texts: Why does "tell me about it" not mean "tell me about it"?

texts:
A commonly used American phrase, but one that still baffles me if I stop and think about it. Why does "tell me about" actually mean, "I understand what you're talking about as I have experienced it myself". Not only are you not literally inviting the person to go into more detail, but (most confusingly) you're actually kind of suggesting that they don't need to tell you any more. Which is the very opposite of what you've said.

For example:

Employee 1: (reading a letter from management)   "It says I'm being laid off. Can you believe that?"
Employee 2: (holding up a similar letter) "Tell me about it."

For such a simple and straightforward phrase, I'm confused as to how it morphed into meaning something else. You could argue that the person is being sarcastic when they say it: "Tell me about it -- as if I don't already know!", but it's usually said in a sympathetic tone, not a deriding one.

Where did it originate, and how did it get its unusual meaning? For non-native speakers, it can be very confusing!


texts: Word for passing a vehicle going the other way

texts:
Is there another word besides "pass" that more accurately specifies the act of two vehicles going past each other in opposite directions, as opposed to overtaking a vehicle going the same direction?

I want to be able unambiguously to explain right-of-way to bicyclists who insist I move to the far edge when I'm walking against the traffic.


texts:
When "parent" is used as a transitive verb, it should be grammatically correct to use "be parented by" as in the examples in the following pages:

https://www.lexico.com/definition/parent
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/microsoft.build.construction.projectelementcontainer.insertbeforechild?view=msbuild-16-netcore

However, I see some usage of "be parented to" in technical documentation or discussion, such as the following:

https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/Maya-Tech-Docs/Commands/parent.html
https://answers.unity.com/questions/172804/determining-what-an-object-is-parented-to.html
https://devforum.roblox.com/t/attachment-must-be-parented-to-partinstance/613870

There seem to be more pages using this construction, but I'm not sure it's a syntactically proper expression.
Is "be parented to" grammatically correct? If so, could you explain the meaning of it (in comparison to "be parented by")?


texts: "You busy traveler, you" - what is that called

texts:
I came across a sign in the "TSA pre-check" lane at the airport today that said "Keep those shoes on. You busy traveler, you.":

There are three things here that caught my eye. First - "those" shoes, rather than "your" shoes. Second - the period after "on." - it seems that it is not needed. Third - "you traveler, you". I am familiar with the usage, but don't know what that construction is called, nor what effect is the author is trying to achieve with it? It feels to me they are trying to be lighthearted. Is that correct?

A bit of context for people outside of the USA: the TSA "pre-check" lane is a fast lane for "trusted travelers". The benefit is that you get to keep your shoes on (in the regular check, your shoes go through the Xray), you don't have to go through the body scanner (just metal detector), and don't have to take your laptop and liquids out of your carry-on. When you are in a hurry, that does save a few seconds.

PS - earliest hit found on Google for "you busy traveler, you" is from December 2, 2013 in a tweet by TSA


texts: Is there a single word for "love of quality"?

texts:
I'm editing my CV and I'd like to let readers know that I love quality. Since these things tend to get too wordy already, I'm looking to cut down on clutter, and potentially impress the busy HR people by making them google an obscure word. I'm sure they'll love it.

So, is there a word (or short phrase) for love of/for quality?

Edit: Obscurity is not a requirement, I just imagined it would be so because I couldn't come up with one. Which is quite arrogant of me.


texts: Can the preposition "pace" only be used for a parenthetical purpose?

texts:
Definition of pace from Merriam-Webster:

(Entry 3 of 3): contrary to the opinion of — usually used as an expression of deference to someone's contrary opinion.

The MW provides the following example sentence, in which "pace" is used after a comma for a parenthetical purpose.

Easiness is a virtue in grammar, pace old-fashioned grammarians.

The English Oxford Living Dictionaries also provides the similar examples sentences, like Merriam-Webster; the preposition "pace" is used for a parenthetical purpose:

‘narrative history, pace some theorists, is by no means dead’

‘And none of these - pace your earlier comments - have gimps, do they?’

‘Legislation development services, pace my learned friend's submissions, clearly can include some forms of advertising.’

My Question: is this the only way to use the preposition "pace"? or there are uses of it other than using it merely for a parenthetical purpose.


texts: Which of these is most correct, and why?

texts:
He called me over FaceTime
He called me by Facetime.
He called me through FaceTime.
He called me via FaceTime.
He called me with FaceTime.

FaceTime = A calling service from Apple.


texts: Is “a pile-on” in “This week’s ad wars in Iowa presage a pile-on” used as an objective or adverbially?

texts:
There was the following line in Time magazine’s (December 9) article, titled, “All Eyes on Des Moines as GOP Candidates Head into Crucial Debate.”

  This week’s ad wars in Iowa presage a pile-on: Gingrich was the target of a blistering Ron Paul ad, and over the past two days Mitt Romney’s team has emerged from its defensive crouch to attack Gingrich on a variety of fronts in an effort to sow doubts about his conservative credentials, character and long career in Washington.

Though I understand “a pile-on” in “This week’s ad wars in Iowa presage a pile-on” means “a lot” or “lots of things,” I can’t tell whether it is used as the objective (noun) of “presage” or the adverb to modify presage (There is no definition of pile-on as a noun in neither Cambridge nor Merriam-Webster dictionary).

I’m afraid there wouldn’t be much difference either way I take it, but grammatically speaking, which way should I take it?


texts: What would be the American equivalent of "Dickensian"?

texts:
An event, be it historical or cultural, is often expressed by the time period in which it occurred, or is reminiscent of.

For instance, British speakers will use the term Dickensian for people, events or situations that remind them of the novels of Charles Dickens set in the Victorian era.

  The photograph from the past is the proud possession of Mrs Vivienne Smith of Mitchell Street, Colne, whose husband, James, is the most enterprising character, being, in both business and pleasure, a true Dickensian personality  (source)

and

  In a world where microwaves, televisions and even fast wi-fi connections are deemed basic household necessities, it is hard to believe these images of Glasgow slums are less than 50 years old.
  Families living in one room without running water and electricity but surrounded by damp and vermin might sound Dickensian. Yet it was reality for many living in the city’s squalid tenements in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
  Mail Online

From UK Reuters, written in 2009, we have the following

  UK children still living in "Dickensian" poverty
  Some British children are living in such poverty that their lives mirror the suffering of those in the "times of Dickens," a teachers' union leader says

Supposing, for instance, I wanted to write about abject poverty today in the US and compare it to the Great Depression period, which American author would evoke the same imagery and connotations as Dickens? In other words, which appropriate American author's name could I use as an adjective?


texts: Is the word "film" considered an umbrella term for movies, tv-series etc. or is it only used when referring to movies?


texts: Is "direct" a synonym of "insensitive" in U.S. English?

texts:
In comments to this question on Japanese.SE the asker claimed:

  Direct is a synonym to "insensitive", at least in U.S. work
  environment

This sounds quite strange to me.

M-W says for insensitive:

  1 a :  not responsive or susceptible
  insensitive to the demands of the public
  b :  lacking feeling or tact
  so insensitive as to laugh at someone in pain
  2:  not physically or chemically sensitive

and direct

  2 free in expressing one's true feelings and opinions
  our coach is very direct, never hesitating for a moment to tell a player whenever he isn't performing up to snuff

I guess one might equate "lacking feeling or tact" with "free in expressing one's true feelings and opinions" but it's a bit of a stretch IMO.

Is "insensitive" really used in this sense in U.S.?


texts: 'Hit on someone' means like 'flirt with someone'. Then when I wanna make the tone stronger, can i put 'up' like

texts:
Hit up on someone

is it ok in american english, or british english?

or it would be ok but as a native(american or english), almost no one say 'hit up on someone'? 99% says 'hit on someone' only?

Thanks teachers:)


texts: Can "up to" ever mean "more than" or "at least"?

texts:
I am not a native English speaker, but I have been learning it for a long time.
Now, in my English textbook written in my language (not English), I saw the following sentence:

We sell up to 10 computers a day.

I thought the equivalent of this sentence would be

We sell at most 10 computers a day.

because up to means indicating a maximum amount according to Google's dictionary, and to my knowledge. This should basically mean

We sell 10 or fewer computers a day.

However, the corresponding translation listed right below that sentence in my textbook says in my language:

We sell at least 10 computers a day.

I thought this textbook was wrong, and wanted to call the publisher about this, but I thought I should ask some of my American friends who were born and grew up in the U.S. and whose mother tongue is English.
Surprisingly, some of them said the textbook is actually correct, and the sentence can mean "more than 10 computers" or "at least 10 computers", and the rest of them said the textbook is wrong because up to should only mean "at most" or "less/fewer than".

Now, I don't know which one is correct.
So, can "up to" mean "more than" or "at least"?


texts: Usage of 'halcyon' to describe something other than a period of time

texts:
Can I use the term halcyon to mean calm or tranquil when describing something other than a period of time, especially a place or setting?

For example, does the following sentence seems unnatural or contrived?

  He walked through the halcyon temple, admiring the aging frescoes.

All dictionaries cite phrases like, "the halcyon days of summer" or "the halcyon years", but a few other sources which use it in other ways—often as proper names or when describing a tree kingfisher, genus Halcyon, but occasionally as a general purpose adjective. Still, I'm not sure how 'proper' this use is or if it has some kind of subtle connotation I'm not aware of.


texts:
I've just read this paragraph:

  It remains to Husserl' s credit that he did not give in to the superficial
  pessimism which repeats itself in every age but which grew to a crescendo
  in the 1920's, nor did he simply pronounce solutions.

The word "but" is seemingly used without its usual contrasting. Is this OK or I'm missing something?


texts: Is it proper to use all caps for an organization name that is not an acronym?

texts:
I'm editing copy for a nine-part educational series about a non-profit organization that I will call Foo Society here. They do admirable work and I'm happy to help more people learn about them. However, I'm a little conflicted about the way they have asked us to represent their name. On their own website, they use all caps, and they've asked us to do the same. They do this not only in headlines and in their logo, but even in ordinary sentences. For example:

FOO SOCIETY was recently commended by a United States Senator.

Obviously, it's their name and they can choose to write it as they like in their own materials. And I certainly understand that in logo treatments, it is common to use different capitalization for stylistic purposes.

However, when a third party is referring to the organization, is it acceptable to use all caps if the name is not actually an acronym?


texts: Can't understand two contradicting sentences in popular book

texts:
The following excerpted paragraph, from the original 1930s public domain version of the popular Think & Grow Rich book, reads as a contradiction that I'm having difficulty reconciling in my mind:

  AUTO-SUGGESTION is a term which applies to all suggestions and all
  self-administered stimuli which reach one's mind through the five
  senses. Stated in another way, auto-suggestion is self-suggestion. It is the agency of communication between that part of the mind where
  conscious thought takes place, and that which serves as the seat of
  action for the subconscious mind.

Potential Contradiction

The second sentence clearly states that...

  auto-suggestion is self-suggestion

I.e. A subset/type of suggestion just as self-image is a subset/type of image.

However the first sentence states that auto-suggestion...

  applies to all suggestions [...] which reach one's mind through the
  five senses.

I.e. All suggestions absolutely rather than mere subset/type of suggestion.

"Auto-Suggestion" ("Self-Suggestion") clearly implies suggestions made by the self to the self. The first sentence extends the definition to all suggestions which implies suggestions that are not of the self (suggestions from others).

My Question

How should I read/understand the first and second sentence?:

Suggestion from the self/others to the self are "Auto-Suggestion" ("Self-Suggestion").
"Auto-Suggestion" ("Self-Suggestion") consists only of suggestions from the self (but not others) to the self.

The specific use of "self" in...

  all self-administered stimuli

...implies a distinction. I.e. Why not correspondingly prefix the preceding...

  all suggestions

?

I.e.

  all self-suggestions

What I'm not asking:

A psychology question. Auto-suggestion is a method of psychology. Standard definitions exist in abundance online and I've accordingly cross-examined them. Please note that my question pertains to what the author was saying and if the author was contradicting himself and has no bearing on what the academic definition of auto-suggestion is nor does it require any member of this community to be familiar with psychology or any method thereof.


texts: Why does "all to the mustard" mean excellent?

texts: While reading P.G. Wodehouse's The Inimitable Jeeves I came across a fascinating expression of "all to the mustard!" It is defined as meaning excellent. Why? Can anyone please help me understand this expression?


texts:
I am confused with the use of plural or singular with the word "performance".

My context is the following: I am running multiple experiments in order to evaluate the performance(s?) of an algorithm.

I want to say that using method A is not relevant to evaluate the algorithms in term of performance(s?).

In my native language (French), that would be plural, but I think the logic is different in English. Is it uncountable? Is it always the case?

In the sentences above, should I write performance or performances?


texts: What’s the point of the apostrophe of “turned ’round” in a narration?

texts:
I can’t figure out why the writer didn’t write just turn around when it is not in a conversational part. I’ve met a lot of apostrophes in conversations in Harry Potter books, like ’Bye and C’mon, which are used to omit some letters, which, I think, sometimes contain the speakers’ subtle emotions in it. But this is my first time to find it in a narrative part. I’d like to know if the writer is trying to achieve some effect or something.

“Look!” said Ron suddenly, pointing out of the window.
Hagrid had just straightened up and turned ’round. (Harry Potter 4 [US Version]: p.266)


texts: Word/Idiom for 'one bad experience not ruining it for future encounters'

texts:
I'm looking for a word or idiom that helps describe the scenario where though you have had one bad experience with something it has not spoiled your view on that thing. Example:

  I had a bad experience working in services but that doesn't mean all services jobs are bad.


texts: A "model plane" or a "plane model": What's the difference?

texts:
Which question is correct? If they are both correct, what's the difference between these questions?

  How do you make a model plane?
  How do you make a plane model?


texts:
I have difficulty understanding dialogue in movies when the characters speak fast.

For example, I was watching The Lord of the Rings and became frustrated with my listening comprehension. I could not understand many sentences Gandalf said; when I turned on the subtitles there was not a word I did not know, but when he said it I just could not understand it.

This happens in other movies and even daily conversations. I tend to be better at catching the end of a sentence than the beginning. I’ve been in the UK for ten years now, so I don’t know what could be causing this, and since I don’t know its cause, I have no idea what to do to fix or improve it.

How can I improve my comprehension of rapid dialogue?


texts:
I came across the following sentence in a publication:
"The main source of knowledge are natural language texts."

Shouldn't it be "The main source of knowledge is natural language texts."?
Or maybe it can be re-written as "Natural language texts are the main source of knowledge."?


texts: What does 'crab' mean when describing a person?

texts:
In the Netflix series Mindhunter there is a scene where a person is asked to give their opinion about a female colleague. They reply with 'she's a crab'. I am sure that this is meant in a negative way but I don't know what it means exactly.
Is it somewhat related to 'crab apple'? Meaning the person is sour in a way.


texts:
In Mormon missionary culture, they use the word "trunky" to describe the feeling at the end of their two-year mission when they are tired, ready to go home, and are mentally packing their trunks to go home.  They have mentally checked out from their mission at hand.

I'm looking for a commonly used word or phrase that means generally the same thing as "trunky".


texts: In the phrase 'Answer True or False:' should 'True' and 'False' be capitalized?

texts:
Answer True or False:
  Answer true or false:
  Answer Yes or No:
  Answer yes or no:

Should I capitalize these words or not? Thank you for your help.


texts: Revealing that someone else is gay — counterpart to "come out"

texts:
If I reveal to my friend that I am gay, I'd say

  I came out to my friend.

How would I say that my friend told his friend (without asking me for permission) that I am gay?

  My friend [insert verb here] me to his friend.

Of course, I could say

  My friend told his friend that I am gay

But I am wondering if there is a phrase analogous to "come out".


texts: Articles a/the in the captions of photos or title of the books/movies

texts:
It is not really clear for me how should I translate captions for photos. For example, I made photo of bear and the caption should be "A Bear" or "The Bear" or just "Bear"? The same thing for "Autumn","Duck Family", "Regatta","Blossom", Spring Snow, Reflection, Old Lion, Morning Alley etc.
I know the general rule how to choose a/the articles when they used in conversation or any other text. But in caption/title it is little bit different and confusing. The caption or title in most cases describes something new for a reader, and as consequence, you cannot use THE, so it must be the A article. But for example name of the movie "The Omen". Why it is THE there? I didn't see the movie, so as I reader, I don't know what about this movie. So logically it should be "An Omen". the same thing for "The Terminator" for example. Also when you look at the photo, you already see and understand what is about. So title of photo can have THE. THE BEAR - means THAT BEAR, on the photo, not any other bear. Am I right?
Thank you in advance for your help.


texts: What would you call a "sheath" for a spherical object?

texts:
I was looking for a word to describe a sort of cloth sheath you could use to store a boule de pétanque. I found myself in the strange position of knowing the appropriate word in French (housse) and in Spanish (funda) but not in my native language. Both these words basically mean a covering. Those are the words used in their respective languages for a (hard or soft) guitar case for example.

I was imagining a kind of form-fitting sock that the boule could be put in.
The image I have in mind is something like the socks sold as protective covers for mobile phones:

What would that be called in English? I tried dictionary translation but got things like sheath, slipcover and dust cover. Sheath does not work on a sphere and the other two don't work for me in this context either (please let me know if you disagree).

The best I could come up with is a jacket but again, not as general as case. Basically I am looking for a word that would describe a form fitting, soft protective cover without implying hardness (case), a particular shape (sheath) or a specific use (dust cover makes me think of machinery and slipcover of furniture).

EDIT: I just thought of sleeve as in record sleeve but I am not sure that I've ever heard it used outside the context of records or CDs or disks in general. That's the type of thing I am looking for though, something that is used more to protect than to transport.

If you believe that one of the words I have mentioned is the best fit, please let me know. I feel they are not suited but am quite willing to accept I'm wrong on this one.


texts: What is the feeling called when you think someone is following you but really isn't?

texts:
What is that word that means you think someone is following you but really isn't? Still, you feel like someone is, so you keep on looking around for that person who doesn't exist.

Or it's like if someone flicks you all the time, and before they move you flinch or slap their hand away, or something like that. And no, it's not stalker!


texts: idiom for "if you are not improving, you are deteriorating"

texts:
Is there an idiom or expression for "if you are not improving, that means you are deteriorating"

Thank you


texts: Does "sb's ass" have a special meaning here, or just mean sb him/herself?

texts:
It may be a stupid question on this site, but it is somewhat bothering me:

WARNING: containing strong language.

In the movie Pulp Fiction, the character Marsellus Wallace says to Butch:

  You see, this profession is filled to the brim with unrealistic motherfuckers. Motherfuckers who thought their ass would age like wine. If you mean it turns to vinegar, it does. If you mean it gets better with age, it don't.

Clearly, it refers to their ass, then what does their ass refer to? Does it just refer to unrealistic motherfuckers? If it does, then for the last two lines, will it be equivalent to say:

  If you mean they (motherduckers) turn to vinegar, they do. If you mean they get better with age, it don't.

?

Or, is it the case that only an "ass" could turn to vinegar, but a human can't...?


texts: Does "exploitation" have only a negative meaning?

texts:
According to Oxford Living dictionaries, the term exploitation has two meanings.

  Treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work.
  The action of making use of and benefiting from resources.

When we say “exploitation of labour” or “workforce”, which definition is usually intended? Can it be used for the second meaning? And can the second definition be also negative?


texts: Are the tense and syntax in this sentence correct?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Future tense usage: “When you see it …”

  When he will arrive, he will call you.

Please let me know if the tense and syntax in this sentence are correct. If not, then why not?


texts: "Informative" is the adjectival form of "information". What's the adjectival form of "data"/"datum"?


texts: Is there a term for the process of unintentionally making easily understood tasks or objects more complicated after "re-designing" it?

texts:
I have a word on the tip of my tongue but I am unsure if it truly exists. Is there a term or concept either in design, architecture, programming, etc. that involves recreating or reinventing the way a person interacts or performs a task presumed to be efficient, simple and easy, however, due to the redesign or reinvention interacting/performing the task has now become more confusing, complex or less efficient?

Basically, "re-inventing the wheel" but in doing so causing more harm for the people using the systems or performing the tasks.

I think I remember seeing something about this topic/concept in an article a while back showing some modern redesigns in architecture for things like doors. But of course, now people are unsure whether to push or pull, etc.


texts: Only diamond can cut diamond (idiom to show equality, only match)

texts:
Is there an idiom which implies that the only match of a certain entity is another entity of the same kind, with some sort of 'sordidness' in the entities?

  Paul is a seasoned bluffer. Ron can't handle him, only George can. Only diamond can cut diamond

Perversion here is Paul and George (implied) being bluffers.

I am NOT looking to use it in the following sense:

  Paul is a good wrestler in 200kg category. Ron is a champion of 300kg category but he cannot handle him, only John can.

EDIT:

I'm looking for a replacement of 'only diamond can cut diamond' in the above sentence.

Perversion -> sordidness

phrase -> idiom

Also, I like @silenus's answer: "It takes a thief to catch a thief", its perfect based on my initial question but is there a idiom where the entity being used as a comparison doesn't imply any sordidness on its own? e.g. Diamond is neutral but thief, not so much.


texts:
Sorry guys, i'm pretty sure this topic has been discussed before. Although in some other contexts and examples their use seems to be clear, in this the following situation, it seems weird to me. If I want to tell my gf I became a better man since i'm with her:

should I say "Us is my motivation for being a better man" OR "We are my motivation being a better man"?. Not sure. To me the first one sounds right, but i'm no certain because I've learned that Us is used as the object of a sentence, and we as the subject.

Any comments?


texts:
"The cat was surrounded by mice."

What part of speech is "surrounded" in this sentence? To me, it seems like the verb "surround" is being used as a past participle in the passive voice... hence, it's still considered a verb. However, I was told that it's being used as an adjective, acting as a complement (which can only be a noun or adjective). Am I wrong? Can someone explain?


texts: Which is the correct idiom: "First thing's first" or "First things first"?

texts:
I've gotten into a debate over which usage of an apostrophe in the phrase "first thing(')s first" is correct.

My thinking is that one would take the first thing and give it priority, hence the first thing is first, and that thing's is a contraction of thing and is.

Her thinking is that there may be multiple things that need doing first, so the phrase should be "first things first".

What is the correct idiom?


texts:
I've started working with the AngularJS web development framework, and the first question in their FAQ is this:

  Why is this project called "AngularJS"? Why is the namespace called "ng"?
  Because HTML has Angular brackets and "ng" sounds like "Angular".

To me, "ng" doesn't sound anything like "Angular". Is this a regional thing, or are these people just mad?


texts: Can I say "spoke the nicest way" instead of the "spoke in the nicest way"?

texts:
Can I say "spoke the nicest way" instead of the "spoke in the nicest way" ?

As in:
"I always spoke about you the nicest way in the world."
instead of
"I always spoke about you in the nicest way in the world."

Thank you !


texts: Three formal ways to express "we got very good comments"

texts:
A question from a non-native speaker:

For some reason I have to find at least three different formal ways to express "we got very good comments". The context is like "our paper got published and the reviewer's comments were very positive". Now I have three candidate expressions:

we received rather positive reviews
our results were appraised highly by the reviewers
the comments were quite affirmative

I am not sure whether "rather" and "quite" are used properly here. Also, I don't know whether "affirmative" has the same meaning with "positive" here. If these expressions are not ideal, can anyone help me find at least three different formal ways to express "we got very good comments"?

Thank you.


texts:
It's been bucketing water the whole day.

What does this sentence mean? Is it formal use of language?


texts: would have and would in non conditional statements

texts:
Can we use both would have and would in non conditional past statements? For example:

Last year during the summer, I would go home on weekends. past habitual
Last year during the summer, I would have gone home on weekends.
Last year during the summer, I would have completed three projects every month.

What are the differences between these usages? And how to differentiate if it's conditional or not?


texts: What is the meaning of 'more approximate'?

texts:
The book Principles of Programming Analysis contains a weird sentence that I do not fully understand:

  Returning to the discussion of safe approximation note that if we modify Table 1.1 to include the pair (z,2) in RDentry(5) and RDexit(5) we still have safe information about reaching definitions but the information is more approximate.

I am confused about the more approximate part. Does this mean it is a more, or less precise approximation than before? I can read it both ways and both make sense to me.


texts: Is there difference between in the way of human, in a humanitarian way, in a humane way?

texts:
There is also a social norm implied by “Humanity”: to treat other humans in the Way(Dao) of human. (My own translation)

This is a translation from Ancient Chinese.

I am afraid that "in the Way of human" is not a very good phrase, because we usually say "in a humanitarian way". But "humanitarian way" is a fixed term, not appropriate for translating an ancient text. Actually "the way of human" may mean more than what "humanitarian" means. Right?

In China, we too often connected humanitarian with the Red Cross, and the wares it send out(Red Cross is the largest charity organization in China, but it is totally an offical agency).
Later, in TV NEWS and Newspapers you will heard too many times: We have send the humanitarian alms...here it extends to mean any goods for those in urgent need.

I mean I first learnt the Chinese word for "humanitarian", and afterwards, when I learn the English version, my understanding of it is very much influenced by the Chinese word.

Also, the famous doctrine of Heidegger and satre about the humanity is translated into "humanism", not humanitarianism. So I sort of treat "humanitarian" like the word "utilitarian", with its meaning being limited to charity and kindness, compassion.


texts: Difference between "output" and "outcome"?

texts: What is the difference between output and outcome? Please suggest the proper usage.


texts:
Please, help me. I am so confused with my English task.

  Very few books are read ___ Harry Potter by children.
  a) as much as
  b) more than
  c) the most

  Very few channels are watched by children ____ the Cartoon Channel.
  a) as much as
  b) more than
  c) the most

I can't decide if it's 'as much as' or 'more than'.
I would like some advice. What do you think?


texts: Are there any names of food that are associated with political correctness other than Fried chicken?

texts:
The word Spanish golfer, Sergio Garcia used in answering a reporter’s question about the status of his current relationship with his rival, Tiger Woods on May 21st – “We’ll have him ‘round every night. We will serve fried chicken,” was bitterly criticized as an offensive and retrograding remark by media and most of audience, and he apologized.

This reminds me of the classic episode that Japanese Prime Minister, Hayato Ikeda made a slip of tongue in the Diet on December 7, 1950, and was forced to resign by saying “The poor are better to eat barley-mixed rice,” in reference to the administration's austerity policy.

But this blunder wasn't about the race, but was about the class. Until post WW II, barley-mixed rice had been considered as the poor’s staple in our country.

Are there any other foods that carry political correct implications that non-native English speakers should be mindful in speaking / writing English than fried chicken?


texts:
I had the honour to "say" the oath in our graduation ceremony, since I was 1st in the rank. Now, I want to include that in my CV that information. What verb should I use?

"Told the oath in graduation ceremony", is what I thought, but the verb does not sound right, does it?

In the dictionary, I found the verb take, which is not what I want, because every student actually takes the oath, but only the top one "tells" it.

Recite and administer are best (IMHO) words suggested in the comments. Either you may argue for one of them over the other, or suggest something else.


texts: It kinda doesn't make sense to me because it's something that cannot disappear like moments or a person.


texts: How do I explain the difference between these two sentences? She's worked... She worked

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  “I am working” or “I have worked almost two months at this project”?

I have a little dilemma since I can't come up with a good explanation to say in which way these two sentences are different in meaning.

1.

  She's worked there for six years.

2.

  She worked there for six years.

My first guess is that in one of the instances she isn't working there anymore, but I can't figure out which one.


texts:
My dictionary gives [rili:s], but I am hearing [rili:z] with firmly articulated "-z".
Does the pronunciation with "-s" really exist?

UPD:
Ok, probably it's a glitch in my ears, and I cannot distinguish final [s] and [z] well, but in the intervocalic position the sound is clearly different from s: compare "release a hostage" [z] vs "miss an opportunity" [s].


texts:
Let's begin with an example pertaining to the combination of verb tense:

Indeed, Amy's journey seems to have rehabilitated her from her stressful mind.

Honestly, the phrase "seems to have rehabilitated" confused me. Nevertheless, I still figured out that in this particular situation, the phrase "seems" refers to Amy's journey which is talked or being talked at present while the phrase "to have rehabilitated" refers to what "Amy's journey" did to her in the past. Is this realization accurate? I will appreciate any help from anyone!

Best regards


texts:
Simply put - is it correct to use "Bonafide" instead of "bona fide" (with the space)?

I'm planning to name a product, and wondering if I could use the single word and still be correct.


texts: How did the verb 'leverage' evolve to mean 'use borrowed capital'?

texts:
What's an intuitive derivation behind ODO's definition that helps to internalise its meaning:

  to leverage = Use borrowed capital for (an investment), expecting the profits made to be greater than the interest payable:

Etymonline relates only to a physical/mechanical 'lever', not this meaning in finance.


texts:
Is there any difference between "cater to" and "cater for"? Which is better in this context:

The dramatist must cater to the taste of the audience.
The dramatist must cater for the taste of the audience.

I found another discussion on similar lines but it was between "cater to" and "cater towards". Seems both "to" and "for" are correct. But I wish to know if there are specific contexts in which one is picked over the other.

I did search for this in a few online dictionaries, and also I found this exact question on WordReference.com, but the answers were divided. Many seemed to think they are the same. Dictionary.com gives clearly separate examples for both but has added in brackets that both to and for can be used to mean 'pander to'. Hence the confusion.

  to provide food, service, etc., as for a party or wedding:
  to cater for a banquet.
  to provide or supply what amuses, is desired, or gives pleasure, comfort, etc. (usually followed by to or for):
  to cater to popular demand; to cater to an invalid.

  [...]
  (intransitive; foll by for or to) to provide what is required or desired (for): to cater for a need, cater to your tastes

There is quite a lot of stuff on this topic, but it's mostly ambiguous.


texts: What is the term for a phrase like "school it is"?

texts:
I heard this kind of expression in conversation:

  1)
  A.- You should go to school and learn.
  B.- All right, school it is.
  2)
  A.- Open the window unless there is better idea.
  B.- (no response)
  A.- Okay then, window it is.

I do not know what meaning "it" has in these contexts. I mean, I have hard time to find out which entry of "it" has exact meaning for this use.
Through the already answered questions and answers ( "xxxx it is then!", what does it really mean? Comma or no comma in reaffirmation of answer? "____ it is" or "____, it is" ), now I know it comes from "[okay] it is xxx (then)" but the above examples do not have "then" at the end unlike the first page example. Even so, as the second page example, it does not have to have "then" at the end for this use, I understand.

Anyway, is this usage of "xxx it is" a mere inversion of "it is xxx"? Or is there a special grammar term for this "it (is)"?


texts: How to properly format "systems as diverse as X and Y"?

texts:
I'd like to express that a certain framework is very versatile and can model a wide array of phenomena. What I have so far is

  This setup is extremely general, and allows for modeling systems as diverse as X and Y

Where X and Y are examples of two very different systems.
 Is this OK? It sounds a bit off to me. If not, how do I properly format this sentence?

Also, I'm not sure what the appropriate tags are for this question, please feel free to edit them.


texts:
I must know all the facts. I cannot help you otherwise.
Combine this sentence into complex sentence.
I have no idea how to combine?


texts: I got into it with a buddy of mine over how one would write out the oft spoken contraction of because. He is steadfast on 'cause, but this struck me as unnecessarily jarring as it isn't spoken this way and is in visual conflict with the differently pronounced cause. I was in favor of 'cuz or 'cos as I view any contraction herefor to be inherently informal, but have since found support for both sides. Is there a consensus on this, or does the informal nature of either outcome make it a topic not worth solidifying? Alternatively, is 'cause considered formal enough to be used in proper writing?


texts: How to say that the navigation is approximate?

texts:
I have an app that is an index for businesses, so the user can search for a business and navigate to that business.

I have two types of coordinates to the business:

Accurate coordinates, which navigate the user exactly to the
business building.
Inaccurate coordinates, which navigate the user to a place near the business.

So if the coordinates are the second one, I want to write next to the navigation button that it's approximate navigation or not 100% accurate. How could I say that in English ?

thanks


texts: What is the correct pronunciation of "often"?

texts:
Should people pronounce often with the hard "t"? I pronounce it offen.

Which is correct?


texts: What does the expression "Slash the life" mean? I'm Brazilian and I'm trying to understand what is the meaning of this expression, since I've found it in a  music piece that seems to have a positive meaning. But "slash" in Portuguese is a verb that can be used mainly for physical things (e.g.: slash an apple, slash a piece of cake etc.) or for abstract things in negative meanings (e.g.: slash the dream, slash the happiness etc.).


texts: When I make a phone call, I'm not sure how to say the snow-like symbol and "#" correctly on the keyboard of phone in English, or I have no idea what people are talking about when they say a word which may seem to referring to "#" or the snow-like symbol. Could you please tell me how to say them? Thank you.


texts: I'm aware a search will turn up many discussions on the differences or interchangeability of these terms, but it would be good to get some answers here with an emphasis on the etymology of the two words. Does the usage history of these words add connotations beyond their dictionary definitions?


texts: Determiners: This and that. Has “that” replaced “this”?

texts:
I'm confused. As far as I know, this is reserved for something that is right ahead of speakers and/or speakers talk about that item the whole conversation. That is reserved for something that is not exactly right here.

But in different literature I see “that” all the time, even though sometimes it's more appropriate to use “this”.

Has “that” replaced “this”?
When to use “this” and “that”?


texts: Term for competition where time difference of two rounds should be zero

texts:
There is a type of competition where you walk or run (or even cycle) two rounds in a predefined course, and the purpose is to use the exact same time in both rounds. You will get a penalty equal to the seconds you are off, and the result list is based on how little/much penalty the competitors have got.

In Norwegian this is called "nulløp", directly translated that becomes "zero run" (after the ideal of having zero time difference), but "zero run" does not seem to be what I am looking for.

Sample sentence:
"We are arranging a WORD this weekend."

Does anyone know what this type of competition is called in English?


texts: Using "a/an" twice describing "one person"

texts:
Is it grammatically correct to use an indefinite article "a" twice in the following sentence:

  Sean is a coward and a psychopath.

There is a previous question about a definite article the, "Is it necessary to use “the” multiple times?", but it doesn't seem to answer my question.


texts: Formatting English Translation in Foreign Dialogue

texts:
This short paragraph of German dialogue needs to be translated into English within a larger work:

  “Zurück bleiben! Fenster schliessen!” Stay back! Close the window! shouted the man on the roof.

Two questions:

1) I've formatted with italics to indicate the English translation. Is this the correct?

2) Should the second sentence use an exclamation point after "Close the window" or a comma? Should it read

  Stay back! Close the window! shouted the man on the train

or

  Stay back! Close the window, shouted the man on the roof.


texts: Which is correct and what's the difference: "Next time I'll need , I'll ...", or "Next time I need , I'll"?

texts:
English is not my native language, so I've question about using the future tense. Which is correct:

Next time I'll need <something>, I'll ...

or

Next time I need <something>, I'll ...

Are they different at all? What is the difference? I can't feel any difference. Which one is correct?


texts:
I came across a question while practicing for my GRE.

  That Egyptologists believe the ancient Egyptians’ memory of the
  Pharaoh Tutankhamun quickly faded after his death is based on the fact
  that the Pharaoh’s tomb was not _______ in antiquity, but rather was
  found nearly intact by twentieth-century archaeologists.

  Options: defamed, denigrated, depredated, derided, developed

I chose depredated by method of elimination. (it is the correct choice) but upon checking the reason -

  The clue phrase here is "found intact." Because of the pivot word "but
  rather" before the clue, we know the first blank will disagree with
  the clue. Thus we're looking for a filler like "robbed" or
  "destroyed."

I can't get my head around why depredate is the filler. It doesn't make sense as whole in sentence. Can anyone elucidate on this ?


texts: Assigning properties to a set of objects that includes a group plus one

texts:
Consider the following (potentially incorrect) sentence:

  Every boy and Jen have three balloons.

If this is incorrect or poorly phrased, what is the proper way to state that a categorization of objects (in this case, boy) plus another specific object that does not fall into the previously specified category (in this case, Jen) all have some property (in this case, possession of three balloons)?


texts:
Can anyone suggest a definitive answer for the origin of the word "teetotal" (teetotaler, teetotalism etc.)?

The Wikipedia entry lists a few suggestions but I'm not sure which one to believe.

Online Etymology Dictionary gives the following, but (like Wikipedia) does not give evidence for a definite origin:

  teetotal (v.)
  "pledged to total abstinence from intoxicating drink," 1834, possibly formed from total (adj.) with a reduplication of the initial T- for emphasis (T-totally "totally," though not in an abstinence sense, is recorded in Kentucky dialect from 1832 and is possibly older in Irish-English).

  The use in temperance jargon was first noted September 1833 in a speech advocating total abstinence (from beer as well as wine and liquor) by Richard "Dicky" Turner, a working-man from Preston, England. Also said to have been introduced in 1827 in a New York temperance society which recorded a T after the signature of those who had pledged total abstinence, but contemporary evidence for this is wanting, and while Century Dictionary allows that "the word may have originated independently in the two countries," OED favors the British origin and ones that Webster (1847) calls teetotaler "a cant word formed in England."


texts: what is the meaning of the phrase "In the interest of honesty"?

texts:
Recently I came up on a question:

  In the interest of honesty, are you minimizing any important details
  that your prospects should know?

What is the meaning of the phrase in this context ?


texts: Is "real-time" a term known to every English speaker?

texts:
Real-time is a common term in engineering texts. It means a system that produces output within a very tight deadline. I am writing a proposal to be read by non-engineers. I just wonder if it is clear to everybody to say: "the algorithm needs to be fast to produce the results in real-time"?

Edit: The problem is that this is a one-page proposal and the guys who are going to read it might be from social or bio sciences. So, I don't have enough space to define everything. I can replace "real-time" by something like "fast". But I just want to keep the things a bit technical but understandable to everybody.


texts: Which term expresses ”a generation of graduates who graduated the first course of a college”?

texts:
Suppose business college A first debuted in 2000. It opened its first business course in 2000, and the course will finish in 2004. In 2001 it opened a second course, and students who enrolled in 2001 will graduate in 2005.

What should we call the students who graduated in 2004? Can I say “a first generation of business graduates in college A”, or is there any better term?

Of course, the students who graduated in 2005 are not the first generation of business graduates in college A.


texts: If you 'wipe the floor with' someone, you defeat them easily.  Searching on Google, I can only see explanations of what this idiom means, but not how it came about.  What caused people to start using this phrase in this way?


texts:
I thought of slither, but I ruled it out as it has negative connotations that I wish to avoid in the context.

I would use the word in a phrase like "a thin slice of bread" or "thinly sliced carrots."


texts: What is it called when a person has to buy items to accomplish something else

texts:
I know this woman who often says she doesnt have time to take her mom to doctors visits, or that there is money but she often takes trips to another city just for groceries and it is an all day trip.

She always has to have all the gadgets for her latest hobby. For example:

baking cakes: she spends lots of money in all sorts of utensils, books,etc.
exercise, she bought all sorts of exercise pants, tops, mats, balls, videos,especialty foods, paid dietitian, doufled bags, etc.
preserves, bought all sorts of books,boxes and boxes of al types of ball glass jars, all sorts of equipment needed etc.
making earrings, She got all sorts of items needed for it. What she uses are cut outs as the main item. She had the crukit and all the sortment needed.
essential oils, She has to have all sorts of oils, enfussers, essential oil infused items, like tooth paste, drinks and foods. Also, gotta have the special storage, all this costing hundreds of dollars.

She also had to have a new Apple laptop. Even, when she has a desktop, laptop, ipad, apple watch, and a regular use Apple laptop. When asked about the purchases, She calls them an "investment". Oh and those items are used for a little bit, and then forgotten!

What is the word used for a person like this? A person that has to have something in order to accomplish something else?


texts:
There is such a word, but it seems to not have a definition. Several examples of using this word is as follows:

There was the same lithe, wiry frame, unworn by much endurance, the sloping brow, expanding to a wedge-like shape at the temples, and the quick, keen, vivarious gray eye, as I remembered them in 1845.
— Bayard Taylor, At Home and Abroad: A Sketch Book of Life, Scenery ... (1860)

and

... he had expected a vivarious playmate ...
— newspaper article (1889)

and

Calandra sought to break down the borderline between art and life by transforming the pedestal into a vivarious battle scene which extends into our space because of its landscape character.
— Umberto Boccioni, Philip Rylands (1996)

and

At night her carmine finger-nails dig her own vivarious history clear of all misinterpretation and point the way of others' ruin before marking me for life.
— Westerly pub. University of Western Australia, 1966

and

In vivarious animals, the birth awakens all the tenderness of a parent, which lasts as long as it is needed
— Rebecca Edridge, The Scrinium (1822)


texts: "Normalise" or "normalize" (British English)?

texts:
Is normalise perhaps obsolete in British English, and normalize preferred instead?

I have done some Googling, it seems British English dictionaries prefer normalize, but I haven't found any satisfactory answers from native speakers. I would like to hear about usage and "how it sounds" (the formality), maybe if there are any reasons to use both forms in different situations.

(The question arose when reading something about vector normalization.)


texts: Is the expression " to man at something" used?

texts:
When I was playing The Witcher 3 : The Wild Hunt, I heard a woman saying " Why does the Temple Guard man at the gates at all". She was complaining that in her city there was many vagrant and the Temple Guard's men are useless guarding the gates.
So I understand the expression "to man at something" as to guard it, prevent foreign penetration. But I don't know if it's used or it was used only in the medieval age (since the game is in times similar to the medival ages).

Thank you by advance for any help.


texts: What was the original pronunciation of 'Zounds'?

texts: According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the exclamation 'Zounds!' comes from the phrase 'God's wounds'. This seems to suggest that the original pronunciation rhymed with 'wounds' rather than 'hounds'. Does anyone know if that is the case?


texts:
It's from Fisherman's Soul by Oscar Wilde:

  'And we tarried for a moon, and when the moon was waning, I wearied and wandered away through the streets of the city and came to the garden of its god.

Could the above for a moon be understood as for a month?

In dictionary moon has a meaning for a month.

I think in this case the above moon is just a 'moon' in physical sense, not meaning any period of time.

I am teaching English literature, but English is not my native tongue.


texts: What do you call the energy that has been created by fear or happiness?

texts:
There are times that we feel tired and weak and not able to get up and do something, in this situation:

if we face a danger, like our house goes on fire, or become under attack,
or remember that we have forgotten to do something very important,
or we unexpectedly  hear our loved one is at the airport and needs to be picked up by us,
or we have won a big prize and need to pick it up

in these cases, some kind of energy will be created in our body which we had not felt  before these incidents, and we imminently act upon these.

I don’t know if you can call it “emotional energy” or"unlocked energy" or"released energy", if not what do you call it?


texts: How to rigorously define independent clauses?

texts:
Consider the following sentence:

  The independent filmmaker Ira Sachs’s drama “Keep the Lights On,”
  which opened on Friday, is neither an especially good movie nor an
  especially bad one, but it is an exemplary one.

(source: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/movies/2012/09/the-problem-with-the-liberal-cinema.html#ixzz25u38hVsZ ).

I am confused about the comma that precedes "but." Is "It is an exemplary one" an independent clause? The rule of a thumb I use is a can-it-stand-by-itself test; the sentence above sounds kind of awkward by itself, though I guess it could work. If it's not an independent clause, then why the comma?


texts:
Which of these three word combinations is the most correct in instructions for computer users?

run a command,
execute a command,
issue a command.

I've found examples of all of these combinations:

"run this command" — https://pytorch.org ;
"issue the following command" — https://tensorflow.org/install/install_linux ;
"execute the command" — https://tensorflow.org/versions/r1.2/programmers_guide/debugger .


texts: Is or are usage in a particular sentence

texts: The number of sticks is/are are 30. Which one is correct?


texts: A word or expression for people who have lived at the same time at least during one day?

texts: Is there a word or expression for people who have lived at the same time, even if other was only during one day? I mean people who have had at least a theoretical chance of meeting and interacting with each other at least once during their lifetime. I'm aware of the word "contemporary", but as far I have understood, it usually refers to eg. two persons whose dates of birth and/or death are quite close to the ones of the other person, so that being born one day before other person's death is not sufficient. What word or expression do you recommend?


texts:
What is the difference between cocky and confidence. Saying the words, "I am going to win" can come off as both cocky and confidence to any person.

In my perspective, if you win, you were "confident" and if you lose after saying that, you would be considered "cocky." Are there or can there be more objective differentiating factors other than winning?

According to dictionary.com, confidence is strong belief in one-self. When using dictionary.com for cocky, it is simply arrogant. Using google and looking up arrogant, it is defined as "having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities." So if by winning, would it not be considered over-exaggerating your abilities and therefore be considered confidence as he believed in himself?


texts: Is there a technical term for the two halves of an email address?

texts:
Is there a technical name for the two halves of an email address? I mean the parts before and after the @ sign.

As a kind of example of what I mean, for UK postcodes, I believe the two halves are called the inward and outward, not by the general population, but by people who work with postcode data.


texts:
Database has found its way into the English vernacular as a verb as well as a noun. I can have a database, but I can also database information.

I have heard used the other verb tenses 'databased' and 'databasing'. (Though they are still not popular) "I already databased that info". "The sever is still databasing that request"

My question is what would the noun be for the act of databasing or state of being databased? Databasation? Databasification?

I'm stumped as it's root base has no equivalent given it is always used without an object. Something can not be in the act of being based....


texts: Are “could I have been able to cope with” and "could I have coped with” the same?

texts:
I am a bit confused with the formation of this sentence.  My lines are:

  What if I were a girl? Would I have been able to cope with the ordeal that women and girls live through every day?

But I am still confused about whether writing would I have been able to is the correct form.

Would it still be correct if I change that to

  What if I were a girl? Could I have coped with the ordeal that women and girls live through every day?


texts:
Here is a question for you guys. Im trying to find a good website or whatever place  that can show me all forms of a specific word.

For example the word "transparent" has other morphologies like "transparency, transparentness"

Im quite aware these forms are noun, adjectival and sometimes adverbial.

So where or how can i find all forms of any word that may have it.


texts: What is a non-religious word for an apocalyptic event?

texts: I am looking for a noun which describes some sort of apocalyptic or world-ending event, but does not have the religious baggage of words like apocalypse.


texts: What is the meaning of: "When I was in New York, I had visited the Statue of Liberty"?

texts:
When I was in New York, I visited the Statue of Liberty.

When I was in New York, I had visited the Statue of Liberty.

What is the meaning of sentence 2? Is it the same as sentence 1?
Does it mean that I visited the Statue of Liberty before staying in New York? Or is it simply ungrammatical?

The answer to my previous question suggests that the past perfect with a when-clause referring to a time interval is appropriate in the following:

My friend asked me about the movie Spartacus. When I lived in Berlin, I had seen the movie thrice. So I could tell him that it was very good!

In this example, the time reference is his friend asking about Spartacus. The past perfect is used because his seeing the movie (the point of event) is anterior to the point of reference. Here the when-clause only works as a supplement.
In this question, I'd like to ask:

How is the past perfect interpreted when it is used with a when-clause referring to a time interval without any other specific time of reference.

More specifically,

a) Can the past perfect be interpreted as the simple past (i.e. sentence 2 has the same meaning as sentence 1)?

b) Can the starting point of the interval (the time when I arrived in NY) be interpreted as the point of reference (I visited the Statue of Liberty in my previous stay in NY)?

I've been thinking about these possibilities since I read 5.4 Non-present perfects in CGEL, which I quoted in my previous question. In it there are two examples:

ii(a) He lost his key while he was running home.
ii(b) He had lost his key while he was running home.

And these two are considered to have the same meaning.


texts: "If it ain't in writing it don't exist" - why the broken grammar?

texts:
In the idiom "If it ain't ... it don't exist.", why is "don't" used instead of "doesn't"?

I'm thinking the intentional error might serve to draw the attention of the listener to the word "don't"/"doesn't", and thus make it more emphatic. I've noticed that when spoken, the word "don't" is stressed.

Is my assumption correct?


texts:
Consider this part of bible : 23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
I was wondering the meaning of second sentence, I shall not want.
This is not clear to me the reference to the verb want and also the general meaning of the sentence.


texts:
I understand that it's common to spell small numbers in words. However, all examples of this rule I could find use cardinals (i.e. expressing the size of a set of entities) like in:

We met two cats and seven dogs.
She has been driving for six hours.

My question is to what degree does this rule apply when one writes numbers as nouns rather than numerals? That is, which is the most 'correct':

He chose the number 2.
He chose the number two.
He chose the number 'two'.


texts:
If someone ask me
"Do you like Indian movie?"

Which tenses would fit the answer to the question ?

"yes I do. But I watched only some of them"
"yes I do. But I have wathed only some of them"
"yes I do. But I had watched only some of them"

thanks in advance

budi


texts:
I'm creating a short slogan describing a website's functions. The website consists of a photos storage function plus discussion boards. This is an attempt to put it shortly:

  Example.com is photos plus discussions

Is it correct? Particularly, I'm not sure using "is" with plural nouns is correct.


texts: What would be a word or phrase to describe a religion without a deity?

texts:
I am writing a novel wherein a group of people want to create a religion without any supernatural elements. Everything within the confines of the 'religion' is absolutely science based. So I've been trying all the words I can think of, but none of them fit. Can anyone help?

I've tried organization, but it is too loose a term and none of the synonyms seem to fit.

It was essential that they create a religion without any supernatural force, a need this word or phrase. I am going with ideology, but will use worldview and order within the story. Thanks to pyobum, Richard Kayser, and Chris H.

On Edit. They are mostly women who have traveled in time. They are followers of Mother Universe, not supernatural. They would like to curtail or prevent (through education and social traditions) overpopulation and pollution in future Earth so that Earth survives beyond their original time. They are landing in 6000 BCE. So 'science' isn't a word I want to use even though my group will have it. This word would be used for outsiders.

Okay thanks for all the answers. I have decided on one with thanks to Hot Licks.


texts: What is a concise word or term for the cognitive ability to passively gather and recall personal minutiae about other people in one's life?

texts:
Examples of the minutiae at issue are things like a person's hometown, the name(s) of their partner(s) and/or children, which, if any, college they attended, occupation, etc. Any piece of personal trivia that could come up in casual conversation.
A person who has this ability strongly might be able to intuit and then recall the name(s) and relative age(s) of a coworker's sibling(s) from a passing comment made years ago to a third party. One who has it weakly might require active study to learn and recall facts about their own spouse and/or children.
"Identity Memory" is a weak candidate that a) is too generic and b) does not seem to be in wide use. I will not reject it out of hand, however; I could be wrong about either or both of my objections to it.


texts: Are those sentences both negative or the first one is positive and second one is negative?

texts:
For he through Sin's long labyrinth had run,
Nor made atonement when he did amiss...

Does these sentences mean that he did not run from commiting sins nor  made atonement when he did amiss
or
Does it means that he did run from commiting sins but did not made atonement when he did amiss?
Thank you.


texts: Is "there're" (similar to "there's") a correct contraction?

texts:
Q: "Do you have any juice?"
  A: "Yes, there's some in the fridge."

Sounds perfectly fine to me, but:

  Q: "Do you have any towels?"
  A: "Yes, there's some in the closet."

Does not.

I asked for towels - plural - so wouldn't "Yes, there're some in the closet," in which there are is turned into a contraction be the correct way to say it?

Spellcheck, however, doesn't like "there're", and I think I'm the only person I've ever heard use the word "there're".  Even folks who I know say "there are" shorten it to "there's" when possible.

Am I saying it wrong, or are both forms acceptable?


texts: I heard a great story the other day about a guy with a bloody hook for a hand - but then, when I retold it to my kids at bedtime my Au Pair informed me that it was just a silly Urban Legend.  What does she mean by that?


texts:
That would not have happened if John had completed his work.

That would have not happened if John had completed his work.

The former seems correct. The latter doesn't seem incorrect.
Are there any cases where one ought to use the latter instead of the former?


texts: Is "swallow spittle" an acceptable phrase?

texts:
I came across the following sentence in Ken Liu's Translation of The Three-Body Problem:

  Her throat hurt so much that swallowing spittle felt like it was a piece of burning coal.

The original text is as follows:

  “咽下一口唾沫感觉像咽下一块火炭”

Google's definition of spittle says:

  saliva, especially as ejected from the mouth.

It seems like an odd combination of words. But, on further research it seems like there is some history to this coupling. The Eastern Mirror: An Illustration of the Sacred Scriptures; In Which the Customs of Oriental Nations Are Clearly Developed by the Writings of the Most Celebrated Travellers, for instance, contains the following proverb:

  NO. 203 —— TO SWALLOW SPITTLE, A PROVERB.
  vii. 19. Let me alone 'till I swallow down my spittle.
  This is a proverb among the Arabians to the present day; by which they understand give me leave.

Perhaps, it has a bit of a Biblical ring to it. Is it an acceptable phrase?


texts:
I have a quick question. On my website I have a short sentence "Register My Interest".
Is this sentence in first or second person?
I think people jump to first person, but in that case please consider the following two sentences.

I went to the beach and I took my ball.
You went to the beach and you took my ball.

Thanks,
Stu.


texts: What is the error called when two letters are mistakenly swapped?

texts:
Generally this may be called typo but when particularly two letters of a word are mistakenly swapped, what is this error called? Some examples:

  teh > the
  fromat > format
  comptuer > computer


texts: Is there a word or idiom in English for describing the moment when goverments blame unknown powers?

texts: Is there an idiom or word for describing the moment or situation when governments blame some unknown power(s) for bad results caused by their own actions? These governments try to acquit themselves by blaming these nonexistent, external powers.


texts: Is there an English word for blaming wrongfully, either intentionally or unintentionally?

texts:
Short question is: if someone accused another person wrongfully, either intentionally or unintentionally, is there a single verb for this action?

For example, I was supposed to style a title short and nice and with ellipses (the ...) under a photo for a dynamic website, for any photo and any title, and I finished the task. The title is about 80% of the photo's width.

The next day, the title became only 20% wide under the photo on the live website. The program manager said to me in the online chat, "What the hell is going on. I don't know what your definition of short is, man."

It turned out it was one of the two junior programmers forgetting to set some files to be non-cached on the web server. So some files were new, some files were outdated, so it wasn't related to my work, but related to some other people's oversight.

The program manager never said sorry anyway.

In this case, is there a verb that describes what the program manager did. That he "wrongfully accused". In some other language, there is a single verb for it, but I haven't seen such a word in English.


texts: How would you transcribe and/or describe this vowel?

texts:
I'm analyzing the /æ/ vowel sound (also known as 'short A') found in words like cat, dad, or man. I am particularly interested in how that sound is realized in different dialects of American English which has led me to browse YouTube videos of ESL teachers teaching this sound.

I found a video that I thought was very interesting since the speaker exhibits a noticeable tensing and lengthening of the /æ/ vowel. You can watch this video HERE. A very clear example of what I'm talking about can be heard around the 1:07 mark. Notice how the speaker produces almost two separate sounds: "ee-yah" with a gliding quality. I am, however, uncertain how to transcribe this tense vowel in the IPA. Wikipedia suggests either [eə] or [ɛə]. Would you agree? Neither /e/ or /ɛ/ (for the initial portion of the diphthong) sounds right to my ears, but the standard /æ/ is more open than the sound the speaker in the video produces.

I'd be very grateful for any suggestions!


texts: Use of incumbent to describe job applicant

texts:
Based on dictionary definitions, as a noun, incumbent is generally defined as a person who holds a position (e.g. Webster, Oxford).

I've encountered corporate job postings that refer to the person seeking the job as the incumbent; I would be inclined to call them an applicant or candidate.

  Is it appropriate to describe a job applicant as an incumbent?

Edit: position is currently vacant


texts: what do you call a person who repeats the same mistakes over and over again?

texts: A single word for the person who repeats same mistake again and again.


texts:
In an 1804 will written in Philadelphia, if a woman (Mary) gave some of her inheritance to her "step sister", does this necessarily mean the same as it does today? I read elsewhere that the term "step" was rarely used during this period. What about if Mary was raised by an adoptive/foster family... do you think she might refer to a foster sister as a step-sister?
Thank you!


texts: Contemporary definition of Sexual Predator

texts:
I keep hearing this word, but I have a hard time pinning it down. Sometimes it seem to only be used when rape or sexual assault is involved, but not always.

Wikipedia says:

  A sexual predator is a person seen as obtaining or trying to obtain sexual contact with another person in a metaphorically "predatory" or abusive manner.

I am not sure what "predator" and "abusive" means specifically, but it goes on to say (emphasis mine):

  People who commit sex crimes, such as rape or child sexual abuse, are commonly referred to as sexual predators, particularly in tabloid media or as a power phrase by politicians.

I have also heard it used to describe, what I would call flirting, with no legal ramifications. It seems to be used across a wide spectrum. Since it is used as a Power Phrase, does it have a political definition?

Does an official definition exist? Maybe from the body of law?

If not official, are there good ways to find out how people use it?

EDIT:

Example from Interpersonal Skills Exchange

  Then He asked me that if I had had one night stands and I told him, "No". And after a while with a lot of build up (like can I ask you something? Don't tell anyone that I asked you this) he asks me if I was still a virgin? I was taken aback. He then wants to know why to which I reply that I am waiting for my special someone. He goes on to make fun of that.

This is the example that got me thinking about it, when someone called it predatory behavior, which I admittedly don't know is the same a being a Sexual Predator. From Merriam Webster's definition, there is no violence here, only words.


texts: In his memoir Blessings in Disguise, Alec Guinness refers to a 'bizzle', evidently meaning a carpet-sweeper. He offers no explanation, as though it were a normal word. I can only guess that it derives from the name of the company Bissell who have made such devices since the 1870s. Has anyone else come across this term?


texts:
It is a well-known rule of English grammar that either takes or and neither takes nor. Nary comes from the phrase "ne'er a" and is considered a non-standard variant of not, e.g.:

Nary a soul had I seen for three days... (source)

What if I also hadn't seen a star-nosed mole for three days and I wanted to communicate this very significant piece of information in the same sentence? How would I write this?
What conjunction should nary take?
Thanks in advance!


texts: Should I use present tense in reporting speech?

texts:
Should I use present tense in reported speech? I have both sentences and not sure which one is correct:

(1) Peter mentioned that the formula A is based on formula B.
(2) Peter mentioned that the formula A was based on formula B.

Should I use present tense here as it is a fact (always)? However, it also makes sense by using past tense in reporting speech. Also, can the "that" be omitted?

Thanks!


texts: Do I use "argued" or "argues"? Past or Present?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  What (grammatical) tense to use when doing reference in a paper?
  Should I use present or past tense when referring to a (scientific) paper?
  “has been raised” or “was raised” in an academic journal

Peter Singer (who is still alive) wrote a paper in 1971. A student is now reading it and wants to make various references to it in her assignment.

Does she write, for example, "Singer argued" or "Singer argues"? Similar verbs would also be used in the paper. Argued is past tense and would appear to be used correctly when referring to a paper that was written in the past. However what is written and now being read still has currency, therefore introducing an argument for "argues"

What I would like to achieve is identify the/a explicit rule that dictates one over/or the other Then the student can apply it consistently throughout the assignment (and I will stop umming and ahhing every time and throw off the appearance of being all knowledgeable on these matters).


texts:
What is the difference between nobody and no body?

I believe that both have the same meaning.

Nobody can be used as a pronoun. For example,

  Nobody is going there.

Nobody can also be used as a noun. For example,

  They went from nobodies to superstars.

Nobody: one word only

No body: two words

Is all of this information correct?


texts: How and in what way did the Danes come to influence English?

texts:
I was looking for some insight into the farewell greeting ta on The Urban Dictionary just now, and came across this mostly excellent top-ranked answer (adapted slightly, emphasis mine):

A slang word for "thanks."
The word is a result of the heavy Danish influence on the English language. Most people do not realize that the English language's roots are really Danish, in Jutland. Equipped with this knowledge this word is easy to decipher.
The Danish word for "thanks" is tak. In Scotland and upper England it was common to drop the  at the end because of the way words were pronounced during the time of Old English and Middle English. Hence the slang word "ta" which should actually be pronounced "TA-k" but over time became "ta".

After reading that, I also remembered reading, when I was in our chat, that Frisian was the closest surviving spoken language to English, and then remembered the Wikipedia article stating that many Danish speakers are able to understand some spoken Frisian.  With those facts, I hypothesized to myself that perhaps the Danes influenced both languages, before they had diverged, some very long time ago.   Alas, that's all I can venture; though I know a fair bit about more modern influences on English — that is, Latin and Old French — I've haven't really seen this discussed before, which is no small wonder, as it seems that whatever influence the Danes had would have been ancient.  It's also pretty strange, as compared to French, because Denmark is a bit aways from England; it's doesn't just have a narrow channel to cross, nor, if I remember correctly, doesn't share as intimately connected royal and noble lines as the French have with England.
So I guess my question is: Are the answerer's bolded words above correct?  If they are, can someone offer a nice précis of how we can see this influence of the Danes, and how it came about?


texts: Where does the concept of "big brother sees you" come from?

texts:
I don't mean the metaphor "big brother" or "Big Brother" as in the government or other powerful entity.

I mean the original meaning of "big brother sees you".

I am a big brother. Or was. I never really "spied" on my little brother. Was I not a normal big brother? Was that my "job"? Is a big brother supposed to be like an extension of the parents, keeping tabs on the little brother? Did I fail in my job as a big brother growing up?

I've always been kind of disturbed by that "saying" or phrase or whatever it is. "Big brother sees you" gives me the creeps.

(Serious question.)


texts: Sorry I didn't turn up, I clean forgot. What's the sense of "clean' and its usage hygiene?

texts:
Sorry I didn't turn up -I clean forgot.
  The explosion blew the cooker clean through the wall.

What kind of usage is this- AmE or BrE ?

The meaning of clean usually refers to removing something unwanted: you clean your hands by washing them.

  I understand that phrasal verbs convey a different meaning
  in contrast to the root words. So to my jarring mind, clean up appears
  OK, but I clean forgot sounds wierd.


texts: Is there a term or expression for certain terms that we have lain in a dictionary that we consider useless?

texts:
I've researched and I found out that "Pleonasm" is not what I'm referring to. So it's not that.

For example: The term prognosticate
  -"To prognosticate weather conditions is not a simple matter."

We can simply just use predict or foretell.

All in all, I am asking is there a term that describes such useless terms or ways of talking that we don't ordinarily use or shouldn't use to seem ostentatious or pretentious on a daily basis?


texts: Word for "something that does not behave as intended/according to what it is selected/chosen for"?

texts:
I am looking for a (possibly metaphorical!) word, preferably a noun, that captures the idea that something can be chosen according to criteria X, but will behave in a way that is either antithetical to X or orthogonal to X.

It does not have to be "negatively" different from X, so long as it is not the same as X.
It should not have the connotation of being a "rare" or "unusual" thing. (this rules out "anomaly" and "discrepancy")

E.g.:

  This corporate branch is a _____: the branch was developed over the years to do sales and advertising, but the employees of the branch have chosen to spend more time on product development.

(note that this is not necessarily a negative thing).


texts: Can "which" in the sentence modify a remote subject?

texts:
I am working on a research paper, and would like to know whether  the following sentence is grammatically correct

  "Dependency bugs are pervasive, which manifest whenever a piece of
  code accesses a missing asset, e.g. modules, libraries, or file
  names."

Above "dependency bugs" is a common name referring to a kind of software defects. My question is that, can "which" in the sentence modify the remote subject, namely "dependency bugs", or maybe "which" can only modify "pervasive" (which would become a grammar issue as "pervasive" is an adjective).


texts: Adjective that describes a person who urgently needs to to the toilet

texts:
We say hungry if someone wants to eat, thirsty if someone wants to drink and sleepy if someone wants to sleep.
What's the adjective used to describe the person who has a desire to go urgently to the toilet other than I want to take a ...
Do we have such a word in the casual day-to-day speech? I am looking for an informal word that used with friends boys and girls.
Thanks


texts:
Let me know, should you come.

Like the one above, I've seen many sentences that had inverted conditionals which started with should, were, and had--but not with could, did, or have. So I wonder if sentences like, for example, the ones below can be idiomatic:

Like this video, did you find it fun.
Raise your hand, haven't you finished yet.
Let us know, would you consider joining.

If they are utterly unidiomatic, why did this happen? Why should, were, and had can be inverted and used as conditionals whereas other auxiliary verbs can't? I mean, as for questions, all auxiliary verbs can be inverted and work as questions, like "Did you?, Have you? Do you?" But why not in conditionals? Is there some special reason for that?


texts: Which one is correct in this context, "was new for me" vs. "is new for me"?

texts:
I sent an email update to my friend. He replied:

  I saw his reply myself when I was in there, but response submitted by him is new for me

Now he has seen the response, and I think it has gone in past. Should he not have used was new for me rather than is new for me in his reply to me?


texts: What is the negative meaning of blank check?

texts:
I am familiar with the meaning of blank check as in carte blanche.  Receiving a blank check, in this context, is quite a good thing for the recipient (though perhaps not for the issuer).
In a recent article, however, I encountered a negative connotation to receiving a blank check:

Attorney S. Lee Merritt said the family has not been satisfied with the information coming out of the district attorney's office. Nor were they pleased it took three days to charge Guyger when, in Merritt's view, the officer's admission she shot him was sufficient to merit an arrest on manslaughter charges, he said.
"The promise of transparency to this family has been a blank check," Merritt said.

What is meant in this context? Is this a regionalism, or perhaps a hyper-correction?


texts: I saw this drug store sign from 1929. Does the term "cut rate" have a pharmaceutical origin or does this just refer to "low cost"? This in a low income area, but I know pharmacies "cut" drugs with other substances so I became curious about the origin.


texts:
I'm looking for an idiom to express my refusal for negotiations in a rather humorous way (if possible).
In German there is "we're not on the bazaar" (literally translated), obviously relating to the bargaining done there.
Is there an equivalent or other applicable idiom?

Thank you in advance.


texts: What's the mistake in "When I was a child, I must eat everything on my plate or I wouldn’t get any dessert."?

texts: "When I was a child, I must eat everything on my plate or I wouldn’t get any dessert." Find a part of the sentence that contains a mistake.


texts: if + should or if + present simple or ... Too many ways to say the same thing

texts:
What is the difference between the following sentences:

We have no jobs at present, but if the situation should change, we will contact you.
We have no jobs at present, but if the situation changes, we will contact you.
We have no jobs at present, but if the situation is to change, we will contact you.

Sentences 1 and 2 I took from Murphy, where they say the first one means that the situation is less likely to change.


texts: Can ‘a short of something” be used as “without something”? Do we need “a” before “short”?

texts:
I came across the following sentence in the book, “Korean’s Place in the Sun” written by Bruce Comings, Professor in History at the University of Chicago:

  Events elsewhere after the Cold War have encouraged most Koreans to think that reunion might be around the corner: so what can be said about critical issue to Korea’s destiny as a nation?
  It seemed to me that for all these reasons, and a short of a catastrophic war, no reunified Korea will emerge before a prolonged regional sovereignty, perhaps under one national name and one flag, perhaps for years to come.

Not only what are reasons for “for all reasons” is not explained, but I have difficulty in understanding the subsequent lines:

Can “a short of (a catastrophic war)” be used to mean “without, or except”? Do we need “a” before “short of"? Don’t we need any preposition rather than “a”?
What does “before” of “reunified Korea will emerge before a prolonged regional sovereignty” mean? Does it refer to “time” (previous to) or “place” (in front of)?
What does “no reunified Korea will emerge before a prolonged regional sovereignty” mean? If it is a sovereign state, it is a matter of course that the state has, or should have one name and one flag. Isn’t the statement followed by “perhaps under one national name ...” superfluous?

Though I trust the accomplished scholar’s writing is infallible, is the quoted statement crystal clear to all native English speakers at a glance?


texts: Origin and causation of the phrase expression 'Take Care' when parting ways, bidding goodbye or closing a letter?

texts:
From what I googled around "Take Care" is short for "Take Care of yourself". Do share if there's some other meaning/ origin/ usage.

How/ when and where did this phrase originate?

Why would you ask someone to "take care of themselves"? Wouldn't they automatically?

Was it because journeys/ travel back in the day were risky and more prone to danger/ injury/ accident/ highway attacks?


texts: The phrase up and at ’em (commonly construed as ?up and Adam) is used a lot. Where did it originate?


texts: Difference between 'have to' and 'will have to'

texts:
Is there any difference between these two statements. If yes could you tell me when to use them.

I have to do that
I will have to do that


texts:
Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.
Maya Angelou

What does "curl my back to loneliness." mean?


texts: Single-word verb for "to keep private/confidential"

texts:
What would be a single-word verb for 'to keep private/confidential'?

My first thought was the verb "to privatise" but it doesn't connote this.


texts: Good word/phrase that describes the "process of duplication"

texts:
What can be a good word/phrase for describing the process of duplication?

More specifically, this is what I want to convey:

Machines are good at tasks that involve copy-pasting.

What can be a good word/phrase that would say, Machines are good at data ____

PS: words considered: Data replication,


texts:
Is there any word or neat expression for fallen snow on ground that doesn't hold shape anymore (because the temperature has risen, ...) and it's just this unpleasant Slurpee-like mass? This is often on roads or pavements where cars or feet move the snow, so it in addition becomes all grey-ish.

I'd use it like:

  It's not white Christmas when the snow outside is all --- !


texts:
Is this sentence (a caption for a question/article) grammatically valid?

  'Getting 403 http code when routed to the site's root'

When is it suitable to use WHEN + PARTICIPLE Ⅱ? Should I use being routed instead?


texts: What 'checkout' is supposed to mean in 'git checkout' sentence?

texts:
I am learning git, and I have difficulty understanding how some commands relate to english, particularly git checkout --file.

From context (https://try.github.io/levels/1/challenges/17 : Files can be changed back to how they were at the last commit by using the command: git checkout -- . Go ahead and get rid of all the changes since the last commit for octocat.txt), I understand it means something like return your code to the state it used to be in when you committed changes for octocat.txt last time.

And this is meant by checkout? Could you please point me to the closest meaning (from here maybe http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/checkout) that they were trying to pass? (otherwise, it makes it very difficult to learn since it becomes meaningless)


texts: Should I change the structure of a sentence/add filler words to make sure that the sentence always starts with a capital letter?

texts:
Here is a quote from a book on C++ ("for", "while" and "do" are keywords in many languages, and in most languages they have to be in lower case. The C++ language is one of those.):

  Simply put, algorithm names suggest what they do. "for", "while", and "do" don't.

One cannot write "For" instead of "for", because that would no longer refer to a well-known technical term, but to something else. Some attempts to fix this sentence would be:

  The "for", "while", and "do" don't.

or:

  The keywords "for", "while", and "do" don't.

or:

  Use of "for", "while", or "do" does not.

Is this a good practice? Is this even an issue? What about other examples, such as starting sentence with a number, with a lower case letter in English or a foreign language, such as:

  "l" looks a bit like "i".
  as opposed to something like:
  letter "l" looks a bit like "i".


texts: Can ";" be used to replace the word "but"?

texts:
Are these two sentences both correct and equivalent?

  People say stuff like "all lawyers are
  liars", but it's not true.

  People say stuff like "all lawyers are
  liars"; it's not true.

Is there any difference in nuance or anything at all?


texts:
I used to say the phrase "less milk, fewer bottles" to force myself to learn when to correctly use less/fewer.

Does anyone have any similar memory/learning trick to assist with effect/affect?

I'm now unsure about the title of this question :(
I've tried, on and off, for some years to fully understand this - but my stupid head will not comply.

And I have read this "Effect" vs. "Affect" but I'm still confused!


texts: What does someone “pushes back and crack some eggs” mean? Is it a popular turn of phrase?

texts:
In Maureen Dowd’s article titled “Who’s that candidate in the teal toenail Polish?” in New York Times (August 3), http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/opinion/sunday/dowd-whos-that-candidate-in-the-teal-toenail-polish.html?hp she quotes the following comment of New York City mayoral candidate, Christine Callaghan Quinn:

  “Quinn is still smarting over a Times story that described her
  volatile “hair-trigger eruptions. “Am I pushy?” she asked. “Yep. Do I
  like taking no for an answer when no means New Yorkers aren’t going to
  get something they need? No. Do I push back and crack some eggs?
  Absolutely.”

  She also defended herself for calling the police and
  fire commissioners in July when an ambulance did not arrive in a
  timely way, after a City Council intern fainted in the heat.”

Though I understand this is a metaphoric expression, I’m not clear with the meaning of “Do I push back and crack some eggs? Absolutely.”

It sounds like she is saying that she is adamant to say ‘No,’ whenever she doesn’t think the proposed policy and measures benefit New Yorkers, without worrying about conflict or confrontation, but I’m not sure.

What does it exactly mean?
Is “push back and crack some eggs” a popular turn of phrase, or Christine Quinn’s (not Dowd’s, as is usual) own turn of phrase?


texts:
German law has three distinct terms in the context of insulting a person:

§ 185, Beleidigung -- Insulting a person. This covers e.g. flipping somebody off in traffic, calling somebody names etc.
§ 186, Üble Nachrede -- Making unproven claims that decry somebody, damaging his reputation. (Rumor-mongering?)
§ 187, Verleumdung -- Making false claims that decry somebody, damaging his reputation.

The first is "insult", that much is clear.

For the other two, I found that English distinguishes between spoken defamation (slander) and written (or otherwise published) defamation (libel), but apparently does not distinguish between "unproven" and "proven false" slander / libel, which makes it very difficult to talk about this nuance of German law.

Are there English words that would distinguish between "üble Nachrede" (saying bad things about somebody that you can't prove) and "Verleumdung" (saying bad things about somebody that you know aren't true)?


texts: A word or phrase for something cruel whispered behind someone's back

texts:
I need a word that means the above. I have a character who is a bit of an outcast and people whisper horrible things about her whenever she's around. Any ideas?

The sentence is:

  Hours afterwards, miles from school, she could still hear the hateful remarks whispered between friends when they thought she couldn’t hear.


texts:
Which phrase is correct?

A will normally be finished by the end of the week, or, A will be normally finished by the end of the week.

The meaning I'm trying to convey is that if nothing abnormal happens, A will be finished by the end of the week.

I think it's the first, but I cannot explain a colleague why. Thanks!


texts: Could you please explain "Kinesthetic Metaphor"?

texts:
My major is pure mathematics and I am reading an article on "Metaphors in preschool child thinking about the mind" for some reasons!
 I can't understand the meaning of "Kinesthetic Metaphor"; Google Search Engine was not useful!

Could you please explain it for me?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  When do I use “can” & “could”?

In a company, the HR asked me:

"Could you please sign here".

I want to know whether it is correct or "Can " should be used or simply "Please sign here" is sufficient.

When to ideally use Could.


texts: How can I know, precisely, when to differentiate the sounds of the letter a, like in: apple and vault?


texts: What do you call someone or a group of people who split off from a main group?

texts:
What is a single word for someone or a group of people who split off from a main group because they're dissatisfied with its state?

I was thinking something along the lines of mutiny, but that's a bit too extreme.

For example: A group of students split off from the main robotics team and formed their own. The original team did something while the ______ (splitters?) did something else.


texts:
Is there a name for a pair of words or phrase that can have a double meaning?  I was thinking homophones, but I thought that homophones are only applied to single words (ie their, there, and they're).

The example:

The term "werewolf hunter" can have two meanings

A hunter who is also a Werewolf
A hunter who hunts werewolves

The term "English teacher" can have two meanings

A teacher who is English in race
A teacher who teaches English

Is there a specific term for this kind of phrase?


texts:
Maybe you think this is a bad question but:

My native language is Persian, in Persian when we see each other we say salam that is like hello in English. The actual meaning of  salam is  peace and peace be upon you, I know there is same meaning in Arabic, they say السلام عليكم, that means peace be upon you.

What is the meaning of hello in English, is that something like peace?


texts: What does "fraction of Blue Book value" mean?

texts:
On this page :
http://boston.craigslist.org/i/autos
the fourth point of "How to recognize a vehicle scam attempt on CL"

What does "fraction of blue book value" mean?


texts: 'It' referring to a totality of more than just one entity

texts:
"My father loved to paint. He was a very accomplished amateur painter.
  Oils-he painted pictures of abandoned mills, and of barns, and of
  people and sailboats and lighthouses. All of it was real. All of it he
  saw around New London." ('Chevrolet, Summers, Dairy Queen Nights' by
  Bob Greene: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1994-02-13/features/9402130068_1_tom-condon-new-york-golf)

Hello, I was just wondering why 'all of them were ...' and 'all of them he saw ...' couldn't be used. I know 'it' refers to a totality of 'abandoned mills,' 'barns,' 'people,' 'sailboats,' and 'lighthouses.' But can't just 'them' be used to look at the 'abandoned mills,' 'barns,' etc.?


texts:
I was about to write that several things were missing, when I realized that I wasn't sure if I should say

  What is missing are connections

or

  What are missing are connections

I think it should be the second one, but I'm not sure.


texts: I recently came across the idiom "Be mother" in a crossword. It is supposed to mean 'to pour tea'. I was surprised by the meaning, and want to ask if there is any etymology or history behind this curious idiom. Is it informal/facetious/slang?


texts: Is there a word for a button that is not being held?

texts: I know a word for each state, except for one: I press a button, I hold it down, I release it. But how do we call the state of the button when no action is taken at the moment? Unpressed button? Free button?


texts: Common phrase for "to name the issue exactly"

texts:
I'm looking for an expression/phrase which is common for when in a discussion somebody points to the exact issue / cause of the problem or named an argument which corresponds perfectly to your own opinion. It also expresses that the argument is formulated very straightforward without any reservation and might even make others uncomfortable.

For comparison in German one would say "Den Finger auf die Wunde legen", word-by-word translation would be "You put your finger on the wound".

I only found "put your finger on the weak spot" and "to bring up the painful subject", but I guess there might be way better expressions?


texts:
I have a question with regards to the use of radicality or radicalness. I am not quite sure which one to use or what the differences are.

I use these terms in reference to political parties and protest movements. Say, for instance, in the sentence: "Radicality/radicalness is a defining characteristic of populist right movements, both in the electoral and in the protest arena."

Wiktionary suggests that both exist, but radicality is the more commonly used form. For me, they both sound the same. What do you think, is there a difference?


texts: Looking for a software development term describing the effort it takes to learn a new skill/framework

texts:
I want to say that the framework is designed for rapid development, maximal portability, and minimal [time-to-figure-out-how-to-use-it].

The idea is that it's very intuitive, so you don't need to spend a lot of time sifting through documentation to get started.

Time-to-proficiency? Learning curve?

Is there a single word that means this?


texts: State of Being verbs as gerunds preceded by possessive

texts:
I have been trying to untangle whether, in the following sentence, the apostrophe -s is necessary

"He complains about his feet ('s) hurting."

Apologies if the title isn't accurate or precise. I'm having trouble wording my concern exactly.

The "hurting" is not an action belonging to the feet, but is a state of being of the feet (like "smelling"). I have already introduced one possessive because the feet belong to him, but is what he "has" not the feet but the "feet hurting" which would obviate the need for a second possessive?

A parallel sentence MIGHT be "He complains about his soup's tasting funny." But there, I add in "funny" and I don't know if that (adjective?) changes anything.