texts:
May I please ask whether there is a definitive as to whether the word should be pronounced 'contr-o-versy', or 'contro-versy', as this has baffled me for years! There appears to be a difference in pronunciation between how the English and the North Americans pronounce it, but it would be good to understand both why this is the case and which of the options is more correct?

Thank you.


texts: Is there any notation or abbreviated phrase meaning "this is provisional"?

texts: I want to write on my timetable that an event will take place at "Building X, but this is provisional as it is subject to change and it may happen somewhere else." Is there any kind of notation or abbreviated phrase in English, Latin or Greek etc. that denotes being provisional? I'm not sure "etc." carries that sense across.


texts:
I would like to know the correct usage of this preposition:

Is it correct to say:

"Position within the Organization"

or

"Position in the Organization"?

In which context is it correct to use one over the other or are they exactly equivalent?


texts: Do native english speakers use both the retroflex and bunched "r" sound?

texts: I've read that some native speakers say the "r" sound by bunching their tongue (bunched "r") and some by pointing their tip at the alveolar ridge (retroflex "r"). When I say it, it sometimes feels more natural to pronounce it one way, and sometimes the other, depending on the sounds around it. Do native speakers also do this? Should I practice only saying it one way?


texts:
Which of the following, if any, is correct?

"Thank you for holding on to me when I did not want to hold on to anyone."
"Thank you for holding onto me when I did not want to hold onto anyone."


texts: What is the difference between "No problem!" and "No sweat!"?

texts: Is it possible to say "No sweat!" instead of "No problem!?


texts: Commas before and after A and B preceded by "both"

texts:
Recently, I have written a sentence which had following structure:

  Both, A and B, are ...

I have been told that commas are stylistically wrong in such case. However, I searched this forum and found following

"A and B both are" vs. "A and B are both" vs. "Both A and B are" vs. "Both of A and B are"?

where user named Kris has similar example and says that

  Both A and B are very good. --> A and B is parenthetical, = "Both, A and B, are very good."

I feel that this is probably the best way to use commas. However, are there any actual rules in American and English regarding this and if so could you please provide any credible paper sources which I can use in the argument?


texts:
If I understand it correctly, nouns for fruits (and certain types of foodstuffs, such as pizza) are used as mass nouns if thought of as "food substance", rather than "portions". So is it correct that I say "I like apple" instead of "I like apples"? Is such reasoning as "I like apple as food, especially in cut pieces", just like "I like soup, pork, etc." (instead of "I like apples as items served as food, especially as whole fruits") valid, or at the very least, applicable in any ways?

I know there's a similar question on ell, but the given answer is not satisfying to me. It flat out denies such a phrase as "I like apple" as grammatically incorrect. But is it though? If it is, when exactly do we use the mass nouns instead of the count nouns? Does the same principle go with "chicken" (the meat) and "chickens" the animal?

Edit: "Dog" is NOT a mass noun and the other question is completely irrelevant. This is absurd. My question concerns the use of mass nouns and count nouns for foods.


texts: I am preparing for the GRE-reading part. I am told that Guardian, Economist LA times are good reading sources. But the thing is they all cost a lot to subscribe. Is there free reading materials online that are comparable to those of reading levels? Thanks.


texts: How did a Greek 'table' become an English 'trapeze'?

texts:
I had cause to investigate the word trapeza in Greek and I was intrigued as to how it had evolved into the meaning of 'trapeze' as we use it in modern English.

How did this happen ?


texts:
I've seen that people use "how easy is it to […]?" and "how easy is to […]?"

Another example could be:

  I couldn’t ignore the barrage of research showing how easy it is to screw up your kids.

Could it be written as follows?

  I couldn’t ignore the barrage of research showing how easy is to screw up your kids.

Admittedly, it sounds much better the first form, however, is there any rule regarding the use of it's versus is.


texts:
If your child is lying down and you want them to get in the sitting position, how do you ask them to in an informal/everyday language?
If you could provide more than one way, it would be appreciated.


texts: Can "erudite" be used to describe things other than humans?

texts: I have heard the adjective erudite in relation to humans, but I was inditing an essay and pondering whether I could implement it to describe a school. An erudite school. Is that permissible?


texts: What does Agatha Christie’s line, ‘Speak through one’s nose full of b's and d's’ mean?

texts:
Unlike my usual questions picked up from newspaper sources, this question regards literature.

I was asked by one of my friends who is an English enthusiast about the meaning of “speak through one’s nose full of b's and d's.”

The phrase appears in the following sentence in the section of ‘Love and the Ridiculous’ of Agatha Christie’s Autobiography.
I checked the definition of the phrase in Merriam Webster Dictionary and Cambridge Online Dictionary in vain.

Can somebody explain the meaning of ‘Speak through one’s nose full of b's and d's’, specifically what does ‘b and d’ represent?

  Anyone can admire somebody for being handsome or amusing or charming, but that bubble is soon pricked when a trace of ridicule comes in. I should give as my advice to any girl about to get married: "Well now, just imagine he had a terrible cold in his head, speaking through his nose all full of b's and d's, sneezing, eyes watering. What would you feel about him?" It's a good test, really.


texts:
What part of speech is early in "I had my lunch early"?

Is it an adjective or an adverb?


texts: What is the origin of "Breaking in" as in a shoe or glove?

texts: Questions says it all. Why do we call it "breaking in" when we refer to relaxing the stiffness of worn objects/tools? This use of break is similar to the "breaking the spirit" or a wild animal. But otherwise it doesn't follow from the regular mean of break, which implies the object will no longer function. In this case, the function of the object is improved.


texts: What is the name for the glove worn to take out baked food from oven, so that touching the hot tray doesn't burn our hands?

texts:
Is there a specific name for the thick glove worn (or may be any cloth used) to touch hot dishes in the oven?

For example, we wear a glove and take the dish containing baked food from the oven.

It's use is to save our hand from being burnt by touching the hot dish.


texts:
So both "caw" and "squawk" are "a harsh noise made by a bird".

Are these two words countable or uncountable?

For example, which of the following two is more correct?

All night I heard the caw of the condors.

or

All night I heard the caws of the condors.

Thank you.


texts:
Which of the following sentences is correct?

  If you are caught stealing you will be fined.

  If you were caught stealing you will be fined.


texts: Can't understand the verse from "Cranberries - I'm Still Remembering"

texts:
I'm having hard time to understand last 2 lines of the following verse:

  They say the cream will always rise to the top.
  They say that good people are always first to drop.
  What of Kurt Cobain, will his presence still remain?
  Remember JFK, ever saintly in a way.

I higlighted the phrases which I have absolutely no idea what are they trying to convey
Would somebody be so kind and explain me their meaning?


texts: What is a good adage for saying one thing matches another in quality? For example, I want to say someone rude deserves to be treated accordingly and just as rudely and without respect.


texts: I want to put all my images, videos, and audio files from my camera in only one folder on my computer. What should be the name to give to that folder?


texts:
I'm pretty sure I've got this one all wrong. I'm trying to find a word combination that explains when somebody telepathically pokes around inside your head with ill intent.

“WHAT? Are you saying she psychokineticly attacked you?” Domá asked.
“that's what I've been trying to tell you, they lived through an
attack like that. They this may be the first mortal to survive,” said
Lugaid.
“Is that what you call it when she creeps around in your head,
psychokinetic?” Seamus asked.

Your help would be appreciated.


texts: what's the meaning of “Fpfit. ” in following pic


texts: "Apply for" vs. "apply to", a different case

texts:
The method A is applied for the determination of B.

or

  The method A is applied to the determination of B.

I often see these phrases in scientific texts. But which one is correct?

There is another post here asking a seemingly similar question, however, the context is quite different. I am sure, many scientific writers hesitate for at least a second about the choice of preposition in this situation.


texts:
Which sentence is correct and if both are correct , please tell me how to use them properly

1- If you wanted to come , let me know
2- If you want to come , let me know


texts: Is there a more polite or less vulgar, but still rude, way to say, "Head up his own *ss"?

texts:
I want to say something like, "We have to be careful not to get our heads too far up our own asses."

The phrase has the following meaning, according to Wiktionary: To be oblivious to the real state of things, from either stupidity or stubbornness.

I want the rudeness and directness of the phrase, just not the vulgar word "ass" in there.  "oblivious" fits well enough, but it's not rude enough or 'abrupt' as the idiom.


texts: What is the term to describe the use of "City Hall" in "you can't fight City Hall"?

texts: I know there's a word to describe the use of the words "City Hall" in the common phrase "you can't fight City Hall", where "City Hall" = "the office of the mayor of the city", but I can't remember what it is. I don't think it's anthropomorphism but the proper term has been on the tip of my tongue all day and I just can't bring it to mind.


texts: Word to describe someone who makes you feel uncomfortable

texts: It's more like unsettling and discomforting but not threatening like daunting or menacing.


texts: More formal way of saying: "Sorry to bug you again about this, but ..."

texts:
I was wondering if there was a more formal and polite way of saying:

  Sorry to bug you again about this, but we still have not received a response about X ....

(if we still have not received any assistance with X)

or

  Sorry to bug you again about this, but we are still having problems with X and ....

(if we have already received some assistance with X)

I would like to use examples of the two sentences above in an email directed to an organization, but I would like to avoid using "you" or "bug", if possible.

For more context, this is part of an email where we are requesting this organization to fix a service that they provide to us.

Addendum:  To clarify, I'm interested in both cases when we directly pay for the service requested and when we don't.


texts: Usage and meaning of "bad behavior to begin with"

texts:
I see the usage of 'bad behavior to begin with' in many places but I can't grasp the real meaning of it.  I see following in internet.

eg:

Above all this isn't a place to call out bad behaviour to begin with.
I'm doing is explaining bad behaviour to begin with.

Can someone let me know about it? Thanks.


texts: If the rate per hour is the hourly rate, what do you call the rate for half an hour? What is the rate for 2 hours known as?


texts: What is the meaning of the phrase “The morning constitutional”?

texts:
What exactly is the meaning of the phrase “The morning constitutional”? Is it an early morning walk or the first visit to the bathroom during the day?

What is the origin of this phrase? What is the word “constitutional” doing here?


texts: Meaning of "That is not anything much yet"

texts:
Could you explain the meaning of the sentence in bold? Does it use an idiom?

  Sesame Street is...with lapses, the most intelligent and important program in television. That is not anything much yet.
  Renata Adler, The New Yorker, 1972


texts: What does somebody mean when he enthusiastically exclaims "Strike!"

texts: I think somebody might be expressing the feeling of winning something, possibly making a winning pose with his fist and flexing the biceps. But where does this expression come from and what does it mean exactly in this context?


texts:
I understand this is done in formal letters (composed by government officials or lawyers).

1       I would love to congratulate...

2       You may wish ...

...

6       I look forward to meeting you ....


texts: When does a comma change the meaning of a sentence?

texts:
Match the two sentences with their meaning:

  1) I had a discussion with a friend and a programmer.

  2) I had a discussion with a friend, and a programmer.

Meanings:

  a) I talked to a friend who is a programmer.

  b) I talked to two people, a friend, and a programmer.

Intuitively, I know that 1 => a, and 2 => b. Is there a rule? Does this grammatical construct have a formal name or definition?


texts: how to write first class honors in a sentence

texts:
I have finally graduated with a first class honors in bachelor degree in Software Engineering.

is this sentence correct? it seems wrong


texts:
Is the former less common for native English speakers because it kinda sound like I done? I'm basing this assumption on Ngrams. But I may be wrong.

Example sentences:

  Plus, I was ashamed to admit, I'd done nothing for the club so far.

  Plus, I was ashamed to admit, I had done nothing for the club so far.


texts:
Although someone has previously answered a question as to the difference between "pending" and impending", I'm still struggling on when to use which word, and if one is preferred in a more formal context.

For example, I was talking about the upcoming FIFA World Cup Semifinal Match, and that I was awaiting one team's "impending victory".  Was that an accurate use? Should I have used "pending victory"?


texts:
I am looking for one word which means both shocking and clever.

Example sentence: Shocking and clever revenge story.


texts: The use of 'becomes': the correct expression when someone starts a job

texts:
This question has come from a conversation at loggerheads. I can't find the answer online.
There are two positions on which is the correct expression to use when starting a job.For the example, I've used a job as a plumber.

Person A states "John becomes a plumber today"
Person B states "John has started working as a plumber today".

My understanding is that person A, while it is used in causal conversations is incorrect because it suggests a changing into something when they haven't changed, they added something to who they are. A job.
Can someone please advise which is formally correct and if using becomes is still incorrect use of the word or how they fit together.


texts:
In microprocessors, handshake signals are issued by a microprocessor in acknowledgement of a request by another device.

This process has been repeatedly referred to as 'handshaking' in my lectures.

Is it a commonly used term in general English?


texts: Phrase for spinning your keys on your finger

texts:
I see this "action" everywhere but I've never seen it written. If you're wondering what I'm talking about it's when someone "confidently spins their keychain thingy on their finger whilst walking over to their car". I see it in every movie with a guy that drives a car. It's so "everywhere", yet I have no idea how to write it in a way that's not awkward, like my title. So, is there a "phrase" for this action? The first thing I thought of was:

  He spun his keys on his finger as he walked over to his car

But it seems too awkward and clunky. I'm not sure if there is a dedicated phrase for this one very specific thing, but any other alternatives are welcome as the one I currently have is very bad.


texts: Is the expression 'of an evening', 'of a morning', 'of a Saturday', good English or dialect?

texts:
People will say: He usually comes round here about 8 o'clock of an evening, or 10 o'clock of a morning, or of a Saturday afternoon.

Is this standard English? I tend to associate it with Londoners.


texts: Why is "each row and each column" followed by a singular verb in this sentence?

texts:
I am reading a book that contains the following text.

  A square matrix P is said to be a permutation matrix if each row and each column of P contains a single element 1, and the remaining elements are zero.

My questions are:

why is "contains" used? why not "contain"? Since there is a "and" before "contains".
why not "zeros" for the last word in the sentence?


texts: "Did you just...." present or past tense?

texts:
Consider the following two statements, and the tenses.

  Did you win?
  You just won.

But what about *Did you just __ a camera*? Would it be followed by win or won?


texts: This Company is the Driving Force of / Behind our success

texts:
Which will be the correct form?
Driving force behind our company
OR
Driving force of our company

Thanks.


texts:
Talent, lying in the understanding, is often inherited; genius, being the action of reason or imagination, rarely or never.

I don't understand this part.
What does it mean?


texts: Word for bias against or fear of foreign languages

texts:
This came up as I was writing a comment for a discussion on another site on the network*.  The discussion was about non-english creative works, and I warned against "xenophobia," but that's not quite right since the bias in question applies much more strongly to works in foreign languages than to works in English created in foreign English-speaking countries (e.g. England, Australia, Canada).  I'm looking for a word with connotations similar to "xenophobia" but that applies  to foreign languages (as specifically as possible) instead of foreign countries or cultures.

At this point I probably won't be using it in this particular discussion, but now I'm curious as to whether such a word exists. I've just thought of "anglocentric," but that's more England than English, and I'd prefer a somewhat stronger and more general term.

*: I'd prefer not to link to the particular comment chain; it's not a pretty discussion and I'd like to limit its exposure (besides, it's likely to get wiped by myself or another mod at some point). I think the meaning I'm looking for is quite clear without it.


texts:
I would like to express, in one word, the tendency to concentrate excessively rather than disperse. This is applied in a sentence where I describe a set of data, which has too much focus on one aspect and miss out on other aspects.

For this I use the word "constringences".

  The results collected and presented earlier are limited by ambiguities, paradoxes and constringences.

However, it seems some dictionaries do not know constringence, while others do. So is it a word or isn't it?


texts:
What is the future tense of the word can?
One way to express it is "will be able to", but what is actually the future tense of "can" ?


texts:
Where does the word "bravo" come from?
In Spanish, it can be related to bravery but I fail to see the connection with the congratulatory mode it's used today in spectacles and related activities.


texts: Is there an antonym for "advertisement" or "commercial"?

texts:
Given that it's designed to separate people from their money, a commercial or advertisement almost always focuses on the positive aspects of a product or activity.

Is there an antonym for this? In other words, what would be the word for an informational message which points out the negative qualities or advises people not to use/do something?


texts:
What is the word used to describe a particular type of sound made with language?

Is it a "tone"?

For example, the "ai" in Thailand produces a sound.

And, what is the word for this language system of producing different sounds from different combinations of characters? Why does it seem like same set of characters can produce different sounds based on which words they are in?


texts: Around 1960 in Britain "Have you a camera?" or "Do you have a camera?"

texts:
Around 1960, when we began learning English in Japan, we were taught British English. To our great surprise, we were forced to change into American English in the next grade. Japanese English teachers were also upset, especially in pronunciation. We could not help laughing when they could not pronounce 'can't' or 'tomato' or 'body' with the American accent.
The most striking grammatical change to me was the interrogative sentence, from 'Have you a camera?' to 'Do you have a camera?' This drastic change in English teaching was, of course, carried out under the considerable political and cultural influences of USA. From that time, in Japan, English textbooks written in American English have been predominant.
After some decades of learning English especially through books written in British English, I came to doubt whether the British way of questioning was heard in the daily conversation of the British people around 1960. Can I have your information or experience to clear up this doubt I have long held?


texts: There was a Postscript section in my English Course-book, which simply teaches the colloquial English phrases as in "Give me a lift", "Let me have a look", "There is no point", etc. But "postscript" won't return any relevant results in Google, so I thought there might be a better expressive/suitable term for this phrases. Is there really?


texts: "Hah, he only likes new books. Hip ones."  "Jane Eyre is a hip book!" What is the meaning of "hip book" in the conversation?


texts:
There is famous quote from Pirates of Caribbean:

  Officer: That's got to be the best pirate I've ever seen.

  Norrington: So it would seem.

I already learned that it basically is same as saying "seems so", as to agree, but with added fatalism and annoyance of admitting something that you hate.

But grammar of this phrase was always bugging me... I can't understand why it uses would? As far as I know would is past form of will, so it's something used to express "future-past". So, this would mean that Norrington considered "seeming" Jack as best pirate in future, some time ago, but this didn't actually happen? In this case, he doesn't actually agree to this statement at all! This really confuses me...


texts: Why do we use zero infinitives with make, let, have?

texts:
When we use causative verbs as in

I asked you to do something

we use 'to do'.

However, we don't say

*I made you to do something

but just

I made you do something.

Is there any particular reason that we use zero (bare) infinitives after make, have, let?


texts: What is the name for the symbol of a person?

texts:
symbol
NOUN
1 a mark or character used as a conventional representation of an object, function, or process, e.g. the letter or letters standing for a chemical element or a character in musical notation.
  •   a shape or sign used to represent something such as an organization, e.g. a red cross or a Star of David.
2 a thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract:
the limousine was another symbol of his wealth and authority.

New Oxford American Dictionary, may 2021
According to this definition, what is the word for a personal symbol? Emblem? Badge? Insignia? I know the definitions of those words, but I wonder whether or not one's symbol falls into either. Is there a dedicated term for this?
By personal symbol, I mean a symbol meant to represent someone. Since I was a child, I have been designing personal symbols for myself; those someway represent me. That is what I am referring to.


texts: Word that corresponds to "flew" or "drove" when riding a train

texts:
My daughter recently journeyed several hundred miles by rail.

Had she taken a bus, I could say:

  "She was bussed from San Francisco to Houston"

Had she flown in an airplane, I could say:

  "She flew from San Francisco to Houston"

Of course, these definitions are recognized by the dictionary; from NOAD:

  fly (verb) transport in an aircraft
  bus (verb) transport in a communal road vehicle

While talking to a friend about her trip, though, I found myself wondering if there's a similar verb used to describe transportation by rail.

Obviously, there are plenty of ways to say it – I'm not asking for one of these:

  "She took a train from San Francisco to Houston"
  "She rode on a train from San Francisco to Houston"

Instead, I'm wondering if a single verb could do the trick.

I did consider the verb railroad:

  She was railroaded from San Francisco to Houston.

but I was hoping for a better word than that, because that verb generally connotes something other than travel:

  railroad (verb) press (someone) into doing something by rushing or coercing


texts:
I have read in several sources that in agreement with a negative statement one can use either, for instance:

  I am not a child, and my cousin isn't either.

At the same time, there is the word neither that can be used here:

  I am not a child, neither is my cousin.

From the sentences aforementioned, which one sounds more natural? Which is more formal/informal? Is there any difference at all?


texts: In which cases would you say, "I am seeing" instead of "I see"?


texts: Is there a word for the bad smell coming from socks?

texts: Is there any specific English word to refer to the bad smell coming from socks, especially ones that have been unwashed for some time?


texts: Can any body tell me the official name of the color? I want to say light blue, but people may not be able to get the closest image in mind.


texts:
As a non-native speaker, i wonder whether there are any guidelines concerning the usage of hyphens.

Would you write

  Task-planning for robots ...

or rather

  Task planning for robots ...


texts: What is this famous example of the absurdity of English spelling?

texts:
A long time ago I read about this funny example posited by some relatively well-known author who spelled a word (I forget the word) in the most difficult way possible, but in a way that was totally congruent with orthographic rules from other words of English.

It was a simple word, like "fish" but he spelled it like "phystch" or something similarly absurd. It's a pedantic example, but sort of funny, too.
Thanks


texts:
"How do you like the colors on this shirt?"

"Do you like the colors on this shirt?"

Are they similar? Are both syntaxes gramatically correct? If yes, why do both of them exist then?


texts: "Police have found what appear to be human remains." versus "– What's in the box? – Chocolates to die for!" Why the different agreement?

texts:
In my CD-ROM version of the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, an example sentence for the verb 'to appear' is:

"Police have found what appear to be human remains."

Gruesomeness apart, what I find shocking is the agreement of 'appear' with a 'what' that is plural, 'human remains', whereas in the sentence "– What's in the box? – Chocolates to die for!" the agreement is in the singular even though 'what' also represents a plural noun: 'chocolates'!

Why the different agreement?


texts: Are sentences like 'It do be vibing' considered grammatically correct?

texts:
In this day and age, it seems that there is a lot of cases when a common sentence is not particularly 'correct' or grammatical.

"It do be vibing." There are many variations to sentences like these, but just out of curiosity, I was wondering if it is technically correct to use "do be" like this. Another example may be "He do be having fun."


texts:
May I ask you to help me with this issue?

Have got the following sentence:

This year's festival will end with a display of fireworks to be set off at midnight.

Would it be possible to change this sentence to:

This year's festival will end with a display of fireworks being set off at midnight.

If so, what would be the difference?

Thanks!


texts: I need a word for the act of impotently whining and crying over something that you can't change —like, for example, moaning and groaning about what to do now that Trump is President-Elect instead of finding something actually useful to do.


texts:
Overseas ESL students were asked to transform a sentence into passive voice. One gave an unexpected answer, and their teacher consulted with me.

Original: The people of Rapa Nui carved huge statues of heads all in a row.

Expected Answer: Huge statues of heads all in a row were carved by the people of Rapa Nui.

Student Answer: Huge statues of heads were carved by the people of Rapa Nui all in a row.

Main question: Is that the appropriate place for "all in a row"?
The student's answer struck me as natural enough, but I didn't know if it was grammatical or idiomatic.
The first question I have is whether "all in a row" is an adverbial phrase modifying "carved", as that's how the student seemed to interpret it. The teacher's point of view is that it's an adjectival phrase modifying "huge statues of heads". In my view, there's enough ambiguity that both interpretations can be correct. Am I right in my assessment so far?
My mind is bending around whether the statues were physically arranged in a row before being carved or after, but I feel like that might be off-track. At any rate, the final position seems like the only home for "all in a row" in the adverbial sense as "carved all in a row huge statues of heads" doesn't sound right.
Edit: Actually, "Huge statues of heads were carved all in a row by the people of Rapa Nui" also seems acceptable.
I did find a related StackExchange question: https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/37601/passive-sentences-placing-an-adverbial-before-or-after-the-agent. There it was concluded that the adverbial "at school" could be placed after the verb or after the agent depending on emphasis:

This homework was done by Vasya at school.

This homework was done at school by Vasya.

The active voice here would be structurally similar to our original, "Vasya did this homework at school." However, "This homework at school was done by Vasya" doesn't sound right. That's why I opened this new question, as I don't think our sentences parallel each other completely.


texts:
I came across the following paragraph,

When I first wrote the book in 1975 and 1976 the word and concept of Post-Modernism had only been used with any frequency in literary criticism. Most perturbing, as I later realized it had been used to mean 'Ultra-Modern'... While I was aware of these writings... I used the term to mean the opposite of all this...

I didn't get the meaning of any in the first sentence. Was the author trying to emphasize the high or low frequency, or else?
Any help is appreciated!


texts: How can I use prepositions differently not normally?

texts:
I have seen some complex sentences, having complex grammar of prepositions.

For example:

  “T is the temperature to which the accumulated distillate stream, formed in previous effects, cools down to as it enters the flashing box.”

Why using to which?

cools down to What?

Sometimes I can't understand these kind of sentences... how can I understand and also use such sentences? Is there any reference for practice?


texts:
Throughout the years, there has been an overwhelming [tide/amount] of controversies surrounding X.

I want to say that there has been an increase in controversies surrounding X. But I can't seem to find the right word that would fit in there with overwhelming.

I need a word that would mean a lot of as well as an increase. I thought tide works well as it has two effects to it. Picture this- a tide is progressive, going forward. And it can rise too. Is there a word that fits this?

Also, writing Throughout the years in the beginning, means that some has happened over the years, and so just writing 'a lot of' does not seem to work.


texts: How can I describe walking through a strong wind?

texts: I've thought about: "pushing/muscling through the wind"


texts: On the first page of Nabokov's Pnin the eponymous hero's clothing is described and it includes a "flamboyant goon tie". What exactly is that?


texts: What is the origin of the term travel and how broad is the term travel? What is it intended to encompass?


texts: The name for a flowery expression - not a cliché

texts:
My English teacher years ago referred to the name for a flowery expression designed to make the speaker or writer sound more educated than they actually are. I am confident it wasn't a cliché because there is no metaphorical element, nor are they idioms.
Some examples would be:

In the fullness of time
Be that as it may
Time and time again
Clouding my judgment
The end justifies the means
More often than not
Casting aspersions
Against my better judgement
An educated guess
The less said the better
In the interests of time
All manner of means

You often hear defendants or near-illiterate people suddenly use one of these expressions mid-sentence.

What is the word for them?


texts: Is "set up another session" grammatically correct?

texts:
I tried to confirm an artist's schedule from a booking agent .

As the venue was fully booked, I had to propose an alternative date.

"... Just write to make sure if you mind I try to set up another session for the artists?"

I'd like to know if a native speaker would use the phrase "set up another session?"


texts: A word or idiom to describe someone who has fears or reservations when others are doing or thinking the same

texts:
I vaguely remember a quote floating on the WWW that says

  Be careful if everyone else is doing the same.

Exaggerated example:

  Tom loves to ride. He has an impeccable passion in riding and motorcycles. However, if he encounters someone or a group who shares the same level of passion as him, he feels inhibited. He reacts as if he isn't as interested for fear if something will go wrong if too many of the likeminded gets together.

How would you describe people like Tom? Is not the same as unconventional, non-conformist just in case you think along that line.

Much Thanks


texts: Does "She is in love with Tom" imply that Tom loves her too?


texts: "All the faith he had had had had no effect on the outcome of his life" is it correct

texts:
"All the faith he had had had had no effect on the outcome of his life."

Is this a grammatically correct sentence?


texts: Confusion with parallelism in verb tenses

texts:
I came across a sentence: Rural hospitals across the US face financial losses and, as a result, have struggled to stay open.
My inclination is that this sentence is not quite correct because of the lack of parallelism between "face" and "have struggled". But does the phrase "as a result" somehow make the change of tense acceptable?
Thanks!


texts: Is there a difference between categorial and categorical?

texts:
I am only interested in the meaning as relating to categories. I understand that there is only a "categorical denial".

For example would be there be a difference between

  categorial storage of data

and

  categorical storage of data

?


texts: Word to describe the list of people that I have a crush, love, and lust

texts:
You love a girl. You also have a crush on a girl who works in your office. You also have a lust on a neighborhood girl. What word would you use to describe all of them? Your "Romances"?

I'm looking for the word (noun, plural) to describe the list of people that I have a crush, love, and lust. I'm looking for one single word if possible.

I think I need a word like heartthrobs. But heartthrobs seems to be used for only for men. I need a similar word which can be used for both men and women.

So far, the best words I got are sweethearts and romances. But looking for a better more accurate word.

Still, if you're not sure what I'm asking Read this. If I have borrowed money, a property, a thing from the list of people, I can use the word "lenders" to describe them, right? So,  if I a have crush on a list of people. On each of them, I have a different type of crushes like love, lust, infatuation, etc. Which single word I can use to describe them?


texts:
Can I omit the "are" in this sentence?

  Instead, a linear combination of these two priors gives the maximum
  success rate, the optimal weightings for which [are] given by the
  values of lambda at the maxima in figure 2 in each regime.

It sounds kind of OK to me, but I'm not sure what the rules are here. Can anyone explain them or provide a link to them?


texts: Expression "N-fold" eg the stock value went up 3-fold

texts:
Where does the expression x-fold come from? And is its current usage the same as when it originated?

For example, if you fold a piece of paper n times, the thickness is not n times the original times n, but 2 to the power of n. So 5 folds means the thickness is actually multiplied by 32, not 5. Yet saying something increases 5-fold means it's 5 times greater.


texts: What is the implication of "collateral and self-expression" in this passage?

texts:
What started as a side interest has since budded into an enterprise generating over $1 million a year in annual revenue and satisfying a market demand for collateral and self-expression. It didn’t happen overnight, but it snowballed from the simple daily decision to do something she enjoyed.

What does collateral and self-expression mean?


texts: When did we start kicking cans down the road ? And when did we lose the can?

texts:
I noticed this headline after talks on Brexit were stalled by whatever they were stalled by.

  Stalled talks kick the border issue down the road

Ngram A // Ngram B

I tried Ngramming but, frustratingly, I am only allowed five words so am left uncertain whether my two four-word attempts mean much. There is a tantalising blip around 1948 and I am wondering if Los Alamos and the Manhattan Project have anything to do with can kicking.

But what most intrigued me was that I was expected to know what can kicking was all about. The headline does not use a simile; it doesn't mention a can at all. The headline kicks 'the border issue' down the road.

And more intriguingly the stalled talks do the kicking.
Becoming passive, the effect is to kick the issue.

It is a mixed metaphor, at least.

When did the saying start ? Post 1945 ? A-bomb ? H-bomb ?

When did the saying lose the can ?

When did the saying start kicking things all by itself ?

And when did it become possible to do nothing, and kick, all at once ?


texts: What's a common idiom for "price of admission"?

texts:
I feel like I've heard a common idiom used in English meaning "price of admission" or "basic requirement" that's actually borrowed from another language, much like someone might say "Skydiving appears to be the activity du jour" where "du jour" indicates temporal popularity and comes from French.

I asked Google for "price of admission" in French and got "prix d'entrée", but that doesn't seem to be a common idiom. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?


texts: Is the term "you suck" always considered slang?

texts:
I'm having a serious argument with a friend on the status of the word "suck" when I used it about him by saying "You suck!" because he missed a train. We are both non-native English speakers. He claimed that I used it as a foul or slang term. I vehemently disagreed with him about it. I told him that the word "suck" can be used to describe something inefficient or not good enough as well like it is used in the example "Samsung mobile sucks".

Am I right to describe the use of the word "suck" in such context?


texts: recent use of "to debrief" in AE as an intransitive verb but no dictionary says it can?

texts:
The online OED defines to debrief as follows

transitive
to obtain information from

Examples

Leonov and Belyaev..will stay at the space station for several days to be debriefed (1965)

The online Merriam-Webster defines it as

transitive
a. to interrogate
b. to review carefully

However, it cites the following as "recent examples from the web" for the verb, and all seem to be using it as an intransitive verb.

So is it really used as an intransitive verb, despite that no dictionary says it can ? or is it just my misunderstanding (from the examples below) ?

Putting a fun spin on staying hydrated will help kids enjoy the summer sun safely, and gathering for a refreshing drink every day will give the family a chance to debrief and plan out the next day. (2018)
Trump sits down with Mike Pompeo to debrief at 2:30 p.m (2018)
Days later, Kading is put in front of the LAPD chief of police to debrief on his task force’s concrete findings (2018)


texts: What's the difference between "imbalance" and "unbalance"?

texts:
Is there a difference in usage between imbalance and unbalance as nouns?

Specifically, we are designing a product where we measure three (3) related quantities continuously. These three quantities are normally within a reasonable percentage of each other. If there is a large difference, should that be shown as parameter imbalance or parameter unbalance?


texts:
In which context should sang-froid be used?
Can you provide an example?


texts: Is it acceptable that I use ligatures and diæreses?

texts:
As we may all know, ligatures and diæreses have long become obsolescent. However, I see the logic behind spelling words with ligatures and diæreses. For example: algæ, formulæ, æon, æqulateral, æternal, œuvre, œsophagus, fœderal, coöperation, aëroplane, etc.

Is it acceptable that I spell similar words as such (i.e. in modern use: papers, theses, publications)? Are there any disadvantages or drawbacks?

If I do spell these words with ligatures and diæreses, does it mean that I have to use obsolete spellings for all the words or I can choose?

If spellings such as paediatric, foetus, anaesthesia are encouraged in BrE (and medical/formal contexts), does it mean that all the other words should be spelt with ae or oe as well?


texts: Is there an aphorism for doing a self-defeating act?

texts:
Is there a witty turn of phrase that indicates one's performing an act that, in its doing, undermines, contravenes, or obviates itself?

This question relates to a similar idea, but I have it in my mind that there is a saying that describes this state of affairs. "Cutting off one's nose to spite one's face" is not quite what I'm going for because the act of cutting off the nose doesn't negate itself. I'm thinking more of a line speaking about someone who breaks the speed limit on his way to defend himself in traffic court, or wiping off a table with a dirty sponge.


texts: What is a good word between 'slave' and 'servant'?

texts:
The word 'slave' suggests someone is owned and serves but brings to mind meanings of oppression. 'Servant' suggests someone is not owned but is merely employed to serve.

Can anyone give me a word that may mean someone that is owned, serves, and is not oppressed by their owner, but is in fact taken care of and protected by him?


texts:
According to Google:

A rhetorical question is a question that you ask without expecting an answer. The question might be one that does not have an answer. It might also be one that has an obvious answer but you have asked the question to make a point, to persuade or for literary effect.

There are some questions you already know the answer to, and are asking for effect rather than to receive an answer, but still expect the other person to answer.

Q: Little Suzy, did you take the last piece of cake?
Q: Jim, what was it you said earlier about this lake not having leeches in it? (Jim is currently picking leeches out of his underwear ala Stand By Me)

Are these still rhetorical questions?  It is common for people to ask questions, and when someone attempts a reply, to correct the person, saying, "It was a rhetorical question."


texts:
I have been reading a book about programming and i came across a sentence which says:

  but if you don’t
  reuse some of what you’re doing, you’ll eventually
  wear your fingers down to painful stubs
  through overtyping.

And i don't get this part: What does "Painful Stubs" mean?

Thanks.


texts: Do British people insert a glottal stop before consonants like k, p and ch?

texts: Do British people usually insert a glottal stop before consonants like in the words  sto’p, tha’t, a'bsolute, kno’ck, wa’tch? Is there a rule for this?


texts:
I searched for similar questions within a website, but ended up with one without a solution.
Which expression is correct or better? Both sound weird to me.

  The solution seems missing.
  The solution seems to be missing.


texts: Single word: Something that is experienced by more than one person/party

texts:
Similar to how 'multilateral' means contributed to by multiple people/countries,  I want a word that would describe something experienced by all parties in an event.

Example:

  So if economic prosperity was being experienced by all countries, it's
  a ________ progress.


texts:
How can I say that this model have been used by many people?

Is this ok?

  "it has been hugely used before"


texts:
What are ONE-word synonyms, existing as a LONE verb, for the verb phrase 'fall short of'?
I already know, and so ask NOT, about 'trail' (suggested by OED's thesaurus) or 'fail' or 'miss'.
This search reminds me of the  irregular French verb 'faillir'.

(Optional to Read) Only 'fall short of' (or its inflections) may be reworded. Do NOT rephrase or rewrite or limit your advice to the  examples below. Please answer in general and in the main.

[Example 1] It will be the more impossible for France to draw the Western Country under her influence, by conciliatory regulations of the trade thro’ the Mississipi; because regulations which would be regarded by her as liberal, and claiming returns of gratitude, would be viewed on the other side as falling short of justice.
[Example 2] A Similar vigor throughout the Union may perhaps produce effects as far exceeding our present hopes[,] as they have heretofore fallen short of our wishes.


texts:
Is there a better phrase or word to use than lengthy date? For example:

  We give this lengthy date to accommodate the dispute respecting the Hermas who is the author of the Pastor.

This seems a bit archaic to me. Is there a better word, phrase or anything else to express the above thought?

Note, Hermas was “a man in Rome to whom Paul sent greetings”, second century, possibly  “the author of the celebrated religious romance called The Shepherd” or The Pastor.


texts: I read this stackexchange about whether to say "basis of" or "basis for". Does the answer given there (that both are correct, of is newer and for is still more common) apply to mathematics as well?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  What is the pronunciation of the possessive words that already end in s?
  What’s the pronunciation of “ s’ ”?

  Mr Torres will be returning to the Amazon rainforest in January next
  year to investigate further as this masterful spider is yet to be
  recognised as a new species.

  Mr Torres' discovery will be registered, verified and his findings
  published if this spider proves to be biologically different from the
  known species of Cyclosa.

[source][1]: Report (1.1 MB) ; (1) 1:00, (2) 1:10

This is the case against tchrist’s answer. Because the BBC’s presenter clearly differentiates the two pronunciations, Mr Torres and Mr Torres’. So I need to wait a new answer. Is the BBC’s pronunciation right or not?


texts:
I've been told that the expression "Can you not" (Can/Could + subject + not + verb) is used in casual conversation but it's not grammatically correct. Is this the case?

I'm aware that it wouldn't be appropriate in a formal / written context. I've also heard that it's only correct when an interjection is between the subject and the verb (i.e. "Can you please not do that?" or "Can you, like, not do that?").

Also, would the use of "Could" make the expression appropriate for a polite request?


texts: The committee who have been working hard or the committee which has been working hard?

texts:
When referring to a committee that has been working hard, which of the following would you say?

The committee which has been working hard.
The committee who have been working hard.

The committee is made up of people I know, it is not a group of unknown people so I feel strange referring to them as which, but my husband insists that is the correct usage.


texts: "I went into a restaurant, and the waiter..."

texts:
"We went into a restaurant. And the waiter introduced us to seats upstairs."

In this sentence, when the speaker said "the waiter," does it necessarily mean there was only one waiter and he/she showed them the way to upstairs?

"We went into a restaurant. And the waiter in black tuxedo with a red necktie introduced us to seats upstairs."

Is this sentence, on the other hand, telling the reader that there was either only that waiter alone or several waiters were there but that particular waiter led them to the seats?


texts: Usage of from, in and at with reference to place of learning

texts:
I am slightly confused about the usage of "from" "at" and "in".

He was born in England
He studied at XXX School, Delhi
He did his schooling from XXX School, Delhi

All of these seem to be interchangeable at times, however I am sure there is an underlying principle which is different or it may be the case that I am totally wrong.  Any guidance on the right usage in this is appreciated.

Edit:
Would He studied in XXX School, Delhi be the same as He studied at XXX School, Delhi


texts: Using ‘this’ in preference to ‘that’ or ‘it’ for a memory or future occurrence

texts:
Apologies if this has been asked, as maybe I’m inept with the search function.

I’ve been given a paragraph that I feel is incorrect:

  I’m listening to the radio as I drive to work, and The Beach Boys are playing. It reminds me of my childhood. When I get home, I usually play one of their albums. I like listening to them during dinner too. My wife hates them though, so I can’t do this very often.

The final sentence contains what I feel is an error.

I believe it should be:
...so I can’t do it very often.
OR
...so I can’t do that very often.

My only explanation is that it’s divorced from his present action, and therefore ‘this’ isn’t appropriate. Am I incorrect?

Thank you.


texts:
I have a system which allows to set tasks for users. Each task has to be completed everyday and has a recurring due time.

To keep the history of completions/failures, there is another entity: a task assignment for some specific date.

To give an example, you have the "brush your teeth" task set to 10:00 every day. An "instance" of this task template is set every day.

Which good, short, self-explanatory terms can be used to name these two types? "Task" and "Assignment"? "Task definition" and "Task"? I can't think of a good matching name for that :)


texts: Feeling of being subjected to unfair treatment

texts:
I'm looking for a word, but I cannot for the life of me find it. All I can remember is the definition: the feeling of being subjected to unfair treatment (but you aren't actually, it just feels that way)

I remember watching a video on Youtube of a vet taking care of a wild animal, and the animal was very vocal and wiggling about, and the vet commented using the word that I'm trying to find; saying that it was probably feeling like "this is unfair! let me go!" even though he was just trying to help.

I'm sorry if this is confusing, but it's all I can't think about lately, so if anyone could help, thank you in advance. Even a list of possible words might be helpful as well, if that's not too much work. I will surely never forget this word after this.


texts:
I see these phrases sometimes:
"blinds us from"
and
"blinds us to".
Which form is correct? The whole sentence would be something like "blinds us from the truth".


texts: "He was the first person" vs. "he is the first person"

texts:
What is the correct tense to be used when talking about firsts?

He was the first person to reach the South Pole.
He is the first person to reach the South Pole.

The first one seems right, but then at present, he remains the first person to reach the South Pole, so isn't the present tense justified?


texts: Is there any single word which can substitute "weekly twice" or "twice in a week"?


texts: Is there a word to describe someone who's not good at talking?

texts:
It's someone who may appear quiet and reserved, or even arrogant but actually just doesn't know what to say or what to talk about. They're not necessarily shy and not dumb.

I tried words such as 'reticent' and 'taciturn' , but those are more like "not wanting to talk" than "can't think of what to talk about".
'Inarticulate' is not it either, it sounds like something is physically wrong with them.
'Ineloquent' is more of not being clever with words, not able to persuade others with words, which is not what I'm looking for.

I don't know if there's even a word for this. Anyway, I just want a way to describe this trait using as fewer words as possible.

Thanks


texts: How do I say 'I don't want' without phrasing it in terms of wanting?

texts:
It seems rather odd that there is a verb for wanting something, but not for the opposite, as it means we always have to phrase things in terms of wanting.

For instance there's an opposite of having with lacking, finding with losing and creating with destroying, but why not with wanting?

When I say "I don't want to go there" I may want it to be understood that either I have no desire to go there but also don't have a desire to not go there; it's not something I'm too bothered about or that I desire to not go there, but it's ambiguous. You can obviously tell in the context, but it'd be useful to have a verb that doesn't rely on context and I can't think of one.

I've considered eschew and refuse, but they're not suitable.

Can anyone tell me?

EDIT: Just to clarify, I'm looking for a word that only means the exact opposite of wanting. I'm not looking for a word that means both indifferent and to not want. I want a word that specifically means to not want something, but stronger than just saying

  I don't want

As this is ambiguous as it also refers to a state of indifference.


texts: Is there a verb for "telling the truth"?

texts:
Why is there no set word that means "to tell the truth"? We have a word for telling something that is not truthful, a.k.a. to lie, but why is there no conjugatable term for telling the truth?
In Latin, the word for truth is veritas. In English, we have words like verify, which means to validate the truth of something.
So why not have a word that means to tell the truth instead of saying "tell the truth"?

I'm telling the truth.
I'm X-ing.


texts: Is this correct English or is it slang from a particular region?

texts: Is it correct to ask "Are you in area?" when you are asking if someone is from that city or township?


texts: I have a question regarding the proper usage of I and me

texts: Is it "No one will notice but you and me"  or "no one will notice but you and I" ?


texts: I won't be able to make the meeting vs I won't be able to make it to the meeting

texts: Do these sentences mean the same thing? What does "it" refer to when they say "make it"?


texts:
I was listening to a New Yorker podcast and came across the phrase "jakery", referring to the White House Correspondant's dinner. What does this mean?

A cursory scan of online dictionaries did not provide me with an answer, though the context seemed to imply "joking". The Urban Dictionary indicates that "Jakers" is a euphemism for Jesus, so that does not help much. There is an Irish cartoon named "Jaker! The Adventures of Piggley Winks" which may back up the Urban Dictionary's explanation, but seems a bit blasphemous for children's TV.

Edit: full text (found on the site):
Three nights later, at the White House Correspondents’ dinner, he deflated Trump with stinging bonhomie. The truly astounding aspect of the dinner was not the political japery but Obama’s knowledge that, as soon as the weather in northern Pakistan cleared, his own black helicopters would ferry a crew of Navy SEALs to bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad.

Long and Short, Martha got it in one. It's still a new word to me, but at least now I understand it.

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2011/05/16/110516taco_talk_remnick#ixzz1Lz72WE7Q


texts: How would I change the following sentence to active form?

texts:
I've been told that it's always better to turn sentences to active form (at least in fiction writing).

How can I turn the following sentence to active form?

  Sophia was woken up by the rattling sound of her washing machine.

or

  Sophia was awakened by the rattling sound of her washing machine.

(I think "Sophia woke up by..." is not very idiomatic).


texts: Is the use of the word "compelled" correct in this context?

texts: Does "Is it compelled with a good story/plot?" work well with the chosen word (compelled)? Or am I misusing it (If so, what's a better alternative)?


texts: How is the word 'gullet' understood by non-medical English speakers?

texts: I've found that there are several dialect words that mean both  'windpipe' and 'gullet'.  This is true of Wright's (old, but monumental) dialect dictionary (http://eddonline-proj.uibk.ac.at/edd/) (see e.g. 'kecker'). It also holds in a monograph on body parts in the later German dialects (some of which transfer into English.  Can someone help me pin down the accepted lay terms and understandings of the region around the epiglottis, trachea and oesophagus?


texts: Is there a word for expressing a week was full of news?

texts:
I'm looking for a word to specify that during a week someone has received quite a lot of news. Some were bad news and some were good news. And "newsful" doesn't seem to be a word.

The best I've found was "an eventful week".

But the Google definition for eventful is "marked by interesting or exciting events". However, a lot of the news received weren't exciting at all.


texts: Does the nth century contain the (100n)th year?

texts:
I am given to understand that 2016 AD is a part of the 21st Century.

Is it the case that 2100 AD is a part of the 21st century too? Or is it a part of the 22nd century?


texts:
Proof reading an essay of mine, and have come across a sentence that, now I read it, doesn't seem to sound right to me, yet my friend disagrees and thinks it is correct.

'For surely, it must be...'

Is 'For, surely' incorrect in itself, and should just simply be 'Surely,' or is it the grammar that I have completely wrong?


texts: How do you answer tag questions with ", right?"?

texts:
When you asked "You don't love me, right?":
Which word is used to answer, "Right." or "Yes."?

If the answer is "Right":

--> Does "Right" mean "What you said is right, i.e., I don't love you.", doesn't it?

If the answer is "Yes":

--> Which does "Yes" mean, "Yes, what you said is right." or "Yes, I love you."?


texts:
In my academics I learned that we use infinitives (to + verb 1st form). So I was surprised when someone told me this sentence is incorrect. I am not able to figure it out why this sentence is incorrect.

  When the shootout took place the police made everyone to leave the
  building immediately.

According to him, to won’t appear in this sentence. But according to my understanding, infinitives always contain to. Please clarify my doubt.


texts: Must (Past Obligation Interrogative) "Must you have eaten all the food?"

texts:
Is the question "Must you have eaten all the food" correct when used in the past obligatory sense?

The best examples I can find are quite ambiguous.

"Must He have been less than perfectly kind to one of His creatures? I do not think it can reasonably be argued that in such a case God must have wronged one of His creatures."
-Kopelman, L.M. and Moskop, J.C.; Ethics and Mental Retardation, 1984 [pg. 130]

If you change the question to read as follows it seems to share a similar intent:

"Did He have to be less than perfectly kind to one of His creatures? I do not think it can reasonably be argued that in such a case God must have wronged one of His creatures."

I am looking for solid references or consensus as to why "much" can't be used in the past deontic sense.


texts: Can "No thanks" be used in place of "No need to say thanks"?

texts:
A colleague did some work for me (which was his job anyway) and when I said thanks, he said "no thanks".
I was puzzled, and asked why he said that. He told me that an American once told him that saying "no thanks" is the same as saying "no need to say thanks", for situations where a person is thanked for doing his job.

Sounds like nonsense to me, but I thought I'd ask it here just to confirm.


texts:
1- The choice of the setting comes as a result of the researcher being a permeant teacher at the school.

2-   The choice of the setting comes as a result of the researcher who is a permeant teacher at the school.

The idea is like sentence one : the teacher works at that school so the research setting choice .


texts: Allegedly vs. apparently - Differences in connotation?

texts:
I am a non-native speaker trying to find the right expression for my sentence. There is a study that reports a 55% decline in the number of trades, however, I cannot  examine the data or the study itself. I would like to express that I only quote the number without any kind of double-check by myself. To express this, 'apparently' and 'allegedly' come into my mind. My sentence with these two options:

Apparently:
"In fact, the number of trades apparently declined by about 55 % after its introduction (citation)."

Allegedly:
"In fact, the number of trades allegedly declined by about 55 % after its introduction (citation)."

At first, I was going for 'allegedly', but then I felt that allegedly somehow transports that I do not believe that this information is true or that I have at least serious doubts. I do not doubt this fact but I also do not have any evidence that it is true.

To be more precise, what I want to say is that there is a study that reports a 55% decline, but I do not have much information of the study and only quote the number. I would like to express that I did not examine the study but simply reproduce what others have stated.

Further clarification as to why I wish to add something beyond the citation: Usually, a citation alone should be enough. However, in this case, the citation refers to a report that cites this number as the result of a study by the authors without specifying data or details of the study (something like "We compared A with B and found a 55% decline"). The citation alone might suggest that I have examined this study, which is not the case.


texts:
Is it correct ?
I don't currently have neither an irish residence nor an irish bank account yet

or I could say : I don't have an irish residence and  an irish bank account yet


texts: Is "make it to the X" time-sensitive? Also, is "make the X" a synonym for that?

texts:
If somebody arrives at X and says "I made it!", does it mean they are happy they have arrived at X in time or because they arrived there at all? Is there an inherent time-sensitivity in these words?

And also, I've bumped into a sentence that went like "we have to push it to make the X before Y". Is it gramatically correct and of the same meaning? Sounds like some older, unused form or a plain mistake to me, but I wanted to make sure.


texts:
I am having a hard time deciphering the phrase, which I came across in a local magazine. Does it mean the person

started out as a singer and switched careers one by one to finally become a politician? (mostly think this is correct)
started as a politician but is now a singer? (not in favor of this option)
juggles all 4 roles, simultaneously?(politician for a few months, actor for a few months..see below example for my dilemma)

I searched online(Image Search) for "singer turned actor" and one of the prominent results was that of Justin Timberlake. As far as I understand, he was a singer first, ventured into acting later, but he does both singing and acting at present, doesn't he? Or am I getting confused with a rather simple usage?

Also I would like to know what these type of phrases (A-turned-B-turned-C) are known in English(if there exists an established term).


texts: Since user starts with a vowel shouldn't we use "an" ? I've seen many cases of using "a" .


texts: What does "Have fun with 'em homies" mean?

texts:
I come across these sorts of sentences frequently. I'd like to give more examples to be more precise.

  Kill 'em homies.

  Look at 'em idiots.

What do they really mean?  I mean why add them in front of a plural noun? And is this an informal way of speaking?


texts:
I thought this was a common phrase, but Google returns very few results: mind my belief, mind his belief, mind her belief.

Example sentence:

  For my part I didn't mind my mother's belief. In fact, I was glad she had
  found it.

Why is this? Is there a more common version?


texts: Is there an English word for "awaiting approval"?

texts:
I'm developing a web application. Some of the entities on that application require to be "approved" before they are considered "valid" by the system. I need to name the state in which they are "awaiting approval".

Is there a shorter construction to convey the same meaning as "awaiting approval"?


texts: A series of 4 elements, which can be considered as 2 series of 2 elements

texts:
Below is a sentence from the manual about naming files that I'm working on.

Avoid including words that are clear from the parent path (2011), the file type (presentation), are obvious for some other reason, or not very important (my).

Not recommended:
my_presentations/
  2011/
    presentation_for_xyz_conference_2011.ppt

Recommended:
presentations/
  2011/
    xyz_conference.ppt

It seems to me that as "are obvious for some other reason" is not really a third item in "clear from..." sequence:

there should be "or" between "parent path" and "the file type"
there probably should be another "or before "are"

Avoid including words that are clear from the parent path or the file type, are obvious for some other reason or not very important.

Avoid including words that are clear from the parent path or the file type, or are obvious for some other reason or not very important.

Or maybe I'm simply overthink it?


texts: "since 2009" is it inclusive or exclusive?

texts:
Assume the following situation: Person A meets person B in the winter of 2009. Then he/she meets the same person in 2010 and 2011.

which sentence is true?

Since winter 2009 person A has met person B 3 times.

or

Since winter 2009 person A has met person B 2 times.

So, the main question is, if since includes the meeting in winter 2009 or not?


texts:
I am writing an email to someone to have a meeting over skype in the future. Which of the two sentences are correct?

Would you mind if the conversation was conducted over skype, as the reception is clearer?

vs

Would you mind if the conversation is conducted over skype, as the reception is clearer?

Regards


texts: Passive voice, agency, and survey format

texts:
I'm designing an opinion survey and one of the factors I am thinking of manipulating is the way the question is phrased. Specifically, I'm thinking of contrasting the following two item phrasings:

1) I think people with mental illnesses are frightening.

2) People with mental illnesses are frightening.

In both cases, the survey response options would be on a five-point scale ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. I think these wordings will impact responses, because in the first item you're asking someone their subjective opinion, but in the second item you're asking them to evaluate a statement presented as objective fact.

However, I'm having a hard time finding literature on this topic and I think part of the problem is that I'm not sure of the technical term for the linguistic element I'm manipulating.

Is this an example of active (sentence 1) vs passive (sentence 2) language? Or is this an issue of agentive (sentence 1) vs non-agentive (sentence 2) language?

Am I conflating multiple issues here (e.g., voice, case, agency, etc)?

I've pulled a lot of literature on active vs passive voice, and some on transitivity and agency, but most of the examples I've found are not in the first person, so I think that's also confusing me.

I would greatly appreciate guidance on how to describe the phenomena I'm trying to study, and any references that may be of use.


texts: In the sentence, “The dog gave me, who feeds him, a lick”, feeds does not agree with the person of the antecedent to who.  I know that a verb used with a relative pronoun has the same number and person as the noun or pronoun to which the relative refers.  Me is first person, yet it sounds incorrect to write, “The dog gave me, who feed him [I feed him], a lick”.  What is my problem?


texts: Is there an alternative to the word "coincidence" to describe when two say the same word spontaneously?

texts: Is there a word to describe a scenario where two people having a conversation utter the same word/phrase together, simultaneously, and unconsciously? Something else than just a coincidence.


texts:
Is there a good version of the word jobsworth?

Someone who is hardworking, dedicated, good team worker but not a complete tool about it?

Edit.

By way of background, for Americans who may not have encountered this word, the OED defines jobsworth as: a person in authority (esp.a minor official) who insists on adhering to rules and regulations or bureaucratic procedures even at the expense of common sense.

It derives from the expression It's more than my job's worth to let you do that. The TV programme That's Life hosted by Esther Rantzen in the 1970s, used to award a jewel-encrusted peak cap to the official who had attempted to enforce the most stupid rule - called the jobsworth of the week award.


texts: Is it correct to say "If I am getting late, I will let you know"? The Conditional rules don't say anything about continuous tense. In addition, what would be a better way of conveying the same message?


texts:
Is there any one word for "short/small trip/tour"?
Or relatively similar word?


texts: What is the name of part of onion we peel?

texts:
We call the state you can’t stop tearing “玉ねぎの皮をむくように―tamanegino kawa wo muku youni – like peeling the ‘skins’ of onion" in Japanese.
In actuality, we don’t shed (or drop) tears when we peel off the outer skin of onion. We shed (or drop) tears when we peel the inner layers of onion.

This might look a very primitive question to Anglophones. But none of Japanese English dictionary at hand carries English counterpart to ‘the inner layer’ of onion. It can't be flesh, pulp, capsule, or leaf. No English text books available in this country makes a specific mention to the inner part (layers) of onion.

What is the exact word for the thing (part) of onion we peel off in colloquial English, and if possible with botanical nomencclature?


texts: Distinction between "pillage" and "plunder"

texts:
Both pillage and plunder refer to the taking of goods by force. What is the distinction in how the two words are used?

Specifically, (due to a recent argument) do pirates only plunder, or can they pillage as well?


texts: Etymology and pronunciation of arch-, archi-

texts:
The prefix arch-, archi- “chief, principal; extreme, ultra; early, primitive,” derives from Latinized Greek arkh-, arkhi-, the combining form of arkhos “chief.” Usually, arch- is pronounced like “arch” (ɑrtʃ), and archi- sounds like “ark” (ɑrkɪ), although archangel (ɑrkeɪndʒəl) is a notable exception.

Is there an etymological or other reason for pronouncing the two prefixes differently? Did they perhaps enter English at different times? Likewise, is there any pattern to which nouns use arch- (e.g., archenemy, archfiend) versus archi- (archiepiscopal, architect)? Why is archangel an exception to the pronunciation rule?


texts:
I'm struggling to decide whether to jettison use of the word fact, because the definition appears to be not solid enough to support continued usage. What do I mean by that? Look at one "meaning ladder" (taken from Random House via TFD Online) among several on the same page:

fact

something that actually exists: Your fears have no basis in fact.
something known to exist or to have happened.
a truth known by actual experience or observation; something known to be true.
something said to be true or supposed to have happened.
an actual or alleged event or circumstance, as distinguished from its legal effect or consequence.

This definition marches us from something that exists to something that is merely supposed to be true to something that may be "actual or alleged." (And yes, I am aware that dictionaries don't dictate the meanings of words; they record meanings from usages. And the meanings of this word as it is used and recorded in English seem to be antagonistic toward each other.)
What are we to do with all this? Does a fact require the modifier true to be judged genuine? When we preface a statement with "in fact" don't we mean What follows is the truth? The aforementioned dictionary certainly thinks so:

in fact, in truth; really; indeed: They are, in fact, great patriots.

Here fact and truth are equated absolutely. So I'm wondering: how do we distinguish between what is a fact in the sense of absolute truth and what is a fact of a lesser order? Other words can have many shades of meaning, but this one seems somehow like it shouldn't. So if I hear the word fact without hearing true before it, does it even deserve the term?
A cautionary note
I'm not really looking for a discussion of truth in the philosophical sense. The scope of this question is limited to the meaning of a word in English, not the meaning of an absolute concept as rational beings can or should understand it. What I'm really after, as I mentioned in a comment, is whether the adulteration of this particular word renders it, ultimately, meaningless, and therefore something to be avoided.
In conclusion, I offer this quote from Howard K. Zinn, from his Afterword to A People's History of the United States:

But there is no such thing as a pure fact, innocent of interpretation. Behind
every fact presented to the world—by a teacher, a writer, anyone—is a
judgment. The judgment that has been made is that this fact is important, and
that other facts, omitted, are not important


texts: Do I need a determining pronoun if it can be implied?

texts:
It’s the hour at which they usually go out for their daily walk

or

  It’s the hour they usually go out for their daily walk


texts: Full English as in full English breakfast.


texts:
[man] makes himself the instrument of somebody or something outside of
  himself; he need not solve the problem of living by productive
  activity.

Bold part means “a man doesn't need to solve any problems”, not “a man have no problems to solve”? Is it common phrase?


texts:
can someone help me with the following sentences?

  Pass on this message to your friends.

  Propagate this message to your friends.

Does the 2nd one even correct?

"Propagate this message" sounds kind of very weird to me.

Thanks in advance.


texts: what is the term when the kingdom ruler changes through an assassination

texts:
In the ancient times ,there was periods they changes the ruler of a kingdom or empire by assassination him .
what do we call that? changing the king in a quick time through assassination? do we call it a coup ? overthrown ?
Then, what is the term when the army take a step and take the command of the empire or kingdom and throw the king in jail.


texts:
What's the difference between them?

I am interested in a generic definition, but here is the sentence I was writing:

  "The file is located at/in the images folder."


texts:
To say that something can only be interacted with [with] something else, say a mouse, is this correct? I seem to trip over the fact that the verb is like "interacted with" and not just "interacted".

"It can only be interacted with with the mouse."

"It can only be interacted with the mouse."

They both seem wrong, but I guess the first one seems less wrong.


texts: How did "squarely" come to mean "in a straight or straightforward manner"?

texts:
Squarely is the adv. of Square. Its meaning is in a square shape, form, which means the shape has 90 degree.

However, it has other meanings: directly; without evasion; in a straight or straightforward manner

So it is extremely weird:
How does it come form "square shape with 90 degree" to "directly"?


texts: A simpler version of "the likes thereof"

texts:
What's a simpler version of "the likes thereof"? (Meaning: things that are similar to it.)

e.g. in the following sentence:

  I find SomePopularBook and the likes thereof interesting.


texts: Collective term for nontechnical staff at a company?

texts:
I am looking for a term which would refer to all of the nontechnical staff at a technical company.
For example, if it is a software firm, the term would refer to, say, all HR, education, travel and relocation, wellness and finance staff.

Example

Without the great [nontechnical staff] at our company, our programmers wouldn’t have been able to achieve what they did.

Words I considered
I could use the term “nontechnical staff” but I do not like the fact that it denotes what they aren’t instead of what they are.
I also thought about “support staff”. According to Cambridge Dictionary, support staff are

the people who work for an organization to keep it running and to support the people who are involved in the organization’s main business.

However, the problem with this term is that, at a technical company, when someone hears the term “support staff”, the first thing that comes to mind is IT or technical support staff.


texts: Is there a reason to use "mono" over "uni"?

texts:
I'm just interested in knowing if there is any non-arbitrary basis for using prefixes "mono" or "uni" when words are initially being coined. As far as I can tell, they mean the same thing as a prefix. For example, why use "monochrome" instead of "unichrome"?

In a similar vein, what about other words, with prefixes like "bi", "di" or "duo"?

To be more specific, I suppose I wondered if there was any inherit connection between the prefix and its root word; like maybe if the root word is from Latin, the Latin prefix should be used, or something.


texts:
While editing a writing sample of mine, my boyfriend made the following correction:

When we are more active online, our being solely distributed in the Greater Detroit area will be inconsequential.
When we are more active online, the fact that we are solely distributed in the Greater Detroit area will be inconsequential.

I've always been taught to avoid the "the fact that" construction. Is "our being" grammatically incorrect here?


texts: What is a creative synonym for "flexible"?

texts: I'm trying to find new ways to describe a technology that can work in many different contexts without using the words "flexible," "agile," or "resilient." I've found that most synonyms easily found on online dictionaries don't quite fit or sound like jargon. Any insight would be much appreciated!


texts: What could be one word for time off for family/personal work?

texts:
What could be a word/one word and slang for a time-off period, that someone took for his personal/family work?
i.e. I took time-off from office to do some personal work, household chores.
The word should convey the meaning that I took the off from office, but I could not relax during the time off, rather I was very busy.
Something like "work + vacation = worcation", I know it's not a word :D


texts: Does the quirky spelling in English actually make it easier to read?

texts:
I just finished reading the question asked by Bobnix, in which RegDwight referred to another question with an interesting answer by Kosmonaut. Kosmonaut refers to the great number of pictograms (Kanji or Hanzi) available in Japanese and Chinese, and mentions that the task of memorizing our weirdo spellings pales in comparison to learning vocabulary in one of those languages.

That got me to thinking. When I first started studying Japanese, I first learned the two written versions of the syllabary, hiragana and katakana. And when faced with the formidable task of memorizing thousands of characters and their various readings, I wondered why, given the phonetic language, Japanese still stuck with all those originally Chinese characters. Were they just masochists?

But I dug in, and as I learned more and more kanji a strange thing happened. I realized it was actually easier to read the language with the kanji than without them, because so many Japanese words sound alike (or at least their parts do) and to render them in hiragana would force me to slow down and try to figure out which ほう (hou) they meant:
保, 俸, 倣, 剖, 報, 方, 法 or any of the others. Learning the more complicated writing method actually let me read faster, and to understand words almost pre-apprehensively. By that I mean something a little like looking at the hands of an analog clock and understanding the time without relating it to a numerical equivalent.

Now for English. We have sound-alike words like to, two, and too (or even tu, if you count Shakespeare's imagining of Julius Caesar's dying line). If we went to a strict phonetic spelling system, all those would be spelled the same. I think there are cases where such a thing would actually slow us down. And it may be that the more difficult and idiosyncratic the spelling is, the more likely we are (as Kosmonaut said) to remember it. Further, having remembered it may mean we are more likely to recognize it more easily. Or something like that.

This is just a supposition on my part. It has plausibility and feels right to me, but that doesn't mean it is right. I'd be interested if anyone knows of any information or research done on either side of this argument.


texts: Why is it correct to say "email me", whereas with the word mail we say/write "mail to me"?


texts: What's the shape of the upper half of a sphere called?

texts:
The shape of a cap, a igloo, and that sort of things. What's that shape called?

Is there a common way to refer to it?


texts: I was reading this documentation file of some software and note the plural spelling of this abbreviation is “URL’s”. Why isn’t it “URLs”?


texts: What is the opposite word of “spoiled”? As in “spoiled child”

texts:
For example, I want to describe the “opposite of spoiled’ child who’s been beaten by their parents, never gets allowance or rewards or gifts even for hard work.

A few words that come to mind but don’t really fit perfectly:
forlorn, deficient, inadequate, pitiable, paltry.

A sentence where this word would be used:

  Person A: "You're a spoiled child with a nice house and relatively middle class."
  Person B: "I might have many physical gifts, but I'm not spoiled emotionally. In fact, I'm a [insert word/neglected/doormat/scorned/ignored] child when it comes to love. My parents tell me I'm worthless, everything is my fault, I'm bad at everything I do, and that they wish they were dead because of me."
  Person A: "Oh, I see... sorry for the judgment."


texts: A word for the act of locally improving the situation in a stagnant environment

texts:
I'm trying to find a word to describe, given a stagnant (i.e. not improving) environment, the phenomenon of improving the local situation as much as possible, possibly even up to a fixed upper limit which is due to the environment.

Just for information, my use case: I measure the percentage of the actual improvement compared to the maximum improvement possible. Further improvement becomes more and more difficult as we get closer to the limit. So while a high value may seem better at first, it indicates a severe long term problem.

This question arose from working on an scientific article about P2P/Bittorrent networks, in particular the percentage of blocks available to all (non-seeding) peers in a network, often with availability < 100%.


texts: A word for a dumb person who pretends to be smart?

texts: Any word to describe someone who pretends to be sophisticated, smart and know-all but in reality is just so stupid to realize his/her stupidity because he/she always surrounded by likewise stupid people?


texts: Present perfect or simple past with "for the last twenty minutes"?

texts:
My teacher  give me a question

  You know she (stand)______ looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.

and my job is complete this sentence with any verb tense provided it makes sense.

My teacher said it must be present perfect:

  You know she has stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.

But I think the simple past is correct:

  You know she stood looking at that picture for the last twenty minutes.

It seems to me "for the last twenty minutes" is a completed time period, it can't include the present moment. So we can't use the present perfect.

Can you explain to me which is correct?


texts: English equivalent of the French custom "l'apéro"

texts: In France, when gathered with friends, it is customary to drink beers or other light alcohol around 7pm, and this time is called apéritif (or apéro). Does this custom have an English (UK and/or US) equivalent? How would you say "on se verra à l'apéro"?


texts: What are the things after prepositions called formally?

texts:
I eat rice from a bowl with a spoon.

I is the subject. Rice is the object. What are things like bowl and spoon called?


texts:
I'm developing some GUI software and I want to mean that this widget bounds/edges are attached to some boundary structure, something like:

bounds = { .left = 0, .top = 0, .right: 320, .bottom: 240 };
widget.set_bounds(bounds);

I want to avoid the set word. I have thought of widget.bind but I'm almost sure it doesn't mean the same.

Is there a verb that means what I want?

Thanks in advance.

EDIT

While looking at a dictionary, I've seen that bound can actually be used as a verb, although I haven't seen it being used like that.

widget.bound(bounds)

Would this be readable enough or even correct?


texts:
How would you succinctly describe someone whose parents and ancestors were artists ?

I thought about: "He has artist lineage."

Or: "He comes from an artist family."


texts: Name of the construction "Big X" as in "Big Finance" or "Big Oil"

texts:
Is there a name for this sort of construction in English? It's an extremely difficult thing to Google.

Specifically, I would like to be able to draw a distinction between "Big Data" as used in the sentence

  "Preventing leaks of personal information has become a top priority for Big Data."

(where it means something along the lines of "the most prominent businesses which primarily deal with the acquisition, storage, and usage of data as a commodity, analogous to "Big Oil" for the biggest companies in the oil industry)

...and "Big Data" in the sentence

  "Software used for Big Data analysis typically uses a map-reduce pipeline."

The latter is an industry-specific term, which typically conjures images of Hadoop distributed file systems and clusters of commodity hardware. "Big Data" in this sense specifically refers to the volume and variety of the information itself, and not the companies which handle it.

I have no idea how to even tag this question, so any help is appreciated.


texts:
How do I write the following:
The dot above the letter I is to indicate a falafel, a common Middle Eastern food.

do I write "letter i" or "letter I"


texts: Present perfect and Past tense in a specific place

texts:
Have you seen/Did you see my shoes in here

Do I have to say Did you see because it happened in a specific place?


texts: Does "stalemate" collocate with "cause" and "issue"?

texts:
Does the following sentence sound right, as far as style is concerned?

"His behaviour will cause a stalemate in this issue"

Please don`t hesitate and suggest any better-sounding collocations, if you know any.


texts: Difference between "difficult" and "hard"

texts:
According to Dictionary.com
Difficult

difficult
[dif-i-kuhlt, -kuh lt]
adjective

not easily or readily done; requiring much labor, skill, or planning to be performed successfully; hard

a difficult job.

hard to understand or solve

a difficult problem.
3.hard to deal with or get on with
a difficult pupil.

Hard

hard[hahrd]
adjective, harder, hardest.
1.not soft; solid and firm to the touch; unyielding to pressure and impenetrable or almost impenetrable.
2.firmly formed; tight
a hard knot.
3.difficult to do or accomplish; fatiguing; troublesome
a hard task.
etc. (many more)

In what situations is there a preference over the other? What are the rules for that?


texts: Is there a specific term I could use in a floor plan for the doorway leading from one room to another? For example: a person is in the living room and looks through the "doorway" that leads into the kitchen. Obviously there is no door, but is this opening still referred to as a doorway?


texts: Is it okay to say "How much is that part?"

texts:
So I was asking for the price of a car part, and I immediately spoke "How much is that part?". The person I was talking to understood my question, but since it's not my first language I would like to ask if it's correct.

Thank you


texts: Meaning of the word "brook" in Rise Against song "Lanterns"

texts:
The song lyrics are here, with the following:

The black brook calls
It sings a chorus
While the gathering swells
The flames grow tall
Right before us
As drums keep pounding
And the masses now are fusing
Bodies pressed and tangled
As we revel in confusion
Our inhibitions thrown into the fire

Wiktionary lists the following meaning for the noun:

a body of running water smaller than a river; a small stream.
a water meadow.
low, marshy ground.

Does this word really mean the soil, ground in this context?


texts:
Among the definitions on Wiktionary for turnpike are:

  A frame consisting of two bars crossing each other at right angles and turning on a post or pin, to hinder the passage of animals, but admitting a person to pass between the arms; a turnstile.

and

  A gate or bar set across a road to stop carriages, animals, and sometimes people, until a toll is paid; a tollgate.

Is one of these the origin of the word? Did turnpike refer to more of a turnstile device or a single-bar traffic gate, or something else?


texts:
Bit is a portmanteau of binary digit.

A byte is 8 bits.

A nibble is 4 bits (half a byte).

Is there a word for a pair of bytes?


texts: What is the origin of the expression "the clothes they stood up in"?

texts: I am specifically interested in the date it was first used.


texts: Is there such a thing as a reverse dictionary?

texts: Is there any tool online that generally permits me to enter a phrase or idea and get back a word that means something similar? For example, if I were looking for a better word or phrase for arguing winsomely but forcefully in favor of something, where might I go to find such a definition?


texts: Punctuating when quoted fragment stands alone as complete sentence

texts: What is the proper punctuation for quoting a fragment of a sentence when the omitted material is from both the beginning and the ending of the original sentence, yet the quoted fragment is still a complete sentence on its own?


texts: how to use reporting verbs with 'that' clauses

texts:
_____describe       _____discuss        _____assert _____contend
_____state          _____present        _____note   _____allege
_____explain        _____maintain       _____claim  _____imply
_____examine        _____affirm         _____argue  _____reveal
_____presume        _____assume

I am teaching students how to write a summary using reporting verbs.Here are a few reporting verbs I am trying to teach. Yesterday I was reviewing various functions of 'that' clauses. A student asked me
Q:Which of the verbs above take a that clause? Which never take a that clause?

I don't want to give the student the wrong answer, so any input from the experts?


texts:
I dont understand this expression 'Frankly, so far, so dull' in this paragraph:

'When his father died, he slaughtered his brothers to capture the throne. He then invaded the neighbouring state of Kalinga, killing 100,000 men,
women and children. Frankly , so far, so dull. History is littered  with corpses on battlefields' (it is about the man named Ashoka)

(from 'History of the world Episode 3 - The word and the sword' by Andrew Marrs)


texts: Should I use "support of" or "support to" in this sentence?

texts: "Heavy construction will furnish direct support [to/of] the company's real estate operations." Would "to" or "of" be proper?


texts: Why was the letter "n" in "nor" written in lowercase?

texts:
Could anyone tell me why the letter "n" in "nor" is in lowercase?

  Neither Out Far nor In Deep

The above is a title of a poem by Robert Frost.


texts: The meaning of word "FOR" at the beginning of sentence

texts:
I met some odd usage of preposition "for". I guess it's old style, or high style. I give examples for better understanding:

About this time legend among the Hobbits first becomes history with a reckoning of years. For it was in the one thousand six hundred and first year of the Third Age that the Fallohide brothers Marcho and Blanco, set out from Bree.

J.R.R. Tolkien

But the Hobbits may have learned it direct from the Elves, the teachers of Men in their youth. For the Elves of the High Kindred had not yet forsaken Middle-earth...

J.R.R. Tolkien

In the study of logic, we do not so much look at these kinds of reasoning: instead, logic concerns itself with reasons for believing something instead of something else. For beliefs are special.

Routledge. Logic. An Introduction.
It would be great, if someone explain me how  to understand the authors in these cases. Thank you.


texts: What is the name of the chemical Sulfur or Sulphur?


texts:
How would you say this in another way:

'I'm rooting for France tonight.'
'Oh yeah? I'm with Belgium.'

Other than supporting, of course.


texts:
I am building a paid online tool where you can subscribe for one month without auto-renewal. If you want to use a tool again, you pay one more time.

Is such payment still called subscription, or is there a more precise word to call the payment and the according section in the menu?


texts: What does “blow out elements that are lighter” mean in the following context?

texts:
Our nearby star’s pressure and heat tends to melt ice that is close by
  and to blow out elements that are lighter


texts:
If I have 10 items in my bag and my friend has 12, which of the following do I say?

I have two fewer items than they do.

or

I have two items fewer than they do.

In this page from CMOS, they say:

There are two fewer food groups in the new pyramid.

Does the order matter?  Do different style guides encourage the use of different orders?

Note: this is not a question about "fewer" versus "less."


texts: Category type for Observation/Forecast/Diagnostic/Analysis

texts:
I'm trying to build an application that searches archived weather data.  I need a category term for which the values can be any of the following:

Observation
Forecast
Analysis
Diagnostic

The best we've come up with is analysisType.


texts: As far as I know, the five actors to have played the role of Batman in films are Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Christian Bale. Is it grammatical to call them "the batmen"?


texts:
In present perfect tense, Does 'hot news' in present past tense contains 'recent past'?
Let't take this sentence for example. "Malcolm X has just been assassinated."
Does the sentence mean hot news and recent past? Or It depends on the phrase?
I want to know that hot news contains recent past(so we can simultaneously call 'hot news' and 'recent past'?)


texts:
there is an article about hiring. http://www.haaretz.com/misc/iphone-article/.premium-1.637980

one of the headers is 'Insider hiring'. what does it exactly mean? hiring someone you know? does it have negative connotations?


texts: Singular or plural verb form where subject includes a "parenthetical" element

texts:
My question arises from this one, where OP asks whether he should use the singular or plural verb form after "the title, as well as the tone,"

As luck would have it, when I searched Google Books for exactly that text, I found...

  The title as well as the tone of this volume errs, perhaps, in being unduly modest.

...and...

  The title, as well as the tone, of the novel derive from Lady Molly Jeavon's household

At the risk of having this question closed as just peeving, I feel that the first one should have been plural "err", because without the commas it seems to me both "the title" and "the tone" have more or less equal status as "joint" subjects of the verb, making it plural.

On the other hand, I feel the commas in the second example effectively demote "the tone" to "parenthetical" status (the clause is almost incidental). Since this encourages us think of "the title" as the primary subject, it should have been singular "derives".

I'm no great fan of "grammatical rules", but it seems weird to me that the only two relevant examples for this specific wording should both (in opposite ways!) contradict my inclinations.

What's going on?


texts:
Sometimes we read books rather quickly and don't give them much (or any) thought, so the action 'reading' does not necessarily imply that we have given enough thoughts to any book we read.

Is there a word that describes reading a book with great care; usually but necessarily slowly over a long period of time.