texts: Use of "may need to" when you actually need to

texts:
In software documentation, I recently read:

  If you move a job to a different folder, you may also need to update configuration that was referring to that job.

But if you have a "configuration that was referring to that job" you need to update it (or really should). Not doing that will result in broken configuration and ultimately, broken behavior.

Is this use of "may need to" really correct? Is there a valid reason the documentation is phrased like this, instead of "…, you also need to update"?

Doesn't the current documentation through the use of "may" imply that there are situations where you're not required to update configuration because it handles the job move correctly?


texts: Is there a term for "pretty much" first person?

texts:
Of course, novels in first person go like this:

  "Then I changed to my winged form. I hopped to the ledge. The kethel attacked me.

The voice is literally that of the main character. As if he sat down and spoke his story to you from beginning to end.  I did this then that.

Whereas third-person novels go like this:

  "Then Moon changed to his winged form. He hopped to the ledge. The kethel attacked him.

The narrator is "abstract". It has no identity and is just "the book" telling you such happened and such happened.

I was just reading the (outstanding!) novelist Martha Wells.

Her Raksura novels are in third-person (so, in the usual way, written by an "unknown, abstract" narrator in the past tense),

but,

the action entirely follows the primary character. **

So it's "sort of" first-person...

So, indeed:

you could "convert" every single sentence of the book to first person; literally every single sentence could be changed to "I did blah..." rather than "Moon did blah...".

We hear (only) about Moon's actions and thoughts (just as in 1st person) and indeed we (only) "go" where Moon goes (just as in 1st person).

I was wondering, is there actually a term for this?

** Just to confuse matters, there are a few short passages in a later book in the series that arguably "breaks away" from the main character, but let's leave that out of the example.


texts: Difference in usage between "ostensive" and "ostensible"

texts: I know that ostensive and ostensible are both adjectives, but can someone give me proper usage of each in their adjective forms?  In their adverb forms, they almost sound identical.


texts: The posted video is/was about something. Is or Was?

texts:
I've been attending online classes (recorded) on a daily basis and once the uploaded video wasn't on the topic as per the timetable. I texted my teacher a question similar to this:

Shouldn't today's class be on matrices?

followed by

The video posted was trigonometry part 1

(The video hadn't been taken down.)
Is this sentence wrong?
Is it "is" or "was"?


texts: It all could have been different; It could all have been different; It could have all been different

texts:
Where would it be best to place the "all" (or any other word, for that matter) in this situation, and why?

These are all made-up sentences.

It all could have [could've] been different/ played out differently.
It could all have been different/ played out differently.
It could have [could've] all been different/ played out differently.
Come to think of it, I think one could even say " It could've been all different"

They all sound good to my ear, but I'd probably go, more often than not, with the third one.
I was thinking- maybe it has something to do with stress? (I never would've done that; I would never have done that; I would've never done that ).

Here's the same 'quote' worded differently (as above) in different newspapers:

"'We could have all done better': White House admits[...]" (The Independent)
"'We all could have done better': White House spokesman admits [...]" (Washington Post)

Also: "It all could have been different. It should have been different" - Rosa Vetrano, In the Olive Yard.


texts: Correct comma usage in an explanation of comma usage!

texts:
I need to provide a short explanation of why it's important to use commas correctly. Ironically, I'm worried that my punctuation in this explanation is incorrect! Please help!

"Commas are tricky little critters. But when correctly placed, they will improve the clarity of your writing. Commas let you play with sentence length, allowing you to build in clauses, pauses and emphasis without risk of ambiguity. If there’s confusion, a comma will probably help! Find comma rules in a style manual or online guide.


texts: Differences between formal and colloquial English?

texts:
What are the basic differences between formal and colloquial English?

Is it right that  colloquial English uses more contracted forms, slang expressions, phrasal verbs, subjunctive, and euphemisms?

And are there any phonologic differences? I was thinking about Received Pronunciation and dialects, but I am not sure.


texts: Idiomatic usage of "wanting to sit" vs. "taking/having a seat"

texts:
In the following examples:

"When my dad turned 70, he often felt like wanting to sit"

Vs.

"When my dad turned 70, he felt like taking/having a seat."

Which expression sounds more natural and idiomatically correct to be used with "felt like" and express his need to sit down occasionally?

Can the former expression be used without the preposition "down"?

"When my dad turned 70, he often felt like wanting to sit (down)"


texts:
May I ask if there is any difference in the meaning of the below two example prepositional phrases? Are they both grammatical? Thanks!

This apartment has drawn far more purchase orders, with its price lowered.
This apartment has drawn far more purchase orders, with its price being lowered.


texts: What is the correct version of "upfront", "up front" or "up-front"?

texts:
I can't find a definite spelling of this term. Different resources on the Internet show all three versions of it.

What is the correct way of spelling it?


texts: So when I want to say "You can choose an apple and/or pear, and a bottle of soda and/or juice." Is there a better way to say this, without the clump of and/or?


texts: What is an "in honors" school student in the US?

texts:
I came across this sentence on an American website

  Aron is a student in honors in his class

I was wondering how to phrase this for a UK audience.


texts: What is the name for a board with flashing synchronized lights?

texts:
Going on the motorway at night we see flashing lights moving in progression showing the direction of a curve

The same principle was applied in the first news tickers installed at Times Square in 1939. I'd like to google it for images but need to know its name, 'news ticker' produces little since now it is used only on TV

Is there a name for these specific gadgets (highway lights and any type of board) and what is the principle, animated lights, or what?


texts: Is there a single word for "Making a mistake just to make a point"

texts:
Google Chrome released an improved spell check option today. This is how the feature is described:

  Chrome as auto-updated with bettar spell chek. Try the "Ask Google for Suggestions" feature in the right click menu of any text area.

As you see, bettar and chek are deliberately misspelled just to make the point. Is there a single word or phrase to describe this?

(I couldn't think of a better title. Feel free to edit)


texts:
Can anyone give me a clarification on this sentence please:

Some administrations request additional documents for the update of your civil status.
Some administrations request additional documents for the updating of your civil status.


texts: When do we use “adept in” and “adept at”?

texts:
I was reading a chapter on choosing the appropriate preposition and found there are two different uses of adept with two different prepositions, namely “in” and “at”.

The examples that were given did not help me to understand the difference well.


texts: Word to describe something that has an ending

texts: How to say that something has an ending in one word? I am looking for the opposite of endless.


texts: Is there a word like "compersion" that isn't just for romantic/sexual situations?

texts:
I just saw the word "compersion" for the first time, and love it:

  A feeling of joy when a loved one invests in and takes pleasure from
  another romantic or sexual relationship.

Is there a word that means the same thing, but not romantic/sexual? For example, when my best friend has a big win at his job, he's really happy, and I'm super happy for him too. What is the word to express that?

(Interestingly, I think the word I'm seeking is sort of the tangential opposite of schadenfreude, right?)


texts:
Which of the following would be more comprehensible to say in English:

At last I'll tell?
At farewell I'll say?
The Last word?

as the title in song А напоследок я скажу (words by Bella Akhmadulina, musics by Andrei Petrov from Eldar Ryazanov's movie "Cruel Romance", 1984), sang by Ponomareva (in movie "performed"  by Larissa Guzeeva and Nikita Mihalkov)


texts: What is the appropriate way to refer to a question in a sentence? e.g. The question, is that true? is a bad one. The question, which is higher? is better than which is nearer?.


texts:
Can I use "last" in this context meaning that the young woman makes the final decision?
"Whether or not she agrees to be a surrogate mother is up to her. Her mother should not intefere. The young woman's decision should be last not her mother's."


texts:
Possible Duplicates:
  Framing a question to which the answer is an ordinal number
  How to phrase an asking sentence that must be answered with an ordinal number (e.g., the third prime) ?

It is very common in other languages to use the literal equivalents of "How-manyth".
But some how English seems to not have that word?

How do I ask a kid?

  How-manyth son are you?

(To know whether he is first or second born)

Maybe one more example,

  Mr. XYZ is how-manyth president of this company?

(Is he Mr. XYZ 3rd or 5th or etc)

What is the solution? I want a single word for this!?
I know the round abouts, why not English has created a word for this?


texts: "Types of" followed by singular or plural?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Types of things vs. types of thing

When using the phrase "types of" or "kinds of," it often seems appropriate to follow with a singular noun (e.g., types of rock), but at other times a plural noun sounds better (e.g., types of sentences). Is there some kind of rule about this?


texts: What word describes the traffic when vehicles are totally stopped?

texts: I'm writing a short paragraph about my city and I want to mention the traffic. I remember there being a word to describe a situation that's even worse than a traffic jam, where vehicles can't move at all and are completely stuck, but I can't remember what it is.


texts:
Everybody knows the iconic joke, which goes like this.
Why was 6 afraid of 7?
because 7 8 9.

When I search 'why was 6 afraid of 7 etymology' my results are irrelevant. What is the origin and first use of the joke?


texts: What is the origin of "stack" meaning $1000?

texts:
I just read this lovely quote from MSN about an ex-girlfriend putting out a hit on her ex-boyfriend:

  "I will pay somebody a stack to kill my baby father," Eley wrote in a post this spring, according to a police affidavit.

  (...)

  A "stack" is slang for $1,000.

  "Police: Target of Facebook hit fatally shot", NBC News

A "stack" apparently meant $1000 and as her quote didn't qualify the word at all, this was obviously slang she's used before.  This is the first time I've heard this.

Btw, for your entertainment, here was the response she got to her inquiry:

  "Say no more ... what he look like ... where he be at ... need that stack 1st," Bynum wrote back, police said.


texts: What would you call or how would you describe this weapon?

texts:
I watched a Chinese movie in which the protagonist used this weapon. Its blade part can rotate like a drill.

I was wondering if you know the name of this kind of weapon or how would you describe its appearance?
I tried:

  It’s a skinny mace with connected stone cubes for its blade part and a sharp cone on top.

But I think my description will likely cause confusion. I would appreciate it if you could help me out.


texts: Is there a reason the British omit the article when they "go to hospital"?

texts:
Why do British speakers omit the article in constructions like "go to hospital" or "go on holiday"? Pretty much all American speakers would rephrase those as "go to the hospital" and "go on a holiday", I think. Is there any good reason, or forgotten sense behind those words that might explain why the articles are ommitted?  Are there other common constructions other than those two that the British use that drop the article?

EDIT: I just realized per Kosmonaut's comment that Americans do much the same thing with a few nouns, so this isn't all that special.   Do grammaticists designate nouns that can have their article dropped with anything, i.e. do they have anything in common?


texts: Is "this is different than before" valid US English for "this is different from before"?

texts:
I have many times heard James Rolfe and Mike Matei (the video content producers), who I believe both grew up in New Jersey or in the city Pennsylvania, say things such as:

  Blablabla. This is different than before. Blablabla.

Every time, it seems to me, a non-native English speaker, as if they should be saying "from" instead of "than". I'm pretty sure it's not valid formal British English at least, but I don't know about US English.

Maybe it's not even valid formal US English, but valid "talk speech"? Maybe it's even local slang in New Jersey or "Philly"?


texts: How to describe factors leading to a negative event?

texts:
Being a non-native English speaker, I am looking for an appropriate verb/phrase to describe the negative event as consequence of two health factors.

My best shot is "precipitate"; however, I am concerned whether this is correct.

  Extent of surgical resection and the proliferative index of remaining
      tumor cells must be considered key precipitating factors of recurrence.

(That is recurrence of the tumor).

Thank you in advance.
Best


texts: Conflicting Advice: "Not Only," "But Also" Constructions -- Comma, No Comma, Parallel Structure?

texts:
I've searched for the answer on this site and other websites, and found  conflicting advice and sample sentences that look wrong to me.
I'm posting this question hoping for clarification.
My understanding is that this construction can have a comma only if there are two complete sentences on both sides that follow the not only and but also bits.
The parts after not only and but also should be parallel.
But I see examples in online guides that appear wrong to me.
Wrong:

"He’s not only funny, but also he’s intelligent." (Grammarly.com)

Correct (to me):

"He's not only funny but also intelligent." (No comma)
"Not only is he funny, but also he's intelligent." (Comma)

On the same Grammarly page:

"Not only is Matthew going to Egypt for a month, but also Greece for a couple of weeks."

Why is a comma acceptable above? Why is not only not misplaced?
Correct (to me):

"Matthew is going not only to Egypt for a month but also to Greece for a couple of weeks." (No comma)
"Not only is Matthew going to Egypt for a month, but also he is going to Greece for a couple of weeks." (Comma)

Then there's the "Grammar Girl guide", which puts commas on every such sentence, example:

"He is not only a great swimmer, but also a great musician." (Grammar Girl)

Correct (to me):

"He is not only a great swimmer but also a great musician." (No comma)
"Not only is he a great swimmer, but also he is a great musician." (Comma)

Could someone please clarify the rules regarding this?
I posted what I feel is correct but I do not know where I learned the rules or whether I just made them up; and so I am not sure if I am correct here.


texts: Could have - Would have been able - Could have been able

texts:
Is there any difference between:

I could have done it

I would have been able to do it

I could have been able to do it ?

I think the third one is excessive because it has two the same elements of possibility while the two first ones seem to be equal.


texts: Apostrophe 's' at the end of an adjective?

texts:
Hypothetically, I want to buy several things and they're all broken except for one of them which is too expensive.
Are any of the following sentences that describe this scenario, grammatically sound?

The one-I-want-that's-not-broken's price is too high.
The one I want that's not broken's price is too high.
The one's-I-want-that's-not-broken price is too high.
The one's I want that's not broken price is too high.

The bottom two sound absolutely terrible, and regarding the top two, I can't help feeling that it's wrong to attach an apostrophe 's' to the end of an adjective.
I'm not looking for better ways to phrase this.


texts: What is the correct term to describe 'primary', 'secondary', etc

texts:
What is the correct term to describe the words in the following sequence: primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, quinary, senary, septenary, octonary, nonary, denary, duodenary, etc.

I am thinking '-tier' but I don't think I am correct.


texts: Etymology of "throw good money after bad"?

texts:
The idiom "throwing good money after bad" refers to spending more money on something problematic that one has already spent money on, in the (presumably futile) hopes of fixing it or recouping one's original investment.

My question is as to the etymology of this idiom; presumably the "bad" at the end of the phrase means "bad money".  Why would the original money spent be considered "bad money"?  Surely it's what was done with the money that was bad, not the money itself.  And why would the new money being spend be "good"?  If the original money is "bad" by virtue of the fact that what it was spent on was bad, then wouldn't this new money be "bad" by the same token?


texts: Is the verb 'let' transitive or intransitive?

texts:
Is the verb 'let', with the meaning 'to cause to', transitive or intransitive? E.g.:

  Do you want to go out for a pizza? Please let know.

Is this allowed or is it misuse?


texts:
I want to know if I should use may or  can for this sentence:
**Can** I borrow your book
**May** I borrow your book

I want to know which is more suitable in the context of politeness.


texts: What is the word/expression when you take pleasure in doing something that convention says you are not supposed to do?

texts: What is another way of saying when you take pleasure in doing something that convention says you are not supposed to do ? (ie the word or expression that I am looking for is very similar to saying for example, I take "subversive pleasure" in talking loudly in the library. I am not thinking of "perverse pleasure", though that is an equally good synonym, its just not the one that I can't think of.)


texts: Synonyms for "freak show" or idioms for a "working awkwardness"

texts:
What are other expressions that describe some prepared, working awkwardness, that's is worth to show because it does work and/or is interesting, and even maybe solves some problems?

Example of such mechanisms are esoteric programming languages. One of them is for sure Whitespace:

  Whitespace uses only whitespace characters (space, tab, and return),
  ignoring all other characters. This is the reverse of many traditional
  languages, which do not distinguish between different whitespace
  characters, treating tab and space the same. It also allows Whitespace
  programs to be hidden in the source code of programs in languages like
  C.


texts:
I'm stuck in my high school essay. Should I use quotes when I'm asking readers a rhetorical question? In this case I wrote,

  The restrictions that many may, or may not be considering, are they really too much?

Should I use quotes on the "are they really too much" part? And did I do anything wrong in that sentence?


texts: What do you call it when a group of neglected people spontaneously forms a cruel society?

texts: I'm trying to come up with a word to describe what happens in cartoons (and probably real life) when a traumatic event leads to a group of ordinary people (usually children) to fend for themselves. They then form a new society resembling a dictatorship ruled by bullies.


texts: Alternative to the expression "sleep is the little death"

texts:
I thought this was a thing, that the expression "little death" refers to sleep and suggests that time spent sleeping is time not used for something else; one is, in a way, dead while asleep. Apparently, that's not what the expression stands for; I'm not sure where I got that.

So is there an alternative expression that would convey the idea of sleep as something to be kept to a minimum because time could be better used ?


texts: ambiguity about the reference of "that in turn..."

texts:
Do you think whether "affect" in the provided context refers to "cultural, social, and political contexts" or to "technologies of representation or imaging"?

Context:

He examines how the technologies of representation or imaging, such as video or the combined hardware/software of the computer/ camera, are tied in a complex way to cultural, social, and political contexts that in turn affect the nature of vision itself (source).


texts: I don't understand, because if 'don't' is 'do not' then wouldn't the sentence without conjunctions be 'do not you dare' which I'm pretty sure isn't grammatically correct. Like, when we say the term it means something else, certainly not 'do not you dare' anyway. Any ideas on why? I am so glad English is my first language.


texts: The sentence is a headline for a digital ad and I'm not sure the tenses are correct


texts: What article should be used at the beginning of the sentence about an object unknown to others?

texts:
I've started to write some story and at the beginning of that I'm faced with an issue. I'm not clear understanding what the article (the definite article or indefinite one) should be used when my oppopent doesn't know about some object but I do and espesially that object is unique.
For example:
"When I went to school I used to come to class when the teacher always was there."
By "the teacher" I mean my "form master" (or "homeroom teacher", I actually don't know which term is more proper).

So, should I use "a teacher" just because some object I'm talking about is unknown for my opponent or it would be better to use "the teacher" and it's quite clear for opponents that I mean "homeroom teacher"  or it would be more naturally to use "my teacher" ?


texts: Is there a word that has the same -er sound pronunciation in all both British and American accents

texts:
Most words with -er ending, sound different in British and American accent. In British it’s “a”, in American it’s “e”(don’t know how to correctly write transcription ).

But is there word, that has the same “e” sound in different accents, or vice-versa, a word, that has the same “a” pronunciation?

Like, water sounds different in America and Britian(there is also difference in “t” pronunciation). In American it’s like a “wodae”, and in British accent it’s “wotuh”. Is there a word with -er ending that all people pronounce the same?


texts: Reflexive pronouns and understood "to be"

texts:
So, I've got a fairly straightforward sentence:

  Poe did not think himself a writer of inferior material.

It is my understanding that "a writer of inferior material" is the object of the understood infinitive "to be," and that the sentence is saying that, in simpler terms, "Poe did not think that he (Poe) was a writer of inferior material."

But how does one break this sentence down into parts of sentence?

What I've got so far: Poe is the subject; did think is the simple predicate. My teacher said that "himself" was a reflexive pronoun serving as the direct object, or in other words that...erm..."Poe thought himself." This doesn't make much sense to me, since it seems like Poe is serving as more of an "indirect-object-esque-but-not-really" thing. Could someone please explain (and tie that infinitive in there too ;) )? Thanks!


texts:
Occasionally I'll see a comment on the internet along the lines of

  I don't think I have every heard of such a thing.

Maybe not exactly that, but something equivalent where I would think that their use of every was 100% wrong, and ever should be used instead. It happens way more often than I would think, considering how much extra effort is needed to type the extra y and how dissimilar the two words are. Is it because

they are simply in the habit of typing "every" every time?
they actually have these words confused (how/why)?
they are all kids and most English speakers pass through this phase of misunderstanding?
they have all learned English as a second language, and either the words are equivalent in their native language, or there is a certain teaching style that doesn't make the distinction clear?
of some other reason I've failed to consider?


texts:
In most theories of grammar, sentences can be broken into smaller chunks called phrases and these phrases can be broken into smaller chunks, smaller phrases still. So in the sentence:

He is happy.

We see two phrases, a noun phrase he functioning as Subject, and a verb phrase is happy functioning as Predicate:

[He] [is happy]

I am wondering, however, what the verb phrase/predicate is in the sentence:

Is he happy?

This sentence does not divide easily into two straightforward chunks.

The plethora of references regarding syntactic (as opposed to semantic) Predicates, and the enormous online literature on verb phrases (VP's) seems to ignore cases where the auxiliary verb has been moved to a position before the Subject.

This is the situation in the example above. In such sentences, what is the structure of the verb phrase, and is the auxiliary verb still part of the verb phrase?

Is there a standard grammar of English which allows for discontinuous verb phrase Predicates?


texts: What does the word 'plotting' mean in this review title?

texts:
From a software application review:

  Tic-Tac-Toe Becomes A True Challenge Again With This Plotting Puzzler


texts: What’s the difference between “she is worked” and “she has worked”?

texts:
Sometimes she’s means she has but sometimes it means she is. How can I find the difference between these two identical sentences so that I can understand which of the two possible contractions was meant?

She’s worked. (=she is worked) [past continuous]
She’s worked. (=she has worked) [present perfect]


texts: How to refer to an apartment on a specific floor?

texts:
Suppose that on the first floor of a building, there are three separate apartments numbered 1, 2 and 3 respectively. How can I refer to one of them when writing a postal address? I am wondering if there is any need to mention words like "apartment" or "unit" before the apartment number. Which one is more appropriate to use?

  "Apartment 2, first floor"
  "Unit 2, first floor"
  "2, first floor"
  "2 first floor"
  "2 1st floor"

I also found this entry on Wikipedia which suggests that the words "lot" and "unit" can be used before the apartment number in Malaysia. (My question is more about American English though):

  Salutation, Name of recipient
  Name of Position & Department (if
  applicable)
  Company name
  Unit/Lot number, Building name/Commercial
  area
  Lot number (for building), Street name
  Postcode Post
  office/Mail centre
  State (optional)
  Country

  example:

  Lot 323, 1st Floor, Bintang Commercial Centre

Any advice would be appreciated.


texts: Words with "bi-" prefix that no longer mean "two"

texts:
Are there words in English that include the prefix bi- whose current usage includes meanings other than 'two'?

To clarify, I am specifically looking for the prefix of Latin origin meaning "two". If we used the word bicycle (bi- + cycle) to refer to vehicles with one or three wheels, that would be an example of what I'm looking for.*

* Obviously we don't use bicycle this way; my example is to illustrate that if we did use bicycle this way, it would be the sort of thing I'm looking for.


texts: Is "Implement Improvement" awkward English?

texts:
Do native English speakers use implement with improvement directly?

I found that to implement means 'to carry out (something concrete).'

Is implement improvement awkward English?


texts:
I saw western persimmon in Leaves of Grass by the 19th-century American writer Walt Whitman. If you google it, you realize that American persimmon is also called common persimmon and eastern persimmon. But you cannot find anything about western persimmon. So What is this kind of persimmon really?

  Over the growing sugar—over the yellow-flower'd cotton plant—over the rice in its low moist field;
  Over the sharp-peak'd farm house, with its scallop'd scum and slender shoots from the gutters;
  Over the western persimmon—over the long-leav'd corn—over the delicate blue-flower flax;
  Over the white and brown buckwheat, a hummer and buzzer there with the rest;
  Over the dusky green of the rye as it ripples and shades in the breeze;


texts: What's the meaning of 'squared away' here?

texts:
We had a death in the family this weekend, so I haven't had the time to spend on this... We've the funeral next weekend, so hopefully we can get squared away before Friday...

Looking it up at tfd.com, I am confused about the meaning. Two meanings seem to match:

To bring (oneself) into a better position or relation (He tried to square himself with his parents.)
To put away or in order

But since the person has directly written 'squared away', so I think the second one matches better.


texts:
Consider the following general statement:

  Somebody with very little credibility is likely to win a debate.

Given that the opposite is most likely true, how can we best describe the above statement? Is it a fallacy, a misnomer, a misconception, or simply a mistake?

If I were to persist in calling this a fallacy, how appropriate would this usage be? I note that Merriam-Webster defines fallacy as "a false or mistaken idea", which would surely encompass delusional statements like the one above.


texts: What's the correct word to refer to a believer of scientism?

texts:
Scientism is, roughly speaking, the belief that the only legitimate knowledge is scientific knowledge and all other sources of knowledge - like religion - should be rejected.

If it is still unlcear, here is the relevant Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientism

Now in my language (Polish) there are two distinct terms: "naukowiec" - which means a scientist (the person who conducts scientific research and who can win a Nobel prize for discovering a vaccine against AIDS) and "scjentysta" - which means a person whose worldview is in accordance to scientism (so "scjentysta" will reject all arguments that are not scientific in nature and will condemn religion).

But, how to say "scjentysta" in English? Since what I want is a believer of scientism, I would say "scientist" BUT - this will cause confusion since not every practicioner of science believes in scientism and not every person whose worldview is in accordance with scientism will have PhD.

So, is my only option still "scientist" or is there any better word?

"A ___ believes that science is the only legitimate source of knowledge."

As opposed to:

"A scientist has won the Nobel prize for discovering a vaccine against AIDS."


texts: Word or phrase describes looking around trying to gain information from surroundings

texts:
I'm looking for either a word or phrase which describes the situation of being in a strange place and feeling disoriented, and you're just looking around for basic clues as to where you are, or what's there, or what kind of place it is.

Example sentence:

  Fred walked around the benches, still looking around left and right, trying to absorb what he could from the surrounding buildings and other street furniture.


texts:
Strictly speaking, from an etymological standpoint, there is no reason to suppose "commemorate" should imply either a positive or negative connotation of what is being remembered. That said, it feels a bit weird to say, "We commemorate the Holocaust on Yom HaShoah," because it seems that "commemorate" is in fact slightly marked to imply memoration of a positive event.

(1) Is "commemorate" in fact value-neutral? In any case, is it best used in collocation with positive events?

(Ideally, please provide citations from high-quality writing to support a liberal position on this.)

(2) What would be a better word to use with a bad event?


texts:
I know that we usually say "how much does it cost" when asking for a price.

But today, I heard someone said "how much are the kidney beans?" in a store, and I don't think it's correct.

Does "How much are the kidney beans?" equal "How much do the kidney beans cost?"?


texts: want + object + to-infinitive / v-ing. Subject + want + v-ing

texts:
I'm a bit hesitant when using these sentences :

I don't want you talking about her.
I don't want you to talk about her.
This wall wants painting.
The students want teaching.

As we know the verb want is followed by an object and then followed by the to-infinitive, as in the sentence number #2. But I found that the sentence number #1 is also used.

Is the sentence number #1 acceptable to use ?
Or should I use the form number #2 instead ?

As to the sentence number #3 and #4,

Does the sentence #3 have the passive meaning ?

Is the sentence #4 correct ? because I use people as the subject instead of things.


texts: 'That's how Physics work' or 'That's how Physics works'

texts:
Do you say 'That's how physics work' or 'That's how physics works'?

The former one seems more intuitive and has a high chance of making it into a conversation but the latter one seems correct too. Or is it that they are both correct?

Considering you are talking about physics as discipline in the context of the latter while you're discussing the multitude of possibilities within physics in the case of the former.

Googling this made it pretty clear that native speakers use both these terms.


texts: What is the correct comparative and superlative expression for "I would like"?

texts:
Is there any comparative expression that belongs straight to the non-comparative expression "I would like" - something like good, better, the best?

I always think of "I'd rather" but is it incorrect to say "I'd rather a cup of tea (instead of / than) a hot chocolate."?

And the superlative: "I'd most rather" or "I'd most like" + (a cup of tea.)?


texts: A word/phrase meaning the "house where I was born"?

texts: For instance, to refer to the place you were born you say "my hometown." How about when referring to the house where you were born? I thought of "my parents' house", but I think it'll sound strange if one of the parents no longer lives there?


texts: A word or phrase for deliberately trying to lose something

texts:
Is there a word or phrase to express when someone wants to lose his nasty cat, deliberately trying to leave it in some jungle or street? He tries to lose it in the streets so that it won't come back.

For example:
Estelle is trying to _________ her cat.


texts: What is the meaning of "don't mention it" (in response to "thank you")?

texts: I read at several places that "don't mention it" is equal to "you're welcome". But for me, the word means something like "don't go around talking about this to anyone". So what is the real meaning of the phrase and how does it fit in as a response to "thank you"?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Pluralization rule for “five-year-old children”, “20 pound note”, “10 mile run”
  Should we use plural or singular for a fraction of a mile?

When talking about "one and a half" of any object, do we use the subsequent noun in plural or just singular? I'm aware that "A minute and a half" is also correct but I'm looking for the specific "One and a half"-construction here.

So for example, which of the below phrases is correct?

  You're one and a half minutes late!

or

  You're one and a half minute late!

Is there any difference when using the phrase as an adjective like so: "One-and-a-half-minute recipe"?


texts:
In video game "Skyrim" enemy warriors some times cry

  I cannot best you!

and run away.

Is "I cannot best you" valid sentence?

Does it mean: "I cannot defeat you"?

Can I ask question: "Can you best me?"


texts: Is Simplified Technical English based on American English or British English?

texts: Simplified Technical English was originally developed for use in aviation maintenance manuals, but has expanded beyond this use into a variety of technical fields. It is a "separate" controlled language consisting of a highly restricted subset of simple English words. Are these words are derived from American English, British English, both, or neither?


texts: Is the phrase "That settled my choice" idiomatic? Are there better, concise alternatives?

texts:
Please consider the following passage:

  I had to choose between A and B. I preferred the letter A. So that settled my choice.

Is the phrase "So that settled my choice" used correctly? Is it idiomatic? Are there better alternatives that are just as concise?

To be perfectly clear, what I mean by "that settled my choice" is "that factor brought about my decision". But that's a bit verbose, so I'd prefer to go with "that settled my choice" provided it is idiomatic.

Thank you.


texts: not so much [adjective] as [other adjective]

texts:
I know that the construction "It is not so much funny as interesting" is valid if I want to talk about something that is both funny and interesting, but with an element of comparison.

Is it still correct if I add "it is", as in, "It is not so much funny as it is interesting"?
Is it possible to rephrase this sentence using "less"? For example, "It is less funny than [it is?] interesting"?
If the bullet point above is correct, then would I need to use "more funny" or "funnier" if I were to turn the sentence around? I know that the correct comparative is "funnier", but it sounds unnatural to me in this sentence. But this point is irrelevant if the entire construction is wrong.

Example for the last point: "It is more funny/funnier than [it is?] interesting"


texts:
I stumbled upon this phrase in this video's description.

  A few words about this masterpiece:
  Brahms began composing this piece in 1854 and finished it in 1876. The reasons for delaying finishing it are probably two. First, Brahms' self-critical fastidiousness, and secondly, the expectation from Brahms' friends and the public that he would continue "Beethoven's inheritance" and produce a symphony of commensurate dignity and intellectual scope, an expectation that Brahms felt he could not fulfill easily in view of the monumental reputation of Beethoven.

Is this grammatically correct? Can a numeral be a predicative in plural stating the number of the objects that are denoted by the grammatical subject? Could one say, for example

  The pens are two, not three.

instead of

  There are two pens, not three.

If the sentence from the video description is correct English, while my example is not, please explain the difference.


texts: What is a strong verb that means to vulnerably (bravely) expose?

texts:
I am looking for an active verb that communicates the idea of taking great risk to share intimate desires of your heart for the sake of the greater good, love, connection, etc...

It must be positive, acknowledging that there is a hidden gift in perceived weakness. How, being vulnerable encourages others by normalizing their own fears, feelings of inadequacy and unmet desires.


texts: What’s the single word for the kind of people who ascribe their success too much to external factors?

texts: Like what students in elite schools usually do these days. When asked why they got good grades, they’re too unconfident and uncomfortable to admit their hard work and usually attribute to good luck or others’ lapsus.


texts:
Many people have begun to use the word "word" seemingly as an exclamation point or as a means to be emphatic.

Where and why did this begin?


texts:
Which of the following is more correct, and why? My attempts at Googling haven't produced a definitive answer, and all seem as sensible as each other going from base definitions.

Lost in the mists of time
Lost in the midst of time (or, possibly, midsts)


texts:
If a quote contains a capitalization error, should [sic] be used?
For example, in the following: “But, alas! this kind heart had but a short time to remain such", the t in this would normally be capitalized. When it is quoted in an essay, should it be formatted, “But, alas! this [sic] kind heart had but a short time to remain such"?


texts: "Replacing variables with their equivalence classes" vs. "... with their equivalence class"

texts:
In my thesis I have the following sentence:

  One can construct a new query by replacing all the variables in Q with their equivalence classes.

I doubt that this sentence is grammatically correct, for the following reason. Every variable is replaced by just one equivalence class, since there is only one equivalence class for every variable in Q. At the same time, there are multiple variables in Q. So should it be "equivalence class" or "equivalence classes"?


texts:
There is a song but I am not sure about the meaning of "make it last" in that song. Please let me know what it means and which situation I should use this?

Make it last - Tim Mc Morris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_cCVzyH8cY


texts: Are Sanskrit words or yogic terms to be capitalized or italicized within the body of an English text?


texts: Why are pounds sterling called "knicker"?

texts:
I asked the price of an article the other day, and was told that it cost 120 knicker. This is a slang term for pounds sterling that always appears in the singular. I have failed find any reason why pounds should be referred to thus (it might also be nicker and I am imagining the silent k).

Is it some rhyming slang I am missing the back half of, or is there some other etymology?


texts: Does "show" for "put in an appearance; arrive" sound any more or less informal/slack than "show up" in modern day English?

texts:
Is there a difference in register between saying:

  He failed to show for his appointment

  When will the bus show?

-and-

  He failed to show up for his appointment

  When will the bus show up?

show:

  Informal. to be present or keep an appointment; show up:
  He said he would be there, but he didn't show. Random House

  Slang To make an appearance; show up: didn't show for her appointment. AHD

  : to put in an appearance; arrive CED

  : to make an appearance; show up Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary

  : put in an appearance; failed to show M-W

  show or show up Informal: to arrive in a place where people are expecting you; We didn’t think Austin would show. McMillan Dictionary

  (mainly US) to show up CDO

  Informal Arrive for an appointment or at a gathering:
  only two waitresses showed up for work; her date failed to show ODO

  also show up; Informal; especially American English: to arrive at the place where someone is waiting for you:
  I went to meet Hank, but he never showed. LDOCE


texts: Meaning of "sleep" and "shave it through on the grub"

texts:
I read in "The White Silent" of Jack London and see this sentence

  'Only one day. We can shave it through on the grub, and I might knock over a moose.'

I do not understand meaning of 'we can shave it through on the grub'. Do you explain clearly for me?

And Jack London use 'sleep' in this story, example:

  I'm a gone man, Kid. Three or four sleeps at the best. You've got to go on. You must go on! Remember, it's my wife, it's my boy—O God! I hope it's a boy! You can't stay by me—and I charge you, a dying man, to pull on.

So what mean of 'sleep' in this context?


texts: Is there a word that can exactly express "to divide something into two parts'?

texts: Is there a word that can contain such meaning?


texts: What is it called when it's snowing with the sun out?

texts: It is currently snowing, but the sun is shining. If it were raining while sunny, I would call that a sun shower. What is the equivalent for snow?


texts: usage of when and tense in a conditional sentence?

texts:
There are two conditional sentences which one is more correct grammatically?

When I come home, my children will be playing.
When I come home, my children would be playing.

In the first sentence the when clause verb is in simple present, and the main clause in future continuous. the situation is real that the children will be playing when I reach home.
In the second sentence the when clause verb is in simple present but the main clause verb in past continuous. But how the second sentence also sounds correct?


texts:
Linda read a novel which is written in English, 　　　?
　 (A) does she　(B) doesn't she　(C) did she　(D) didn't she

The answer is "(c) did she", but why is it (c) and not "(D) didn't she"?

These aren't your dictionaries, 　　　?
　(A) are these　(B) aren't these　(C) are they　(D) aren't they

The answer is "(C) are they", why is it not "(A) are these"?


texts: Starting every item of an enumeration with to

texts:
I am writing a research and I have to describe a process. To do this I have chosen an enumeration as follows:

  To include ...
  To add ...
  To program ...
  To write ...

I am not sure about starting each item of the list with the preposition to. I think best practices say that it is the way to do it, but it sounds a bit repetitive for me. Is there a better way to do it?


texts:
Made for $108 million, "The Martian" received a publicity booster
  earlier in the week when NASA announced it had found evidence of water
  on the surface of Mars - a cosmically fortuitous tie-in for a movie
  that celebrates NASA ingenuity.

What's the meaning of "a cosmically fortuitous tie-in"?

Is it just a pun? Can I just interpret it as a lucky or serendipitous connection or coincidence?

Tie-in has more than two meanings, and I'm not sure which one is more relevant.

1) A connection or association:

2) A book, film, or other product produced to take advantage of a related work in another medium

In addition to this, I have a poor grasp of how 'cosmically' and 'fortuitous' are combined and make a sense.


texts:
Since its can be both determiner possessive pronoun and nominal possessive pronoun, an example of its as determiner possessive pronoun would be:

  We saved this question for last because of its complexity.

Because complexity is a noun, so its must be a determiner possessive pronoun in this sentence.
I'm looking for an example where its is used as nominal possessive pronoun in a sentence as above.


texts:
I was taught in primary school that a common noun refers to a thing, idea, person, etc. whereas a proper noun refers to a specific thing, idea, person, etc. and that when referring to specifics and proper nouns, the words were always capitalised.

The way I see it, the Oxford comma is a specific type of a thing (comma), hence a proper noun, ergo capitalisation for both words.

A theoretical example of this is Tom's ball. If Tom owns a ball, it is not capitalised. However, when he prints a new pattern on many balls of the same variety and gives them to his friends, he would call it a Tom Ball, rather than a Tom ball, right?

Why is this not the case for the Oxford comma, seeing it is not Oxford's comma?

I would appreciate if you could also make reference to the example I used in the question in your answer to further assist me in understanding.


texts: Formal-sounding yet incorrect construction

texts: I discovered several years ago that there is a word for the grammar mistakes some people make when they try (perhaps subconsciously) to sound more formal  or grand in their speech but simply end up with something that sounds grand to them, yet clearly wrong to grammar aficionados. I subsequently forgot this word and have been unable to find it again. Can anyone help me? (Hint: It's not malapropism)


texts: Looking for a word to describe a period of time between an event is triggered and registered

texts:
I am looking for a word that would accurately describe the period of time between an event is triggered and registered. For an example, an alert is triggered when a threshold is reached, but the alert does not register in the system unless it stays beyond the threshold for a continuous 30 seconds.

Is there a word that defines that 30 seconds? I am thinking countdown but that feels like there are better choices out there.

Thank you.


texts: What is the term for "overlooking words with letters written in reverse"?

texts:
If I recall correctly, there is a term in English which refers to the phenomenon /behavior where people are unable to tell, at a glance or when skimming through an article, a misspelled word because the vowels were spelled in reverse,  it's not quite "dyslexic" but I couldn't at all think of that word.

Here's an example:

At a glance, it's kind of difficult to tell "miosturizer" from a whole paragraph of words. It's very possible people would read through it without noticing this spelling error.

Similarly, "auteocism" would be passed off as correct, if one does not sift through an article word by word meticuluosly.

What is this phenomenon called?


texts: Are "should've", "could've", etc. valid short forms of "should have" and "could have"?

texts:
This is interesting - if I write "should've" (for "should have"), my spell checker underlines the word. Same happens if I do "could've" (for "could have"). I use these forms but I'm starting to question if there even is such form and if I'm using English correctly?

I also noticed that "I've" (for "I have") doesn't get underlines by the spell checker, but "things've" (for "things have") does.

Can anyone explain this?


texts: What does "what for" mean and where did it come from?"

texts:
There is a fight scene in one of my favorite movies in which the main character says

"Give them what for!"

I've hear this term many times before (usually from old south-eastern Americans,) but no one has been able to give me good explanation for the phrase. What does it mean and/or where does it come from?  The best answer that I have heard so far goes something like this:

People used to say "What for did you do that?" so "what for" refers to their reason for doing something.  Saying "give them what for" is another way of saying "Give them a reason..." (to run away, fight, or what ever.)

I'd really like to know how 'what' and 'for' came together and became a metaphor.


texts: What is the meaning of the phrase "acting reel"?

texts:
I can not understand the meaning of phrase acting reel. I hear it several times. As far as I understand in one case it means to act in a movie, but I am not sure.

So, what is the meaning of the phrase acting reel?


texts: So, is that "fake" funny? Is there any difference beetween "hehe", "haha", "huh", "heh", "hahaha", "ha", and so on and so forth?


texts: "I don't mistake" or "I don't make a mistake" Which one is correct?

texts:
I have a query about these sentences:

  If I do not mistake, she would be his fiancée ...

but my teacher told me that it must be expressed in another way

  If I do not make a mistake, she would be his fiancée ...

Why can't I utilize mistake as a verb?


texts: What is the difference between "in March" and "by March". Is there any ?


texts:
The passage is as follows:

There are lots more advantages to a mobile phone other than the merits mentioned above. With the countless developments that it has brought and is still bringing people, one can say that it is everything in one portable handheld device.

So basically this passage talks about the advantages of a mobile phone. What I don't get is the phrase "With the countless developments that it has brought and is still bringing people". Aren't we supposed to use "bringing to people" instead of "bringing people"? I would be glad if you could help me understand why the phrase "bringing people" is correct.


texts: Is it appropriate here to use "of" or not here?

texts:
Which is correct?

a) There is no consensus about the definition of chronic brain damage.
b) There is no consensus about chronic brain damage definition.

How many words could be placed in a row without using "of"?


texts:
What does hire mean in the line of Swinburne's "A Cameo":

  Pleasure with gaunt hands that grasped their hire.


texts: Is this a correct English sentence: "I'm not quite well enough ready yet."

texts:
I was talking to someone recently and blurted out as I had to move on to another task "I am not quite well enough ready yet" which sparked a discussion about if that was correct English. Although I'll grant it is fairly uncommon, I believe it is correct, but am having trouble proving my position.

As I see it, the meaning intended was "I'm not comfortable with how unprepared I am" and that is conveyed. Taking the sentence apart, the subject (I) verb (am) with its adverb modifier (yet) and subject compliment adjective (ready) with it's adverb modifier (not) are obvious to me; the remaining phrase (quite well enough) seems to be an adverbial phrase (modifying ready) but I'm not as confident.

Bonus: I learned grammar by sentence diagramming and if you could help me with the correct sentence diagram, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!


texts: Word, expression for copying someone who inspires you

texts:
All of us have a person; our elder siblings or friends or any one who we are inspired by.
For example my elder sister, I love the way she carries herself, her personality, her poise, that I try my best to copy her. So my question is how would i say, any specific word for this? That I'm always trying to imitate her style


texts: What is special about a "communicating door"?

texts:
The other day I heard someone refer to a communicating door.

The OED does not have a specific entry for communicating door but the definition they give of the adjective communicating is affording communication.

Since all doors afford communication it leaves me puzzled, wondering what door could possibly not be a communicating door.

Does anyone see any legitimate value in the tern communicating door? And if so, what is it about them that is special?

One problem here is that being a composite term it does not appear in dictionaries and any Google or Wikipedia search is overwhelmed with information, pictures etc. from the play Communicating Doors by Alan Ayckbourn.


texts: Difference between 'highland' and 'upland'

texts:
The Cambridge Dictionary provides the following definitions of these two terms:

Highland:

  a mountainous area of a country.

Uplands

  high areas of land.

The definitions mentioned above are almost alike; the high areas denotes the mountainous areas, while the mountainous areas denotes a high area. But, how to use them accordingly?


texts:
For instance:

  The beggar ______ at the wealthy landowner.

This would be one word.

I have found phrases that describe some form of looked. Sullenly looked. Sadly watched.

I am, however, looking for a single word, like glared, but for this situation.

It would be nice if it could communicate that the watcher was lower than the one being watched.


texts: What is the opposite/antonyms for 'acquisition form'?

texts:
The antonyms for acquisition is loss and the such like found on here.

However 'loss' and the such like do not catcher the full scope that need to be reflected in this context. It need to be able to encapsulate loss, sold, broken... The idea of an object/item go out of my ownership, rather than object/item coming into my ownership, which acquisition does a quite good job at.


texts: Grammar of present perfect continous of sit and stand

texts:
I've often been seeing phrases like the following lately:

  s/he has been stood

  s/he has been sat

used instead of the present perfect continous i.e.:

  s/he has been standing

  s/he has been sitting

It's usually only used with sit, stand or similar verbs of position.
Now, I'm not a native speaker and I've never come across this until a few years back, but it doesn't stike me as a rare occurence by now.

My question is: What kind of idiom is this? / Where is it used?

PS: If this construct is ungrammatical and you want to point this out, please do so in a civilized way. I mean, I guess it is, but I'm not into the kind of disdain that regularly comes up in that kind of discussion.

Edit: I was ask to provide context, which I see is necessary as some commenters pointed out correctly that the first construction is of course perfectly grammatical as a passive construction. I'd like to stress that this is not what it's used for in this case. It is really used equivalently to present perfect continuous. It has also been mentioned by one commenter that there exists a confusion between sit/set/be seated and lie/lay ('lie' could be another candidate for the use I described, but I'm not sure), but I'm uncertain if this has anything to do with this, especially as there's no such confusion with 'stand'.

Two exemples would be:

  Bob, who has been stood outside the door smoking, comes back inside.

  The baby grand piano has been sat in Fiona's front room for a grand
  total of three months now.


texts: What's the word or name of someone who "gets sick" just by talking about it but they're not really sick?

texts:
I know a person that I can say: "The flu is going around again" and next day he has the flu, but two days later he out in the woods hunting. If he comes in contact with someone that has heartburn then the next day he has heartburn! I called him on the phone and told him I had a cold, the next day he had the cold... I can go on and on and on...

This has been a fact for many many  years. Is there a name for a person like this or is it some type of disease?


texts: The precursor and the predecessor. What's the difference?

texts:
Wherefor does this section called 'body' must have been filled out by the 30 words? it should help people to perceive the simple questions like this a bit better? -there's close to 30 words.
at any rate, you may correct my harsh language. :D


texts:
People, speak loudly.

  People, speak aloud.

These two sentences have the same meaning, don't they? What is the difference between loudly and aloud?


texts: Validity of fronting important names in titles

texts: In Arabic, one can put for example "Iraq, What is its destiny?" as a title. Is this structure valid in English? If it is, does it have a name? What about the punctuation? Generalizations and limitations?


texts: Expression for "dividing something with others"?

texts:
In a play, a girl finds some stolen treasure and divides it among her friends. I ask for an expression which is used to describe this heroine that wants to share with her friends.

Within the dialog she says, "Go halves!" But we feel we need a more common colloquial expression or word. The girl is supposed to be young so an expression which kids use would be preferred. However, the roles are played by adults and the scene symbolizes much more, so a "kid expression" is not totally necessary.

Right now, I can only think of "chop the pot," but that expression is inappropriate. It isn't exactly an expression for teenage girls. Others I know are: "split the pot," "split it up," "Divvy!", "chop the pot," "Divvy up!" and "Sharing is caring!"

What is an expression or word to "distribute something equally"?


texts: Is there a way to refer to the biblical state of Israel in another name?

texts:
The biblical and modern day states of Israel have the same name, even though they are not the same entities.

Is there a name for the biblical state of Israel which is diffrent from Israel?
Like the name Israelite refers to the ancient Jews/people of Israel and not to the citizen of modern day Israel (which are called Israeli).


texts:
I am confused about using 'being' in the middle of the sentences.
For example I saw in an article in which 'being' was used like this:

  However, the evidence points to placebo effects being more important than any neuro-pharmacological ones.

In that sentence why 'to be' was not used? What is the gramer rule used there? Is this a special structure?

Another sentence:

  ...... and we feel that incorporating them can help to broaden the scope of questions being examined.

In this sentence, 'being examined' seems to be reduction of relative clause, if so, why not used just 'questions examined'.

Any response would be appreciated.


texts: Is there a technical name for this kind of wordplay?

texts:
In his book Humorous English, Evan Esar writes,

  The blended compound is the fusion of two compounds, with the terminal word of one being the same or similar to the initial word of the other. By such telescoping ... one's adopted country becomes a 'stepfatherland', and Lewis Carroll's dragonfly becomes a 'snapdragonfly'. Many a piece of wit gains its effect solely through a blended compound.

He proceeds to list a few examples:

  A college education is all too often merely sheepskindeep.
  The subway has created a new animal—the undergroundhog.
  Gossip has been defined as something heard over the sour grapevine.

Does anyone know of a technical term for this kind of wordplay? Throughout the book, which is a catalogue of comedic techniques, Esar coins original terms for the phenomena he describes, and so they aren't to be found elsewhere. But I suspect (and hope) that the devices he treats therein have more widely recognized names. Is that the case?


texts: "I did not go out because it was raining"—how could one disambiguate this sentence?

texts:
"I did not go out because it was raining" is ambiguous, with at least two interpretations.
It could simply mean I did not go out because it was raining (and, therefore, a bad time to head out).
Yet, it could—though some may oppose—mean I did not go out because it was raining, but for some other reason instead.
This problem seems to arise on pairing a negative auxiliary (e.g. not) and the subordinating conjunction "because".
Please read these examples, too.

I did not take the offer because it was too good to be true. (She may have taken the offer for some other reason, instead.)
She did not eat the donut because it looked mediocre. (Perhaps she ate it for some other reason.)
Jodie and Jimmy did not like the toy because it made a squeaky sound when pressed. (Did they like it for some other reason?)

However, I am not satisfied with my solutions. In particular, we do not say those so often (I think). The "not" + "because" sentence has something special about it that I feel has its place in disambiguation.


texts: Is it correct to say "through bus" in the context "direct bus from one place to another"

texts:
I live 12km away of my work. I don't have a car. I commute to my work by bus. But there is no one direct bus from my home to the work place. I need to take one bus, go to a station, get out and take another one.
Is it correct to say that there is no through bus instead of no direct bus to my work in the context above?
Is it usual for native speakers?


texts: This is a software. Is this sentence incorrect? As per the explanation given, this has to be "This is software.", but I have seen the usage of "This is a software." even in newspapers. Could you please clarify this doubt for me.


texts: Punctuation for multiple different questions in a sentences

texts:
I want to bring a sense of uncertainty and fear in my voice. I am doing this by asking rhetorical questions.

“What if I don’t get this done on time?”, “Will I get into university?”, and “What do I do if I don’t?"

It feels like I am using the wrong punctuation. Can someone help me?


texts:
Consider the following example:

  This paper will turn red rather than blue which is her favorite colour.

What colour does she like, red or blue? Is there a comma missing after blue? Will adding it solve the confusion? Also, are sentences like these used in written English?

Are turning red and turning blue verbs in the sentence and colour the object?


texts: Is 'you' acceptable here, or should it be 'he'?

texts:
Jonas found a job as a newspaper boy, when you could find a boy selling newspapers on every corner.

Is 'you' here acceptable or does it need to be changed to 'he'? I see it as a matter of everyone being able to see, rather than just Jonas being able to see.


texts: Word describing a word used to reference a noun previously mentioned

texts:
Suppose I was writing this sentence: "John ran, and he shouted very loudly".

"He" in that sentence was referring back to John. I am quite sure there is a word describing this referring to a noun previously mentioned. Could someone help me out please?


texts: "Depend on if" means "depend on whether"?

texts:
Can I replace "depend on whether"  below with "depend on if"? I ask because "whether" can be replaced with "if" some times. ‘I'll see whether she's at home’ same as I'll see if she's at home.

Second language learners’ divergence from target language pragmatic norms | Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching. Maria Pia Gomez-Laich.
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh .

  Although the importance of explicit teaching of pragmatics is well recognized in the literature, learning norms and rules of pragmatics largely depends on learners’ subjectivity. Learners’ convergence or divergence from the L2 pragmatic norms, both consciously and out of awareness, sometimes depends on whether these norms fit their image of self and their L1 cultural identity. Since identity-related conflict can have significant consequences for the acquisition of second language pragmatics, failing to consider the centrality of learners’ identities will produce an inadequate understanding of SLA.

Frontiers | Plasticity, Variability and Age in Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism | Psychology. David Birdsong, Department of French and Italian, The University of Texas at Austin. Front. Psychol., 12 March 2018 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00081.

  That is, the L1 appears to influence pronunciation in the dominant L2, but not the other way around. Perception experiments with a larger sample of Greek–English bilinguals (Antoniou et al., 2012, p. 592) reveal a still more complex pattern of dominance relationships, one that depends on whether the task is categorization or discrimination of voicing: “The results suggest that a bilingual is a single (dominant-language) listener with respect to discrimination, but behaves more like a monolingual of the activated language with respect to discrimination judgments.”

Universal Grammar as a Model of Second Language Learning.
Dr. Ahmed Qadoury Al-Khudhairy, Assistant Lecturer, University of Wassit, College of Education, Department of English.

  whether a language allows null subject or not

  depends on whether INFL is proper governor (GB)
  depends on morphological uniformity (B)
  depends on whether affixes are generated in the syntax or in the lexicon (MP). See Katamba (1993:56,158-59).


texts: Opposite: "Truer words were never spoken"

texts:
What would be the opposite of the phrase "Truer words were never spoken" ?

  "I am truly grateful", said Alfred. "Untruer words were never spoken", snided Shelly.


texts: Is there a word for people having done something bad and earned himself a bad reputation?

texts:
What do people call someone having done something bad and earned him(her)self a really bad name, making family members and friends disgraced? (He or she might have been a good person before the bad deed was exposed. But now no one likes him(her). Everybody that used to be friendly wants to catch every opportunity to humiliate him(her) or give him(her) a smash on the face)

What about "StreetRat"?

Any better or more accurate suggestions?


texts:
I have two sentences that I think use personification:

  You find your voice by feeding your mind with your passions.

and

  This apathetic culture that we live in is silencing our voices.

Am I correct about the use of personification here?


texts:
Is a sentence like

  He asked if I would lend him my car.

correct, or should it be

  He asked if I lent him my car.

or something else?


texts: What do you call the sound produced when baying?

texts: Hounds tend to "bay" rather than "bark". When a dog barks, you can say "he let out a loud bark". In a similar construction emphasizing the hound-ness of the creature, can you say "he emitted a loud bay that echoed through the chamber"? Or would it be a bark regardless?


texts: Single word for 'circulation of documents'

texts: There is a kind of technical/accounting term in Russian: документооборот or делопроизводство. It describes the set of actions and processes for the purpose of formal document management in a large organization. For example, documents should be reviewed, approved, tagged, properly structured, have mandatory references, etc. Dictionary suggests to use "documents circulation", but I'm afraid that's not what I want. I expect there to be another word (or combination) I can use. Would you suggest any?


texts: Is there a term for letting out an exasperated sigh through the nose?

texts:
Is there a term for when a person is getting really irritated/frustrated by someone, but they don't want to yell, so they do that thing where they exhale sharply through their nose?

Say, for example, in customer support the operator has to explain and re-explain a procedure over and over, but the caller can never seem to get it right.

To be clear, I'm talking about the act of blowing air out of the nose when angry/frustrated as opposed to breathing an exasperated sigh out of the mouth. It's just air; there's no vocalization or loud sound like a snort.


texts: What do I call doing something complex without writing/visual help?

texts:
What do I call the process of doing something without any visual help or writing? Example sentence:

  "He's such a brilliant student! He can calculate derivatives ____ whereas his classmates have to write down all the steps in their notebooks."

What should I put in ____. I've thought about "in memory"/"in mind" but it doesn't sound ok to me.


texts: Broad word covering preferences and dispositions

texts:
I'm looking for a broad word to cover preferences and dispositions, such as 'I'll work on weekends' or 'I don't mind scut work'.

As you may have guessed, it's to phrase a question on a job application form, which is currently phrased as 'Is there a reason why we should hire you that you’ve not had a chance to tell us about in the CV or application forms? For instance, skills and experience relevant to the roles you’re applying to.'

I realise it may be hard to find such a word; I only need a word to use in the above question that will elicit a broader range of reasons than just those related to 'skills and experience'.


texts: I need a sort of word to this definition; a label

texts: I feel that everyone has felt this at some point. It’s when you want to do something and don’t at the same time. I feel its a very common feeling but I don’t know if there’s a word that can label it. If there is I would like to know.


texts: Are there cases where it is correct to use "more" with a monosyllabic adjective?

texts:
In general, it appears monosyllabic adjectives in English form the comparative by the -er suffix.  Are there any cases where a monosyllabic adjective can be preceded by more but still be grammatical (it might be an adverbial use possibly?)?

Edit: I've thought of some cases where the adjective is modifying something, for example:

  There are more fast cars today than ever.
  More big companies are choosing Verizon as their phone carrier.

Still, are there any other cases?


texts: Acronyms and Initialisms- Uppercase, Lowercase, or either

texts:
Is there a rule on acronyms and initialisms being spelled out with the first letter of each word being uppercase or lowercase?
Example:

interim final rule (IFR)
Interim Final Rule (IFR)


texts: Need help with the phrase "Travel broadcasting platform"

texts:
we're trying to develop the social media sharing platform. It is a niche-oriented application which is thought to resolve the needs of travellers during the trip. The content created during the travel is shared in the form of story.

Trying to describe the application in a short and concise way we ended up with this  phrase:

  APP-NAME is the travel broadcasting platform

Or can we say?

  Welcome to the travel broadcasting platform

Some questions:

Does it make any sense to you?
And especially does it transmit the idea I've described before?

Thank you!


texts:
In Italian there is a noun, "insoluto" (noun), which is used when a creditor notices that the debtor will not pay the debt. Generally the creditor will decide to entrust to a lawyer this "unpaid debt".
I've found "unpaid debt" and "outstanding debt", but no one of them is a noun.
Is there a specific noun for this concept in english? If no, which term or compound word (if there is no term) is the most correct?
An example:

  I always entrust to a lawyer in case of _____


texts: 'You are good' - meaning while in conference call

texts:
As part of our (USA)customer call. He informed the participants that 'The call is over. and you may drop off from conference.'

Since I was not sure about dropping off the call, I asked 'Shall I drop off?"

Customer replied with one statement 'You are good'.

So just wanted to understand what does that response mean - 'You are good to drop off' or 'You are good to be on call'

Thank you!

PS: As I was in dilemma - I continued with the call - As mute participant of course!


texts: "X vs. Y notation(s)" - Pluralizing the noun in "adjective-noun" comparisons

texts:
I have a document about programming, one of the sections of which describes the difference between an array notation and an object notation.
I don't understand whether I should pluralize the word notation; that is, whether to choose

Array vs. object notation
...

or

Array vs. object notations
...

Or maybe both versions look very unnatural and should be replaced with

Array notation vs. object notation
...


texts: Mixing countability; how to correctly say "there is plenty of rice, earthquakes and typhoons"?

texts:
In this question I wrote the following sentence, knowing full well that it has problems.

  Where I live right now there is plenty of rice, earthquakes and typhoons.

Both earthquake and typhoon are countable nouns, while rice in this context is probably considered uncountable.

I could split this up into two sentences, or separate the rice from the other two within the sentence, for example: Where I live right now there are plenty of earthquakes and typhoons to go along with the rice although I'm sure someone else could find a more graceful way to do it.

There are some possibly helpful recommendations in this answer but I'm not sure how to apply them here.

But here I am asking if there is a way that I can keep the three nouns as close together as possible.


texts: A spectacled person pulled on a rounded neck t-shirt and got stuck. Is there a word for that situation?

texts:
Considering a situation wherin you regularly wear spectacles and have forgotten to take them off before wearing a round neck line(crew neck) T- Shirt and are now stuck because you've already slipped your arms in it.
In that moment, for a second you consider wearing it somehow but realising that you can't pull it through your neck, you're like, 'Oh! I'm ..........'
If you've ever been in this situation, you'll know what I mean.

We can say 'stuck', but you can also get stuck if the T-shirt doesn't fit you due to many reasons. How to be more specific that you are stuck because of your spectacles. Is there a word or even a phrase for that?

EDIT:

Eventhough I've accepted an answer yet I'll be glad to receive and accept futher suggestions.


texts: A word for words with same meaning, same pronunciation but different language & origin

texts: How to call in English words which coincidentally happen to share the same pronunciation and the same meaning but belong to two distinct languages that are linguistically unrelated? I'm thinking of the word 'earth', among a few other words, which is pronounced 'arth' in Arabic and means the same thing as in English.


texts:
This is a two-part question. A lot of British South Asian that are born and bred in the UK have a peculiar accent. It's very different than the familiar Indian accent too. So my question is...

Is there any other way to describe the accent? I found some describe it as ghetto but I'm not sure if it's the right word.

Secondly, what's the origin of the accent and what makes it different? Perhaps few examples with etymology would best explain.

A bit of a context, I'm British South Asian myself and I don't understand why so many speak the way they do. I understand not all speak that way and some even can switch between the two. However I'm unsure if the concept exists in other English speaking country.

Here is an example of the accent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCk6fSQ21rY


texts: Difference between "full professional proficiency" and "native or bilingual proficiency"

texts: When I logged on to LinkedIn the other day, I was prompted to add information about which language I speak and at which level. I consider myself to be pretty fluent both in written and spoken English, although I probably have a noticable Swedish accent when I speak. But how do I know if I have "full professional proficiency" or "native or bilingual proficiency"?


texts: What's the meaning of 'make sense' in this sentence?

texts:
It means to understand and to be reasonable, but I don't know how to translate it in the writing below. It sounds like 'Remember' but I am not sure. Please help me!
* And does 'top' here means 'T-shirt'?

  As your uterus continues to expand upward -- the top is nearly midway between your breasts and belly button now -- your middle will grow longer and wider.
  Makes sense; your baby's going to be pushing past the two-pound mark in no time at all, and you've gotta make room for her in there


texts: How to combine "a book about X" with "people are interested in how X works"?

texts:
I would like to know how to correctly combine the sentence 1. with the sentence 2.

  People are interested in how these algorithms work.
  I am writing a book about algorithms... [here I need to recast the above sentence so it fits]


texts: Does a student own, hold, possess, or something else a transcript?

texts:
Does a student hold, own, possess, or something else a transcript?

My wife just asked me a question for which I do not have an answer. She asked me, "holder or owner of a transcript?" I wasn't sure about either.

Might anyone here have the definitive answer to this question?


texts:
What's reason for second J?  Why not Js or J's?
Acronyms and initialisms in legal writing - ICLR

JJ – Justices (plural, after listing their surnames)

Difference between: J, JJ, JJA, AJ... etc ? Judge v Justice? : auslaw

The Australian Guide to Legal Citation lists the following:

JJ - Justices

1.1.6 Naming parliamentarians, courts and judges

two or more Justices (JJ), for example “O’Regan and Ellen France JJ” or “O’Regan and Ellen France JJ’s concurring opinion …”; and


texts: What is the difference between wheedle, cajole and coax?

texts:
According to dictionary, the general meaning of these words (wheedle, cajole and coax) is : Influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering.

But I am confused regarding the usage of these words. For what type of persuasion each word can be used ? What is the real difference between them ?


texts: Native speakers never confuse sounds of 'ma'am' and 'man'?

texts:
ma'am /ˈmæm/ noun
man /ˈmæn/ interjection

When you said to a lady next to you, "Shall I bring your bag, ma'am?", a guy behind you said "Thanks, man!"

Have you ever had such a experience?

No confusion?

I know the last sound of each of them is different but I, a non-native speaker, don't think that I can definitely distinguish these two sounds in fast talking.

Can you, native speakers, distinguish them however fast they are spoken?


texts: "Must Not" or "May Not" - which is the most correct

texts:
I work in the IT industry and often read software and standards specifications that start with a section with definitions for certain words used in the document.

Recently I came across the following in section 1.3 of pdf document SSEK Version 2.0 by Andersson et al [verbatim except for added dashes]:

  The keys words SHOULD, MAY, MUST and MUST NOT in this document are to be interpreted as follows:

    SHOULD – This word mean that there may exist valid reasons in particular circumstances to ignore a particular item, but the full implications must be understood and carefully weighed before choosing a different course.
    MAY – This word mean that an item is truly optional.
    MUST – This word mean that the definition is an absolute requirement of the specification.
    MUST NOT – This phrase mean that the definition is an absolute prohibition of the specification.

The question is whether the last definition really is correct, or if it should have been MAY NOT instead to have the defined meaning.


texts: Single word to replace "allowed to be missing"

texts:
I want to express my knowledge about the presence of absence of something. My knowledge is divided into three different cases:

I know that the thing doesn't exist.
I don't know whether the thing exists.
I know that the thing exists.

Sadly, neither of those is the negation of another one. However, I can define four cases, where each case is the negation of another case:

Something is allowed to exist. (allowed)
Something is allowed to be missing. (???)
Something is guaranteed to exist. (guaranteed)
Something is guaranteed to be missing. (prohibited)

I want to describe each of these cases by a single word, which is supposed to clearly distinguish it from the other three cases. As you can see, I already found three of the words. However, in the second case I am unable to find one.
Let me expand on what I mean by the negation. Consider the following table:

phrase
single word
doesn't exist
don't know
exists

allowed to exist
allowed
no
yes
yes

allowed to be missing
???
yes
yes
no

guaranteed to exist
guaranteed
no
no
yes

guaranteed to be missing
prohibited
yes
no
no

Note, that the first and the fourth case are supposed to be negations of each other, just like the second and the third case. Thus, if I say that something is not allowed to exist (allowed), then it is guaranteed to be missing (prohibited). Also, if I say that something is not allowed to be missing (???), then it is guaranteed to exist (guaranteed).
Thus, my question is: Which single word is able to replace the phrase "allowed to be missing"?
This question can be rephrased to: Which single word is the exact negation of "guaranteed to exist"?

The context is theoretical computer science. Here are two example sentences, which are negations of each other:

The connection from x to y is allowed and the connection from y to z is guaranteed.
The connection from x to y is prohibited or the connection from y to z is allowed to be missing.

I think the most helpful wording is the one suggested in this answer, using terms from modal logic:

The connection from x to y is possible and the connection from y to z is necessary.
The connection from x to y is not possible or the connection from y to z is not necessary.

Thanks for all the answers =)


texts: Replying to an e-mail or letter where two people have the same name

texts:
I see varying answers over the web on this.

Hello John and John,
Hello John

My last email I went with Hello John,
It works as intended and seems like the best way to me.


texts: What is the plural of the abbreviation of "multiplicity automaton", "MA" or "MAs"?

texts:
The "multiplicity automaton (MA)" is a model in compute science and its plural is "multiplicity automata". Should the plural of the abbreviation be MA or MAs?

What is the correct way to pluralize an acronym? is not a duplicate as it is focused on cases like "ATMs" where the expanded form "automated teller machines" has a regular plural ending in "s." Unlike "machines," the word "automata" has an irregular plural that does not end in "s." It's unclear from the linked answers how abbreviations that end in words like this should be pluralized. A high-ranking answer by Neil Fein mentions "VIPs," but a high-ranking comment by oosterwal says

  VIPs' is a strange one. It could be argued that the expanded acronym,
  when pluralized, should be 'Very Important People' rather than 'Very
  Important Persons'. Using this argument, 'VIP' could be used as a
  singular or plural noun. "The VIP has arrived." "The VIP have
  arrived." I'm not sure anyone else would agree with my logic, though.


texts: Is there a metaphorical meaning for "Oysters" in this context?

texts:
Is there a metaphorical meaning for the word "Oysters" in this context? Or is it just a random animal came to his mind. I have no idea how the situation relates to oysters.

When I first came to Ceylon my Tamil friend A. chaffed me about my way
of calling him and the rest of the population, whether Tamil or
Mahomedan or Cinghalese, all indiscriminately natives, "as if we were
so many oysters!" I told this to Ajax, and of course there was
nothing for it after that but to call them all oysters !
Adam's Peak to Elephanta (1892)


texts: Succinct expression for "an offer you can't refuse"

texts:
Supposing someone is currently employed and just isn't a fit on the team and management offers him a generous severance if he resigns immediately, otherwise if he refuses to resign immediately it is highly likely, though not totally guaranteed, that he would be fired for poor performance shortly afterwards.

I had thought of this scenario as a Hobson's Choice: one can either take the severance or not, however Hobson's Choice doesn't include the almost-certain negative consequence of not taking the severance; it implies that not taking the offer leaves one in their original state.

As a kind-of Game Theory payout matrix (for 1 actor) I suppose it could be expressed as:

Hobson's Choice:

Option A: +10 // Take it
Option B:   0 // Leave it

Dilemma:

Option A: -10 // Bad option 1
Option B: -10 // Bad option 2

This question

Option A: +10 // Severance
Option B: -10 // Be fired


texts: Why does English only have one form of we/us?

texts:
I have tried googling this and looking here to no avail. Why does English only have one we? What I mean is, why aren't there two forms for:

Me and someone else excluding you
Me and someone else including you


texts:
What does the lady think (that) has happened to Lorna?

Please, can you tell me if "that" has to be omitted or is it optional in this question? I think it is optional, but sounds odds and unnatural, so I suppose a native is more likely to leave it out. Though, I can hardly define it as a grammar error. Thanks a lot for your help!


texts: Is there an English equivalent for "Les carottes sont cuites", while keeping the vegetable reference?

texts:
In French, we have this saying "Les carottes sont cuites", meaning "It's too late we can't do anything anymore" or "It's over for him" (He's dead) depending on the context.

The literal translation would be "The carrots are cooked", but I don't think it has a specific meaning in English.

I'm actually writing a short and silly story about how a fruit committed a hate crime on carrots, who are vegetables, and was planning to write this story in both English and French. If I can twist/find the goofy references on themselves the fruits would make in their dialogs in both languages, I have yet to find an expression in English that would mean "He is/They are dead" that would contain a vegetable reference, and it doesn't especially have to be carrots.


texts: Should I include a "T" for "the" in an acronym/initialism?

texts:
For an acronym or initialism that includes the word "the", should I include "T" in the acronym/initialism?

For example, "Change the world": should the initialism be "CW" or "CTW"?


texts: How to say "along the way" when I mean it literally?

texts:
I wanted to help a foreigner looking for his guide. I said:

Go towards the church, you will meet your guide along the way.

I meant that he would meet him while going towards the church. What should I say instead of along the way which I think is idiomatic?


texts:
"The food was so bad that I couldn't eat even just to (fill my stomach?)."

What would fit in there?


texts: The origin word "English"? Language that dominated the beginning of English existence?

texts:
I've read so many questions in ELL on the origin of English words. But I've never found the origin of the word English itself.

I'm also curious about the history of English as a language. I mean, in my country, our language (Indonesian) originated from a "mother" language (Malay) which also has developed into some other languages such as in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and East Timor.

I read that English was influenced by German, Latin, French, and so on. But I don't really know the dominant language that affected English existence. Google just told me about "Old English", nothing more on how, when, and where the "Old English" came out.

So, questions:

  What originated the word English?
  What language did English come from (a "mother" language perhaps)? Did it affect English the most?
  When did English appeared to this world?


texts:
Apologies in advance for this question being only indirectly related to the English language, but I find it fascinating.

I note with interest that the English words "mother" and "mama" have similar sounding equivalents in almost all languages, even those that appear to have no historical recent relationship.

http://www.happymothersday2016quotes.in

Not even mentioned in that link is the Mandarin word "māmā", a language I always assumed had no relationship with English whatsoever.

This suggests to me that "mother" / "mama" could be one of the oldest surviving words, belonging to some lost parent language from which most modern languages derive.

My questions are:

Is this theory remotely plausible, or just fanciful thinking on my part?
Are there any other "universal" words like this? (Could "OK" be considered such?)


texts: Do you always add an apostrophe when adding an s to a first name?

texts:
There are a few different ways I want to add an 'S' to the end of a first name.

Here are a few examples...

  This is my friend Harrys house.

  I picked Harrys hat up from the floor.

  I directed Harrys attention to the pool.

Should all of these examples have an apostrophe?


texts:
Is there a term for the acceptance of a made up term that then became the name of the object/idea/action once it was invented?

Example: Cyberspace. It was first used by William Gibson in his cyberpunk novels, but when actually invented, it now is widely used across the world (or at least across the United States).

Is there a term for this phenomenon?


texts:
I do not get the meaning of the bold text in the following sentence:

  One broken window, left unrepaired for any substantial length of time,
  instills in the inhabitants of the building a sense of abandonment—a
  sense that the powers that be don’t care about the building.

I could find two entries in the dictionary regarding having a sense of something:

If you have a sense that something is the case, you think that it
is the case, although you may not have firm, clear evidence for this
belief.
have a sense that/get a sense that
Do you have the sense that you are loved by the public?

But the above sentence I quoted is unlike the dictionary examples and does not make any sense to me. If it was something like "a sense of being don't care about the building", that would have some meaning to me. If it is grammatically correct, please somebody explain it to me.


texts: Is the folllowing sentence correctly punctuated?

texts:
Could someone please tell me if I've correctly punctuated the following sentence (specifically, if I've correctly used the dash and commas highlighted bloew)? Also, is the period at the end of the word "voice" better served by a comma or semicolon?

My partner and I had been patrolling the Rideau Canal Skateway—a nearly 8 km stretch of ice and snow, serving as the world's largest outdoor skating rink for nearly two uneventful when I heard a voice. “This way!” shouted a voice in the distance.

Thank you!

Alex


texts:
I argue instead that politicians have in fact behaved rationally or at least no differently than their Western counterparts would if faced with the same circumstances.

I understand the meaning of the clause but I am a little bit puzzled by the usage of the phrase would if faced. Is this a sort of inversion? Why is the verb in past tense? Why is would and if together (if and would is never good). Can I rewrite this part in this way: if they (their westen counterparts) faced with the same circumstances. Thank you for your answer.


texts: How do you reply to someone correctly in this context?

texts:
Question example: "So, you've never had a job?"

This situation seems to come up often and confuses me when I chat with it seems like you could either reply yes to disagree or agree and vice versa.

Would you say "yes" or "no" if you've never had a job?


texts: What could be a good and appropriate synonym for idiomatically? I want to use it in phrase " both literally and the synonym"


texts: When did "phone" become accepted as its own word?

texts:
In older print publications, I have come across telephone shortened to 'phone, with an apostrophe to mark where the beginning of the word had been omitted. Now, however, phone does not need an apostrophe and is viewed as its own word, spawning other compound words like phone call, phone line, and phone book.

When did phone start to replace 'phone?

Is there a term for the phenomenon of an abbreviation becoming a word in its own right? I know something similar happened with facsimile and fax.


texts: Figure of speech to help explaining a math term

texts:
I am teaching math in a community college and have to explain the idea of Vector Space that is an abstract concept but ubiquitous in high level math. I would like to explain it using a certain figure of speech but I don't know what it is.

In the most simplistic terms, in mathematics, a "space" means a collection, set or aggregate of identical objects. A "vector," as most students visualize it, is an arrow that has direction and magnitude. However, a vector space does not mean "a collection of arrows," but rather a collection of numerical objects that have the same properties as a vector. (Those properties are add-ability, scalability but not multiplicability. For example, the temperature readings have these properties.)

Is there any figure of speech to describe it? Is it metaphor or simile? I would love to get from you the experts couple of examples in daily use.

Thank you for your time and helps.


texts: What do you call someone who knows multiple programming languages?

texts:
Someone who knows multiple languages is called polyglot or multilingual (There can be nuances between two words also.). I'm not sure if we can apply these terms to someone who knows multiple programming languages.
Interestingly, polyglot is used in programming jargon too but it means a program/script written in multiple programming languages.
I found an article that discusses the real value of learning more than one programming language and there are the terms multilingual coder and versatile programmer used. These terms are self-explanatory but are they well-established? Also, I wonder if there is any single word used in tech jargon.

Well, you probably know that learning multiple languages is part of the traditional university track—programmers with degrees in computer science will usually have trained in half a dozen languages by graduation. But what's the value of being a multilingual coder in the workplace, where your projects are less theoretical?
"Not only are languages different tools for different jobs, but they are technologies that shape how you think about programming," says Richard Pattis, a senior lecturer of Informatics at UC Irvine who invented the Karel educational programming language in 1981. But this isn't an outright endorsement of learning two-plus languages—it matters which ones you pick. "Learning similar languages might not progress your thinking much," says Pattis.
To expand their minds, Pattis recommends that versatile programmers learn languages from different language paradigms, whether it be object-oriented languages (e.g., C++/Java), functional languages (e.g., ML and Haskell), scripting languages (e.g., Lisp and Python), logic-based languages (e.g., Prolog), or low-level languages (like C, the Java Virtual Machine or a machine language).
fastcolabs.com / article by David Lumb


texts: Why is it "materials science" instead of "material science"?

texts: Does anyone know how the "s" at the end of "materials" in "materials science" came about? It seems like "material science" would be equivalent, and is more natural to say aloud. For comparison with a similar phrase, we usually say "computer science" instead of "computers science". Does anyone know the etymology?


texts: Capitalisation of W in 'How to send money: Watch the video'

texts: Should "W" of watch be capitalized as it is starting after a colon?


texts: "Round up to the nearest tertile value" wording question?

texts:
If I wanted to tell someone to round up to the nearest 1/4 value (e.g. 4.78 would become to 5.0), I would say:

  Round up to the nearest quarter value.

Now, if I want to express rounding up to the nearest 1/3 value (e.g. 5.45 would become 5.6666667), would I say:

  Round up to the nearest tertile value.

Is there a specific word to express a 1/3 division, like with how I tried to express in the last statement above?


texts: What are the different meanings of "hey yourself"?

texts: while I'm doing some research about the meaning of "hey yourself" I found that it means just "greet back", but does it mean something else like "don't speak this way"?


texts: What's the difference between "niche" and "mainstream"?

texts:
Is there a word meaning that usage of something is narrower than "mainstream" but wider than "niche"?

For example, speaking of operating systems, Windows is mainstream, embedded operating systems are oriented on their niches, and Linux and Mac OS X are... well... somewhere in between. (You may arguably classify Mac OS X as mainstream-too, and Linux as still-niche, but anyway you get the idea.)

(If you know more than 3 popularity gradations, you are welcome to name them.)