texts: Subject Verb Agreement with the word "every"

texts:
Every Bentley, Lamborghini, and Porsche (is/are) owned by Volkswagen

I had some difficulties with this because I thought that the answer would have to be "are" because
a) There are different objects that are being listed out

b)"every" signifies multiple things so I thought that it would entail that I ought to choose "are"

But the answer key dictates that the answer is "is" and I don't understand why that is.

I was wondering if it has to do anything with the word "every"?


texts: Can the word mountain be used as the meaning of burden?

texts:
I was listening to a song named 'Nobody loves me like you' by Chris Tomlin.
And there was an expression that You’re breaking down the weight of all my mountains.
Thinking by context I guess the mountain in this lyrics means burden or guilty. But I wanna make it clear.

1. Can mountain be used as the meaning of burden?

And I wanna ask one more thing.
2. "What a song to sing." What does this mean exactly?
Does it mean there is no song to sing to express this kind of love?

The following is the lyrics of the song.
Thanks in advance.

Morning, I see You in the sunrise every morning
It’s like a picture that You’ve painted for me
A love letter in the sky

Story, I could’ve had a really different story
But You came down from Heaven to restore me
Forever saved my life

Nobody loves me like You love me Jesus
I stand in awe of Your amazing ways
I worship You as long as I am breathing
God, You are faithful and true
Nobody loves me like You

Mountains, You’re breaking down the weight of all my mountains
Even when it feels like I’m surrounded
You never leave my side

Oh, what a song to sing
Jesus, You love me
And I love You God


texts:
In an episode of Friends, the subtitle read: "France going arms". What does this mean please?

I couldn't find this phrase in the dictionary or on the Internet.


texts:
I'm studying for my exams and I stumbled upon these past year questions.

The correct answer for a) is do. I'm having trouble understanding why 'do' should be used to replace 'does'. Shouldn't the correct answer stay the same as it is which is 'does'? Can someone please explain?


texts:
Here's the idea I'm trying to convey: "He was by far the least proficient in his class."

Here's the sentence I want to use: "He was the (slacker) of the group." Except that "slacker" sounds a bit wrong for what I'm trying to say. Is there a better noun that would fit here?


texts:
Good evening.

I heard in my English book the word holiday, which is usually noted /'hɒlɪdeɪ/ pronounced ['hɔ̝lɪdeɪ]. Is it frequent ?


texts:
It's in London that he met his wife  - I've got this sentence in my grammar book under cleft sentences. It's just one of many.

I was wondering if it's possible to use to be verb (I've got no single example). It's from London that I am. Would that be correct?

I know it's not how people usually say something like that but I'm asking about cleft sentences and the way they work


texts: I can’t understand why the phrase “for the life of me” isn’t “for the life of mine.” Mine is a possessive pronoun, not me. You don’t say, “Some friends of me.” You say, “Some friends of mine” OR “Some of my friends.” Me doesn’t convey—grammatically—possession, and it is neither a possessive adjective nor a possessive pronoun. Why, then, is the phrase “for the life of me”? What is the origin of the use of me in this way? Is there any historical usage of a possessive me, or is this simply an ungrammatical phrase i.e. an idiomatic phrase?


texts:
There are 2 citations related to the question.

Bankruptcy of a corporation does not in itself cause dissolution.
A partnership may be dissolved by agreement of the parties.

I reckon, in the first sentence, "bankruptcy" needs an article before itself to make sense because it is also okay; but why, here, the writer did not use it? because of nuance? or because it is academic?
The same with the second sentence: why not "the agreement of the parties," but "agreement of the parties?"
The two sentences are from the same book, an introductory book of law.
Thanks for any help!


texts: Is it correct to say someone is in a certain role?

texts:
For example,

"Is Connie in the role of administrator?"


texts: "I’ll listen to any concerns you or him may have." Which pronoun do I use here, "he" or "him"?

texts:
I had a question about possession.  I wrote the sentence:

  He may need to stay for a while, therefore I’ll listen to any concerns you or him may have.”

Is it him or he? Because it sounds natural to say him.


texts:
My Outlook flags the word "solutioning" as a spelling mistake.

According to Urban Dictionary :

  solutioning: A word many business people misuse to describe the
  process of creating a solution. These people need a grammar lesson and
  should be fired immediately.

Is the word correct?


texts: Are words like "otherwise" and "maybe" considered compound words?

texts:
I typically think of words like "bittersweet" or "sandstorm" when I think of compound words. But words like "otherwise" or "maybe" also have two other complete words inside of them; are they also considered compound words?

The reason I ask is because most of the stereotypical examples directly relate to the meanings of each part. "Otherwise" doesn't really seem to relate to both "other" and "wise".


texts:
I have a grid displayed in my app, and the app can show 10 rows of data at a time. At the bottom of the grid it provides buttons for left and right to browse through the data.

What is the best wording for letting the user know which rows are being shown?

Currently I have:

  BackBtn-NextBtn Showing 1-10 from 56 items

Please let me know if the above is correct or what's a better way to express it.


texts:
Sometimes at motels or hotels or apartments, the hallway is on the side of the building with railing. I can't think of the word for this.

If I call it a "hallway," I think it might be visualized incorrectly by those reading.

The closest word I could think was a "landing." Is that right?


texts: What is a good term to describe the last of a dying breed?

texts:
Is there a word or short phrase that describes a person or animal that is the last survivor of a dying tribe/species?

I'm trying to use the word facetiously to describe something technical and dry. For example, "the XXXX of the widgets," or "XXXX widget," or "widget XXXX." So the more creative the allusion the better!


texts:
How else can "he's really inconsistent" be expressed ?

For an article about a sports person.


texts:
What is the correct way to write this - it's an imagined, hypothetical situation:

How would you help a client who was suicidal?

Or is it

How would you help a client who is suicidal?


texts: Can you have any kind of "snap" other than a cold one?

texts:
The phrase "cold snap" is in common usage, as in:

  We're really going through a cold snap. I had to de-ice the car this
  morning.

But I've never heard the phrase "warm snap" or "mild snap". Would those phrases be valid, or must a "snap" always be cold?


texts: Diplomatic word to express having difficulty or finding it unpleasant working with someone.

texts:
I'm filling out a feedback form for a senior colleague who I've been working with, I want say something like

  Last year I had some difficulty working with John, but since the start of the year he's given me more room to breathe and allowed me to work with more autonomy.


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Is there an accepted rule for naming all of our various distant relatives (Kinship Terms)?

My relationship to my cousin's dad is nephew-uncle.

My relationship to my cousin is cousin-cousin.

What is my relationship to my cousin's child? Is it still cousin-cousin?


texts: Is 'to suck your teeth' the same thing as saying 'tsk'?

texts:
I am inclined to think that 'to suck your teeth' is a possible description for the sound 'tsk'. Is there any good source to support (or dismiss) my assumption?

By 'tsk' I mean the onomatopoeia for a dental click sound that is used by English speakers to signify impatience, disapproval or reluctance.

For those who think I am asking "why 'tsk' is written for the sound of disapproval", hence is a duplicate of a question asked some years ago, let me say that I am aware of that question, and no, that is not what I am asking.


texts: "Need in the art" - what does this phrase mean?

texts:
I was going through a technical document and came across this phrase. I can understand the intent of the phrase but I am curious about the actual meaning of the phrase and where it can be used.
An excerpt from the technical document:

Therefore, there is a need in the art for a system and method which can relieve network and personnel inefficiencies from use of such disparate system resources by unifying their points of access and interface, providing for common content and functionality, and allowing consistent and understandable administration policies


texts: Would I be considered a native English speaker?

texts:
I'm currently 16 and I've been wondering if my English is considered as "native" English and the reason why I'm currently questioning this is because I'm currently creating a Curriculum.

I'm a Brit brought up in Spain that has been brought speaking both English and Spanish.

I studied in a Spanish school and have Spanish friends, but I also have British friends, and apart from when I'm speaking with the Spaniards, I think and speak in English.


texts: Is there a synonym for "satisfied customer" or "one who can testify"?

texts:
For example, I wish to borrow a book from someone. In order to assure that person that I will treat their book carefully, I want to refer them to someone I have already borrowed a book from in the past who knows that I am responsible.

What is the word for that person who can recommend me?


texts: extension from home or extension to home

texts:
We are working on a preschool flyer.  We describe ourselves as an extension from home.  Is it extension from home or extension of home?

Thanks


texts:
What's the difference between ‘A increased with B’ and ’A increased with increasing B?
Do they have the same meaning? Or does ‘A increased with B’ also have the meaning of ‘A increased with decreasing B’?
And how about ‘A increased with increased B’? Confused.


texts: Is /ɑ/ a back or central vowel in GA English?

texts:
/ɑ/ is called open back unrounded vowel, however it appears in the center bottom of the vowel trapezoid of  General American English at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_American#Phonology . Why? If GA English indeed uses that bottom central vowel, why not represent it with /ä/ (open central unrounded vowel)?

The cot-caught merger is out of the scope of this question.


texts:
But it wasn’t until Ames pegged the actor for a network news anchor
  that the show’s premise started to materialize. (quoted from Newsweek)

What's the meaning of "peg" in this sentence?

I looked up in the dictionary and found out it has many different meanings.

I guessed
"to classify; categorize" is the meaning of "peg" in the above sentence.

Am I correct?


texts:
When speaking series of decimal numbers, we say "one... nine, ten"; when speaking hexadecimals do we say "one... e, f, ten"? Do we say "nineteen, ateen, bteen... fteen, twenty" and so forth, or do we say "one-a, one-b" etc?
On that note, would 10 be spoken "ten" or "one-zero"?


texts: Can any transitive verb be accompanied by a preposition?

texts:
Galileo was forced to recant his assertion that the earth orbited the
  sun (Oxford Dictionary)

  Can one recant on an absence of belief? (The Secret Intensity of
  Everyday Life)

The first “recant” is a transitive verb. And Wikipedia says the second “recant on” is a transitive particle verb. Can any transitive verb be accompanied by a preposition to add the preposition’s meaning?


texts:
I am not sure I understand the meaning of a sentence in The Given Day from Dennis Lehane

  Luther would soon have ample time to consider how he’d fallen into running numbers for the Deacon, and it would take him a while to realize that it had nothing to do with money.


texts: Is "laic" an alternative word to the word "layperson"?

texts:
Can laic be used interchangeably with layperson as a gender-neutral alternative to layman and laywoman?

Example 1

  The site is more suitable for the laics.

vs

  The site is more suitable for laypersons.

Example 2

  Laics are not allowed here.

vs

  Laypersons are not allowed here.

Example 3

  I am a laic to this subject.

vs

  I am a layperson to this subject.


texts: A word to describe a London projects dweller

texts:
Actually, I think I would also love to know the proper British English word for the type of housing that's called 'projects' in US (slums?), but it's a secondary question after all =). The main question is: is there a specific term that could describe a typical resident of such housing? Somebody with low income, who often gets in trouble with law enforcement and probably wears sportswear on any occasion.

If that helps: I just watched the movie "Kingsman: The Secret Service" and would like to find a term that could properly describe a type of person the protagonist was before turning to the gentleman kind of guy. Something slang or pejorative would fit, as long as it hits the bull in the eye.


texts: Which one is correct: "communications device" or "communication device"?

texts:
Is there any difference between "wireless communications device" and "wireless communication device"? Which one would be more appropriate in the following title:

  Motion programming of spatial manipulator using wireless
  communication(s) device


texts: What's the distinctions of "starter", "appetizer", and "entree" when expressing a small dish that you eat at the beginning of a meal?

texts:
As a foreign English learner, I always curious about the distinctions of quantity  when expressing a small dish that you eat at the beginning of a meal.
http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-entree-and-vs-appetizer/


texts: I'm looking for a single word that explains how broad or widespread something can be. Since "broadity" or "widespreadity" aren't real words, are there any viable alternatives?


texts: What's the grammar behind "A'warring", from the lyrics of Symphony of Destruction?

texts:
What's the grammar behind A'warring, from the lyrics of Symphony of Destruction by Megadeth?
It's the first time I'm seeing the use of such apostrophe.


texts:
Why is it that the plural of 'blood' is 'blood' in normal usage but 'bloods' (e.g. 'I'll be taking some bloods') is acceptable in a medical context? Are there any words with similar pluralisation anomalies?

This odd pluralisation may be confined to British English, here are some examples

http://m.studentmidwife.net/student-midwife-forums-2/clinical-placements-and-electives-8/3845-taking-bloods.html
"Reasons for taking bloods"
"When to have bloods tested for progesterone?"
http://www.mail-to.co.uk/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=13134
http://www.imt.ie/opinion/2011/09/restraint-should-be-last-alternative-in-taking-bloods.html

UPDATE: I'm struggling to find online examples of this usage outside of midwifery as per the links above. Now I'm wondering if 'bloods' is actually a pluralisation that refers to both the mother and baby's blood. Has anyone an example of a medical usage outside of pregnancy?


texts: Why do they address me "Dear (surname)"?

texts: I have a little international business contact, and sometimes, some people write me a mail and address me as "Dear (my surname)", no "Mr", no nothing. Where is this common and how so? I never knew this. I only know "Dear (first name)" (American) and of course "Dear Mr (surname)", as well as "Dear (first name) (last name)". But this new variation, I can't quite grasp yet. Your input would be appreciated.


texts:
I read this sentence:

  those problem are the creative grit of a theory

What does "the creative grit" mean?


texts:
How to read aloud a sentence like 'In the year 18.. they decided to move to Bricktown'? Such sentences are common especially in Victorian literature.

My only option is 'eighteen and something' but I feel that it will not do when reading aloud formal texts, e.g. citations from legal documents included into some fiction books.


texts: Describing a number that is supposed change something relative to a certain value

texts:
I need to describe a parameter in a program and i am struggling with grammar. The parameter is called "delta" and is supposed to be an amount that changes a certain value.

So my trys are:

The delta which to change the value by
The delta of which to change the value by
The delta by which to change the value

I can't figure out which is correct (if one of these is correct at all). At least they sound wrong to me.


texts:
The valves, by way of the flaps are able to control the flow of blood through the heart because the flaps open and close during the contractions of the heart.

I think the bolded part especially, but also the sentence as a whole   sounds a little bit awkward. Is their a way to make it more  coherent?


texts: How do you describe the motion of a horse when it brakes?

texts:
I always see horses in the movies raise their front legs in the air when they are halted by the riders. How would you describe the motion when they do such thing?

[Source:


texts: Are en-dash, em-dash, hyphen, minus sign, and quotation dash superfluous?

texts:
I believe one major reason that proper usage of en-dash, em-dash, hyphen, minus sign, and quotation dash can be so frustrating is because they convey information already given by the context of the mark.

Are there instances where the use of one of the strikingly similar punctuation marks listed would resolve an ambiguity? I am struggling to imagine a phrase which could be interpreted differently depending on which punctuation was used, and I am confident I have never closely inspected the length of one of these marks in order to better understand a statement.


texts: Is there a contraction for "where are" like "where's" for "where is"?

texts:
What is a contraction for where are?

I wanted to ask "Where are the keys?" but want to use a contraction.

Do I have to just say Where are, or can I say Where's and it's understood?


texts: Where did the usage of bury in "bury a jumper" come from?

texts:
I heard the phrase "bury a jumper" in an NBA game. I googled it, and found:
According to this site:

bury a jumper: To make an especially pretty jump shot.

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, here bury means:

sports : to succeed emphatically or impressively in making (a shot)

I'm curious about where did this usage of bury come from? How does it relate to the word's originial meaning?


texts: How to say grief delayed for good cause?

texts:
What words, or phrases, are related to grieving having been deferred, but not disparaged, for a worthy reason?

Bonus points for folklore references.

===

I was thinking of something along the lines of, 'Today is a good day to die.' A saying that would affirm the value of the grieving process, while providing kind of a personal narrative framework to put a pin in it for later, because something more pressing, possibly life threatening, needs dealing with at the moment.


texts: What does pip refer to in the phrase "squeeze someone until their pips squeak"?

texts:
I understand that it means "to extract money from someone". But what does pip refer to here? What's the image behind this phrase?

Bonus question: Is there a relation to the word "pipsqueak"?


texts:
For example:

  God bless America.

seems to be a shorter way of saying

  May God bless America.

Is "bless" in both of these cases in the subjunctive?

("God, bless America." is clearly imperative.)


texts:
Is the sentence below correct?

  I'd like to become a known entity with decision makers in our organization.


texts: Could anyone help me with can vs could in a request? I know 'can' is used in an informal way 'Hi bro, can I use your pen?' and 'could' in a formal way 'Excuse me, could I use your pen please?' But when a mother asks her son to turn down the music, it is an informal setting but 'can' doesn't seem right and 'could' does 'Could you turn down the music, I'm on the phone.' Thank you in advance. I couldn't find this specific request in previous tags.


texts: Why is it "serviceable" but not "servicable"?

texts:
I came across this word in the answer provided by Robusto for the question about Thank you.

Because the last e in service is not pronounced, I thought it should be deleted when service is appended by able.

I guess the reason for serviceable may be related to the fact that the i in service is pronounced as [ɪ] but not [aɪ].

However, I am not sure, and I would like to know the reason behind that.


texts:
Which is grammatically correct?

  "Request you to register me for the course"
  "Request you to register myself for the course"


texts: uncountable noun + and + uncountable noun

texts:
Which sounds better?

There is water and butter in my fridge.
There are water and butter in my fridge.

I think it should be: is.

But what if we said:

How much flour and butter is needed to make a pizza?
How much flour and butter are needed to make a pizza?

In that case, I think the plural verb: are, is the correct choice, which means (I think) there is a contradiction between both sentences.


texts:
At work today a debate got rather heated between myself and a colleague, so I've turned to stack overflow.

He says that if you have a lot coffee and a lot of milk its a strong milky coffee.

My argument is that a milky coffee cannot be strong as they are contradicting terms. If you have a lot of both it is just a large coffee.


texts:
What is the meaning of the phrase hunky dunky?

I heard this phrase in a conversation in an episode of The Big Bang Theory, an American sitcom. I haven't seen many usages of it.

The sentence goes like this:

  This warm glow inside of me that promises everything's going to be all hunky dunky

— The Big Bang Theory, Season 1, Episode 8


texts: Why is the phrase "less than 15 people" incorrect?

texts: Why is the phrase less than 15 people incorrect? I just heard a radio personality flipping out over this usage.


texts: "Tense" Equivalent Neutral Term for Singular / Plural Form?

texts:
Here's one for the English professors:

I originally came across this problem when answering a question here. We all know that tense refers to the temporal form of a verb. "Act, acted, will act, has acted, will have acted" - these are all examples of tense.

Tense is a classification of form.

Another type of form is the singular or plural nature of a noun.

However, if we use the word "form" without specifying it as "singular form" or "plural form," it is vague - form by itself can imply tense, singularity / plurality, or even whether we are using a word in its noun form, verb form, adjective form, or adverb form.

The word "number" is the closest thing I have found to a real answer, BUT if we say

The 'number' of the subject noun is plural.

this sounds extremely confusing and vague, at least to me, because 'number' implies a specific value.

So unless we have a technical term in this context, we have a 'number' of choices (no pun intended):

Numerical Form
Numeral Form
Numeric Form
Numerality (this seems to work, but I have never heard it used that way)
Plurality ('The plurality of the subject is singular' doesn't quite work as I read it.)

I finally settled on using 'numerical form,' but I'm still a bit confused in this situation. Does anyone (possibly someone with a degree in English or an English teacher) have a textbook / definitively correct answer for this?

Thank you for and insight you may be able to provide.


texts: May the words "Creation" and "Creativity" be used in the same way?

texts: Consider a soccer player in the penalty box area of the pitch. He is extraordinarily creative in his skills in this area. It may be said that his "Creativity" is second to none, but may the word "Creation" be used instead? To wit: the striker Colyn Matthews' "Creation" in the penalty area is second to none. There is a current football commentator in England named Ian Joy and "Creation" is his favorite descriptor when a player shows imagination when scoring a goal. I believe that he is erring in his usage of "Creation". Any thoughtful opinions would be welcome. Thanks, Willard Goode, FL, USA.


texts: What does "move his bust around" mean in this context?

texts:
Quite the contrary, actually. Winston Churchill, on the other hand, was terrible to his servants and family, and he was such a well-regarded leader that you can’t even move his bust around now without being yelled at.

I suspect the " move his bust around" is kind of slang or something, but i cant google it. Please explain to me what does it mean and the idea of the whole context.


texts: What is the definition of a "one-note joke"?


texts: Subject of investigation vs. Object of investigation?

texts:
which of the following is better:

"He is the subject of our current investigation."
"He is the object of our current investigation."


texts: Passive voice misuse for technical documentation

texts:
I am writing technical documents (user requirements, user guides etc) often and MS Word and Grammarly often give me an error message "Passive voice misuse".

For example:

Function X is shown in this video.
It can be done by clicking this button.
This button can be used.
If more details are needed, they can be found in Annex A.

for all examples above Grammarly gives "Passive Voice Misuse". The same for MS Word. My question is

Are these examples completely fine or they can be rewritten in a better way from the native language speaker point of view?

As I understand Grammarly and etc is not a good reference here. I am asking just about my specific examples.

Please do not mark it as duplicated with this question. There are some similarities, but my question is more generic, but the other is very specific and related to only one example. and that question is not answered.

UPDATE 1
after some reading, I can rewrite my examples like this

This video shows Function X.
To do it click this button.
Use this button.
Annex A contains more details if needed.

Is it really better from native English speakers?


texts: What does "developed in the wake of the XX" mean?

texts:
The sentence I am having the confusion in is this-

"The X kingdom and others (Y, Z), led by chieftains of indigenous tribes, developed in the wake of the A kingdom, were examples of indigenous state formations in Medieval B."


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Are collective nouns always plural, or are certain ones singular?
  Which is correct: The rest of the staff is or are? The rest of my family is or are?

I've done a bit of research and I understand that "family" should be preceded by  singular or plural verb depending on how you want it to be treated. For example,

  His family is one of the oldest in the county.

and

  His family are all doctors.

These are apparently both correct.

But in the following instance, could a grammar expert tell me which should be be?

  When his family are abducted

or

  When his family is abducted

?

Thanks.


texts: The difference between "being with a company" and "being from a company"

texts:
Some people leave voice mail like:

  hi, this is John from ABC Systems...

and sometimes I can hear people say

  Hi, that's John with ABC Systems...

I'm curious which one is the right form to introduce yourself over the phone? When should I use from or with?


texts: Other ways to say 'take your time' / 'whenever you can' / 'no rush'?

texts:
Are there other ways to say Take your time?

I know:

Whenever you can
It's not (terribly) urgent
No rush

Any other ideas?


texts: 'Are you sure you want to delete selected items OR the selected items?'?

texts:
"Are you sure you want to delete selected items?"
or
"Are you sure you want to delete the selected items?"
Which one is correct?

Maybe it's better to say " delete these items" and to avoid this issue?


texts: I want to know if this sentence is correct

texts:
Jake decided to learn as many different artists, styles and works as often as possible.

I think the first 'as' is not needed. OR
'and' is needed between 'works' and 'as'.

Let me know if the sentence itself is right or my thought is right.


texts: I understand that "eke" means "survive". Where does it come from?


texts: Can the word "roommate" be used to say the person who shares the same office room?

texts:
Is it correct to use the word "roommate" to say the person who shares the same office room?

People around me says that the word "roommate" is used when to say the person who shares the same living room like an apartment.
If I look at the definition from merriam-webster, it says that "Define roommate: one of two or more persons sharing the same room or living quarters".
If the "room" in this definition is not limited to living room,
I think I can use the word "roommate" to say the person who shares the same
office room.

Office room here is small room that can accommodate 3 or 4 persons.


texts: What is a word for 'reverse' homesick? Not wanting to go back

texts:
Is there a word for reverse homesickness?

Let's say, if you visit a place, and you like it so much, you don't want to leave.


texts: Is "connexion" synonymous with "connection"?

texts:
Is connexion synonymous with connection?
Can I use it, for example, in an ethernet connexion?


texts: Does "renege" have any racial overtones, or is it otherwise offensive?

texts:
I used the word "renege" in a meeting the other day (something like, "the vendor decided to renege on their offer of shipping replacement SAN disks"), and got a few wide eyes.

My supervisor sat me aside just today and told me that my word choice has racial overtones, especially in mixed company, and that I should avoid using it.

I've heard that "niggardly" is somewhat taboo, but should I stop using "renege" as well? Is there a less offensive word I can use?


texts:
I wonder if you could tell me, the word "inaccurate" means "completely wrong" or "Not precise"?
For example, consider the following sentence:
Your estimation is inaccurate.


texts: What does 'mortgage one's future' mean? It's in this presidential address. I think it's used figuratively and means 'to put something at risk/endanger'. Am I right? What synonyms would you suggest?


texts:
Record A is linked to case 1
  Record B is linked to case 2
  Record C is linked to case 3

Which of the following sentences is correct?

There are 3 records linked to a case
There are 3 records linked to cases


texts: Is there a word for the inability to hear a distinction between certain vowel sounds?

texts:
I cannot hear the distinction between certain sets of vowel sounds. Normally the words in each of these sets (and of several others) all sound identical to me: Don, Dawn; marry, merry, Mary; ah, awe; cot, caught; ferry, fairy. If the speaker's accent heightens the differences between them I might be able to tell them apart, but cannot tell which word is intended by which of the different pronunciations. I can do that only from context.

This may not be uncommon in American English; maps of regional variations in pronunciation suggest that about half of the country pronounce Don and Dawn the same way. This would explain why I hear those names the same way, but only if I lived in that part of the country.

What is this trait called? I wish I knew.


texts: What is a word for the paragraphs of text on a college website advertising or sharing stories about the school in a positive light?

texts: Pretty self explanatory - a word to describe this kind of positive, well-composed text.


texts: How do you disambiguate phrases like "killing doctors" when you can't use an article?

texts:
In singular, indefinite articles help to disambiguate some phrases, like for example:

  a killing doctor

Would be a doctor who kills people.

versus

  killing a doctor

Would be an act of killing a doctor.

But what in cases of plural, when you cannot use an article, like:

  killing doctors

Here, it's either many doctors who kill people or a certain person/people killing many doctors.

Is there a way to disambiguate plural cases like these?


texts: Meaning of "Object" in James Madison's 1783 Letter

texts:
What is the meaning of object in the last paragraph ? Please divulge the steps and thought processes behind your deduction. I'm vacillating between these two, the first of which I'm well acquainted with:

a person or thing to which a specified action or feeling is directed:
a goal or purpose

  Princeton, October 16, 1783.

  Dear Sir :

  Your favor of the sixth of July, by some singular ill luck,
  never found its way to my hands till yesterday evening.

  The only part that now needs attention, is a request that I
  would answer the following question : " What appeared to be
  my ideas and disposition respecting the removal of Congress :
  did I appear to wish to hasten it, or did I not rather show a
  strong disposition to procrastinate it?" If this request had been
  received at the time it ought, it might have been answered as
  fully as you then wished. Even after the delay which has taken
  place, my recollection enables me, with certainty, to witness,
  that the uniform strain of your sentiments, as they appeared,
  both from particular conversations with myself, and incidental
  ones with others in my presence, was opposed to the removal of
  Congress, except in the last necessity; that when you finally
  yielded to the measure, it appeared to be more in compliance
  with the peremptory expostulations of others than with any dis-
  position of your own mind ; and that after the arrival of Con-
  gress at Princeton, your conversation showed that you reviewed
  the removal, rather with regret than with pleasure.

  Perhaps this obedience to your wishes may be too late to
  answer the original object of them. But I could not omit such
  an opportunity of testifying the esteem and regard with which I
  am

  Your obedient servant,

  J. Madison, Jb.
  To the Hon. Alexander Hamilton, Esq.


texts:
I've been watching Guy Maddin's 2007 My Winnipeg and there's a sentence there I have difficulty understanding. The narrator is talking about the coldest month, January, and it goes something like this:

The deepest part of the winter. No end in sight. The condoms come off. These are the bareback months of Winnipeg. Your breath freezes in front of your face and falls to your feet with a tinkle.

I assume the first sentence refers to the idea that when it's cold penises tend to "shrink" (or is it just me?). But what does the "bareback month" mean here?


texts: What is the origin of the expression "ya think"?

texts:
Maybe I'm just slow on the uptake, but the expression "ya think" seems to have recently become nearly universal, at least as viewed from the US and the UK, where I encounter it all the time, spoken by all kinds of people.

What is the origin of this expression? Is it indeed recent?


texts:
Consider these two examples:

My secretary is such an honest woman that she never says anything about my business.
My secretary is of such honesty that she never says a word about my business.

Why is 'such' in the second example preceded by the preposition 'of' and not in the first sentence?


texts: Is the verb "to rob" somehow related to Robin Hood?

texts: Does the verb "to rob" come from the famous robber "Robin Hood", was that name created after the verb, or is it simply a fun coincidence?


texts:
Could you please advise; which of the following is correct:
1. Please ensure to provide Dan and me with your report by XX.
2. Please ensure to provide Dan and me your report by XX.

Many thanks


texts:
I am not so sure which one is the correct spelling. When we try to say a square/cube of a prime, we should call it a "prime-squared/cubed" or a "prime-square/cube" number?

It sounds to me that "prime-squared/cubed" is the right choice as we are squaring/cubing the number. But I found both versions in different webpages, so I get confused. Are they both acceptable or it was a typo?


texts: What is an easier word than “serendipity” with the same connotations

texts:
A word that a majority of high schoolers would know.
Unless, of course, there is significant evidence that most high-schoolers know the word “serendipity”.

It shows up somewhere between 35,000 and 36,000 most frequent words: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Frequency_lists/PG/2006/04/30001-40000


texts: What does the phrase "heading for a poleaxing" mean?

texts:
I was checking whether biannual meant twice a year or once every two years (short answer: both) when I stumbled upon this example containing the phrase "heading for a poleaxing":

I've never seen poleaxe used outside of a combat or historical context. Is this a common phrase in some parts of the world? If so, what does it mean?


texts:
"It's precisely in contrast to the ordinary that the resurrection stands out."

Could someone explain what the author meant by "in contrast to the ordinary"? Could I replace "in contrast" in this case with "opposite"?


texts: Comma before "but" when there is no subject?

texts:
I know we need a comma in the following: "We can not control our parents, but we can control our children."

What about this though, when the subject "we" is not repeated?

"We can not control our parents but can control our children."

or

"We can not control our parents but can our children."


texts:
What does "an apparent majority" mean in the following sentence?

  An apparent majority of the public no longer believes this budget is sufficient.

Which of the following interpretations apply?

It seems that a majority of the public ....
It is clear that a majority of the public ....
any other interpretation


texts: Why doesn't the prefix "in" in "invaluable" mean "un-" as in other adjectives?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Where did prefix exceptions originate?

efficient
accessible
consistent
articulate
considerate
conceivable
convenient

inefficient
inaccessible
inconsistent
inarticulate
inconsiderate
inconceivable
inconvenient

However valuable to invaluable sits alone, like a trap, not merely an inconvenient irregularity but seemingly almost inconceivable that it's not a deliberate inconsistency, causing an inconsiderate degree of inaccessibility for the inarticulate. So English is even more inefficient and inaccessible than it would otherwise be.

Or is there a logical reason why invaluable doesn't mean unvaluable?


texts: Origin of slang "fire" meaning "cool" / "great" and does it have any relation to "fam"?

texts:
Fire as a slang adjective appears to be the bleeding-edge version of "cool."  To some extent, the word appears to be interchangeable with dope.  One thing that seems odd to me is that it often seems to occur next to the word "fam."  I'm wondering what the relevance of this connection is.

Examples of "fire"

  This song is so fire. My goodness

Twitter

  I play this tune more than once each day. The whole Ep is fire!!!

Twitter

Examples of "fire" with "fam"

  Or as the kids say it, it's totes fire, fam. It is indeed quite lit.

Twitter

  Spittin real bars this is fire fam

Twitter

  Nkabi yam, waiting on you to release some new fire fam, drop that shit !

Twitter

Green's Dictionary of Slang has an entry with a single citation from 2016, which also uses the word "fam."

  Dly Pennsylvanian 23 Mar. [Internet] If I say ‘That class is good and interesting,’ that is a pretty generic statement. If I say ‘That class is fire, fam” it’s a funny statement’.

Questions:

How early can we trace the use of slang "fire" meaning "cool" or "great?"
Does the origin of this slang term trace to a particular cultural or geographical demographic more specific than or apart from the U.S.?

3. Why do we often see "fire" used in combination with "fam?"


texts: Term for construct in which adjective completely changes the meaning of its following noun?

texts:
I would like the terminology for, and information regarding, a specific type of adjective-noun construct.  It consists of noun preceded by an adjective that completely/radically changes the meaning and/or class of the noun.

Example: a year is a unit of time, but when preceded by light, the meaning is not any sort of year or time, but becomes a unit of distance. The meaning of the noun is not merely refined or modified, but the meaning becomes something entirely different.


texts: Future tense and past perfect tense together?

texts:
Police will have the pictures enlarged in an attempt to identify the thief.

This sentence include two tenses. The former one is will for the future tense and the other is past perfect future tense. How can it happen and what's the grammar behind it?

Thanks.


texts: "Lowercase", "lower-case", or "lower case"

texts: Is it lowercase, lower-case, or lower case?


texts: In English, can a whole syllable be aspirated?

texts: Living in Merseyside, I've noticed a phonetic oddity that I can't find described anywhere [I did a Web search and found a transcript of Liverpool speech on a Liverpool University site, but no mention of the following].  When single-syllable words end in T, the T is dropped but, if I'm hearing correctly, the whole syllable is aspirated.  Voiced consonants are still voiced but also aspirated. So 'but' is pronounced /bʰʊʰ/, 'not' pronounced /nʰɒʰ/ and 'that' pronounced /ðʰaʰ/.  Is this a recognized phenomenon, and if so, is it confined to Liverpool?


texts: What is the correct spelling and definition of a word (sp.) "enditement"

texts:
Whilst watching The Big Bang Theory (S04E11, ~06:45 in, where Howard and Stuart are talking in the Comic Book Store about Zack), I heard the following exchange:

  — Is that sarcasm?
  — No, it's an enditement of the American education system.

The two characters involved are talking about a third character (who is present) who is being perceived as "stupid".

When I heard the word enditement I imagined it as a synonym of "example", but I cannot find a definition of a similar-sounding word that fits into the context described.

Can anyone provide the correct spelling/definition of this word?


texts: Omitting preposition in clock time expressions

texts:
Googling for a time expression with and without ‘at’:

“Leaves at 8am” yields ~ 24k hits
“Leaves 8am” yields ~ 4k

Is omitting the ‘at’ preposition here a less formal register, just an alternative form or outright ungrammatical?


texts:
I'm writing a paper and I need to quote the following list:

Step1: Compute the center of each triangle and the correspondences between the center and three vertexes of the
triangle;
Step2: Set up the Kd-tree according the centers of triangles;
Step3: Search the Kd-tree and check up the topological connectivity of the corresponding edges, and find the
boundary edges;
Step4: Distinguish the different boundary loops according to the topological connectivity of vertexes;

Do I quote like the following?

"

Step1: Compute the center of each triangle and the correspondences between the center and three vertexes of the
triangle;
Step2: Set up the Kd-tree according the centers of triangles;
Step3: Search the Kd-tree and check up the topological connectivity of the corresponding edges, and find the
boundary edges;
Step4: Distinguish the different boundary loops according to the topological connectivity of vertexes;
"(place citation number here)


texts: What is the secular version of the word Chaplain?

texts: I am a celebrant ceremony designer and trainer, and I am looking for a word to use for our research and performance of pet funerals.  Currently internationally people use the word Animal Chaplain, but for the non-religious the Chaplaincy word isn't quite right.  Any suggestions would be great.


texts: One word to describe increase in number of items?

texts:
I am looking for a single verb to describe when the size of a list is increased by adding more items to it. Like:

  The list ... as more items was added to it.

My first thought was that there should exist a simple, single word for it. Words like expanded or got bigger didn't seem correct.

(This question actually came to my mind while coding. I wanted to name a function that added items to a list and thus make it bigger. I couldn't thought of a single verb for it.)


texts: Hoping to learn the distinctions between aggress and assert

texts:
Based on all of the definitions I can find:
I understand aggressing is always offensive, whereas asserting can be offensive and defensive.
I understand aggressing attempts to take or overtake something, while asserting only offers something.
I understand aggressing can be physical or communicative, while asserting is only communicative.
Do you concur?  Do you recognize a significant distinction I've missed?  It seems to me that someone can be physically assertive, someone can aggressively defend themselves, and aggression can be done the beginning, middle and end, unlike all of the definitions that claim it only happens at the beginning.  it's pretty muddy for me...hoping you can make it much cleaner.


texts: Is there a word that means to smoke but not to inhale?

texts:
I'm trying to translate this term from Chinese:

包口烟   bāo kǒu yān   [pau⁵⁵ kʰou̯⁵²³ i̯εn⁵⁵]
(名) 抽烟不吸进肺里。 ▷ 抽包口烟。
(n.) Mouthful of smoke that is not inhaled into the lungs. ▷ Smoke a bāo kǒu yān.

So a 包口烟 is basically what you draw into your mouth when you smoke without inhaling. It’s a mouthful of smoke that you blow out instead of letting it go into your lungs.
包口烟 is a noun describing the smoke itself; the verb 吸 xī or 抽 chōu is used to indicate the action, just like with the regular expression meaning ‘to smoke’: 吸烟 xī yān or 抽烟 chōu yān, literally ‘draw/pull smoke’. Here you just ‘draw/pull mouthful-of-non-inhaled-smoke’ instead.
Is there a noun that means mouthful of non-inhaled smoke in English? Or a verb that refers to drawing smoke from a cigarette (or similar) without letting it enter your lungs? Or a term for someone who smokes in this way, for that matter?


texts: Adjective that means "hard to pronounce" even you know how to pronounce it

texts:
I am looking for a word to describe a word or a sentence that is hard to pronounce, in a situation that even you know the pronunciation but just can't control your tongue. Tongue-twister is the closest that I have come up with so far, but I wonder if there is an adjective.

I want a word that can fit into the blanks:

The script was so _________ that I had to pause and repeat a lot.

This rap is insanely ________.(a word more specific than "hard"/"difficult")


texts: Meaning of "artfully indeterminate" in this excerpt from The Lies of Locke Lamora?

texts:
I recently started reading The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch and was confronted with "artfully indeterminate" in the following context:

[ What say you? Are you the helpful sort? Are you willing to assist your new brothers and sisters with their interesting work?”
The boy mulled this over for a few seconds.
“You mean,” he said in a high thin voice, “that you want us to steal things.”
The old man stared down at the little boy for a very long time while a number of the Shades’ Hill orphans giggled behind their hands.
“Yes,” the Thiefmaker said at last, nodding slowly. “I might just mean that—though you have a very, ahhh, uncompromising view of a certain exercise of personal initiative that we prefer to frame in more artfully indeterminate terms. Not that I expect that to mean anything to you. What’s your name, boy?”
“Lamora.” ]

Thanks in advance.


texts:
Context:

  Anyone could hazard suggestions for the biological purposes of art – it eases social interactions, it is a mark of status and of the conspicuous display of consumption that indicates superior health and wealth.

Two questions about the sentence above:

Does "it" go to "the fact that anyone could hazard suggestions" or "biological purposes of art"?
Does "status" mean the social status of people in the society?


texts: What (if any) is the distinction between "verisimilitudinous" and "verisimilar"?

texts:
I was translating some Spanish and found myself wanting a word for "possessing verisimilitude". My first thought was "verisimilitudinous", but some research revealed that "verisimilar" is also a word. The dictionaries I've checked don't seem clear on any distinction between the two (or between "verisimilitude" and "verisimilarity").

Wiktionary defines "verisimilitudinous" as "appearing to be verisimilar; exhibiting verisimilitude, in either a neutral or a dubious sense" and "verisimilar" as "Appearing to be true or real; probable; likely" (i.e. exhibiting verisimilitude). Merriam-Webster online defines "verisimilar" as "having the appearance of truth" and redirects "verisimilitudinous" to "verisimilitude", which is defined using "verisimilar".

Is there a difference between them?


texts: Exercise Agency Over Their Learning - Use Of Agency

texts: I was just watching this TED talk featuring Sal Kan Let's teach for mastery -- not test scores and in it Sal uses the word Agency in a very unfamiliar way to me. He uses it almost a dozen times in the same manner one of which can be viewed and heard at the 10:20 mark here. He says, "Exercise agency over their learning." What does the use of agency mean in this context?


texts: I'm trying to write a story, but I cannot, for the life of me, think of the proper word to describe this. I don't want to use pity, since it seems too demeaning of a word, and I can't think of anything else. Can anyone please help?


texts: What is the UK-English equivalent of "Public Works"?

texts:
Morning,

I am translating someone's CV and they have experience managing finances for the state government, including regarding what wordreference translates to 'Public Works' - Construction works and other projects realized by the state.

I have to be honest, the term sounds weird to me, and google searches bring up results from Canada, US, and New Zealand, but not the UK. Unfortunately, I now live abroad in and can't for the life of me think of the term that we actually use. Can anyone lend a hand?


texts: Is it better to use "a" or "the" here in my book?

texts:
I have a peculiar situation, I am not sure whether to use "a" or "the" in my book. This takes place in a footnote of the title of the work that I mention.

  Mario wrote the work "Principia de mathematica"[1] in 1920.

  [1] The titles of the work contain "principiae", "principea" and "prinkepia";
  a/the title with "prinkepia", for example, is provided in the work "Buhaha" by John Firaldo in p.23.

That is - there are many variations of this work's title. Then I provide an example of one of these titles.

So should I write "a title" or "the title"?

Any help is appreciated.


texts:
Is it better to say "is to" or "is how to"? For example:

  A challenging problem is to analyse the runtime effects.

or should it be:

  A challenging problem is how to analyse the runtime effects.

Also, I know that it would sound more natural if I structured the sentence as "Analysing the runtime effects is a challenging problem.", but I want to emphasise that I am stating the challenges this way.

I tried searching for similar questions, but I couldn't find any (kind of tough terms to search for).


texts: Is there a rule to decide which is better: relevant to or relevant for? One is accusative and one dative but that doesn't really help me.


texts: Need adjective to describe certain kind of speech or communication

texts: I've been looking everywhere for a word to characterize speech in a business setting e.g. ny management or HR, where it is filled with buzzwords, circular logic, and devoid of real substance. In writing, I've seen this sort of thing described as fluff. Is there an adjective meaning "filled with fluff"? The closest I've come is vacuous or glib (both meaning empty), but the former word seems to carry an added implication of stupidity and the latter suggests that the speaker is at least eloquent. Is there something between the two? Mundane and devoid of meaning?


texts: "A Beginner's Guide" or "Beginner's Guide"?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Where should the apostrophe go in the word “beginners” in “beginners guide”?

Hi,

Is "Beginner's Guide To Something" Correct?


texts:
Here are two examples from Murphy grammar textbook:

1)"I didn't see you at Michael's party last week - No, I had to work that night, so I couldn't come."

2)"I think I saw you at Michael's party last week- No, you couldn't have seen me. I didn't go to the party."

My question is:

Why in the first example is there no "couldn't have come" instead of "couldn't come" despite the past context ("...last week", "I HAD to work...")?


texts: How might one rewrite interrogative sentences with contractions, such as "Why can't we ... ", more elegantly?

texts:
Let's say we have a sentence as shown below

"Why can't we use X to do Y?"

How would you rewrite it to avoid using a contraction? Typically, we can replace "can't" by "cannot" or "can not;" for instance

"She can't find her keys"
"She cannot find her keys"
"She can not find her keys"

Applied to the first example this would result in

"Why cannot we use X to do Y?"

Would the following work?

"Why can we not use X to do Y?"

For some reason, this sounds a bit awkward to me (however, I am a non-native speaker, and I don't really trust my gut feeling ;)).

So, wow would you make sentences like "Why can't we use X to do Y?" sound more elegant given that you want to avoid using a contraction?


texts: Why is 'unharmed' put after the verb in this sentence

texts:
Sentence:

People managed to get out of the building in the explosion unharmed.

My question: Why is unharmed put after the verb?
Is it a special adjective that I should remember?
If there is some grammar here, could you tell me about it?


texts: Should "The" be used before each element in a list

texts:
Which is correct -

"The cheese, the milk and the potatoes"

or

"The cheese, milk and potatoes"


texts: Looking for a word or short expression to it for wanting to re-experience something for the first time

texts:
We all have the wish to experience something for the first time again but obviously it's not possible.
How can we describe that wish/feeling ?
Is there a specific word, or a combination of words that could perfectly describe this.


texts: Is there a good alternative to the original meaning of the word "thug"?

texts:
As per this question it seems that the word "thug" has become taboo (in at least some US subcultures) after being allegedly adopted for racist use.

Without going into the merits of the taboo, it seems to have become widespread enough that using the word on the internet may be unwise.  Is there a good alternative?

Someone mentioned "goon" in the linked question, but that's not right: in international English, at least, a "goon" works for someone whereas a "thug" is usually acting on his own behalf.  "Criminal" is too broad in one sense and too narrow in another, since "thug" was often used to describe someone whose behaviour was aggressive and socially unacceptable but not necessarily literally criminal.  "Hooligan" doesn't seem quite right either, though it is close.

As an example of the sort of context the word I'm asking for might be used in, see this 1989 Calvin and Hobbes cartoon.


texts:
When I was at the beach, I occasionally felt the spray of sea water.
Is there any word for it?


texts:
Say you have a problem to solve. It might be a complex one with lots of scenarios to be considered. For simplicity you start by only considering the simplest scenarios that comes to mind and make a solution based on that.
You're aware that this solution won't work all the time and the idea is to address further problems as they arise, but this first solution might also be good enough.

Is there a commonly used word to describe this kind of solution?

Example:
Let's find the X solution and go on from there!

Some ideas are "naive" and "trivial" but I get the feeling they have a negative connotation.
The word I'm looking for should indicate an intentional simplicity with the understanding that it might not be the final solution.

Update: I see my question was a bit unspecific. The problem was meant to be a design problem for a feature to be created. This x solution might need to be modified but might also be enough.

Many answers are about unexpected problem. Although they are not what I need I'm still learning a lot from them.


texts: what does 'you are a little trying at times' means?

texts: This phrase is from Arthur Conan Doyle book 'The valley of fear'.


texts:
"Marina dove into the ocean depths, her tail slapping the surface dismissively"
I want to know if this is comma splice or a sort of correct usage of a clause. I don't think its adjective clause, but if it is, please add explanation why.


texts: How to distinguish between positions of prepositional phrases?

texts:
Is there a name for where prepositional phrases are in a sentence? For example, is there a name to distinguish between the following sentences?

  There has not been a queen on the island.
  On the island, there has not been a queen.


texts: Having decision making power over someone's assets

texts:
I am trying to translate the German word "verfügen" or "Verfügung" in its legal sense into English. In dictionaries, I only find the translation of "to dispose" or "disposition", as in the "power of disposition", but this just doesn't seem right to me.

I understand "to dispose of" basically to mean "to get rid of something"

What "verfügen" basically means is that you have a certain power over someone or something. Usually things. If I can "verfügen" over your assets, I can for instance buy or sell them as if I owned them - but ownership has not been transferred, I just have been granted the power (e.g. through a formal power of attorney).

Any thoughts?


texts: Adjective request for fast, lightweightness and multitasking

texts:
I am deciding some product name which has characteristics like Fast and lightweight and multitasking.

Please suggest some name which includes these meaning or bird or animal which has such qualities.


texts: Alternative for colloquial usage of OCD?

texts: I often find myself saying things like "I have to finish at the end of a chapter because I'm OCD". Here, I'm just using the term colloquially. I dislike using it because I don't have OCD, and I'd like to not be subtly perpetuating the misconception that real OCD is just a minor or very mild thing. I considered going with "obsessive compulsive", but that strikes me as long-winded and too likely to make the person default to thinking "OCD". Any suggestions?


texts: What is the word for "something that you can't get enough of"?

texts:
Consider some desirable thing X.

What I want to mean: I can't get enough of X,

How I want to say it: X is <foobar>

Is there any word for <foobar>?

The closest word that I know is "irresistible". But I have a limited vocabulary, and probably there is a better word out there.


texts:
First off, I'm not a native speaker but this question isn't about the rules themselves but rather usage in the USA.

I learnt that you should say 'unhealthier' (and the Oxford + Longman dictionaries I looked up back me up), but an acquaintance of mine (native speaker) told me to change because it was wrong, it should be 'more unhealthy'. When I pointed out the dictionary backs 'unhealthier', he dismissed the issue as both being accepted but 'more' is still the preferred option in the States and that I should still change.

So what's the story? Are both academically accepted (this person writes/speaks in a very informal way)? Is 'more unhealthy' really so preferred in the States that 'unhealthier' becomes deprecated?


texts: Is end-weight a linguistic term or is there an other word for it?

texts:
"Cambridge Grammar in Use" ( p.902), in the glossary, points to the term "Endweight" but I find it nowhere else as a linguistics term.

Is it because it is Cambridge Univ. Pr.'s own coinage?
If not, could anyone please point me to other sources?


texts:
I was writing an essay and I wrote this particular sentence:

"No bought views"

then, while checking for grammatical errors, I thought that this sentence should be correct this way:

"No views bought"

But I couldn't explain myself, as a non-native English speaker, why the first sentence isn't correct, or if it is correct in some colloquial way.


texts: how to say that I don't enjoy the spotlight

texts:
I am trying to convey a subtle message that I'm not particularly keen at giving a presentation while also allowing the possibility that I can give it after all if the other party so desires. As reason for preferring not to give the presentation I would like to cite my public shyness.

I thought I could say something like:

I can give the presentation if you find the results interesting but it's really up to you;
    I don't enjoy the spotlight so I don't really mind one way or the other.

... but I am worrying that this might come across as a bit arrogant in the sense of implying that my presentation (if given) would be the focus of the event. Any other way to put it?


texts:
In each of the years 1995, 1996, 1998, and 1999, variable X grew by 20% year-on-year. But in 1997, X fell by 50%. What might explain this counter-trend fall in 1997?

What might be a better word in place of "counter-trend" here? Googling "counter-trend", it seems like this is somewhat commonly used in investment, but I have not come across it anywhere else. Yet I cannot think of a better word to use in the above context.


texts: How to specify one had the topmost GPA during his education?

texts: I am writing a CV and I want to specify that I had the best GPA among all of the students. What is the best way to write such a thing in north america? Does 'Bachelor with first class honor' work? How about 'Bachelor's degree with distinction'?


texts: Source of the phrase "call [somebody] out of name"

texts:
I was introduced today to the phrase "Call out of name" as in:

  She claimed the other girl called her out of name.

I had to ask what it meant and the answer was "she called her a bitch". I'm curious about how widely this expression is known and used.  Doing a search on that phrase found an entry in Urban Dictionary and then the title of a book. So, did this phrase come from that book's title and if not, when and where?


texts: What's the difference from these two phrases? How would I know if keep studying or if I did it in the past?


texts: Is "The crowd are loving this.", from a UK newspaper, acceptable?

texts:
Is "The crowd are loving this." acceptable grammar? I think it should be "The crowd is loving this."

Does it matter if it's a UK newspaper?


texts: Is it right to say like "year one thousand anno Domini"? I have found it on the internet.


texts:
I understand that the phrase in the title means  "to behave frivolously".

E.g.:  A bereaved person does not cut capers in the street, and neither does a failed pupil.

Google gives around 3 links for the phrase, including Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna (English edition)  and  Frederique ,  a novel by Paul de  Kock .  Google ngram  shows no hits between 1700-2000.

 Question  Can you give me some idea of the origin of this phrase? And why it has hardly ever been used?


texts: Can two adjectives ending in -al be in a row?

texts:
I feel like :
Technological Educational Institute is wrong, and that it should be Technological Education Institute.

Please explain if I'm right/wrong, and why?


texts: Is there a metaphorical word or phrase for a potential trouble maker?

texts:
More specifically, someone who might open "undesirable doors" and fill you with profound regret for letting him/her into your life.

  The idiom I'm trying to find would be used in the following situations:

  A married man hesitates about going on a date with a woman he met recently and thinks: "I'd better keep away from her.  She looks like a real ...................
  A new neighbour has been acting too friendly but, in your judgement, his personality looks like trouble.  You decide to put up a barrier because chances are he is a ...............

Is there a metaphor for that?
I'm not looking for the word "psychopath" or one of its synonyms.


texts: What word can I say if I want to give approximate number?

texts:
What to say if I want to tell approximate number of something. What should I say? E.g.

  I have (around/ about/ some) 5 books.

Is there a rule for number approximation?


texts: Several tricky questions about the use of possessive case

texts:
In my excercise book there are several examples in the "Possessive case" section, which I can't understand properly.

1) The ___    history goes back to 1808.

A) state's newspaper

B) state newspaper's

I chose B, because thought that "the state newspaper's history" is similar to the use of possessive case for organizations (like "the company's history"), though the only correct answer is A.

2) In case of compound nouns and expressions consisting of several words usually the last word takes 's:

my sister-in-law's guitar
the Minister of Foreign Trade's speech

However I'm not sure about the possessive case for "the Minister of Foreign Affairs". Do we say "the Minister of Foreign Affairs' speech"?

3) According to the answer for another exercise from the book, we say "snow depth" and "snow's low density":

Snow depths are usually much greater than rain depths because of snow's low density.

Why can't I say "snow low density" or "snow's depth" in this particular example?


texts:
How is the term lump sum properly used?

Do I work for a lump sum or on a lump sum? Can I work lump sum based, or can I offer a lump sum price?


texts:
Please take a look at my resume to have a better insight on my experience.

From my point of view, it looks correct, but because I have never seen anything like this before, I have some doubts.


texts: Word to describe something that is "great" and "terrible"

texts:
Looking for a good word to describe Paradise Lost's Satan. My brain thought "magnanimous" but then I looked that word up. I want something like "magnificent" (which I may use) because it comes from "magnus" but I want there to be the undertones of evil. Malignant doesn't quite get there because I want to get across the sheer Greek heroic stature of Satan. Suggestions?

Thanks.


texts: Into vs In to, which do I use in this sentence?

texts:
I'm writing an op-ed with this sentence:

  "It was initially – in my mind – a list of people you could ask about
  whoever it is you’re looking into."

According to my understanding of this link 'into' is the correct one, but I'm not sure if I should be using 'in to' instead.


texts: People who sell their virginity for money

texts: I'm Vietnamese and I'm writing an essay about prostitution. I want to ask the word to express properly the people who sell their virginity for money. In Vietnamese, we use a phrase literally means selling their "golden precious".


texts:
I have heard so many times that before starting presentation people introduce themselves like this:

  I myself Naresh and the topic I am going to present is....
  Myself Naresh and the topic I am going to present is....
  This is Naresh and the topic I am going to present is....

In the above examples, which one is correct? Can I use the word myself, when I am introducing myself to someone?


texts: "Lots and lots of...two different uncountable nouns"

texts:
I'm writing a story for little children and would really appreciate some help with the following sentence:

  "There was lots and lots of red, and lots and lots of blue."

Is that correct? Or should it be "there were"?


texts: Word/Phrase for "process of falling of tiny particles off a bread/biscuit piece"

texts:
Please consider the situation:

A bread piece has some tiny particles which we see keep on removing off bread, or lying loosely on a surface after we remove it from that surface (These tiny particles are called 'bread crumbs').

Suppose I have to say a sentence for a biscuit piece/bread piece, such as:

"Don't put these biscuits/cookies/bread pieces directly on bed sheet as it will/it is _________. Better put it on a plate and then eat."

Please suggest a word/phrase in a context related to a process of removal of something (such as tiny particles falling apart off a biscuit, or a bread piece).

The word 'crumbs' can be used here, but I am not able to fit it here.

I am unable to find a proper way to frame this sentence. Please suggest any other way to interpret this situation.


texts:
I want to understand what the speaker meant in this sentence.

  You’re a lesser human being.

Actually I've checked with this site but I don't really understand that meant.
Could anyone give me a further explanation?


texts: Does this statement require a comma or two?

texts:
I had no intention to dismiss XYZ right off the bat and I haven't.

Additionally, is "and I haven't" correctly used? As I was talking about something I did in the past.


texts: Somebody who doesn't want to work but wants materials and luxury?

texts: What would I call somebody who, like the title says, doesn't want to work but wants luxury and items/materials?


texts:
The idiomatic expression “race to the bottom”, generally used in economic and financial contexts, refers to:

A situation in which striving to have the lowest possible prices in order to attract the highest number of customers also drives down standards of the product or service, worsens conditions for workers in the industry, and ultimately leads to problems for everyone.

According to Wikipedia the idiomatic figurative usage of the expression is from the late 19th c.:

The concept of a regulatory "race to the bottom" emerged in the United States during the late 1800s and early 1900s, when there was charter competition among states to attract corporations to base in their jurisdiction. Some, such as Justice Louis Brandeis, described the concept as the "race to the bottom" and others, as the "race to efficiency".

Actually Google Books clearly shows its usage only from the late 1970’s/early 80’s and the very rare usages from the 19th century have a different, more literal, meaning.
When and possibly by whom was  the expression actually coined? Is there evidence of late 19th c./early 20th c. usages? What spurred its  increasing usage from the late 70’s?


texts: Can relative pronouns reference each other?

texts:
Is it grammatically possible to say something like this?:

He was who who he was.

It sounds wrong and it surely doesn't make sense, but could it technically work?

Thanks


texts: Why is 'the' usage is incorrect in the sentence below?

texts:
We enjoy the life on this planet because of diversity.

why article 'the' is incorrect when used with 'life' ?


texts:
When we say "The glass was broken" it means when we looked at it, it had been broken before, that is, it shows a state that could be spread over a period of time.
But when we say "it got broken" it shows a happening at a particular point of time.

Other examples:

I am married/I got married.

I am engaged/I got engaged.

I am surprised/I got surprised.

But that is not true for the verb "bear". When it changes to passive form, it won't be a state, but a happening. When I say "I was born in 1990" it dosn't show a state, but a happening at a point of time. So I wouldn't need to say "I got born in 1990."

What's the difference between these 2 verbs "1.break" and "2. bear"?

These have the same structure above, but different meaning in passive forms using be verbs. One shows a state and the other shows a happening.


texts: Investigators unknowingly destroy evidence – coincidence or irony?

texts:
In my English class we're reading the book Lamb to the Slaughter. The class is required to make five annotations about events in the book; I want to label an event as ironic, but I'm stuck as to whether it is coincidental or ironic.

The event which happens is a man is killed with a lamb leg, and when the police come to investigate the criminal has cooked the lamb and offers it to the police as they have been hard at work. Is it irony or coincidental that the police ate the exact murder weapon they were searching for?


texts: How to correctly use double quotation marks at the end of a sentence?

texts:
Group A:

  This is so-called "Moon Cake." // The period is inside the double quatation marks
  This is so-called "Moon Cake". // The period is outside the double quatation marks

I know the former is more standard-conforming in most publications; however, I think the latter is more intuitive and meaningful. Because the period is used to stop the whole sentence, rather than stop the phrase itself. I think the former is counter-intuitive, although the usage is standard-conforming.

Please consider another two sentences:

Group B:

  She said: "I don't know."
  She said: "I don't know".

It is obvious that the former is more meaningful than the latter, because the period is used to stop the whole sentence, and the double quatation marks are used as a quatation. This time, it is standard-conforming and intuitive.

What's your opinion?


texts:
Would someone tell me what does the meaning of second sentence:

  Text me when you have time.
  Will do, I am a while.

Thank you.


texts:
I understand that the word 'vernacular' pertains to people of specific country or region but can it apply to 'communities' beyond that, like specialty fields, such as 'the vernacular of psychology', for example? (Sorry for any poor grammar such as my use of inverted commas, brackets or other things I'm unaware of - I'm working on it... trying to. It's challenging to know what to ask when you don't know what you need to ask ha ha)

Thanks!
:D


texts: When do I answer negative questions (e.g. "Aren't you...?") with "yes" or "no"?

texts:
I want to know how to answer negative questions. For example, take the following example:

Q: "Aren't you supposed to be there at 7? You don't have time."
A: "No, I can make it on time."

Someone told me that my response above is wrong, and that I should answer with:

A: "Yes, (I am.) I can make it on time."

or

A: "No, I'm not supposed to be there at 7."

Can you explain for me which one sounds normal to native English speakers?


texts:
Is the object singular or plural in the presence of "respectively"?
Let's see two different examples:
(1) A and B represent the conductivity of the material and the solution, respectively?
(2) A and B represent the conductivity at saturated state for the material and the solution, respectively?
In both cases, should the "conductivity" be singular or plural?


texts: In temporal/time clauses, can you use the present continuous after the connector "when"?

texts:
The sentence in question (on the test I composed) is:
Somehow, it seems to worry you when your parents _______ (grow) old.
I expected my students to use the present simple because the present simple is used in temporal clauses. In this instance, "when" indicates a period of time. This is standard usage.
Yet, most of students answered with the present continuous. Upon more careful consideration, it does seem plausible with the present continuous if we apply the rule that says "when we talk about changes happening around now, especially with verbs like rise, fall, grow, etc.  (Reference:  English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy, Fourth Edition, Cambridge University Press 2012)
Compare:

Somehow, it seems to worry you when your parents grow old.
Somehow, it seems to worry you when your parents are growing old.

The more I read the sentence with "are growing", the more it grows on me (pun intended).
I seem to have lost my native-speaker feeling after reading more "are growing" answers than my preferred "grow" answer.  In addition, I know that the present continuous aspect has crept into the language in the last decades, and I'm just hating it (My attempt at wit.).
I always want to be fair to my students and, therefore, am asking for help from native-speakers.  Consider that my students are training to be translators, so accuracy is essential.


texts: Does "the N-word" have implications other than a word used for racial discrimination?

texts:
The New York Times (February 21) carried an article introducing the travelling exhibition of “The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia” to the U.S. at the Smithsonian, Metropolitan Museum, Asian Art Museum, Getty Villa and Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts.

The Cyrus Cylinder was made soon after Cyrus of Persia captured Babylon in 539 B.C., and was called the first bill of human rights in history. The author and op-ed columnist Roger Cohen concludes the article with the phrase:

  My theory, by the way, was this: It may just be possible to write a
  column about Iran without using the “N” word.

My understanding of “the N” word is associated with racial discrimination. However, thinking of recent turmoil concerned with nuclear development and possible armament of Iran, N can be associated with Nuclear.

What does “N” stand for in the above statement? Can "N" word mean something other than racial discrimination?

For your reference, the ending line is preceded with the following sentence, but it doesn’t seem to give any hint to my question:

  “National conventions include the ceremonial form of intention-veiling
  flattery known as “taarof,” and the sacrifice of truth to higher
  religious imperative known as “tagieh” (The Shiites, like the Jews,
  have been lonely in the Middle East; lying was often a means to
  survive.) The third “T” of the Iranian psyche is “tazieh,” effectively
  a synonym for dramatic lament and epic resistance.”


texts: What style guides advocate ellipsis in square brackets, to clarify ellipses NOT part of the original quote?

texts:
The standard rule is unquestionably ambiguous!

M. USE OF ELLIPSIS POINTS

Three points signal omission of a word or words in a quotation. “Give me liberty or . . . death.”

Bahrych, Merino. Legal Writing and Analysis in a Nutshell 5th edition (2017). p 242.
BUT are there style guides that back the unimpeachably better other preference?

There are really only two options:

Just the ellipsis on its own: "oil … that has been…"
The ellipsis in square brackets: "oil […] that has been…"

I personally prefer the version with square brackets, since it is then clear that the ellipsis is not part of the original quote.

I copypasted these quotes from https://examples.yourdictionary.com/ellipsis-examples.html. If you never saw them before, impossible to know dead sure whether I or author ellipsed.
Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.

We have never finished Hamlet, Marianne; our dear Willoughby went away before we could get through it. We will put it by, that when he comes again...But it may be months, perhaps, before THAT happens.

Virginia Wolf's To the Lighthouse.

A fellowship, a professorship, he felt capable of anything and saw himself - but what was she looking at? At a man pasting a bill. The vast flapping sheet flattened itself out, and each shove of the brush revealed fresh legs, hoops, horses, glistening reds and blues, beautifully smooth, until half the wall was covered with the advertisement of a circus; a hundred horsemen, twenty performing seals, lions, tigers... Craning forwards, for she was short-sighted, she read it out... "will visit this town," she read.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

... I was standing beside his bed and he was sitting up between the sheets, clad in his underwear, with a great portfolio in his hands.

Dubliners, James Joyce

"Did he … peacefully?” she asked.

“Oh, quite peacefully, ma’am,” said Eliza. “You couldn’t tell when the breath went out of him. He had a beautiful death, God be praised.”

“And everything … ?”


texts: Is there a phrasal verb with the meaning of 'substitute'?

texts:
I know there's the phrasal fill in / fill in for, which means substitute or replace someone for what I know.

Though, what I am looking for is a phrasal to use in a phrase where something is being substited.

Ex: And with that, body language was substituted/replaced by...


texts: How does "so to speak" mean "in a manner of speaking"?

texts:
I understand the phrase's meaning and its usage, but I don't know how it could have come to mean what it does.

Similar phrases like "in a manner of speaking" and "in a sense" make more sense. A sentence like "he's a parrot, in a sense" would mean "there exists an interpretation of the statement that he's a parrot such that the statement holds true". "He's a parrot, in a manner of speaking," would mean that one might speak in a particular colloquial in which "he's a parrot" has an appropriate meaning.

On the other hand, I don't even know how to parse the phrase "so to speak": "so, [if I were] to speak, [I would say ...]"? Or is "so-to speak" a kind of speak? Or does the "so" mean "true", as in "make it so"?


texts:
In computer science and mathematics, the word idempotent is used to describe a process that can be repeated any number of times, always leading to the same, predictable outcome.

Is there a single word for the similar concept of "having no side effects"? A word to describe a process that can be repeated any number of times without ever changing the state of the world (or system) around it? If I were to fabricate such a word it would be something cumbersome like enviroimpotent.

Such a word would be extremely useful in situations like this question, where there are imprecise and confusing phrases like

  A pure function is idempotent and has no side effects...but really it can't have any effect on the state of the system, not just unintended...* continued babbling about semantics *

I imagine usage like

  A pocket calculator's arithmetic is ___; using it to estimate how much post-tax money you'll have after winning the lottery will do nothing to improve your odds.

or

  A voting booth should operate ____ly. A vote being cast for a candidate that results in that candidate being displayed higher for the next voter would be a severe flaw.


texts: Is there a more modern version of the idiom "as the crow flies"?

texts:
"As the crow flies" or "as the bird flies" means the most direct path between two points, not accounting for streets and obstacles one on the ground would have to account for.

The idiom feels dated. Is there a more modern saying that means the same thing?


texts: Am I right in thinking modern usage of the word "me" is drifting to "I"; Is there an increasing trend?

texts:
In reply to suggested duplicate question: It may be that I can find some useful guidance from the earlier Answer (for which thanks), but I'm really asking whether there's a general trend, particularly in the everyday speech of well-educated people, in misuse of "I" for "me", rather than explanations of individual instances.

Nowadays, people often (usually, even) use "I" when my intuition as a native English speaker (physical scientist; by no means a grammarian) tells me they should be using "me" - even not-so-young humanities graduates from top universities are doing this.

If this is indeed ungrammatical, then perhaps people are acquiring a fear of referring to themselves using "me", as if that is somehow betraying a sense of excessive self-regard, even though "I" serves the same function...?

A PhD colleague today wrote: "Having a test available for Julia and I to review would be helpful."

If this is simplified to: "Having a test available for I to review would be helpful." seems quite wrong to me.

Are a great many other people wrong? Or is it "I" who is wrong? (Though I must confess I'm now not so certain about "I" in this latter example.)


texts: I would like to say "I thank you for all the help you have given with this item", but the word "given" doesn't sound right.  What other verb can I use here?


texts: How to pronounce the 's at the end of names that end with s

texts:
For example:
Lucas's dog was joyful.

do I pronounce the first word the exact same as if I just said Lucas, or do I say lucas-es?


texts: Italicize foreign words if there are more than two in a sentence and it includes a definition next to it or not?

texts:
I know certain foreign words are to be italicized, but in the case where two are used in the same sentence, should they still be italicized or wrapped in quotes?

Secondly, if a definition is included besides the foreign word--I would think to italicize it still--I find the comma separation between them odd. Wouldn't parentheses be the correct alternative in Sentence 1?

Snippets from source:

Sentence 1: "it involves both nritta, pure dance, and abhinaya, or expressional dance."
Alternative: "it involves both nritta (pure dance) and abhinaya (expressional dance)."

(There is inconsistency below with two words wrapped in quotes instead)
Sentence 2: “chouka,” a square-like stance, and “tribhangi,” a stance with a deflection of the..."
Alternative: chouka, a square-like stance, and tribhangi, a stance with a deflection of the..."


texts: Expressing that you are prepared because you feared the worst

texts:
While others took it easy, you worked and saved like you might be fired at any moment. Now there is a corporate takeover and you're glad you took the pessimistic path.

Unlike Cassandra or the ant and the grasshopper, you didn't know hard times were coming; you were more like one of those people who lived through the Great Depression and never adjusted to the return of prosperity. How can you say you're glad you did, without sounding like you're criticizing people who took more risks, like buying a house?

Edit: might also cover actions that aren't money-related, like having worked unpaid overtime to learn skills for your resume.


texts: Good Things Come In Threes - has a definite positive connotation.

texts:
From fairytales to hollywood blockbusters, “the rule of three” (Latin-"omne trium perfectum") principle suggests things that come in threes are inherently more humorous, satisfying and effective than any other number of things.

Other than "bad things comes in threes,is there a saying, adage or expression that convey the opposite message. ?


texts: Is there a word for "the length of time from birth to the age of majority"?

texts: The word should be usable in place of any word that indicates a span of time, such as "week", "decade", or "saeculum"; specifically in the phrase "...once per [time-period]...".


texts:
The comments in an older question of mine on E.S.E leave an issue unresolved: What does one call the situation in which a taboo concept is referred to as being a specific case of a more general nonvulgar concept?

The specific example that I would like to address is the Hebrew verb לדעת. This verb has several meanings. One meaning is to have knowledge of. Another meaning is to have sexual relations with. One could argue that the latter is a what for the former?


texts: What does "I can see it in the head" mean?

texts:
In a book called "What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures"(https://books.google.co.jp/books?id=6do2AQAAQBAJ&pg=PT77),  an exchange between a dog trainer and the dog's ower takes place as below.

...
"What about the bites?"
"I can see it in the head.  She gives me that look."
"She's reminding you who rules the roost."

I have trouble understanding the part "I can see it in the head".
Is it an idiomatic expression?
(Please see the link above if you need more context.)

Thank you in advance.


texts:
Listening to the BBC one of the journalists made the following utterance when discussing a historic figure, "The Khan".

  A: For merchants the crucial issue was protection when traveling.
  B: I think they wouldn't have been alone when traveling.

Shouldn't this simply be "would be" or "weren't"?


texts:
I have recently been encountering sentences like
"I have a bed that needs made."
"You have a face that needs punched."

Is this proper grammar, and if so; is there a name for this construction?


texts: Past Progressive vs Past Perfect Progressive in the sentence below

texts:
Do both sentences (below) have the same meaning?

He was doing landscape work before he was hired by the taxi company.
He had been doing landscape work before he was hired by the taxi company.


texts: What is a common name and response for when someone gives little information for the sole purpose of getting people to ask what happened?

texts:
Examples would be like someone saying:

  “Well, today was awful! I can’t believe that just happened to me!”

or

  “Wow, today is great! I’m so lucky!”

...to get others to ask what happened.

What is a common term for this?


texts: What is a formal equivalent of "get (a)round something"?

texts:
I'm writing a formal letter and I have to use the verb "get round something" (BrE) or "get around something" (AmE) to express a way of finding an alternate solution to deal with a problem. Quoting the Cambridge Dictionary,

  to find a way of dealing with or avoiding a problem:
  Our lawyer found a way of getting around the adoption laws.


texts:
would you mind helping me.?

What kind of word is "care about" in this sentence follwing?. Is it a phrasal verb or idiom?

She cares deeply about environmental issues.


texts: "exact soluble model" or "exact solvable model", "analytic" or "analytical" solutions

texts:
In physical science and math, we encounter some models that can be analytically solved. This means that the properties of models are fully understood and determined by the analytical solutions.

In the literature, we will refer those models as:

  exact soluble model

or

  exact solvable model

or

  exactly soluble model

or

  exactly solvable model

Q1. I wonder whether the usage of exact, exactly, soluble and solvable are interchangeable?

Q2. When we say the solutions are analytical, are that both analytic solutions and analytical solutions are correct usage?


texts: Is "most part of" singular or plural? Which is correct: "most part of the banks are corrupt" or "most part of the banks is corrupt"?


texts: Semicolon Usage in Sequential List (Only One Element Comma-Separated)

texts:
Broadly, the steps involved in establishing a full implementation can be separated as follows: analysing the application to be accelerated; understanding the logic, compute, and data dependencies; and then enabling this on a chip given the constraints of real hardware.

Is this correct usage of semicolons? I'm not concerned about them following the colon; I'm only concerned about using it in a list where only one individual element - as far as the semicolons are concerned - is itself comma-separated. Also slightly concerned about how the list being sequential affects the sentence flow.

Many thanks in advance for any help/advice.


texts:
If person A says, “A hymn is a way to show devotion.” And person B added, “ to a deity.”
So that the sentence is: A hymn is a way to show devotion [to a deity]
Is it correct to say that person B is adding a parenthetical for clarification? Or is person B providing assent to person A’s statement? Or can we not tell what person B’s intent was when he said “to a deity”?


texts: "I turn 31 tomorrow" vs "I’m going to turn 31 tomorrow," vs "I’ll turn 31 tomorrow"

texts:
I was reading an article about changes in the English language, and I stumbled upon an example the author used to make an argument, referring to these subtleties that English native speakers learn when they are kids, but to me, they all sound the same, haha

So, colloquially, what are the differences between the expressions

I turn 31 tomorrow
I’m going to turn 31 tomorrow
I’ll turn 31 tomorrow

The context of the comparison is this

  Somehow, by about the age of 6, we all master the subtleties of how to use the versus a; what the difference is between I turn 31 tomorrow, I’m going to turn 31 tomorrow, and I’ll turn 31 tomorrow; and much, much more–but have to be bopped on the head about Billy and me went to the store.

And the full article is here: Call Them What They Wants By John McWhorter


texts: "The below attachment" vs "The attachment Below"

texts:
In office email communication, people constantly write "See the below attachment". However, I have a problem with this because I feel as though the word below should be placed after 'attachment' not before it, so as not to suggest it being a verb (e.g. See the blue attachment). Instead, I think, "See the attachment below," is much more accurate.

Can anyone provide the grammatical rules to indicate which is correct?


texts: Is there a better way to structure this sentence?

texts:
I am having a hard time re-working the following sentence. I know it gets pretty heavy near the middle of the sentence. At this part:
design experts utilizing a diverse.

Would a simple comma before utilizing be all the sentence needs or is there a better way to structure it?

  Your imagination is the only limiting factor when combining NEXT-LEVEL
  DESIGN with MB Kit design experts utilizing a diverse collection of
  aluminum profiles and components.

Edit:


texts: Is there a word that means an action that is the death of an idea?

texts:
Something like the word 'antithesis', however instead of just meaning 'this is the opposite of that' I thought there was a word that meant 'doing this signals the death of this'.
I thought there was a word to describe this, but nothing comes to mind.
The meaning behind the phrase I'm thinking of is roughly 'if I accept to do this, it is the death of the purpose of my job'.


texts: What is a better way of saying "the natives"?

texts:
I wish to describe groups people who live in the land of their ancestors. In other words, people who live in the same region as their ancestors have since time immemorial.

Words that come to mind are:

natives peoples
indigenous inhabitants
aboriginal peoples
first peoples

However, these words often evoke stereotypical images of tribes living in mud/straw huts in the middle of desert, tropical forest, or special reservation. These words are sometimes used in contexts that suggest that the people are primitive and less civilized.

Another problem is that the dominant people or culture are not always automatically included in the label "natives". For example, in the case of Japan, "the natives"
is associated more with the Ainu people than the Yamato people, even when both of these groups are indigenous inhabitants of Japan. Another example:

  English is the ancestral language of the aboriginal people of England.

This sentence sounds incorrect.

I wish to include the dominant people, and avoid stereotypical images when saying "the natives". Which words or phrases can I replace that with?


texts: Exclamation mark before closing parenthesis

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Where does the question mark go — inside or outside the parentheses?

Consider this:

  Even a fool gets to be young once (but not twice!). Do you understand?

The parentheses and the text within them are supposed to be a part of the first sentence. Note also that this is just a silly made-up example. These are not the actual words I'm dealing with in reality.

Question: Should there be a dot after the closing parenthesis?


texts: What does "going back in the bottle" mean?

texts:
Does the author mean "blockchain will not be as bad as it was"?

The blockchain genie isn’t going back in the bottle.
Whether it’s one of these companies or the next wave that follows them, the efficiency and effectiveness of the solutions make it a foregone conclusion.

Throw in the additional benefits to the brand (i.e. potential to ensure your ads aren’t shown next to controversial content), and you have the makings of a pretty compelling value proposition.


texts: Is there a word for a cure which is also a poison?

texts: The concept I'm trying to capture is a cure or medicine which can also be poisonous. An example which comes to mind would be treating syphilis with mercury, or perhaps chemotherapy for cancer treatment.


texts: "The grass is always greener", but about "good old days"

texts:
The grass is always greener [on the other side [of the fence]] is used when someone thinks that the place they are at is worse than some other place, but is not actually. Or when a person thinks someone else is better off, but actually isn't.

Is there a similar expression, but about "good old days"? Like when someone thinks that "the grass was greener" 30 years ago?


texts: I consider myself to be this type of person. A search did not yield anything, but I did find this website. What is the word you use to describe someone who does not like excess, in the sense of quantity of material possesions and / or in purchasing something more expensive because it has a couple of extra features that are not really needed?


texts:
I would like to ask this question:

Is it correct to say "until someone can (do something)"? I understand that the common form is "until someone (does something)". E.g. "there is nothing I can do until someone can come here" or "there is nothing I can do until someone comes here".

Also, is "until someone will (do something)" acceptable? i.e. is it acceptable to use modals with until?

Thank you in advance. English is my second language, so I often make the mistake of using unidiomatic expressions.


texts: Is it correct to say more than what meets the eye? More than meets the eye sounds incorrect, but I've seen a lot of people use it and that confuses me. What acts like an object to the phrase which otherwise seems incomplete.


texts:
my editor just revised the adjective order in a sentence of my article. But it seems that the original order was right and there was no need to change it? The rule of thumb is that an adjective describing an opinion should be placed before one describing a nature? Reference: https://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/order_of_adjectives.htm

Below please see the change he made:

Original sentence:
Working on commission, the masters naturally gave pleasant selective foresights.

Revised version:
Working on commission, the masters naturally gave selective pleasant foresights.


texts: What letter pairs are the most frequent in English written text?

texts: Just as there is a common frequency of single letter occurrences which is very easy to find, is there a list of the most common letter pairs in English?  I’m looking for a concrete list.


texts: grammatical function of "think" in "to make us think"?

texts:
I'm a teacher, working on verbs with my students--and I got stumped by this sentence:
"Consumers are using products ... that are advertised to make us think they assist in weight loss"

the word "think" . . . not sure what it is. Thoughts?


texts: Suffix comparing more than 2 items composed of only 2 degrees of importance?

texts:
I have three items A, B, and C. A and B are of equal argumentative strength. C is of very weak argumentative strength.

Would I say "A and B are the stronger of the arguments." or "A and B are the strongest of the arguments."

So would the suffix compare the argumentative strength of the arguments (therefore, I would use -er since there are only two 'strength' options) or the arguments against each other (therefore, I would user -est since there are three items in the item list).