texts: Does "less than" really mean "subtracted from", or is it bad English?

texts:
I got involved in a discussion about some Math problems provided in the local primary school education:

20 more than 543 is 563
25 less than 261 is 236
155 less than 310 is 155
355 more than 1233 is 1588

Some of us (including me) argued that this is unclear or incorrect English, while others said that it is correct or that we are not creative if we do not understand it (huh?).

In my own Math education, I have learnt that "less than" and "more than" (or rather, "greater than") are comparative operators. However, in the above, they are used as manipulative operators (subtraction or addition) - a usage I never learnt.

At first I thought this must be something peculiar with the Singapore Math education, as those who argued that this is incorrect are mostly foreigners, while the other side is made up of mostly locals.

After some searching for similar use on the Internet, the two instances I could find are an exercise paper from Math Activities Resource Center, Mt. San Antonio College, Walnut, CA (USA) [link], and a lecture paper from Professor Weissman's Algebra Classroom [link].

In the exercise paper, the lecturer also mentions that "less than" is different from "is less than", in that "less than" is used to mean subtraction (where the numbers are inverted), whereas "is less than" is used to compare two numbers.

In the lecture paper, it is mentioned that "3 is less than 7" translates to "3<7", "3 less than 7" translates to "7-3" and "3 less 7" translates to "3-7".

I want to hear from some experts regarding how correct and/or widespread this kind of usage of these terms is. No matter how many times I read the examples back to myself I feel it's odd and wrong to use it this way, and that the correct usage for manipulation should be:

20 added to 543 is 563
25 subtracted from 261 is 236
155 subtracted from 310 is 155
355 added to 1233 is 1588

Whereas the correct usage for comparison should be:

20 more than 543 is False
25 less than 261 is True
155 less than 310 is True
355 more than 1233 is False


texts:
I was helping my brother study for the SAT, and we came across this sentence:

  While it was different from all the other classes he had taken, Eric was unhappy with his psychology class.

The answer was that there are no errors in that sentence. But my brother thinks that the noun following the comma should be consistent with the "it" in the first clause. I have come across sentences of this form in the works of well-known writers, but I do not know how to explain to him why this is correct.


texts: What is the difference between "lay" and "lie"?

texts: How do I know when to use lay and when to use lie, and what are the different forms of each verb? I'm always getting them confused.


texts: Why do BBC News use so many 'quotes' in headlines

texts:
I have noticed a that the BBC News website seems to use quotes in their headlines in places where I can see no reason to do so. Take the following story:

Julius Malema: South Africa issues 'arrest warrant'

Which on the front page, even more noticably is headed

  S Africa issues Malema 'warrant'

Why does the word "warrant" warrant quotes? Surely there's no legal or attributional 'reason' to do so? Surely these are just plain facts? If you're going to put quotes around "warrant" you might as well put quotes around "issues" too.

I find this very 'annoying' because to me it reads like they're casting doubt on the news they're 'reporting'.

(Arrgh, it's 'catching')

EDIT: Of course I know the reason for the use of quotes in newspaper stories. I am asking why the BBC in particular uses them so much. In an attempt to reopen this question, I submit another example:

Turkey trial: Three army generals jailed for 'coup plot'

In this story, the three generals in question have been sentenced. So why the quotes?

Apple promises maps app will 'improve'

In this story, sure "improve" is a quote from an Apple source, but I don't understand why it should be put in quotes. Surely the "Apple promises..." part makes this clear?


texts: Referring to my husband as my son's dad?

texts:
I received an invitation for a session at my son's (John) school. The teacher had asked us to confirm our attendance for the event. I wrote the following

  John's Dad and I will be attending the session.

(And signed my name below the note).

Is this usage correct? Does it in any way imply that we are not living together?


texts: Tense to use when describing a written work

texts: I'm writing a book report and I'm mot sure which tense should I use to describe the story in it. The story in the book is set in the past time. So I wonder whether I might use the simple past tense or just the simple present tense?


texts:
Merriam-Webster gives:

  call - intransitive verb: to make a brief visit

  called on a friend

Whereas Macmillan has:

  call on - transitive verb [call on someone] to visit someone, usually for a short time

  We could call on my parents if we have time.

Which one is right?
And I would like to make sure, on - is it a preposition here?


texts: "What is your hobby?" VS "What are you into?"

texts:
My British English teacher told us that the expression "What is your hobby?" sounds childish so use "What are you into?" instead. Is it true? If so, why does that sound so?

Thanks!


texts: Past modals and the passive: which one is correct?

texts:
Considering easily as an attitude or manner adverb, which of the following is correct?

  He could easily have been killed.

or

  He could have been easily killed.


texts:
Can the verb have be used to talk of experiencing a state of feeling or an action prompted and or caused by an inanimate object?

"The song had me singing along to it."

"The song had me sing along to it."

"The book had me getting bored" (getting here implying a change of state instead of becoming)

"The book had me bored."

"The weather had me sad."


texts: What is the process of letters changing, like c to k in invocation and invoked is called?

texts: What is the process of letters changing called, like c to k in invocation and invoked? I am sure there are more examples of letters transforming. Defence, defensive would be another example (for people who don't use the spelling "defense").  I am leaving alone cases where the pronunciation changes as well, such as advice and advisor, unless they are considered part of the same type of change.


texts:
What is a proper reply for excuse me? Like for thank you, you can say no problem or welcome.
I don't know what a proper reply for excuse me would be.


texts: What do you call this noun phrase that also seems misplaced?

texts:
"..., the old cockroach brain summoning a hankering for a Papaya dog, or two."

I did a few valedictory laps, counterclockwise, as always, then began
chopping my way back uphill, the old cockroach brain summoning a
hankering for a Papaya dog, or two.

This seems grammatically incorrect. I found it in the New Yorker, and I often see this style in fiction writing. I am curious about what this type of phrase is called. Is it just used for style and rhythm? To me, it feels misplaced. It's referring to the brain of the writer as a young man, but here, it seems like it's referring to "my way back uphill."
Side note: I ask because I'd like to know how to use this structure correctly.


texts: What did President Trump mean by "crusty voice"?

texts:
Trump recently referred to John McCain as a "crusty voice in Washington."

  "I can tell you, we hope John McCain gets better very soon because we miss him. He's a crusty voice in Washington, plus we need his vote, ..."

I've never heard that term. Does it mean something? Or did Trump make it up on the spot?

To be clear, I'm well acquainted with the term "crusty," but have never heard it used in conjunction with "voice." "Crusty" is generally an insult, but Trump seems to mean it as a compliment, leading me to wonder whether "crusty voice" is some sort of obscure idiom. Judging from responses, it sounds likely that this is just another example of Trump's fast and loose approach to English.

EDIT: As for my research, the only instances of "crusty voice" I can find on the internet are references to this very speech.


texts: What is the name of the truck shown in this picture?

texts:
I noticed that questions on trucks are generally welcome on EL&U.

The truck in the picture below is called "bisarca", a single Italian word. Translating "bisarca" with Italian-English dictionaries, I found "transporter" (a large vehicle used to carry heavy objects) and "car transporter" (a large vehicle used to carry cars). The former seems very general to me, and the latter is formed by two words. I'm therefore wondering if a single English word exists to name this kind of trucks:


texts: Difference between "personal goals" and "Long/short-term objectives"

texts:
I've been asked by my employer to complete a "performance review". Within the context of my role at the company, it asks me for my

  "Long and Short Term Objectives"

and my

  "Personal Goals".

However, it seems to me that there is no difference between these two things. Can anyone explain what the difference might be.


texts: Starting conjunctions and sentence fragments

texts:
We know that it is OK to start a sentence with a conjunction,
but not OK to have incomplete sentences.
This seems to me like a contradiction. How can a sentence that starts with a conjunction be a complete sentence? By its nature, a conjunction links to a previous sentence. Therefore, a sentence that starts with a conjunction does not form a complete thought, and is therefore incomplete.
Example guidelines:

Start sentences with a conjunction (Grammarly):

There is nothing wrong with starting sentences with “and,” “but,” or other similar conjunctions. You may, however, encounter people who mistakenly believe that starting a sentence with a conjunction is an error, so consider your audience when deciding to structure your sentences this way.

Avoid incomplete sentences (Grammarly):

No one escapes high school English without being penalized for writing the odd sentence fragment, but not everyone remembers what they are and how to fix them. Put simply, a sentence fragment is a clause that falls short of true sentencehood because it is missing one of three critical components: a subject, a verb, and a complete thought.

Fragments in speech vs Fragments in novels? does not quite answer the question, since it doesn't resolve why it is fine to start a sentence with a conjunction even if conjunctions create a fragment.


texts: Term for law that is not practiced in reality

texts:
I am looking for a (legal) term that describes the following concept: A law that should describe the reality of a situation, but in practice, since the law is not enforced, reality is not so. One example would be: Congress passed many laws during the post- Civil War era protecting the rights of African Americans, but since Redeemer government not only disrespected these laws but passed legislation against them, these federal laws were a reality solely on paper.

Thanks


texts:
The overall value of this concept lies in early initiation of slaughter before the age of 20 months, as opposed to country's culturally accepted age of 36 months and over.

Please kindly advice if this sentence is grammatically correct.


texts: Why do we say that a plane is "en route"?

texts:
My primary language being French, I can clearly understand what en route means ("on its way"). I can't see, however, why English-speaking people would use this French expression.

Why is it used?


texts: "One of the benefits of this is that it will eliminate gym anxiety if you have any because you are with someone whom you trust."


texts: Should I use "told you" or "have told you" in this example?

texts:
Sentence:

  She obviously has a legit excuse, although she could have been more responsible and told you in advance


texts: What is the plural noun for a group of people who registered to a website through a referral code?

texts: I found that the "referred" is for a single person, I want to know the plural noun.


texts: Word for "scary thing that's about to occur"?

texts:
I have the feeling I'm forgetting a very simple word. But anyway, is there a word for that? Example:

  The [...] that haven't occurred yet are the most scary ones.


texts: Waiting for a girl like you vs. Waiting for a girl such as you

texts:
I've been waiting for a girl like you.
I've been waiting for a girl such as you.
I believe both are grammatically correct constructions in English. Loosely speaking, I understand, they mean just about the same thing to most English speakers.
If my understanding is correct, I was wondering if:
(1) still, their meanings are slightly different because "like" implies comparison while "such as" implies inclusion just as "I like a girl like you" means I don't like you, but some other girls like you whereas "I like a girl such as you" means I like you and any girl like you.
(2) both can be used interchangeably in certain contexts, but not always, because I've heard some English teachers say "like" often connotes comparison to hypothetical persons or things while "such as” is usually used when talking about specific persons or things.
(3) there is any reason why the second construction with "such as", though perfectly grammatical, seems far less popular and used compared to the first one with "like". Would you say, if you agree on my take, that's probably because “such as” usually has a more formal air to it, making it sound rather old-fashioned or stilted?
(4) that being said, few English speakers care and most think both can be used interchangeably as long as context allows because they're just different ways of saying the same thing.


texts:
In a Last Week Tonight's segment on Ashley Madison, a married dating site, you can see John Oliver saying

  “Life is short. Have an affair. That is the most morally dubious slogan since Toyota’s short-lived, ‘Feeling bored? Hit someone with your car!’ ”

If I am not wrong, "Toyota's short-lived" refers to the slogan here. That would mean short-lived is a nominalized adjective.

  Do you still remember Tom's short-lived? (meaning of it depends on the context. It can be his short-lived hobby, short-lived endeavor, or short-lived job, etc)

Is such usage of short-lived common (like the word poor is common for undergoing nominalization)?

If short-lived here is not a nominalized adjective, then I have another question:

Should the comma before ‘Feeling bored? Hit someone with your car!’ be omitted?


texts: Are sentences limited to one coordinating conjunction?

texts:
I have a sentence, and I'm not sure if it should be written as in example one or two:

Example one:

  Someone keeps on popping my car's tires. So I installed a camera onto my car, and I caught the guy.

Example two:

  Someone keeps on popping my car's tires[,] so I installed a camera onto my car, and I caught the guy.

As shown in my two examples, one of them has a comma before "so." So, which would be the better sentence?


texts:
I'm working with a 17th century text which often features the expression "as I hope to be caressed".

My idea is that it is a second term of comparison, with ironic meaning, to something that will never (or hardly) happen.

example (mine): "I hope I'll break free from this prison, as I hope to be caressed"  = it is unlikely I will break free, as it is unlikely I will be caressed (treated well) by someone

Am I right? Do you have better explanations?


texts: Word for a mind apt to seeing double entendres

texts: The other day, I was hunting for a word to describe someone I know. The trait denoted by this word is the tendency to rapidly spot--as though unconsciously seeking out--double meanings, especially of the racier sort, in messages whose intent was probably innocuous.


texts: What's the difference between "to and fro" and "back and forth"?

texts:
I'll give you an example from "The Mask of The Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe:

  "Its pendulum swung to and fro with a dull, heavy, monotonous clang;"

How does that differ from:

  "Its pendulum swung back and forth with a dull, heavy, monotonous clang;" ?

How frequently "to and fro" is used these days?


texts:
He wants to kidnap the kids on the streets.

I am writing to ask whether the sentence above is ambiguous?

I've learned that prepositional phrases can function as adverb or adjective,

which means "on the streets" can function as adverb modifying the verb "kidnap"

or it can function as adjective modifying the noun "kids".

Am I right or am I mistaken?


texts: How is the action of replying to a thanks called?

texts:
Imagine the following conversation

Alice: "Here is the document you asked for."
Bob: "Oh, thanks so much."
Alice: "Don't mention it."

So the second person was thanking the first. Afterwards, Alice had a choice of expressions, as illustrated in that question. But is there a name for it? Could one fill the following

After being thanked by Bob, Alice ______________ .


texts: The DASHes here are quite misleading for me. Does the sentence mean that Liege and Utrecht are under the Archbishopric of Cambrai?

texts: His dominions were split up by ecclesiastical lands, above all by the Archbishopric of Cambrai on the borders of France and Germany - of Liege, spread out in a wide semicircle between Hainault and Luxembourg and reaching as far to the north as Maaseyk - of Utrecht whose eastern half was separated from the western by the large county of Gelderland, still a direct fief of the Empire.


texts:
I want to ask for your advice. Is it correct to put a dot in the middle of the sentence after the name of a book or a document? Or shall I put the name of a book in quotation marks?

For example:

This is an abridged version of the brochure Progressive Fuel Distribution to Service Station Networks. intended for representatives of fuel retail or fuel transport companies interested in strategies that enhance fuel distribution productivity to their service station networks.


texts: "Whet your appetite?" as confirming question

texts:
As part of a header on a website, I'd like to say "Have we whet your appetite yet? " or something of similar meaning. Not being a native English speaker, I'm looking for a short/condensed way of saying the above.

I'm thinking of "Whet your appetite?", but I'm not sure this conveys correctly what I'm saying. "Ready for more?" could perhaps be a good alternative.


texts: "thecanadianecyclopedia.com" vs. "TheCanadianEncylopedia.com": which is better for an in-text citation?

texts:
When making an in-text citation for a website, in MLA format, do you capitalize the first letter of each word?

For example: (thecanadianecyclopedia.com)

or

(TheCanadianEncylopedia.com)


texts: Is 'getting more used to' bad use of english?

texts: Is it correct to say 'She is getting more used to me visiting'? I am just wondering about the use of 'more'.


texts: What's a word meaning "at the expense of"?

texts:
What's a word meaning "at the expense of" so I can shorten the following sentence:

  Due to the influence of money in politics, concessions are made at the expense of citizenry.


texts: Is the sentence "That guy will make fall in love all those girls" correct?

texts:
Is the sentence "That guy will make fall in love all those girls" correct, like "all those girls will fall in love with that guy", can I rewrite it like above?

Thanks for the attention!


texts: What does this phrase mean "value to me the cost"

texts: In an English translation of a letter of Cicero I came across the phrase 'they will value to me the cost of my former house and site.' (letters to Atticus IV.1). Does anyone know what this means or have a better translation? If so much obliged.


texts: Which is the proper response to “I love you”?

texts:
When my wife says I love you, my natural response is you too, meaning “[I love] you too.”

I realise that I’m in the minority here. I more frequently hear me too, but I don’t feel comfortable with that response: I can only hear it as “[I love] me too”.

Is there an argument that the grammatical would be I too, as in “I [love you] too”?


texts: From patriotic chauvinism to male chauvinism

texts:
Chauvinism is a term of French origin that:

in its original meaning, refers to  an exaggerated patriotism and a belligerent belief in national superiority and glory.

a contemporary use of the term in English is in the phrase male chauvinism. Male chauvinism is the belief that men are superior to women.

Regarding the sexist connotation of the term, according to  Etymonline:

Meaning extended to "sexism" via male chauvinism (1969).

that appears to be confirmed by the French Wikipedia which says:

Dans les années 1960 et 1970, le terme chauvinisme fut employé par le mouvement féministe pour taxer le système familial d'être patriarcal. Dans certaines langues, par exemple l'anglais et l'allemand, le terme a gardé cette signification.

Actually the term appears to have been in use well before the feminist movements of the '60s.   The English Wikipedia says:

The first documented use of the phrase "male chauvinism" is in the 1935 Clifford Odets play Till the Day I Die

also  Ngram seems to confirm that the earliest usages of 'male chauvinist' are from the '30s.

Unlike in France and Italy for instance, chauvinist meaning sexist seems  to have developed  in countries like  UK, US and  Germany).
My questions:
In what context did the term chauvinist take on the  contemporary meaning? Was it an expression imported into UK from Germany or US for instance?
Has the contemporary meaning a wider usage compared to the original one in BrE and in AmE?


texts: "The youth of today dream of high-quality educationS." (Why) Is this sentence correct?

texts:
The youth of today dream of high-quality educationS.

Is this sentence correct? If so, then why?

A teacher I know often uses uncountable Nonouns such as knowledges, educations, sugars as plurals.

Can I say he is misusing uncountable nouns when he dies this? What is your message for him?


texts: When should the word "NOW" be used in a sentence.......?

texts:
Consider the following 2 sentences:-

"Now the application is working fine".
"The application is working fine now".

Which one is grammatically correct and why?


texts: I was recently given a math question which was stated: "...divisible by 2 OR 3". I believed at that point that this did not include numbers such as 6 as the word OR implies that it is the choice between 2 statements, therefore leading to the conclusion that there when "or" is stated, it does not mean AND. It is true that OR does indeed mean AND as well as just the choice between two statements? I am simply asking for a explanation for what the word OR means; does it include the word AND. Thank you. FULL QUESTION IS, IF YOU WANT IT: How many numbers in a sequence from 0 to 2000 are divisible by 2 OR 3?


texts: I sometimes hear people use "I hope you feel way better","This is way more than I was expecting" and etc. Could you explain this type of usage and what is the difference between "feeling better" and "feeling way better"?


texts: What's the meaning of this sentence and what's the grammar structure of it?

texts:
This is part of the comment rules of one blog.

Shameless self-promotion is well, shameless, and will get canned.

(source: https://security.googleblog.com/2017/02/announcing-first-sha1-collision.html )

I can't understand this sentence at all. Is this a typo or really a meaningful sentence? If so, please share the meaning of it and how to grammartically analyze it.


texts: Using "so" at the end of a sentence without an ellipsis

texts:
In American English, we often add a drawn out "so" at the end of a sentence to imply an outcome.

Example:

  Jane wanted to go out, but I was tired, so we didn't.

Rather than say "we didn't" at the end, we often simply end the sentence with "so."  When we do that, we see people reflect that in writing by adding an ellipsis to represent the missing words and the pointedly pregnant "so."

Example:

  Jane wanted to go out, but I was tired, so...

However, recently I visited Ireland -- County Cork to be specific.  Speakers there do something similar, but they've cut to the chase.  Rather than linger on the "so" like we Americans do, they seem to simply end the sentence with "so" and move right onto the next.  It's almost like "so" becomes a pronoun for all they left unsaid that we could readily infer.

Example:

  Jane wanted to go out, but I was tired, so.  Besides, I didn't have
  the money anyway.

This made me question how I normally write sentences like this, question using the ellipsis.

My question is this:

Is it grammatical to end a sentence with a single period after "so" like I did above without having the coordinate clause explicitly follow it?

On one hand, we imply things all the time and grammar takes it completely in stride.  But on the other hand, it looks awfully odd ending a sentence with a coordinating conjunction like that.  Yet I can't find any rule that prohibits it.  So I cast my bread upon the waters.


texts:
I do not understand what the person means by ampliative and reductive aspects and conditions for transparency and embodiment? I looked up the definitions but I don't understand what their context means in this prompt. I chose eyeglasses to be the tool I am going to write about.

  Identify the ampliative and reductive aspects of one common tool.
  Further, discuss the conditions for transparency and embodiment. For
  example, consider eye glasses, automobiles, telephones, recorded
  music, or the Internet. --MacLennan


texts: Idiom/expression for changing the subject in a conversation

texts:
Is there an idiom/expression in English for changing the subject in a conversation (and if possible, in a sarcastic way)?

For example, there is an expression in Turkish: gelelim fasulyenin faydalarına. It can be translated as "let's get/come to the benefits of beans". It also has a sarcastic flavor in it.

It is used generally when you want to change the subject/topic in a conversation. There can be similar but slightly different connotations as well:

to change the topic where you think that the conversation is boring
to start a topic when everyone is silent or there is no substantial conversation
to change the topic to talk about the main/important subject (and this subject is usually important to you only)

It is not getting to the point or beginning to get serious. So the following expressions don't cut it:

let's get down to business
let's get down to brass tacks
let's get down to bedrock
let's get down to nitty gritty
let's get down to cases

Alternatives of the Turkish expression:

 - gel gelelim fasulyenin faydalarına
- gelelim kuru fasulyenin faydalarına


texts: Tense in "One of the requirements was that it must ..."

texts:
I'm having a slight dispute with a friend who proofreads my paper on the correct tense in this sentence:

  One of the key requirements for the web app was that it must automatically work with any new lexicons that might be added later.

As the main clause is in past tense, do I have to change the present tense of "must" to something else? And how?

To clarify, the requirements were written down before the app development begun (which is in the past). And the lexicons might be added after development is finished (which is in the future).


texts: I am just curious why 'monotonous' is pronounced mo·not·o·nous and not mono.tonous following the Greek origin of the word as mono + tone. Mono and tone could be pronounced alone and actually they constitute the word monotonous.


texts: If I don't know an action is completed, which past tense do I use?

texts:
I'm reading "English Grammar in Use" by Raymond Murphy, and I have a question about the Present Perfect and Past Simple.

Here's the example from the book:

  They've gone away. They'll be back on Friday. (they are away now)
  They went away, but I think they're back at home now. (not They've gone)

What should I use if I'm talking to my friend and I am not sure if somebody is back or he's still away?

  A: Hey, where is Mark?
  B: He has gone to the shop or He went to the shop.

Should I choose the tense depending on my own opinion about his current location at the moment of speaking?


texts:
I came across the sentence

  My biggest grievance is grammar mistakes.

I'd be inclined to write it as

  My biggest grievance is with grammar mistakes.

or

  Grammar mistakes are my biggest grievance.

What is the correct way to write this, and why?


texts: What kind of "-ware" are vases and cups?

texts:
Mary makes tea cups, tea bowls, vases and other __ware at the pottery
  workshop.

If it were just tea cups and tea bowls I could write teaware. However, vases aren't teaware.

What's the correct word to use in this case? (Say, if the stuff is made of clay?)


texts: What is the meaning of "derives unto" in this sentence by James Shirley:"thou canst not see What blemish she derives unto our name"?


texts: According to Wikipedia, FEIN is an abbreviation for Federal Employer Identification Number in the US. Cursory googling shows me that as a name, it could be pronounced fine or like faint, and in german, it should be pronounced fine; however, this doesn't give me a definite answer to whether there is a correct way to pronounce the acronym. I work for an insurance company, and although I've heard both pronunciations from time to time, that doesn't satisfy my curiosity.


texts:
What is the difference between "estate" and "property" in the context of this sentence (from Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility)?

  The family of Dashwood had long been settled in Sussex. Their estate was large, and their residence was at Norland Park, in the centre of their property, where, for many generations, they had lived in so respectable a manner as to engage the general good opinion of their surrounding acquaintance.


texts: General term for both clients and customers?

texts:
Both customers and clients pay for either goods or services, but they still fall in the same "customer/client" category, as in they buy stuff from you.

What would be the proper general term for this category?

I'm asking because I need to store both under the same category, and don't want to choose between either customers or clients.

Update: Thanks to Josh61's "clientele" answer.

But would there also be a singular noun for it?

As in:

A client
A customer
A ...


texts:
Are both of these statements grammatically correct?  Do they have different connotations?  Or are they interchangeable?

Alice grew far slower than Bob
Alice grew far more slowly than Bob


texts: What would be the best counterpart to the term "unimprovable"

texts:
Something along the lines of "not capable of being brought lower than one's current point."

Considering unimprovable having the root improve, I am looking for a term that has the same effect from a word antonymous to improve.

Using a rock as an example, unimprovable in the sense I'm concerned with would be along the lines of "This rock can never be made better than it currently is, it is unimprovable."

I am looking for a term that would fit into "This rock can never be made worse than it currently is, it is ______"


texts: What is meaning of "Apropos acknowledgements," at start of a phrase?

texts:
Apropos acknowledgements, I should first of all like to express my gratitude to my friend and colleague ...

This quotation came from a preface of a book. As far as I understand, from dictionaries I've consulted:

  apropos = at an opportune time

and

  acknowledgements = a declaration or avowal of one's act or of a fact to give it legal validity

But what is meaning the combined phrase "Apropos acknowledgements"?


texts: Etymology of the use of "Drive" to refer to a digital storage medium

texts:
When did the word "drive" begin to be used to refer to a digital storage medium (e.g. disc drive, hard drive, USB drive), and why was this term selected?

Cross-link to related earlier question: "Hard disk" vs. "Hard drive" vs. "Hard disk drive"


texts: "Until" followed by past perfect or past simple

texts:
Recently we have been learning tense sequence with using after, before and so on. One of them - until turned out troublesome for me.

My first exercise was to write this sentence with until:
not to agreed to take Kevin + they see how well we get on.

Logic says to me that not to let was the first action and seeing was the second action.

  They hadn't agreed to take Kevin until they saw how well we get on.

My teacher told me English sometimes wasn't mathematical and logical and this sentence should sound like that:

  They didn't agree to take Kevin until they had seen how well we get on.

I said to myself: " Ok. After until it should be past perfect (simple or continuous)"

The second exercise:
She didn't watch television. They bagan to broadcast signed TV programmes. (use until)

I wrote this sentence accoring to my rule After until we use past perfect!

  She didn't watch television until they had begun to broadcast signed TV programmes.

According to my teacher this was wrong and this sounds better:

  She hadn't watched television until they began to broadcast signed TV programmes.

It is the first time I have been shocked so much by English.
Who knows and has time to explain?


texts:
I'm preparing to open up a start-up. Because of some personal reasons, I'd like to name it after the small town in China I was born in. It's named 下关 (dry translate to down-gate or down-fort).
That name came after its geography situation. 大理 (Dali) is an old city located in a valley and it has 2 major entrances/exits. People in old Dali built a fort on each of the entrances. The north one called 上关 (up-gate) and the south one called 下关 (down-gate).
I believe this kind of geography is common around the world, I'm hoping there are authentic English words that can describe it beautifully. Please share your knowledge.


texts: When I refer HTTPS, I pronounce it by reading each character. However, I wonder whether there is a quicker and easier way to pronounce it.


texts:
What is a word called that consists of a repetition of one word?

I came across the word polypoly in one of the other question asked on the site, and it got me thinking whether there are other English words that are made up of a word or part of a word repeated in the same way that polypoly is made up of poly + poly. Can you please provide examples also?


texts: Capitalization with names of two streets

texts: Is it "between First and Main Streets" or "between First and Main streets?


texts: What is an alternative to the phrase "what you don't know won't hurt you"?

texts: I am looking for an alternative phrase to replace "what you don't know can't hurt you."


texts:
What is the rule that you have to follow to be able to use 's instead of is?

For example, you can say Jill's very happy, but you can't say However happy Jill's I'd still like to tell her another joke.


texts:
I have an article that contains a list of negative responses to a change in design for a milk jug. I want to use their feedback as a way to enforce my point that people don't like change. I am not a very good writer and think the way I worded it sounds awkward. Is there a better way to go about it?

My sentence
Things like “‘I hate it’ said Lisa ... ‘It spills everywhere’ said Amy ... ‘It’s very hard for kids to pour’ said Lee” were just a few of the responses consumers gave on the change.

The original article
"I hate it," said Lisa DeHoff, a cage owener in a Sam's Club here.
"It spills everywhere," said Amy Wise, a homemaker.
"It's very hard for kids to pour," said Lee Morris, who was shopping for her grandchildren.


texts: "I hoped" vs. "I was hoping". What's the difference?

texts: I can't remember to hear "I hoped..." in any movie I've watched. I always hear "I was hoping..." when people talk. Nevertheless I know both forms are correct in terms of grammar. So when "I hoped" is more proper then "I was hoping" and vice versa?


texts: Verb to describe what merchants do in country-side fairs

texts:
I am looking for a verb that would describe what merchants do in Fairs. Like this one :

I find "trade" too formal considering what I need. I am looking for something in the idea of showcasing thingsn interacting with people, polishing products, taking care of the stands. Something conceptually almost as vague as to work but more pointed to this kind of activity.


texts: What should I say? Across or between camera views?

texts:
My question is regarding the usage of "across" and "between".

I want to say that a person is viewed by one camera, then disappears and, after a while is sensed by a different cameras.

I wrote

  "...an individual moving across non-overlapping camera views.."

but I have doubts about the usage of "across" here.


texts: A synonym for "again" that is widely used today?

texts:
I wrote the following:

  She nodded to her dad, smiling again. His words made her feel like
  a child again. That period of time when she felt absolutely safe.

As you can see, it reads awkward because two sentences end with again. I searched on Thesaurus but none of the words seem to be widely used in cases like the one above (maybe one more time but then I would have repeated time twice.)

Anyone has another suggestion?


texts: In which --- is it used for every wh-word?

texts:
I have learned that when we are using which if a word like in or for comes at the end of the which clause, we have to move those extra words to in front of the which  like this:

  The case for which the saint died was very religious.

What I am trying to ask is, does the same go with all the wh-words (what, when, who, how, etc.)?

There were some results with whom:

  We have clients for whom we provide only one small service.

If yes, please provide me with some example sentences. If not, please explain why only which is used for that type of case. Also, I am sorry for misusing any grammatical term if there was any.


texts:
The moose however proved to be more of a hazard than help in battle, as the moose’s natural instinct to hide overpowered their training to stay.

Or

The moose however proved to be more of a hazard than help in battle, as the moose’s natural instinct to hide, overpowered their training to stay.

Edit: My reasoning for going with example two, is that, the first time reading this sentence, I read "overpowered" as an adjective. I was expecting the sentence to read something along the lines of "... hide overpowered feelings of guilt" It led me to rereading the sentence a couple times. In my opinion, the comma clarifies the intent of overpowered to be read as a verb.


texts: In the following sentence, the parallel construction of the infinitives "to acknowledge" and "to accept" have, at least temporarily, befuddled me

texts:
To acknowledge the equality of black folks would also, so it was believed, accept a lowered status for rural whites. OR

To acknowledge the equality of black folks would be also, so it was believed, to accept a lowered status for rural whites.


texts: Given that: a preposition or conjunction

texts:
The Oxford Living Dictionaries defines given that as a conjunction.

when you consider something

However the dictionary defines the preposition given in the following way:

taking into consideration.

Example:

It was surprising the
government was re-elected, given that they had raised taxes
so much.

However, the examples of 'given' as a preposition contains the same phrase 'given that' as the example of conjunction mentioned above do:

‘Physically shutting down the site would be very difficult given that it is hosted overseas.’

‘His achievement is all the more impressive given that Fitzgerald has endured his fair share of injuries.’

The Oxford English Dictionaries also gave the examples of 'given' as a preposition without adding 'that' following by it:

‘I pointed out that this might prove to be rather ironic given the current circumstances.’

‘The authorities appear to have succeeded in this given the enthusiastic response.’

I need someone's guide to guide me pertaining to their syntactical and phrasal similarity/differences.


texts: Can linking verbs and action verbs be together as elements of the same list?

texts:
I am writing a sentence that contains a list of elements in it. Some of the elements are formed with linking verbs and some with action verbs.

For example:

  Laura is a sexy lady, smells heavenly, dances salsa gracefully, and plays soccer in her free time.

To me, somehow, mixing linking verbs (is, smells) and action verbs (dances, plays) in the same sentence sounds strange. I feel that it, somehow, breaks the parallel structure of the elements of the list. However, since English is not my mother tongue, I've learned to distrust my "feelings" about how something sounds.


texts: Can one use the word 'majority' for the leading alternative (in a three way split) even if the proportion in favor is less than 50%?

texts:
If there is a political proposition with three alternatives and the leading alternative, that is to say that which command the most support, does not have 50% or more support can that alternative be described as commanding a majority?

Or is a majority strictly defined as having 50% or more support?


texts: correct position of "aligned with" in the sentnece

texts:
Which one (if any) is correct?

partial discharge rate aligned with the total discharged rate can be determined.
partial discharge rate can be determined aligned with the total discharged rate.


texts: What do we call someone who is used by someone else to accomplish something for him?

texts:
Please can you find me a term for someone who had been used like a string puppet by some greater force or divinity to accomplish an act of vengence for them?

mediator and the likes sounds too... tame. I'd like something to make the character feel like some kind of string puppet in the hands of someone.

Thank you very much!!!


texts: What's a word that means intentionally gullible?

texts:
I'm looking for a word to describe someone that is easily persuaded to believe things that they are aware is likely to be too good to be true. Something along the lines of an optimistic cynic, perhaps? More specifically, someone who expects the worse but wants to believe in things so badly that they allow their gullible side to override their common sense.

EDIT: To clarify, this differs from A word for a worldly wise person who pretends to be naïve? in that this person isn't necessarily worldly wise and is not pretending to be naive; their gullibility arises more from desperately hoping their belief will be justified. There is no intention to deceive others into thinking that they are more gullible than they actually are.

EDIT 2: Having looked at various answers linked in the comments, further clarification is needed; the person in question is not Pollyannaish in that they are aware that what they are believing in might not be logical, but because they are hoping against hope that this is true, the end result is a sense of gullibility.


texts:
I am a translator looking for the right word in English for the Spanish word "gozoso." It is an adjective connected to the Spanish verb "gozar" or to take pleasure. It differs from the less sexually charged Spanish word "disfrutar," which means enjoy.  Something related to revelry might work...Any ideas? Many thanks!
The phrase in Spanish, if it helps, is "...en la  irrupción permanente de otras formas de vida, distintas, desordenadas, ásperas y gozosas, en las batallas que nos quedan para defender el consumo y la fiesta"


texts: Why is "success" spelled with double -S?

texts: What is the function of the double s at the end of the word, success?


texts: When creating an initialism of a country's full name, should the "o" in "of" be capitalized once initialized? For example, should Republic of Ireland be "ROI" or "RoI"?


texts: Rhythm - help me finish this phrase...The voice of an angel, the rhythm of a _____________

texts: Please help me finish this phrase, the voice of an angel, the rhythm of a _______________.


texts: "my person" as a synonym for myself in specific context

texts:
First of all, I am not a native English speaker and my understanding of the terms may be biased by other languages I know.. ( hence the question )

In a very official letter I am trying to refer to myself without using the explicit word "myself" or "me" for fear of repetition ( too many too close ) .

The Phrase i am looking for is along the lines of

  " ..and regarding the proposed meeting Between (me) and X "

Can I use the term "my person" in this context ? E.g.

  " ..and regarding the proposed meeting between X and my person ".

or

  " ..and regarding the proposed meeting with my person ".

would a native (American ) English speaker understand it ? find it strange ?

Alternatively , what other options ( synonyms ) do I have ?
What is the correct way or context to use "my person" as a
substitute for "me" ( if any ) ?

Edit I - Clarification :

This letter is for a third party regarding a meeting between my self
and another (second ) party . It is regarding a large company´s board of directors affair, and it involved many meeting and many parties ( some persons, some companies ) but almost always myself . It is potentially be read by both the board itself and other authorities .
The question is more about the overall "feeling" of the letter . I have
a very strong feeling about repeating the same word too many time too
closely . Whenever I read a paragraph that repeats the same word or
terms too frequently I can not escape the feeling of it being poorly
constructed . Maybe it is just me , but I can not shake it off and I
always try to use synonyms in any language I write ..


texts: Name for the relationship of wife’s sister’s husband

texts:
Is there a name for the relationship of my wife’s sister’s husband in English? Or in case of a lady, what is the relationship of her husband’s brother’s wife called?  There are words for these relationships in Indian languages like Tamil.

I have heard instances of the words “co-brother” and “co-sister” being used in India. But, I strongly suspect that these usages are Indian.


texts: Is Luncheon capitalized when referring to an event?

texts: For example: the Intercultural Union "luncheon"


texts: Term for when consecutive events are "broken"

texts:
This is the use case:

  "...5 doughnuts to be awarded each consecutive day you visit the shop
  until the ???? is broken."

I'm thinking it's going to be along the lines of consecusion or consecutivity....??? But these are of course not real words.

For more clarity:
I don't want to have the term bound to any misleading things. The use case I gave was an example but this term needs to be abstracted due to the nature of the real problem as it relates to software. i.e. String, chain, etc.


texts: What is the word for a man who keeps returning for other people to abuse him?

texts: I'm looking for a word describing a man who keeps returning to a place although people there always abuse him and say bad things to him. He keeps going back because maybe he likes to experience this like a Howling Mad Murdock of the A TEAM.


texts:
How would someone say the following when spoken (i.e. a financial report):

USD currently trading at SGD $1.36

I think both (A), (B), (C) below are valid and common (using the bold word before the word "dollar") but is there other way of saying it?

(A) "U.S. dollar currently trading at one point thirty-six Singaporean dollars"
(B) "U.S. dollar currently trading at one point three six Singaporean dollars"
(C) "U.S. dollar currently trading at one Singaporean dollar [and] thirty-six cents"
(D) Some other way. If so, how? Please provide examples
　　i.e. "U.S. dollar currently trading at one dollar [and] thirty-six Singaporean cents"

Note that thing in "[ ]" are optional. You can say it with or without it.


texts:
How to describe a person who has initiative and enthusiasm to start new activities but their fervor shortly quenches and they pick up new activities. In my neighborhood we say "he has got a straw ignition." It means he is a quitter but it emphasizes good positive short-lived enthusiasm.

There is an idiom "a flash in the pan" but I do not think it is appropriate to describe a person. It originates from reflecting light of pyrite or sparkling water in the sickle used for finding gold. So it is false good start in a situation rather than a person characteristic.


texts: What does "steal" in this Oscar Wilde piece mean

texts:
I was reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. In the 2nd chapter I read the following prose:

  Yes, there would be a day when his face would be wrinkled and wizen, his eyes dim and colourless, the grace of his figure broken and deformed. The scarlet would pass away from his lips and the gold steal from his hair. The life that was to make his soul would mar his body. He would become dreadful, hideous, and uncouth.

From the above prose fragment it is obvious what Dorian the narcissist is thinking. But what bugs me is that "gold steal from his hair". What does  it mean actually? I think that the time would steal gold from his hair (meaning that his hair would grow white). But then, the verb steal looks inappropriately handled.

In all the sentences I have read steal always has a thief. Excuse my blunt way of speaking , but in this example "Somebody is about to steal my paper" the thief "Somebody" is mentioned. Why then it is not mentioned in the above line? If I wrote in this way, would it be justified?


texts: which pronoun should I use for a singular third person in a scientific writing?

texts:
I want to write a research paper and I want to know how can I refer to a person using pronouns? For example I want to say:

If the player moves downwards, ... will be at the second square.

What should I use instead of ...? he/she or they or something else?


texts:
Is "modificate" a correct English word?

From source: http://www.definitions.net/definition/modificate (Webster Dictionary)

  Modificate (verb)

  to qualify

  Origin: [See Modify.]

But if I look in the Cambridge dictionary, it returns nothing: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/spellcheck/english/?q=Modificate


texts:
In college, I was more interested in chemistry and maths - that's why I decided to go to study in pharmacy.

Is this sentence correct? Or should I use "with" before "pharmacy"?


texts: I was just asked, in referring to the sentence: “The price of goods in big cities is usually higher than in small cities,” if it’s okay to swap “price of goods” for “prices of goods.” I said that goods is a singular group, and prices would only be acceptable if you put a modifying adjective that breaks the singular group into multiple groups such as “the prices of various goods in big cities,” but now I’m starting to wonder if that’s correct.


texts:
I'd be interested in your analysis of the following sentence (from program documentation):

  ... dialog with an ok and cancel button... [correct]

Would be correct. However, why not:

  ... dialog with an ok and a cancel button... [correct]

And why not:

  ... dialog with an ok and cancel buttons... [incorrect]

And why not:

  ... dialog with an ok and a cancel buttons... [incorrect]

And why not:

  ... dialog with ok and cancel buttons... [correct]


texts: "The boy was very sad when his toy fell on the ground" - is "sad" a subject complement?

texts: Is "sad" a subject complement and "when his toy fell on the ground" - an adverbial? Do I understand it right that semantically "the boy" is Agent?


texts: Why is natural logarithm abbreviated to ln?

texts: In mathematics, the natural logarithm operator is abbreviated as ln. There is no letter n in the word logarithm, so why do we abbreviate in this way?


texts: How to understand "so much signs" in this sentence?

texts:
Here is a sentence from Literature, Technology and Modernity, 1860-2000:

  Just as Vickery has been turned into a three-dimensional negative by an electrical storm, the war dead survived, by the industrial light and magic of cinema, as so many shaky on-screen images, not so much signs whose referents have disappeared as mummies.

I was wondering whether there is something missing here concerning "so much signs".
Should it be "so much by signs"? Or how to understand the last part?


texts:
I am looking for a word that conveys the strongest level of inciting someone, pushing someone to do something:

  Their boss VERB'd them to work as hard as possible.

The strongest I can think of is spur, is there something better?


texts: Confusion about how to use condition type 1 and 2

texts:
Ok, the condition type 1 predicts a possible future event:

If this thing happens, that thing will happen.

The condition type 1 expresses a counterfactual situation with a present or future time frame:

If this thing happened, that thing would happen (but I'm not sure this thing will happen) OR that thing would be happening.

Ok, now if you say:

  If I marry Mary, I will be happy

  If I married Mary, I would be happy

In the first sentence, you are quite confident that if you marry Mary then you will have a happy life. Maybe you think that Mary is a very good girl, etc. But in the 2nd question, you are not sure that will happen, right?

I am a bit confused, because it seems that you choose to say the 1st or 2nd question based on what you think in your head. If you think you could marry Mary in the future, then use the 1st one, and if you think you could not marry Mary in the future, then use the 2nd one: is that right?

So, is it all depending on your thinking? If you think it is possible then use the condition type 1 & if you think it is impossible then use the condition type 2?

Ok, see other examples:

  If I have a spacecraft, I will fly to the moon

  If I had a spacecraft, I would fly to the moon

Ok, I think it is up to you to say the 1st or 2nd sentence. If you say the 1st one, then you think it could happen.

For example, maybe a few years later you have enough money to make a spacecraft and fly to the moon. But if you think that there is no way you can make enough money to buy a spacecraft to fly to the moon, then you can use the 2nd option right?

So does choosing type 1 or 2 depend on what we think? Or are we forced to use only 1 structure, meaning that type 1 or 2 is not governed by what we think?


texts: Odd pronunciation of adjectives ending in -ed

texts:
I am currently listening to an audiobook reading of Keats poetry by Sir Ralph Richardson, and I have noticed a peculiar pronunciation of adjectives ending in -ed. While I have heard in the past certain words like winged being pronounced as wingid rather than wingd, I thought it an archaic peculiarity of a small subset of words. Yet today I have heard Sir Richardson pronounce stained in the same odd fashion, as steinid rather than the overwhelmingly more common steind. It has made me think and wonder whether this oddity is some sort of literary remnant from the past, or perhaps just a mistake from his part.

For copyright purposes I cannot link to the recording, but if I haven't made myself clear, you can hear what I'm talking about in this publicly available reading of Annabel Lee by Poe.

"Annabel Lee" - Edgar Allan Poe (Poem Version) on Youtube (0:54)


texts: Where did the idiom “That’s gas” originate?

texts:
I often say 'That's gas' to refer to something that I found humorous.
I have looked to find how it originated but could not locate.
Is anybody aware of its history?


texts: Is there a rule for pronouncing “th” at the beginning of a word?

texts:
Consider the th in thistle versus the th in this: the former is unvoiced, while the latter is voiced.

Is there a rule or reason for the differences?


texts: What do you call an office separated into individual spaces?

texts: I'm writing a paper and I have to describe what a certain work environment looks like. However, I don't know the proper term for this type of office layout. Surely you don't just call it a block office. I searched a lot, but wasn't able to find anything on this.


texts:
What's the origin of the phrase "seamy underbelly"?
Example (my emphasis):

With its large gay community, celebrity residents and beachfront cafés, Brighton is regarded as one of the hippest, most laid-back towns in Britain. But a glimpse of its seamy underbelly emerged last week as campaigners offered a £50,000 reward to find the killers of a 19-year-old girl sucked into a world of drugs and depravity.
— Tony Thompson, The Observer, 2000


texts: What do you call the "unlawful dumping of bulky appliances and furniture"?

texts:
I am preparing a vocabulary sheet about the environment for my private students and I am stuck on one expression.

You know when you drive past some fields or in the open countryside and you come across abandoned sofas, washing machines, bath tubs, or rusting vespas that have been left there to "rot"? What do you call that type of rubbish or trash?

It's not litter because that's more to do with discarded crisp (chips) bags, paper, bottles, plastic containers and the like. It's obviously not a landfill because that is the place where all the refuse and waste is taken and then covered with soil. Can I call the act of transporting large heavy goods to intentionally abandon them in the countryside, dumping?

  dumping
  deposit or dispose of (garbage, waste, or unwanted material), typically in a careless or hurried way.

Is there a more specific term or phrase for this type of vandalism?


texts: What does "sit in the back of the bus" mean?

texts:
What does "sit in the back of the bus" in the following sentence mean? It has been taken from Harvey Milk's "The Hope Speech."

  The first gay people we elect must be strong. They must not be content to sit in the back of the bus. They must not be content to accept pablum.


texts:
When I come across idioms that are not transparent I try to find out
what is behind such expressions. In the case of "to be off the wall"
one does not see anything that might lead to the meaning crazy.

Has anyone an idea about the origin of this expression?


texts: Meaning of "Carrots aren't that great" in the sentence

texts:
I was reading "10 hurdles to Windows 10 adoption". In slide 12, there's this paragraph:

  I still think it’s smartest for Windows 7 customers to stand pat,
  unless they see something in Windows 10 that’s absolutely
  irresistible. The carrots in the current version 1511 aren’t that
  great for most. Microsoft’s infuriating push to Get Windows 10, and
  its uneven handling of the new Windows-as-a-service paradigm show the
  need for a whole lot of maturing, both in the product and in the way
  it’s handled.

I guess "carrots aren't that great" here means the features aren't good enough. Correct?

What's the real expression used here? Is it common?


texts: As in a callout announcing a new product: "Available soon at your xyz dealer" or "Soon available at your xyz dealer!


texts:
Please help: whoever or whomever?

And this is the sentence, it cannot be changed!

I think whomever is correct—because isn't the answer to the he/him test him? As in Who are we free to pretend to be? Is the answer he or him? It is him, right? We are free to pretend to be him... not he...

Each of us is freer than ever to believe whatever and pretend to be whoever/whomever we wish.

Thank you!!!

<3


texts: I need a few words that describe a person who is imposing, in a context of overstaying his welcome. Someone that is present unwelcomed and you can't do your usual routines until the person is gone. A person who is not part of the household and is in the way. And excess person → freeloader, parasite, scrounger/unwelcome guest. Something more specific.


texts: Does word pronunciation change when it's in a sentence?

texts:
I’m Chinese and am learning English. When I watch video materials from US and UK, I've noticed a phenomenon: in British, a word may sound much different when it's  said in a sentence compared to when it’s spoken solely.

For example, when saying dangerous [ˈdeɪndʒərəs] all by itself as a single word, British English pronunciation is identical to American English. But when in a sentence, British English tend to stretch the [rə] to a longer duration, and with an ascending tone from start to finish.

This brings learners difficulties. Even if I can say each word correctly, when I say a sentence word by word, with necessary liaison of course, it still sounds “strange”. It's not far from an American accent, but very different to what a native speaker from the United Kingdom would say. I see more such variation in intonation in British English than I hear in American English.

I wanna know:

Is it true about the pronunciation variation, what's the proper name of it, so I can research on it.
Is there a pattern/rule on the variation to memorize?
Is the variation the main contributor to the accent difference.

Any clue is welcome, not necessarily an answer. Links, resources, wikis, ideas, anything.

Example: in this video: around 03:05 when he says:

  This is going to be dangerous.

I know words sound different in sentences than when said individually — this happens in all languages. To be more specific, what I want to know is the difference between the ways British English and American English handle this intonation change. How can I learn the British accent?


texts: Is there a grammatical rule for using "read" between parentheses?

texts:
As an example:

  I am bored (read: lazy).

I wish to know if English Grammar has a formal construct for this usage.


texts: Is there a literary device to show how a character or interactions with a character changes as the story goes on?

texts:
I'm trying to break down Wilfred Owen's Disabled, and I feel like there should be a device for describing his condition before and after the war. Girls treat him so differently. He used to be a football player, and now he can't even walk. Even the words used to describe how the girls look at him are different. It's "...glanced lovelier..." against "...passed from him..."

The contrast is so big that it just shows how much the character suffers.

It's not exactly juxtaposition because I'm talking about differences between stanzas. Is it some type of contrast?


texts: I have heard this word pronounced somewhat similar to [the River] Nile-ism as well as similar to Neal-ism. The former is obviously because of the German or possibly Russian pronunciation, but how should it be pronounced in English?


texts: Is this grammatical construction an imperative for the third person?

texts:
Is the construction 'Let + subject + verb' considered as an order/imperative for the third person:

  Let every man count his days

when it is intended to mean 'must'/'is ordered to'?


texts: Correct usage of words about numbers and decimal places

texts:
I was told by a friend that they were taught to write numbers in this fashion: (1 ten thousanths, 1 thousandths, 1 hundreths, 1 tenths, 1 tens, 1 hundreds).

I was wondering why they would be taught in such a matter, and if this is actually gramatically correct.


texts: Ambiguity when a sentence contains multiple possessive pronouns

texts:
I have a question related to another one that I have asked.

In the following sentence, whose father is being referenced?

  Billy’s friend and his father were there.

In the following re-structured sentence, whose friend is being referenced?

  Billy’s father and his friend were there.

Clearly, there is ambiguity about the second (or subsequent) nouns. Is there a better way to structure such sentences to remove the ambiguity?


texts: Is "these are also hidden features as well" a redundant sentence?

texts:
These are also hidden features as well.

Is this redundant? I do this a lot, where I say "also" followed by "as well".


texts: Word for someone who is smart and illiterate

texts: Does anyone know if there is a word like this?


texts: When someone says, "I do not feel that good", what does that mean?

texts: I have heard it many times in movies and shows. I think it means "I do not feel very good" or "I do not feel as good as you think", but why do we use "that" here, and is it correct?


texts:
I'm currently writing an essay and cites a source multiple times, but at separate pages. Just for clarity's sake, I cited pages 10-11, 15, and 19. The issue is simple enough for in-text citations, but how should I cite this in my works cited page? Should I simply put pp. 10+ (which is one way I saw on a website) or pp. 10-11, 15, 19?

This is in MLA, by the way.


texts: Word for a big/influential company daring to commit immoral thing

texts:
Those companies do so because they think they have dominated the market
and the customers can not live without their service.

For example, big technology companies in China like Tencent and Baidu
can breach users' privacy by simply monitoring their text and voice communication and other sensitive data for not only commercial usage but also for helping Government spying the public like what's described in book 1984 with AI and Big Data.

Even now in Google, there has been a disclosure that Google's developing DragonFly Project for censored engine to re-enter Chinese market.
I think one reason they dare to do so without fearing the consequence is that many people have formed reliance on them so that they can keep prying on user's privacy.


texts: "Nothing particular" versus "Nothing in particular"

texts:
What is the difference between "Nothing particular" and "Nothing in particular"?

I have been told that "Nothing particular" is grammatically incorrect and that "Nothing in particular" should be used instead.

What exactly is the difference between these two statements and is "Nothing particular" actually grammatically incorrect?

Are there any scenarios where one would be preferable over the other?


texts: Is there an English word for a period of 10000 years?

texts:
I am looking for a word for a period of 10000 years, similar to how millennium represents 1000 years. The closest match I came up with was myriaannum from myria- and annum. However, the metric prefix myria- is no longer used, and in common language, a myriad refers to an indefinitely large number.

The Old Man of the Mountain was formed a myriaannum ago by glaciers.

Is there a more commonly used word for this or is myriaannum my best option?


texts:
Could you tell me which is correct in the following situation:

I have one parrot, its feathers are of different colors. Which is the correct way to speak about the parrot:

  I have a parrot. It is blue and white and green and yellow.
  I have a parrot. It is blue, white, green, and yellow.

Some say that the 1st variant is obsolete, the second is correct. Others tell me the 1st is correct, while the pattern of enumeration in the second option suits the situation when one speaks about several objects, not one.

So which one is correct? May be you can suggest a grammar book where this rule is stated?


texts:
Looking for a substitute word for RequestHandler. I come across this word as the name of a class while working on pre-written code.

P.S.:

I know that the best name would depend on the context for which the class is created (or the context in which the entity exists). However, this name is very commonly used, so I'm looking for a commonly substitutable word.
Please feel free to write your suggestion even if it looks out of the place for now. Reason: the word may be the perfect substitute in some other code setting. The suggestion Slave  given below is absolutely not the word I'm looking for but this can be the perfectly abstracting word for code written for Master-Slave architectures.


texts: Word for damage that isn't serious, mostly visual and not hindering the function of the thing

texts: Like, if you get in a fender bender and there is some scraped paint, you would say "the damage was..."


texts: How do I write 'first and second order' properly?

texts:
I am writing about first-order and second-order quantities. Should I put one hyphen, as in

  "first and second-order",

or two, as in

  "first- and second-order".

Or should I do something else?


texts: Is it correct to say "That's why our robot is made modular"?

texts:
If I want to say that I designed my commercial robot to have interchangeable parts and add-ons that the customer can choose from, is it proper to phrase this as...

  “that's why our robot is made modular.”

If not, why?


texts: Can the typography term "swash", meaning a flourish on a letter or character, be used as a verb?


texts: Do we always use a plural verb with "looks"?

texts:
"Her looks are what she is mostly proud of"
OR
"Her looks is what she is mostly proud of"?
And if a plural verb is used, how would we say the following sentence:
"He looks so manly and rugged. I'll bet that kind of looks is every girl's dream"
Or should we say "those kinds of looks....(sounds so odd to me though)"?


texts: One word that can mean both teacher or student

texts:
As part of educational systems there is often a division between two roles:

Teachers or educators give knowledge, while students or trainees receive knowledge.

Is there an abstraction over this distinction that describes simply a person being part of an educational system, regardless of whether it is a student or a teacher in particular?

Edit: In case there is no such general term, what about a word in the context of a single subject?


texts: An appropriate term for the 'contamination' of a language

texts:
Italians, for some reason, tend to accept and use foreign terms quite easily. The foreign terms that have entered and are entering common usage are mainly from the English language. Their usage has been increasing so consistently in recent years that the main Italian language authority l'Accademia della Crusca has raised an official alarm regarding the 'invasion' of foreign terminology.

According to a recent study, the usage of English terms has increased by 773% in the last 8 years. L'Accademia has issued a petition  'Save the Italian Language ' and will officially ask the Italian Government, Public Administrations, Media  and Public Companies to limit their use of foreign words and favour  the Italian equivalent terms instead.

Whether  this initiative will be successful or not (I really doubt it), this phenomenon is going to continue for years.

The following is just an example of everyday ordinary speech:

  "Domani alle nove ho un meeting col mio boss. Poi al lunch vedo la mia amica con cui faccio spinning in palestra e il pomeriggio devo chiedere alla baby-sitter di venire per il week-end." (It includes  six english terms in just two sentences)

MY QUESTION:

What is the expression that describes this phenomenon?

P.S. I not looking for a definition of how  the Italian language authority is reacting, but for a term for the  phenomenon described  which, to different extents, is present also in other languages.
I asked this question here and here but I have yet to receive a satisfactory answer ( Alenanno's good answer hints at 'contact and change'. Is there a more precise term?).


texts: What does this phrase mean: "they just can't keep their hands off the cookie jar"?

texts:
What does the following sentence mean?

They just can’t keep their hands off the cookie jar

I came across this sentence in a movie. It explores racial tensions in the American society, discriminated against people of color, lack of equal opportunities, bias in the judicial systems, etc.


texts: Why can "dispute" be both verb and noun, but "refute" only a verb?

texts:
The word dispute be used as a verb or a noun:

Do not dispute me on this.
The dispute was settled quickly.

However, the word refute can be used only as a verb:

I shall refute this claim.

The only way to use it as a noun is to add the suffix ‑tation:

That was a weak refutation.

Why is this?


texts: How would I properly formulate "Save to and read from "

texts:
In the context of answering a question on Stack Overflow:

Save to and read from the file that JSON string.

It's pretty clumsy, but I want to express that you altogether save to and read from. Using...

Save and read that JSON string from the file
Save that JSON string to and from the file

...is actually wrong, as one doesn't save from a file, nor read to a file. Hence "Save to and read from" but that JSON string breaks everything.
Is there a proper way to use that formulation in this case?


texts: Single word for the timeline of past, present, and future events

texts:
I know that a timeline of past and possibly present events are simply referred to as a "Timeline of [insert event here]", however, I am struggling to find a word or phrase that encompasses the future as well.
Some possible candidates that come to mind are:

Scope
Purview of events
Span

But I feel that none of these are really that clear or accurate.


texts: difference between judicial situation and legal situation

texts:
Is there a  difference between "judicial" situation and "legal" situation, or is it the same?
Thanks!


texts:
When asking a question using a reflexive pronoun which pronoun should be used?

My - and I imagine your - instinct is to use a gender neutral pronoun such as themselves or even more traditionally himself. However, while this makes sense and is certainly idiomatic, since the reflexive pronoun should always match its subject, and as the subject is who, why do we not use 'whomself'?

This question was asked a decade ago on a different forum where respondents dismissed it as a mishearing and that:

  Perhaps it was meant to be himself not whomself?

Whomself could be used in any reflexive sentence where some ill-fitting neutral pronoun sits now, for example:

  Who threw whomself at them

At the moment, this is said

  Who threw themselves at them

Which mixes them and themselves and is altogether less clear than using whomself

Why is this imaginary pronoun not used, for it would fit a gap in the language, even if that gap has not been noticed by the majority of people?

I am also curious as to whether any other languages who use such reflexive formations include a 'who' pronoun along the vein of whomself, are there any?


texts: What is the formal way to say 'I gave the project to someone else'?

texts: How would you write that to a developer in a formal email? I'm looking for  polite and still friendly way to inform a bidder that he was not the winner, to minimize his disappointment?


texts: Is there a term for "enforcing rules you don't understand"?

texts:
Today I was scolded for leaving my access card at home for the second time. From my point of view, this causes about 10 seconds of work for the people at the reception. When I asked why this would be such a big deal, I got only evasive answers pointing to policies and power plays ("this is not up for discussion"). This leaves me with the impression that the person scolding me doesn't actually know of any negative impact, but just tries to overly strongly enforce policies. Is there a term describing such behavior?

EDIT: My use case for the term I am searching for is for writing a blog post about my experiences with this company. Example sentence: "The company is very hierarchical, beaurocratic, and  encourages ${TERM}."

EDIT2: I know it's a bad idea forgetting your key card. I am just trying to understand whether the harshness of the reaction is justified. Imagine you are 5 mins late for a meeting - you know it's bad behaviour, but you would probably consider it too harsh if you get fired for that.


texts: Is it "tomorrow" after midnight? Or is it still "today"?

texts:
Let me start with an observation: Let's say it's half past 12 and you're heading off to bed, I personally would say

  Tomorrow I have to get up early for work

And as far as I know all my friends would too, but when I got into a discussion with a friend about this we looked up the definitions where tomorrow is

  the day after today.

and today is

  on or in the course of this present day.

and day is

  a period of twenty-four hours as a unit of time, reckoned from one midnight to the next, corresponding to a rotation of the earth on its axis.

(all quotes taken from the google.com dictionary)

Although there are a couple of more options for day both on the google dictionary and a couple of other dictionaries I checked, none define the term in regards to sleep cycles. So, is this usage actually uncommon in English? Or is this simply a fault in the dictionaries I checked? Or am I misinterpreting the definitions?

And just to be clear, I would have expected tomorrow to be defined as something along the lines of

  Tomorrow. The time after one wakes up, or — if one is not sleeping — after the time the majority of people are asleep (normally around 4–5 AM).

But as I am not an English native speaker I did want to check whether that usage really isn't correct in English speaking countries.


texts:
"It is so kind of you to help me"
"It is so kind for you to help me"

What's the difference between "of" and "for" there?
(I know no one using the second one, but I want to figure out the difference between them.)


texts: "Want to relieve from" vs. "want relief from"

texts:
Want to relieve from academic pressure.
  Want relief from academic pressure.

I think the former one is more proper but my teacher said the latter one is correct.


texts:
Most of the time when I need to reference something using the word "laugh", my go-to preposition is "about". However, at times, "over" sounds much more adequate in day-to-day use.

The big question, then, is when do we prefer laugh over to laugh about? For instance, if you Google "laugh over", the following sentence example appears:

  We had a quiet laugh over it.

There, for me at least, "about" would not be the suitable choice. Is there some rationale? Or is it a turn of phrase?


texts: Why are "misplaced" modifiers incorrect in some cases and correct in others?

texts:
In some cases, phrases don't have to be next to what they're modifying and in some cases they do.

For example, "enraged by the ruling" is not considered a misplaced modifier here.

  James launched into a frenzied argument, enraged by the ruling.

But it would be awkward to write something like

  In 1989, he came up with his idea for a line of Southern-inspired cuisine, a time when there were no convenience foods.

I know what the ordering should be in the second sentence, but help me understand the rules behind these cases.


texts: Word or phrase for "shooting an arrow with a bow"

texts:
What's the right way to refer to the act of using a bow and an arrow to shoot?

Imagine a situation, in which Jack gave a bow and an arrow to John and asked him to shoot. John did, but since he had no experience in using bows and arrows, he accidentally injured their friend Lily.

Now imagine Jack and John twenty years later visiting Michael in his house (Michael has no knowledge of the incident) and reflecting on their life:

Jack says to John and Michael: "Throughout all these years that we've been friends I have never put you in troubles and never asked you to do anything stupid"

John replies: "Really? You forgot how you asked me to _____________________ while I had no experience in that, and eventually, Lily was almost killed?"

Please, note that the phrase is spoken in Michael's presence. On one hand, Michael has no knowledge of the accident; on the other hand, the phrase must be clear enough for Michael to understand what exactly had happened 20 years ago.

None of the options that I can think of seems to be fine:

1) "... how you asked me to shoot an arrow from a bow while I had no experience ..."

2) "... how you asked me to shoot an arrow with a bow while I had no experience ..."

3) "... how you asked me to shoot an arrow using a bow while I had no experience ..."

4) "... how you asked me to shoot a bow while I had no experience ..."

5) "... how you asked me to shoot an arrow while I had no experience ..."

6) "... how you asked me to shoot from a bow while I had no experience ..."

7) "... how you asked me to shoot an arrow while I had no experience ..."

8) "... how you asked me to send an arrow from a bow while I had no experience ..."

9) "... how you asked me to send an arrow with a bow while I had no experience ..."

10) "... how you asked me to send an arrow using a bow while I had no experience ..."

11) "... how you asked me to shoot a bow arrow while I had no experience ..."

12) "... how you asked me to send a bow arrow while I had no experience ..."


texts:
In "The Origin of Species " of Charles Darwin, Chapter 1, we can read this:

  it follows that any being, if it vary however slightly in any manner profitable to itself, under the complex and sometimes varying conditions of life, will have a better chance of surviving

Is not it an error to write 'it vary' in stead of 'it varies' ?


texts: What's the best way to express the idea of a dichotomy over 3 entities? Is trichotomy sufficiently clear, meaningful and correct?


texts:
I'm curious about the phrase “dearly beloved”. – It looks to me to be a phrase consisting of an adverb (dearly) modifying a noun (beloved). But I thought adverbs could only modify verbs or adjectives?

So what am I missing here? What are the parts of speech of this phrase, and how do they go together?

Edit: I’m thinking of the noun phrase (as used, e.g. in addressing someone). Originally I encountered this in the phrase in a Bad Religion song by the same name. In which the chrorus is:

Dearly beloved, dearly beloved, dearly beloved
Make no mistake, despite our traits, I've seldom seen
I can't relate to you
I can't relate to you

But wikipedia has a whole long list of novels, songs etc. with “Dearly Beloved” as a title.

I realise (as pointed out in the comments below) that dearly beloved might also be interpreted as a verb phrase, but my question is not intended to be about that.


texts:
This is a phrase I've heard used on several occasions by different people. I'm interested about what it's origins are, and whether it should be considered rude.
Essentially it means "That's tough luck!", but with an unapologetic undertone.
e.g.

Person A: Strawberry ice-cream? But I wanted chocolate.
Person B: Tough titty. That's all they had.


texts: Meaning of "however" in "possible, however unlikely, ..."

texts:
What is the meaning of the word "however" in the phrase "possible, however unlikely"? An example of a sentence containing this phrase (taken from Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope) is,

  If the Rebels have obtained a complete technical reading of this station, it is possible, however unlikely, they might find a weakness and exploit it.

The word "however" can have two meanings according to google. These are:

used to introduce a statement that contrasts with or seems to contradict something that has been said previously,
in whatever way; regardless of how.

So the example sentence could be interpreted as:

It is possible they might find a weakness and exploit it; however, this is unlikely.

Or it could be interpreted as

However unlikey it is, it is (nevertheless) possible that they might find a weakness and exploit it.

Is one or the other of these "the correct way" of interpreting it, or are the two ways so similar that the speaker would not intend for the phrase to be interpreted one way or another, and you are free to choose whichever meaning you want?


texts: Equivalent of phrase 'emu parade' in other English-speaking places

texts:
In Australian English we have a phrase 'emu parade' which refers to the action of one or more people walking around searching for specific things on the ground in a certain area. For example, say you have a picnic in a park, afterwards you'd systematically walk over the area looking at the ground and pick up all the rubbish you might have dropped. Or if you went camping, when you packed up the tent at the end of the trip you'd walk around the area it was on looking for any tent pegs, etc that might have been left behind. Both of these things would be referred to as an emu parade.

I've been told it's called an emu parade because it mimics the way emus forage for food, but I don't know if that is correct.

My question is, what is this called outside of Australia? Mostly I'm after English phrases, but if you happen to know of an equivalent in another language I'd be curious to hear it.


texts: What is the correct, formal and polite way to say "I'll wait for your notice/decision"?

texts: Assume you had a plan with someone like a work travel or something and then that person write to you that there may be a better plan so for a while don't fix things for the previous plan and wait. Now You want to reply his message with something formal and polite but I don't know what sentence or verb is correct. Is "I'll wait for your notice" ok? Or "I'll wait for your decision." or "I'll wait for the news" or maybe something else? And I will is better or I'm looking forward into?


texts: Is there a word whose basic definition is "To Organize Complexity?"

texts:
I recently wrote a document titled "Guidelines for reviewing source code."

In the document, one of my statements was:  "The core directive is to organize complexity.

I feel like I should know a word to use there, but one escaped me.  Any help appreciated.


texts: I can't get it: It will vary amongst database systems who has what function

texts:
It will vary amongst database systems who has what function, or even whether they use the same function name.

Asked a native English speaker "does this sentence make sense to you?". His answers was "yes". Well, it sure doesn't make any sense to me, neither grammatically nor semantically. Help me figure what's going on here.


texts: "Will" vs. "going to" vs. Present Continious

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  “The train will leave” vs. “is going to leave” vs. “leaves” vs. “is leaving”

Here are three sentences:

  David is going to play football next week
  David is playing football next week
  David will play football next week

In fact, I don't think that there is a difference between them. Am I right?


texts:
Because the line of One State is a straight line. The great, divine, precise, wise straight line – the wisest of all
  lines…

(from Chapter 1, Page 1 of the book, We by Yevgeny Zamyatin: Clarence Brown, 1993 edition)

Is the word 'wisest' a noun or adjective in this sentence? It may be an adjective as it is describing the line (and One State, metaphorically). Or a noun, because of the definite article 'the' before wisest.

My reasoning for why it can be a noun:
Determiners don't have to be exactly next to the noun, but they can be. In my example there is clearly lots of determiners but in the subordinate clause of the second sentence... The 'the' is modifying 'wisest'(and hence a noun). If it is treated as a noun then it makes a noun phrase with the 'the' being an adjective. The second determiner 'of' is modifying the noun 'lines' and are not to each other, therefore 'of' is solely a determiner and the noun phrase is "all lines".


texts: (somebody) demonstrated improved results

texts:
I'm wondering if the following sentence is correct:

In his PhD defense, he demonstrated (his) improved results.

Also, should we use the determiner "his" here? What I am trying to convey is that he did a demo about his research and showed the results that had been achieved.

Thanks,

L


texts: Is there a term to describe a word or idiom that translates literally as one thing, but is actually a specific word?

texts:
Is there a term to describe a word or idiom that translates literally as one thing, but is actually a specific word in the translated language?

My best example would be 'pomme de terre' from French translating literally as 'ground apple', but would be translated to 'potato'.

Another might be 'pied-à-terre' meaning 'foot on the ground', but meaning something more like 'city house'.


texts: Difference between "Where is" and "How to get there"

texts:
In my article, I would like to answer the following questions "Where is XYZ?" and "How to get to XYZ?"
Where XYZ is a location such as hiking trail. What is the difference between those two statements and is it better to combine these two statements together?


texts:
So I'm customizing  a WordPress (cms) for hotel for a client and he asked me to do add a new functionality that is a options dropdown where the user can select  "time" like

  Time:
  - Day
  - Night

I don't think time is the correct word.  What word is there to describe that "time" label?  What's the word for day/night?


texts: Is "Country(ies)" on a form label correct?

texts: On an web form, where a user can select one country or several, I want to use a label more concise than Country or Countries. Is Country(ies) correct?


texts: Is this an appropriate use of "to whom?"

texts:
Is the following sentence grammatically correct?

  With the exception of a few members of my family, you are the only three people to whom I actually care what happens.


texts:
Question is pretty self-explanatory, and the emotion I'm trying to convey is concentration and confusion, like trying to understand a difficult theory.
Thanks!

Edit thanks to comment:

Looking for ways in which to describe quizzical looks.

Edit thanks to the second comment: Random Example:

The students looked at the blackboard deep in concentration, pens clicking, brows furrowed, __________ as they tried to understand the equation


texts:
Is it correct to say "You which know the secret of my heart"?
If yes, what is the difference from "You who know .... " ?


texts: What is the origin of "Pointed Question"?

texts:
From the definition of pointed, we know that "pointed question" is something like: "A "sharp", piercing, or directed question".

And "pointed question" has been in English since, roughly, the American Revolution:

However, there is no dictionary entry for the phrase "pointed question" that I could find, neither online nor in my print dictionaries.

But I remember an old teacher saying that the phrase originated with adversarial questioning where literal knives were used to "persuade" the questionee.  Is there any chance that's true?

Both "pointed" and "question" have been in English for over 700 years.  What's the story of how they first came together roughly 250 years ago?


texts:
(This would never have happened) "...if somebody would've just did it."

(Just heard on 'Undercover Boss' (US TV))

I know this is 'wrong'.  And I realise that it is 'colloquial' (belonging to common speech; characteristic of or proper to ordinary conversation, as distinguished from formal or elevated language (OED)'.

It is not a usage colloquial anywhere in the UK to my knowledge. I'm wondering how widespread (i.e. geographically, socio-economically ...) this  is in the US and elsewhere.

I'm absolutely NOT interested in it's 'correctness', only it's usage!

Do you ever say it, or hear it?


texts: "Prove me" / "prove to me" / "confirm one's belief"

texts:
Which sentence do you find more natural?

Your last actions only prove me that you're not worth my trust.
Your last actions only prove to me that you're not worth my trust.

or maybe some other form like

Your last actions only confirm (my belief / me in the belief) that you're not worth my trust.

?


texts: Is there a specific term for sentences written with symbols or emoji only?

texts: Is there a specific term for sentences written with symbols or emoji only instead of words? An example would be a string of emoji on a facebook comment of a post.


texts: Archaic English new words: from a Nigerian

texts:
A Nigerian Governor was being interviewed by a local Television station.
He was speaking of the political situation of Rivers state in Nigeria. Nigeria is an English speaking country because it was a British Colony. However , I hardly got any word from the Governor . I only got a few words like odoriferous, political crinkum crunkum , political higi haga, transmogrified, cue gargatuagaga!!!

Is anyone understanding these words, where could be the possible source for his words.
. Am Kenyan and my English is pretty good.

Please listen:

http://youtu.be/I1bt-GyxiYI


texts: Is there a specific word for a two-floored house?

texts:
When talking about family dwellings, they tend to be either on one floor (either a bungalow or a flat) or split across two floors. If a dwelling has two floors then it tends to be a house and not a flat but if, however, it is a flat split across two floors, it is called a maisonette.
Is there a specific word for a house (not part of a block of flats) that has two floors?
Is there a matching adjective?

  I used to live in a bungalow but now we've moved into a [two-floored house]


texts: Is this an explanatory/appositive phrase, and do I need to separate it with a comma?

texts:
In the following sentence (forgive the obscure acronyms):

To begin with, we search within three pixels of the predicted position to lock onto the target, using the WCS header in each FITS file to transform from astrometric into pixel coordinates.

I would say that the phrase beginning with "using the WCS header" is either appositive or explanatory. Is that correct?
I also feel it makes sense to put a comma before "using the WCS header," since I think it's somewhat independent of the main clause (it explains how I do the action in the main clause). However, a language editor told me to remove the comma, leaving the following:

To begin with, we search within three pixels of the predicted position to lock onto the target using the WCS header in each FITS file to transform from astrometric into pixel coordinates.

To me, the first way is better. It reads more like how I would speak out the sentence.


texts: Single-word adjective meaning "of or pertaining to age"

texts:
I am trying to emphasize diversity in a group of people by describing their backgrounds with the following adjectives:

"...[they have] a wide variety of socio-economic, intellectual and religious backgrounds."

Now I also want to add another adjective, to point out that members of this group also have significant variation in their age.

"...[they have] a wide variety of socio-economic, intellectual, religious and [adjective describing age] backgrounds."

Is there single-word adjective that would be appropriate here?


texts: Can an auxiliary verb (i.e. "has") be used outside a verb phrase, with the same meaning?

texts: Lets use the word "has" as an example. We can say "he has done his work", where "has" is an auxililary verb for the main verb "done". There is also another way to use has, which shows ownership: "he has a pen". Is there any situation where one can/should use the first meaning of "has" as shown above, but not in conjunction with a main verb i.e. outside a verb phrase? Or does it not make any sense to use it except in a verb phrase?


texts: The link to a subtitled version or the link for a subtitles version?

texts:
I was writting a post on Facebook and I didn't know how to write this properly:

-This is the link to a subtitled version

or

-This is the link for a subtitled version

A few months ago a modern languages professor told me that "for" was for nouns and "to" for verbs, so I think that the first sentence is good, but also the second one seems ok, would you help me please?


texts:
Is there any difference between "processor" and "processer"?

Some spelling dictionaries only have the -or form, and some have both.  Is it a US vs UK English thing? Or something else?

More specifically, is a computer algorithm that processes orders better called an OrderProcessor or an OrderProcesser?


texts: Do I use adjective forms of concurrent and consecutive?

texts:
Should this passage use the adjectival or adverbial forms of concurrent and consecutive?

The trial court also sentenced the defendant to five life sentences (with parole) and five 15-year sentences for the non-homicide crimes, all of which were to be served consecutive(ly?)  to each other and to the sentence for first degree murder.
Finally, the trial court sentenced the defendant to eleven life sentences (with parole) for the armed criminal actions, with these sentences to be served concurrent(ly?) with the other sentences and to each other.


texts:
Consider this scenarios:

  A: Can I do X?
  A: Can't I do X?

In both the cases, the B replies with "Yes" to indicate A can do X and with "No" to indicate he cannot.

The 1st one seems to ask for permission while the 2nd one seems to imply a tone of indignation.

Consider another scenario:

  A: Can I not do X?
  A: Can't I not do X?

Here, B replies with "Yes" to indicate A doesn't have to do X and with "No" to indicate A has to.

Here also, the difference is subtle: A seems to just ask for clarification or permission in the 1st and seems frustrated or even resigned in the 2nd.

My question is, what are the differences between the 2 then?


texts: How can I say that this occurs to each matrix individually and not to all of them together?

texts:
I am translating a mathematical paper into English and I'm having trouble with this passage. What I wrote was:

"Comparing Equation A and Equation B, for example, for n=12 we note that the coefficient of X in Equation A tells us that there exist 15 matrices whose sum of its entries is 12 and whose respective weights can be 1 or -1..."

Specifically, my trouble is: I want to say that for each matrix the sum of the entries is 12 and not that the sum of the entries of all matrices is 12. Can it be inferred from what I wrote? If not, what would be a better way to write this? Also, I'm trying to modify the structure of the text in the original language as little as possible.

Thanks.


texts: Is "hardstuck" a neologism? What is its etymology?

texts:
I have used the word hardstuck to mean "permanently unable to move". It is a more intense version of stuck, since stuck can sometimes mean "temporarily unable to move" or "unable to move without extended effort". For example: "I am hardstuck on this coding problem, can you help?" meaning "I have no hope of solving this coding problem, can you help?".

I have heard hardstuck or hard stuck primarily used to describe the situation where a person is unable to move up and out of their current rank in competitive online gaming, and I assume that it is a neologism.

Is it a neologism? What is the word's etymology?

Google Trends indicates that the term gained usage in the U.S. beginning in 2017.


texts:
How does one pronounce the acronym CMYK, in the color model sense.

If there is more than one pronunciation, how popular is each of them?