texts:
Regarding Sony’s decision to pull “The Interview” from theaters before it’s Christmas Day release date--which decision was then reversed by Sony at the last minute--Fox News host Megyn Kelly said on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (an American talk show) the following:

  “I think it is deeply troubling. But the more I think about it the only message back has to be from the American consumer,” Kelly said. “Because what are we going to do, cut off diplomations with North Korea? Oh wait. Are we going to send some sort of stern message to Kim Jong-un that he is going to understand? Probably not.”

Is "diplomations" a coined word possibly used in journalism or in politics?
Or did she misspeak the wrong word inadvertently (possibly for "diplomatic relations")?

And here's the link to a news article (including the video) : (The relevant portion starts at about 26 seconds into the video in case you want to watch it.)

EDIT

The question is not whether "theoretically" the word could be considered to be made up of two existing words "diplomatic" + "relations". In context, you can easily figure out what she meant by that word if you watch her interview.

Before posting the question, I've checked all the dictionaries, slang dictionaries, news articles, Google and whatnot. I could not find a single instance of the word "diplomation(s)" being used. At least not in English.

So the question is really about whether the word is actually in use if only in journalism and/or politics, unbeknownst to all the search that I've done that proved nothing to that effect.


texts: What do you call a person who has the ability to question and is curious about right things? As in someone who points out loopholes in an argument or the like.


texts: Typos in letter A and Typos in letter B (Rephrasing)

texts:
Sentence: There are typos in letter A and there are typos in letter B.

Note: The typos in letter A may be different from those in letter B.

Can I rephrase the sentence to "There are typos in letter A and letter B."?

If so, does this rephrasing cause ambiguity (because people may think that the typos in letter A and the typos in letter B may be the same)?


texts: "Accounts for last year" or "Accounts of last year"?

texts:
The accounts for last year showed a profit of $2 million.

or

  The accounts of last year showed a profit of $2 million.

Which one is correct? My idea is that both of them is OK, anybody can confirm it?


texts: Name and origin of writing with period after each word

texts:
It may be limited to the web ecosystem, but I've read a lot of those sentences lately, where each word is followed by a period.
Examples:

Oh. My. God.
Best. Job. Ever.
No. F***ing. Way.

Putting each word on its own hints the readers should give their full attention to each and every one of them.
Does this technique have a name? Can its origin be traced back to a book or article?


texts: are there any questions that can be asked without a helping verb

texts: I'm writing to ask can we ask about this sentence( he was rich) with out using any helping verbs?? And which one of these sentences is correct (how does he love you OR how he loves you)


texts: What is the etymology of the term "Pasifika", which can mean the Pacific Islands, people of Pacific Island heritage (in a New Zealand context), or a festival held in Auckland about Pacific Island culture?


texts: What is 'spit in the hole' referencing to?

texts:
Spit in the hole, man, and tune again.

Taming of the Shrew Act 3 Scene 1

What is Spit in the hole referencing  to in this text?


texts:
The profits that the corporation earns from the exclusive-supplier agreements with the universities are___, because the terms of agreements that they are inclined  to protect the universities’ interests are generally____.

explicable……..flouted
unclear……….publicized
predictable……….scrutinized
declining…….ignored
surprising…..enforced

Many people prefer "predictable ... scrutinized", but I feel "surprising ... enforced" is more appropriate.

What's your opinion?


texts: The rules of the game vs. the laws of the game

texts:
Do rule and law have the same meaning when you talk about an activity like a game?

I came across this sentence in the Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner's Dictionay:

"Match officials should not tolerate such behaviour but instead enforce the laws of the game."

I've heard "the rules of the game" a lot and wonder what the word "law" refers to in this sentence. Is it the same as rule? Can you use the word "rule" in the sentence, without any change in meaning?


texts:
In biology, most things are predictive: Toxicity is given in LD50, but one cannot know which half of the population will die, 1% of kids will be born with some type of autism, but we don't know which kids (obviously, there are risk factors, but nothing is absolute), etc....

On the other hand, if I combine water with an acid, it absolutely heats up. If I drop my coffee cup, it's absolutely falling to the floor. (A pedant might mention that the coffee cup doesn't fall in space, but that gets to the heart of the matter - there are preconditions that we understand in physics, but as sciences get softer, those preconditions become less well understood - I assume that as Biology matures, we will understand better those).

I need two words which emphasize the difference between A often causes or predicts B and A must cause B.


texts: What does "taped" mean in this sentence?

texts:
I'm reading Michael Lewis's The Blind Side. In Chapter Three, when Ole Miss basketball team lost a game and came back to campus, the coach said to his players:

  Dressed, stretched, and taped. Thirty minutes.

What does the "taped" mean here?


texts:
"Not only has he got many friends, but also several enemies."
"Not only he has many friends, but also several enemies."

Which out of the two statements above is correct?


texts: Meaning of "copied" when used like this?

texts: In the sentence "the last element copied", does it refer to the last element for which a copy is made, or does it refer to the actual copy of some other element?


texts: Curious combination of freedoom, self made fences?

texts:
Many friends have said to me that they love New York now in a way they never did before, and their love, I've noticed, takes for its object all the things that used to exasperate them--the curious combination of freedom, self-made fences, and paralyzing preoccupation that the city provides.

I don't know what the author means when he says "curious combination of freedom, self-made fences, and paralyzing preoccupation that the city provides."


texts:
Certain nouns can also be verbs, i.e. run or play. Some adjectives can be applied to both forms of such a word, by switching the positioning:

  Run fast
  Fast run
  Play clean
  Clean play

But this isn't always possible -- Play seriously vs serious play -- the adjective changes its form.
What is the name for this? I'm looking for a list of adjectives that go after a verb.

P.S.
The tag "adjectives" claims that adjectives are only applied to nouns.


texts: Idiom/proverb or phrase about never forgetting wrong doings

texts:
I could have sworn there was a catchy idiom/proverb in english about how you can be kind to something always, but the moment you do one mean thing, it will never forget that (or hate you forever for that). Kind of like Aesop fable with the snake and the farmer in a way.

It possibly was about an animal (dog? elephant?) kick a puppy once and it never forgets? I am not sure. Any help would be appreciated!


texts:
Advocate and Partisan are two of the most ambiguous words I have ever come across. I have been researching these two words for almost three hours trying to figure out if they're the same or different. Driving me nuts!

Both are used interchangeably as having the same meaning
Both are used separately as having different meaning
Partisan is often used as an adjective for Advocate
Both are defined in the dictionary as being a supporter of a group

  Question: What is the difference between Partisan and Advocate?

If they are the same, then why do people say "partisan advocate"?
If they are different, then why are they not listed as synonym/antonym in a thesaurus?
If one supports the other, then why are both defined as an advocate for a group?
How is it that a partisan supporting a group is biased while advocating for a group is not?


texts: "I'm just sorry that she had to be your fortune cookie - broken, so that you can learn something you already should have known."


texts: What is the difference in the usage of "so big a house" and "a so big house"?

texts: Both of them I have seen often. Can I use them interchangeably?


texts:
I have a question about this word: "plus".
Where can we use "plus"?
Do these phrases have any meaning? What are they?

  America Plus
  American Plus


texts: Are there cases when the word "best" as an adjective could be used without "the"?

texts:
That is an advertisement of one company, a banner. They write the name of the company and the second line goes like this "best ad designs".

Is this line correct? or should there be a "the"? Is there a general rule to put "the" before the adjective "best" or are there cases when "the" is not needed?


texts: English sentence structure of a 'if' phrase

texts:
'Because my legs haven't disabled me, if anything they've enabled me.'

It seems to me that there is something omitted. Because as far as I know, it needs a subject and a verb after 'if', but there is no verb after it. Could anyone explain this structure?


texts: Is there a better name for "promotional pens"?

texts: I'm referring to free pens having a company name and/or logo. These pens are provided free of charge to potential customers or even the general public in order to promote goods or services or even a company itself which provides such goods or services. I'd like to know if there is a better name for such pens than "promotional pens".


texts: Are there such forms as this's and which's?

texts: I've seen that's, who's, how's, etc., but I don't recall ever seeing this's and which's. Are they used very often or at all? If so, how do you pronounce them? Any differently from this is and which is?


texts: Do a/an have to match up when using multiple indefinite subjects?

texts:
Here's my quandary: Is the following sentence acceptable?

  He waited to get an apple, orange or pear.

Or would it need to read as the following?

  He waited to get an apple, an orange or a pear.

The second is obviously correct, but I am curious if the first example is actually incorrect — given it just sounds cumbersome.


texts:
If not, is it well readable anyway?

"Ray tracer" seems to be used more frequently but this is not my question.

An example sentence could be:

  A raytracer is a computer program that uses an algorithm where light rays are traced back to their origin to create realistic 2D images from 3D scenes.


texts: Can you really "See that thing in person"?

texts:
Consider the following scenario:

A woman at a store is shown a dress by a clerk. After a few moments, she tells the clerk that she would like "to see it in red".
The clerk would then go and fetch her the same dress but colored red, rather than whatever he had just shown her.

There would be no confusion- the in red is clearly describing an attribute of the dress.  If the clerk were to then drape a red blanket around the woman and show her the same dress, the clerk would surely be fired.
And yet, if I were to look at a picture of a coffee table online and say "I want to see that in person", the same logic could not be applied.  You can't see the coffee table in person, because it is a coffee table. Coffee tables don't typically come as people (I should hope!).
So is one correct over the other? Shouldn't the meaning be consistent across the two phrases? Or is there some way of considering the two different contexts that both make sense from?


texts: "—" vs. ";" vs. "," vs. "()" — what's the difference?

texts:
All of these punctuation marks seem to have the same purpose.

Is there any general guideline for picking one for each use case?


texts: I need a word to reflect participating in the job of a roadie.  In the same way that you would describe activities as selling, painting, driving, is there such a word as roadieing? (I feel dirty typing it, so I suspect not)


texts: Virtually is like almost or practically?

texts:
In the first definition of the word virtually there is written:

  almost [= practically]:

  Virtually all the children come to school by bus.
  He was virtually unknown before running for office.

which makes me wonder whether virtually means almost or practically, because the meaning of almost is not the same as practically, is it?

Could you explain what they mean by this?

If you will take a sentence "You'll be able to understand virtually every aspect of computing", it seems that the word virtually has no effect if it means practically because understanding is theory, not praxis, and I feel that they don't mean "understand almost every aspect" either.

Does "understand virtually" mean "be able to apply the knowledge in praxis"?


texts:
What is the word for something that didn't sink.
Example: Can we say "the un-sunken boat" for the boat didn't sink?

Couldn't find anything in internet by search engines.

Thanks.


texts:
I saw a sign outside a factory office that said:

  If you don't have what to do, don't do it here.

I've also heard this word usage in the phrase:

  Do you have what to eat.

Is this grammatical or colloquial? I usually see the word "what" as introducing a question. Does it have another usage as a noun or object?


texts:
For example:

As victims read and reread cyberbullying messages, the feelings are ____.

What is an emotional alternative to multiplied?


texts:
Is "have with" considered a phrasal verb? As in the sentence: "I don't have my wallet with me."
The only dictionary that recognizes "have with" as a phrasal verb is Merriam - Webster.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/have%20with

Any input will be greatly appreciated!


texts: How do you list items that are both singular and plural

texts:
For example, would you say:
"There were carrots and gravy in the fridge."
You wouldn't say, "There were gravy." So does this make sense?
Another example:
"There are radio parts and a radio in the car."
You wouldn't say, "There are a radio in the car." So, again, how does this make sense?
Any ideas on how to fix this?
Thanks.


texts: How to say a particular author is the only one you've read every book of?

texts:
Charles Dickens is an author. I have read every book he's written, and he's the only author who I can say this about.

If I wanted to express this fact, in one single and elegant sentence, what would be the best way to express this?

My best attempt:

  Charles Dickens is the only author whose every book I have read.

But this seems awkward and goofy to me. Is there a better way of stating this in one simple declarative sentence?


texts: Why is the historical present tense used so often by sports broadcasters?

texts:
When discussing a pivotal event that happened in the past, whether 5 minutes ago or 50 years ago, sportscasters often use the historical present tense. For example, after an error we  might hear, "If he catches that ball, the inning is over." Or, "if Babe Ruth stays with Boston, the Yankees don't win all those pennants."

A similar usage seems to occur when discussing battles and wars: "If Stonewall Jackson survives, the South wins at Gettysburg."

Is there an explanation for this phenomenon of language?


texts: What's it called when someone imposes his own beliefs and ideas on someone else?

texts:
There's a concept which I am not yet familiar with.
When someone forces his own ideology, beliefs and thoughts on someone else and not allow them to think for themselves?

For example: when a head chairman state his opinion about a political candidate and makes everyone else in the department approve of him and refuse anyone else to belief anything but what they said.


texts: Is there a word for the process of giving a name or label for a concept?

texts:
I'm looking to know if there is a word for naming things like in the examples below:

Instead of saying "the tendency of people to accept evidence to their ideas and disregard the ones that disprove them", I can sum up this behavior as "confirmation bias". Now when I say the phrase "confirmation bias", everyone who knows it will understand what I mean.

Or if I invent a sauce that everyone likes it, instead of asking "hey, have you tried this white sauce I made, it has eggs, mustard, lemon juice... and goes well on everything", I just call it "mayonnaise". So everyone can differentiate it from "hollandaise".

So if I'm thinking of a new name for a concept - how do I call this process of selecting a name? I'm thinking along "The Mental Model of " , but not sure if "naming" or "coining terms" is good enough...


texts: Term for elevating the value of something by naming it in association with a positive thing?

texts:
I'm looking for a term to describe making something sound more legitimate or authoritative by giving it a name similar to something else with those qualities. A specific example would be relabeling "creationism" as "creation science", the goal being to receive the positive (and legal) associations of the word "science" without actually changing the thing being described.

But I'm trying to describe that general kind of rhetorical technique.


texts:
Is "do" understood as a noun or verb in "hair do"?
Asking this in search of "to make do".
Bonus points if it can be related to German Tolle "tuft [of hair], that thing that Elvis had on his head", itself of obscure origin, surely under influence of toll "wild, great, fun".
En. dole doesn't seem to be a bad fit, either, as general as its cognates are (portion, piece, divide).


texts: Word for "group of people who went through the same thing"

texts:
I am making an app for communities and I need a word to describe when people attended the same class, went through a particular semester of the same program, were on the same cruise, attended the same club in college, were part of the same honors program for the same years etc.

Like batch or cohort but something that can describe all the above situations.

Alternatively, the word can describe the experience, eg they were part of the same ________. Program?


texts: "Left with an 'eight'" meaning of an expression found on a song (by Talk Talk)

texts:
The question: in their song: Such a shame (video), Talk Talk (album It's my life, 1984, remember, old folks), with the voice of Mark Hollis, sings (full lyrics):

Such a shame to believe in escape;  'A life on every face',  but that's
a change.  Until I'm finally left with an '8';  Tell me to relax, I
just stare.

What does left with an '8' number reference mean in that context?
Some other verses in the song play in the same field, apparently:

Number me with rage
Number me in haste
The dice decide my fate

The meaning seems related to dice cast. A single standard 6-face die cannot yield 8, but other less standard polyhedral dice (8-, 12-, 20-face polyhedra, used in war-games and role-playing games) can:

Since they are non-standard, I will assume two 6-face dice are cast. Probabilities for the two dice cast is about 14 % for an eight.


texts:
I'm looking for different ways to say "you're welcome." Is "sure thing" one of those ways?

If it is, then how? I looked up its meaning and it doesn't seem to make sense as a replacement for "you're welcome."


texts: What is the origin of the '.' (full stop/period)

texts: What is the origin of the '.' (Full stop/period) in written English? Is it known when this sign appeared the first time in written English?


texts: Single word or phrase for 'refinement of shapes'

texts:
Is there a word or a phrase, describing the refinement (in the sense of sophisticated and superior good taste) of shapes in the context of some solid artistic works (such as pottery or sculpture)? I thought of shapely, but I'm not sure if it could be used in a non-suggestive context.

EDIT: The sentence, which contains the word or phrase should be: "The vase we've seen in the museum was amazing"—but with a word or phrase in place of "amazing" that describes the refinement of the vase's shapes with reference to its general shape and its relief details). That's one example that I can invent quickly, but it's going to be used regarding not vases literally, but some everyday things.

EDIT2: If you don't know such word or phrase, but have some thoughts regarding shapely, please share.


texts: How shall I understand the sentence "Democrats present a Republican as the the face of the Republican Party"?

texts:
In another, he said younger Republican lawmakers “despised” Mr. Boehner. “They are repelled by his personal behavior,” he wrote. “He is louche, alcoholic, lazy, and without any commitment to any principle.”
In several messages, Mr. Blumenthal argued that Democrats should present Mr. Boehner as the face of the Republican Party during the 2010 midterm elections. “Making Boehner the GOP poster child should be systematic and relentless,” he wrote.
Mrs. Clinton — who, as the nation’s chief diplomat, publicly stayed out of the campaign — never responded to such suggestions in the emails that were released. But she clearly followed the elections carefully as Democrats were headed to a blowout defeat.

Mr. Boehner is a Republican, and he can definitely present the Republican Party. But in my opinion, the fact has nothing to do with the Democrats, as they have no right to choose anyone to present the Republican Party. Maybe they can choose some Democrat to present the Democratic Party, but not the Republican Party.
How should the sentence be interpreted? I am confused. Could someone please give some explanations about it? Thank you.
The paragraphs above are extracted from the New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/02/us/politics/emails-show-how-hillary-clinton-valued-input-from-sidney-blumenthal.html?_r=0


texts:
Whats does "woman front bits" actually means?

This question is surprisingly inspired by one of the answers
to this question: "Is there any slang I should avoid in the UK or Ireland".
It is appropriate to quote it here:

  Avoid the use of the word "fanny", as it is slang for, ah, a woman's
  front bits. Be very careful when referring to your fanny pack!

In dictionary I have it is written that "fanny" indeed is a British English pejorative term for female genitalia.  On the other hand, in urban dictionary we can read about two different meanings of "front bits" term:

The male private parts.
the way a Brit explains breasts.

So, not that it is the most important slang word in my life, but what does this term exactly mean talking of women.


texts: Is "What courses is everyone taking?" grammatical?

texts:
A friend and I are having an argument over which of the following is correct:

What courses is everyone taking?
What courses are everyone taking?

I say the first is grammatical, because in the parallel construction
"Everyone is taking what courses?", "everyone" is the subject, and "is" acts on "everyone". My friend argues that the subject changes in the inverted form. Which pattern is right?


texts: Word to describe symptoms of illness or pain when someone close to you is sick?

texts: What is it called when you get symptoms of illness or pain when someone close to you is sick? Like a husband gets morning sickness because wife is pregnant.


texts: What's the difference between "I am a racist" and "I am racist"?

texts: I often hear a lot of people say "he is a racist", but at the same time a lot of people say "he is racist" so what's the difference between the two?


texts: How to rationalise the 'pro-' prefix in 'promiscuous' ?

texts:
I ask not about the definition itself,  but about the impact or role of the prefix in English:

  promiscuous (adj.)
      c.1600, people or things, "mingled confusedly, grouped together without order, consisting of a disorderly mix; indiscriminate," from Latin promiscuus "mixed, indiscriminate, in common, without distinction," from pro- "forward" (see pro-) + miscere "to mix" (see mix (v.)). Meaning "indiscriminate in sexual relations" recorded by 1857, from promiscuity. The Latin adjective was used with conubia (such as between patricians and plebeians). Related: Promiscuously.


texts: How should I use "thus" in this sentence?

texts:
I am wondering if any of these following sentences is correct. If so, what is the most common way to say it in an academic context?

They can thus take advantage of this technology...
They thus can take advantage of this technology...
Thus they can take advantage of this technology...

Thanks in advance!


texts: what does the phrase "a real word" mean?

texts:
Twentyfive questions appear in the list of questions already asked on this forum that are similar to this question. Of those, 8 titles do not mention the "real word" phrase. The other 17 ask about a specific word, typically using a standard form: "Is X a real word". Additionally, I'm sure, many questions asked on this forum omit real and simply ask something to the effect of "Is X a word".

How can a question ask if a word is real without using the word as a word?

Detailed answers will be entertained. Explanations and examples of consensual approaches to designating some words as real, and others not, are of most value to me. How and when do, for example, scientific terms, become real terms? Nextmost in value are scales or systems of realness. For example, where do nonsense words, nonce-words, spurious words and neologisms fall on a scale of realness? within some system of realness? The central idea of both values (consensual approaches, and scales or systems) is to take the question beyond the realm of personal opinion as much as possible.

Any answers will be greatly appreciated.

Edit: It has been suggested that this question duplicates a question asking when a word becomes a word. This question differs markedly:

Temporal considerations ("when") are secondary, if relevant at all.
This question does not use a self-referential definition of 'word', unlike the suggested duplicate, which verges on incoherence by asking when a word becomes a word. But we all know what that question is meant to ask...or do we?
While I'm sincere in saying any answers to my question are appreciated, certainly no answer solely or primarily referencing appearance in a dictionary will be accepted (in the constrained sense of 'accepted' used on this forum). No self-respecting dictionary will define 'word' in a primary sense as dependent on dictionary inclusion. For example, the primary definition of 'word, n.' in the OED is "I. Speech, utterance, verbal expression." This definition has no direct connection to appearance in one or more dictionaries.

Those specific considerations (and others along the same lines) aside, serious answers to my question would account for my mention of nonsense and nonce-words, et al. For example, the list of spurious words in the OED (compact edition): does the OED define 'spurious words' as 'unreal words'?

It seems to me that on a forum such as this, a working definition of "real word" would be sine qua non, and that self-defeating definitions such as reference to appearance in dictionaries which themselves define 'word' as something quite other than 'an entry in a dictionary or lexicon' would be rejected outright. Threshold elements in the working definition, on the other hand, might well be unavoidable: for example, "one or more occurrences of an utterance embued with communicative power" or some such gibberish might be construed as constituting part of a desirable answer to the question of what the phrase "real word" means.

Similarly, the assertion that what constitutes a "real word" is arbitrary is a non-answer. We all understand something when we encounter the phrase, and there is more commonality than not in our somewhat various understandings.


texts: I've seen people writing: "Have an Octotastic day!". I've tried to search online, but I didn't get any useful results. From the context I feel it's a synonym for "fantastic". I couldn't see any details on usage of that word. Is it something made-up?


texts: The most natural way of asking for telephone call redirection

texts:
What is the most natural way to ask a hotel receptionist or a secretary to transfer your call to a hotel room or an office?

Could you please connect me with room number 321?
Could you please transfer my call to room number 321?

and

Could you please connect me with [name]'s office?
Could you please transfer my call to [name]'s office?

I would like to know some more informal or maybe slang terms, specifically US ones.


texts: What does the expression "account for" actually mean?

texts:
The complete sentence comes from a publication I was reading: "The current method for fabricating prosthetic sockets is to modify a positive mold to account for the non-homogeneity of the residual limb to tolerate load (i.e., rectified socket)"

account for = to address?


texts: Term for words with identical spelling but different meaning and different pronunciation

texts: What do you call words with identical spelling but different meaning and different pronunciation? A couple examples are bass and resume.


texts:
Please consider the following four sentences.

1 - He finished school

2 - He has finished school

3 - He had finished school

4 - He did finish school

Do all of these sentences mean the same or not? If there are any differences, could you explain?

I'm not asking which one is more appropriate to express that someone completed his last school year. Instead, I'm just using these sentences as examples in order to understand the correct usage of each past tense form in English. Thank you.

Edit: Not a duplicate. My question considers specific past tense forms, while the suggested question deals with other unrelated tenses and aspects.


texts: "have" vs."have got" in American and British English

texts:
I have looked through several questions and answers on EL&U, and often there is an indication that American English prefers "have" while British English prefers "have got". In addition, there are several references to "have got" being more informal than "have" (e.g.: When to use "have" and "have got", “Do you have” vs “Have you got”). But where is it considered more informal? In American English alone or both American and British English?

This point may seem obvious to those who made the above mentioned references, but the fact is that even the most fluent users of English in my country will say without a doubt that 'have got' is the preferred usage in the UK and, therefore, it must also be more formal. Why? Because in an academic environment, the more informal structures are generally frowned upon, outside some specific spoken exercises. And if the teachers insist on using "have got", it follows it isn't informal.

So, is the teaching of (British) English in our schools transmitting the wrong idea?

EDIT: I'm adding some information in answer to the comments.

I'm mainly concerned with the idea of possession:

  I have got a cat vs. I have a cat and She has got a dog vs. She has a dog

As mentioned in the comments, every (Portuguese) student will be told that "have" and "have got", when it comes to the idea of possession, are absolute synonyms, the only two differences being:

"have got" is preferred by British English, "have" is preferred by American English

the negative and interrogative structures differ

I have never heard of any distinction in formality. In fact, I was rather surprised when I went through the EL&U archives and read about it.

So, would "I have got a cat" be as formal/informal as "I have a cat"?

And how do British and American English look at its formality/informality? Is it the same?


texts: How to write a sentence containing a question within it?

texts:
I'm trying to figure out how to write this sentence in particular:

And, who knows, it might actually work.

What punctuation marks do I need to use? Is it correct? It just feels a bit off to me.


texts: What would you call a person who knows nothing but will say i knew it all along (on a topic being discussed)?

texts:
What would you call a person who knows nothing on a topic being discussed but will say i knew it beforehand (probably fake a story on same lines in boasting manner) and really isn't inclined on learning anything new and does want to feel inferior and still wants to keep claiming s/he knew it but will not like being asked questions if you want to dig them deeper for sincerity ?

Example:

  Me: The apple is acidic fruit, I read it in an article today.
  B: Yes, I know it is acidic.
  B: My local specialist doctor who is very famous and US return doctor told me when I was 10 years old.
  Me: Oh ok.
  Me: I read another thing today, mackrel fish is not good for pregnent women.
  B: Ya, My mother when she was in Germany, her neighbor told her.
  Me: Oh ok.
  Me: The new spinning fidget is nice fun for children.
  B: Yes, my dad bought it when i was 7 and we (me and my brother) used it during our entire childhood.
  A: Oh is it. hmm..


texts: “““Quotations nested multiple times in their entirety.”””

texts:
Is anyone aware of an authoritative rule on how to use quotation marks for a statement that has been repeated in its entirety from one speaker, to a second, to a third, to a fourth, to a . . . . . .?

I understand basic nesting rules, but my (law) firm follows a convention that results in the following punctuation if a statement has been "passed down" through a series of speakers: "'"'"What goes up must come down."'"'"

This seems insane to me, but I can't find a "rule" that says to stop nesting entire quotes at a certain level.

I'm certainly interested in the group consensus, but even more interested in something authoritative.


texts: Adjective to describe do it because you want to not because you have to

texts: I’m looking for an adjective to describe a person who does things because they want to do them not because they have to or because it was imposed on them, for example, if you are going to coach someone you do it because you like it and not because it is part of your job.


texts: Seeking a noun for 'one who knows things are bad but doesn't act'

texts:
I'm looking for another noun to describe someone who knows things are bad, but doesn't do anything to improve the situation because of fear of the consequences of acting.

Ostrich is the closest I can get but it doesn't fit with the six other labels I'm using; it introduces an unwanted comic element. Also, the ostrich pretends not to know: I'm trying to describe someone who knows perfectly well, but feels paralysed. Paralysis could work but it's not a noun used for a person; I can't use paralytic because that would have completely different connotations.


texts:
At last summer’s Farnborough Air Show, the chief executive of Boeing, Dennis Muilenburg, was so upbeat about the American planemaker’s prospects he set off alarm bells among aerospace analysts.

Is it a relative clause to modify prospect? Is it wrong to use 'he' here?


texts: Why are there so many restrictions on /ŋ/ in English?

texts:
In (GA, SSBE) English, the phoneme /ŋ/ (in ring) seems to have so many restrictions:

it rarely occurs after /u:/, if at all: the only word that I have been able to find in which /ŋ/ occurs after /u:/ is mung/moong
rarely occurs after /ʊ/: as in loong, boong and occurs instead of /ʌ/ in dialects where /ʌ/ is realized as [ʊ] (mainly Northern British)
/ŋ/ never occurs in the start of a syllable in English
rarely (or never?) occurs after /aɪ/
rarely (or never?) occurs after /aʊ/
rarely occurs after /eɪ/
rarely (or never?) occurs after /ɔɪ/
almost never occurs after /əʊ/

Another phoneme that has many restrictions is /ʒ/ but I assume it can be attributed to the fact that /ʒ/ is not a native phoneme and I am not interested in that phoneme. (There is also /h/ with many restrictions, but I am not interested in that either.)
Is there any reason why /ŋ/ has so many restrictions?


texts: You know the long metal pole that the doctors give you when you break you leg what is it called?


texts: Word that means "to complete another person's sentence"?

texts:
Example:

  "She doesn't eat meat. I think she's a ..." he trailed off.

  "Vegetarian?" I [...].

The only word I could think of is interjected. But I think it's wrong, because it implies interruption, while the example implies addition.

What's a more appropriate word?


texts:
I am wondering what punctuation would be used if you are telling the reader to look at a certain thing, and then telling them what they will see. Would it be "...transcript: You..." or "...transcript-You..." ? Or would it be just a period?

"Please look at the charging document in the file, and compare it with the trial transcript. You will notice that my trial was missing a member of the jury."


texts: Where did the term "garage band" originate from?

texts: Apart from the video game, the term has been in use amongst musicians for years - where did it come from, documented listings?


texts: What does it mean if you tell someone they have their name on their underwear?

texts:
What does it mean if you say to someone that they have their name on their underwear?
 If this is an insult what are they implying?

I've heard this term in pop culture many times, usually in reference to someone who is a geek/nerd.

Back to the Future

  Marty McFly: Calvin? Wh... Why do you keep calling me Calvin?
  Lorraine Baines: Well, that is your name, isn't it? Calvin Klein? It's written all over your underwear.

Weird Al - White & Nerdy

  I spend every weekend
  at the renaissance fair
  I got my name on my underwear!

Did people actually write their name on their underwear?

What is the meaning and origin of this phrase?


texts:
Consider the following sentence:

  I am developing an application to be installed on Android.

And this:

  This has been a major flaw in Android...

To be clear I am unsure of the usage of "in" vs. "on". When should I use "in" and when to use "on"?


texts:
Should it be 'Globally recognised' or 'Recognised globally'?
I think it should be globally recognised following the rule of- Adverb before verb- but am not sure.
Also, should it be 'beautifully drawn' or 'drawn beautiflly'?


texts: "what could have we done" v/s "what could we have done"

texts:
As part of a feedback form, I came across this today:

  What could have we done better in the service to get a 9/10 for you?

The "could have we" intuitively sounds wrong to me - I feel it should be "could we have" - but a quick google search brings up a number of examples of this usage.

Is this an American thing?


texts:
Is there an english word fitting the longer description 'the visible part of something as seen right now' or 'the thing as it can be understood as of this time'?

The word 'Impression' seems to cover this somewhat, but it has the added baggage of being someones opinion, rather than describing the factual state something has, as well as having a different meaning of being a physical depression of an object on another object.

Is there an alternative?


texts: Origin of "I see, said the blind man, as he waved his wooden leg"

texts:
"I see", said the blind man, as he waved his wooden leg.

is an expression used by someone on whom comprehension has just dawned, or a catch-phrase addressed to that person. Sometimes it can be divided amongst the crowd

  New comprehender: "I see!"
     First onlooker  : "Said the blind man"
     All             : "As he waved his wooden leg"

I've been hearing it quite a bit recently (I had thought I was the only person who said idiotic things like this), and am wondering where it came from. Was there a historical figure who was blind with a peg leg? Or is there some other explanation?

I have turned up a couple of variations on the phrase here and here but no-one seems to know where it came from.


texts: If the sun rises at morning, what to say about the moon?

texts:
If the sun is said to rise at morning, should I say 'the moon rises at night'?

Or is there another expression?


texts: What's the difference between "errand" and "issue" or "matter"?

texts: I am a non-native English speaker. I want to apply for an annual leave to handle my personal [errand/issue/matter]. In my email, which word is more suitable? I've searched that "matter" might be the right word. But I still can see others using "errand". Can somebody tell me when to use errand other than else?


texts: Expression for "an argument made in the form of a question"

texts:
What is a word or idiom that means an argument made in the form of a question?

For example. If one were going to make the argument that you shouldn't just follow along with the crowd without using your own independent judgment, one might make that argument into the form of a question as follows:

  If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you jump off one too? [1]

I'm thinking of a word akin to tautology. Although tautology has a meaning far from the meaning I seek, the color and texture of tautology is similar to what I seek.


texts: Using Present Perfect for past experiences

texts:
Today I saw this quote from Michael Jordan, and the usage of Present Perfect in all of his past failed experiences got my attention:

  I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.

I cannot see why is it being used here; any help regarding its use?


texts: Pronunciation of the phonetic symbol /ʌ/

texts: The phonetics of the word consultant is /kənˈsʌltənt/. My ears heard the part /ʌl/ is exactly the same as the word so /soʊ/. So the question is that both /ʌl/ and /oʊ/ are the same pronunciation, isn't it?


texts: Idioms or phrases to answer to obvious (yes) questions?

texts:
I've come across this analogous question for the opposite case Idioms/Phrase for Obvious No but couldn't find one for mine.
I'm looking for phrases like "Does the Pope pray?" or "Does a bear shit in the woods?".
Thank you.


texts: What are the differences between spoil/spoiled and indulge/indulged as verbs and adjectives respectively?


texts: A person/thing that has a good start but fails midway through the journey

texts:
I'm looking for a word to describe a thing/person that always shows potential in the way they start something but fails to follow through to its conclusion.
Some examples could be:

A batsman in Cricket who plays a few good strokes at the start of his innings but then gets out cheaply without making any impact on the outcome of the game.

Some technology that looks promising when it's launched successfully. People think it will change the world, etc., but then it fails disappointingly for one reason or another.


texts:
Over at German.SE we have a question involving "the darkest of nights". I would like to know what this expression actually means, but I didn't find it in an online dictionary (e.g. leo.org, dict.cc, Cambridge Dictionary).

So what does this expression mean? Is it a figure of speech? I can imagine at least two meanings: It's the time of a particular night when it is darkest, or it's the darkest of a (not specified) number of nights.


texts: Phrase for when something only broken when you need it to work

texts:
Consider this scenario:

  Your computer is broken, so you call tech support. When they arrive to fix the computer, the problem is no longer present and the computer works as intended. Shortly after they leave, the problem begins again.

In this example your computer is broken when you need it to work, and works when you need it to be broken. Is there a phrase that describes this? I know Murphy's Law comes close to describing it, but doesn't seem to fit very well.


texts: Which one is grammatically correct? Why?

texts:
I've a quick question about grammar within a sentence. I'd also like to know why it is like that if someone could provide an answer.

Which one is correct?

  Along with fishing, I enjoy frequently writing. While the ...
  Along with fishing, I frequently enjoy writing. While the ...
  Along with fishing, I enjoy writing frequently. While the ...


texts: Should we use past tense in "Lugo admitted he is the father"?

texts:
In this sentence, should the is be a was?

  On April 13, 2009, Lugo admitted he is the father of a child conceived with Viviana Carrillo.


texts: Comma dividing two points on a list when the first point includes 'and'

texts:
I have a sentence in which the meaning seems to be unclear both with and without a comma. Moreover, I'm unsure whether having a comma is correct at all. The cause is the 'and' in the first point:

These guidelines detail how we use cookies and similar technologies, and the options you have concerning them.

With the comma present, the second 'and' can be read as conjunction and therefore lead the reader to believe it is the beginning of an independent clause, which is what happened when I first read it.
Without the comma, I don't think it is particularly clear either.
Is the comma wrong here?
I would greatly appreciate some help.


texts:
I was reading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

The following paragraphs are this book:

  They went up the path to the house, Meg reluctant, eager to get on
  into the town. "Let's hurry," she begged, "Please! Don't you want to
  find Father?"

  "Yes," Charles Wallace said, "but not Blindly. How can we help him if
  we don't know what we're up against? And it's obvious we've been
  brought here to help him, not just to find him." He walked briskly up
  the steps and knocked at the door. They waited. Nothing happened. Then
  Charles Wallace saw a bell, and this he rang. They could hear the bell
  buzzing in the house, and the sound of it echoed down the street.
  After a moment the mother figure opened the door. All up and down the
  street other doors opened, but only a crack, and eyes peered toward
  the three children and the woman looking fearfully out the door at
  them.

  "What do you want?" she asked. "It isn't paper time yet; we've had
  milk time; we've had this month's Puller Prush Person; and I've given
  my Decency Donations regularly. All my papers are in order."

  "I think your little boy dropped his ball," Charles Wallace said,
  holding it out.

What does "Puller Prush Person" mean?

Thanks a lot!


texts: If trinity means 3 in one, what's the word for one in one, 2 in one, 4 in one, 5 in one?

texts: In Christianity, there is the doctrine of the "trinity" of God. What would be the name of the corresponding doctrine if the number three were replaced with two, four or five?


texts: Original Meaning of Blood is thicker than water, is it real?

texts:
I recently read that the phrase "Blood is thicker than water" originally derived from the phrase "the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb", implying that the ordinary meaning is the opposite of the original intention.

However my problem with this is that I can't find any references to this supposed original proverb (while it's possible to find references for the modern meaning from the 12th Century in German, and at least the 17th Century in English). There are plenty of places on the internet where people reference the supposedly original meaning, but I haven't been able to find anywhere they actually point to specific examples.

Does anyone know of any examples for this? Is there a reason not to consider this a mistaken etymology?


texts:
I'm a dutch programmer working in a international team where English is the main language. In my native language I have pretty decent articulation. However, when speaking English I have a lot of trouble using words containing a 'r'. Most of the time I create a 'w' sound instead of pronouncing the 'r'. So words like rabbit will sound like 'wabbit', which makes me feel like I am narrating Tweety in his latest cartoon.

Are the any exercises I can do for better pronouncement of words with a 'r'. Thanks for your help.


texts: What is the exact meaning of "call" resounding in the US media

texts:
After the election, I hear, to me, new usages of 'call'.

AP called Arizona for Biden

The results are too close to call.

In first look, I rendered it as 'announce' something. But I see this is tainted with a sense of prediction. What is the exact meaning of this 'call' here?


texts:
The expression “my goodness” always seemed clear to me, as it is a simple bowdlerisation of “my God”, as are many expletives. However, I have heard many times the expression “goodness me!”, which Google confirms exist (and is less used than “my Goodness”):

This expression doesn't make any sense to me on the construction. Goodness is a noun, so why is it formed that way? Is it an alteration of “my goodness”, or was it formed somewhat independently? Is it a shortening of a longer expression, which would explain its weird grammatical form?


texts: Single word to describe something that describes itself

texts:
For example orange - orange describes exactly what it is.

I thought that the word was onomatopoeia but when I looked it up — it's described as sounds; e.g. bleat for lamb or miaow for cat.

I was watching a TV cop programme, and one of the female officers was being unkind/rude about a fellow male officer who was called Dick, saying he was an onomatopoeia. I am sure I did look this up at some point and was given the nicer description of orange as an example of an onomatopoeia. So can someone clarify for me?


texts: Mnemonic for the planets in Indian English

texts:
The most common planetary mnemonic is:

My very educated mother just served us nine pizzas

Another popular planetary mnemonic is:

My very educated mother just showed us nine planets

A planetary mnemonic without Pluto is:

My very educated mother just served us noodles

There are many other mnemonics as mentioned at Mnemonic device.
So why do Indians sometimes use the word "elegant" in the mnemonic instead of "educated":

My very elegant mother just served us nine pizzas

or

My very elegant mother just showed us nine planets

or without Pluto

My very elegant mother just served us noodles?


texts: What's the default way to interpret the phrase "Don't waste any time (in) getting back here."?

texts:
Is this phrase ambiguous or is there are clearly preferred way of interpretation? The following 2 interpretations seem diametrically opposed:

Don't waste any time getting back because you'll be too late anyways. Focus on something else instead.
Hurry up. Make the trip as quick possible because you are needed urgently.

Is it context dependent?


texts: Is there a common expression for "origin of everything"? What could it be?

texts:
In some languages there is a common pathetic hyperbole that goes like "the origin of origins" or "beginning of beginnings". Is there anything similar in English [or Latin]?

Context: consider a situation where you see a bad translation into English and want to help someone out. With a phrase in the heading like "This important process is the beginning of beginnings [meaning you can't possibly get going in any of the related processes without entering this one]" - what would you suggest? Or if it were a song with the words in another language saying "home sweet home, the origin of origins" that you want to explain to your English-speaking friends?


texts: 'Gargle with rose water before you dare speak of/about'

texts:
'Rinse your mouth/gargle with (rose/blossom water or Zamzam water or in case of culture differences Pierian spring water), before you dare speak of/about..'.

This is an Arabic saying. This is used right off after one has said something insulting, degrading or improper about someone or something. It means that your speak trash and their is no right to what one says, and that they are not in the small class, sophistication or esteem as that person or thing to speak about or them in such a degrading manner. It is a quick retort.

What is an equivalent to this?


texts: A word for the job a cashier does for each customer

texts:
A cashier in a grocery store has __ 80 customers today.

Expedited?
Served?
Handled?

I have a feeling there's a better word.


texts: Expression for "Puts the world into her person and so gives me out."

texts:
In Much Ado About Nothing, there is at one point the following sentence (Act 2, Scene 1, spoken by Benedick):

  I am not so reputed; it is the
  base, though bitter, disposition of Beatrice that puts the
  world into her person and so gives me out.

Here the phrase "puts the world into her person and so gives me out" means "claims to speak for everyone else, representing her own opinion as the world's, and so portrays me according to that opinion", according to my annotated edition.

I quite like this turn of phrase, but is there an idiomatic expression that captures this meaning eloquently in modern English?

Edit: here's an example with David Tennant: https://youtu.be/UNIQm7vEa2o?t=30s

Edit 2: I really feel I should say that I think the (rest of the) play does seem to make it clear that it's not a habitual fault of Beatrice, but something one-off. So the phrase is describing a single instance of such behaviour (by Beatrice), not an indelible permanent personality fault, as some answers seem to assume. Maybe it's ambiguous in my question, but I mean to ask about the phrase as it was used in the play.

Bounty note: in the absence of consensus (most answers had 0 votes, the highest only 2), and given that the suggestions are quite far from the original phrase's meaning, I'll award the bounty to the answer that says it can't be done.


texts: I voiced concerns on way things were being carried out in a fashion that was understood as a disgruntled parent. I intended the information to be taken in a way to indicate concern or issue for all involved on a not personal or selfish way.


texts:
Assume for a moment that an author does know how to use whom correctly. In an email (specifically), does using whom correctly make the author sound stuffy and formal, or would you say that in email, using who conversationally — potentially ungrammatically — is okay? For example:

  Hey, thanks, I chatted with the guy whom you said would be calling.
  Hey, thanks, I chatted with the guy who you said would be calling.


texts: Is the phrase "anecdotal evidence" an oxymoron?

texts: If evidence is empirical then surely anecdotes can't be evidence can they?


texts: What Grammatical name and Grammatical function is given to the part of sentence in parenthesis

texts: Traders (who used to come early to the market) claimed he had probably had some place he sleeps


texts: Appropriate word for "refloating" a space vessel?

texts:
This very well may just be outside our lexicon at the moment, due to the fact that space travel is extremely limited, but I am looking for the proper terminology to refer to a space vessel that had been rendered a wreck or a derelict, and was repaired and refitted into a workable vessel.  In naval terms, a sunk vessel would be refloated, but that term is awkward to use in space.

Something like reatmosphered fits the context, but it is awkward and not in the lexicon (though its form makes its intent clear, and could be readily used).

Any ideas?


texts: Large company: Made up of organizations or departments?

texts:
Say you have a large 20,000+ company with many different sections, or areas. Say for example Apple would have a section for iOS development, one for Mac, one for HR, one for support, etc.

What is the better word to call these different sections: organizations or departments? I'm thinking "Organization" should only refer to the topmost level, the entire company.


texts: When and where did saying "nice" become so popular?

texts:
When one person tells another something good or shows off something they like the other person will often say "nice".

For example, "Check out my new car it has so many bells and whistles" -Person one
"Nice" -Person two.

It seems this is relatively new as I don't remember everything good being "nice" 15-20 years ago.  Am I correct that "nice" is a new phenomenon and if so, when and where did it start?


texts: I can't figure out why a sentence diagrammer says that a question that sounds correct cannot be diagrammed

texts:
I am helping a student study for the TOEFL exam and I used the website 1aiway.com to diagram sentences for me to check that they are correct. The website won't recognize sentences with adjective clauses that begin with the relative pronoun "who" though, nor their reduced forms.
For example, the website cannot recognize the sentence "The Smiths, who live in the southernmost suburb, must drive more than an hour to get to work," nor the sentence "The Smiths, living in the southernmost suburb, take more than an hour to get to work."

Sometimes I've been able to figure out why a sentence that I think is supposed to be correct is not (about 20-40 percent of the time), but not always, and the examples I wrote here are straight from the book.

I want to try to find out why the diagrammer can't diagram them, and I found this website and I want to ask folks here for any ideas you may have as to why this sentence that seems correct comes up as not being a complete sentence according to the sentence diagrammer.

Thank you,

Iulia


texts: Are "bear someone out" and "back someone up" sometimes interchangeable?

texts:
Back up - v.tr - to support
Bear out - v.tr - to prove right or justified, confirm, corroborate.

In the following sentences, are "bear someone out" and "back someone up" perfectly interchangeable, all of them meaning "prove right, confirm"?

Scientific evidence ......... the claim that stress and peptic ulcer are related.
The evidence .......... my original suspicions.
I'll ....... your story ...... if they ask me about it.
I hope you are going to ........ what I told them.
That's exactly what happened. Susan will ..... me .....
My colleagues will ..... me .... on this.


texts:
In the context of the following quote (taken from "Much Ado About Nothing"), what does "I am well" mean?

  One woman is fair, yet I am well; another is wise, yet I am well; another virtuous, yet I am well; but till all graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace.

I'd also like to understand the sentence that follows the previous one in the play:

  Rich she shall be, that’s certain; wise, or I’ll none; virtuous, or I’ll never cheapen her; (...)

Specifically, what's the meaning of "I'll none" and "I'll never cheapen her"?


texts: Idiom for knowing someone so well you can tell what they're thinking going to do by small indications

texts:
I'm trying to think of an idiom for knowing/ predicting what someone is thinking or about to do because you know them well.
The saying is actually Chinese or Cantonese 你翘一下尾巴我就知道你在想什么了 and roughly translates to "I'll know what you are thinking if you raise your tail".
To illustrate with a situation, it would be something involving two people. One person reacts to something, say they look up and see rain clouds and then the other person knows that the first person will want to go back to get an umbrella. Because they saw them look at the cloud and know their thinking, they were able to guess what they would do.
Another example, someone is eating salad and makes and looks around the table, then the other person hands them the salt. Because they know them so well they knew what they were thinking.


texts: Should I use "and anyway" or "and by the way" in the following case?

texts:
It's very unlikely for a planet to hit the Earth. And anyway, why is
  he so sure about it? He's not an astronomer."

  It's very unlikely for a planet to hit the Earth. And by the way, why
  is he so sure about it? He's not an astronomer."

"And by the way, why is he..." has more results in Google Books than "and anyway, why is he..." Not sure if I should trust those figures though.


texts: Is the usage of 'nor' correct, in this example, with no noun that follows: Not all people who go to the park are happy nor have hopes of feeling happy

texts:
Can 'nor' be used in the following way (without a noun that follows and comma that proceeds):

  Not all people who go to the park are happy nor have hopes of feeling better.

Or is this the only correct way in such a sentence:

  Not all people who go to the park are happy, nor do they have hopes of feeling better.


texts:
I was reading the following article and came across this usage of the word exist.

"There is evidence climate change is existing..."

There seems to be a shift happening in English in which verbs that were once considered off-limits for present progressive are being used with that tense.  "Love," seems to have been accepted, as well as "like."  To my mind, "exist" as it was used in this case is not supported, as something either exists or it doesn't...it's doesn't have a temporary aspect like "eat," "walk," or "read," to name a few examples.  I consulted several dictionaries, and "existing" could be used in the sense of "survive," "He is is existing off of beans and rice." but that is a different sense of the word than the meaning intended by the contestant, namely "to be real."

Does English usage support the word "exist" used in the present progressive tense, as in the above example?


texts: Is there an equivalent to "née" (birth name) for an *ex*-spousal name?

texts:
When a woman marries she often is able to identify her former surname (aka maiden name) using the term née (men can use né though it is less common).
If the woman later changes her name due to divorce or widowing/remarriage is there a term to use that would identify her former married name usage?

Example: In this article Meg Mathews is identified as "Famous for: being the former Mrs Noel Gallagher".

This means she has been able at various points in her life to use the following name forms:

Meg Mathews
Meg (née Mathews) Gallagher
Meg Gallagher
Mrs. Noel Gallagher
Meg Mathews (formerly Mrs. Noel Gallagher)

What I am wondering is if there is an English (or for that matter non-English) term which she could be identified by such as (this is hypothetical):

Meg (prév Gallagher) Mathews

I know this is EL&U but I am including in my request any applicable foreign terms since née is itself a foreign term adopted into English usage.


texts: Can I transition from past perfect tense to past tense while still referring to the past perfect context?

texts:
If I am describing a situation in past tense, then moving into past perfect, can I drop the "hads" so as to use simple past tense verb forms again, but still keep reference to the past perfect context I have created?
Example 1 (with hads):
"I sat down on the bench. As I ate slowly and stared into space, I remembered a time when I had sat in that very same spot. A man had approached me and had asked if he could sit down. I had nodded, and he had sat down. Tears had filled his eyes. He had begun to cry."
The "hads" in this example riddle the prose like botflies. Can I obviate them without savaging the grammar?
Example 2 (reduced hads):
"I sat down on the bench. As I ate slowly and stared into space, I remembered a time when I had sat in that very same spot. A man had approached me and asked if he could sit down. I nodded, and he sat down. Tears filled his eyes. He began to cry."
This example takes advantage of some constructs where I believe that "had" can be dropped, without losing the context.
"A man had approached me and asked if he could sit down." Here the past perfect tense is initiated by "had approached". A second "had" does not appear to be necessary with "asked".
The following sentences "I nodded, and he sat down. Tears filled his eyes." are in simple past and past continuous tenses. But they are betting on the past perfect tense being retained from the prior sentence "A man had approached me and asked if he could sit down." Is this grammatically sound?


texts: Why does the author use ‘would’ in “I would kill him inchmeal just now”?

texts:
I am a sanguinary murderer of time, and would kill him inchmeal just now. But the snake is vital.

I'm confused because of "just now". Doesn't that mean 'a short while ago'? If so, why is there 'would'?


texts: In what parts of the world do "again" and "rain" rhyme?

texts: I sometimes read rhyming poetry where  "again" and "rain" are clearly meant to rhyme. However in my accent they don't rhyme at all.   I am now wondering in which accents they do rhyme.


texts: 'Paper is used for writing on' or 'Paper is used for writing', which one is grammatically correct?

texts:
Paper is used for writing on. or  Paper is used for writing.

... which one is grammatically correct ?

Chopsticks are used for eating. or Chopsticks are used for eating with?

This desk is used for putting the computer. or This desk is used for putting the computer on?

Of the three pairs of sentences, which is/are correct in each case?
Wikipedia [Now at Prezi, EA] [a parallel example at SimpleWikipedia] includes in a brief introduction about paper

Paper, a thin unwoven material made from milled plant fibers, is
primarily used for writing, artwork, and packaging.

Here used for writing, not writing on.
However in an English textbook for Junior Three students in China, when it comes to the usage of some objects, an example

paper is used for writing on

is given.
So I want to know when a preposition, after an ing-form and possibly a noun phrase in such sentence structures, can be omitted. Why does the textbook give

[The lock] is used for locking the door.

but not

[The lock] is used for locking the door with?


texts: You're both of us' child / You're both of our child / You're both of ours child - Why are these all ungrammatical?

texts:
There was an interesting question on our  sister site ELL:

Is “Both of our child” valid?

Suppose a kid asks their mother "Am I your child or Dad's child?": Why are the alternatives in the title grammatically wrong?

*You're both of us' child
*You're both of our child
*You're both of ours child

After all we can have coordinated plurals as the possessors:

You're [Mary and John]'s child

You can obviously have:

You're [the McDonald]'s child

You can have:

You're [the couple who robbed them]'s child

Yes, I know: it's not elegant - but it's grammatical nonetheless.

What reasons are there for the examples in the title being ungrammatical?

This question isn't about how to rephrase the kid's answer. It's about why the examples are ungrammatical.


texts:
I'm not sure if this is the right area for this question but here we go. I'm in the middle of an essay (for a college English class) and I reference several book series by name. I know the individual books would be italicized but how are series' names formatted? I've done a quick google search and there appear to be conflicting responses.
Two book series that I reference are the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Thanks!


texts: What is the word for a scenario in which all choices lead to the same outcome

texts: Does such a word even exist?  If not, what should I use as an alternative?


texts: Historically, did "Oh my Gosh" originate as an anti-God expression?

texts:
There is a tendency in traditionally Christian societies (grossly speaking, the West) to leave behind words or expression which allude to such heritage or faith. A familiar example is CE and BCE instead of AD and BC. I'm interested here with the case of "Oh my Gosh", which is used instead of "Oh my God".

Now, according to this answer, the first time this word was used as replacement for God was in the 16th century by Nicholas Udall, who was himself a religious person (at one point he became a vicar, actually). So, although not in its origin, has the use of such word become as an expression of anti-theism? By anti-theism I mean the rejection of theism, not confined to but exemplified by atheism.


texts: What to say instead of “Ladies and Gentlemen”?

texts:
What do I say instead of Ladies and Gentlemen  if there are many men and only one woman present? Should I say:

Lady and Gentlemen
Gentlemen and Lady
Madam and Gentlemen
or something else?


texts: Can anyone give me some sample sentences that fit each definitions of "skittish"?

texts:
I have searched for its meaning in online dictionaries, and have found about 5 meanings for the word "skittish". Those meanings are

  lively or frisky in action
  (Of a person) playfully frivolous or unpredictable
  coy, bashful
  (of an animal, especially of a horse) excitable or easily scared.
  fickle or uncertain

Google translate has provided some sample sentences, but I don't know how to use it to discover what kind of context will fit well with each of these definitions, so please help me out.


texts: The use of "or", "and" and commas in a sentence where various verbs should be correlated to various subjects

texts:
Assume you have a sentence where nk verbs v(1), ..., v(nk) should be correlated to n subjects s(1), ..., s(n), and you would like that, for each i = 0, ..., k-1, v(ni+1), ..., v(ni+k) are correlated only to s(i). Can anything in these lines be accomplished by an appropriate use of "or'', "and'', and commas? A concrete example would be as follows:

  [...] the obvious advantage of the underlying philosophy is, in fact, that various constructions, or questions, or theorems and conjectures can be conceived and performed, or formulated and answered, or stated and/or proved once and for all, without any need to replicate them in each case as if they were completely unrelated.

Here, the subjects are "constructions", "questions", and "theorems and conjectures", and the corresponding verbs are "conceived" and "performed", "formulated" and "answered", and "stated" and "proved". Does the sentence sound correct? An alternative phrasing would be as follows:

  [...] the obvious advantage of the underlying philosophy is, in fact, that various constructions can be conceived and performed, and questions formulated and answered, and theorems and conjectures stated or proved once and for all, without any need to replicate them in each case as if they were completely unrelated.

But for some reason this sounds even more weird to me. Thank you in advance for any help or suggestion.


texts:
Ultimate fist pumping workout.

  My friend threw out her shoulder by fist pumping at a club once.

The comment was made from a gif. In this gif, it shows a man doing a workout holding a barbell without the plates while pumping his fists.


texts:
What does "walk out" mean here?

“I wish we could just split the tab using a simple app on our phone, and just walk out like Uber” others will say. http://techcrunch.com/2014/12/24/the-greasy-underpan-of-restaurant-tech/

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/walk+out
Obviously, both definitions are not applied here.


texts: What is the meaning of the phrase 'Here be dragons'?

texts:
What does here be dragons mean in the example below?

  WARNING Here be dragons. Relative source binding can not only encourage
  bad application practices, such as binding to things defined in codebehind
  instead of following a pattern such as ViewModel, but also be hard
  to debug, especially when you get into changes to DataContext set by external
  consumers of your user control.


texts: Where can I find a list of ways to get rid of the preposition "of"?

texts:
I'm learning English. Unfortunately I have some obstacles in writing and speaking. In particular I often note that there are too many "of"-s in my sentences. For instance I want to get rid of them in the phrase "quality of this approach to the conundrum of enhancing my vocabulary" and I don't know if I can write "word memorization" instead of "memorization of the words". However "of" is a very common preposition and thus it's not a good keyword for googling.

Do you know any hints and grammar rules I can use for reconstruction of sentences to lower the usage of "of" or any links I can make a use of for finding this information or some good keywords for searching?


texts: What is the correct grammar to describe a vast range of things in a list (without listing them off)?

texts:
If I wanted to describe a large variety of things in a given space, how could I do that?
For example - In my library, we have bought a bunch of supplies to create a Makerspace. How could I describe the variety we have without listing everything off?
"I grew our collection to include a variety of Makerspace materials, from modular robotics to wood carving, sewing supplies to Scratch-based coding units."
Is that correct? Is there a better way? Thank you!


texts: Is it true that Chinese speakers have troubles with 'r's and 'l's in English words?

texts: It is such a sterotype that Chinese speakers mix up 'r's and 'l's that I always assumed it to be true. Is this the case and, if so, why? The tongue position is totally different.


texts: Is there a word or phrase to define several words linked by hyphens, such as in "a sit-back-and-wait-for-it attitude"

texts:
some more examples:

"And she gave me that aren't-I-just-gorgeous smile."
"The I-did-it-my-way approach."
"A from-this-day-forward-I-have-no-son scene."


texts:
Microsoft® Encarta® 2009 reads as follows

Because and for are both used to introduce reasons that justify a
statement as distinct from giving a reason for it:
You must have forgotten to invite them, because they didn't turn up.
He blushed, for he knew he had been caught out.

Using the same two examples above, how would I "give a reason for a statement" instead?


texts: Capitalization/Proper use of apostrophe for omitted letters at start of quotation

texts:
Suppose I have a character who can’t pronounce the letter b, and I have him start a sentence with “bananas” in dialogue.

Is this correct, using a single quotation mark in front of a pointing away from a:

  “’ananas! What will I do now?” Arun said.

Should I capitalize the a of “ananas”? It’s at the beginning of the sentence.


texts: "I have been feeling good for the past few days. " and " I have been feeling good since yesterday." Which one is grammatically correct? And why we use "the" past few days?


texts: Children will be children vs Children are children

texts:
Children will be children. They always have been noisy.

Why use future tense in the first sentence and present prefect tense in the second sentence? If it's same meaning to "Children are children. They are always noisy"?


texts: Synonym for "Public-Private Power Networks"

texts:
I'm working on an article about political systems, which are composed of various elements, including government, media, law enforcement, military, etc.

But I can't think of a name for another element I want to include. I tentatively coined the term "public-private power networks," but I'd like to know if a word or phrase for this thing already exists.

Basically, I'm referring to the power structure where corporate interests, law firms, politicians and other corrupt entities network via board memberships, etc.

For example, there's a shady organization here in Seattle called the Alliance for Education that lists fifty people among its board of directors and "directors emeritus." They include Microfsoft, Boeing, Weyerhauser, several law firms and people who call themselves "community volunteers."

Many of these same people sit on other corporate boards. Some have been appointed to government agencies or "citizens' committees." Some may hold key positions in environmental groups. Many have spouses, relatives or close friends who have similar positions on various boards.

I'm basically talking about cronyism. However, my focus is on the high-level cronyism that generally shuts out ordinary citizens. For example, my cousin might help me get a job with a particular employer, but he could never get me appointed to the Alliance for Education or any other organization with such "star power."

Anyway, can anyone tell me if there's a name for this phenomenon? I'm particularly looking for a noun or phrase, but would welcome verbs as well.

P.S. I should also emphasize the fact that the networking I'm referring to acts as sort of an interface between the private sector (e.g. corporate interests) and the public sector (e.g. government).

UPDATE

Al Maki added a new term to my vocabulary - interlocking directorates. That's probably the best answer so far, but it's a little too restricted for the context I've described, in my opinion. Cronyism is a good suggestion, but it's way too broad; cronyism can occur just about anywhere, and it's hard to think of an adjective that really makes it work.

I suddenly realized that the term shadow government might work. Everyone knows that corporations (and the super rich) run the government, and they probably make most of their decisions at board meetings. So shadow government could be a euphemism for the de facto government.

I haven't posted it as the answer, though, because I don't think the rules allow us to coin new terms. So this question officially has no best answer.


texts: What is the word for inserting additional letters when pronouncing a word?

texts:
A while back I ran across a word that described the act of inserting additional letters or sounds when a person pronounces a word (which results in a mispronunciation).  What is the word that has this meaning?

Update:
My original example wasn't very good, but Brian Donovan provided a good example--decathlon pronounced as "decathalon" (inserting a second "a" sound where there is no "a").

Another example: hamster pronounced as "hampster"


texts:
Can I use the adjectives super-duper, ultra, and mega in one adjective? For example,

  A super-duper ultra mega huge dome.


texts: A word/phrase for an "I-should-have...." kind of feeling?

texts:
I am trying to find a word for a feeling in a scenario that goes something like this:

Suppose I was shopping for a watch at a place. I found the watch in Shop A and bought it at $30. Hours later, I saw a similar watch in Shop B selling at only $10. That is $20 cheaper. I felt like "oh my god, I should have not bought so early!".

In the example above, I felt devastated? No, I don't think I feel devastated. It's not that bad. I probably just felt "shucks only if I had....". But what's a proper word/phrase to describe this?

Is there a word or a phrase for this ahh-shucks-I-should-have-done-it-differently feeling?


texts: Subject-Verb Agreement in "Neither" Comparison (see example)

texts:
I am not sure about the form of the verb that follows "neither". Should it be a singular or plural verb?

For example:

  Admittedly, being a celebrity is not easy, but neither are being many other professionals who, unfortunately, receive much less compensation.

P.S. I came across another sentence on the Internet that says "Being single is not easy, but neither is being married."  Here, the verb following "neither" is singular. So, may I ask what is the rule here?


texts:
The considerable debt of gratitude I have incurred to Mr X since I have known him, has continued to grow during this last period.

Is the use of since in the above sentence grammatically correct? Does the oddness I feel about it have to do with the tense?

Also I would like to know if this sentence sounds somehow cumbersome as a whole, because I just tried to translate it from another language.


texts: Someone whose sole aim is to make another person’s life difficult

texts:
What are some good words that have the meaning of doing something only to make another’s life difficult?

My ex is suing me for my car. He bought it for me and now wants it back.  I am in a different relationship happily married and he wants to hurt me any way he can. He’s a narcissistic jerk and we have court tomorrow for the car, so I’m looking for a word or word to describe the way he is being.


texts:
Is there any word to describe something that has lightning/tree/vein like structure?

Edit:

I forgot to mention that I'd prefer a word that emphasizes the random nature of these structures. Otherwise branching (as suggested by Harrold) seems fitting.


texts:
The Oxford English Dictionary defines "bear witness" as

1- Testify to.

2- State or show one’s belief in.

Are both these definitions correct? I mean for instance, you don't bear witness or become a witness in a courtroom to "show your belief". You do it if you are an eye-witness or have solid evidence.

Please clarify this. Thanks.


texts:
Can you please explain what it means:
"Be driven and you might not get run over."
 It does not make any sense for me. It is like post for motivating. For dreamer. Thanks


texts:
Which is the correct one?
1. God is present everywhere
2. God is present at everywhere
3. God presents everywhere
4. God presents at everywhere


texts: What's the meaning & story behind this `Streisand`?

texts:
I saw following paragraph from: https://basecamp.com/gettingreal/16.1-start-your-engines

  You need people who are passionate about what they do. People who care
  about their craft — and actually think of it as a craft. People who
  take pride in their work, regardless of the monetary reward involved.
  People who sweat the details even if 95% of folks don’t know the
  difference. People who want to build something great and won’t settle
  for less. People who need people. OK, not really that last one but we
  couldn’t resist throwing a little Streisand into the mix. Anyhow, when
  you find those people, hold onto them. In the end, the folks on your
  team will make or break your project — and your company.

Regarding the sentence in bold above, it seems like a joke for me, but I failed to understand its background, even after googling.
So, what is this Streisand stands for, and what story is behind ?


texts: Can starting with: "The bottom line is" be considered redundant if the reader can clearly see that's, in fact the bottom line

texts:
My questions is, can the expression "the bottom line is" be considered redundant in an example like so:

"[A long, detailed text or answer.]
The bottom line is, it doesn't really matter."

Would it be appropriate to rewrite the last sentence in a more compact way e.g.

So, it doesn't really matter.

Thanks for the answers.


texts: What is the woman version of the “straight man”?

texts:
There was the following paragraph in the article that came under the headline, “Hillary Clinton: Dead-on comic, Dull politician" in the New Yorker (September 22):

  “Bud Abbott, the most famous of all straight men, faced a personal
  crisis in the nineteen-fifties. While industry insiders knew he was
  the genius behind the team, the public loved his far more outrageous
  partner, Lou Costello, who demanded a disproportionately high share of
  their pay. Abbott went along for a while but, eventually, quit in
  fury.”

We call a straight man of a comedy duo “ボケ- boke,” meaning an outright innocent man or a dunce, and his / her aggressive partner “突っ込み‐Tukkomi” meaning a jabber in Japanese.

Can we call a woman of comedy duo who plays straight character a straight woman?


texts: What is the difference between a "guess" and a "hunch"?

texts: Can both "guess" and "hunch" be used interchangeably or is there a minute difference? I know it doesn't apply to the phrase 'I guess', but generally when do you use "hunch"?


texts:
'coined' is past tense of 'coin'
Is recoined a real word? It is not listed in Oxford dictionary.


texts: Someone is a .... user of a something, to say he is using it daily or a lot?

texts:
Is it correct to refer to someone who is using something a lot, by 'a big user of ...'. I'm talking here specially about software usage.
Is there an accurate word ?


texts: What are the indigenous English words for a prostitute?

texts:
Prostitution is referred to as the oldest profession, but the English word "prostitute" is a borrowing that started being used in the English language around 1600. I would like to know what the prostitutes were most commonly called in Britain before.

My question is this: What are the main original English words or short expressions for women who regularly engage in sexual activity for payment?

Please kindly note that my question is not about women who have many casual sexual encounters or relationships just for fun. My question is about making money in this way.

Please also kindly note that my question is not about being financially supported or provided for by a lover. My question is about selling sex to different customers and taking money for individual sex sessions.

Also, my question is not about old words that recently became a slang or euphemistic word for a prostitute, like "escort" or "hooker." I am looking for words that were used as most standard words for a prostitute before the word "prostitute" came into existence in the English language.

Whether a word survived or got extinct is irrelevant. What is important is whether the word was among the most commonly used words for a prostitute before ~1600.

My question is not strictly limited to words of English origin, although my primary interest is about them. At any rate, only those borrowed words qualify that were borrowed well before the word "prostitute" was.

I know the word "whore," but my impression is that it is very derogatory, so I especially want to learn nice English words, similar to 遊女 (woman of pleasure), which pay more respect to the oldest profession than "whore" does.

I did my own research, but was largely unsuccessful. A very interesting Wikipedia article, entitled "Prostitution in the United Kingdom," says that prostitutes were licensed in Britain as early as 1161, but does not say what the prostitutes were commonly called at that time in everyday communications and in legislative acts. The word "courtesan" was borrowed at about the same time when the word "prostitute" was. Apart from the word "courtesan," the Oxford dictionary lists the following archaic words synonymous to "prostitute":

  strumpet, harlot, trollop, wanton, woman of ill repute, lady of pleasure, Cyprian, doxy, drab, quean, trull, wench

Opening the definitions of these words, I did not find much beyond simple statements that the word is an archaic word for a prostitute, so it is unclear which of these words were the most commonly used and what their usage was (i.e., whether it was a legal term, a common neutral word for the profession, a nice or neutral slang word, or a derogatory slang word). Using Google Books Ngram Viewer to check the above words does not seem to be a useful idea, because the time period in question ends about 1600. There might also be extinct words that are not included in the Oxford dictionary but were commonly used in the past.

What I want is to learn what the prostitutes were most commonly called in everyday communications and official documents before 1600, i.e., just a short list of 1-3 words or so with remarks about the usage.


texts:
I was trying to understand which one to use. If someone says "I don't like you" Should I say "me neither", "neither do I" or "me either"?
If she says "I hate you", what will be the difference and why?


texts:
I have a debate with a friend about the following sentence.

We have only one goal - to give you the control of your finances.

My friend argues that "the" in this sentence is wrong, saying it is unnecessary and therefore wrong.

My argument is that the "the" in this case suggests that you have ALL the control while control without an article could mean that you would only have some of the control.

Another point of discussion is the word "of" in this sentence. He says it should be "over your finances", while I think both work but "of your finances" sounds better.

I hope I've made my case clear. I am not a native Engish speaker, so not sure whether I am in the right place here.


texts: How would changing the stress position in descriptive phrases change the meaning?

texts:
Usually in a phrase composed of an adjective followed by a noun, the noun gets the most stress, and in a phrasal verb like (go on, sit down, stand up) the preposition gets the most stress. However today I was reading in a book about American accent that for the sake of sentence balance, the stress can shift to the first element without changing the meaning. The stress change indicates that it's not the end of the sentence, but rather, there is more to come.

Example of the first scenario from a story (words in bold are stressed):

  There is a little girl. Her name is Goldilocks. She is in a sunny forest. She sees a small house.
  She knocks on the door, but no one answers. She goes inside. In the large room, there are three chairs. Goldilocks sits on the biggest chair, but it is too high.

Example after paraphrasing of the same story:

  There is a little girl called Goldilocks. She is walking through a sunny forest and sees a small
  house. She knocks on the door, but no one answers. She goes inside to see what's there. There are three chairs in the large room. Goldilocks sits on the biggest chair. It's too high for her to sit on.

To what extent is this accurate? Is it real when I shift the stress to the adjective in the second scenario, the meaning don't change as my book says?

And I quote from the book

  "One of the most fascinating things about spoken English is how the intonation prepares the listener for what is coming. As you know, the main job of intonation is to announce new information. However, there is a secondary function, and that is to alert the listener of changes down the road. Certain shifts will be dictated for the sake of sentence balance. Set phrases and contrast don't change, but the intonation of a descriptive phrase will move from the second word to the first, without changing the meaning. The stress change indicates that it's not the end of the sentence, but rather, there is more to come. This is why it is particularly important to speak in phrases, instead of word by word."


texts: Where does the phrase "the many faces of ..." originate?

texts:
There are countless titles of the form "the many faces of ...".  A quick Google search finds nearly 500 million hits, starting with "The Many Faces of the Public Domain", "The Many Faces of the Freshman Seminar", "The Many Faces of Go" and "The Many Faces of Influence Infographic".
What is the origin of the phrase "the many faces of ...", in particular when used in a title?

The closest I came to finding an answer was a search using Google Ngram Viewer.  This seems to show that use of "the many faces of ..." really took off around 1955.  Thus, probably the origin of the phrase is neither the Bible nor Shakespeare.


texts: Why is the definite article used in: ”What happened to the rest of "the" soup”?

texts:
I have been bewildered semantically by the use of the in front of soup in the following sentence.

What happened to the rest of the soup that we ate yesterday?

I have come across this sentence while reading a book called 'A' and 'The' Explained: A Learner's Guide to Definite and Indefinite Articles, written by Seonaid Beckwith.
This is actually an exercise: which is more appropriate to use "the" or no article in the parentheses in the sentence What happened to the rest of () soup that we ate yesterday? The author says the answer is "the."
Perhaps, the sentence means: There was soup. We ate some of it and left the rest over. What happened to the rest of the (whole) soup? I have thought "the soup that we ate yesterday" is now "in our stomachs," so there is no leftover soup regarding "the soup that we ate yesterday."
It's like What happened to the rest of the money that we spent yesterday? Literally, the money has been already spent, and thus there is no money left. When the definite article is used in the expression the rest of the noun, I suppose the noun represents the whole, not some, of it, as the rest generally calls for.
Indeed, the soup that we ate yesterday is apparently some, not all, of the whole soup prepared, and has already been consumed; so I presume the rest of the soup that we ate yesterday no longer exists.
Language is not always completely logical; some wiggle room is left for interpretation; and common sense plays a role in understanding a sentence.
Anyway, do you see any hiccup in the sentence What happened to the rest of the soup that we ate yesterday? as a native speaker?
Could you provide any reasoning or grammatical explanation on the use of the in front of soup?


texts: Is it acceptable to use "Just wondering" as a question?

texts:
I often find myself writing sentences such as:
"I am wondering if the landlord replied to you yet?"

And I always end up removing the question mark and rephrasing the sentence. In speech it is easy to inflect such a sentence so as to infer that it is a question, but in reality "I am wondering" is a statement and I feel it should not have a question mark when written down.

So is it acceptable to use "I am wondering" as a question?


texts: Using the plural form of proprietary for software

texts:
I came across this sentence in an article.

There is a balance of proprietary and open sources in the market.

Should it be either of the following instead?

There is a balance of proprietaries and open sources in the market.

There is a balance of proprietary and open source software in the market.


texts: What does "thrice-blessed" mean in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" Act 1 Scene 1?

texts:
There was a line in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" Act 1 Scene 1 that says:

"... Thrice-blessèd they that master so their blood
To undergo such maiden pilgrimage." (Theseus)

So, could anyone tell me the meaning of "Thrice-blessed"? Because I can't find it on the web. The meaning of blessed three times sounds strange, but if it is, what is the origin?
Thank you very much!
Edit:
I searched on SparkNotes and the translation said:

People who can restrain their passions and stay virgins forever are holy.

So, "thrice-blessèd" means holy???


texts: When to use a comma before coordinating conjunctions?

texts:
I understand that a serial comma (the one used before and/or) is used only when we have three or more items to be separated using and/or.

What exactly is the rule that governs where to add a comma before an and/or in a sentence such as the following:

  S1: I went to John's house, and I watched a movie there.
  S2: I went to John's house and there I watched a movie.
  S3: Look around for any evidence that might reveal the identity of the intruder, and carefully place that evidence in a plastic bag, so
  it can be examined closely at headquarters.

I have seen S1 written both with and without comma. Which is correct; why?

What would be the right way to punctuate S2; why?

Should there be a comma before so in S3 or not; why/why not?


texts: What are some synonyms for "mindbody" or "psychosomatic"?

texts:
I'm open to synonyms for "mindbody" either as a noun (the combination of mind and body as one unit) or as an adjective (e.g. "psychosomatic" or "psychogenic").

But I can't have "psycho" in the term since that sometimes has unintended connotations.

And I'd prefer it to be only one or two syllables if possible.  If you can't think of any in English, non-English would also be interesting.  Thanks!

UPDATE: I should have more clearly stated that I'm trying to dumb down the language to make it as accessible and friendly as possible, so words like "somatization" are also not ideal.


texts: Does "mouse" in the computer sense come from nautical slang?

texts:
Computer "mouse"   is an English term known and used worldwide. Reference about its origin appears to suggest that the term, which obviously refers to the shape of a small mouse, may actually come from nautical slang.

  The trackball (also known as the computer mouse) a related pointing device, was invented in 1941 by Ralph Benjamin as part of a post-World War II-era fire-control radar plotting system called Comprehensive Display System. Benjamin was then working for the British Royal Navy Scientific Service.

(Wikispaces.com)

  Mouse in the computer sense is from 1965,  though applied to other things resembling a mouse in shape since 1750, mainly nautical.

(Etymonline)

  The earliest known publication of the term mouse as a computer pointing device is in Bill English's 1965 publication "Computer-Aided Display Control".

(Wikipedia)

One nautical usage I could find refers to a technique called mousing:

  a wrapping of several turns of small stuff around the shank end of a hook.

The first mouse (1965)

Questions:

Is there any evidence that may suggest that the "trackball" device invented by Ralph Benjamin was colloquially referred to as "mouse" before the 1965 publication?
Does the term "mouse" actually come from nautical slang.


texts: "A whole nother" way of looking at things

texts: People say this so much (instead of "another whole" way, etc.) that I wonder how it got started.  How did "another whole..." get changed to "a whole nother..."?


texts:
Is there a term for the point at which returns begin to be diminishing returns?

  The law of diminishing returns states that in all productive
  processes, adding more of one factor of production, while holding all
  others constant ("ceteris paribus"), will at some point yield lower
  incremental per-unit returns"

Not necessarily in economic / production theory, except metaphorically. I was thinking about using it in a sentence about further study, or existential dread.