texts: What does "no break-in required" mean exactly?

texts:
A comment to this answer on Firearms SE goes like this:

  Police quality handguns usually are sold as "no break in required" by the manufacturer.

I tried to Google the "no break-in required" phrasing and looks like it is used in marketing a lot - anything like "immediate comfort with no break-in required".

So looks like it means something like "ready for use right after being taken out of the box" but I'm not sure.

What exactly does that mean?


texts: What does "shrinking beneath someone's feet" mean?

texts: I just watched Batman Rises on HBO, and I didn't get it when Bruce Wayne spoke about the Cat Woman. He said, "But the ground's shrinking beneath her feet". It seems like it may mean "no one can approach her", but I am not sure.


texts: An alternative to "Exceed" when falling below a lower limit

texts:
I am trying to describe conditions falling below a lower limit. In this case there is a minimum temperature limit, and the actual temperature has fallen below this limit. I am drawn to use the work exceed, but I feel this implies the value is greater than the limit.

For Example, what is an alternative to exceeds in this sentence:

"The temperature exceeds the minimum temperature."


texts: What does it mean? 'pulling it low over her face'

texts:
"She walked out the kitchen into the living room and picked up one of Michael’s baseball caps that he’d left on the sofa, before pulling it low over her face."

Can you give a description of an action that is expressed with 'pulling it low over her face"?


texts: Why using gerunds and infinitives as a noun when the verb has its own noun?

texts:
to forgive is a great value
Forgiveness is a great value
Forgiving is a great value

Does meaning change ? And why ?
Grateful to your help


texts: What do you call people who think the war is over after one battle is won?

texts:
People who think that everything is fine even when it's not yet.

Example:

  Most white people don't pay much attention to the 'Black Lives Matter' movement because they think that "we fought that fight already, everything is fine now". But, clearly, they are blind, as black people still feel the war is not over.

(I know this is a hotly contested example  but it's the clearest one I could think of.)

The word I'm looking for is similar to hypocritical.


texts: neither i owe you any money nor you owe me any money

texts:
What is the better way to say

  now neither I owe you any money nor you owe me any money

Does the following sentence indicates the same?

  Our accounts are clear now

Is there a better way of saying it?


texts: What are the differences between these two phrasal verbs and what are the best situations to use each?


texts:
The petitioner is filing against the respondent for custody of the subject child in that temporary custody shall be with the petitioner and the respondent's rights of visitation shall be suspended.

Do I need a comma before "in that"?


texts:
I have a table of Measuring Equipment, which is NOT in English. There is a column called Parameter Measured, where the following is specified:

Refractive index measuring
Mass Measuring
Optical rotation Measuring.

That's how I translated it.

So, can you tell me whether it is correct or not, because I can't understand the difference between all these, when "measurement" is to be used, and when the gerund nouns or verbs with "-ing" to be used...

I have already read this: Difference between "measurement" and "measuring"

But still, can't understand.
Thank you.


texts: Use of 'would' in the past, that is not conditional

texts:
I know there have been similar questions, but I'm curious as to the stylistic acceptance of this usage, as it often seems pointless to me. Example:
'Due to dwindling ratings, and the decline of music based TV in favor of online services, MTV would announce the cancellation of TRL on September 15 2008'


texts:
I recently discovered that the singular "band" can go together with plural verbs.

"band goes on tour" gets 11,700 results on google while "band go on tour" gets 31,900 results.

What's going on here?


texts:
I'm looking for a word, phrase, or idiom to describe a person or fictional device.
In stories, especially horror and fantasy, there can be a character who is dismissed when they try to tell others what (they think) is happening.

I would like for this term to make no judgments on such characters, their messages, or deliveries.
For example, some of the related terms I find assume predisposition.
If the message is foreboding, a related term might be doomsayer:

  one given to forebodings and predictions of impending calamity

Other terms question the character's reliability, like Chicken Little:

  one who warns of or predicts calamity especially without justification

or this definition of alarmist, which challenges the sensibility of the warning:

  a person who tends to raise alarms, especially without sufficient reason, as by exaggerating dangers or prophesying calamities.

Another phrase, cry wolf, carries the stigma that the warning is untrue:

  to cry or complain about something when nothing is really wrong. (From the story wherein a child sounds the alarm frequently about a wolf when there is no wolf, only to be ignored when there actually is a wolf.)

These are labels other characters might apply to our subject.
But suppose our subject:

Speaks truth (that is, what he says is truly happening), or at least earnestly believes his claim
Presents his issue sensibly
Has not engaged in lying, joking, or other practices that would give others reason not to believe him

Then I don't believe any of these terms do justice in describing him, even if his claim is ridiculous.

In a sense, I'm looking for a hypernym to all the above terms.
The words are all about people who warn and are not believed, but they have negative connotations appended to them: reasons to be skeptical (if not dismissive) of such a person's warnings.

Is there a term that means only "someone who warns others, who do not believe him"?
If not, is there one to describe "an honest person who warns others sensibly and yet is not believed"?


texts: Word meaning: "containing no electronic components"

texts:
I want to find a single academic-sounding word that means: "containing no electric parts" or "containing no electronic components"

I originally thought "analog" would work here, but after double checking the definition, I have reconsidered.

I can easily think of a few examples, but the naming convention does not seem universal. Take:

  electric drill > hand drill

  mower > push mower (antique)

In contrast to the above, I want a word that can be applied to any object.

Here is a sentence I had in mind:

  Automobiles manufactured before the 1980's are typically _________.


texts: When is afternoon? When is evening? When is night? Is there another meal after dinner?

texts:
I'm a beginner here, and I have a question about the evening/night meal, and this is my first question.

  It's evening. The family is eating dinner.

From when until when is it considered to be "evening" in English? And from when until when is it considered "night"? Are these completely distinct or are they overlapping concepts?
I’m an Iranian. In Iran, we consider "evening" to run all the way from afternoon until sunset (4 pm – 8 pm), while "night" for us runs from right after sunset until the next sunrise; and we eat "dinner" at night, normally around 10 o’clock at night.

So, does one eat another meal after "dinner"? It seems to me that "dinner" is an evening meal and people eat it very soon, so it should be not the meal that people eat late at night, as we do in Iran.


texts:
I was taught that only transitive verbs can have passive form. But today, I met a person saying that intransitive verbs can also have passive form.

He gave 2 examples as follows.

  A1: I speak to John.

  P1: John is spoken to by me.

  A2: I look after this baby.

  P2: This baby is looked after by me.

Is it correct that only transitive verbs can have passive form?


texts: How to know if 'uncouthed' is a word or not?

texts:
I wanted to know if 'uncouthed' is a word or not. I didn't find anything when I searched for it in dictionaries. All I got was the word 'uncouth'. However, when I searched it in Google Books, it showed a lot of books where this word is used.
So what's the best way/website to know if a word exists or not.


texts: A word or term for "delivered upon request"

texts:
Imagine a machine, that delivers items to users.
Sometimes the machine delivers items that were not requested by the user.
I refer to these as "excess items". What would be a good word or term for items that are delivered upon request? I'm looking for alternatives to "requested items", that entail that the item was both requested and delivered.


texts: I'm looking for a word to describe someone who is being used. I want a noun to describe this person, not a verb or or adjective.  Maybe like a pushover.


texts: The right word to indicate someone that reacts to something

texts:
My first question here, let me know if I am missing some details.

Basically, I need to find the right word to represent a specific entity.

How can I call someone who reacts to something? Not necessarily in an impulsive way. Just reacting to something.

At first, I thought something about "reagent" but I discovered it's a technical (chemistry) word.


texts: Addressing Professors: Between Dr. and a hard place

texts:
Early in my (academic) life, I was told that it is appropriate to address a faculty as Professor only when he/she possesses the full Professorial rank and I would be better off addressing Assistant and Associate Professors as Dr.X, especially in written communication. However, recently I have been corrected that it is appropriate to address as Professor, faculty of all three ranks irrespective of them possessing a doctorate. So, my first question is, whether it is okay to address an assistant (or associate) Professor as Prof.X with regard to American universities.

Second, I have been told that these professorial ranks are often a source of ego and resentment. In previous letters, I have unfortunately written something along the lines of "I am interested in the research work of Prof. X and Dr.Y". I wish to know whether addressing them as such, with the obvious distinction would lead to ego issues, or any problems in general.

Perhaps the second question does not belong on this forum. Still, I would appreciate if someone from academia or otherwise could clear them for me.


texts: In CGEL page no.126 "I already knew how to do it."[Tr included within Tsit]..., if Tr is internal part within Tsit so this shows imperfective aspectuality.., is this right or wrong?


texts: What is difference between no different and not different

texts: I came up with this sentence "Our lives are no different" in a book called "You can win". I was wondering what if we say like "our lives are not different" will this change the meaning of sentence or not.


texts: Is there a different way of saying "Steam Engine Time"?

texts:
Steam engine time shows up on urban dictionary, but isn't quite as prevalent beyond that. I'm trying to remember the name of the concept that it's "time" for something to get invented when all the pre-conditions for the invention are in place. It's sometimes used to de-emphasize the inventor by suggesting that if that person didn't pioneer it, someone else would've.

To avoid confusion this is the definition from urban dictionary:

  A period of time when many inventors all over the world, despite isolation from each other, and with no contact with each other in any way, begin inventing a similar technology with a coincidental commonality of ideas.

Any ideas?


texts: Looking for a word describing what you are asking for in a trade

texts:
For example, if I want to trade my widget for someone else's trinket, I would refer to the widget as my "offer". What word could I use to describe the trinket, the item I hope to receive? The most appropriate word I can think of so far is the "ask". Are there any other words I should consider?
I would prefer a single word instead of a compound-word or phrase, but would still be curious to learn about them.


texts: What does Abigail Adams mean by 'Score of misfortune' (1778 November, US)?

texts:
Original Source. Google Source: p 168, The Portable John Adams, by John Adams

  AA to JA
  [Braintree, 12-23 November 1778]

  I have taken up my pen again to relieve the anxiety of a Heart
  too susceptable for its own repose, nor can I help complaining
  to my Dearest Friend that his painfull absence is not as formerly
  alleiviated by the tender tokens of his Friendship, 3 very short
  Letters only have reachd my Hands during 9 months absence.
   I cannot be so unjust to his affection as to suppose he has nor
  wrote much oftener and more perticularly, but must sit down
  to the Score of misfortune that so few have reachd me.

I guess that Abigail Adams is tracking the delivery of letters and the number of successes? Yet why did she capitalise 'score'?


texts: Single word for something which receives a request to do something then does it

texts: Is there a specific word for something or someone which receives requests to perform different tasks at a specified time, then according to the specified time (given with the task) either immediately or at a specific later date performs that task?


texts: Why is it necessary to include determiners like "your" or "my" in some sentences?

texts:
Why is it necessary to include determiners like "your" or "my" in sentences with enough context to omit them?

"Bob, eat your breakfast."
"How do you like your eggs?"
"I got my results back."
"I'm driving in my car."

I'm well aware that these words just fit there, but it seems to me like they're completely redundant (probably because the equivalent in my native language sounds completely off).


texts:
I am looking for a single word to fit in a phrase such as

  I sent him a letter about the important matters in my life.

or

  I love to speak with my friend concerning important matters in our lives.

I am looking for something like an antonym to minutiae. The only one I found was generality, but that does not confer the idea of importance. Milestone is not a bad word, but it more denotes an important event on a timeline.

Is there any such word in English?


texts: Can the word ''alternate'' be used to mean ''alternative'' in British English?

texts:
I recently noticed people use phrases like ''alternate'' news/facts/sources/etc.

I would say ''alternative'' in those situations.

I had a look online and it seems that ''alternate'' is used to mean ''alternative'' in northern America.

How widespread is this usage of ''alternate'' ?


texts: What is the difference between scourge and bane?

texts:
I've picked up this word 'scourge' from Jerome K. Jerome's book "Three men in the boat" and when I actually used it with a native-speaker (Australian) she wouldn't understand it asking me what does scourge mean. Then I found out 'bane' can be used instead. What is the difference? Is 'scourge' more obsolete and fancy and I should avoid it because people will not understand me?
Google translate:

Scourge - a person or thing that causes great trouble or suffering.
Bane - a cause of great distress or annoyance.

Collins dictionary:

Scourge - a means of inflicting punishment or suffering
Bane - a person or thing that causes misery or distress (esp in the phrase bane of one's life)

Seems like the meaning is almost the same.
Google trends show how 'bane' is used 7x times more frequently comparing to 'scourge' now:
https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?q=scourge,bane
What is interesting is that 'scourge' seems to be used more frequently in books: there is an n-gram


texts: "phone manufacturer", "phone producer" or "phone maker"

texts:
What is more appropriate wording?

Is HTC or Apple a:

phone manufacturer
phone producer
phone maker

I personally would go with manufacturer, but I also see the other ones used. Does it depend on the situation being used or could you generally pick one to be more favorable?

Edit

I have a section for my website where I list all phones from particular company. What would be an appropriate headline for example.

I checked some sites that already list all phones and found the different wordings, so not sure what is most appropriate. A matter of taste?


texts: "origin" pronunciation in the word "originate"

texts:
Why is the first part of the word originate pronounced differently than the standalone word origin?

origin    = /ˈôrəjən/
originate = /əˈrijəˌnāt/


texts: What would be an alternative concise statement for "were among X, but were not among Y"

texts:
I have the following statement:

  that strongest items were among the features associated with X, but
  were not among those associated with the course content views.

However, I think that this statement is a bit hard-to-follow and it could become more concise. I am also not sure about its grammar.

My point is actually to stress out the second part starting with "but not among...". Any suggestions?


texts: Using word usage to explain used in English is very helpful to understand that a Army Corps is latin for body, or Army "core"

texts:
I neglected my English pronunciation and grammar all in one instance it dawned on me.  Unwittingly, born in America, and still not liberated from the fetters of misuse and indoctrination in words and there meanings.  Moreover, at 65 years old it feels very wittingly prideful to have falsely have viewed the outside countries, and its English literary and understanding of skills that taken for granted it feels very critical of others.  Take the word Corps, it was my thoughts that it was an abbreviation of Corporations, but in most instances when you pronounce it used as Army corps, Marine corps, human corps knowledge, it is pronounced as "core" moreover the definition of a body.  Boy, talk about being stupefied.
Thank you the body or corps here at stack exchange and there being exact in the study of this peculiar language.   I am humbled and grateful.


texts:
Please help me clarifying the use of IN Vs ON when using it in websites.

I have an online account and I was informed that it is incorrect to use "IN" when referring to the contents of my account. I was told to always use "ON" if it it something to do with the internet.

Instead of "In your Google account" it should be "ON your Google account".


texts: Plural form of abbreviations and using a period at the end

texts:
I was reading in Mignon Fogerty's Quickanddirtytips_When you need periods after abbreviations about the guidelines she gives covering the use of periods at the end of abbreviations ... when you should do so; but now I am wondering whether these guidelines change when abbreviating the plural form of the word?

For example:

Word: Extension
US Abbreviation: Ext.
British Abbreviation: Ext.

Plural:

Word: Extensions
US Abbreviation: Exts.
British Abbreviation: Exts. or Exts

Now using the guidelines from that page, US English always uses a period at the end of abbreviations so it would be Exts.; however British English denotes that you only use a period at the end when the last letter of abbreviation doesn't match the last letter of the full word.

With that in mind then that is why with the non-plurlal version you end up using Ext., but the question now is, do we keep following this tandard and just append an s to the end for Exts. or do we know say the s at the end of the abbreviation now matches the s at the end of the full word and instead use Exts?


texts: What is the name of a phrase containing examples?

texts: For example, in the sentences "Famous singers, like Billy Joel and Elvis Presley, are known to everyone." or "He knew many people, such as John and George, who were taller than him." what is the name of the phrases ", like Billy Joel and Elvis Presley," and ", such as John and George,"? Are they appositive phrases? Are they nonrestrictive clauses?


texts: When should you repeat the same subject in a compound sentence?

texts:
I'd like to know when it is required to repeat the pronoun after a clause or an interjection within the same phrase.
For example, which of these two phrases would be considered correct:

I've recently sold my first book, a period drama which I've written years ago, and I have another book optioned.
I've recently sold my first book, a period drama which I've written years ago, and have another book optioned.

Notice the second version doesn’t say I again. Is that still grammatically correct?


texts:
I would like to know if a construction that I've read few times is indeed correct. When referring to a number of items, is it correct to say "The item numbers ranged from 4 through 7"? Is it better to say ""The item numbers ranged from 4 to 7"?

Moreover, if both sentences were correct, any hint about their usage?


texts: What happened to the possessive form, its'?

texts:
When I was young, the possessive form of the word, it, required an apostrophe preceded by an S. An example our teacher used, which I've always remembered, was: "It's my work but I am its' property, rather than the reverse, by virtue of how essential the work has become."

Over several years, however,  I've seen the trailing apostrophe almost totally removed from usage.  When and why did that rule change?


texts: Is there a word or an expression that describes the bad mood caused by bad weather?

texts: "Gloomy" comes to my mind naturally for God knows what reason. I'm not sure it's appropriate or not. Maybe some even better words or expressions?


texts: Origin of the phrase "it’s been years if it’s been a day"?

texts:
I first heard this phrase in an episode of Family Guy, and they're typically fans of referencing older shows and movies, especially from the 80s. So I'd assumed it was a fairly commonly known thing.

Then I came across it in a friend's novel. The novel is in a Southern American, older time setting, which is about where I'd expect to find examples of it.

Then I had a look online and couldn't find examples of the phrase or it's origin.

Is there such a phrase and origin? Or is this just a coincidence with people choosing something that sounds equally old-timey?


texts: Where did the term "critical fail" originate from?

texts: I have notice they use the term "critical fail" to refer to a failure on quality testing at my job. I have a hunch originates from Dungeons and Dragons, but my girlfriend has pointed out that it is used in aviation as well.  Does anyone know when and where the term was first coined?


texts: Adjective for object that makes another obsolete

texts:
This is for a relation between two objects that have a parent-children relationship.

In this particular case, I am keeping a list of addresses that belong to users. When one user modifies their address, the system marks the old address as obsolete and creates a new one. My question is how to describe this relationship using one adjective. The nuance that is more important for me is the fact that the old one is obsolete and that the new one replaced it (although it can also be made obsolete by a newer register). I thought some possibilities.

The old address sees the new one as its:

Succeeder
Subsequent
Superseder
Replacer
Etc.

The new address sees the old one as its:

Former
Prior
Etc.


texts:
A line from Kipling's The Last of the Light Brigade reads thus:

They felt that life was fleeting; they knew not that art was long,

What does art mean in this context?


texts: Word for person who has published academic paper

texts:
I'm looking for an adjective to describe someone who has published academic papers under his name.  Example usage:

  "I'd like to work alongside the ________ Dr. Bob"

I was thinking something like "published" (the published Dr. Bob) but I couldn't find confirmation.  Any thoughts?  Thanks.


texts:
I am reading a book, called Minimalist Syntax: Exploring the Structure of English. At the beginning of chapter 2, when discussing the inflectional morphology of English verbs, the author says:

  The most regular verb suffix in English is -ing, which can be attached to the base form of almost any verb (though a handful of defective verbs like beware are exceptions).

But a quick search on online language tools, such as Wiktionary, The Free Dictionary and Google NGrams reveals the existence of bewaring. Wiktionary even lists some book quotations. So, what is the author trying to say? In what respect beware is defective?


texts: Other special hyphenation examples than eight-teen

texts:
According to The TeXbook [Don Knuth, 1984], solution to Exercise 14.8, the word eighteen should be hyphenated eight-teen. It is, indeed, standard practice in pre-reform German to contract triple consonants and have them re-appear when the word is hyphenated (e.g., Schiffahrt → Schiff-fahrt) but this is the only such case I heard about in English. The Dictionary of the British English Spelling System [Greg Brooks, 2015] has this at §4.4.7, Extensions (1):

  Given ... sixth, seventh, ...sixteen, seventeen ... and sixty, seventy ..., one might have expected eightth, eightteen, eightty, but these are always reduced to eighth, eighteen, eighty.”

Nevertheless, there is no mention of hyphenation.

My questions are:

Have you ever noticed hyphenation of eighteen as eight-teen in
some document?
Do you know of any other words requiring similar
treatment?


texts: Are there rules to determine whether a musician's title will end with “-er” or “-ist”?

texts: There are drummers, buglers, fifers, whistlers, and fiddlers. Folks who play all the other instruments use the -ist suffix -- pianist, violinist, cellist, tympanist, guitarist, flautist, etc, etc, ad nauseum. What determines which suffix should be used?


texts: Appropriate verb for a child who firmly grabs something

texts:
I'm trying to figure out what could be the most appropriate verb to use to describe a child grabbing firmly something in a shop, using a methaphor:

  Mark was holding/tightening/squeezing the toy like if that was a raft
  and he was adrift in the ocean.

Any seawolf out there :-) ?
thanks a lot!


texts: What part-of-speech is "running" in this example?

texts:
What part-of-speech is "running" in the following example?

  The car comes with daytime running lights.

Is it a noun, verb (gerung), adjective, or something else?


texts:
I have heard a lot of conversations end up in the word "na" mainly among in youth of India.
For example:

You know naa.
You have phone naa.

Does this make any sense? Is it a development in Indian English?


texts:
Traditionally a billion in American English means 109 (1,000,000,000, a thousand million) while in British English it means 1012 (a million million) with milliard meaning 109.

Is this still the case or has the world aligned itself to the American way? I'm not a native English speaker and I don't remember hearing or seeing the word milliard recently.

In any case what are the common names of the powers of 10?


texts: Why is the Present Perfect used in: “I've returned every spring for the last four years”?

texts:
I have read this text about a man who has spent a terrible holiday (in the island of Thassos) due to the disorganisation of the travel company. In fact the text consists in the complaint letter that he wrote to the bloke of the company... I report the passage that I can't understand:

  Over the years I have been on many holidays to Greece and I can safely say that, until this year, all of those holidays were wonderful. For example, I once spent six weeks on Crete. I loved that holiday so much that I have returned every spring for the last four years.

Could you please tell me based on which rule is it necessary to use the present perfect (that I have put in bold) instead of the simple past?


texts: "Each of these is" vs. "each of these are"

texts:
Each of these CDFIs are finding solutions for communities that lack
  access to traditional financial products and services, and the NEXT
  Awards will accelerate their success.

OR

  Each of these CDFIs is finding solutions for communities that lack
  access to traditional financial products and services, and the NEXT
  Awards will accelerate their success.

The difference is, the first one uses "CDFIs are" and the 2nd sentence uses "CDFIs is"

Which one is correct? Any why?


texts:
What do you call a person who is satisfied with what he has?
E.g. A person who is hopeful is called an optimist.


texts: What does “India-Pak. tensions: Have reasonably decent news from both countries, says Trump ” mean?

texts: Can someone please explain what the phrase above means? Here what does reasonably decent news mean?


texts: What word can be used to describe 'not belonging to a country'?

texts:
I'm looking for a word which can be used to describe a location upon the earth which does not belong to a country. For example 'North America' though the word 'continent' can be used here. Another example would be the 'Mid-Atlantic Ridge'.

Words like 'location' or 'toponym' are not specific enough and could equally be used to describe somewhere within a country.

Within a sentence I would use it something like:

"The Mid-Atlantic ridge doesn't belong to a country, so it is (countryless)"

Any suggestions?


texts: What's a more formal way of saying "I've got just the thing"?

texts:
For example, I'm sure you've heard people say this as a response:

  I've got just the thing.

I couldn't determine this, having done my own research.  What would be a better substitute for that sentence?

Example:

(Person 1) I've been feeling a bit down lately.  (Person 2) I've got just the thing.


texts:
What is the English word that best captures "what if" situation? Something along the lines of "What if something goes wrong". It is close to being pessimistic. But pessimistic is too negative.

I am basically looking for a word that captures "what-if situations" rather than the expression "what if" itself. "Worst-case" is not a choice for me.


texts: Are there any "nidgets" out there still?

texts:
While researching something unrelated I found this entry on Etymonline:

  an idiot sometimes became a nidiot, which, with still-common casual pronunciation, became nidget, which, alas, has not survived.

(emphasis mine)

Is it true that the "nidget" has not survived?

Friends of mine from Dublin and Liverpool (both sadly long dead, so I cannot ask them) used to use the word, I am quite sure, with regularity  when discussing the deficiencies of neighbours, relatives, and most often, politicians.

Ngrams shows little usage of the word in the last 200 years, and most hits on Google books go back to the 19th century.

Are there some dialects that still make use of this variant of an idiot, or have I outlived yet another word?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  “My friends and I” vs. “My friends and me” vs. “Me and my friends”

Somebody taught me a rule of thumb how to discern if I should use "I" or "Me" when adding self to the end of a list of people in a sentence: Ignore the list, strip the rest and treat it only as if it was the singular "me", choose one that matches.

Still, often I see things like John and me went to the park. Is this just a common error or are there some specific rules where I will be replaced by me if appearing on a list?


texts: Analyzing Will Ferrell's "I Thought" joke

texts:
I'm reading Will Ferrell's Twitter where he wrote

  Just thought a thought but the thought
  I thought wasn't the thought I thought
  I thought.

Does the sentence still have the same meaning if you remove the last "I thought"?

Is this grammatical word play possible with other words?

Is there a name for this other than a play on words?


texts: Does "what on earth" work same with "what-the-hell"?

texts: Does "what on earth" work same with "what-the-hell" ?


texts: Word can be single or plural and is also possessive at the same time

texts:
I am trying to construct a sentence for a printed document that requires an odd usage of a noun that can be singular or plural but is also possessive.

Here is an example of a sentence that contains a noun that could be singular or plural and so both are listed:

  Each person selects which task or tasks they would like to complete.

Some people would use task(s) instead of task or tasks. But this is a different issue. I tend to avoid this.

Suppose a related sentence now mentions something belonging to each task. Perhaps a single task is selected at random, we could say the following:

  The random number generator decides which single task's requirements are fulfilled.

Here we talk about requirements belonging to one task. But if there is more than one task then we would need to move the apostrophe to after the s. Right?

  The list of two or more random numbers decides which tasks' requirements are fulfilled.

Now here is my dilemma, I need to talk about a list of tasks that could contain a single item. Is it appropriate to use the plural?

  The list of one or more random numbers decides which ?????? requirements are fulfilled.

I'd like to avoid using something like the following which appears to me as if it is technically correct but sounds wrong:

  The list of one or more random numbers decides which task's or tasks' requirements are fulfilled.


texts: Using 'a bit of water / wine ... ' vs 'a drop of water / wine' to describe a small quantity of liquid

texts:
Is it correct to say, "a bit of water" or should it be "a drop of water"?

More generally, can the word "bit" be used to describe a small quantity of a liquid or can it only be used for solids?


texts: Is there a word to describe the Payment Options of Splitting the Total Amount of Purchase with Credit Card?

texts:
When I buy something in the department store with a credit card, the clerk usually asks me, "Would you like to pay it all at once, or would you prefer to charge part of it to your account?"

Is there any conventional English language word or phrase useful for describing this manner of payment option?


texts: What is a word for someone who genuinely believes they are wise but others do not agree?

texts:
I am looking for a word or phrase that could describe someone who has spent a lot of time learning some form of wisdom, yet the word or phrase must reflect the fact that the person writing the description does not believe that wisdom to be truly enlightening.

In short, I'm looking for the equivalent of the following sentence, but without the need for scare quotes:

She has spent time growing "wise" from their writings.

Target sentence (which can include prepositions or other words aside from the line if necessary):

"She has spent time _____ing their writings."

Thank you.


texts: Word to describe the quality of being optional or mandatory

texts:
Something like 'Optionality' or 'Ordinality'? (It's similar in kind to the words "Arity" and "Cardinality")

Example: "Fred listed the XXXity of each parameter, noting whether it was optional or mandatory"

Follow-up question:
What part of speech is this?


texts:
I think the full sentence is "we got it approved"
Please correct me if I'm wrong
and another question why approved (adj) comes after it (noun)?


texts: What does “They nick the Emmy show during the Emmy show” mean?

texts:
Today’s (September 25) Washington Post’s article in its Style column - “Emmys 2012: Number up, but repeat winners were, too” - introduces Washington Post TV writer Lisa de Moraes’ comment on the redundancy of the 64th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. She complains:

  “If the members of the Hollywood creative community had any good sense, they would stand down as Candace Bergen did after winning several consecutive Emmys for best comedy actress, to give others a chance... Instead, they continue to submit themselves for consideration, and then, when they win -- a 10th time in a row, they nick the Emmy show -- during the Emmy show -- for being so redundant.”

I don’t understand what “nick” means in the last line of the above comment, and I don’t find any definitions of “nick” which seems to be relevant to such a usage of “nick” in any of major dictionaries, for example:

Cambridge English Dictionary defines “nick” only as a noun meaning “small cut in a surface or an edge.”

Oxford English Dictionary defines “nick” as a noun meaning small cut or notch, and verb meaning “make a notch.”

Merriam-Webster English Dictionary defines it as a noun meaning “a small notch, groove or chip,” and verb meaning 1. jot down, 2. cut short (e.g. cold weather), 3. catch at the right point of time, 4. cheat, overcharge.

None of the above definitions seems to be applicable to Lisa de Moraes’ usage of “nick.”

What does “they nick the Emmy show during the Emmy show” mean? Is the usage of “nick” in this manner well-received as English, or is it an American slanguage?


texts:
I'm studying the English vowels of the IPA. However, I got a few questions which can't be diffused after discussions with my friends.

1. What's the difference between "ə" and "ʌ"?

I don't want an answer about the position of tongue and the shape of the mouth; instead, I wish to distinguish simply based on listening it. I know "ə" is kind of a very short "e" while "ʌ" is the sound of "u" in "up." However, I can't distinguish which one it is when listening to a word.

2. The 12 vowels in English

The 12 vowels should be as listed below (if I didn't get it wrongly).

  ʌ, ɑː, æ, ɛ (e), ə, ɜː, ɪ, iː, ɒ, ɔː, ʊ, and uː.

While one of my friends studying phonology told me that ː (indicating long vowels) can be attached to all vowels. While my another friend told me that the 12 vowels listed above are the only possible vowels in English. Who was correct?

3. Distinguishing between long vowels

I found it quite difficult to do so. It is easy when I see "ee" in "see" or "oo" in "soon". But how could I distinguish it when it comes to "a" in "arm" and "u" in "turn", provided that both of them are long vowels?

4. Matters about accents

I'm personally a second-language learner in English so my pronunciation might not be as accurate (or perhaps natural, or whatever) as those who are native. Does this actually matters how I distinguish those vowels with tiny differences? For example, I used to pronouncing "professional" as "pro..." while the Oxford Dictionary pronounced it like "pra..."

5. The CVC pattern

It was my friend introducing this to me. Based on his explanation, it should be a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern for each word. And my question is: there are so many words (or I would say syllables) aren't ending in a consonant. For example, "see" is /siː/ which is a CV pattern. This denies that my friend said CVC is the most basic form of each word. I think I might get something missed out so can somebody point out what it is?

[I think this might be a similar situation of that we (as 2nd language learners) regard SVO as the basic statement structure while SV (like "it's raining") is also possible]

I hope this may not be too much and thank you for your kind responses.


texts: How to understand "It takes a little bit of getting used to the idea..."?

texts:
The following sentence is from a mathematical lecture note here:

  It takes a little bit of getting used to the idea of a function that cannot actually be evaluated at any specific point, but with some practice you will find that it will not cause any significant conceptual difficulty.

Is there anything wrong with this sentence? I guess it is supposed to be "It takes a little bit of time for getting used to the idea...". Any idea for understanding the sentence?


texts: What is a better way to say "Work Report" without using the word "Report"?

texts:
I am building a web site to allow users to track their work activity. The original purpose was to track your time when "in the field" (out of the office). If a user spends two days in the field on a task, they would submit a form specific to detailing that task. But we want to track in-office time as well. If they are in the office and spend four hours on one in-office activity and four hours on another, they could submit one form for that whole day. The web site will allow managers to generate totals of tasks performed for groups of users.

We want to use the word "Report" to describe the high-level summaries. So, you would go to the "Reports" page to generate a report involving multiple submissions. So, I don't want to use the word "Report" when talking about a SINGLE submission.

I can use any words I want, but I am stuck on finding two words (it could be three) to describe each submission. I have looked on thesaurus.com, but I can't find two words that go well together.

Some ideas:

Activity Form
Task Form
Task Submission
Field Activity Submission

If someone can suggest a single word that works, that would be fine as well.


texts:
Which of the two sentences is correct?

He refused the organization's offer for help.
He refused the organization's offer to help.

Did a few searches online, and I found that both are widely used.


texts:
In this programme from BBC sorry is used in addition to excuse me to get one's attention:

  Sorry, have you got the time (please)?

So I am wondering:

1) Is sorry common for a native speaker to get people's attention (e.g. Sorry, may I have a word with you?)?

2) Can sorry be considered as an abbreviated form for Sorry to bother you (and suchlike)?

Thank you


texts: Is the construction "It allows to ..." proper English?

texts:
I frequently encounter phrases like this: "It allows to apply these features to customisable sets of fonts".

My question is whether this is proper English or not? In my mind, "it allows the application of ..." or "it allows one to apply ..." sound much better.

I suspect that this is a Germanism (that would explain why I hear it so often), but it would be nice to know for sure.


texts:
I've just, without much fore thought, used the word "actioned" in the following (example) context, and am now wondering if it's valid (upon a re-read I've decided I don't like the way it sounds, hence the question).

  1000 emails needed some kind of action, 800 of which were actioned by the team while the remaining 200 were escalated.

I can think of (what I feel is) a better word to replace "actioned" in this case - either "processed" and "completed" should do it - and my spell checker doesn't like "actioned", so I'm wondering if the word is valid? If it is, is my above example a valid usage?


texts:
Just got into a debate at work whether comprehendible is a word.  It appears as I type this that comprehensible is preferred in Firefox's dictionary.  However, when I used Outlook's spellchecker it changed comprehendable to comprehendible.

So which is it?


texts:
We have an object A that is physically attached to object B.
What can we call object A? I would have expected to be able to use "attachee", but this is not in the dictionary, or "attaché", but this seems to only apply to a member of an embassy.
What can we call object B? Is there a word for "attached to"?


texts: Why do Oppress, Suppress and Depress have the same last syllable?

texts:
I usually get confused between those words, when I want to use them while speaking. They are very close to each other, yet they have completely different meaning (at least from my mother tongue perspective) I'm sure that if we dig into the roots of these words, we will find something common either from a historical perspective or from meaning by a thorough explanation. Especially when it comes to people who are their English is as a second language. Since language is not only letters and words, instead it's a pattern of thinking.

Do they share some nitty-gritty details behind the scenes?


texts: Separating  Quoted Questions into  Separate Sentences

texts:
According to this answer about quoting a question in the middle of a sentence, the punctuation in this example sentence is correct:

  People are not merely asking, "why should I do this?" they're asking, "why should anyone do this?"

But not only does it look like two separate sentences to me, maybe it should be:

  People are not merely asking, "why should I do this?" They're asking, "why should anyone do this?"

If it's made into two sentences, then I'm not sure the second one is complete enough, or supported enough by the context of the first sentence, to stand on it's own.

Are they both grammatical? If so, are the two examples equivelent? Do they take on different nuances?


texts: What would you call someone that accuses you of being racist due to a comment that is not racist in anyway?

texts: What would you call someone who will act like you're being racist to defend themselves even though you're not? For example, in a book I’m reading from multiple perspectives, one of the characters is Puerto Rican. When someone try’s to correct their spelling they ask them, “do you think Puerto Rican’s cant spell?” They never said Puerto Rican’s cant spell and were just trying to be helpful. Another example of this is when someone calls another person racist for stating the color of their skin, without saying anything else along with it, before it, or after it that could seem racist. I was thinking that the character could be considered falsely accusing but was curious if there was a better word for this that anyone knows of.


texts: What does "no longer cease to exist" means?

texts: I understand what "cease to exist" means, but "something" no longer cease to exist doesn't make sense to me. English is not my first language(obviosly).


texts:
While referring to "similar cases" is there a word that sums it up? Can "instance" be used instead of "example"? I want to steer clear of "example," as I don't think it is the exact word for such sentences.

If you are looking for a certain style of painting, you will find many examples of such painting in that blue bag.
After some students were bullied at the school, she was looking for more examples of bullying in the school to report it to the authorities.


texts:
How one can say that a date must happen before other date, for intance:

  The X starting date should be prior to the Y starting date.

Is this sentence idiomatic or there is another way of stating that ?


texts: What is the word for what an applicant applies to?

texts:
If you are applying to a school you are an "applicant". What is the word for the thing you're applying to?

Similar to the sentence "the stalker stalks the stalkee", what would be in the blank in the sentence The applicant applies to the ______?


texts: What are the etymological origins of the names Muhammad, Jesus and Buddha?

texts: Muhammad, Jesus and Buddha are names today strongly connected with the religions these guys founded. So obviously they were not derived from their respective religions. So what did these names signify when their parents gave them those names?


texts: Etymology for the phrase "butterflies in stomach"

texts: How did the phrase "butterflies in stomach" originate or what is the story behind this phrase?


texts: Word for delaying a decision with only one option?

texts: Can anyone tell me a single word that describes delaying a decision, although there is only one option?


texts: I know impart means "to give" and is used commonly with knowledge, as in "impart knowledge"...but can I say that a government scheme "imparted money" to the beneficiaries?


texts: "Their windows slot the ebony of their walls with lemon." What's the meaning of this sentence?

texts:
What is the meaning of the italicized sentence in this paragraph?

  From basement to sky rise the tenements of an alien colony. Their windows slot the ebony of their walls with lemon. Behind those windows, strange life is moving, dressed with forms that are not of London or of England, yet, in essence, the same agreeable life that you have been living, and tonight will live no more.

It's a part of the novel "The hands of Mr. Ottermole" by Thomas Burke.


texts:
A Croat author wrote:

  Arrogance only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

A British English native translated it into English like this:

  Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

My question is, why pride?


texts: What is the grammatical construct using present progressive in relative clauses called?

texts:
When I learned this, it had a very distinctive name and allowed to make more interesting sentences. For instance, given the sentence

  Fred extended his feet, which stopped the car.

It can be rephrased as

  Fred extended his feet, stopping the car.

How is this construct called and is the comma still necessary?


texts: I know there's a word for a charity with the ultimate goal of not having to exist any more but can't remember it. Does anyone know what it is?


texts:
Below is the sentence in question, in which the same verb occurred twice with only one auxiliary between them:

  Most particles passed straight through, but those that were deflected were deflected quite significantly.

I am not fond of repetitions. Could you suggest a set word/phrase I can use in place of the second 'deflected'? Something kind of like the adjectival pronoun 'that of', or a dummy verb.

Many thanks in advance.


texts: A formal way to say “she used hand gestures to ask why”

texts:
I am writing a copy on an ADHD child's clinical assessment. In one part of the assessment, the clinician pretends not to be able to blow a balloon. Instead of using verbal language to ask what happened, the child gestured with her hands.

Is there a better way to say "gestured with her hands"


texts:
I saw the word, “Please work on your issues” in Time magazine’s article (October 3rd) titled, “Playing favorites,” which introduces several academic studies proving the fact that most parents have definite favoritism toward their children. It gives the following episode:

  “A mother of two wrote a candid post on a website under the headline, “I think I love my son just a little bit more.” The mom went on at length describing the greater warmth she feels for her baby boy compared with her toddler girl.
  She was, predictably, blowtorched, “Please work on your issue lady!” said one typical response. “I feel absolutely horrible for your daughter!” read another.
  The hard truth is most parents do.”

I don’t understand what “Please work on your issue" means. It must be an expression for condemning the mother who was candid enough to admit her favoritism to one of her two children, and it should be more than “It’s your own business.” How can I interpret and rephrase this phrase?


texts: When you work for a particular city, do you say "I work at the name of that particular city?"

texts:
What is the correct preposition for describing the city you work at? For instance, would I say

  I work at the City of New York


texts: Progress: verbs pronounced differently in transitive and intransitive forms - pro'gress vs progre'ss

texts:
uncovered during an informal English conversational lesson today, according to my (1970s) Concise Oxford Dictionary, the vi and vt forms of 'progress' do have separate entries, different pronunciation, and somewhat different definitions.  My questions are:

Is there a term for such words
Are there other examples

It's something of a curiosity - well to me at least.


texts: What is the etymology of hop in the sense of dance

texts:
Why and when did the word hop become used in reference to a dance?

Historyspaces claims Milwaukee and beer.

Others mention Lindy Hop (Charles Lindberg, 1920s) and sock hops (1950s).

The earliest reference I’ve seen is from etymonline with this intriguing entry:

  This word [hop] has always been used here as in England as a familiar term for dance; but of late years it has been employed among us in a technical sense, to denote a dance where there is less display and ceremony than at regular balls. [Bartlett, "Dictionary of Americanisms," 1848]


texts:
I remember encountering a word (it was a neologism, not a popularly accepted word) that meant something like "having-a-strong-but-completely-uninformed-opinion". It might have been the related idea of "arguing-vehemently-without-really-knowing-what-you're-talking-about".

I wanted to use this word recently (political climate, doncha know), but couldn't (and can't) remember it.  Can anyone help me recall?

Example usage (pretty sure it was an adj):

  Geez, the commenter on that thread is so ________.


texts: Other ways to say 'Here I am pouring my heart out' to my best friend

texts:
Okay, so I am currently in the midst of trying to come clean and confess my guilt to my best friend. I messed up and gossiped with another friend about something he trusted me with. I can't properly detail just how awful I feel, nor can I measure the depth of this horrid dark pit in my stomach that has manifested around the guilt I carry.

What I say and how is very important to me. We have only been communicating via text as of late, and whenever I open up about how bad I feel and how I want to right my wrongs, he does not reply.

So I am looking for (I think) a similar idiom or other phrase to use in place of

  Here I am pouring my heart out, and you can't even so much as reply.

Come clean? I don't know. I just want to find a phrase with a little more spice! Haha I put a lot of work into every text...

Thanks


texts: Capitalization of "county" when used in certain context

texts:
We are working to provide support to Xxxx County in the US.
We will do this, that and the other thing in support of the county/County.
Is county capitalized in the second sentence?


texts: "It would be a better idea to" VS "A better idea would be to"

texts:
I'm contemplating these two sentences:

I think it would be a better idea to show you my works.
I think a better idea would be to show you my works.

as answers to a question "Can you tell me something about your art?"

How are they different?

Where is the emphasis in each of the two sentences?


texts:
The context is as follows:

  ..., having inherited a safe family seat on the South Coast at the age of twenty-five. ..., and to entertain his own salt-encrusted and sea-blown constituents to huge spreads of strawberries on the Terrace in summer.   (source: The Autobiography of a Cad)


texts: What is the difference between notion and conception?


texts: Does the properness of 'Street' (in the name of a street) survive when discussing two particular streets together?

texts:
So do Smith St and Wesson St meet:

"at the corner of Smith & Wesson Streets";  or
"at the corner of Smith & Wesson streets"?


texts:
Senator, these drills, code reds, active shooters, they've been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
  Stoneman students' questions to lawmakers and the NRA at the CNN town hall

See also this video at 31:40.

Does "drills, code reds" mean alarms (firm alarms etc.)?

Reference I found:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_Red

Thanks.


texts: Confusion in identifying defining and non-defining relative clauses

texts:
I was watching a video on relative clauses and there was two sentences that confused me.

"I saw a car which was white"

The speaker said this sentence is definite clause.

"She went into the apartment, which had blue walls."

The Speaker said this is indefinite.

I don't get how the last sentence is indefinite because the relative pronoun WHICH identifies the building (with blue walls) the subject went into. Therefore, it should be a definite clause, right?


texts:
If you leave the food for a long time out of refrigerator, something happens to the food and makes it smelly and inedible.

What is that state of the food called in English?


texts: What's the correct term for when a small problem becomes a big problem?  An example would be what happens to Larry David on "Curb Your Enthusiasm"...


texts: Noun/verb to describe strong belief in a company as evidenced by joining it?

texts:
Is there good noun verb to describe strong belief in a company as evidenced by joining it?

For example,

  we know that company X is amazing because of the endorsement
  it has received from investment by prestigious investors and
  by the XYZ of (famous executive).

What fits in XYZ that would convey that the executive joined the company because of his strong belief in it? "Poaching" would be a close inverse (company has a strong belief in a hire) although I am don't think that word parallels "investment" in the previous clause.


texts:
What term would an enthusiast use to describe a powerful, tripped-out personal computer, the kind he might custom-build in his garage and overclock to the max?

The usual reference sources are failing me here, as I'm looking for a slang/jargon term.

The closest I've found is rig (as in "gaming rig").


texts: animate their serious faces/expressions/look

texts:
I've made up three versions of the example below.

(1) Some of the people I know always seem emotionless. However, my funny gestures can animate their serious faces.

(2) Some of the people I know always seem emotionless. However, my funny gestures can animate their serious expressions.

(3) Some of the people I know always seem emotionless. However, my funny gestures can animate their serious look.

Which noun goes well with "animate": serious faces/expression/look?


texts: "negotiating a retirement" what is the meaning of "negotiating" here

texts: Full sentence => "Not only did Chin Shih plunder boats, she defeated the British, Chinese and Portuguese natives, before negotiating a long and wealthy retirement for herself"


texts:
Do you guys know how '-ó' is pronounced?

Context: The Windhover, Hopkins.

        No wonder of it: shéer plód makes plough down sillion
  Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear,
        Fall, gall themselves, and gash gold-vermilion."


texts: "What are you going to do WITH me?" OR "What are you going to do TO me?"

texts:
I am always perplexed about the nuances between these 2 sayings.

What are you going to do with me?
What are you going to do to me?

Just imagine the context to be a fearful victim asking the kidnapper what will happen to him.


texts:
I often bridle at news articles that focus on a single individual who has suffered in some way, as opposed to on the wider issue and the many others who have suffered similarly. Often, the article will also simplistically demonize a particular thing or entity as the sole cause of blame.

In such articles, the thing being demonized is the 'scapegoat', but what is the term for a victim arbitrarily picked out from many?

'Martyr' doesn't fit as typically they (the martyr) die pursuing an abstracted goal or  cause. The unknown soldier is a good example of a martyr, but they fought for something and remain anonymous. The victims I am trying to find a term for are often acknowledged in sympathetic terms, but not revered, and their now unattainable aims always seem to be cruelly highlighted.

'Figurehead' is another term I considered, as the word often used for someone prominent in a campaign, but they are not always involved in campaign - and rarely lead - a campaign.

An example of this would be from today's Metro newspaper (UK):

  Patrick dreamed of studying at Cambridge. But the 17-year-old turned turned to drugs from Silk Road before dying of an overdose as his friends on Skype looked on helplessly.

The hallmarks of this are that the victim is highlighted to make a point, and is caricatured, their dashed aspirations always being emphasised, rather than being presented in a sympathetic light.

What is the term for this?


texts: When should we use "and" and/or "and/or"?

texts:
What's the difference between "and" and "and/or"?

How do we decide whether to use one or the other?

Note: Also it would be great if someone could explain how do we actually pronounce "and/or" verbally in a sentence...


texts: Is there a case where "of the clock" is more appropriate then "o'clock"?

texts:
In formal papers, I've always been told to avoid contractions, but unlike "do not" versus "don't", I don't think that I have ever heard "of the clock" spoken aloud.

Is there a case (aside from time travel) where "of the clock" is more appropriate?


texts: What is the derivation of the statistical term "Histogram"?

texts:
There are conflicting definitions of origin. Unclear as to whether it is derived directly from the Greek, coined by Pearson, or used and named prior to Pearson.

Refer to "The History of Histograms - 1. Prehistory" - Yannis Ioannidis

The etymology of the word histogram is uncertain. Sometimes it is said to be derived from the Greek histos 'anything set upright' (as the masts of a ship, the bar of a loom, or the vertical bars of a histogram); and gramma 'drawing, record, writing'. It is also said that Karl Pearson, who introduced the term in 1895, derived the name from "historical diagram".

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/histogram#ixzz1G2OoF7hB


texts: What does it mean for a statement to be "dichotomous"?

texts:
It is merely a dichotomous statement that is meant to have a specified
  probability of being true, in the long-run.

I understand that dichotomous means "dividing into two sharply distinguished parts", but I am not sure I understand what a "dichotomous statement" means?
Literally it might mean something like "a statement that divides into sharply distinguished parts", but that doesn't really make sense.

Does it mean a polarizing statement? Or does it mean something completely different?

Edit: The context of the quote

  The theory of confidence intervals

  In a classic paper, Neyman (1937) laid the formal foundation for confidence
  intervals. It is easy to describe the practical problem that Neyman saw CIs as solving.
  Suppose a researcher is interested in estimating a parameter, which we may call θ. This
  parameter could be a population mean, an effect size, a variance, or any other quantity
  of interest. Neyman suggests that researchers perform the following three steps:

  a. Perform an experiment, collecting the relevant data.

  b. Compute two numbers – the smaller of which we can call L, the greater U – forming
  an interval (L, U ) according to a specified procedure.

  c. State that L < θ < U – that is, that θ is in the interval.

  This recommendation is justified by choosing an procedure for step (b) such that in the
  long run, the researcher’s claim in step (c) will be correct, on average, X% of the time.

  A confidence interval is any interval computed using such a procedure.
  We first focus on the meaning of the statement that θ is in the interval, in step
  (c). As we have seen, according to CI theory, what happens in step (c) is not a belief, a
  conclusion, or any sort of reasoning from the data. Furthermore, it is not associated
  with any level of uncertainty about whether θ is, actually, in the interval. It is merely a
  dichotomous statement that is meant to have a specified probability of being true, in
  the long-run.


texts:
Certain graduates of a class are donating money to place an ad in a booklet celebrating s school’s centennial.  Their names will be placed in the ad.  The intent of the ad (and sale of the booklet) is to raise money for the school.  We have a choice between a one page ad and a two page “centerfold” ad.  Some members of this group (and I) believe that the two page ad is somewhat ostentatious and belies the intent of the donation.

My problem is to communicate to the rest of the group using diplomatic language that the two page ad tends to be ostentatious.  Is there a better word or phrase for “somewhat ostentatious”?  Dictionary.com gives several synonyms – none of which seem to fit a convincing yet diplomatic statement.


texts: Pronunciation of "I'd like" and "You've got"

texts: I am not a native speaker so i wanted to ask this. When you say "You've gotta be careful" do you pronounce 'have' part and when you say "I'd like to..." do you say 'would' part?


texts: Using "and" to end a list with an "and" phrase

texts:
I'm proofreading a document in which the author ends a lot of lists with phrases like this:

We analyzed the responses of students studying: health, sciences and technology, law and economics, and human and social sciences.

Usually when I come across lists that end with two words that need to be connected by "and", I usually just substitute "as well as" or something like that. But I'm not sure if there's a standard rule for these kinds of situations. In this particular paper, there are many examples that aren't very easy to fix this way.

What's the rule?


texts: "On the lateral surface, there are...": Do I need to use a comma after "surface"?

texts:
"On the lateral surface, there are small insertions of brown siderite."

Is there any general rule for punctuating sentences like this? Can you give me a source reference?


texts: What is the difference between 'certain' and 'specific'?

texts:
For example, what would be more appropriate to use and why:

'This guy has certain list of skills' or
'This guy has specific list of skills'

I'd appreciate any other examples that would be helpful in understanding the difference between the two.

Thank you


texts: What is a word describing a “long-lasting memory” of someone?

texts: What noun in English is the best for describing the essence of a long-lasting memory that some person (e.g. spiritual leader or famous musician) leaves after himself? Is it perpetuation, or commemoration, or maybe heritage, or record, or some other word? I know the word notoriety meaning ill fame, but I don’t know any word for the good one.


texts:
EVE Online is a multiplayer game that takes place across a fictional galaxy called New Eden. Players pilot spaceships and fight for territory in large collaborative corporations.

Here is a simplified list of the military-focused ship classes, going from smallest to largest:

Frigate
Destroyer
Cruiser
Battlecruiser
Battleship
Carrier
Supercarrier
Titan

The four variants of Titan are currently the largest vessels in the game. They usually require the efforts of hundreds of players to build and field. They are extremely valuable logistically and are able to carry an extravagant amount of  firepower. For many months after Titans were introduced to the game, the difficulty of fielding one kept their numbers in the single digits.

As of this posting, however, the number of surviving Titans is in the middle hundreds. It would appear that if it were the intention of EVE's maintainers to keep Titans rare (and I make no allegation that that is the case), then they have underestimated the growing cooperation and resourcefulness of New Eden's citizens.

Now then, here is the question:

If a warship class larger than the Titan were added to the game, what would it be called?

The word Titan comes pretty close to the ceiling in terms of evoking great power and strength. In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of immortal giants descended from the gods Gaia and Uranus, themselves descended from Chaos, but neither God nor Chaos seem to be good names for ship classes. The first could be controversial; the second I think is more arguable (Chaos Class Warship has a nice ring to it), but I think that there are better alternatives.

For context, here is an alphabetical list of all ship classes currently in the game:

Assault Ship, Battlecruiser, Battleship, Black Ops, Capital Industrial, Carrier, Command, Covert Ops, Cruiser, Destroyer, Dreadnought, Electronic Attack, Exhumer, Freighter, Frigate, Heavy Assault, Heavy Interdictor, Industrial Command, Industrial, Interceptor, Interdictor, Jump Freighter, Logistics, Marauder, Mining Barge, Supercarrier (also called Mothership), Recon, Strategic Cruiser, Titan, Transport

For even more context, this page on EVE Wiki has more information about each ship class.


texts: “I don’t mind getting to know you more.”

texts:
A friend of mine told me

I don’t mind getting to know you more.

What does it mean? Does she want to know me better or doesn’t she care?


texts:
I am wondering if "focus" and "concentrate" can be used interchangeably?

Such as:

[..] designed solution will focus on using modern hardware [..]
[..] designed solution will concentrate on using modern hardware [..]


texts:
I was looking up on the web but the best antonym of fad that I could find was 'standard'. It is close but not quite accurate in my opinion. Any other suggestions? For instance, what would be the most appropriate last word in the following sentence:

Are fidget spinners just a fad or _____.


texts: What's the single word that represents the act of accusing other of stating the obvious (though that's not true)

texts:
Situation 1:

A tells B that an old relative passed away.

B doesn't have prior knowledge of this

B says, > he is an old man...

(or something like that which implies that she is not surprised because old people die one day) - faulty logic, granted!

Situation 2:

A and B are sitting in a porch having a casual conversation

A: > It is unusually hot today, isn't it?

B: > Yeah, it is peak summer

What is one word that describes B's attitude of saying what others informed her is obvious and unsurprising though she (B) has no prior knowledge about it.


texts: Do you ever say "coffee with milk" or "coffee and milk"?

texts:
I know that in a coffee shop in different countries you need to be more specific about how you want your coffee and milk. And I know that in the US they usually say "latte", in the UK "white coffee", and in Australia and New Zeland "flat white".

But what if you're just talking about your preferences (and you're not ordering anything). Do you ever use the expressions "coffee with milk" or "coffee and milk"?

Let me give some context. In Brazil, we have "café com leite", which you make by adding milk to coffee. There are specialized coffee shops here where you have to be more specific and order a "latte" or something else. But in most of the places this is pretty straightforward: either you ask for coffee (without anything else), or you ask for coffee with some milk. No further complexities. At home, most people make coffee like that: black coffee or add milk to the coffee.

So, can we make these sentences to express our preferences?

I like my coffee with milk. /
I like to have coffee and milk in the morning.

Because "latte" is so specific and people really don't drink that at home or use that word to describe their coffee preference in Brazil. How would you say these kinds of sentences?


texts: Word that can be used instead of frowned upon?

texts: Im writing an english paper about the impact on students who fail standardized tests and I'm trying to say that failing or being labeled as remedial is "frowned upon" in society, but i don't want to use "frowned upon". help!


texts: "increased no cost" vs "did not increase the cost"

texts:
I think this sentence is correct:

  This action increased no cost.

I can say the same as:

  This action did not increase the cost.

I prefer the former, because it's shorter.  However, could one claim that the latter is preferred?


texts:
"If you would just listen for a moment…"

"If you would listen just for a moment…"

Subtly different meanings, but in both cases 'just' is adverbial. In the first sentence, 'just' modifies listen. In the second, I think the whole phrase 'just for a moment' is adverbial, but no matter. 'Just' is moving around as you would expect from an adverb.

But what about "If you would listen for just a moment…"

'Just' is no longer modifying 'listen'. It isn't behaving like an adjective, it doesn't really modify 'a moment'. Yes, we can call it an adverb, given that 'adverb' is a bit of a catch-all category. But what is it really, what is it doing, what is it modifying? It doesn't really modify anything specific, it modifies the whole situation. It's more like a kind of intensifier or attitudinal word.

Does someone have a clear grammatical or linguistic analysis of this situation?


texts: How do native English speakers pronounce these Vietnamese words "Le" & "Bo"?

texts:
I am Vietnamese & If I see "Le" & "Bo" I will pronounce them as /le/ & /bo/.

But seem English doesn't have any /e/ or /o/ as a phoneme. A phoneme /ˈfoʊniːm/ is one of the units of sound that distinguish one word from another in a particular language. The difference in meaning between the English words kill and kiss is a result of the exchange of the phoneme /l/ for the phoneme /s/. Two words that differ in meaning through a contrast of a single phoneme form a minimal pair. (Wiki)

See this Vowel chart picture
 (Source)

See the vowel "o" I couldn't find any word in English dictionary that has vowel "o" stands alone without any other vowel standing next to it.

Let say, I can see /ɡoʊ/ (go), the /ʊ/ stands right after /o/.

There are no words that can pronounced as /ɡo/, /ko/ where the /o/ stands alone.

The chart doesn't have /e/ but /ɛ/. But /eɪ/ is popular in English.

To sum up, I think we don't have /e/ & /o/ as a phoneme in English but diphthong /eɪ/ & /oʊ/.

So, I think the Native English speakers will say /leɪ/ & /boʊ/ when seeing 2 Vietnamese words "Le" & "Bo".

If they speak like Vietnamese, they should say /lɛ/ & /bɔ/ but most of time I think they will say /leɪ/ & /boʊ/.

In standard IPA vowel chart (audio version), they tend to pronounce /e/ & /o/ as /eɪ/ & /oʊ/, although not 100% sound like /eɪ/ & /oʊ/ but 80% sound like /eɪ/ & /oʊ/ (see IPA audio chart).

Am I right?


texts:
Just spotted out a line on a cafe's website. May I ask what does the word "take" mean in the following context? It seems that the usual definitions like getting something/ a shot in dictionaries do not fit in this line. Thanks!

"Our menu includes old fashioned favourites as well as modern takes on creative contemporary dishes."

source: http://www.newlondoncafe.co.uk/


texts:
Is there a word or phrase or expression for something that you ask in return for a product or service, when it is something other than money?

And what is the verb that goes with it when someone “pays” the non-monetary price?

(I can’t think of anything else other than “a favour in return”, with possibly the verb “to do a favour in return for the product”; or “a kickback”, which sounds fishier than I would like, and I don’t know what verb goes with that.)


texts:
The dimensions of this empire are awesome. Its population runs into hundreds of millions, drawn from every nation on Earth. It dominates the skylines of our cities – their tallest buildings are no longer cathedrals or temples but multi-storey vats filled with workers.

https://www.1843magazine.com/features/death-of-the-office


texts: Is there an adjective for "double standard"

texts:
"double standard" is a noun-phrase that means

  a set of principles that applies differently and usually more rigorously to one group of people or circumstances than to another ...

I see an alternate definition, bimetallism, but that applies to economics, so I don't think bimetallic is appropriate.

Is there an adjective that means double standard?


texts: Does a comma have to be used before a quotation?

texts: If before the quote the word "saying" or "said" is used, does a comma always have to be used before it? When does a comma not have to be used?


texts: Do metaphorical agents follow special rules?

texts:
While I can easily parse this sentence, something feels grammatically incorrect and I can't figure out what rule would make it right or wrong.

  "Fatigue from traveling had him in bed by midnight."

I've tried replacing the words to look at it in other ways, but I still get confused. For example "His mother had him in the car before sunrise." In this case, it sounds like the sentence is missing a verb?


texts:
This question is relatively simple. I don't understand why we never use passive form of to infinitive after the adjective unless the subject is "it".

For example:

  He is difficult to please.

People consider the example above a correct sentence. But:

  He is difficult to be pleased.

People, for example, my teacher, said it sounds wrong and told me not to write this type of sentence. Is it grammatically flawed, or is it just a stylistic choice?


texts:
I write an article containing many Russian names and surnames, and sometimes it is important to specify which vowel is stressed (e.g. to distinguish Baskov from Baskov). In Russian we put an accent upon a letter:

  He introduced himself as Nikolay Báskov, though his father always pronounced his own surname as Baskóv.

Is this notation correct in English? If not, how do you suggest to correct this sentence?


texts: Gin & Tonics vs Gins & Tonic vs Gins & Tonics

texts: When I order multiple G&Ts which should I ask for?


texts: What is the origin of "Why don't you..." as a suggestion or command?

texts:
Frequently, in spoken dialogue one hears the above phrase used as a suggestion to the listener (or sometimes more strongly, as a command):

Why don't you give me that book?
Why don't you go to the store and get some more milk?
Why don't you make me a sandwich?

In these examples, the speaker is clearly not asking for the reason the listener is not doing the action in question. It's true that the listener is not actually doing the action (yet), but there is no particular reason for the inaction. The listener is simply unaware of the speaker's desires.

In the instances above, "Why don't you ..." could be replaced with "Would you ..." and the meaning would be the same. The latter sounds more natural to me.

What is the origin of the "Why don't you ..." phrase and when did it come into use? Is this a regional usage?


texts: "Daily conversations" vs. "daily conversation"

texts: I am currently programming my own blog system to share knowledge about the Microsoft technology ASP.NET MVC, because I am rather passionate about web software development. I thought of calling it Daily Conversations with ASP.NET MVC. However, since English is not my mother tongue, I am not sure whether the title is grammatically correct — should it be Conversation or Conversations?


texts: What does “crawl over a pile of hot coals” mean?

texts:
Subsequent to my question about “within an inch of one’s life” in Vanity Fair magazine, Emily Jane’s article, “Megyn Kelly slams media “Bias against Trump” for criticism of her prime-time special” wraps up with the following line:

  She was violently ill the day of the debate, but “would have crawled
  over a pile of hot coals to make it. . . . No one was going to be
  sitting in for me, reading my questions.”

Source interview in Vanity fair

The phrase “crawl over a pile of hot coals” conjures me a Japanese idiom, “火中の栗を拾う,“ meaning to dare to pick up a chestnut in the fire for tasting it, and also a Chinese / Japanese idiom, "不入虎穴、不得虎子/虎穴に入らずんば虎児を得ず," meaning "You cannnot capture a tiger's cub, unless you venture to get into their den," thus “Nothing venture, nothing gain.”

Is the phrase, “crawl over a pile of hot coal” here used to mean to the same effect? Is it a popular set of phrase?


texts: Idiom / expression to tell someone to not overthink something

texts:
Something like : “go to your head”

Thank you


texts: Is it possible to write: they were driving for an hour, then they stopped near the cafe. ? I mean, are the tenses I've used correct?


texts: Adjective for 'made of pus' or 'corrupted by pus' or something of something of pus

texts:
This to be used in a sentence with:

  a somethingish discharge

I like "pustulous discharge" but 'pustulous' is of pustules not of their content.

'Pusy' would be a natural but doesn't look like what it's trying to mean so..


texts: Isn't the term bully pulpit an oxymoron?

texts:
bully pulpit:

A public office or position of authority that provides its occupant with an outstanding opportunity to speak out on any issue.

bully:

A person who uses strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker.

Oxford Dictionaries.com

Pulpit:

a medium for expressing an opinion, such as a column in a newspaper

http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/pulpit

I know the word bully, originally, had positive connotations, and progressively deteriorated through fine fellow to harasser of the weak. (Etymonline)

It's not very clear though when  the term lost its positive sense.


texts: Do native English speakers still refer to their teachers by the old-fashioned terms "sir" or "miss"?

texts:
In the Indian subcontinent (and some other surrounding areas), there's this practice of putting the titles "sir" and "miss" (not ms.—mind you) after the name of school-level teachers. For instance:

Alex —> Alex SIR, not Sir Alex
Deepika —> Deepika MISS, not Miss Deepika

I do understand the purpose of these titles as a mark of respect towards teachers in general, seeing that knights (who also have the title "sir") were regarded as honourable men back in medieval England. But why "miss"? A lady is not the feminine equivalent of a knight, which the idea probably stemmed from.

Am I right in assuming so (that the concept of addressing teachers as such originated from the once similarly respectable position of a knight)? And is this practice specific to the Subcontinent?


texts: single word for "positive attribute" of a neighborhood or geographic region

texts:
What is a single word that means 'positive attribute' that would apply to a neighborhood?

Possibly an antonym for "shortcoming." Maybe "features" is the word?

Don't want to use amenities because it wouldn't apply to elements of the community itself, for example the culture brought by the Vietnamese population is a positive attribute of the neighborhood.

Word is for use in a letter to the advisory board for BP Restore money (here on US Gulf Coast), who are asking for recommendations from various neighborhoods.


texts: Can you convert the following sentence in primer style (simple short sentences) for me to understand it more clearly?

texts:
A large part of the recent growth in wealth — in some economies nearly all of it — consists of rising property values, according to Thomas Piketty’s analysis.

What's the use of "... — .... — ..."?


texts: Is this sentence correct? "User listed already having an attorney."

texts:
Settle an argument in my office:

Is this a valid sentence?

  " The other 6 were rejected because user listed already having an attorney."

The disagreement is that it should say

  "The other 6 were rejected because user is listed as already having an attorney."


texts:
I'm trying to find the right preposition to go after "uncertainty", as in statistical uncertainties.

I'm guessing that it might be "the uncertainty on the prognosis", but I'm not sure.

Can anybody help me?

Thanks!


texts: Single word for multiskilled on different programming platforms

texts:
I was just wondering if there's a word for a multi skilled/multi talented for a Web Designer, Web Developer and a Graphic Artist? Currently if you know everything on Software Development you will be called as a full-stack developer but that is only for Software Development. I'm trying to pick if its better to call it as a polymath or a virtuoso  but i don't know if what is more better than the two of them.
Thank you guys in advance!!!


texts: Why in the song "I miss you" by Blink-182, the singer pronounces something like "yad" instead of "head"?

texts: In the phrase "You're already the voice inside my head", the pronunciation the singer uses for "head" is  bit confusing, I was wondering if it was a "slang" or other particular way of pronunciation of the word. Is it correct?


texts: "Difference to" or "difference with" or "difference from"

texts:
When we use word difference to compare two things, we say for example, 'Difference between Intel and AMD'. However, how can I use word difference with only one thing, for example, what will be correct:

Difference with AMD
Difference to AMD
Difference from AMD


texts:
Is 'the faint sound of footsteps on the snow' correct?

Or should it be 'the faint sound of footsteps in the snow'?


texts: Difference between "contradictory" and "contradicting"?

texts:
I think they share the same meaning after checking up in the dictionary. Can they be used interchangeably?

contradictory - the Cambridge Dictionary


texts: "I like number 2 and 3" or "I like numbers 2 and 3"?

texts:
What is the correct form and what is the exact name of this phenomenon. I tried looking it up myself but I could only find a German explanation that might also explain the English problem.

An example could be:

  Please read page 1 and 2

vs

  Please read pages 1 and 2

or

  I like number 2 and 3

vs

  I like numbers 2 and 3

and another one:

  I managed to solve question 6, 7, 8 and 9

vs

  I managed to solve questions 6, 7, 8 and 9


texts:
It is known that an indefinite article may be used before the word “additional” followed by a plural noun.

Example: An additional 5 sheets were used.

But phrases like “additional resources” (without an article) are also possible. Does it mean that an indefinite article should be used only when the word “additional” is followed by a determiner and a plural noun?


texts: Punctuation in what I believe is a subordinate conjugation

texts:
I have the following sentence (it's from a comment in computer code, just ignore the weird bits):

  By strong convention when opening a typeOfObject in the view, send in
  an object like this {blah blah}.

I think there's a comma missing after "convention", but I'm not sure what the English rules for punctuation is in this case. In Swedish, there would have most definitely been a comma there, so maybe I'm just letting that influence me too much?

EDIT: I guess there should maybe also be a colon after "this", or can that be left out?


texts: Is"That the messages are written in simplified Chinese...confirm that the intended audience is Chinese tourists." correct?

texts:
Methinks the sentence does not sound natural. I also think that there should be confirms instead of confirm (source):

  That the messages are written in simplified Chinese—Hong Kongers use traditional Chinese—confirm that the intended audience is Chinese tourists.

I would rewrite it by changing the word order:

  That the messages are written in simplified Chinese—Hong Kongers use traditional Chinese—confirms that Chinese tourists are the intended audience.

Other than confirm, is the original sentence correct with regards to the word order? Does the rewritten sentence sound more natural to you?Is it correct? If not, how would you rewrite it?


texts: Come around to you (yours) or come around to your place

texts:
I did a google search for 'come around to you' , 'come around to yours', 'come around to your place'. The results do not seem satisfactory. Do you say 'come around to you (me)'? Is this phrasing correct?

The phrasing 'come around to your place' sounds somewhat unnarural or very formal. I can't imagine that someone could say something like that in infomal conversation.

Some examples:

  I remember your invitation last week. I'll come around to yours for supper today.

:

  Longman dictinaries come around:to come to someone's home or the place where they work in order to visit them


texts: In which countries is that “long time no see” greeting common?

texts:
I used to hear this greeting several times a day when in Singapore.

In other English-speaking countries, is this idiomatic expression known, do people consider it funny, or just a terrible misconception of English?


texts: Rules in using the article "the" in addressing countries

texts:
Why is the article "the" used to address certain specific countries (this is especially true when one is introducing where they come from)

such examples are;

I am from the United States of America

I am from the Netherelands

while in some, it sounds weird

examples are;

I am from the Finland or I am from the Malaysia?

Are there some rules I'm missing here?


texts:
Daniel runs into Nancy's, his sister's, bedroom.

Daniel runs into Nancy's, his sister, bedroom.

Daniel runs into Nancy, his sister's, bedroom.

Out of the three statements above, which one is accurate? How does one use an apostrophe when introducing a person and their belonging?


texts:
The ABC hotel, ______(a relative adverb/pronoun) Felix had suggested to me, was really a nice place to stay.

I wonder if both "where" and "which" are correct here. In my opinion, both "where" and "which" are suitable because the hotel can be seen as both "a place that Felix recommended" (since the hotel is later referred as "a good place") and "an option that Felix recommended".
However, the correct answer in a test is "which". Can anyone help me?


texts: must have washed downstream VS must have been washed downstream

texts:
There are two hikers hiking near a stream. One of them seeing it in says:

Look! A miner's old pack and gear! Must have washed downstream!

My question is:

Is it just a simple passive voice sentence with omitted auxiliary "to be"?

Like: Must have washed downstream! = Must have been washed downstream!

Thank you!


texts: Can "oblivion" also be considered a place?

texts:
oblivion  əˈblɪvɪən/noun1.
  the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening around one.
  "they drank themselves
  into oblivion"

So according to the dictionary, it's a state. But can one treat it as a place?

Example:

  Tom's father died; he's now in oblivion, resting blissfully in peace.

In this sentence, I'm treating oblivion more like a place than a state of mind. Is this weird? If so, what's a more appropiate word?


texts:
We have to find an adjective to describe a family of abstract mathematical objects with a shape that (in an abstract setting) reminds of a diagonal polygonal line like the following.

The segments composing it can have arbitrary lengths, but are always at a 45° angle with the horizontal direction.

We first considered zig-zag, translating literally from our native language, but we were told by a colleague (also not a native English speaker) that it's not a common word at all in the US and would not be a good description. Also, most Google Image results for "zig-zag" return a regular pattern in which all segments have the same length, which is not our case.

Another suggestion was twisted.

What would be the most fitting term?


texts: Is there a single word for people/ consultants who partner with our health?

texts:
We made a card for hospitals which introduces the doctors to its patients.

We named the card Meet Your Healers, but we need a new word to replace Healers now.


texts: I cannot find the first usage of "start from scratch" as start from nothing

texts:
it seems that everybody believes it is "start from nothing" but I cannot pinpoint the start of this usage.
I used both OED and A dictionary of English etymology by By Hensleigh Wedgwood ...


texts:
Is it appropriate to say 'Heavy Traffic'? I am referring to traffic as in roads and vehicles in this context.

Is using 'lot of traffic' more appropriate?


texts: What is the meaning of this sentence: "He can can a can"?

texts: What does this sentence mean? For me, it's more like "He is capable of opening a can," but according to some, it's not that simple. What does it exactly mean?


texts: Word or phrase for all changes to an employee’s role/position/level?

texts:
What is a suitable word or phrase describing all changes to an employee’s role/position/designation/level in a company? These changes would include promotions/demotions (e.g. “Staff” to “Executive”), re-designations (e.g. “Programmer” to “Network Administrator”), and even transfers (to different departments or branches/stores).

I was thinking along the lines of “employees' role changes”, but believe it to be unsuitable as not all changes will cause the employee’s role to change. For example, one may hold the designation of “Accountant” and belong to “Staff” level. He is then promoted/upgraded to the level of “Senior Staff”, but is still an accountant and his job scope remains the same. Thus, his role is effectively unchanged even though he has been "promoted".

Single words or short phrases describing these changes would be appreciated.


texts: What is an adjectival complement in English?

texts: How can one determine what an adjectival complement is in an English sentence? Are there are any subcategories to this classification? I'd love concrete examples, to help me better understand this aspect of grammar.


texts: Should I seek employment 'from' a company or 'at' a company?

texts:
I'm having a hard time distinguishing between the two words. I'm unsure of seeking employment "from" or seeking employment "at" a company.

The particular sentence I have in mind is this "[some context]...gain as much experience as possible before seeking employment from/at your company."


texts: How to distingiush adaptable from adaptive?

texts:
I really wonder what is the subtle difference between these two terms, and if they could be used interchangably somewhere?

Adaptable

Adaptive


texts: In this statement, how is the location of the parties signified?

texts:
"In the gallery above the sales department, supervisors can monitor the customers without disturbing them."
I'm taking a test which has asked me to state the location of the customers. From my interpretation of the statement, the supervisors are situated in the gallery while the customers are in the sales department; the correct answer is that the customers are in the gallery and vice versa.
Can someone explain the reasoning behind this?


texts: How has it come to be that we British have the pleasure of saying aeroplane, whereas the US Americans (and possibly others) are only left with airplane?


texts: What is the difference between the adjectives "live" and "alive"?

texts:
What is the difference between "live" and "alive"? When would I better use the first and when the latter?

EDIT
Say, there are several players actively participating in a game and some others are waiting on the bench. I used to call those "active" players "live players". Although there may be other valid phrases for that I believe this one should be ok as well (right?).

But I am unsure if "live" works with questions: can I ask "Is this player live" or should it be "Is this player alive"? The first one sounds awkward to me, but the latter sounds to me as if I was asking whether he's dead and not only whether he's out of the game.


texts: Is there a difference between "I guess" and "I'm guessing"?

texts:
There are certain cases where the phrases "I guess" and "I'm guessing" are both legal to use. For example:

  Q: Why do birds fly south for the winter? A: I guess it's because it's warmer down south.

  Q: Why do birds fly south for the winter? A: I'm guessing it's because it's warmer down south.

  Q: Why shouldn't you press this button during flight? A: I guess it would make the airplane hard to control.

  Q: Why shouldn't you press this button during flight? A: I'm guessing it would make the airplane hard to control.

In these cases, is there a difference between "I guess" and "I'm guessing"—some subtle nuance that one phrase has but the other phrase doesn't have? Or are the two phrases exactly the same?

The impression I've gotten as a native speaker is that "I guess" doesn't literally mean "I guess"; it means something more like "I conclude". In particular, the phrase "I guess" seems to indicate that I am satisfied with my own conclusion and I am no longer looking for information. The phrase "I'm guessing", on the other hand, indicates that I'm uncertain about what I'm saying, and I am interested in more information.

So in my mind, the four answers above are probably saying:

  I guess it's because it's warmer down south. (I thought about it just now, and my conclusion is that it's probably because it's warmer down south. I'm not sure about this, but I'm not going to try to gather more information.)

  I'm guessing it's because it's warmer down south. (My best guess is that it's because it's warmer down south. Do you have more information?)

  I guess it would make the airplane hard to control. (I thought about it just now, and I concluded that it would make the airplane hard to control. I'm pretty confident in my conclusion, but I'm not sure that that's the actual reason why you shouldn't press that button.)

  I'm guessing it would make the airplane hard to control. (My best guess is that it's because it would make the airplane hard to control. Is that right—would it actually make the airplane hard to control? And is that actually the reason why you shouldn't press the button?)

Am I on the mark here, or am I just seeing a distinction where no distinction exists?

(Note that I'm only asking about cases where both phrases are legal. I'm not interested in an explanation of cases where one phrase makes sense but the other does not, such as "Are you coming? / Yeah, I guess" and "Are you sure? / No, I'm just guessing".)


texts: I am looking for an expression how to ask 'leave the classroom for several minutes to call somebody or to blow my nose, etc.' We usually use such an expression 'May I  come in' when we would like to enter the room and I am looking for its antonym. Is it suitable to use 'go out/go off' for this purpose? I mean 'to leave the room for several minutes and then go back.'


texts: Is there any idiom to describe the importance not to let somthing bad happen in the first place

texts: I think it is well known that if we indulgently let something bad happen, there will be more similar cases arising. The outbreak of the negative effects could be unstoppable. So is there any idiom, proverb or fancy expression used to stress this point.


texts: What is the most appropriate opposite of "Select All"?

texts:
Is it more appropriate to use "Deselect All" or "Select None" or some other phrase to indicate the opposite of "Select All"?

Context: A toggle button in a piece of software that will select all items on screen, then change title to indicate it will clear the selected state of all items on screen


texts:
Pluripotent genes are activated in injured tissue cells and play important role in regeneration.

In the above sentence, should "play" be changed to "played" for parallel construction. Pls help.


texts: How to translate the meaning of the german phrase "Leider geil"

texts:
"Leider geil" is a song by german hiphop band "Deichkind" and mentions things that are sadly cool, like buying new cars very frequently even though thats bad for the environment or finally getting a new job but have to many drinks at the bar the day before the job starts..
I find it difficult to translate "leider" as to me it means both sadly and unfortunately combined, also "geil" is difficult to translate as in german its meaning developed from purely sexual to occasionally sexual but mostly describes something awesome that excites you. Here I would go with awesome but neither sadly awesome nor unfortunatly awesome sound complete to me.

Thank you for taking the time and reading this. I don't know if this is the right place for such a question.