texts: Is this correct for an email campaign subject?

texts:
Just wondering whether the following sentence is grammatically correct — I was always taught that you shouldn't have two ands within the same sentence.

We are not able to come up with a better subject. The subject below is for both New and Used Motorhomes and New and Used Caravans.

  Serious Savings on New and Used Motorhomes and Caravans


texts: Sentence from Seneca's Consolation to Helvia

texts:
In Consolation to Helvia, a letter Seneca wrote to his mother while in exile, the English translation says:

I don't have doubt that I shall have more influence over you than your grief, than which nothing has more influence over the wretched.

(p. 40, On the Shortness of Life, Penguin, 2005)
I am not sure what he means exactly by adding that second part to the sentence. I understand the part before the comma: I will have more influence over you than your grief in my effort to console you. But the second part seems a bit odd. Does he mean it as a continuation of the first part, like he's saying that he will have more influence that anything might have over the wretched? Does he mean the wretched are easily influenced?


texts:
Which of the following sentences are correct. Early vs earlier. Can I use both sentences?

I went on my lunch break late. Next time I will try to take my break earlier.
I went on my lunch break late. Next time I will try to take my break early.


texts:
a. I don't know if five of my friends are still alive or not.

  b. I am not sure that five of my friends are still alive.

Aren't these sentences ambiguous?

I see two possibilities

  There are five of my friends who might be dead as far as I know.  I have five specific friends in mind. As regards those five, I don't know if they are alive.
  As far as I know, maybe only four (or fewer) of my friends are alive.  I don't have specific people in mind. It is possible that I have fewer than five living friends.

  c. I don't know if most of my friends are still alive or not.

  d. I am not sure that most of my friends are still alive.

Aren't these sentences ambiguous?

I see these two possibilities

  As regards most of my friends, I don't know if they are alive or not. I have specific friends in mind. I don't know if they are alive or not. The list of those specific friends is the 'most of my friends' I am talking about.
  As far as I know it is possible that most of my friends are not alive. (I don't have specific friends in mind.)


texts: How to tell which word a prepositional phrase is modifying?

texts:
Often it is obvious what word is being modified by a prepositional phrase, but sometimes it isn't.  When it's not immediately clear, I often ask myself questions like: Does this phrase answer "where _______" or "when _______" indicating adverb phrases or "which _________?" etc., indicating adjective phrases. Or sometimes I eliminate words and that often reveals the answer.

However, in the following sentence, I was not able to tell what words were being modified by asking questions or eliminating words.

"Are you happy about the grade you received in biology?" (The prepositional phrases are in italics.)

According to the answer book, about the grade modifies "happy."  That makes sense, although I wouldn't be able to explain why.

In biology apparently modifies "received", not "grade." That isn't very apparent to me. One could make the argument that in biology is answering the question "which grade?"

How can we tell in this case?  Both options seem reasonable. Are there questions we can ask ourselves, in this case, that would help us discover what word is being modified?

Or perhaps the answer book is in error ...


texts: Confirmation that someone is listening to another person's speech

texts:
When someone is telling you a very long and detailed story he usually wants to hear some "confirmations" (or response) that you are listening to his story. In Russian we often use something like "tak" (which has a meaning of "ok" and "well, proceed further"), "a-ha" or "uh-huh".

What word serves the same purpose in English and American English?


texts:
In English we say "take a photograph" whereas in some other languages one would say "make a photograph".

The French say "take" even though they "make" far more often than we do in English, and Germans say "make". The Spanish are also in the "take" camp, so it seems to be related to romance/germanic distinction, further afield, Russians say "make" (I think).

Some say that cameras steal your soul. Saying that a camera removes (one Spanish verb is literally "remove") rather than constructs the photograph seems to betray a very different philosophy and attitude to photography as a creative process.

So, how did we end up using "take" rather than "make"?


texts:
I've used doolally since I was a child, but I'd rarely heard the tap version until a few years ago in the company of several Welsh people (who all agreed the two-word version was their "standard").

They said it referred to insanity caused by contaminated tap water in Deolali (lead?, cadmium?).

But I've now discovered Wikipedia says...

  "Doolally", originally "doolally tap", meaning to 'lose one′s mind', derived from the boredom felt at the Deolali British Army transit camp. 'Tap' may be derived from the Sanskrit word 'tapa' meaning 'heat' or 'fever'. It is also just conceivable that it derives from the Welsh word 'twp', meaning 'stultified', 'unable to reason sensibly'.

Can anyone either corroborate or refute any of these suggested etymologies?


texts:
Is the second sentence constructed correctly? I read it several times and it seems that there's a comma missing or some discrepancy. Anyway I can't get the exact meaning of the part "has been sold to advertisers is another matter".

  I keep these emails partly because it’s my job to do so, but it seems that whether we’re paid to or not we can’t live without updates from our favourite social platforms. Whether this illustrates a deep need to be loved or a deep paranoia that one of these emails will tell you that your shoe size has been sold to advertisers is another matter, but it’s interesting to see that, while social sites often send out more marketing emails than other sectors, we can’t bear the thought of missing them.
  https://econsultancy.com/blog/64097-email-marketing-what-makes-people-unsubscribe/


texts: Correct names for lycanthrope species with abnormally named base creatures

texts:
It's normally easy to name a lycanthrope species: just place "were" in front of the name of the base creature, i.e. "werewolf", "werebear", or "weredragon".

Sometimes, though, the base creature's name is an open compound word, i.e. the komodo dragon. The "komodo" part of the name is crucial to the identity of the creature; komodo dragons are not remotely regular dragons. Is the lycanthrope form a "werekomodo dragon"? The sounds like a dragon species with "werekomodo" as a qualifier. Someone once suggested "komodo weredragon", but that doesn't sound right to me, either. That sounds more like a dragon-based lycanthrope (which it is not), with "komodo" as some sort of qualifier. The final option I suppose would be "werekomododragon", which I favor most, but I still don't feel right about it.

How about the Mongolian death worm? This one not only has spaces in its name, but "Mongolian" is capitalized. Does the lycanthrope form end up being a "wereMongoliandeathworm"?


texts: How to differentiate between checked and selected items in a list

texts:
In computer terms, sometimes there is a need to distinguish between items in a list that are checked (e.g. lists that have a checkbox next to them) and items that are selected (e.g. user clicks on one or more rows in a table) because sometimes items can be checked and selected at the same time. What are some other words that can be used to describe them so that it is clear and unambiguous for other languages as well, because apparently checked and ticked are confusing between English and American speakers.

I am looking for terms like 'marked', 'flagged', keeping in mind that they would ideally also serve as a noun and verb.

Yes, it is one of those questions that gets stuck between both worlds. The reason to ask it here is because it is something that needs to be shown to a normal user, and that they would have to understand it. To programmers it doesn't matter as long as there is some rule to define the different behaviours (as you see on the screen).

I wanted to know whether the term is appropriate for other languages, and also whether it is generally clear or slightly unambiguous or unintuitive.


texts: A word to describe an event that brings out one’s true character

texts: I’m looking for a word or a phrase that sums up an event that causes someone to be tested, or something that reveals one’s true character.


texts:
What is the best word to use for Ph.D. in the following sentence:

"I am in the sixth year of my Ph.D. program/career."


texts: which MAKE or which MAKES (difficult one)

texts:
Sentence:  "I admire teachers who are knowledgeable and patient, which MAKE/MAKES their students feel confident."

I want to emphasize that the CIRCUMSTANCE which is created by teachers that are knowledgeable and patient creates an environment where students feel confident.  Therefore this is a circumstance "...which MAKES students feel..."

However, "teachers" is plural and on top that there are two subjects separated by "and" (knowledgeable and patient) so it would seem I need to say "which MAKE their students feel confident."  However, this sounds very wrong as a native English speaker.

I must be missing something.  Does anyone have any clarification?

Thanks in advance!


texts: How does one read aloud a birth year with no death year? Eg: John Smith (1994 – )

texts:
It is common to notate someone's lifespan using the syntax [year of birth] – [year of death]. When the subject is still living, you simply omit the death year, such as 1994 –.

When reading this aloud, is there a standard way to pronounce the unknown death year?

My hope would be that one is prescribed in a radio broadcast audio style guide, but I cannot locate any.


texts: I am a South Indian. As per the passport my surname is Michael and my given name is Sukumar. How shold I write my expanded name (full name)- as Michel Sukumar or Sukumar Michael


texts: "Сделать на отъебись" in English

texts:
There's an obscene yet often used expression in Russian which sounds exactly like this:
"Сделать что-то на отъебись"
Which means you do/create/complete something just enough so that it worked (often in a very bad, barely sufficient, shoddy way) and not a single bit more. As a result of such "work", the product can be used for its primary purpose but it leaves a very bad aftertaste and in certain cases can even be dangerous.
Is there a similar expression in English?
A literal translation would be "To do something [so that you or someone else] fucked off".


texts: Which one's correct - "this two" or "these two"?

texts: I’m aware that ‘this’ is used for a singular thing while ‘these’ is used for plural. However, I also see people who use the phrase ‘this two’ so I’m not sure which one’s correct.


texts: How to put articles to one adjective with multiple nouns

texts:
Suppose that there is a black cup, a black book and a black mouse. How should I put (an) indefinite article(s) to call all of them, while using an adjective black only once?

A black cup, book and mouse
Black a cup, a book and a mouse
A black cup, a book and a mouse
Work around: a cup, a book and a mouse that are black
None of them. That is, impossible. That is, A black cup, a black book  and a black mouse


texts:
We thank everyone who have donated, helped set up, etc.

Is "have" correct or "has"?


texts:
I've got a sentence which claims to use the Present Simple. The source of the sentence is https://en.puzzle-english.com/directory/present-simple-markers where the use of the Present Simple is explained.

  This year we propose another programme.

Could you please tell me why the Present Simple is more preferable to use here? I think it would be better to use the Present Progressive since it is a temporary situation.

  This year we are proposing another programme.

Am I not right?

There is another sentence where I, on the contrary, doubt the use of the Present Progressive.

  I'm afraid I can't come. I am having piano lessons at that time.

Is this sentence grammatically correct? If it is a schedule, why use the Present Progressive, but not Simple?

  I can't come. I have piano lessons at that time.


texts: Do I include "that" or leave it out when used adjacent to "whatever, whereever, etc." such as in the following example?

texts:
"Advantages of whatever THAT happens always outweigh the costs"
Grammarly underlines THAT as red to leave it out. I know that when I say "whatever happens, I will be there for you" there is no need for "that. But when I use it after "of" I feel like a "that" is called for.
If you agree or not could you please ascertain why or when one uses "that" with "whatever, whenever,etc" if ever..
Thank you


texts:
The word "crapweasel" (or "crap weasel", "crap-weasel") has been used on an episode of Friends. Does anyone know its origin? Or is the term simply coined by Friends?

See, minute 2:20: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzlQi0dyWLE


texts:
Is there an English alternative of urdu idiom آنکھوں کا بھوکا which translates to hungry of eyes?

We use that idiom to mean that someone takes more food but can't eat it and is greedy

  Example: Ali is (hungry of eyes).

How do I say that in English?

Thank you all for your answers!


texts:
I'm trying to determine the plural form of the scientific term "Mechanism of Action".  I'm pretty sure the answer is, "Mechanisms of Action", but the term "Mechanisms of Actions" is disturbingly popular.

Do a google search for "Mechanisms of Actions", and I get 336,000 results, compared to what I think is the correct spelling (no 's' at the end of "Action"), which gets some 21,000,000 results.

So which is right?


texts:
I have some questions about these words:

What's different between these two words?
Which word will be correct for use?
Which word doesn't use now?


texts: spacing between units in a scientific paper

texts:
Which one is the correct way of writing:

The sugar concentration was 20 g/mL or
The sugar concentration was 20 g/ mL


texts: How can I teach an English speaking person to say my name correctly (Kjetil)

texts:
I have a purely Norwegian name, Kjetil. It is old norse and means "kettle" or "helmet". A couple of times now, aquaintances and new friends have asked me in chat or person how my name is really pronounced properly. Now, one of them found a youtube video for that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hCBk62lX4I

However, sometimes I don't have access to the video. I have yet to find a single word in the English language that makes use of the first sound in my name, K+J. I have tried to find the correct name of the phonetic sound, but it doesn't seem to appear in charts: http://ipa.typeit.org/full/.

CH seems to be the closest I've found. SH is also close, but far too much forward on the tongue. Plus I don't really want to be called Shit-EL, which has happened a lot of times. It sounds like superman's bratty little brother.

So, what is the first sound of my name called, and are there any words in the English language that uses it?

PS: you can call me Cookie if you want.

Edit: This is actually a very important sound in the Norwegian language. It is widely used in everyday words. If you do it wrong, and pronounce it SH, you actually might end up saying rinsing (in water) when you meant chicken.


texts:
What is the meaning of '4/5' in this phrase?

  Azealia Banks' Insults Cardi B "You're illiterate, you're baby mama 4/5 to a man who has women crawling out of the woodworks with kids."
  — donkingjr.com


texts: Why is it called 'the month of January' and not 'the month January'? As I was learning German, I noticed they used the latter (der Monat Januar). Why the discrepancy?


texts: 'Plan of development' or 'Development plan'?

texts:
I was once preparing a presentation for english-speaking executives on a factory. I had a slide titled 'Plan of development'. During the review one of the fancy pants corrected me saying that this is incorrect form and I should change it to 'Development plan'.
Same happened several more times, each time they asked to change X of Y to Y X.

Part of machinery — Machinery part
Day of May — May day
etc.

The question is: Is there a rule that states which form is correct?
And if both forms are acceptable, what's the difference between them?


texts: Was “lukewarm” a way of saying “warm warm”?

texts:
Someone used the expression “un-hot question” to describe a post that was in the HNQ (Hot Network Questions) despite not being “hot”. And my thoughts immediately turned to alternatives such as, ‘tepid’ or ‘lukewarm’, which made me wonder about the origins of the latter.

I have never heard of the term luke used by itself, if luke modified warm it suggested that it could be used to modify other adjectives. So why don't we say luke-tall or luke yellow for instance?

It seems that lukewarm is an example of a solid compound word, and Oxford Dictionaries report that lukewarm is derived from the dialect term luke.

  Late Middle English: from dialect luke (probably from dialect lew ‘lukewarm’ and related to lee)+ warm.

Luckily, Online Etymology Dictionary clarifies

  lukewarm
  "neither cold nor hot, tepid," late 14c., from warm (adj.) + luke (adj.) "tepid" (c. 1200), a word of unknown origin. Perhaps it is from Middle Dutch or Old Frisian leuk "tepid, weak," or an unexplained variant of Old English hleowe (adv.) "warm," all of which are from Proto-Germanic *khlewaz (from PIE root *kele- (1) "warm;" compare lee).

Delving deeper, I discovered that lûke in West Frisian means “to pull”. This is relevant because West Frisian, a West Germanic language, is considered the closest related language to English by linguists.

The distribution of West Frisian, shown in dark blue, today in Europe

But the meanings were so different I abandoned that avenue.

Wiktionary says that the adjective luke in Middle English was also spelled  leuk, leuke, and lewke. That second spelling reminded me of the word leukemia, a malignant blood cell disease, but there leuk is from the Greek “leukos” meaning bright, white, so despite having the same pronunciation and spellings, the two are completely unrelated.

An 1836 quote from Charles Dickens' The Pickwick Papers reveals that luke could come after a noun, such as ‘water’.

  Let me have nine penn'orth o' brandy and water luke, and the inkstand, will you, miss?

As can be seen, the adjective warm is missing, presumably, readers in the mid-19th century were familiar with luke being used alone. Try as I did, I could not find any similar examples. With the exception of the above, it seems that luke only modifies warm.

Even The Bard of Avon himself used the term lukewarm in two of his plays

  May you a better feast never behold,
  You knot of mouth-friends! smoke, and luke-warm water
  Is your perfection.
  Shakspeare. Timon of Athens 1605–1606

and

  I cannot rest
  Until the white rose that I wear be dyed
  Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry's heart.
  Shakespeare. History of Henry VI, Part III  1591

Questions

Are there other examples where luke modified different adjectives or nouns? I did a bit of searching but apart from the Dickens' quote I came up empty-handed.
Would I be mistaken to suggest that lukewarm is an example of reduplication? Not dissimilar to contrastive focus reduplication where the same spelled word is repeated twice (as in “WARM warm”) but in this instance, the meanings of the two words are the same.


texts: Is there a single word for 'Problem explanation and solution'

texts:
I am looking for a single English word which covers "problem explanation and its solution'

I am going to use this as:

  Result: xyz[link-to xyz file] (which contains both problem explanation
  and its solution).

Any kind of word (noun/verb etc) is acceptable.


texts:
I see this phrase used in lot many places:

  is as much art as it is science

However, I am not sure what it means. Can someone please help me understand?


texts:
I got really confused reading conflicting grammar rules for sentences such as below:

First  one:

  A number of people is/are going to the party.

Here, the subject is "A number". Since "A number" is plural, the the correct answer must be

  A number of people are going to the party.

Second one:

  His collections of music is/are good.

Here, the subject is "Collections of music". Since "collections" is a plural, the correct answer must be:

  His collections of music are good.

Third one:

  His collection of music is/are good.

Going by my previous rule, since the subject here is "collection of     music", which is singular, the correct answer must be:

  His collection of music is good

But I have seen answers that state the right answer to the second one is "His collections of music is good".

Can someone please elucidate this?

Thanks in advance!


texts: Is there a word for being overwhelmed by noise?

texts:
I often find myself completely overwhelmed by the noise around me, to the point of bearing my arms down over my head and shutting my ears as tightly as possible.

It's not necessarily the loudness of the noise, and it's definitely not the suddenness, so it has nothing to do with being startled.  It's the sheer volume of different noises coming from different directions and different things causing the sensation of being completely overwhelmed.

For me personally I believe this is related to my autism, but I'm not looking for a medical term for a condition - ideally, this should be able to describe the same sensation being felt by a perfectly healthy person without any disorders.

Is there a word for this feeling of being utterly subsumed by noise, especially in crowded areas?


texts:
I am translating something from English to my mother language (Romanian) and I met the expression ”a sense of” a few times (e.g ”Is there a sense of being drawn to [something/someone/...]?”, ”Do you have any sense of God's work in your life?” etc).

For the first sentence I think I could say something like ”Is there a tendency of being drawn to...” (of course in Romanian), but this doesn't apply for the second one. And I cannot easily translate the second sentence if ”having any sense of” is there. I am looking for a different way of saying the same thing. So, how could the second sentence be rephrased without using ”having a sense of”? Or, is there a synonym for ”a sense of” that could be used most of the time?


texts:
I've perceived an uptick in the use of "Turkey Day" to refer to Thanksgiving, and I ran a basic sanity Check against Google Ngrams. It seems to be on the rise since about 1970, but I also noticed a bump in usage in the late 1910s.

I'm not good at interpreting Ngram data - is that bump meaningful at the given frequency and smoothing? If so, why was the phrase temporarily popular? (Was it even referring to Thanksgiving)?


texts: Name for setup and reversal style of writing?

texts:
What is the name of an expression where two noun/verb sentences are reversed in the second half of the expression?

Here's an example:

  People were created to be loved.
  Things were created to be used.
  The reason the world is in chaos is because
  things are being loved and
  people are being used.


texts: What is the past tense for duck and cover?

texts:
For an idiom like duck and cover, what are appropriate options for past tense? Three obvious possibilities:

I ducked and covered for that event.
I duck and covered for that event.
I duck-and-covered for that event.

Are any or all of these acceptable?


texts:
The term "to have dibs on something" or "to call dibs on something" plays a recurring role in American film and television (e.g. How I Met Your Mother), so it gets exported a lot.

Wikipedia describes "dibs" as

  [...] a common, "informal" convention to reserve or declare full or partial ownership of a community resource, such as a chair [...]

From the usages in the media I have seen, this convention also seems to contain some moral concept which is not described in dictionaries. For me, it looks like by calling dibs (or shotgun), the caller actually receives the (implicit, moral) right to that resource, and this typically goes undisputed by their rivals.

Can you confirm the existence of this concept? Is this something that varies between groups of people (or maybe between regions), or is there a concensus on how to respond to this?


texts:
Atypical, so far as I know, means irregular, unusual or not typical/normal. Here in India, people generally use 'typical' to mean difficult or hard. (A question about that was also asked here some four  years back by an Indian.) I understand now that typical cannot be used in that sense. But on that note, can 'atypical' be used to mean difficult or hard? For example,

The teacher dictated the whole passage orally, but wrote some atypical words on blackboard.
Her new song is quite atypical. (in the sense of being difficult to sing)


texts:
We will make the convention that exact categories be skeletally small.

Is this construction (used in a mathematical context) correct? There is something that strikes me as odd in that "be". Should it be "are"? I know I've seen a similar way of using "be" like that, without conjugating the verb, but I'm not completely sure when it should be used.


texts: How do you descibe a metal that it the opposite of shining?

texts:
How do you describe a metal that was once shining, but is so old that it is now mat?

"Matted metal" does not sound right, does it?


texts:
I'm looking for a word with less certainty than "validated", as in

  Has this testimony been validated?

I'd like something like "sanity checked" which flows better. Any suggestions?


texts: Does "English as a Second Language" literally mean 2nd or can it mean 3rd or 4th?

texts:
I know an ESL teacher and he has students where English isn't their 2nd, but their 3rd and even 4th language.
That got me thinking, why is it "English as a Second Language" and not something like "English as a Non-Primary Language".
Everyone understands what you mean when you say ESL, but it just sort of annoys me that the phrase isn't quite accurate.


texts:
I am looking for a word or phrase to express the idea of making one thing into an entirely new, better thing.

To give a little bit of context, this is in reference to recycling and upcycling.


texts: What is the "adjunct of space" in this sentence?

texts:
Can the adjunct of time be introduced in a sentence by the word to.

like in the case The case, which opens in the High Court on Thursday, has led to the discovery of 300 boxes of documents filling 110ft of shelving.

Can the function of the last sentence element be adjunct of space (time because it has led WHERE? -> space reference,) even though it is not an actual physical space?


texts: What is a less offensive way of saying "shoot the shit"

texts:
I have written an essay with a couple of different phrases in it, the first I need help with is "shoot the shit". The second is "difference between their ass and a hole in the ground".

I recently had it pointed out to me that the people reading the essay would not read past these and would not get the point of the writing. Any suggestions on less offensive ways to say both that have the same meaning would be appreciated so that I can reach my audience.


texts: What is a shop called that sells music CDs?

texts: What is a shop called that sells music CDs (American English)? Such shops also offer some classic or traditional music on other forms of media — vinyl or cassettes. However they do not sell music instruments or offers music classes (see photo).


texts: Actions That Terminate At Present Moment

texts:
Which tense should I use for actions which terminate exactly at the present time and the final point of the action is the present moment ? Can present perfect be used for this type of situation?

Let's imagine a boy who left his house to go to his school sometime before the present time and I am a teacher standing at the door of his school now. Can I say "He has come to school" or "He came to school" at the first time he be at the borderline of the school when his coming exactly terminates at the present time and the action includes now(the present time)?

I think using past tense is not appropriate here because the action includes the present moment and using past form requires the action to locate in some past section at the timeline.


texts: Word, or phrase for... two organisms that come together, grow -- but their mutual product harms their locality, and they benefit from that too?


texts: What's the correct way to cite the name "King James I" in an MLA works cited page?

texts:
I'm writing a paper on Daemonologie in Forme of a Dialogue, and I was wondering how I should cite King James I in my works cited page. This is King James I of England who was also King James VI of Scotland, and at the time he wrote this book, he was king of Scotland, but not yet king of England. Since he is now more well-known as James I, I was leaning more towards citing him this way:

King James I. Daemonologie in Forme of a Dialogue. Edinburgh, 1597.

Should I specify that he is King James I of England, since there was another King James I who was king of Scotland prior to this James's kingship? Should I cite him as James I? I've searched my MLA handbook, which states that titles of nobility should be omitted in works cited lists, but doesn't state whether or not the same should be done for royal titles.


texts: Can you use the abbreviation 'ID' as a verb?

texts:
Although I could substitute 'identify' in place of 'ID', would it be considered improper to use 'ID' as a verb? Here's what I mean:

  That boy looks underage, I think we should ?ID him.


texts: A phrase or a word for saying a nice thing just for its sake

texts:
Context: Suppose you are thinking of doing a task long due for quite some time, and you decide to do it today. But then, someone else also tells you to do it, and you want to say that you were also thinking of doing it today (and so you'll do it).

Now, it's not uncommon to say that even if that wasn't the case, just to be nice. But you want to convey the other person that, you're not saying this just as a formality / just for its sake, but you were actually thinking of doing it.

Is there a word or a phrase that conveys the italicized part? Yes, just the italicized part, I am not looking for an expression that conveys the entire thing.

Note that I've looked at this question, but the OP didn't provide much context, so the answers are not precisely what I am looking for. (This answer does sound close to what I want, but I looked it up, and it's not very precise)


texts: Although the meaning of the phrase was provided in this post,  in addition to having an entry on wiktionary,  how exactly did the idiom originate? From my interpretations, "not but" combined with either "that" or "what" is syntactically incorrect, and so did it evolve from some earlier linguistic construction that may have been syntactically "correct" with reference to earlier English syntactic rules?


texts: the meaning of "sull" in this sentence: "He’s been in a sull"

texts:
I'm translating a novel from English to Persian and I've come upon a strange word. I couldn't find its meaning. The sentence is:

  He’s been in a sull ever since you married Judge McKelva and didn’t send him a special engraved invitation to the wedding,” said Bubba.

This is from The Optimist's Daughter, a novel by an American novelist.

I appreciate your help :-)


texts: What would you call the distinction between e.g. 'cow'/'beef', 'pig'/'pork'?

texts:
I'm looking for a term to denote the distinction between the name of an animal when it's alive, and the name of the same animal when it serves as food. If such a term exists, I imagine it belongs to psychology or anthropology?

Edit: we seem to have come to the conclusion that no such term exists, which is sometimes the correct answer to questions like this.


texts: Past tense English conjugation in a whole sentence

texts:
You should have let me given you a ride home.
You should have let me give you a ride home.
Your should have let me gave you a ride home.

You should have let me driven you home.
You should have let me drive you home.
You should have let me drove you home.

I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I'm not sure which of these are actually correct and more importantly which are definitely incorrect. Part of me feels like since I'm speaking of past tense the whole sentence should be past tense but since I've already referenced past tense maybe it's not that important? My inclination is the first sentence of each is correct but I'm not positive, or certain if the others are technically wrong. It's weird when speaking about something in past tense that didn't actually occur.


texts:
I've seen "get to cover" in a Overwatch (a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter video game) cinematic trailer.

I don't understand what get to cover means.


texts:
I don't know what I should use in this situation.

I will give you an example:

  Mary drew / was drawing a family picture while her
  grandparents were staying in Japan.

What is correct?


texts: Why do you only conjugate the first verb?

texts:
You don't get to see your sister cry.

Why don't you conjugate the verb cry (...your sister cries)?
Is it because is it the second verb (if that's the case, what is that rule called?) or is there another reason? Does it have something to do with the sister being subject form? I know this is quite a dumb question but I couldn't find anything on Google. I know that it should be "cry" and not "cries" (I can hear that that's correct) but I can't motivate why.


texts: Why is the period placed inside the double quote, at the end of a sentence?

texts:
My mother tongue is Chinese, and as I read English articles, I find a convention in written English that I can't explain.

If a quoted word appears at end of a sentence, the period is written inside the quote instead of being written outside, which is quite counter-intuitive to me.

For example, a paragraph from Samsung SSD White Paper.

Notice it is written as:

  ... called a "strobe."

instead of

  ... called a "strobe".

Can someone help explain this?


texts: What does "in his life or in his present errand" mean?

texts:
In the novel The Crystal Man, in Chapter I, there is this sentence:

  He was not entirely at peace with society: there was something in his life or in his present errand which he desired to conceal.

Please can anyone explain what "present errand" means?
And how can I rewrite this sentence using other words, but with the same meaning?


texts:
What's correct
"A, B and one other alphabet have been updated"
or
"A, B and one other alphabets have been updated"


texts: Using "are/is" after a list with "and/or"

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
Singular or plural following a list

James and Mark are going to help you.

Here, I use 'are' because the subject is plural.

James or Mark are going to help you.
James or Mark is going to help you.

Here, I’m not sure whether to use 'are' or 'is' because the subject isn't plural(?) It’s one or the other – so does that mean the subject is still plural, and I should use 'are', or is 'is' correct here?


texts: Verbs or phrases to buy something which are specifically for sale later?

texts:
what is the verbs or phares stating that shop owners buy something which are specifically to be sold in future, chefs buy some ingredients which are specifically used to make foods to sell, or craftsman buy some row materials which are specifically used to made some artifects to be sold?

Thank you very much!


texts: Can conjunction reduction be applied with "so"?

texts:
The following examples of conjunction reduction sound wrong to me; are they grammatically correct?

The meat is red, so is raw. [The meat is red, so it is raw.]

The fish is pink, so is a salmon. [The fish is pink, so it is a salmon.]

Maybe my discomfort comes from the proximity with this other "so" (adverb) construction:

The meat is red, so is the wine.

The fish is pink, so is the rose.


texts: Why is corner preferred over curve for racing tracks?

texts:
For example in car racing, the non-straight parts of the track are almost always called corners, even though many of them are very far from the typical (point-like) corner of a rectangle.

Merriam-Webster gives the following relevant meaning of curve

  a smooth, rounded line, shape, path, etc.

and the following meanings for corner

  1) the point or area where two lines, edges, or sides of something
  meet

  2) the place where two streets or roads meet

  3) a curve in a road

This suggests that the two are in principle interchangeable, although I suppose that corner goes back to point-like intersections, whereas curve is more appropriate for extended intersections.


texts: What is a word meaning "the pros and cons of"?

texts:
I am trying to find a word which can be used interchangeably with the phrase "pros and cons".

For example:

  Because no one has tried it yet, the _ of this new diet are unknown.

The closest I can get is "characteristics", but to me, that seems not to carry the same good parts vs. bad parts meaning I'm trying to emphasize.


texts: Do I need to use a comma before "but" in these examples?

texts:
Pull you in, but don't you get too close
Love you now, but not tomorrow
Wrong to steal, but not to borrow
Pull you in, but don't you get too close


texts: Do most of English speakers understand the word "iff" in text, and is there a standard pronunciation other than the full "if and only if"?


texts: What is the word for individuals who unwittingly post very similar questions asking for the same words, without doing any previous research?

texts:
Many newcomers on EL&U post very similar single-word-requests, all asking for more or less the same words. The two main categories appear to be asking about verbosity and thriftiness.

What is the word for:

  Users who don't do any previous research and unwittingly post similar questions on Q&A websites that have been asked in the past; but receive the same single-word answers?

I Googled: users "ask the same type of questions" on Q&A websites that produce the same answers, but the hits were unhelpful.

A sample sentence:

  Oh, here's another ________

This may seem like a facetious single-word-request, but I really want to know if such a word exists. Failing that, an idiom or pithy expression that can substitute my description will do very nicely. I would use this word or concise phrase whenever the topic of single-word-requests crops up on EL&U meta.

EDIT

There seems to be a slight confusion as to whom or what I am referring. So one last clarification. I am looking for a word, or short phrase,  or idiom that means:

  Different users who unwittingly ask new questions that are similar to ones that have been asked in the past, and whose answers are nearly always the same.

Related, but they didn't answer my question:  Word for disrespecting eldest half-sister by referring to her husband as girly-girl-manly-boy though he's amused but the rest of the family isn't?

Word for someone who wants to find a single word to describe a relatively obscure concept, and posts such questions on internet boards?


texts:
I would like to know if in the following sentence, special should be plural or not.

  The red apples are not special.

I do not feel that this is correct.


texts: What does "bring a vote to the floor" mean?

texts: I once read in a newspaper the sentence like " some leadership pressed to bring  a vote to the floor on the confirmation of something." So what does the phrase mean here? Any slang used? Where can I look them up? Thanks!


texts:
I am writing a letter of motivation for a master program and it begins as follow:

  After having focused and worked in the field of optics and photonics throughout my physics bachelor studies, I am convinced that joining the Master of Science in X at the X-University will deepen my knowledge and broaden my perspectives in these fields.

I am not sure if "After having focused and worked" is correct in this paragraph.

Thanks for your help.


texts:
Consider the following sentences:

1a) I crave solitude.
1b) I crave for solitude.
2a) I miss home-cooked food. I crave it.
2b) I miss home-cooked food. I crave for it.

Oxford lists both forms under a single entry.
Are the meanings identical? Or does the preposition for add a nuance? For some reason, (1a) and (2b) sound more idiomatic than their counterparts to me, but I could be wrong.
This ngram shows crave it winning over crave for it

Also, instead of the continuous construction of the verb crave, the noun craving sounds more idiomatic. As in

3a) I'm craving for some chocolate. (or I'm craving some chocolate?)
3b) I have a craving for some chocolate.

Is (3a) correct, or is crave a stative verb like need(and therefore can't be used like this)?
If (3a) is correct, are (3a) and (3b) identical in meaning, or is there a nuance here too?
This ngram shows I have a craving to be more common, but I'm craving is gaining popularity.
Does anyone know the correct use cases of these three forms of expressing a craving?


texts: "X has a strong appeal for Y". Does that mean X likes Y or the other way around?

texts:
I found this in the context of a randomly generated quote. I'm not a native speaker, and this nuance confuses me.

Could someone clarrify what this means?


texts:
The other day, I had an acne blemish that I couldn't reach. Naturally, my wife was all too happy to take care of it for me. It turned out there was an ingrown hair inside. She said "I can't get it out with my fingernails. Do you want me to tweeze it?"

I stopped breathing for a moment. "Did you just say 'tweeze'? Like, as a verb?" and she replies "What else would tweezers do?"

Dictionaries say that the verb "tweeze" is a back-formation from "tweezers." What is an alternative verb for what tweezers do? I'm looking for something that would have existed independently of tweezers themselves. Ideally, a reference would exist that doesn't involve 'tweezers', but would be a standalone verb.


texts:
The common definition given for the word “ecclesiasticism” is:

adherence or over-attention to details of Church practice

Take the following observation (slightly paraphrased from the original article):

When ecclesiasticism attempts to address the physical realm, it frequently fails.

With respect to above usage (that theism should not interfere with physical studies, etc.), does the word “ecclesiasticism” always carry connection with Christianity and the Church? Is there a word where I want to make the same point, but without emphasizing any specific religion?


texts:
If I am writing a letter and I use an office title for the first time, I will include the acronym, but if the office title has a possessive, apostrophe s, will the acronym have the apostrophe s within the parenthesis, outside the parenthesis, or not at all? Examples:

Maintain oversight functions over U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP)’s $13.6B budget.
Maintain oversight functions over U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP's) $13.6B budget.
Maintain oversight functions over U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) $13.6B budget.


texts:
He outshined the competition.
He outshone the competition.

Is ‘outshined’ or ‘outshone’ correct here?


texts: Word for "stuck onto something using claws"?

texts:
Example:

  I never liked cats. One of them [..] onto my neck when I was a child.

I thought of the word clawed, but I think it doesn't imply that the object/animal is "stuck" to the target surface. Is there a better option?


texts: Need a word meaning simultaneously spicy and sweet

texts: What one word, and it can be borrowed from another language, so long as it has been definitively accepted into the lexicon of English, describes something that is simultaneously spicy and sweet?


texts: One word that can be used to represent Weak student?

texts:
Is there a word/term in English that describes a student that has bad grades, weak performance...

I am writing a PhD thesis so I need a word that can be understood by native and non-native English speakers.

Example:

  The heuristic model gives to better students an opportunity to find possible solutions, whereas weaker students are encouraged to locate at least one, from many, to the problem.


texts: I was watching an NBA game. After Omer Asik missed an easy shot, the commentator said that Omer was not much of an offensive threat. I used to say offence threat often. Which usage is more established or more correct?


texts: Is there a defined difference between the word "policy" and the phrase "policy measure"

texts: I've seen a lot of things crop up talking about "policy measures" recently.  I've even caught myself about to use (or misuse) it .  But does it mean anything unique, or is it just a redundant way of saying "policies"?


texts: "Here comes trouble": why is not it "Here trouble comes"?

texts:
Is it allowed to set the noun after the verb?

An example from Wikipedia where this is used:

Here Comes Trouble (Scatterbrain album)

and I've also noticed this in some films and texts.


texts:
I remember hearing two words, each describing a relationship to scope, or a containing set. I think they are prefixed with micro- and macro-, but am not certain (I'll call them 1 and 2).

1 describes a type of thing which, by definition, is contained within the definition of 2.
2 describes a type of thing which, by definition, contains 1.

For example, a square is a 1 of a rectangle. A rectangle is a 2 of a square. An iPhone is a 1 of a computer, and a laptop is also a 1 of a computer.

I hope that makes enough sense. This is difficult to describe because it is so conceptual in nature.


texts: Is there a one word synonym for hometown hero?

texts: I am looking for a word similar to hometown hero, or someone who willingly helps those within their community who are in need/danger. This is different to helping as a part of a job (eg. doctor, social worker), but rather helping because they choose to. Something similar to an idol, Samaritan or savior but without any religious associations, if that makes sense.


texts:
Are 'death cause' and 'cause of death', both correct? As for the second I'm certain that it's correct but the first, I'm not.
I'm sorry if this shouldn't be under the grammar tag, but I'm sure it should be under one of the two tags I added, 'grammar' & 'grammaticality'


texts: Is there a word or phrase for someone whose ominous remarks come true?

texts:
Someone who makes such comments as:

  "Look at his car tyres! He is inviting an accident."   (and he does suffer an accident minutes later.)
  "I never have shrimps with pepper. You're likely to have diarrhea. (this is foolish but the listener has shrimps with pepper and also gets the runs the following day.)

I'm not looking for the word "clairvoyant" or any other related to parapsychology. The comments are not wishes, and the fact that they happen is just a coincidence.  You might even tell this person: "Please, don't say anything about me.  Your comments attract bad luck!"


texts: What do I call a person who is well qualified but has failed in his life?

texts:
I am writing a story, and I need a single word or phrase as a topic for

  A person who has failed to achieve success despite his high educational attainment.

Here is an example:

  A person has Masters and Ph.D. degrees, but is a poor shopkeeper. He cannot even arrange the basic facilities of life for himself and his family.

The word could be a noun or an adjective.


texts:
I'm not a native English speaker. I have been reading Rousseau's "The Social Contract", and the phrase "discursive politics" showed up. I'm not really sure what it means...

So, what does it mean?


texts: If the object of *comprises* is a list of items, is the list exhaustive by implication?

texts:
The use of comprises in the sentence below caught my eye because altogether it indicates that the synod is composed of voting and non-voting members, and at the same time, “experts who cannot vote”.  Does the second clause imply that the synod is composed only of those who cannot vote; is that comprehension or group, as the object of comprises, implicitly exhaustive?  It is not clear to me exactly what is the grammatical import of “also comprises”, though it seems that it was included to rectify the incongruity, but fails to do so since “also” refers to the synod and not the “experts who cannot vote.”
“The synod is led by bishops and cardinals who have voting rights and also comprises experts who cannot vote.”  (From The Guardian.)


texts:
I would like to ask whether my application for a given position makes sense.
That is, given some circumstances, does it really make sense for me to apply for the position?

  Could you kindly please assess the make-sense-ability of my
  application given the above circumstances?

More specifically, a word that would convey the fact that the application is not futile and that is has indeed a purpose (and thus makes sense) given the circumstances, would be a good fit.

I am not looking for feasibility nor viability, both of which pertain to the state or degree of being easily or conveniently done - not what I am asking for.

I would guess that words such as legitimacy or justifiability (if that noun exists) would come closer to what is needed.

I thought that a noun derived from the adjective sensible (characteristic of sth making sense) would fit, but sensibility is is off-track, since it pertains to emotions.

Perhaps purposefulness? (again, given that word exists)


texts: Which preposition follows "lack of knowledge"?

texts:
I have the sentence

  Please excuse my lack of knowledge [preposition] proper essay formatting.

Should I write "lack of knowledge in proper essay formatting" or "lack of knowledge on proper essay formatting"? I cannot figure out which is correct.


texts:
Most well-known style guides dictate that numbers should always be spelled out at the beginning of a sentence (Forty-seven percent of people...), even to the point of recommending rewriting to avoid spelling out awkwardly large numbers (In all, 5,260 people...).

I have a bulleted list of percentages in which I would really like to start all of the list items with numerals:

  12 percent of messages...
  50 percent of messages...
  19 percent of messages...
  4 percent of messages...

Spelling all the numbers out would significantly harm readability. Rewriting to put the numbers later would also harm readability, in addition to appearing contrived. I've checked my Chicago Manual of Style, but it doesn't seem to address this particular situation, or at least I haven't been able to find it.

Are there any commonly accepted sources that offer guidance on this point, or is it just too rare to have come up?


texts: Is there any difference between 'in the control of " and "in control of"

texts:
For example:

the terrorist is in the control of the government
the terrorist is in control of the goverment


texts: Singular or plural reference to people on a panel,bench, commission etc

texts:
When referring to a number of people on a panel, bench or commission, is it correct to refer to the people on such panel/bench/commission in the singular or plural?

Eg.

  The 3-judge panel decided the case

or

  The 3-judges panel decided the case

If expanded, then the correct usage would certainly be: "The panel of 3 judges decided something" but is the same, plural reference true for the shortened form?


texts: what this mean after the eldest daughter?

texts:
Today i found the word "MySQL is named after the eldest daughter of Ulf Michael Widenius"

I don't clear the meaning of this statement.

After the eldest daughter is
1.second daughter name is MySQL?
2.give this name after born the first daughter?

Can you explain this?


texts:
I have this expression:

  12 × 3 mm².

I guess that it should not be pronounced as "twelve multiplied by three millimeters squared". I've tried to google it already but it seemed to be difficult because of my lack of proficiency in searching keywords.

Note that 12 x 3 should be pronounced in the same way as shape e.g. 4x2 rectangle (rectangle with width = 4 and height = 2).


texts: could and might to talk about future possibility

texts:
I have problem with using could in the future possibilities

for example:

They have the technology, but unless the government makes stricter laws, car companies ____ do it.

With which one should I fill the blank of..... Might not or Couldn't and why ?

Thank you :)


texts: I need another phrase to replace "to be a part of helping the program grow."

texts: I have great passion and love for the Music Program and would love to continue to be a part of helping the program grow.


texts: Difference between "partly" and "partially"

texts: What is the difference between partly and partially? An example of usage for each word would be great.


texts: Is it possible to use the adverb 'now' in the past?

texts:
I learn pluperfect in German and recently ran into a web-page with English-German examples. One of the example seems to me incorrect, so I am bringing this out to make sure I correctly understand the English grammar.

The sentence:

  I had already spoken Chinese as a child, but now I wanted to learn German.

seems to me grammatically incorrect because of now instead of then I strongly believe there must be then there, because now cannot be used in the past. Am I right or wrong? Is there any example of now in the past?


texts:
Where do I place the comma in this sentence?

  I am in the process of renewing my insurance policy however I don't know the correct amount.


texts: 'advance study' or 'advance studies'. Which one is suitable in this context of usage?

texts:
In this context of usage which one is suitable?

  sentence: "make the transition into advance studies/study a smooth one"


texts: Is "even when" a subordinating conjunction similar to "even though"?

texts:
An adverb clause is a dependent clause that answers the question why? how? where? when?
Adverb clauses begin with a subordinating conjunction like when, because, even though.

Ex. Even though she could not drive, Bonnie's father bought her a new car for graduation.

(NOTE: You could write: Even when she could not drive...but that completely changes meaning of sentence. They are not interchangeable.)

Q: Is "even when" a subordinating conjunction as well?  A google search often lists "even though", "even if" as examples but I haven't seen "even when" in any lists so far.

"Even when he is sick, she works."

So, is "even when" a subordinating conjunction introducing the adverb clause or is "even" an adverb qualifying "works"?
Typically you can move around adverb clauses. If so, which is the correct rewrite of the above to keep same meaning? (Subtle shift between each.)

  She works even when he is sick.

  She even works when he is sick.

Depending on the answers, is this grammatically sound?

  "When he is sick, she even works."


texts: What's it called when one is so familiar with a language that phrases just "sound" right or wrong?

texts:
Native speakers, especially those who have read a lot of writing or literature for a given language, acquire the ability to "know" whether something is grammatically correct (or not) just from their recognition of patterns and phrases and not necessarily any specific rules of grammar or language usage (i.e. transitive or intransitive verbs, conjugation, etc.)

Is there a term for this?


texts:
Nia Warfield, "Crude oil is on track for its best January ever," CNBC:

  Kelly also noted that investors are now holding oil companies' "feet to the flames" to increase cash flow amid the surge in U.S. production.

What's the meaning of the sentence, especially "feet to the flames" and "cash flow"?

Does it mean, investors invest more money while there is a surge in U.S. production supply?


texts: What is the word for bright colors such as green?

texts: What does one call these bright colors such as pink, green, or yellow?  You see those in posters frequently.


texts: How to deal with a period in the middle of my quotation

texts:
I don't know how to deal with the period in this quotation (or similar quotations where a period appears in the middle). Is my version 1 below acceptable or do I need to break it down (as in 2)?

Stanley thought that his and Zero’s situation was “more than a coincidence. It had to be destiny.”
Stanley thought that his and Zero's situation was "more than a coincidence." He thought that "It had to be destiny."

My instinct says 1 is okay, but I'm not sure. I'd be grateful for clarification.


texts: Asking a question “did you use to...?” when we don't know whether person still have that habit or not?

texts:
“used to“ implies habitual actions is the past that is not valid now.
How about questions “did you use to...?”
Could we ask such questions when we want to learn about habits in the past  BUT we aren't sure whether those habits are still valid now or not?


texts: What exactly is the difference between "misinformation" and "disinformation"?

texts: I have checked OALD. I looked up "disinformation" which according to dictionary means "false information that is given deliberately, especially by government organizations" and "Misinform" as a verb means "to give somebody wrong information about something". However, there is no explanation of the word "Misinformation" as a noun. What exactly is the difference between these two? I would like to know if there is any nuance between these two words or if they can be used interchangeably.


texts: What would be the correct word for considering or believing something said by people without knowing the truth behind it?

texts: For example, some people have heard that we should not eat late, and they believe it, without knowing the reason behind it.


texts: How much of the English language comes from each of its influences?

texts:
I was watching a video linked in this answer and it made the following claim:

  [...] like most words in English is derived from German.

That got me thinking. While I know that Germanic languages have greatly influenced English, so have the Latin and Celtic ones (and various others to a greater or lesser degree). Is it true that more than 50% of the English vocabulary is derived from Germanic roots?

More generally, can someone point me to data on this? I imagine attempts have been made to quantify the contribution of different languages to English; what were the results? What percentage of the language comes from each source?

Ideally I would like to see this expressed in terms of % of words but I am aware that, at least to some linguists, attempting to quantify vocabulary is anathema (to give a simple reason, all languages that allow number construction have an infinite  vocabulary by definition), so alternative approaches to quantifying this are also welcome.


texts: Correct usage/ that/they as complete sentences

texts:
But it’s these conflicts between life and death that are the works main themes. They echo an important principle in that we shouldn’t fear or challenge death, or the nature of death. That we can meet it half-way by valuing life and respecting and not harming others.

Is the use of 'that/they' here accurate (complete sentences). As the the that and they clauses are referring directly to what's preceded them.

Or do they require conjunctions/semi colon.


texts: Origin of "I wouldn't ... for all the tea in China"

texts: What is the origin of the expression "I wouldn't ... for all the tea in China"? I've heard it from a British speaker, and I am guessing it may be of British origin, but I couldn't find a reference for it.


texts:
We say that a light source shines, and that one source may out-shine another.  Is there an equivalent term for a sound, that does not include a negative connotation?  For example, "Her voice was able to [outshine] all others in the room."

If we wanted to convey that one sound outshined another, we might say, drown-out or shout-over, but again either drown or shout has negative, harsh connotations.  The only analogous term to shine, but for sounds, that I can think of is to ring.  But there is no obvious out-ring version.

This is not the same as "To camouflage" is to sight as "to ____" is to sound, because "outshine"---the be brighter, more visible---is distinct from "camouflage"---to hide, disguise, or coverup.


texts: Is a comma needed between these two adjectives? “tall white counter”

texts:
Is the following sentence correctly punctuated (specifically, is a comma needed between "tall" and "white"?

  Beyond them was a rather tall white counter, and seated behind it sat the doctor's secretary.

Thanks so much!

Alex


texts:
I'm embarrassed to say I don't understand this 2nd grade homework. Can someone help me understand the concept behind exception sounds?

  Do the "Sentence Marking" Activity

  Have your child read the sentences and scoop into phrases. Highlight or box the exception sounds.

  Which man is the best host?
  Wind up the top and let it spin.
  Jess has a bad cold.
  Did you find the lost cat?
  Who sold the most in the class?
  The van hit the post with a jolt.

  Q1 is completed as an example, with brackets under "Which man" and "is the best host", and ost in the last word highlighted as an exception sound.


texts: Is the word 'the' unnecessary in the English language?

texts:
Measuring the frequency of words in almost every English book or document (which is long enough) ends up ranking the word 'the' as the most used word. Is there any solid function the word 'the' plays in context of a sentence other than making the sentence "sound right"?

For example, let me strip-out the word 'the' from this question's title and the above paragraph:

  Is word 'the' unnecessary in English language?

  Measuring frequency of words in almost every English book or document (which is long enough) ends up ranking word 'the' as most used word. Is there any solid function word 'the' plays in context of a sentence other than making sentence "sound right"?

I believe, greater the frequency of a word used across all the books and documents in a language, lesser will be its requirement in determining the context of the subject being spoken. There is no specific example I could point out, in which the word 'the' actually plays a vital role in describing anything. So, why isn't this word removed from the English language? I'm asking this question because, I'm not able to understand the requirement of the word 'the' in sentences. Removing the word 'the' almost always never tends to change the meaning of the sentences.


texts:
Jack didn't tell me that he __ my chocolate.

  eats
  ate
  had eaten
  has eaten

I have a hard time figuring out which one to choose and why.


texts: Is the usage of among in "Some philosophers are addressed, among who Deleuze, Derrida,..." right?

texts:
I would like to know whether my usage of among in the following sentence is correct or not:

  Thus, a dialogue is developed with some philosophers who discuss and unfold the concept of ‘being’, among who, Deleuze, Nietzsche and Foucault.


texts: "Support on the project" or "support with the project"

texts:
What would be the correct preposition to use?

  Thanks for your support on/with the project.


texts: Is there as more positive sounding word to use in place of 'viral' or 'contagious', in regard to an idea or campaign?

texts:
Is there a there more positive sounding word to use in place of 'viral' or 'contagious', in regard to an idea or campaign?

The campaign relates to women's safety issues and sexual harassment.

We want the empowering message to be 'contagious', go 'viral', 'spread'.

All these words relate to sickness though. The campaign is one of social healing, so words like 'viral', and 'contagious' don't sound right. 'Spread' is better.

Any other suggestions?


texts: What does "plough" mean in this context (“they would plough you”)?

texts:
The following excerpt has been taken from The Time Machine by H. G. Wells:

  ‘One might get one’s Greek from the very lips of Homer and Plato,’
  the Very Young Man thought.

  ‘In which case they would certainly plough you for the Little-go.
  The German scholars have improved Greek so much.’
                      (You can read more here.)

What does “plough” mean here?


texts: Word for a place where knowledge is shared

texts:
I am looking for a word that represents a place where knowledge is shared. Words like academy or school convey the idea of one-way sharing (from teachers/instructors to students), and I want something where everybody shares knowledge, preferably technical.

The proposed usage is to brand a group where people will meet to share knowledge (and anyone can be a teacher at any given time).

Any ideas?

Thanks!


texts:
SHOULD THERE BE A QUESTION MARK OR NOT? IT'S AN INDIRECT QUESTION BUT AN ANSWER WOULD BE EXPECTED.

There's a party later if you're interested.

There's a party later if you're interested?


texts:
There's a sentence within a novel that I don't understand. Can you break it down for me?

  The boy with fair hair lowered himself down the last few feet of rock
  and began to pick his way toward the lagoon. Though he had taken off
  his school sweater and trailed it now from one hand, his grey shirt
  stuck to him and his hair was plastered to his forehead. All round
  him the long scar smashed into the jungle was a bath of heat

What scar? Is the scar "the bath of heat"?
Why does it say all round and not "all around"?


texts:
While the core features are free, additional functionality has to be bought. This concerns extended import/export options and rendering.

This means import/export/rendering are not free, right?


texts: I'm from Russia and I've got a problem with writing a letter. Can I use the phrase "glad to hear such news" if I'm not speaking with a person? Isn't it better and more correct to use "glad to know"?


texts:
I need to reference a range of temperatures and am not sure the best way to phrase this in a sentence. I am using these weather maps and need to explain the average range for high and low temps in April. The way it's currently written I find the plural of the temperature confusing but it cannot be removed since that would make the statement inaccurate and lead people to believe, for example, that 60 was the high temp when in reality it may have been 69.

My sentence currently reads: April is a transitional month for weather nationally with average lows ranging in the 20s-60s degrees ºF and highs ranging 40s-80s ºF.

I am also experimenting with removing the numeric characters and spelling them out if this makes it more clear: April is a transitional month for weather nationally with average lows ranging in the twenties-sixties and highs ranging forties-eighties degrees Fahrenheit.


texts: Which word to use for less well known brands?

texts: I am doing Customer Support and I need to tell my user that their phone is from "a less well known" brand (e.g. from Xiaomi instead of Apple, Samsung). Which words to use in this courtesy context?


texts:
I was recently discussing the word accede with a Spanish colleague of mine and contrasting it against the Spanish verb acceder which has a different, although related meaning. When looking at the etymology of the word it shows ad + cedere (latin) -> accedere (latin) -> accede (late Middle English).

What struck me more though was the fact that the Latin verb cedere means "give way, yield" whereas the English word means "come forward, approach" which seems to be opposite of the original meaning.

Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=define%3A+accede

Yielding a position is the opposite action of approaching a position. Is there any reason why this swap in meaning occurred, or is this just something that happens in language evolution? Could the etymology be incorrect and the root is "ab + cedere"?


texts: Where an ellipsis exists, is there a term for the missing text?

texts:
Suppose there is a long sentence like:

  This London hit show took America by storm, full of charm, humour and delightful songs that make it a perfect theatrical event for the entire family.

And you want to cut it off after an arbitrary specified amount of characters like so:

  This London hit show took America by storm, full of charm, humour and delightful songs that make...

What is the name for the missing text indicated by the three-dot ellipsis?


texts: Can "until" refer to a time already past?

texts:
I just wrote a text message saying,

I did not get your messages until yesterday.

This looks a little strange to me, as I am using the word "until" to refer to a time already past, i.e. yesterday.
Is it correct to use "until" this way? Or would a different word be more appropriate, e.g. "before"?
Merriam-Webster gives this definition (2nd and 3rd senses given):

until (preposition)
2 —used as a function word to indicate continuance (as of an action or condition) to a specified time stayed until morning
3 :  before 2 not available until tomorrow we don't open until ten

It's worth noting that "before" is a synonym. But I still wonder whether one or the other is more appropriate when it refers to time past.


texts: Single Word : Cannot be resolved by waiting and trying again

texts:
I'm looking for a single word that means an issue cannot be resolved by waiting and trying again. Essentially the opposite of intermittent or temporary.

I would previously have used systemic or systematic, but checking the dictionary definitions of these having been challenged on them neither seems to quite fit.

Update to answer questions in the comments:

The word I'm looking for should reflect a problem that will persist until external action is taken, but is not necessarily urgent.

To use it in a sentence:

  "Your request has encountered a {Special Word} problem, and will not
  be retried."

The use I'll be putting it to is more in the nature of a column header though. On the one hand there are temporary problems that might go away if we try again shortly, on the other hand are these problems.


texts:
When asked "What do you do?", I understand it's idiomatic to say both:

"I teach the 3rd grade"
"I teach 3rd grade"

Note that the former can be used even as a general answer, not just as meaning "I teach the 3rd grade of school X". In that case, what does the "the" mean?
Inspired by Why "the" in "looking in the mirror"?


texts: is not having vs isn't having- meaninig difference

texts:
I heard a sentence in latest South Park episode and suddenly I have questioned a sentence.

  The hardest part is not having any followers, i used to go to places just to show them where i was

What happens if we alter this sentence to:

  The hardest part isn't having any followers, i used to go to places just to show them where i was

I think the meaning completely changes, why is that, am I missing something?


texts:
I recently read a passage from a newspaper.

  Therefore alcohol should be banned to enable people to have a long
  and happy life.

Q1) I'm confusing the part of 'people to have a long and happy life.'.
Why 'to' is written between 'people' and 'have'?
Because I think above sentence is made up of two part. One of them is 'Therefore alcohol should be banned.'. The other is 'Because it enables people have a long and happy life.'.
So, I think this sentence have to remove 'to'. Am I wrong?

Q2)The comma is not using between 'Therefore', 'alcohol'. Is it correct?

Thanks in advance.


texts:
When I was young (1950's southern England) I learned that Berkshire, pronounced "BARK-sheer" was a county the other side of London, and that a "berk", pronounced to rhyme with "work" or "jerk", was a deplorable individual. Later I learned that "berk" is rhyming slang for "Berkshire Hunt", thus "c*nt".

But they don't rhyme in my pronunciation! How did this come about? Is it subsequent spelling pull on "berk", did Cockneys at the time say "BERK-sheer", or something else?

EDIT made it clear that I never thought that "berk" and "jerk" were regarded as rhyming slang.


texts:
Is the sentence

Company A can block this account at its discretion
in case they think it harms them.

stylistically and grammatically correct? Also can the word

harms

used here?


texts:
I am looking for a word that is a synonym for "context" or "situation" but describes someone's present moment in a more holistic way.  It would be a single word that refers to the entirety of the situation - the location, the surroundings, the feelings, the time, etc.

Any ideas?  A regular Thesaurus wasn't helping.  Thanks!

-------------------------------EDIT-----------------------------------

I am specifically looking for a short word, preferably one syllable, but a word that still grasps many aspects of a situation:

External (environment, surroundings)
Internal (emotions, sequence of events in one's life, the "aura" surrounding the person & situation)

I know that these limit the synonym possibilities, but that's why a Thesaurus wasn't helping!

I am also open to words that may not have an English origin, or even a hybrid.

Thanks!


texts: Proud by thinking that one cannot be surprised by what others know

texts:
I would like one word for "proud by thinking that one cannot be surprised by what others know".

Arrogant is explained as "having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities." So the word I am looking for could be explained by "having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own knowledge and understanding."


texts:
In an academic paper, while describing an organization being not the only example of its kind, I used a sentence like:
This organization was not a one-off.
However, I feel like it sounds too colloquial. Is there a better, more formal way to say it?
Thank you...


texts: Is this sentence a cleft sentence or not?

texts:
People can agonize over the purchase of greeting cards. They will spend an enormous amount of time searching for just the right words to convey their thoughts. "It is usually an embellishment to the emotional statement that is being made with a gift." Together the two are intended to convey silent passions or feelings to the recipient.

1) "It is usually an embellishment to the emotional statement that is being made with a gift."
Is this sentence a cleft sentence or a sentence containing a postmodifying relative clause?

2) If this is a cleft sentence, how can "usually" be included? Is it possible? I think "Usually" doesn't belong to not only "It is ~ that" construction but also "an embellishment to the emotional statement is being made with a gift"

3) If this is a sentence containing a postmodifying relative clause, what does "It(the subject of the sentence)" indicate in the paragraph?

4) In the sentence, does "with" mean "using"? that is, as in "make of"
or what?


texts: Word for Secretive Marriage that is not Elope

texts:
I'm unsure if there is any term for this other than "A secretive marriage", but figured I would let you smart forum goers decide.

I am aware of the word

  Elope: To run away secretly with the intention of getting married usually without parental consent

However, this states two things that I do not need in the definition. (1) Running away and (2) Hiding it or doing it against the will of one's parents. This implies that the person(s) are of a younger age (likely under 18).

I am looking for a broader term, i.e. These two people have a "insert_here" marriage. Where the term is not limited by age or running away, only that it is secretive. As to why it is secret, it does not necessarily matter, but could include because they share opposite religions that the family members do not approve of, race, ethnicity, social status, etc. Also, the couple does not hide that they are together (dating), but merely does not let others know that they are already married.

Either way, thanks for your help!


texts: What is the English saying for "pecunia non olet"

texts:
Pecunia non olet is a famous Latin saying:

Pecunia non olet ("money does not stink") is a Latin saying. The phrase is ascribed to the Roman emperor Vespasian (ruled AD 69–79).

The phrase is still used today to say that the value of money is not tainted by its origins.

Is there an English version of this saying or is it used in Latin also by English speaking people? I could not find any apart from its literal  translation, which I suppose, is not commonly used.


texts: Where is the modifier in "the majority of senators", "a number of students", "the range of documents"?

texts:
Where is the modifier in "the majority of senators", "a number of students" and in "a range of documents" in these sentences:

The majority of senators will be fired tomorrow.
A number of students might not be able to take the test.
The range of documents could only increase.


texts: What do you call someone who subtly implies they are better than you?

texts:
What is a good word for someone that is usually nice and cordiar, but randomly likes to imply they are "better than you?"  The implication is usually subtle, but it's done via a social snub, body language, a comment, or a 'friendy joke?"  The implication usually goes something like this: "yea, I'd watch that show, but" [because I'm an aristrocat, it's below me].

The implication is always ever so subtle that it's tough to comment on or make a fuss about.  Also, the implication is so light that it's hard to communicate what happened to someone that isn't there without full context (even the people there don't always pick up on it).


texts: Why are "bath" and "bathe" pronounced differently?

texts:
I'm specifically talking about British English. In British English, "bath" (noun) has a long vowel ([ɑː]) while the verb "bathe" has a diphthong ([eɪ]) and sounds more like the American version of "bath".
Etymonline on "bath" says:

"bath (n.)
Old English bæð "an immersing of the body in water, mud, etc.," also "a quantity of water, etc., for bathing," from Proto-Germanic *badan (source also of Old Frisian beth, Old Saxon bath, Old Norse bað, Middle Dutch bat, German Bad), from PIE root *bhē- "to warm" + *-thuz, Germanic suffix indicating "act, process, condition" (as in birth, death). The etymological sense is of heating, not immersing."

And on "bathe":

"bathe (v.)
Old English baþian "to wash, lave, place in a bath, take a bath" (transitive and intransitive), from root of bath (q.v.), with different vowel sound due to i-mutation. Related: Bathed; bathing. Similar nouns in Old Norse baða, Old High German badon, German baden."

However it doesn't say anything about why "bath" has a long a vowel /bɑːθ/ and "bathe" has a vowel like American "bath" /beɪð/. Googling didn't help much. I also read different articles (like grammarly) but to no avail.
There is also a question in this platform but that does not explain this difference: "to bath" vs "to bathe"
Does anyone know the reason they are pronounced differently?
EDIT after the two answers:
I did not know the symbols that are used to represent the vowel sounds so I confused them.
I should not have compared the vowels in American "bath" and British "bathe". Also pointed out by the commenters.


texts: How did the meaning of "consultant" shift from asker to askee?

texts:
Reading a different question about the opposite of the word consultant made we wonder why the word shifted semantically from the asker to the person who answers?

From Etymonline:

  consultant (n.)
  1690s, "person who consults an oracle," from consult + -ant. In medicine, "physician called in by the attending physician to give consultation in a case," by 1872 (perhaps from French, where it was in use by 1867); general meaning "one qualified to give professional advice" is first attested 1893 in a Sherlock Holmes story. Related: Consultancy (1955).

The structure of the word suggests one who consults (others).

Consult means to ask or refer to. e.g. Consult the experts.

-ant (and its sister -ent) give the meaning of taking action or agency.

Attendants attend others. Commandants command others. Regents rule others. Dependents depend on others.  Etc.

How did consultant shift from the person asking to the person asked?


texts:
Which of the following options is correct/would you chose?

"I have the urge to say something" or"I feel the urge to say something"?


texts: Can I say "a folder lies in" when talking about computer folders (directories)?

texts: I guess is located in is nicer, but is it correct English?


texts: Difference between "phenomenological" and "empirical"

texts: Models in science are sometimes called "phenomenological" and sometimes "empirical." Looking at the definitions of these two words, I feel like they are really saying the same thing: that the model is informed by experimental results rather than derived from first principles. Is this correct, or is there a distinction I am missing here?


texts: What is a single word for "Out of our control"

texts:
I'm looking for a word that defines that something is out of our control in a business sense. For example, we can't control the postal delivery time, so it is... (out of our control).
Needs to be ONE word, please.

EDIT - not uncontrollable. It is also not chaotic, like "the children are out of control".

EDIT2: - to further explain, in my thesis I have a number of dependencies. Most of them our company can control as we manage them. However, a few of these dependencies we are not able to control because they are managed by someone else. So I'm looking to see if there is a word that can explain this other than saying "dependencies that are out of our control".


texts:
"Exam comes with 3 new changes"
Three big changes have been introduced in this year's Form Three examination under a new format.


texts: What does the term "White Privilege" mean?

texts: I can't really find a definition that explains the concept of "White Privilege" in a simple way, but what I have understood so far is that it means white people will benefit or enjoy more power and opportunities than visible minorities.


texts: Using 'I' with 'who' in a sentence. Is this grammatically correct?

texts:
I am not sure whether the following sentence is grammatically correct. Could someone please guide me on this? Is there a better alternative?

  I am the new CEO of this company who has taken over from Josh.

Thanks!


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


texts: Word/phrase including both recent past and near future

texts:
I'm looking for a word or very short phrase for the period of time that is close to now, including both past and future.  Words like "recent" or "latest" would cover the near past, and words like "imminent" or "impending" or "coming" would cover the near future, but I want to include both.

In my particular application, I want to cover from about one week in the past to one week in the future, but I don't need to be that specific.

Note: Despite the name, this is not a duplicate of Word meaning "nearby in time".


texts: What is the correct pronunciation of Hele?

texts:
I’ve always wondered what the correct or considered correct pronunciation of the old Saxon word hele is. The Oxford English Dictionary states it should be pronounced as /hiːl/ and that’s what I’ve always used –

hele
Pronunciation:  /hiːl/
To hide, conceal; to keep secret.

I’ve also heard it pronounced as /heɪl/ and whenever I’ve questioned that pronunciation, I’ve always been told that it is correct or that is the preferred way of pronunciation.
So which is it /hiːl/ or /heɪl/?


texts: Does the expression "speak volumes" generally have a negative connotation?

texts:
I get the sense that we tend to use "speak volumes" in a negative way. For example, if I heard "His attendance record spoke volumes for his commitment," in isolation, I'd tend to think his attendance record wasn't great, and we could infer the same about his commitment.

It can definitely be used in a positive sense, as in, "His perfect attendance record and gung-ho attitude spoke volumes about his commitment," but I think those usages are rarer.

I get the sense that this is maybe because we use "speak volumes" for small things that signify a great deal, and it's much easier to signify something negative with a small gesture (or a lack of gesture) than something positive.

Can anyone back up or contradict my impression with data or some authority?


texts: When did television become known as the 'tube'?

texts:
I searched Google's "YouTube", it seems like "tube" is a nickname for "television". So, when did television get this nickname, and why?

EDIT

I have once considered tube as TV cube, does it make sense?


texts: How to express a group suggestion? "I would like for us all to ..."

texts:
I am writing an email to my work colleagues regarding a current project. I am the lead for the project, and also one of the workers. I want to describe an activity that I think the whole group should take part in, but I am not in a position to say "do it this way", and even if I was, that's not how I would want to act. What is the best way to express this idea?

My current draft reads as follows, but I don't think it sounds right:

  I would like for us all to X.


texts:
Listening to old recordings, there is a distinct accent that radio and television announcers used that is different from a modern-day "Standard American" or neutral accent. It seems that over the course of fifty years pronunciation has shifted. Is this a documented phenomenon? Or is it more a function of broadcast media being less focused on proper enunciation and diction?

(Possibly related, I've noticed some old books spell "Hello" as "Hullo". Is this a reflection of the same thing?)


texts:
There are two  sentences:

  I completely understand.
  I understand completely.

Which one is correct and why?

Another example:

  I slowly opened the door.
  I opened the door slowly.


texts:
My teacher said it is impossible to use Past Simple with Present Perfect. What about this example:

I went shopping [today/yesterday] to improve my mood but instead I ... sad.

Should I use became or have become? I want to emphasize I am still sad.

or is it better to say:

I went shopping and I am sad.


texts: Which language do most polysyllabic words in the english language come from?

texts: I am doing an english project and can't find any information on this topic. Help is much appreciated!! thanks


texts: Can a hypothetical question be in past tense? Please see my example

texts: If you passed a subject without learning anything valuable about it, did that subject really help you?


texts: Does "don't cry over lost Bitcoins" really work?

texts:
There's the old saying:

Don't cry over spilled milk!

Its meaning, AFAIK, is that you should not cry/be sad/get hung up over losing something trivial which can easily be replaced. If you spill some milk, that's bad luck, but it doesn't really matter.
However, some of us had Bitcoins in the very beginning, only to lose them in various way (or even waste/spend them early on), and are now looking at the $33k USD price... and feel very bad about it.
Does "don't cry over spilled milk" really work in this context? "Don't cry over lost Bitcoins"? Isn't it very different from the milk in that it actually does have a huge value now, which it didn't back then?
Isn't the meaning of the proverb invalid in the context of lost/wasted Bitcoin?


texts: Term for a piece of legacy software that is buggy but too much trouble to replace so you have to live with it?

texts:
I've always just called this "legacy" software, which by emphasizing that term implied (to me, at least) something that was more or less burdensome. Years ago I heard someone refer to it as "white elephant" software, the care and maintenance of which was the kind of crushing burden a white elephant was supposed to have been.
In the back of my mind I think there was some other dysphemism for burdensome legacy software, but I can't think of it now. Any ideas?


texts:
What word means "the thing(s) you added to something"? It's something like 'addium' or something Latin-like! But I can't really remember.

I remember seeing it used in some context as follows.

You write a comment.
Then you want to add something to it, you'd write:

  Old comment.

  [the word goes here]

  New comment.

  And it's not edit or P.S.


texts: What's the meaning of "to reach opinion leaders"?

texts:
What's the meaning of "to reach opinion leaders" in the following text?

  He called for concerted efforts to reach opinion leaders and
  policymakers in the nuclear weapons states: “Many of them have already
  acknowledged the essential bankruptcy of deterrence doctrine in a
  world where non-state actors are seeking access to nuclear weapons
  technology and stated that a nuclear weapon-free world will be a safer
  world.”


texts:
Am I right about the meaning of "and then only poignantly so" in the quote below? I think it means "... except the hope for life itself, which it would be a very sad and upsetting feeling too"

  The rich and powerful can own art and corral off nature but nothing is beautiful if you are starving, oppressed or dying, except the hope for life itself and then only poignantly so.

(From Art and Science by Sian Ede.)


texts: Use participle or "which" to start a nonessential clause?

texts:
Is there anything wrong with this sentence:

The city pays landlords more than someone with a rental voucher can pay, which only exacerbates NY's already severe housing shortage.

Is this sentence better? if so why?
The city pays landlords more than someone with a rental voucher can pay, only exacerbating NY's already severe housing shortage.

Thank you in advance.


texts: For example, I have one function called f. Now I make some change to f and create a new function called f'. But how do native people read the "f'"? Like "f apostrophe"?


texts: Should I use 'is' or 'are' in ambiguous sentences like this one?

texts:
I understand that you should use 'is' for singular and 'are' for plural, but in this sentence I am not sure which applies.
Take the sentence

Bees are an important part of our ecosystem.

Let's say I wanted to reword it so that the subject is at the end of the sentence. Which of these two is correct?

An important part of our ecosystem are bees.

An important part of our ecosystem is bees.

To me they both sound wrong, so I want to know how I can determine correct grammar in these cases.


texts:
Which preposition is correct and what is the difference in meaning if any?

  I went to the gym, something I haven't done for a long time.

  I went to the gym, something I haven't done in a long time.


texts:
Recently I ran across the sentence:

  "Just why the law prescribed thirty-nine lashes instead of forty or forty-one and so on, must needs remain unanswered."

How did a plural verb like "needs" wind up as an adverb?  Is it alone in this phenomenon, or are there other examples that appear to be an odd misplacement of a second verb, but are actually adverbs as well?


texts: Is there a word for something done to you because you did it to someone else?

texts: I was wondering because when coming across videos about people who went to jail for abuse and murder, comments will say they should have to go through the same thing they inflicted on the other person. Even with the death penalty being a thing, the torture penalty sounds weird.


texts: Is the phrase "consistently inconsistent" redundant and does it have a single word?

texts:
I stumbled on this phrase today, but have seen it in news articles and blogs, as well. Here's an example from this site:

  To put it mildly, the result of exercise was and remains consistently inconsistent.

I understand the sentiment being expressed, but is it any different than using just "inconsistent"? Similarly, is there a specific word that would describe this condition (e.g. repeated failings)?


texts: using noun as adjective; does position matter?

texts:
I'm doing some programming and I'm analyzing text written in English. I'm identifying parts of speech and I run into cases where I have something like vacuum cleaner. I, as a human, know that the word cleaner is dominant in this case and the word vacuum describes the cleaner. Both of these words are nouns though (I'm using the Corpus of Contemporary English which tells me the part of speech for 500,000 words).

My question is, if you have two nouns in a row like this, is the noun that acts as an adjective always on the left of the "dominant" noun? I can come up w/ cases that act like this, however not the reverse.

laptop computer
data collector
steel screw

Any help is appreciated.


texts:
I've just began to read “Atlas shrugged” in English and noticed a strange structure in the third paragraph:

"Why did you say that?" asked Eddie Willers, his voice tense.

I'm interested in the last part:

His voice tense

I'm struggling to understand what does it mean. Rules I know say that you should use base verb form when you want to express an emotion. But is “tense” an emotion? Why “tensed” isn't used there? Why not “his voice is tense”?


texts:
I want to mention the date and time I collected my questionnaires in an academic report. Let's say they are distributed:

  Time period: 1:00PM - 4:00PM

  Date period: 1 October 2014 - 3 October 2014

How should I write it properly in a single sentence in British English?


texts:
According to the Longman Dictionary for Advanced Learners, the verb originate can be used with the prepositions from, with, in, or as. However, it's not clear why I should choose one preposition over the other or even if they are all interchangeable.

  o‧rig‧i‧nate /ë"rûdžÂneût/

  1 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, not in progressive]  formal  to come from a particular place or start in a particular situation:
  How did the plan originate?

  originate from
  A lot of our medicines originate from tropical plants.

  originate in
  Many Christmas traditions originated in Germany.

  originate with
  The idea originated with the ancient Greek philosophers.

  originate as
  The town originated as a small fishing port.

I have an instinctive reaction to see 'originate from' as being possible to be used with a place, person or material, and to see 'originate in' to be used with a place (so interchangeable with 'from') but not with a material or person, and 'to originate with' to be used with a person (again interchangeable with 'from') but not with a place or material.

So I could say 'to originate from/in Brazil' or 'to originate from the Chinese' but only 'to originate from milk' and 'to originate with the Chinese'.

I can only see 'to originate as' as being possible when referring to the nature of something when that something first originated (I hope I'm being clear). For example, a settlement can originate as a mercantile community or an agricultural one (mercantile and agricultural communities being examples of settlements).

So, basically, I'm hoping someone will validate and/or correct my insights.


texts: I use to call ma'am to women showing respect, but as there is some people that find annoying the "Mrs", I don't know if my respectful tone using ma'am they do aside and find it rude.


texts: Single word for treating someone harshly, inconsiderately, negligently?

texts:
I am sure there is such a word. Think of it as combining elements of harsh, uncaring, inconsiderate treatment with neglect and indifference.

For example, a parent that forces a child to do some particular activity they don't enjoy, harshly overruling their objections and indifferent to how it makes the child feel (and yes "abuse" is too extreme).

The word would fit sentences like:

She was treated [WORD].

She was left downtrodden after being treated [WORD] for so long.

I am looking for words more specific than words like "miserably" or "poorly" - the word would almost be synonymous with "roughly", "harshly", but with greater connotations of neglect and indifference. I am sure the word is out there but it escapes me (and I have consulted a thesaurus!)


texts:
In business language, how could you say: local knowledge of the territory?

As in: The company has a deep knowledge of the territory, i.e., logistics, suppliers, clients and people knowledge, etc.


texts: When to use "right" and when to use "correct" in a sentence?

texts: When should you use the word "right" in a sentence (ex. "Did I say your name right?") vs using the word "correct" (ex. "Did I say your name correctly?").  Is there a "rule" or an easy way of remembering which word to use?


texts: What is a word called that has more than one syllable?

texts:
You can say e.g.:

  The word "on" is a monosyllable.

but it seems that the word "multisyllable" has been outdated since 1913.

What is the correct term for a word that has two or more syllables, e.g.

  "The word "beautiful" is a _________.


texts: British politicians pronouncing "hear, hear" oddly

texts:
I'm an American living in California. I was recently watching a C-SPAN broadcast of a British Parliamentary debate about Mr. Trump (I assumed it's Parliament). A lot of men and women with tousled hair alike. (I kinda like that more than the slick haircuts in Washington.) Anyway, I was kinda fascinated with people saying "Hear, hear." More with HOW they were saying it than why they were saying it -- although both were quite new to me. It seemed like there was a nasally intonation and a pronunciation similar to "beer" and "pure" at the same time. Almost like: "hee-yur hee-yur." It sounded very strange to me -- a little cutesy and affected. Is this a real thing that I noticed, or does someone in Parliament have a speech impediment? Is there a history or origin to pronouncing the phrase that way?

EDIT: I found the video and re-watched some of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVfS5fsAVOI

An example of what I'm talking about is around 41:07. They're kinda scattered all over the place, sometimes more than one person saying "hear hear" with that accent at the same time. But I realize now that it's a dialect that only a handful of people in the room seem to have.


texts: Why is trans fat always italicized on food labels, so that it says trans fat? Is it just due to convention, or is there an actual reason (like for emphasis)?