texts: Plural or singular when stating that an amount is enough

texts:
A colleague of mine corrected the following sentence in a text I had written:

A handful of  iterations was generally enough for convergence.

According to her it should be:

A handful of  iterations were generally enough for convergence.

I am, however, confident that my original usage was correct, but I am unsure how I should motivate this.

EDIT: What made me think it was singular was not "a handful of". I thought it would be correct to say Five iterations is enough. because it is a statement about the number of iterations rather than the iterations themselves. When googling to find an answer I found a television series called Eight Is Enough. Is that correct because the noun is left out? Compare the sentences: Three friends are ideal. and Three friends is ideal. I would have thought that the first sentence means that there are three persons who are ideal friends, while the second sentence means that three is the ideal number of friends to have. But maybe my intuition is really off here.

EDIT2: Here it is stated that:

  *Subjects expressing periods of time, amounts of money, or quantities may take either singular or plural verbs depending on whether represent a total amount or a number of individual units. For example, "Four weeks is not enough vacation time" and "Two days have passed since I asked for your response."

Isn't the first example here quite similar to mine?


texts: Verb agreement of "heaps"/"lots": uncountable nouns

texts:
I am a non-native English speaker and I recently started noticing that most people do not do the correct agreement of the verb with the noun when saying "there is"/"there was"/"here is". They say, for example,

  There's two things in my pocket

instead of

  There are two things in my pocket

as it should be. In discussing this issue in two distinct occasions I was asked whether the word "heaps" also should be preceded by the plural form of the verb (and the same for "lots"). I could not answer it, but I think the answer depends on whether the noun is countable or not. So, for example, I could say

  There are heaps of glasses on the table.
  There is a heap of glasses on the table.

but if the noun is uncountable, I am not so sure. I would think that the only correct option is to say

  There is a lot/heap of water in the glass

but native speakers say

  There is lots of water in the glass

Is the latter correct in terms of usage ("lots of"/"heaps of" + uncountable noun) and in terms of verb agreement ("there is" + "lots"/"heaps")?


texts:
This is somewhat of a stackoverflow cross-over.

In WPF programming, there is something called a Run. It is "intended to contain a run of formatted or unformatted text". Is "run of text" a phrase that is used outside of programming?

Furthermore, what definition of 'run' is being used? Looking at m-w.com, we assumed it was most closely related to this one:
"a continuous period or series especially of things of identical or similar sort : as"


texts:
There are lots of instances of using 'up' or 'down' after verbs.
Instances: eat up, drink up, meet up, finish up, start up, fill up, clean up, wipe up, tie up, etc.

What do they add as meaning to a verb exactly?


texts:
People say at any rate to revert to a previous topic. But what kind of rate is it referring to? Like

at any rate of exchange?
at any speed?


texts: My sister's husband's parents in relation to me

texts: I have a sister. What are her husband's parents to me (i.e. her parents in-law)?


texts:
In managementese, "actionable" means "able to be acted upon".  Unfortunately, its primary meaning is "giving sufficient reason to take legal action" in legalese.  I'm looking for a better alternative to the managementese meaning that doesn't have the unfortunate associations, but still has good Sexy Buzzword Value; help?

Example sentence per request: "This has now become one of our actionable items."

Another, related meaning that's within the range of what I'm looking for is able to be actively used.  To illustrate, the best alternative to "actionable" that we've come up with in the original context is deployable.


texts: Is this correct: "Of [something] I have but none"?

texts:
This might be a pretty weird question, given that I'm using awkward grammar. Take into account that I'm trying to play with the language.

The question is, would the following be correct?

  Of milk I have but none.

And, would that imply that I have no milk, or that I do not have no milk (so I do have some)?

I understand that normally you would say it like this:

  I have no milk.

But, as I said earlier, all I'm doing is playing with the language.

P.S: if this helps at all, I'm working with iambic pentameter.


texts: "burnt/burned out" vs. "frazzled" to describe a person

texts:
What are the differences in connotation and meaning between these two?

A. She is burned/burnt out from all of this work.
B. She is frazzled from all of this work.

Does one have a more negative connotation than the other? Does "frazzled" have a stronger sense of "disheveled" to it? Does "burnt out" imply a sense of permanence or severity?
Which would you rather be called, between the two? Does one offend or insult more than the other?


texts: Is there a word for the last descendant (with no other descendants)?

texts:
Based on the results from Google, 'Primogenitor' refers to the first ancestor.

Is there a word that means the last descendant?


texts:
Is there any word to describe past glory? Mostly elders use this to grumble and complain about the present.
Example:

  "In those days, I used to run 4 miles daily. Now walking a quarter mile is a task."

  "In our days people helped and took care of neighbors and relatives without much ado. Nowadays even taking care of your own parents has become a great sacrifice. Where the world is going!"

Maybe the splendor of the past is exaggerated. But the point is the past was wonderful, when the present is harsh. In such a situation, what is the word for the past splendor?


texts:
I wrote:

  School starts in August next year? I thought it started in September.

I proposed that this is one good example of how grammar can confuse people because a preterite (started) is used to talk about the future.

She replied that it's an example of tense shift in indirect speech.

Is it?

I didn't think so originally. But I can see how I thought x can be conceptualized as a reporting of one's own (inner) speech.

Does the utterance contain indirect speech? Yes, no, sometimes/maybe?


texts: in "Lincoln felt that said attention to minutiae" sentence , how to interpret "said attention"?

texts:
In Manhattan prep,
I saw "Lincoln felt that said attention to minutiae, however necessary, had superseded more lofty goals." sentence.

I thought that the verb is felt but I confused how to interpret "said" next to felt. is subject of "said" Lincoln?

thank in advance.


texts: Is there a word/phrase that can describe playing a musical instrument in a casual way?

texts:
For example, instead of saying "play [certain musical instrument] casually", is there a verb that can be used in place of of the word "play"? In my mind, "casually" means playing the instrument in an informal way - it may not be the correct way to do it; the person does not intend to learn how to properly play it; the person is only doing for their own enjoyment.
Somewhere in my memory I have the phrase "fiddle around" that somewhat resembles the meaning I want to express, but I'm not sure if it is accurate enough., which means

Fiddle around: to spend time in activity that does not have a real purpose

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiddle%20around
Some other words I know that have similar meaning but they don't seem to be appropriate to be used with musical instruments:

Doodle: an aimless or casual scribble, design, or sketch
Tinker: to repair, adjust, or work with something in an unskilled or experimental manner

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doodle
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tinker
Is there a better word/phrase to use?


texts: Why do we say "less" instead of "fewer" when comparing against a number?

texts:
We say less cheese (a non-countable noun) and fewer sausages (a countable noun). The difference between less and fewer is whether the noun is "countable".

What I don't understand is why we say "less than 9 sausages" (a countable noun compared to a number). As far as I can tell, you use "less" if the noun is unspecific (non-countable), "fewer" if it's fairly specific (countable) but "less" if it's very specific (countable and compared to a number).

Can anyone tell me why increasing the specificity of the phrase changes the word from "less", to "fewer", then back to "less" again?


texts: "production and incorporation of X as Y 'have' or 'has' been widespread"?

texts:
Which word is appropriate to use in the following sentence, have or has?

  Production and incorporation of the polymeric materials as modern
  materials in the civil engineering [have or has] been widespread.


texts: What is the correct adjective to describe this situation?

texts:
Suppose the following scenario.  A person is in line at a store.  Let's call them "subject 1."  In front of them in line is another person.  Let's call them "subject 2."  Along comes a third person who approaches subject 2.  We'll call them "subject 3."  Subject 3 starts calling subject 2 a number of racial pejoratives, then tells subject 2 to "move" and cuts in front of subject 2 in line.  Subject 1 meanwhile does nothing and thinks to himself/herself "not my problem."

Subject 2 is a victim of racism.  Subject 3 is a racist.  But, what is subject 1?  They are not a racist by definition.  They aren't refusing to stick up for subject 2 out of fear.  Subject 1 just doesn't care either way.  I'm looking for the right word to describe the implicit lack of empathy for subject 2.


texts: That noise in old vinyls or rather shellac plates

texts:
How would you call the typical background noise in old phonograph records?

How would you call a record that sounds like that?

For an example from YouTube: Billie Holiday, You better go now, 1947


texts:
How come the following sentences have the same meaning when they have different voices?

  I can be substituted for John. (Passive)

  I can substitute for John. (Active)

They both mean "I can replace John."


texts: Can 'egalitarian' be used for gender bias also?

texts: Egalitarian is typically used when discussing equality in political, social, economic and civil issues. Can it also be used to portray equality in gender issues? E.g. an egalitarian does not discriminate on the basis of gender, or favor one gender more than the other.


texts: How would you refer to the parent of an appendix? i.e. a section linking to the parent(002) of a child(002a)?

texts:
In the parent document, I have a section titled "Appendices" listing all of its children. But I have no idea what to name the callback to the parent in the child.

Is there an official-ish word for what I'm referring to?


texts:
I'm looking for different ways of saying "set up shop" in the sense of "to stay unwanted in a location for a prolonged period of time", "to occupy or takeover a space [in a way that the other party doesn't appreciate]".
I'm mostly looking for ways that have the "unwanted" connotation in the meaning, but I'm also interested to hear ways that are more neutral.


texts: What is the word for someone who has been recommended?

texts:
Does the word recommendee exist? If so, is it spelled as such?

What would be the opposite, or the person who is doing the recommending?


texts: Origin of "one man's noise is another man's signal"

texts:
This variant of the saying probably comes from signal processing. It is in Wikipedia somewhat attributed to Edward W. Ng (his "famous quotes", 1990 interview in NYT) however that cannot be correct, as Google Books has matches the 1960s: Google Books

Closely related question: Origin of "one man's trash is another man's treasure"

A direct predecessor probably is: "one man's noise may be another man's music".

And the oldest version probably is by Lucretius, ca. first century BC (thanks, Andrew Leach):

  "What is food to one, is to others bitter poison."

So assume I want to use the "signal – noise" variant of this saying, how should I attribute it? I of course did not make it up myself, but it is from before christ; however this specific "singal processing" adaption is probably from the 1960s. Obviously I can cite Lucretius, or Edward W. Ng, or one of the matches in the 60s...

Do you know any good early source of this variant of the idiom that I could cite?
Is there a good alternative way of using this quote as introduction to a topic? Should I write "vernacular" as source instead?


texts: Does one differentiate A "from" B, or differentiate A "and" B?

texts:
A fecal test cannot differentiate intestinal blood from blood from red meat.

-or-

  A fecal test cannot differentiate intestinal blood and blood from red meat.


texts: What is the single word to describe a person who always likes to "celebrate"?

texts:
(edited) I am having trouble finding a single word to describe a person who likes to "celebrate". This is different from "party animal", "clubber", "reveller" or "socialite". Specifically, I am looking for a noun that is designated for such a person.

The said person has the personality that simply enjoys being with friends and likes to find occasions to celebrate, in good spirits. In addition,
the said person not only goes to party, but s/he takes the initiative to propose having one to celebrate (an event/life/news...etc) whenever s/he finds the opportunity to do so.

Any help? Thanks.


texts: Is there a word for the thing that the senses sense?

texts:
Eyes see object
Ears hear sound
Tongue tastes flavor
Nose smells scent
Skin touches texture

Eye, ear, tongue, nose and skin are senses. Is there a word for object, sound, flavor, scent, texture in general?


texts: Is "if any problem, please call me" grammatical?

texts:
I found the following sentence used in emails at my workplace:

  If any problem, please call me at XXX-XXXXXXX.

Is the sentence grammatically correct? Or should the senders have used the following instead:

  If there is any problem, please call me at XXX-XXXXXXX.


texts:
From Wikipedia:

  The Yorkshire dialect refers to the varieties of English used in the Northern England historic county of Yorkshire. Those varieties are often referred to as Broad Yorkshire or Tyke.

Why is the Yorkshire dialect called 'Tyke'? Can the accent be referred to as tyke as well?

ODO's definition of tyke includes a number of negative senses. Is this sense also derogatory?


texts: Is there a fresher and more original way of saying ' Cut the cackle and come to the horses?'

texts: You sometimes find - or I do -that discussions about politically charged issues become focused into one particular aspect that becomes a weaponised media narrative that then sways popular opinion, whether rightly or wrongly, fairly or otherwise.  I was struggling to find a way of saying that we should not get side-tracked and cut to the crux. The nearest I got to this was 'Cut out the cackle and come to the horses,' but it may be a little stale as an expression. I see that an earlier contributor raised a somewhat similar question about 'cutting to the heart' (which has different connotations) and was offered 'getting to the core' as an alternative. I am trying to say something a little different and wonder there is a fresher and more original way of doing so? This may of course be a case of spelling out what one means, rather than seeking to encapsulate it in a single phrase.


texts: What does "lassar" mean in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

texts:
In the short story "The Most Dangerous Game" (1924) by Richard Connell, Zaroff says

  I hunt the scum of the earth: sailors from tramp ships—lassars, blacks, Chinese, whites, mongrels—a thoroughbred horse or hound is worth more than a score of them.

What does lassars mean?


texts: Meaning of "He is a fool that lovers prove"

texts:
I struggle to understand the meaning of the song "Though Philomela lost her love" by Thomas Morley. The song was published in 1602.

The lyric is:

  Though Philomela lost her love,
  fresh note she warbleth yes! again;
  Fa la la la.

  He is a fool that lovers prove:
  and leaves to sing, to live in pain.
  Fa la la la

I did not find any official interpretation or translation of the song (my native tongue is German), so it is all my interpretation of the lyric.

I think, the first part is about Philomela, a figure in Greek mythology (click here for the long story). Very short: She was raped (=lost her love) and her tongue was cut out. Later she took revenge and was then transformed into a nightingale that sang beautifully (=fresh note she warbleth yes! again).

So far, I think, it's clear, but I struggle with the second verse:

He, Tereus the rapist, is an idiot that lovers prove. What does this relative clause mean? I know the words, but I don't understand the meaning. Does "prove" means confirm here? Might it be a hint to sex that confirmes the relationship of two lovers?

Tereus was later also transformed to a bird (=and leaves to sing) and he lost his son by Philomelas revenge, so he lives in pain.


texts: This behaviour has risen remarkably rapidly over last two decades

texts: Can two adverb be used together...according to me here remarkably seems to modify rapidly...


texts: Which is the correct phrase, "I am on Palmyra Atoll," or "I am at Palmyra Atoll?"

texts: Palmyra Atoll, like all atolls, is a collection of features - islands, lagoons, coral reef and the surrounding ocean habitat.  Many of my colleages use the preposition "on" when refering to events occuring "at" Palmyra. Is "on" the correct preposition in this case, or would "at" be more appropriate?


texts: Do you like your major? How to express the feeling that I don't hate it andI don't like it either

texts:
I don't like my major, at the same time, I don't hate it either. I never skip classes and I do my homework. But I don't have a passion for it, I don't particularly like it.

So, how do I respond to the question "Do you like your major?"

Is "I'm neutral to it." an ok answer?

Thanks!


texts: Count vs. mass — where can you look this up?

texts:
Most dictionaries don't say whether a noun is count vs. mass.  Short of asking a fluent English speaker, where can you get this kind of information?

I've tried asking various other ESL/EFL people I know this same question, and also tried googling it, but to no avail.


texts:
I have found this in the dictionary but not sure whether I can separate these (from the examples on the internet, I think I cannot):

  I will provide for him.
  I will provide him for ?? cannot be?

So it is not the same as:

  I will pick him up.
  I will pick up him

which both seem to be correct to me


texts: Word for a set of small side tasks that must happen before the primary tasks can continue

texts:
As an example someone is adding two additional rooms to a house. They finish the first room, but before they can start building the second -- they need to schedule an inspection, file paperwork, pick up supplies, etc.

In a sentence:

  Before we can continue construction, we have some ????? tasks to do.

Construction is the main task, however these other smaller but necessary tasks must happen before construction can resume.

"Interim tasks" almost works, but doesn't emphasize that these tasks must be done before progress can continue. "Blocker tasks" also kind of works, but seems to imply that these smaller tasks are problems that were unexpected despite being predictable from the start.


texts: A synonym for the word "pursuing" in the following context

texts:
I'm looking for a synonym for the word "pursuing" in the following context:

  "At present, I'm pursuing my third year of business studies"


texts: When to use in references to instead of in reference to?

texts:
A couple of times, I've come across the express in reference to and in references to. What triggers the need to use of in references to instead of in reference to?

EDIT: Below is the message where I found this expression:

  An interesting use of the possessive is in references to the name of firms.

NOTE: I'm a native French speaker, trying to learn english, so I apologize in advance if this question has an obvious answer.


texts: I am looking for a word that means to indirectly support someone or aid someone?

texts: It sounds like cooperate or support. I think it starts with c


texts: How can I ask someone if they are male or female politely?

texts: In my daily work I communicate with a lot of people in my company that I have neither encountered in person nor heard them on phone. The conversation is usually e-mail or online chat. Some of them have ambiguous first name. I would like to know if they are male or female so I know if I should refer to them as "he" or "she" when talking to other members of my team (for example explaining conclusion of the communication with the person). Is there a preferred polite way how to ask?


texts: I heard of the expression "meat and potatoes business", and when I was explained what it means, I was told is that it referred to a business with no fancy products, just simple products for simple clientèle. Is this a fair description of "meat and potatoes" as an activity?


texts: Is this a valid sentence using "approbation"

texts:
I believe the word means to approve or praise. So can I use it as

  Are you looking for an approbation from your boss ?

or

  Why are you still standing here ? Do you want me to approbate you  ?


texts: Pronunciation of "practical" and "miracle"

texts:
I just checked from the Cambridge online dictionary, I found out that written pronunciations of "practical" and "miracle" are

/ˈpræk.tɪ.kəl/

and

/ˈmɪr.ɪ.kl̩/

I've always thought "cal" and "cle" are pronounced the same, but I can't really tell difference by listening. So can anyone tell me the difference?


texts:
In my mother tongue, the word "cold/cool" is used to denote a style of design which is not "warm" (cozy, intimate) but rather alienated and modernist, (e.g. using materials such as glass and concrete sharp lines etc.)

Can you do the same in English? Or is there a different word for it? How can you distinguish this use from cool in the sense of 'hip'?


texts: Word for a person who likes to hang out in cafes

texts: I'm looking for a word equivalent to "barfly" applying to people who like to spend time lingering and socializing in cafes next to a coffee or a beer. It can be a slang term or something historical.


texts: Does the transitive verb 'tell' require the preposition 'to' when indicating an indirect object?

texts:
The following sentence seems to require the preposition 'to' after the grammatical object "he was going away" in order to indicate the indirect object "no one". What do you think?

"It struck him that there was really no one, besides his secretary and
a few business associates, that he felt it was necessary to tell he
was going away."
Source: Carver, Raymond. 2015. “The Compartment.” In Cathedral.
Vintage.

Should or could it be:

It struck him that there was really no one, besides his secretary and
a few business associates, that he felt it was necessary to tell he
was going away to.

For easier analysis, we can strip these sentences down to:

Original: There was no one that he felt it was necessary to tell he
was going away.
Suggested emendation: There was no one that he felt it was necessary
to tell he was going away to.


texts:
If moral reflection is dialectical, it needs opinions and convictions, however partial and untutored, as ground and grist.

What does the phrase 'ground and grist' mean?


texts: What’s the meaning of “there are more of somebody than there are of somebody”?

texts:
Their yellowish eyes were fixed upon Harry’s wand, and they looked scared. There might be a lot more of them than there were of him but Harry could tell, by the looks on their faces, that they knew no more magic than the giant squid did. (Harry Potter 4)

I couldn’t find this expression in my dictionaries, so I went to a Google search. Here are some examples.

  What about those who wanted to use more and more energy and not worry where it was coming from? There are a lot more of them than there is of him. And it is all their fault as well.
  There were a hell of a lot more of them(termites) than there was of me but I had chemicals on my side.

I’d like to know especially the following points.

What is the meaning of the “more”? (Number of people? Chances of winning?)
Why do some examples say “than there were of him” and others say “than there is of him”? (I mean it plural-singular question, not tense)

I'd appreciate it if you could help me.


texts: Structural Ambiguity in Past Perfect Tense Usage

texts:
As we all know, the past perfect tense is used to indicate an action that takes place before another one.

I ran across this article on The New York Times website today, which begins with these sentences:

  The gunshots blasted on and on, 45 in all, until Calvin Cross lay dead in a vacant lot. Mr. Cross, 19, had run away after three Chicago police officers pulled alongside him on a South Side street near his house.

My question is about the use of "had run away" in the second sentence,

  Mr. Cross, 19, had run away after three Chicago police officers pulled alongside him on a South Side street near his house.

Others may argue that it should be,

  Mr. Cross, 19, ran away after three Chicago police officers had pulled alongside him on a South Side street near his house.

I assume that the author wants to emphasize that the gunshots blasted (recounted in the first sentence ) after Calvin had run away from the policemen.

If that's the author's intention, do you think his second sentence is fine or awkward in structure?


texts: The meaning and usage of "be against this background"

texts:
The sentence I saw it in is:

  It was against this background that Mitsubishi approached KFC with a proposal to start a joint venture in Japan.

It seems to mean "in the case", but I'm not sure and I cannot find a clear definition of it.


texts: What do you call these ways of representing pronunciation?

texts:
For example:

  Honest /änəst/
  Honest [ahh-nest]

What are these called?


texts:
bottom line in English has 2 meanings:

  1- the final total of an account, balance sheet, or other financial
  document. "the determination of Japanese companies to ignore the
  bottom line" synonyms:    profit, net, gain, earnings, return "how will
  the move affect our bottom line?"

  2- the underlying or ultimate outcome or criterion. "the bottom line is
  I'm still married to Denny"

(Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=define+bottom+line)

My question is that:

Can I use "bottom line" as "fundamental point"?

For example, "The bottom line (the fundamental point) is that you need to work hard". In this case, "the bottom line" does not actually mean "the ultimate outcome"


texts: Does “syllabus” derive from Greek or Latin?

texts:
I'm looking for some hard evidence to determine whether syllabus is a word that derives from Greek or Latin.

This came about from a discussion asking whether the plural of syllabus is syllabuses or syllabi. We deduced that the plural would be syllabi if it derived from Latin, but views conflicted as to whether the word actually derived from Latin, or if it actually has its roots in Greek.

Can anyone come up the answer to this conundrum?


texts: How does this Old English text (from the dedication of the book “The White Horse King”) translate in Modern English?

texts:
The dedication of the book The White Horse King (Merkle, 2009) contains the following:

  Hwa Þeos, Þe gesihÞ swa swa se morgen
  Fæger swa se mona
  Beorht swa se sunne
  Torhtmod swa se scildweall.

I have not travelled to 9th century England ever since my time machine broke, so my Old English is a bit rusty, but I can identify the obvious, such as morgen = "morning", mona = "moon", sunne = "sun", and scildweall = "shield wall". How would a full translation read?


texts: Origin of the slang term "Becky" -- was there originally a vulgar connotation?

texts:
Green's Dictionary of Slang provides only one 2017 citation for the slang term "becky."

  use of generic name to describe a white woman who is seen as using her inborn privilege as a means of advancement.

The lone citation is from this article in The Root: "The 5 Types of Becky."

I was somewhat surprised to find in this article an unsubstantiated introduction:

  What started as a controversial term for fellatio has blossomed into an all-encompassing term for a specific class of white women.

I had never heard of "becky" as a term relating to fellatio, nor is it mentioned in Green's Dictionary of Slang as such.  Green only offers the Root's lone citation and no etymology notes.

Questions:

Is there any basis for this claim that "becky" derived somehow from fellatio?  Are there any examples of this use in print or defined in slang dictionaries / compilations?
How old is the term "becky" as used in recent slang?  Can the 2017 date be antedated?


texts:
I need to write something like

  I will make a cheque on/in your name

What will be the appropriate preposition for the above sentence?


texts:
I'm unsure if this sentence is grammatically sound and successfully conveys what I intend to say. I am particularly unsure about the use of the word "Which" and "malice. The clause where I talk about judges seems a bit dodgy as well with all the commas.

  Which is to say that state actors have no personal stake in the game and will act purely in accordance with their duties: elected representatives advocate for their voters, judges interpret constitutions and pass verdicts based purely on the facts of the case, the relevant law, and constitutional principles, and bureaucrats, who have not been addressed thus far, implement the policies of government without malice.

In my first version of the sentence, I had used "That" instead of "Which" but I felt I was overusing the word that.
When I use the word malice, I mean to say they do their duties without any personal benefits like kickbacks and are not motivated by personal vendettas or agendas.


texts: Can we use the wording "We can not only ... but also ..."?

texts:
Is the following wording okay?

  He can not only do this, but also do that.

In this case, it seems that the writer is dividing 'cannot' into two words. Is that acceptable?


texts:
I know the topic has already been discussed, for example, here the accepted answer talks about possessives, but I wonder if my specific case is about possessives or something else.

These are the sentences I found in a quiz, choose the right one:

I have no more bread I must go to the baker's
I have no more bread I must go to the bakers
I have no more bread I must go to the bakers'

Baker is a person whose trade is making and selling bread and cakes, singular.
Bakers is the plural of baker?

What are those apostrophes and S's? What do they stand for? What is the rule? Please answer or point me to a relevant link, thanks a lot.

Feel free to edit my question.
Thanks


texts: Olden pejorative/word for a "fancy-pants"

texts: What word would someone around the era of the Wild West (1850) use to describe a "posh fancy-pants"? I see that "fancy-pants" first known usage was in the twentieth century, so it's a no-go. Now, the sociolect of the person saying this would be that of a coal miner in Texas, which is quite specific, but should give a general idea of their speech.


texts: Looking for word that means speaking your mind freely

texts: I heard this word used by Barack Obama to describe Joe Biden in his book A promised land. But I can't for the life of me remember it. It's a Latin-sounding word similar to, sesquipedalian.


texts: Is there a proper way to translate "Bonne continuation" from french?

texts:
In my opinion, the difference between "Félicitations!" and "Bonne continuation!" is that the former is used to congratulate someone and to celebrate an achievment such as passing an exam for example. The latter; by contrast is usually used to express heartfelt encouragement to someone who is undertaking a project and who has reached a milestone towards its accomplishment.

I am having a hard time trying to find a proper way to find the English equivalency of "Bonne continuation!" so, any help would be highly appreciated.


texts: More common/informal way of saying "as is the case with..."?

texts:
Example:

  As is the case with the path, there's only one cliff.

(Meaning there's only one path and only one cliff.)


texts: What is the time you spend on a thesis called?

texts:
I finished my thesis today and the title page must contain the starting-date and the finishing date of my work on the thesis. What is this time frame called? It should not only include the time I spent with the actual writing but also the time I spent preparing the thesis, so all time I spent working. All templates I received from university are in German, it's "Bearbeitungszeit" there.

I came up with the following possibilities

Work time: April 1, 2011 till May 21, 2011
Work duration: April 1, 2011 till May 21, 2011
Writing time: April 1, 2011 till May 21, 2011
Writing duration: April 1, 2011 till May 21, 2011

By the way: Is the date format correct for American English?


texts: Is there any rules for abbreviating a word?

texts:
I use Prop. to abbreviate property or properties according to this website.
Now I am wondering if there are common rules in English writing for abbreviating words.


texts: What's the name of the group of words which link sentences together?

texts: For example, "within which," "of which," etc.


texts:
Over on a question about The Lord of the Rings, the phrase "stick-at-naught" has been brought up. There's some debate over its meaning.

In The Lord of the Rings, Book One, Chapter 11: A Knife in the Dark, the following line is spoken:

  I suppose you know who you've taken up with? That's Stick-at-naught Strider, that is! Though I've heard other names not so pretty.

Some users believe it means that Strider has no scruples (in the sense of he doesn't stop at anything), while others have suggested that it means he is some sort of wanderer (in the sense he doesn't stick around anywhere). Yet another suggestion is that it means he doesn't see things through to their finish.

What does it mean? And is (or was) this a common phrase in England, or is this something Tolkien made up or took from another culture?

I have found a few results on Google suggesting meanings, but these seem to be random forums or wikis. I'm not sure of their reliability.


texts:
During a meeting I was explaining a problem that only occurs once year: when one year ends and new one begins. Specifically during the first few days of the new year. Unfortunately, I was lost for words to describe the phenomenon, and, in the midst of stuttering, uttered, "Well the problem only happens during year turning, umm, well when 2010 became 2011..umm.." I got my point across, with mild sense of embarrassment, considering that a fairly large audience was attentively listening to my poorly formed narrative (I'd better stop now with this extraneous information).

What is the best way to describe what I was trying to telegraph --that is, the issue only occurring during the turn of the year?


texts: I found an example: I haven’t even started making dinner. What about I even haven't started making dinner? Would it be also correct?


texts: What does “treat something with caution” mean?

texts: What does the phrase “treat something with caution” mean?


texts: Prepositional verbs: why don't we put proposition 'with' after some verbs?

texts:
I have the verb 'meet', and I mostly think that there should have been the preposition 'with', as in:

I meet with him.
I meet him.

Is first sentence appropriate? If so, then why is it appropriate to say like this:

The two argued with each other for several minutes.”

And, also, what are other verbs (after which most of learners think that there should have been the preposition) that don't need prepositions?“


texts: Can I use the word Paramount ? if not What would be a suitable alternative?

texts: "Pressure paramounted when I was impeded from attending the final examinations of the second semester"


texts: Proverb for when one person sees something, but someone else takes it

texts:
Is there a proverb that fits the following situation:
John and Anderson (while walking):

John: [sees a $100 bill lying in the road, and shouts] Yahoo! $100!
Anderson: [takes the money and puts it into his pocket]

Reflection: John exclaimed when he saw the money in the road, but he didn't try to take it. Anderson was smarter, as, when he saw John exclaiming, he took the money and put it into his pocket. Consequently, John now repents his foolish excitement.
My question is, is there a proverb for such situations?

EDIT: When I asked my friend, he suggested the following saying:

"Some feel the rain others just get wet."


texts: What is the meaning of "the opposition of the pocket is best met through the pocket"

texts:
I'm writing a book on Adam Smith and I would like to clarify what is the meaning of the sentence below:

"But his advice implies that he agreed with the political maxim that the opposition of the pocket is best met through the pocket."

It is found at part XXIII.26 of http://www.econlib.org/library/YPDBooks/Rae/raeLS23.html


texts:
In my dialect of American English, the word "tush" or "tushy" is a dimminuitive of "rear end" (e.g., something you'd say about a baby, not as harsh as "butt" and a word you aren't ashamed to say to your mother).  The word derives from Yiddish, and I am from a Jewish family in the New York area, so I'm generally understood when I say it.

How broadly is this word understood?  What do folks who don't use it say in its stead?


texts: What is the difference between "try" and "try out"?


texts: Is there an English equivalent to "Do not expose others' misdeeds"?

texts:
In Bahasa, the phrase "Jangan membuka aib orang lain" is used to ask other people to not expose one's bad deeds.
An example of this would be:

[After A breaks B's vase with C watching]
A: C, jangan buka aib-ku ya! (C, please don't tell (dynamic translation) B!)
C: Males! Bayar dulu!
(Fuck that! How about we see some cash, then we'll talk.)

Is there a direct equivalent to this phrase?


texts: Animalisms... What other terms derive from parts of an animal, like 'wing it', or 'hoof it'?

texts:
The question " Past tense of "to wing"? " got me thinking about terms we use in the English language that derive from parts of an animal, especially verbs or verb phrases, like 'wing it' or 'hoof it'.

There are many noun and adjective phrases that use animal parts, like 'on the horns of a dilemma', so I'm more curious about verbs and verb phrases, but all entries are welcome.

(-1 to anyone who proffers 'udder despair'!)


texts:
This is a person who can talk about any topic related to any field; for example,  medical, politics, history, engineering, etc. and not just in a boasting way, this person actually posses knowledge in these fields mainly by reading books, magazines etc. Also, this word is not used in a sarcastic way, it's actually a deferential word.

The person is not necessary to posses 'deep knowledge' of the subject, just enough to converse with people.


texts: What can be used as formal euphemism of "hack"?

texts:
I'm writing a technical document, and I need to convey the fact that we had to find a non-optimal, non-orthodox solution that was adopted as the best available alternative (a hack) to solve an otherwise problematic issue.

Please note that I refer to the positive meaning of "hack", and not at the negative one, as clarified in this question.

To me, "escamotage" doesn't sound really appropriate in a technical document, and "hack" seems a bit informal and not very "technical".

Is there a construction that can help?


texts: Is there a term for a person with an obsession on a single character or letter? For example: A person that is obsessed with the letter "X".


texts: What kind of phrase is "By working the roads,..."?

texts:
I'm working on an activity for advanced students to help them talk about their careers.  I am making a true or false listening activity, designed to help them talk about their careers in ways other than three or four word simple present sentences: "I am a manager," "I work at Sony," etc.

The context for the listening activity is a video about a retired police officer who cleaned furnaces, flew a Medivac helicopter, and worked the roads as a state trooper.  Some of the statements for consideration are: "Cleaning furnaces was his main job," "Working in the police department was a routine job," or "After working as a helicopter pilot, he switched to the roads."

One sentence is giving me problems: "Working the roads, he felt he was helping people."  "Working the roads" is a participle phrase.  I would like to avoid this construction as I feel it won't help and will lead to too many problems and questions.  I would like to add "by" to help understanding: "By working the roads, he felt he was helping people" as I feel there are other ways that this can be used: "By talking to customers, I can solve their problems," or "By visiting factories, I can understand their issues."

What kind of phrase is "By working the roads,"?  Is it a similar construction to "After working at [company], I then worked at [company.]"?  To me this kind of phrase yields more expression potential in the classroom, so I'd like to explore it in the activity.


texts: "SALLY had been the first one to greet PAULINA when SHE appeared in the doorway" Pronouns

texts:
I read the following sentence and I thought the pronoun "she" could refer to either the subject or the object of the sentence.

  Sally had been the first one to greet Paulina when she appeared in the doorway.

Sally is the subject, since she is doing the action, and Paulina is the object, since the action is being done to her. It's easy enough to assume that "she" means Sally. Is there a resolution or way to improve this sentence to completely remove any possible misunderstandings?


texts: How to indicate that a word / acronym X will refer to Y in academic writing

texts:
How would I indicate, for example, that I am going to use "toms" to mean "tomatoes". Something like:

  Tomatoes (toms) are red. This is false as some toms are green. I like toms.


texts:
This also came up on either a BBC or CBC science program, but not as a linguistically-oriented discussion.

Over the last two or three years I've noticed a lot more people starting a sentence with "so": "so when we take the ...", "so I have this ...", "so the basic idea ..." and (uh) so on.

What is "so" when a sentence begins with it? When did it start? Is it just a "pause" word (and is there a word for that)? Is it grammatically correct? Am I the only one that finds it annoying?

Edit: Much of its usage in scientific discussions is as a "therefore".


texts: "Life is short. Work somewhere awesome." Is it ambiguous?

texts:
At a company some HR person put a label on the wall with a slogan:

"Life is short
 Work somewhere awesome
"
/+ Name of the company

The question is: May this label sound conversational? Like I see at least 3 meanings:

Working here is not awesome - but somewhere is awesome. So change your work, because life is short
Work hard/awesome to be/stay at this company
Working in this company is awesome (this was implied, I guess initially)


texts: Is the phrase 'lock a target on sth' correct?

texts:
Let's assume a sniper wants to say 'I am aiming at the objective and I have my crosshairs right on it'. I've always thought they would use an expression 'I locked on/onto the target'.

However, recently, I encountered a sentence: 'His heart isn't something anyone can just lock their target on' (nevermind that said 'lock-on' is used here figuratively).

It seems that an author, instead of 'to lock on sth', used a phrase 'to lock a target on sth', as if the 'target' was, I reckon, the crosshairs itself, not the desired objective. Therefore, my question is whether 'lock a target on sth' is correct or maybe it is just a mistake of a non-native speaker.


texts:
I'm not particularly a grammar pedant, but I thought of this sentence this morning and it has defied my searching skills.

It was he/him who/whom I voted for.

The question here covers something similar, but it doesn't have the disagreement where the "he" behaves like an object in the second clause and a subject in the first. Which of these sentences sounds more grammatical?

It was he who I voted for.
It was he whom I voted for.
It was him who I voted for.
It was him whom I voted for.

Oddly enough, this website seems to suggest that one should use sentences like "I chose whoever came first," despite the usual usage of "I chose him."


texts:
I'm looking for a nice, elegant word to describe the part where/extent to which things don't overlap.

"Discongruity"/"discongruence"/"incongruity"/"incongruence"/"complementation"/"complementarity" get sort of close, but I'd like other ideas. (The tighter the relationship with "overlap," the better!)

Note that words like "exclude" add meaning undesirably. "Diverge"/"differ" are not as specific as I'd like.

SAMPLE CONTEXTS:

"A group which [---]s completely with/to the other group" (i.e., "has no members in common with" from within a broader group to which they both belong).

"The [---] between this concept and the other is" (i.e., the part that not only differs between the groups, but specifically differs in the manner of "sticking out" from one group in one way and the other in another.)


texts: What is the correct name for posts made on twitter?

texts:
Well, I honestly tried to search for this but I drowned in twit* and tweet* results.

Should I write:

"my tweet" or "my twit"?
"I am tweetting" or "I am twitting" ("to twit" vs. "to tweet")?

Referring to messages on twitter.com, what are the differences in their usage and meaning?


texts:
I would hugely appreciate your help thinking through the tagline for a new online forum we are creating.

The current version reads:

  A Forum on Our Economy, National Security and Sustainability.

On seems to be the most common preposition to follow forum, except when there is a gerund involved – e.g., a forum for discussing, a forum for sharing, etc.

I would really like to use about but that seems unconventional.

Also, if we said

  A Forum on National Security, Sustainability, and the/our Economy,

that would seem to work.  But we want Economy to be first in the list of three and we don't want to say Economics so we went with our.


texts:
I’d like to include the following phrase in my children’s book:

  with trumpets and fanfares extraordinaire

I don’t know whether it should instead be

  with trumpets and fanfares extraordinaires

Should I write that with or without the silent s at the end?


texts:
I am looking for a conventional antonym for peak hour.

As far as I've seen, the term off-peak hours is used. Still, to me this means any hour that is not the peak hour, which is not necessarily the hour with the least clients or activity in a business.

Here is an example sentence:

  Eight o'clock till nine o'clock is our peak hour; two o'clock till three o'clock is our _____.

Can anybody please help with this?


texts: Would "as much as the next guy" be a simile, or just an idiom?  I am working on a lesson plan for similes, and was not 100% sure.


texts: Is there a word for a person who gives out too many extraneous details?

texts:
I'm looking for a single-word term that describes a personality that wants to give out too many unnecessary details in a conversation.

[EDIT] Let me give you guys an example.
Suppose you ask your friend, at what time will he reach your place?
Instead of saying it directly, he wanders off track by regurgitating unnecessary details
like "I'd be catching the bus at 10, then I'll reach place X by this time, then I'll take another bus to your place, and maybe I'll arrive by 12".
Is it circumlocution?


texts: What do you call a person who completed prerequisite classes for a master's degree but didn't finish their thesis?

texts: I don't necessarily mean a single word, but a short, precise and neutral-sounding phrase that can be used in a CV. The goal is to signify that the only reason for the lack of the degree is the thesis, not failed classes or anything similar.


texts: Apart from 'street-smart' what is another word for street-wise?


texts: 'were + past tense verb' v. 'are + past tense verb'

texts:
Which is correct?

a. The Justice Secretary said prosecutors were allowed to join the event.
b. The Justice Secretary said prosecutors are allowed to join the event.

Given that this news was posted on 11am of that day, while the event was from 9am to 2pm.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/474633/prosecutors-allowed-to-join-million-people-march-de-lima
So when is it proper to use 'are + past tense verb' and 'were + past tense verb'?


texts: Creative way to say "It was a coincidence."?

texts: Is there any creative phrase that could substitute the sentence "It was a coincidence."?


texts: login and payoff are nouns. But can they be used as verbs?

texts:
I know that words like login and payoff are properly nouns but I increasingly notice many (not at all uneducated) people use them as verbs:

  Will you payoff your credit card this month?

and

  Please check this when you login.

To me (a non-native English user), that seems incorrect because separating the core noun from a preposition is what I was taught: Please check this when you log in. (My emphasis)

Is this use proper or not?


texts: Use of "and" in “This line connects point A to Point B”

texts:
Dictionaries say when two things are connected or linked, the prepositions to use are “to” and “with” (e.g. “This line connects point A to Point B” and “The train links Paris with London”). Would you say it is also acceptable to use “and” in place of “to” or “with” as in the following?

This line connects point A and Point B.
The train links Paris and London.

What bothers me is that these two prepositions seem to imply some sort of directionality. For example, the sentence “This line connects point A to Point B” suggests to me that the line in question extends from point A to Point B, rather than the other way around, and sometimes you want to describe lines or connections without implying any directionality.
If the use of “and” is not acceptable, how would you two turn sentences like “Point A and point B are connected by a line” into the active voice?


texts: I have seen many people use the phrase "my bad" in Internet forums. What does it exactly imply and is it a proper English phrase?


texts:
Which term ("with" or "in"?  Or either one?) should be used in the following sentence:

  "I do a course (in/with) the open university."


texts: Terminology for words that are the same backwards and forwards, upside-down or right way up

texts:
I'm thinking of getting a SONOS sound system and have realised that it's an example of a special class of word.  It's a palindrome, it's a rotational ambigram and it is also a word that is the same upside down.

Any palindrome that uses, exclusively, H I N O S X Z (also some versions of lower case f and l) will share this characteristic .

Is there a special name for this ?


texts: When I say multi+something, what's between them?

texts: For example, if I want to talk about programming with multiple files instead of one big one, I would say multi file programming. Or is it multifile without a space? Or is it multi-file with a hyphen? How do I handle multi+something?


texts: Can we say works in harmony with other groups. I understand the adjective is harmonious and all what I found in web is using as harmony as a name here. Can we use it to express state. Further, is In accordance with a good replacement? What about 'In concord with'?


texts:
I am reading a book that states the hero "knew himself to be among the dead". Does this means that he considered himself as good as dead, or that he understood that all the people around him were dead?

Generally, what does "among the dead" means?


texts: "The first time" vs. "at the first time" vs. "for the first time"

texts:
I have to arrange as a sequence some details about operations an
ATM user will do to take cash.

Which of the following is or are grammatical?

  The first time the user pushes the button, if the number he entered is not valid, then...
  At the first time the user... (as the above)
  For the first time...(as the above)

I would be inclined to choose the first... Am I right?


texts:
I'm trying to see if there a term for a maid that equates to the use of the word Jeeves for a butler. It is an if, I'm not sure there is one, after Jeeves is only the joking name for a butler due to the Jeeves and Wooster books (as far as I know it).

Is there a maid equivalent? Or even a non-gendered version? Maybe for a generic home-help kind of role?


texts: Continuous present tense in the place of simple present tense

texts:
Given the following sentence in the continuous present tense.

  Are you doing your work regularly (or daily)?

It is a major source of my confusion. It is very unlikely to have such a tense.

Although it is the event that occurs regularly (mostly occurs daily), some speakers use such compositions especially those who study in English medium schools in my country, I do not know anything about native English speakers (It should not be mentioned here but very unluckily, I could not join a school because of some unavoidable circumstances, I am a self-learner).

In my native language, I have never seen such a sentence, neither in speaking nor in writing. We always use the following composition in the simple present tense.

  Do you do your work regularly (or daily)?

How likely is it possible to have such a sentence in English (the first one)? In which particular situations, is it used?


texts:
From etymonline, the two following words seem to have the same etymology:

  apocalypse: apo- "from" (see apo-) + kalyptein "to cover, conceal"
  (see Calypso).

  apocryphal: apo- "away" (see apo-) + kryptein "to hide" (see crypt).

But the two seem to have opposite meanings.apocalypse means revelation and uncovering, while apocryphal means spurious.

How shall I understand them?


texts:
For example in the idioms "left and right", "left, right and centre", and in many contexts where both left and right are mentioned, it seems that the left usually comes before the right. Why is this so?

I guess the begged, or zero-th, question: is there a preference when ordering left and right? Some people use "right and left" as well.

I'm not sure how useful an Ngram search would be, due to both left and right having multiple meanings, e.g. "she turned to her right and left the house" or "he stood up, left and right then ...".


texts: How should "makeup" be written in BrEng?

texts:
By "makeup", I mean cosmetics, as in lipstick, foundation, eyeliner, etc. My assumption is that it should be written as "makeup", but others have suggested "make up" or "make-up".

In case there are any regional differences, I'm primarily interested in the most idiomatic written form in Britain/Ireland.


texts: Is there any negative connotation to the word SpoonTalk or Spoon

texts:
This is my first question here. It is not exactly related to English usage.

-- Providing more details as suggested by John--

I am currently building a Software product and have named it SpoonTalk.

It is an Email Marketing Tool and will be used by businesses to send email newsletters to their customers.

I find the name easy to remember and interesting but English is not my native tongue and I dont really know if there is any negative connotation to the word SpoonTalk or Spoon.

So basically I ask the native English speakers if the word SpoonTalk is acceptable? Or should I look for something else.

Thanks in Advance :-)


texts: Expression for a situation where you are too used to your work that you don't see its beauty/potential

texts: I am working on my first production mobile app (Android). The UI is okay (to me), but when I show my friends they are amazed by it and tell me how beautiful it is. Since I'm the one creating it and I see it every other minute, it is understandable that I have gotten used it that it's just, ordinary. What do you call this? I know it is also something people in arts experience.Is there a name for it?


texts: What are the sources of the popularity of the urban slang term "shank"?

texts:
to shank to stab with an improvised knife

How did shank evolve to its importance in popular culture?  Has there been a key gangster rap with this word, perhaps taking off as an internet sensation?

The suspected duplicate isn't the same as my question.  I'm looking for something recent, to trace its recent extreme popularity.


texts: Is there anything redundant about the collocation "discuss together"?

texts:
I'm not comfortable with "discuss together" but I see it used quite a bit especially in translations. I think it's clunky usage as "together" is embedded in the meaning of "discuss".

Is "discuss together" redundant, or just bad style, or actually trending as acceptable.


texts: Prepositions: "in" vs. "on" a tab/widget

texts:
In my quest to grasp the dichotomy between "on" and "in" I have found another example that left me in doubt.

  Initializes the widgets added on the tabs.
  Validates the information on the widgets.

At the first example I think the widget is being added in / into the tab.
As far as the second example once again I think the information is validated in the widget not on the widget because the information is inside the widget.

Could you help me here clarifying this ?

Note: If you are not familiar with the concept of tab and widget you can check it here.


texts: Is there a general term to refer to "a semi-denigrating term used by a minority social group (not necessarily a racial group) to refer to the majority".  Examples would be "muggle", "gentile", "textile", "breeder", "straight", "mundane", "vanilla" etc.  (I am not referring to outright derogatory terms)


texts:
I'm trying to say something like "that's such a cooler design". Is there more valid expression that expresses the same thing? Or is this okay English?

I guess "that design is so much cooler" would work, but it's not as succinct.

I'm trying to say that something is cooler than something else, but without explicitly mentioning that other thing, since it is common knowledge between me and the person I am saying it to. So I don't want to use "that design is cooler than X".


texts: Is "research" as a countable noun actually used by native speakers?

texts:
I see this phrase being used often by non-native speakers, and it never fails to strike me as incorrect:

"In this research, [...]"

I also note that Wiktionary and Merriam-Webster consider that usage correct, but "rare" and "formal + old-fashioned". This Quora question has a comment that says that it is restricted to British English, too, but there are no sources for this. Searching for occurrences of this usage on Google is hard, because "researches" could also be the verb, and "a research" is usually followed by "paper" or "group".

So, is research as a countable noun really used by native speakers, or has it already fallen out of usage and is only kept alive by awkward translations?


texts: Solely interested in mindless social fun

texts: Is there a word for a person who is solely interested in mindless social fun? A junior I know told me that EL&U is stressful because it's full of "serious"(lack of a better word here) people, of course as the site suggests, we need to post something which is more than just mindless social fun. I suppose I could use unambitious but then there are always people who are both ambitious while still enjoying mindless social fun. In fact, it would be great if you could suggest a cute and funny nickname to ridicule him but not something which is downright insidious.


texts: Word for “someone who makes a little go a long way”

texts:
I’m searching for a word (a noun, ideally) that means someone who manages to make a little go a long way, or who manages to do a remarkable job given very little resources.

Specifically, I am envisioning someone who is teetering on poverty but can still put together a feast on short notice, or who can make a fancy dress out of rags, etc.

If the word exists, it may actually be a loanword to English from immigrant and diaspora communities, but if so I’m not aware of it.

Sample sentence:

  Camille was on a fixed income, and a small one at that, but she was a ????, and with a keen eye for things no one else wanted and an ingenuity for making the most of very little, she sewed herself stunning dresses and once a month managed to throw a banquet for her friends and neighbors.

(Not a great sentence, but conveys the sense of the word I’d want.)


texts:
Can anyone give me the origin of the phrase "what the right hand giveth, the left hand taketh away"?

I had assumed it was a Bible quote, but my Google ninja skills have failed to bring up a chapter and a verse.

Stephen K. Stephenson has published a comprehensive series of videos that show how calculations were done with stones (calculus = little stone). To summarize: to denote the number IV, he places one stone in a space that represents the number 5 on the right side of his abacus and one stone on a line representing the number 1 on the left side, so the I on the left and the V on the right in "IV" make perfect sense. In very concrete terms, the left side of the abacus (and the left hand) "taketh away".

Is it reasonable to say that this expression has an origin in arithmetic manipulations?


texts: Countable/uncountable nouns Rice vs Stars

texts: How is rice and sugar uncountable while star is not? Counting grains of rice and crystals of sugar is not practical, yes. But isn't counting stars nearly impossible?


texts: When do you need to capitalize "the" in the name of a journal?

texts:
I am writing an article and it just occurred to me that I do not know if I need to capitalize "the" in the name of a journal, be it in the reference section or when written in text. I am using APA guidelines, which says that we need to italicize the name of a journal mentioned in text, so an example would be:

  The latest research published in the Lancet....

or

  The latest research published in The Lancet....

I did a Google Scholar search and I see it used both ways, though quite more frequently the second way.

I have noticed that some journals include "the" in their names while others don't, and it seems to be only the first type that requires capitalization.  For instance, American Journal of Psychiatry vs The British Journal of Psychiatry. So when referring to the first, you can say it was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, but when discussing the second, you say the article was published in The British Journal of Psychiatry.

Does this make sense, or am I confusing something?


texts:
Coming from German, I have always said “bike saddle”. But later a friend from Philadelphia told me that the common word is “bike seat”, and I would not necessarily understood if I say saddle. Some online research indicates that in fact both are in use.

So I wonder: is there a difference in connotation, in regional use or in who uses it (enthusiastic cyclists vs. non-cyclists)?


texts: How to use hyphen to form new adjectives?

texts:
Writing a chemistry paper I need to form an adjective for the following concept: TiO2 rich in oxygen vacancies.

Is this the proper formation for an adjective intended to mean that?:

Oxygen-vacancy-rich TiO2

Are the two hyphens correct? Or do I only need the first one?

thank you


texts: Comma placement after [greeting] and a [term of endearment]

texts:
Long-time lurker, first-time poster.

When addressing someone with a term of endearment and a greeting, how does comma placement work?
The reason why other questions didn't work in answering this was that they would never directly fix my predicament.

I understand that hypocorisms (not nicknames) are not capitalized as they are general. I don't understand if a greeting gets a comma after or before the name. Especially since, if it's before the name it looks like a non-essential clause.

For example:

Hey, pretty lady, you seem like fun.

Hey pretty lady, you seem like fun.


texts: What is the English word for treating someone with excessive care?

texts:
I once saw this American film where two agents were investigating a crime. Unfortunately I can't recall the name of the film, so I'm not able to go back to the source. The two agents did not want to approach a suspect, or they were being very careful about it to ensure that the suspect would open up to them and not withhold information. It might have been a witness, I'm not sure. The two were upset over why they had to be so gentle with this person. They used a specific word for this behavior that I haven't heard before.

It was something along the line "why are we *ing this person"? As to say, why are we taking such measures not to upset this person.

What word could you possibly use in this sense?


texts: Analysis in the field of something vs. Analysis of something

texts: Is the expression "to conduct an empirical analysis in the field of clickworking" correct or is it better to say "to conduct an empirical analysis of clickworking"?


texts: Can you separate independent clauses after the word 'because'?

texts:
I get confused when the following happens:

  Graham was angry because Lee burned the toast and Jennifer finished
  the milk.

Should there be a comma between 'toast' and 'Jennifer'?

The statement Lee burned the toast and the statement Jennifer finished the milk seem like they could function as standalone sentences. From what I have read, anything that functions as a standalone sentence is known as an 'independent clause',  and when you separate two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction such as 'and', you need to insert a comma.

However, Graham is angry because both of these things ruined his breakfast, but adding a comma would seem, to me, set off a separate statement which is unrelated to his anger.

  Graham was angry because Lee burned the toast

  And Jennifer finished the milk

Is the comma always included, never included, or sometimes included (depending on the idea being communicated)?

Thank you so much for reading this!


texts: What do you call a brand name that is used as a verb

texts:
What do you call a word used as a verb like:

To hoover instead of to vacuum.
A kleenex instead of a facial tissue or paper handkerchief.
etc.

Brand verbification? Is there a single word to describe it?

tia,
Plumafina


texts: What do you call it when A cannot alter B above A?

texts:
There's only one true example I can give without going off the idea and this example is quite "techy", so I'm sorry for those who possibly won't understand the principle. I'm certainly not being ignorant, I just cannot think of any other as good example as this one.

There's a virtualization program called Virtual Box, which creates a virtual, emulated environment in which you can run another operating system inside your main operating system. The whole environment is completely emulated, therefore the system inside it (called the guest system) has no access to your main system and cannot alter it. Thus, this guest system cannot operate any faster than the main system, cannot outperform it in any way. What is this called? When a sub-category item (child) cannot "understand/outperform" its group parent?


texts: Is this headline as redundant as it seems?

texts:
Drunk driver found hiding after hit-and-run

Is it necessary to write "found hiding"?  It seems like the only time you can find something is when it is hidden or missing.  Is this statement redundant?

Isn't the above the same as writing things like "Man drowns in water"? (I would think it would be correct to be specific if he drowned in a strange substance.)


texts: I was about to correct a line like "Townville located in east Blaze County has grown rapidly since 2000 and continues to do so." to "Townville, located in east Blaze County, has grown rapidly since 2000 and continues to do so.", but I wasn't certain that I was right. I also didn't know what reference I might use to find out.


texts: Is there a word to describe what someone is worth, economically?

texts:
Is there a word that describes what someone is worth, economically?

For example, if Joe has gone to school for five years and has a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, there is a certain minimum value on him. He can easily make more than $15/hour, so that would mean that he is minimally worth $15/hour.


texts: What do you call a person that only do the minimum to get through day-to-day basis?

texts: I'm trying to find a word or a short phrase that target such person. Like someone who has no passion, no drive and only does whatever needed to survive.


texts:
He does not like planes. She never eats meal. (English Syntax and
  Argumentation, Bas Aarts)

Aarts calls the negatives, not and never, as specifiers.
‘Ever’ in the example below seems to take the same position and role; can we call it as a specifier or not?

  “Good evening, madam; I sent to you for a charitable purpose.  I have
  forbidden Adèle to talk to me about her presents, and she is bursting
  with repletion; have the goodness to serve her as auditress and
  interlocutrice; it will be one of the most benevolent acts you
  ever performed.” (Jane Eyre)


texts:
Google results for sponsee have scattered definitions in unreliable sources, so it does not appear that is a real word. I'm looking for something similar, a single word.

The specific context is a social group membership application where new members must be sponsored (as in definition 2, here - "one who assumes responsibility for some other person or thing") by existing members. I am looking for a single word to describe the target of such a sponsorship. I am about to sponsor a fraternity, but I would like to have a more general word for what I'm sponsoring. Next time, the fraternity could well be a study club, or something else.

Therefore, what is the sponsored party also called? E.g. if I sponsor somebody, that person is my __?


texts: What does "yield to" mean in the following sentence?

texts:
The cpu_relax() call can lower CPU power consumption or yield to a
  hyperthreaded twin processor.


texts: Can I use "any" when offering and requesting something?

texts:
I've learnt that "any" is generally used in questions, but we may use "some" in questions when offering or requesting something.

Examples:

Would you like some bread? (offer)
Can I have some water, please? (request)

Now my question is, is it acceptable if I use "any" in the above examples?
Would you like any bread?
Can I have any water, please?

Can I say "some" would imply that I expect a positive answer while "any" would imply that I'm not sure?


texts: Is "Were you in time?" the right question?

texts:
For example,

  Hey, you went a few minutes ago, but haven't given me a call yet. Were you in time for your job?

Is this the right question to ask?


texts: Vulgar way of saying "he killed himself"

texts:
I'm trying to translate my acquaintance's cartoon to cite it in an article written in English. For the subject of the article it is important that the translation will be direct, thus very vulgar (very offensive).

Is there a vulgar way of saying he killed himself in English meaning that someone died, but did not commit suicide nor was killed by someone else, for example fell out of balcony or touched high-voltage line (by accident)?

I've learned English for many years but I always have problem with understanding and using offensive words as this is not something they teach you at school or courses, so I will appreciate any help.

I can include the Polish expression my acquaintance used, but I don't think it is necessary or helpful.

Thank you for many comments and answers. I resolved from them additional requirements for this expression. It should be short (a short remark, like "He died.", but vulgar) and not imply the deceased person stupidity. It should only show disrespect in the way that you use vulgar expression making a remark about someone's death.

The Polish expression was Zajebał się. It's left not translated in Google Translate. The first word is from the word family of jebać, directly meaning fuck, and się is somewhat equivalent of himself. It does not imply death was connected with sexual activity, it's just being vulgar. The prefix za (in this context) means that the activity was completed.


texts: "Patronize this the _____" when talking about food

texts:
There is a word in a video that I cannot figure out and have trouble hearing. The phrase as I hear it is (excuse me for inaccuracies):

  "Now don't be afraid to go out on into the lobby and patronize this the
  __ and buy some licorice sticks and mass pumpkin pie."

I'm assuming this is either an idiom that I am not aware of or he is talking about the place the film is being shown.

The youtube video is here.


texts:
Is "verse" or "stanza" the proper word to refer to some "paragraph" in a poem? For example, in Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven

  Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
  Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
  While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
  As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
  "'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-
  Only this, and nothing more."

Do we call this the first verse or the first stanza of this poem? I know there was a previous question on this site asking about the difference between the two words but I cannot find any example on that page and I am still confused. Could anyone clarify things to me in this very example? Best regards


texts:
I wonder if Diaz won't be scared of
  the KO power

The quote is about Diaz fighting with Daily. Daily has a big KO power, so the person is not sure if Diaz won't be scared of it and choose not to fight standing.

"If" and "won't" look weird to me when they are so close together.

Is that correct?


texts: Why are prepositions out of place with many phrasal verbs?

texts:
Please, restrict your answers to etymological info.  I browsed some other questions and found some good info here: Is it correct to change the common structure in these phrasal verbs?, which is more of a disambiguation question, but it may help answerers on this question.  Specifically, this idea: 'The preposition is fused to the verb to create a new, figurative meaning.'

I'm wondering why some verbs have a preposition dangling after the object.  I thought it was perhaps because it's expected to connect to an indirect object, but then I found myself adding additional prepositions that sometimes obviate the need for the first one (some examples in square brackets).  Example:

  I put some burgers on.  Cooked them up.  Turned the heat down [to low].  Called Nancy up
  [on the phone].  Asked her if she could come down [to my house].  She freaked out.  Said
  she was down [to come].  I passed out.  When I came to, she was looking me over.

  She asked, "What knocked you out?"

  "You and I being on," I replied.

  "Let's chow down," she suggested – but I cautioned, "Wait up.  Maybe the burgers are burnt up."

  She said, "No.  You'd turned the heat down," and pulled two plates out. We scarfed the burgers down and funned around for two more hours before turning in.

I'm basically wondering how words like these developed.


texts: When I'm involved in a project with the goal of analyzing (following some previously stated criteria) a set of research papers, which word is more suitable: inquiry or investigation? Or neither? If neither, please let me know what your suggestion is.


texts: The meaning of a phrase "everyday allergens and minute ingestions of sugar"

texts:
The passage below comes from a book, Bright-Sided by Barbara Ehrenreich: -

  I could take my chances with “alternative” treatments, of course, like
  punk novelist Kathy Acker, who succumbed to breast cancer in 1997
  after a course of alternative therapies in Mexico, or actress and
  ThighMaster promoter Suzanne Somers, who made tabloid headlines by
  injecting herself with mistletoe brew. But I have never admired the
  “natural” or believed in the “wisdom of the body.” Death is as
  “natural” as anything gets, and the body has always seemed to me like
  a retarded Siamese twin dragging along behind me, a hysteric really,
  dangerously overreacting, in my case, to everyday allergens and minute
  ingestions of sugar.

What does the italicized part mean?

Since the author was ever conscious of the existence of death, perceived death to be natural and the body seemed something negative. I believe the part I have asked about is a statement of the negative sense of the body.

(Am I right?)

But the italicized phrase was so figurative I can't understand what the author meant.

I think the author means in the previous part of the passage that:-
The body is like a retarded Siamese twin, and it is like a hysteric overacting to everything that doesn't suit his taste.

Am I correct in my line of thought so far?

What does everyday allergens and minute ingestions of sugar exactly mean in this context?


texts: What is a better way to name "The Wrong Question"?

texts:
On StackOverflow.com I often find that people ask questions about problems that arise due to poor design choices (typically due to a lack of knowledge about the particular programming language).

For example, the OP will make a choice at point A that is wrong, then in order to correct follow-up errors goes on to B, C, D ... and at point X (s)he gets stuck, and thus asks a question about X, when the solution to the problem is actually to fix A.

Note that this is not limited to programming, but can be any project. Earlier, I came up with The Underwater House problem to describe a similar situation:

Q: "I have this underwater house. I am having big problems with leaks and water damage. What is the best way to stop a leak?"

To which the answer of course is: "The best way is to not build a house under water."

When faced with such a question, I often feel the urge to name it, or create some classification, to let the OP know right away what the mistake is. The best way to state this that I have come up with is: "You are asking The Wrong Question." However, I feel that this is inadequate, and requires further explanation.

Is there a more self-explanatory way to state this? Some simile, saying or phrase?

Update: I felt that no answer really fits the bill better than "The Wrong Question", though "treating the symptom" was arguably the best answer. The amalgam "you're treating the symptom of a design problem", while dead on the money, is not as clear, concise and pithy as one would like. And sometimes not correct.


texts: A word that sounds like "scoshe" meaning "small amount" or "smidgen"

texts: Google and the thesaurus aren't helping, unfortunately.


texts:
Is it an abbreviation or is it used instead "A-Z"?

I have seen it being used multiple places:

E-Z cook oven
E-Z Hiscores


texts: Can you ever put a name into quotation marks when introducing?

texts:
As I understand it, quotation marks are used when we refer to a word instead of something external to the word. Hence

  I use the word "I" to refer to me.

When we introduce somebody by nickname, we would generally use quotation marks:

  Everybody calls him "Smoky Eyes".

Could or should one ever use quotation marks around an actual name? As in:

  They call me "John".

And if that is not possible, why is it different from the nickname example above?


texts:
Which is correct to use in the following example, simple past or past perfect?

  We were completely in the dark after the wind blew the candle out.
  We were completely in the dark after the wind had blown the candle out.


texts: Thus vs. Hence in motivation for action taken

texts:
Which of the below is correct?

Many people had just eaten. However, I was hungry. Hence I went for dinner.
Many people had just eaten. However, I was hungry. Thus I went for dinner.

Additionally, would "so I went for dinner" be better than both?


texts:
In the following sentence is the use of '2-3' appropriate for a PowerPoint presentation or should it be 'two to three'?

  Research shows that a deaf child tends to produce signs 2-3 months earlier than hearing children’s first spoken words.

Is there a difference in the meanings between these two methods of statement?
Why is one preferred over the other, if it is?


texts:
I need your help in understanding a concept:
I have a doubt. Does two two sentence imply same thing or they differ in meaning ??
I will stay at home, if you finish your work on time.
I will stay at home, if, you finish your work on time


texts: Is there any way to make this a parallel structure?

texts:
Should you find yourself on the wrong track, there is strength to return; should you make a mistake, there is time to correct it.

I tried to express the advantage of being young, and then I got stuck when trying to find a prepositional phrase to match "on the wrong track" and also meaning "making a mistake."
Then I started to wonder if the phrase "on the wrong track" is merely figurative.
I then changed it into "lose my way," but this means "unable to find one's way," a different meaning than I intended.


texts:
Is there an adjective that describes something that is intentionally useless or meaningless (as a joke or prank)?

For example, an application that doesn't do anything when you click on its buttons, or a very long joke that, upon finishing reading it, turns out to be not a joke but just an open-ended (deliberately) meaningless story.

For the application example, I can precede the word application with prank as an adjective but in the case of the joke, prank joke doesn't sound idiomatic.


texts: What is the correct term to describe literary works that are only partly fictional?

texts:
I'm trying to find the correct English word to describe a body of literature that is fiction in essence, but all background like places, circumstances, organizations, etc. is actually borrowed from the real world. Generally, we broadly categorize the work into fiction (such as Harry Potter, LOTR, etc.) and non-fiction (self-help and financial books, psychology, history, etc).

However, bordering between the two, there are fictional books that have a background in the real world. Below are two examples:

Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code: Brown's fiction generally involve a rich background of art, architecture, history, etc.. of the REAL world and claimed as actual facts in the book itself. In this novel, Brown describes in vivid details, a religious organization called Opus Dei and a secret society called priory of sion that actually exists since the time of Da Vinci.
John Grisham's The Testament: Grisham is another author who writes pure fiction, but the background is filled with intricate details about the US legal system and FBI in the real world.

Since they are not pure fiction, what is the right term to define these novels? Semi-fiction or part-fiction seems logical, but I don't see them used anywhere. The much popularized term science fiction is good, but doesn't come handy in this situation.


texts: What would a generic term be for a puck or ball in a sport?

texts:
I'm a programmer and like to name my variables as accurately as possible (who knows who will be reading my code in a few years' time?)

I've been thinking about sports video games recently, and have thought about the idea of a generic sports game engine.  Most sports games have an arena, crowds, a playing surface and players.  They also have a puck, ball, discus, javelin, etc. and this has me wondering: What is a generic term for this object?  Something that could transcend all sports.

Edit: Since it seems there may be no exact term for this type of object, I'd gladly settle for some sort of analog.


texts: Correct use of hyphens in "we offer same day, on site service calls"

texts:
What would be the correct hyphenation (if any) for the following sentence?

  We offer same day, on site service calls.

I was thinking of hyphenating "on-site", but I cannot think why "same day" would not be hyphenated also (other than the fact it looks wrong).

Any guidance would be much appreciated, as this is going on the front page of my business website.


texts: Is the contraction from that will to that’ll an actual word or not?


texts: Is there a word to decsribe what appears to be social ignorance?

texts:
I am trying to come up with a way to describe a person that denies they have a problem due to the large number of people in society that follow the same beliefs.

Very confusing.. stay with me here.

I am working on an English essay about how technology is impacting relationships and causing social disconnect between general conversation skills. I am trying to describe how a person believes that they don't have an issue or that they aren't "addicted" to technology just because they see everyone else doing the same thing, when all those people they are observing are in the same situation.

I guess what I am looking for is kinda like social denial perhaps?

Any words help to clarify what I am trying to explain?


texts: Origin of going "number 1" or "number 2" in the bathroom

texts:
I was wondering about the origin of using the terms "number one" and "number two" for going to the bathroom (for those unaware, number one is urinating, number two is defecating, at least in the US).  I have used it several times myself without actually thinking about it and heard plenty of others use it as well.

A quick Google search showed some interesting yet conflicting results.  This site mentions an old school room signal that children would use to ask to go to the restroom (holding up 1 or 2 fingers).  But then a post further down claims that is just an urban legend and explains why it is unlikely to be the origin.

I used Google Ngram for "to go number one" and "to go number 2" and it looks like a huge spike started in the mid-to-late 70s.  (For jokes I checked "to go number three" and " to go number four" and got no results, I know I just saved a few of you some time!!!).

So, where did the expression originate?


texts:
Here is a sentence:

  The major forces outside of the organization that have the potential to significantly influence the likely success of the products and services.

Is the use of the bold 'of' right in the above sentence?


texts: What does "worm of yellow convicts" mean?

texts:
I am working on the translation of this story by Stephen Crane, "Maggie: A Girl of the Streets", and in the very beginning he describes a fight which everyone around stops to watch. This is the full paragraph:

From a window of an apartment house that upreared its form from amid squat, ignorant stables, there leaned a curious woman. Some laborers, unloading a scow at a dock at the river, paused for a moment and regarded the fight. The engineer of a passive tugboat hung lazily to a railing and watched. Over on the Island, a worm of yellow convicts came from the shadow of a building and crawled slowly along the river's bank.

The problem is I simply cannot fathom what "a worm of yellow convicts" mean. Could anybody help me please?


texts: Savor or saver (cf. lifesaver) both seem more plausible.  Why is there an i before the -or ending?


texts: What is the difference between "image", "picture", "photograph" and "illustration"

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  What is the difference between “photo” and “image”?
  Difference between “picture” and “photo”

For my magister dissertation I need to rely on an accurate definition of what an image, a picture, a photograph and an illustration refer to.

Therefore, I would like you to help me figure out the differences.


texts: Is there an informal term for the "best company in an industry"?

texts:
I am looking for an informal term or an expression to define the best company (the more competitive and successful) within a specific industry.

A similar example is the expression "killer application"  which is often used to refer to most successful software applications.
A formal expression I often see is "industry leader", but I need an informal or slang one.

Sample usage:

  IBM used to be the......of the IT industry in the past.


texts: Word suggestion for items that can be labelled with a serial number and items that cannot be labelled with a serial number

texts:
I am looking for a word (or a group of words) that describe items that can (or can’t) be labelled with a serial number/barcode. (I was thinking of “can serialable items” and “non-seriable items”, but I could not find serialable and non-seriable in dictionary.)

Any suggestions would be appreciated.


texts: Imagine a train that comes into a station, stops, and goes back the way it came.  Would it be reasonable to say that this train has "turned around"?  It has changed direction but there is no literal turning involved.


texts: What are alternative terms/words for "cognitive dissonance?"

texts: I grasp the meaning completely, I'm just looking for alternatives ways to express it.


texts: Grammatical reason for using "what" in "a technical medical term for *what* most people refer to as..."

texts:
Below is the question and the answer is "what."

  Xerosis is a technical medical term for ___ most people refer to as dry skin.

From my instinct, I understood why "what" should be an answer. The problem is I can't explain why "which" can't be an answer.

If I chose "which" for this question, then "which" indicated the word "term," but it couldn't be like that. I need an explanation based on grammar.


texts: A word to describe the opposite of distant people?

texts:
What's an accurate adjective or word to describe people who are not necessarily friendly, approachable or agreeable, but they come across as very genuine, cheerful and energetic, and that even though they might be important people, they give you the feeling that they care about you and they are "one of us".

Basically the opposite of distant high-level executives who are completely out of touch and inspire neither confidence nor respect.


texts: Am I a 'former associate at Company XYZ' or a 'former associate of Company XYZ'?


texts: Use of 'pagan' in an essay: is it acceptable or not?

texts:
I'm writing an essay right now and I'm deliberating whether or not I should use Pagan gods instead of Greek gods (to provide variation in the essay). I've looked up the word pagan in the dictionary and it mentioned it was a derogatory term.

Would it be acceptable to use it though in an essay or would it be inconsiderate for me to use that term?


texts: Does "eponymous" require that the compared things have the same name, or will a descriptor do?

texts:
Clearly, Hamlet and Aladdin have eponymous characters (namely, Hamlet and Aladdin). What about The Merchant of Venice and The Little Mermaid? Are Antonio and Ariel eponymous?

A dictionary-check suggests some conflict on this point. Merriam-Webster says:

  of, relating to, or being the person or thing for whom or which something is named

while would make Ariel and Antonio eponymous; the work they are in is named for them. On the other hand, dictionary.com has a Random House-derived entry that suggests the opposite:

  giving one's name to a tribe, place, etc

(emphasis mine), and my paper OED seems to waffle a bit:

  That gives (his) name to anything.


texts: The demand for the stock /The demand for stock or Demand for the stock?

texts:
Context: a stock (traded in a stock exchange) was defined prior to the appearance of the following sentence:

The demand for the stock/the demand for stock/demand for the stock decreases significantly.

Question: which of the three phrases is suitable to use?


texts:
I wanna say "Aafter some time since the beginning of the event participants were quite bored".
Can I say "After elapsing some time in the event participants were quite bored"?
Thanks.


texts: The differences among: deliver, ship, and transmit

texts:
Are these definitions correct?

  Delivered: The package has arrived at your place.
  Shipped: The package was just sent.

Which word can be used to describe that the package is on its way?  Can I use the word transmit?  Or is transmit only used for signals and diseases?

One other related question: What's the difference between package and shipment in an internet business?  Is a shipment bigger than a package?


texts: It seems, perhaps obviously, that "construe" and "construct" have nearly identical etymologies. Since that is true, is there a reason--as for "use" instead of "utilize"--that one should use the more minimal "construct" (instead of "construe") at all times?


texts: clever-turning cicada-ticking sun chasers

texts:
"...Even in the dark they fretted, feeling the stars bite like summer flies as they migrated overhead. They built shelters to block out the sight of their passing. This only succeeded in making things dimmer; the unseen lion in the tall grass is still a lion that exists. Clever-turning cicada-ticking sun-chasers they tied together so that they would always know where she was, clinging to the sun’s fiery tail like frightened calves."

The excerpt above has been taken from Brooke Bolander's novella, The Only Harmless Great Thing in the World. She is referring to human beings, and criticizing their fondness of light and fear of the dark, but I cannot figure out the meaning of the part in bold. Could someone please interpret that sentence? What does clever-turning, cicada-ticking mean? Who ties who together? To know where the SUN was? Please explain. Thank you in advance.


texts: What is a word or phrase for when an artist cannot live up to his (or another author's) earlier work?

texts:
There is a phenomenon when an artist cannot create to the level of his earlier work or another artist's work.  He is often compared to the earlier work and can't move beyond the achievement of this work.  Is there a word (or a few words) to describe when this occurs?
Some examples could be:

Mike Nichols was never able to make another film that measured up to The Graduate. All works afterwards paled in comparison.
Italian literature has never been able to escape the specter of Dante's Divine Comedy;  all authors have had to react to this magnum opus in their own way and reflect it -- or deny it wholeheartedly -- in their work.
Woody Allen's critics often refer to 'his earlier, funnier work'; in their minds, his later dramatic works don't always measure up.


texts:
As a choir singer I studied Arvo Pärt's composition "Which was the Son of...", text exracted from the Bible (Luke 3,23-38). It's simply Christ's genealogy. I was surprised that the relative pronoun used was 'which' and not 'who'. I suppose it is an ancient usage, and would not be correct in modern English

Thanks for an explanation!


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Is it correct to change the common structure in these phrasal verbs?

I'm really confused about where to put the preposition.

  She cut her hair off.

Vs

  She cut off her hair.

Which one is correct? and why?


texts: I was recently offered a job which I didn't think I'd be well suited to, but several people whose opinion I greatly value said they thought I'd be great at it. I'm looking for a word to describe the feeling this created in me. The closest I can say was that "I found my friends' reactions humbling". But to me humbling suggests a diminishment of one's opinion of oneself in response to an event. Perhaps "flattering" is closer, but that sounds sycophantic. It feels like there should be a better word, but I can't think of it. Any ideas?


texts: What is the overarching category for Direct and Indirect Speech called in English?

texts: While terms like direct and indirect can be classified within a broader category (object, governance etc.), I am not sure how to classify direct and indirect speech. I thought it could be just speech, but found no evidence of that. What is the one-up here?


texts: Is there one word that means female car enthusiast?

texts:
There are words like gear head, speedophile, car nut etc. that are all gender neutral, however, I am creating a support group or a common interest linkup for women who have a passion for cars.
I am looking for a name for this group and would like to denote the feminine aspect of it.
I have thought using unicorn in the name, as rare cars and car chicks are often referred to as unicorns, due to their rarity, but I'd like the name to stand on its own without having to be explained. So, if there is a word that means female car enthusiast, it would be helpful. Or help me create a new word... :)


texts: When and why did the em-dash and the hyphen supplant the semicolon?

texts: It seems to me that semicolons are rarely used today in ordinary English writing - even in newspapers and books. They appear to have been replaced, in many cases, by em-dashes and hyphens (the hyphen being used on the Internet and/or in informal communications). In some cases, semicolons have been replaced by periods (i.e. something which might have previously been one sentence would now be written as more than one sentence). Over what period of time did this change take place, and why?


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I see that disconfirm is not in the dictionary but I was wondering if concatenating the prefix dis- to a proper verb can be used to properly denote a meaning opposite from that verb.

E.g. in The Big Lebowski, Brandt tells the Dude:

  You're in a unique position to confirm or disconfirm that suspicion...

I suppose refute would be a more commonly used word to denote the same meaning.


texts: A word for an object that contains two evolutionarily related objects

texts: For example, what should I call the animal that came before ape and human (each version of some object)?


texts: Can "rentee" be used to refer to one who rents an item?

texts:
I am working on a project where I need to be able to distinguish between one who is offering something for rent, and one who is renting from someone. The phrases used need to be short and concise.

The context is not real estate thus commonly suggested alternatives like landlord or tenant do not fit.

I was thinking maybe rentee could work, thinking it followed the same style as employer versus employee, for example.  Some quick googling, however, seems to indicate that rentee is not a valid word, but some people do occasionally use it.