.S.-only usage, or do other forms of English use it, too? I note that Eric Partridge lists two seemingly unrelated slang phrases from British English: "on the tap" ("begging for money") and "on tap" ("all modern conveniences, including h. and c.").


Can "shop" (related to selling or stores) be used as a transitive verb?

How is shop used as a transitive verb? The only transitive meanings I can find are _reporting someone to police_ or _Photoshopping an image_. I found one discussion about transitive 'shop', centered on what's being offered up for sale (a baseball player's contract), and related to American English sports writing: > ...plans to shop Teixeira, who is eligible for free agency after 2008. Most other instances I see are from retailers and seem to occur only in the form of a command/inducement: > Shop Peapod today! (mailer, online copy)   >  Shop our huge selection of products at great prices (online copy)   >  shop appliances (section link) Do speakers actually say things like, "I shopped Store Foo" or "She shopped the selection at Store Bar" or "We shopped appliances"? Or is this peculiar to advertisements? I've had no luck figuring out how to search for usage examples so far.


"Science journal” vs. “science magazine”

What is the difference between the terms _journal_ and _magazine_? Is it correct to call a magazine a journal? For example, I found the _Journal of Radio Electronics_ and the _Radio- Electronics Magazine_ , and I was confused. If both terms are correct, why does English need both?


Published at vs published on?

I need to name a column in a table and I'm wondering what the best option is. Should it be "Published at" or "Published on"? I only need to store a full date and time. From some search I did, it seems that published at is used when referencing a date in the future while published on is used to reference a full date in the past, however it doesn't seem to be universal. Any advices?


How to explain simple math with correct preposition embedded on explanation?

I have a construction to say a ratio. I think _of_ or _and_ would be the correct prepositions. So, If I give you my practice case >   1. The ratio _of_ minimum rectangle’s floor area _to_ enclosed circle area > is tested with a defined threshold and a candidate, given a low ratio, is > taken as natural object assuming that natural object has a more irregular > boundary. > >   2. The ratio _between_ floor area of enclosed minimum rectangle _and_ > enclosed circle area is tested with a defined threshold and a candidate, > given a low ratio, is taken as natural object assuming that natural object > has a more irregular boundary. > > As I cannot figure out the best preposition with the grammatically correct construction, I would like to ask what would be given a grammatically correct sentence?


How long is "in a second"?

When someone says "give me a second", or "one second please", how long do they actually mean? Do they mean "will give you a response as soon as I can", or "in a short time, around 5 minutes"


Need help understanding phrases of the form "x if y"

I regularly find myself confused by phrases of the form "x if y". For example, in the 2010-10-22 issue of his newsletter, Paul Thurrott writes: > Well, if you're Wall Street Journal technology maven and Apple lover Walter > Mossberg, you simply write an unfair review that ignores the product's best > features and harps on **obvious if little-needed** functional miscues such > as the lack of copy and paste. Here's another example, from a TV guide article: > Best known in the U.S. for **formulaic, if handsome, genre films** like > Mimic (1997) and Blade II (2002), del Toro The usage of 'if' in these examples confuses me. What is the intended meaning of these sentences? Can I just substitute "if" with "though"?


What is a synonym for "girlfriend"?

I'm in my mid 40s and dating this lady of a similar vintage. I am trying to find a good word to describe our relationship, but "girlfriend" and "boyfriend" seems inappropriate for us. It reminds me of those forty year old guys who say "I'm gittin' down wi ma hommies." It communicates, but it seems out of place. Perhaps it is the "girl" and "boy" part that bothers me. Any suggestions for something more appropriate?


What's the difference between a fable and a parable?

Does either imply a lesson, or a fantastical setting?


who does Charles dickens refer to in The Haunted House when he says the following:

> And Prince Arthur, nephew of King John of England, had described himself as > tolerably comfortable in the seventh circle, where he was learning to paint > on velvet, under the direction of **Mrs. Trimmer** and Mary Queen of Scots.


What is the word to describe a single object to represent the many?

If I am writing a poem, I might use the word _peaches_ to symbolize all fruit. Is there a specific word for this type of symbolism?


Can the phrase "extended all the way up" be used to describe very tall objects?

According to my search, I think the phrase "extended all the way up" is usually to refer to things that are _spread until a certain location._ Can this phrase be used to refer to a very tall object? For example: > The coniferous trees extended all the way up to the sky. Or is there a better phrase to use in situations like this?


using only in plural

This is the question: > A: Does she have many books?   >  B: ................. She only has two books. > > a. Yes, she does.   >  b. No, she does not. My answer is B, am I wrong? My friend absolutely stands to say that my answer is wrong. He said that, two books are plural, even, there is a word "only". So, even only two books, it is included in plural, and the answer is A. I'm really so confused. (sourse: Use of the singular or plural "is" or "are" in ambiguous situations)


Difference between "function" and "operation"

Which one of the following is correct? > Instructions given by the Vice Principal on behalf of the Principal for > smooth function of the school must be followed by all staff members. or > Instructions given by the Vice Principal on behalf of the Principal for > smooth operation of the school must be followed by all staff members.


Where can I find a list of common padding words?

Like a lot of people, I actually have the habit of actually adding a lot of actual padding words when I actually write. A common one I use is _actually_. These are actually rarely worth keeping, actually, and, when I actually remember, I actually make some actual effort to actually find and actually delete them all. Is there a list of common padding words and terms that I can download? This is partly out of curiosity, but partly for checking tools.


What does “hoarse-throat tactics“mean?

I came across the phrase, “hoarse-throat tactics” in the Washington Post article (May 28) titled “GOP freshmen get a tough lesson in politics.” The phrase appears in the following sentence: > “On Capitol Hill, the Democrats they bashed have turned the U.S. Senate into > a black hole for GOP ideas. So the freshmen are left with political theater, > voting for bills the Senate will ignore. And back home, the same _hoarse- > throat tactics_ that helped them bring down incumbents last year — attacks > on a health-care plan, town-hall heckling — have now been used against > them.” I cannot make a guess about what “ _hoarse-throat tactics_ ” means. Does it mean “Repeat Calls tactics,” implying “repeat calls till the throat dries out? Can somebody tell me exact meaning of this phrase?


Word for next step in homologous series

When several things that are successive go in a series, they are called a homologous series i.e. In Chemistry, there is the homologous series of hydrocarbons e.g. alkanes. I am trying to state that butane is next in the homologous series for alkanes, so it comes up something like this: > "Butane is the next **___ _** in the series." What is the word that would fit in the blank?


"Napoleon complex" or "Napoleonic complex"?

Which is correct: "he has a Napoleon complex" or "he has a Napoleonic complex"?


Is "time" needed in this sentence?

> I must remember to bath within ten minutes time. Is the word "time" needed in this sentence, or is it superficial? Is it even wrong to remove it?


Most common (and correct) expression for going (driving) past something?

* We just walked/drove past a speed limit sign.    * We just passed a speed limit sign.    * We just went by a speed limit sign.    * We just passed by a speed limit sign.


'What may it be'/ 'what may be it' which one is correct?

I think,saying 'what may it be' is correct in the sense of something that i did not see before,it is new to me and on my hand.and i am saying this sentence "what may it be"/"what may be it".which one is correct? i dont know the structure.please tell me the structure.N.B it is necessary for my exam.


Particular verbal inflection classes in "The Proclamation of Henry III"

I'm reading a document about "The Proclamation of Henry III", in which the text is presented and a short commentary and glossary follow. I'm interested in the survival of some of the distinct verbal inflections classes of Old English. In particular, I'm referring to the verbs "swerien", "makien" and "werien": I noticed that these particular verbs ends in _-ien_ , while the usual suffix of the infinitive/subjunctive verbal forms in the text is _-en_. In the glossary, I came across some dictionary-like entries, such as this: **swerien** , 4, swear, 3 p. pi. subj. after _hoaten_ ; ags. _swerian_ inf., _swerion_ subj. ; ge. _sweren_ ; p. 85. Str. 560. Can you help me to find out what is special about these verbs?


An interview "run by"

What is the correct word to replace the italic words in the following sentence? John Smith is the interviewer. "I just heard part of an interview **_run by_** John Smith"


Is there any word for 'do not' or 'do not have'?

I was trying to test my algorithm to create sentences that express the **_lack_** of something. I found saying for instance: > I lack 5 apples weird as compared to > I do not have 5 apples While thinking about this, I noticed that the closest word to **_do not_** which is used so frequently is **_don't_** which is not really a word, neither is it accepted officially. Yet, I couldn't think of any alternative I am aware of. Could it be that there are some unpopular words for any of these? If not, do you think this is worth having a word for?


Are there /ɔ/ and /ʌ/ sounds in informal American English?

I read a book about American English. It reports that, in standard informal conversations, American English doesn't use the /ɔ/ sound; it uses the /ɑ/ sound and /ʌ/ and /ə/ are not different. Are they really?   That book would not use the /ɔ/ and /ʌ/ sounds, but when I look in my American English Dictionary for some words, such as _more_ , _door_ , and _love_ , they are reported to be pronounced /mɔr/, /dɔr/, and /lʌv/.   How should I pronounce these words, if there are no /ɔ/and /ʌ/ sounds? Should they be /mɑr/, /dɑr/, and /ləv/?   Can /ɑ/ sound replace /ɔ/, and /ə/ replace /ʌ/ in every word?   What about formal American English? Does it have /ɔ /and /ʌ/ sounds or not?


"Stornry" Meaning

I was reading the Tao of Pooh, when I stumbled on this quote from the original Winnie the Pooh: > "Can they fly?" asked Roo. > > "Yes," said Tigger, "they're very good flyers, Tiggers are, **Stornry** > flyers." What is the meaning of the word "Stornry?" I can guess from the context that it means very good, or excellent, but is it simply a word Tigger is making up on the spot here? I know Winnie the Pooh is known to use verbiage that is usually not considered within the age range of its target audience, is this another example of that?


Two types of sound for letter L?

Consider two words, for example, `lot` and `all`. The phonetic symbol of `l` in the two words are the same, which makes me wonder why the sound of `l` in the first is considered to be the same as in the second one (or not?). To me, the `l` in `lot` requires "active" motion of the tongue, while the `l` in `all` only requires a slight motion of the mouth, and a slightly prolonged sound, and does not require the tongue to move. Sometimes I even think that the pronunciation of `all` is nothing but "o-ow". My question is: 1. Should the two `l`s be considered to have the same sound? 2. If so, why? To be concrete, do you (or is it wrong if not) move your tongue while pronouncing "all"? In fact, the pronunciation of the letter L in the alphabet should be "el", but many people (non-native speaker) pronounce it as "e-low", seemingly to "solidify" the unsubstantial sound of `l`. I am no better than them since I pronounce it as "e-ow".


So [X] it's [opposite of X]

I'm looking for a word or phrase that describes the specific type of word-play or idiom in these examples:: >   * The movie _Rocky Horror Picture Show_ is so bad that it's good. >   * Chinese Crested Hairless dogs are so ugly they're cute. >   * Eating these high-fat triple-chocolate brownies is so right that it's > wrong. > (BTW: The above are not my actual opinions, just examples of the usage I am asking about!) I had thought about **_chiasmus_** , but it doesn't fit exactly. Any other ideas?


What's the difference in meaning between "variation" and "alteration"?

I am studying biology. While studying I have come across this paragraph: > Mutation is a phenomenon which results in 'alteration' of DNA sequences and > consequently results in changes in the genotype and the phenotype of an > organism.In addition to recombination, mutation is another phenomenon that > leads to 'variation' in DNA. Can anyone explain the difference between using _alteration_ and _variation_ in this paragraph?


Do "to pony up" and "to pungle" come from the same Latin root?

For **to pony up** , etymonline.com says > 1824, in pony up "to pay," said to be from slang use of L. legem pone to > mean "money" (first recorded 16c.), because this was the title of the Psalm > for March 25, a Quarter Day and the first payday of the year (the Psalm's > first line is Legem pone michi domine viam iustificacionum "Teach me, O > Lord, the ways of thy statutes"). (which in itself is one awesome etymology if true) For the more rare, although in use everywhere from Huckleberry Finn to modern San Francisco Chronicle, **to pungle (up)** , Merriam-Webster says, > "Pungle" is from the Spanish word "pongale," meaning "put it down," which > itself is from "poner," meaning "to put" or "to place," or more specifically > "to contribute money." The earliest uses of "pungle" are from the 1850s But does that Spanish _poner_ as in "to contribute money" come from the same slang Latin _pone_?


What does Obama mean when he says "crossroads of a nation, land of Lincoln"?

I was looking at Obama's 2004 democratic convention speech. He said "crossroads of a nation, land of Lincoln, let me express my deepest gratitude..." I think "land of Lincoln" is referring to Illinois, Lincoln's home state. So, what is "crossroads of a nation", is that Chicago heights? But that's "crossroads of THE nation" according Wiki. Where did he learn his writing style? Is it from Martin Luther King, Jr and JF Kennedy?


Comma usage when but is used between two adjective or adverbs

What is the rule regarding comma usage when but is used between two contrasting adjectives or adverbs? It is a vey interesting, but stupid question, and one that I have had a hard time finding a definitive answer to. Or should that have been "very interesting but stupid question" or "very interesting, but stupid, question". Since a comma is sometimes used to introduce contrast, my instinct would be the way I phrased it the first time, but I can't seem to find a definitive rule on the subject. My own opinion on the subject seems to change with either my mood or slight nuances in the particular sentence, e.g., if the adjectives/adverbs are before or after the noun/[verb/adjective] or if the but seems particularly parenthetical. A few more examples taken from the web, illustrating inconsistent comma usage for similar constructs: 1A) In case of a fire alarm, please exit the building quickly but calmly.   1B) It was time to quickly, but calmly get out of the water. 2A) Water is an overlooked but essential nutrient.   2B) Carnitine is a hard-to-classify, but essential, nutrient. 3A) This is one challenging, but invigorating climb.   3B) This is a painful, but invigorating, process. 4A) Maidan remains occupied, but eerily quiet.   4B) “Star Trek Into Darkness” is a fun but eerily familiar Star Trek adventure.


Which email message would it be preferable to send to my coworker, who has a cold?

Which of these messages would be most suitable? >   1. I'm feeling so sorry for you. I hope you will take good care of > yourself. > >   2. I am sorry to hear you are sick. Please get better soon. > >


Is the verb resumes in "College resumes Monday" transitive?

I'm working through verb types at the moment, and I was wondering if one considers the days of the week as nouns or adverbs in the context of the sentence "College resumes Monday". It wouldn't really make too much sense to say that Monday is a direct object, which leads me to believe that the verb "resumes" is intransitive. But wouldn't the correct form in this situation be: "College resumes _on_ Monday"?


Which word fits better in a cause and effect sentence?

If there is a sentence- > English is not too difficult to master, ____ it gets easier and easier with > practice which of these words would be the best fit for the blank and why?   1. So   2. When   3. As   4. Consequently At the outset, it would appear that "as" seems a good fit here, but when you do think about it, even the other words look like a plausible option. In effect, it closely resembles a "cause and effect" scenario, hence the confusion. Other than "consequently", I think all the other words do fit here, at least in a way. I did come across a similar question here, but this didn't help in getting me a certain answer for my question. Please help, thank you.


expression "neck tingle"

I've seen the expression "neck tingle" used in the context of enjoying a good song. Is this a similar expression to "goose bumps"? If not, what would be the difference in use?


What do rodents do?

I wonder if there is a English verb to express the way rodents (rats, mice, etc.) bite on something they are trying to eat or bite. In Portuguese we have the verb _roer_ which comes from _roedor_ which means rodent and this also applies to other animals that are biting through some hard material for either eating it or not (pencil tips ring to mind). I'm curious to know if English has a similar word.


Is there a single word for speech with a double meaning?

How could one put, in a single word, language that has multiple meanings at once?


Had you had asked

Let's say in this scenario: Someone asked me for help to do certain thing. I gave a negative response. That person then asked for the reason. I responded with: "Had you had asked me nicely ...." What I meant to say was "If you had/have asked me nicely ..." Question: Does the former have the same meaning as the later? Edit: Just to make sure there are not any differences: My response was a statement, not a question to that person.


Translating Gerunds from Spanish to English (verb+ing)

In Spanish, the gerund form ( _-ando, -endo_ ) is frequently used adverbially to modify and describe the verb:   * El alma es dichosa **dando y sirviendo**.    * El niño anda **bailando**.    * El artista vive **provocando** emociones.   * ¿Porqué hablas **gritando**? Can you use the same form in English, with an _-ing_ verb where Spanish had an _-ando/-endo_ one? I ask because these all seem awkward when translated word-for-word directly into English:   * The soul is happy **giving and serving**.   * The little boy walks **dancing**.   * Artists live **provoking** emotions.   * Why do you speak **shouting**? Is there any verb (perhaps only _be_?) with which it may work? And anyway, what is the correct way to translate this form from Spanish to English?


Is it "damping" or "dampening" when referring to sound?

When one refers to the act of modifying a physical object so as to make it better at absorbing sound vibrations, is that "damping" or "dampening" the object? I've seen both, and looking them up in the dictionary they appear to be more or less interchangeable.


What's the appropriate word for describing "potential client"?

I want to say "this client will eventually bring a great profit for our company", but I don't know what word I should use in this scenario. I'm currently using "potential client", but it sounded a little odd to me. Any ideas?


"Deuce and a half" for body weight

This expression is from the movie _There's Something About Mary_ : > She put a lot of weight, about **a deuce and a half**. Is this used to refer to overweight people? The only reference I could find is from some American Army truck.


Origin of slang "doing a bid" for prison time?

Going to prison is called "doing a bid". What's the history behind that? Is it based on "doing bird" (based on being locked up like a bird)?


What is a good word for "unable to be usefully applied"?

What is a good word for when something is theoretically correct but not useful in a real world context? E.g, it's often said that "drinking water burns calories" but it actually turns out that after drinking cold water, your body warming that water up burns something like a dozen calories...not exactly "much." So that advice is said to be?


Does an online tool exist that can find words of a certain length given an input of certain characters?

Can anyone think of a tool with which I can pass it many optional parameters such as the length of the word I'm looking for, and a few letters in that word and have it spit out a list of words?


"Dance macabre" or "macabre dance"

> The role is the kind of high-wire dare certain types of actors and directors > cannot resist. T. Scott Cunningham, who has created a number of lovable > losers onstage in the last decade, lets the audience share the passionate > satisfaction he finds in making this shattered man a very funny tour guide > through human bewilderment. And the director, Jessica Bauman, translates the > strange, jazzy rhythms of Mr. Rutherford's prose into movements of one man > and one chair around a stage in what appears to be a **dance macabre** for > people of undefeatable good cheer. [ Source ] In the above excerpt from The New York Times there is an example of **dance macabre** usage. As far as I know, the correct phrase is _danse macabre_ , but I'm not sure whether this is simply a typo or a grammatical error, and whether _macabre dance_ is the correct form. The phrase **dance macabre** occurs rather frequently in comparison with **macabre dance** as this Ngram shows: ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/Vwd0r.png) In the light of the above remarks, which is correct: _dance macabre_ or _macabre dance_?


Do vowels have a natural pitch?

I cannot help but perceive the [i:] in _be_ as "lighter" (higher in pitch) than the [æ] in _cat_.   _Boot_ sounds even lower (when not altering the pitch intentionally). Is that self-persuasion or could a more closed mouth (or tongue) position lead to a higher pitch?


What does "Would he had blotted a thousand!" mean?

I come across this passage in Bill Bryson's book, "Shakespeare": "His mind and hand went together,' they [John Hemings and Henry Condell] wrote in the introduction to the First Folio, 'and what he thought he uttered with that easiness that we have scarce received from him a blot in his papers.' To which Ben Jonson famously replied in exasperation: ' **Would he had blotted a thousand!** ' I do not quite get the meaning of this exasperation.


Is the participle clause in “the marlin left a blood trail attracting sharks” correct?

I'm writing a summary of the novel "The old man and the sea". And I'm trying to use participle clauses (a subject that I'm currently learning). I've learnt that you can use a participle clause to describe an action that is the result of another action, so I wrote: > _Then, having succeeded in his catch and taking his way back. He faced > another problem: the marlin left a blood trail **attracting sharks**._ Is the second sentence correct? Meaning: _"The marlin left a blood trail **which attracted sharks** "_ Also, Doesn't the word _"then"_ in the first sentence sound redundant? > _"Then, having succeeded..."_ In the original sentence would be _"Then, after he have succeeded"_


Is there a single word for "Evoking Ambivalence"?

Is there a single adjective to describe something that causes one to feel ambivalence? For example, in the context of the exchange below, is there a single-word response Bob could give that would express the same idea? > _Alice_ : How was Eve's new play? > > _Bob_ : I'm ambivalent towards it. I thought it might be correct to simply describe the play itself as "ambivalent," but after consulting several online dictionaries this seems not to be the case. * * * Curate's Egg, introduced by FumbleFingers in the comments, is more or less the idea I'm trying to express - simultaneously bad and good. I would still prefer a single adjective if possible.


What does 'beyond' mean in the following?

I know, _beyond_ just means outside a limit or further away. E.g. when I say something is beyond compare, it means it cannot be compared to anything. But in the following, I'm not sure if I understand what does each of these phrases really mean   * Beyond good   * Beyond bad   * Beyond evil If something is beyond good, is it bad?   If something is beyond bad, is it evil?   If something is beyond evil, is it good or bad?


Are all myths superstitions, or are all superstitions myths?

Are all myths superstitions, or is it the other way around, i.e. all superstition being myths? Or can these words basically be used interchangeably? The dictionary definitions of these words seem somewhat vague.


bear trap memory

What does " **bear trap memory** " mean? Or **bear-trap memory**? Any why " **bear trap** "? I googled and saw a few examples. But none is very explanatory. An example of usage: > ... I was caught by his _bear trap memory_ of grammar again. ...


What is the origin of the word espresso?

The word 'espresso' has a particular spelling that people frequently get wrong. What is the root language of the word? (I'm sure it's Italian - but do the components of the word come from Latin or Greek?) (The 'Es' makes me think of Spanish) What is its origin? I can see 'press' in the word - as in to 'press coffee'. Are there other parts in the word that I haven't observed?


Word or Phrase for the small protuberance found opposite the handle on a tea strainer?

As seen in the following images : Here: Link The bumpy thing aiding the strainer in hanging on to a teacup here: Link Does this part of the anatomy of a tea strainer (and other similar items which need to hang from the lips of larger items) actually have a name by which it can be referred?


"Though heraldry was not exclusively military, it was important for identifying combatants, for rallying troops, and for maintaining battlefield morale." In the above sentence What do "rallying troops" and "battlefield morale" mean?


Capitalization and hyphenation for prefixed adjectives derived from proper names in mathematics

In mathematics, it often occurs that the last names of famous mathematicians are used as adjectives with mathematical meaning. Most of these adjectives are written with a capital letter. Then, prefixes may be added to these adjectives to denote derived mathematical properties. How do capitalization and hyphenation appear in these adjectives. For example, we could derive from "Boolean" the adjective > *semiboolean/*semi-Boolean/*Semiboolean Other examples (not necessarily in use yet) could be > *coriemannian/*co-Riemannian/Coriemannian I am aware of "pre-Hilbert" as an adjective that is actually established, but as a general rule this spelling looks peculiar to me.


"Biweekly", "bimonthly", "biannual", and "bicentennial"

What do lengths of time with the "bi" prefix mean"? I have understood _bicentennial_ as once every two hundred years, but _biannual_ as meaning twice a year. Do _biweekly_ and _bimonthly_ mean _twice a week_ or _month_ , or _once every two weeks_ or _months_? If this prefix is not used consistently, is there any rationale as to why it isn't?


Tool or service to generate valid word types based on grammars

The sentence below has several tokens (`T1` \- `T5`): > To gain T1, you must T2 it from T3 T4 T5. I'm trying to figure out what the values for each token could be, but can't even figure out what _types_ of words each token is (noun, pronoun, adverb, etc.). Is there a service or website that would generate the word types for me (for instance, if `T1` was the word " _access_ ", this tool would hopefully show `T1` as having **verb** as a valid word type, etc. If not, can anyone spot what (from a valid syntax/grammar standpoint) the valid word types for each token are?


Two crows being an attempted murder

What is the point of this joke? > — "What do you call two crows on a branch?"   >  — "Attempted murder." I've googled it to check if it was a word play but the closest one I've hit was " _marauder_ ". Someone care to explain?


How to correctly say that I will get graduated?

I'm going to "get graduated" at second quarter of 2014, and I need to write an e-mail saying this, but I don't know the "correct" way to write that "I will get graduated" this sounds pretty weird to me, then how can I write/say this? PS.: May it could be usefull, at Brazil we say "Eu vou me formar".


"By the bus" or "on the bus"

Is it more correct to form a sentence such as > John went to academic conference by the bus using _by_ as the preposition indicating what he took to the conference, or is using _on_ the correct way? Better yet, could both of them stand for the same meaning?


What is a group of cars on the road called?

For rental agencies and companies, the cars owned would be a _fleet_. Several cars escorting a VIP would be a _motorcade_. However, what if I want to say: > I dislike being the lone driver in an empty stretch of highway, so I may end > up speeding to get from the [ _group of cars_ ] behind me to the [ _group of > cars_ ] in front. Is there a good collective noun that would apply to this situation? Or would it be a matter of choosing a general term, like _group_ , _cluster_ , _block_ etc.


Etymology of a strange sense of "kick", as in, "I'm on a Sailor Moon kick right now"

[I'm not _really_ on a Sailor Moon kick. ^_^] Still, the use of the word _kick_ to denote the feeling of a "current or temporary pleasure" is pretty strange, isn't it? How did it evolve from its original root, which I presume is the sense of striking something with the foot, to that meaning? My question is: Can anyone draw **a plausible pathway** from the most original meaning to this colloquial meaning of _kick_? **EDIT** : Er, my example sentence didn't say, _I get a kick out of Sailor Moon._ It said, _I'm on a Sailor Moon kick_. I think these senses are very distinguishable, and thus the answers I've received thus far strike me as wrong.


To start in or at a company?

I am not sure about what is right: > I can start my career at an international company. or > I can start my career in an international company. For me at sounds appropriate?


Why is "sherbet" pronounced "sherbert" so much?

This has often stumped me. Not being a world-traveler, I don't know how widespread this pronunciation is, but if anyone knows: where did the _r_ come from?


Acknowledges - transitive verb question

Is the following grammatically correct? > Signing below acknowledges you agree with the terms. Or does it need to be: > Signing below acknowledges that you agree with the terms. I can't think of another transitive verb where this would be okay, but it doesn't have a definite "feeling" of wrongness, for whatever that's worth.


Is "Honouree" correct in British English?

I seem to only find _Honoree_ in the web, but Word spell corrector indicates me that I should write _HonoUree_. Which form is correct?


How do I write consecutive numbers?

Today I wrote the sentence: > The supplied definition defines 24 16-bit words per subframe, and ... I know the recipient will understand the terminology. I'm concerned about writing the phrase "24 16-bit words". It almost reads as "2416-bit words". The only alternative I can think of is wordy and flows poorly: > The supplied definition defines 24 words per subframe, each 16 bits wide, > and ... I'm of the mind that "sixteen-bit" is not immediately recognisable, and expressing a quantity, especially of 10 or more, is generally best done in numerals. Is this the best way to write it or is there a better alternative?


Is there a word for "to be built"?

I was wondering if there was a singular word that says "this will be constructed ( but it isn't constructed right now )". Is there such a word? \-- not too sure about whether it is transitive or not, but it would be used to describe something like "[to be built of bricks wall]" or "[to be built of Lego] house".


Isn't this rude? Or am I wrong?

I recently saw this statement when I unsubscribed an email from DiGi. > We're sorry to see you leave ~~(but you know where to find us again for the > latest information, hot updates and news!)~~ Isn't the first part of the statement (if taken separately) rude or at least on a sarcastic tone? But then again I may be wrong.


Dickens (a tale of two city, chapter 1): what do "they were awake" and "was to be atheistical and traitorous" refer to?

> But that Woodman and that Farmer, though they work unceasingly, work > silently, and no one heard them as they went about with muffled tread: the > rather, forasmuch as to entertain any suspicion that they were awake, was to > be atheistical and traitorous. In the last sentence of the passage above, "...that they were awake", who were awake and awakened from what? In "...,was to be atheistical and traitorous", who was atheistical and traitorous? Thank you!


Where did the "ue" in "tongue" come from?

How I remember being told over and over how to spell _tongue_! I didn't understand it then; I don't understand it now. What evolution might put a silent "ue" at the end of a word?


What does the phrase 'Quote-O-Matic' mean?

A sample application in the book 'Test Drive ASP.NET MVC' used this as its title.


Meaning of "I'll make due"

When someone says "I'll make due" what does it mean?


In which dialects does "is wanting" work as an appropriate substitution for "wants"?

I've recently seen a movie character regularly use this construction (for example, "the dog is wanting to be taken out for a walk"), and I am trying to figure out which dialect or cultural background the construction is meant to signal.


Is this an example of a dangling modifier too?

"From an original focus on the oil industry, Platts gradually expanded its purview to include metals, shipping, and all energy-related markets - oil, coal, natural gas, electricity, nuclear power, petrochemicals, renewables, and emissions." So I was looking at the Platts website while applying for a job, and came across this line. Should it be reworded to "From originally focusing on the oil industry..." or "From an original focus on the oil industry, Platts' purview gradually expanded..." Or is it not a dangling modifier at all?


Is this situation ironic or coincidental?

I'm under the impression irony is when the opposite of what you expect happens. Someone dies giving a safety presentation, for example. Coincidental, on the other hand, is when merely something unlikely manages to happen. Here's the situation: A few weeks ago I wore a pair of jeans somewhere. Today my friend asks what pair of jeans I'm wearing, and it happens to be those. He says how ironic that is. I say it's a coincidental, not ironic. Who's right?


Term for common definition of irony

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What word means what many people think 'ironic' means? While irony actually means 'the opposite of what is expected', it is often misused in a context to make it mean 'an unexpected and amusing coincidence or similarity'. Is there any word that does actually mean this?


Synonym for "share the love" in terms of sharing information?

I'm trying to find a catch phrase that will entice customers to make referrals. We want them to "share the love" they have for our services with others, but I want it to sound professional.


Is this sentence structure backwards?

I edit reports at work and often feel that sentences end up structured backwards, for lack of a better term. For example, this sentence: > We designed a water diversion that also acts as a fish barrier to protect > and prevent fish from entering an irrigation storage pond. I think it sounds clearer to switch it around to > To protect and prevent fish from entering an irrigation storage pond, we > designed a water diversion that also acts as a fish barrier. Is that correct, and is there a grammatical explanation/term for that fix, or is it simply a question of style?


"Currently the environment is so contaminated" vs. "the environment is currently so contaminated"

>   * Currently the environment is so contaminated that urgent measures should > be taken. >   * The environment is currently so contaminated that urgent measures should > be taken. > Are both sentences grammatical? Do they convey different meanings depending on where _currently_ is used?


How does one pronounce "hath" and "doth"?

Old English verb forms such as "hath" and "doth" are, I believe, normally pronounced with the /θ/ sound as in the word "think." But somebody once told me that that is actually a mistake. The words, said he, were originally pronounced as present-day "has" and "does" with a /z/ sound. Pronouncing "hath" as /haθ/ rather than /haz/ is a modern mistake, said my source. Is this true?


What is the origin of the phrase "Life is too short to ..."?

As the title says, what is the origin of the phrase "Life is too short to ..." used with things conventionally expected, but which you do not want to do? Example: Life is too short to find a pair of matching socks.


Is "responsible" a gradable or a non-gradable adjective?

Is _responsible_ a gradable adjective that can be modified with _too_? E.g., "He is too responsible".


Single word for one-sided friendship

I am looking for a single word to describe a one-sided friendship.


General Rules for Creating Abbreviations

Can you create an abbreviation for any word that has no commonly accepted abbreviation simply by dropping some or all the vowels (i.e., restore: rstr or restr; replace: rplc or replc)?


raised ... 25 basis points or raised ... by 25 basis points?

I would like to know if it is correct to add the word "by" in the following sentence: Today, bank x raised its loan rate by 25 basis points.


Why does left come before right?

For example in the idioms "left and right", "left, right and centre", and in many contexts where both left and right are mentioned, it seems that the left usually comes before the right. Why is this so? I guess the begged, or zero-th, question: is there a preference when ordering left and right? Some people use "right and left" as well. I'm not sure how useful an Ngram search would be, due to both left and right having multiple meanings, e.g. "she turned to her **right and left** the house" or "he stood up, **left and right** then ...".


Higher status alternatives to the word 'intern'?

Are there higher status (or at least 'better-sounding', more CV-ready) alternatives to the word 'intern'? At least in the UK, being an intern is perceived as low status, with connotations of being the person who makes the coffee. It also looks less impressive on a CV. (The context which I'm searching in is that the charities I work for are offering internships of two to ten months. We provide accommodation and food/travel expenses, but this is closer to volunteering than employment. Many of our 'interns' have just graduated from elite universities, and they do relatively high-level and interesting work such as research. So it would be nice to call them something other than 'interns'.)


Can you call someone who chooses to quit his/her study in college as alumnus?

Oxford dictionary on alumnus: > a male former pupil or student of a particular school, college, or > university Oxford dictionary on dropout: > a person who has abandoned a course of study or who has rejected > conventional society to pursue an alternative lifestyle If someone chooses to quit his/her study in college, I can say that he/she is a former student of that college. Therefore, I can call her alumnus according to the definition above. It also matches the definition of a dropout. Which one should I use: an alumnus or a dropout?


Is it appropriate to use it?

Is it appropriate to say this sentence please? My mother wanted me to grow up to be a princess Thank you all!


i feel over-above-on the moon metaphor

* I feel over the moon.   * I feel above the moon.   * I feel on the moon. What's the difference between the three sentences above and what I should prefer to express an ecstatic sense?


Is “so” always accompanied by “that”?

In the following question, why can’t answer three be the right answer to fill in the blank? The correct answer is supposed to be choice one. > The new skyscraper was `____________` the buildings around it look like > dollhouses. > >   1. so tall that it made >   2. so tall and it therefore making >   3. so tall, making >   4. tall so much because it made >   5. this tall, it made >


I am trying to figure out what the correct preposition would be (and why): > Camera calibrated to/into/? optimal settings Thanks


I bought a globe that can turn and has a small lamp inside. Whenever that lamp is on you can see the state borders on the globe, when that inner light is off, you can only see the continents without country names and borders. There are three buttons on the globe's stand: Button 1: If you push on this button, the globe will start turning; Button 2: If you push on this one, the globe will stop turning; Button 3: Pressing this button will turn on/off the lamp (=light) inside the globe; Here is the question: Which captions in English would you choose for each one of those three buttons?


Which does English “l” and “r” sound come under, an allophone or different phonemes?

I was very much embarrassed when I was pointed out by ELU Senpai that I made a great mistake by misspelling ‘Mod election’ as ‘Mod erection’ during ELU chat. We Japanese often make a silly mistake of mixing ‘l’ and ‘r’ characters and sound in writing and speaking, as we don’t have ‘r’ sound. We pronounce Lace and Race with the same sound “lehsu -レース.” I understand Chinese have distinction of l and r sound. Particularly Beijin locals are well-known for frequent use of r sound, which is known for the word, "R化－R-lization" in speaking. I’ve read that English l and r sound come under allophone (or phoneme.) Kenyusha’s Readers English Japanese Dictionary provides definitions of both ‘allophone” and “phoneme,” but both in scanty two lines. It reads as if both ‘allophone” and “phoneme” are akin, which I’m doubtful of vaguely. What is the difference of ‘allophone” from “phoneme,” and to which of them do English ‘l’ and ‘r’ sounds come under? **Addendum:** Also We do not have θ and ð sound AndrewC has referred to in his comment. We cannot tell the difference between θ and ð, and pronounce both with s sound, e.g. “think” and “sink,” “thick” and “sick” in the same way. Until post WW II, most Japanese couldn’t pronounce v sound, though there was the letter ‘ヴ’ to express a 'foreign' v sound (only) in writing. We pronounce “Best” and “Vest” in the same B sound. But because of the influx of American culture and spread of English language, most Japanese come to distinguish b and v in speaking. We also pronounce “cofee” as “koh-hee.”


Is "Math Calculation" redundant when describing how to solve a problem?

I was corrected by another individual when describing the solution to a problem as a "math calculation". Is math implied when using calculation in a sentence therefore making my statement redundant?


Cyrillic names in transliteration

I wonder, if there is any adequate and up-to-date guide on transliteration of Cyrillic names. All I have read seem rather inconsistent and confusing.