texts: Words which are pronounced differently depending on where they are in the sentence

texts:
Is there a term for words which are pronounced differently depending on where they are in the sentence? For example, when I use the word "to" at the beginning or end of a sentence (or when I'm emphasizing it), I pronounce it the traditional way, i.e. the same as the number two. However, anywhere else, I pronounce it closer to "tuh" (i.e. rhyming with "duh").

Example of the first usage:

How many countries have you been to?

Example of the second usage:

Have you been to very many places?


texts:
I have problems with reading mathematical equations in which there are parentheses; could anybody help me?

For example:

  (x−a) (x+b) = 5
  (x−a) + 2 (a+10) = z
  2 + (10−a) d = 7
  y = a/b (7c+11)

How should I read this kind of equations?


texts: What's this tense called: "I been done ate"?

texts:
Growing up in a Black family in the US, I frequently heard people have conversations like this:

Mom: Have you eaten yet?
Kid: Yeah, Mom, I been done ate.

Wife: Have you fixed the sink yet?
Husband: Woman, I been done fixed it.

(Emphasis is on the word "been")

The meaning has always been the same: not only have I done it, I did it some time ago. This led me to believe that it might be an actual tense in use in more than one language, and in more than one dialect of English.

Am I right about that? What is the tense called? Are there other such tenses in use in parts of the English-speaking world that I might not have heard of?

I forgot to add that I found an article online, called "Notes on African American English". I disagree with parts of it, but section 5.2.2 seems about right:

  5.2.2 Also found in AAE (and some other varieties of English) is an
  uninflected done for a resultant
  state: I done ate (I've already
  eaten), I had done ate (I'd already
  eaten). For some speakers, this can be
  combined with the uninflected be and
  been: I been done ate (I finished
  eating some time ago), I be done ate
  (I've usually already eaten).


texts: Rose "to a crescendo" or "in a crescendo"?

texts:
What is the correct way of saying that the song grew louder gradually?

His song rose in a crescendo
His song rose to a crescendo.


texts: Do "download" and "upload" only refer to networks?

texts:
I know what it means to download something from a website or upload a video to YouTube.  But do the terms "download" and "upload" only apply when referring to one device transferring data to another remote device over the Internet (or LAN even)?

Say I was transferring a file to my USB flash drive or copying a file from one HDD to another HDD.  Would this technically be considered downloading/uploading?


texts: The hidden flaw in "singular they"—what to do about reflexive pronouns?

texts:
We have a highly regarded answer by nohat to a question about gender-neutral pronouns, in which he points to the "singular they" and its long history of use in English. (Note that he also advises against using it.) Example:

  If someone wants to watch TV tonight, they'll have to do the dishes.

This avoids having to say "he or she" in mixed-gender situations. Okay, fine. I'm not going to get my panties in a bunch if people want to talk this way.

But it occurrs to me that "singular they"—infelicitous at the best of times—really falls apart when extended into the realm of reflexive pronouns:

  If someone wants to watch TV tonight, they'll have to do the dishes all by themselves. [?]

That feels very wrong. The only alternative, if one paints oneself into that corner, is to flip it back to singular:

  If someone wants to watch TV tonight, they'll have to do the dishes all by themself. [???]

That feels worse.

If I'm to state this as a question, I guess I would put it thus: How can use of a "singular they" truly be reconciled? Is it really as much of a linguistic dead end as it feels to me?


texts: How can the relative pronoun 'which' have an adjectival phrase as its antecedent? Exactly what may act as antecedent for 'which'?

texts:
American talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was quoted as saying:

As “bad” as he was feeling for producers of both films, Kimmel admitted he was also “trying really hard not to laugh.” It was only after Denzel Washington yelled “Barry” from the front row that Kimmel realized he should step away from the microphone and let Moonlight director Barry Jenkins deliver his acceptance speech.
“I did not pull a prank,” Kimmel assured skeptical viewers at home, saying that if he did he would have put a Bed, Bath and Beyond coupon in the envelope instead. “By the way, the producers of La La Land were very gracious, which they did not have to be, on stage and off,” he added.

The boldfaced portion is a relative clause in a supplementary use, and it seems that 'which', a supplementary relative pronoun, has 'very gracious', an adjectival phrase (AdjP), as its antecedent.
How can the relative pronoun 'which' have an AdjP as its antecedent? (No other pronoun, relative or otherwise, can have an AdjP as its antecedent that I know of.)
EDIT
The call of the question has been shifted from "Can which have an AdjP as its antecedent?" to "How can it do so?"


texts: Word or idiom to describe someone sabotaging something and then bragging from it not happening?

texts:
Say you have one goal. For example, to run a mile below 4 minutes. You train hard, do all your best to accomplish that goal, etc.

Somehow there is a person who does not want you to be successful: they keep telling you that you are uncapable of running that fast. Moreover, they do all that they can to sabotage your efforts: hide your shoes, etc.

The day of the big race comes and the sabotage works: you finally cannot make it because the night before that person kept ringing you on the telephone so you couldn't rest properly.

Then, that person comes and says: See? I told you that you wouldn't manage to make it!

Is there a sustantive, adjective or idiom to describe this? I was thinking about cynical but it kind of lacks the sabotaging part.


texts: Difference in the meanings of the words and when to use which one?

texts:
I am a regular Asphalt gamer. There are various levels which unlocks by playing the previous levels under the same category. The manner of unlock and labels are:

Novice
Rookie
Pro
Elite
Master

All of a sudden by interest piqued and I searched up the meanings of these words and started comparing them. It is not that I never knew, just it didn't occur to me to find out more. So I searched up the meanings of these words such as novice, rookie, neophyte, amateur. All of them appeared to be the exact same to me (I am talking in respects to their knowledge of a work or sport). Although each of them had similar meanings in religious contexts too.
So now my question is, when to use which word in a sentence? Like if I am introducing my colleague who is the newest addition in the team, which word is the most suitable of all? (formal and informal usage both will be appreciated)
The meanings I referred to:
Novice, Rookie, Neophyte, Amateur


texts: What is the literary device to describe isocolons with direct opposites?

texts:
In the poem 'We Shall Come No More' in Tawny Island by Verra Brittain, there is a strong parallelism between the 1st and 2nd stanza, even going as far as the same letter count. However the words are chosen to be opposite, or slightly contradictory. For example,
'So then we came to the Island,' is contrasted with 'To-day we look for the Island,' (Brittain went as far as using hyperbaton for exact parallelism perhaps?). This is slightly contradictory as you do not arrive somewhere, and then search for that somewhere.

Another example is the last line of the respective stanzas wherein 'Where shimmering lay the fields of Asphodel.' is contrasted with 'Where twilight falls on fields of Asphodel.' (only word count parallelism here by 1 letter). I was thinking of just calling it an antithetical isocolon or parallelism but I'm not sure whether there's a specific word for it.


texts: Classify into 4 categories or in 4 categories?

texts:
Which is more correct?

  I am going to classify these faults into 4 categories.
  I am going to classify these faults in 4 categories.
  I am going to classify these faults as 4 categories.

The last one makes the least sense to me. However, the first two are being used by a lot of people. Are both okay?


texts:
Let's discuss what you're looking for exactly.
OR
Let's discuss what you're exactly looking for.
The general question is : where to place the adverb in such a phrase ?
As a non native it's hard to know what's correct or sounds better.


texts: One word indicating that a process is not yet finished

texts:
Any suggestion for a single word that implies: "this process is not yet finished"? I will use this in the database; it has a corresponding boolean.

Example:

notYetFinished = true - This indicates that it is not yet finished.

notYetFinished = false - This means that it is already finished.

I'm looking for a single word to use instead of notYetFinished; I would much prefer a technical word describing a process that is not yet finished, or that is on standby.


texts: Buying products only by a multiple of X, how is this called?

texts:
A shop might demand a product can only be sold in a certain quantity, for example 5, which means you cannot purchase 2, 8 or 17, but only 5, 10, 15, etc.

How would this requirement be called in English? In other words, what label would correctly describe this requirement to the visitor. Here are some phrases I tried:

order multiplicity
unit size
sold per

However none of these seems to be used much in the correct context.


texts:
How do we refer to the act of resembling the truth, regardless if it is indeed the truth?

Some context: suppose you are watching a film and the story bears a striking resemblance to "real life". Perhaps you remember similar events from your own background or the story has a strong internal coherence. So you feel that the story could be true, even though you know it is fictional. Or, as the legend has it, when Michelangelo finished his "Pietà" and the sculpture seemed so "real" and "natural" to him, that he was amazed that the sculpture couldn't talk. One last example: you hear the promises of a politician in election campaign and he seems to be telling the truth, but of course you have no way to figure out, beforehand, if he is being honest or not.

The word "likelihood" comes to mind, but this word suggests some kind of numerical (even statistical) evaluation, which is akin to "probability". The word I am looking for describes the feeling you get, which leads to a subjective "binary" judgement (either it resembles the truth or not).

In Portuguese, such word is "verossimilhança" (from Latin verum, truth + similis, similar).


texts:
Is it possible to write a sentence in English with the verb before the passive subject?

If so, please provide examples.


texts:
How can you describe something as fucked up or messed up? Specifically talking about a bunch of pictures.
A better way of saying “These pictures are fucked up.”
A picture like this would be fucked up or disturbing or mentally challenging


texts:
"To lurk" is roughly defined as "to be hidden in wait, especially for an evil purpose."

Generally speaking, this verb is used in connection to something negative, but can something positive be lurking as well?

The sentence I constructed:

  There just seemed to be insights lurking at every turn.

Can I use it this way? If not, what would be a good verb that indicates "hiding and waiting to pop out?"

Thank you.


texts: Is the phrase "move over" an official English idiom? And if so, is it only in American English?

texts:
Is the phrase "move over" an official English idiom known worldwide? I would like to know:

Is it an official English idiom (not slang or colloquial)?
Is it known outside of the US (e.g. in the UK, Australia, India)?
Does it have any multiple meanings? Does it have any ambiguousness?
How likely it is for a non-native English speaker to know what this idiom means?
What is its official meaning? (is it "make way" or "move aside")

Can it mean "move toward"?


texts: Looking for a word that means provoking introspection

texts:
I'm looking for an adjective that means provoking introspection. Thought-provoking is close to the adjective I'm looking for but I would like a word that is more specific. Thought-provoking doesn't work since thought-provoking can lead to introspective thoughts but it can also lead to thinking about, for instance, politics.

Basically, I'm looking for an adjective that would describe a piece of work that causes a lot of introspective thoughts.


texts:
Incidentally I have heard the CBS news about the Bulgarian president visit in US. The exact sentence was something like:

  We can't be too specific about the president's schedule due to security concerns which are an issue for all visiting dignitaries.

What took me by surprise was that they used the word dignitary while in Bulgarian recently we tend to use the foreign word VIP for that no matter if it is a man with a specific (official) rank in the society or a famous singer. It pretty much sum up all these occasions, so my question is: what is the difference in meaning between dignitary and VIP and when and why should we use each?


texts: Is there a term for speaking to oneself in the second person?

texts:
A recent article in Aeon noted that "illeism" is a term for speaking about oneself in the third person. The article argues that adopting this rhetorical stance can aid in thinking through issues:

  ...The scientific research suggests that you should adopt an ancient rhetorical method favoured by the likes of Julius Caesar and known as ‘illeism’ – or speaking about yourself in the third person... If I was considering an argument that I’d had with a friend, for instance, I might start by silently thinking to myself: "David felt frustrated that…" The idea is that this small change in perspective can clear your emotional fog, allowing you to see past your biases.

Is there a similar term for talking through a problem with oneself in the second person? (Adapting the example above, "You are feeling frustrated that...")


texts:
When referring to a general mother, I'd always just use lowercase.

  Our mums went shopping together. Your mum bought a new suitcase.

However, when addressing my specific mum, I couldn't decide whether or not to capitalize the M.

  You'll have to adopt that dog Mam; we want to see it.
  When are you coming to England mam?


texts: When to use "among" instead of "between"

texts: In the following sentence, shouldn't "among" be used instead of "between?"  It has been determined between all three departments that the science department is the most appropriate department to be in charge of this assignment.


texts: Is active vocabulary increasing, decreasing or stays approximately the same?

texts: English constantly borrows or makes up new words. At the same time, other words become old-fashioned and obsolete. Do the two processes balance each other and the language's active vocabulary (words which are more or less commonly used) is neither getting bigger nor shrinking? Or one process prevails over the other?


texts: Your health and well-being are of paramount concern to us. What does 'of' mean here?

texts:
I received an email from a university and am a bit confused about the sentence below:

  As you’re aware, your health and well-being are of paramount concern to us as we look to adopt the latest national and local health advice during the management of this pandemic.

Could of be replaced with a in that sentence, so that it reads "your health and well-being are a paramount concern to us"? This is the way that I would say it on my own, as a non-native English speaker.


texts: What to call the collective parts of a day?

texts:
Millennia are made of centuries and decades, centuries of decades and years. Years are months, months of weeks, but not precisely. Days are made of hours, but what do we call the several imprecise periods in a day: morning, noon time, afternoon, evening, night?

I.e., answer this riddle, for which I have no answer: Days are made of these, which are themselves made of hours. What are they?


texts: So as far as I understand 'to flee' is the verb, derivative noun from it is 'a flight' (as the process of running away), but what are the people who flee called? (And I don't mean cowards and other words of this kind.)


texts: Reducing the number of words in a sentence

texts:
Is it possible to reduce the word count of the following sentence, and if so, what would be the resulting sentence?:

I eat lunch and then sometimes have desert; and, sometimes for desert, I will eat spinach.


texts: What are the correct titles for the attendee/guest relationship?

texts:
Apologies for the horrible title.

If I'm invited to an event and I bring a plus one, they're are my guest and I am a guest of the event's host. But what am I to my guest?

I've tinkered with 'invitee' or 'attendee' and even had 'host' suggested to me.

Are any of these on the right track? If not, what are my options?


texts: Proper grammar for plural possession including myself?

texts: I know that when referring to myself and a friend, it is proper to say "John and I", as opposed to "me and John". But when referring to ownership, I can't figure out whether this still applies. For example, "John and I's car" certainly sounds more incorrect than "me and John's car", since "I" cannot be pluralized. What is the proper way of phrasing this?


texts: Non-restrictive vs Sentential Relative Clause

texts:
I love my father, who is a teacher.
"Who is a teacher" is a non-defining or non-restrictive relative clause.
He failed the test, which shocked everyone.
"Which shocked everyone" is a sentential relative clause.

(1) Is there any difference between a non-restrictive relative clause & a sentential relative clause?
(2) Are both of these independent clauses?


texts: What is the meaning of the term "backgrounding against someone"?

texts:
Like in this tweet:

Last week I revealed the PMO was backgrounding against Brittany Higgins partner.

I could not find the meaning of this term. What are the meaning and origin?


texts: Why do we say "honeymoon" instead of "honeymonth"?

texts:
I was curious about the etymology of the word honeymoon and found out that its sense was partially literal (serving honey for the couple), and partially metaphorical (sweet and happy times).

But I found no explanation to why it is moon instead of month, since both cases refer to a month time period.  Can anyone explain why?


texts:
I'm not sure if this statement is grammatically correct. It sounds fine, but I'm not sure if the 'with the...' part is right.

  With the end of the Great War came a great revolution in the entertainment industry.


texts: The metaphoric(?) meaning of the word destination

texts: In a vocab quiz, the teachers wanted us to write a paragraph about companies by using some given words. Well, the topic was not that much general but it's not that important. The one  of the words  was ''destination''. I made a sentence as ''The destination of companies is to create profit.'' By this, I have tried to say  ''The aim/purpose/goal of  companies is to create profit.'' However, my dear teacher said that the word destination is a  quite physical thing, so I should not have used the word destination to express purpose. Even though I said that I used  the word in a metaphoric style, she did not accept my explanation. Of course, unless a person is a master in a language or is a native speaker, attempt of using words in a metaphoric sense may result in very badly. But really, cannot we use the word destination for expressing purpose?


texts: "That" vs "those" with multiple singular nouns

texts:
I just received an email citing my contact info and asking me to confirm it.

I replied with "Those address and phone number are correct."

The Gmail grammar checker underlined "address" and "number". Should I have used "That" instead of "Those"? That didn't seem better to me. Two singular things make a plural, right?


texts: Need help with comprehending these sentences from "A Man, Prologue."

texts:
Whatever I wanted to get across he understood well,
-Is this mean "Whatever I want to tell him he understood me well"?
in a seat somewhat removed from the bartender’s post.
-Is this mean "a seat far away from bartender"?
Full sentence (I sat down beside him at his invitation, in a seat somewhat removed from the bartender’s post.)
he could definitely hold his liquor
-Is this mean "He's a strong drinker"?
Full sentence (His drinks of choice was vodka. Despite his lean build he could definitely hold his liquor)
Kido-san had left vague in the interest of confidentiality,
-Is this mean that "Kido-san were not telling all the truth because he wanted (interested) in keeping them private"?
Full sentence (I investigate for myself various details that Kido-san had left vague in the interest of confidentiality,)
--Below are sentences that I can't understand at all--
in a rich man to boot!
Full sentence (Kaido-san told taxi drivers the route with warmth and care an admirable quality in this day and age and in a rich man to boot!)
involving as they did a number of moving incidents
Full sentence (The other stories this lawyer related were surprising, involving as they did a number of moving incidents about which Kaido-san himself had never spoken.)


texts: What is the word for moving your lips without making a sound?

texts:
Is there an English word to describe the act of moving one's lips as though speaking but without making a sound? One would do this with the expectation that the person he is attempting to communicate with will read his lips.

As an example, if I walk into my boss's office while he is on the phone and he tells me to "wait a sec..." while wrapping up his phone conversation but without the person on the other end of the phone hearing.

Is there a single word for that?


texts:
What would be the correct way of saying this:

If you would like to register your interest in...
If you would like to register your interests in...

Both seem to sound correct to me but I was wondering if one was better to use than the other?


texts:
Suppose you have some coordinate adjectives modifying a noun. E.g.

"the cold, tired, hungry dog."

You could rewrite this as

"the cold and tired and hungry dog"

but would these

"the cold, tired, and hungry dog"
"the cold, and tired, and hungry dog"

be acceptable? And would you call the first an oxford comma? I've looked through a bunch of guides for coordinate adjectives. Most of them, like this and this, never use the last options but don't specifically forbid them. One (Hart's Rules) sort of uses it to describe an Oxford comma, but not when modifying a noun. I would appreciate a definitive answer for this if one exists.
Very similar to this question. But their source doesn't make it clear whether the adjectives are supposed to modify a noun or go at the end of a sentence.


texts: Words that mean ''to inadvertently say something''

texts: Like when you're talking and inadvertently say something and then realize it.


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Formal alternative for “suck”

Since the word "sucks" does not have an origin that would make it a good word to use in many contexts, I want to know whether there is a cleaner alternative. I tried searching the thesaurus, but couldn't find any. Is there a cleaner alternative that can be used in all the contexts that "sucks" is used?


texts:
The sample sentence I want to say is "The wolf stalked forward slowly, towards him. Nostrils flared, it growled menacingly"

I know the sentence structure is not proper but I'm not able to combine the two sentences without using lots of commas.

It would be great if anyone could help me make it one sentence.

Edit : based on the comments and replies, let me clarify as to what is the word supposed to mean here : it is supposed to mean that the wolf moved ahead without feeling intimidated by the human with the intention of killing him (hence stalking).... Let me know if it is not clear still.


texts: Using "do" or "does" for two things connected by "and"?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Singular or plural following a list

  Does your mother and father know about this?
  Do your mother and father know about this?

  What does "this" and "that" mean?
  What do "this" and "that" mean?

Which option is correct? I thought the second one of each example is correct because we are talking about plural things.


texts: How to choose verb after "there" in beginning of sentence?

texts:
Cambridge "Advanced Grammar in Use" provides following rule in Unit 95C:

  If the noun phrase consists of two or more nouns in a list, we use a singular
  verb if the first noun is singular or uncountable, and a plural verb if the
  first noun is plural:

  When I opened the fridge there was only a bottle of milk, some eggs, and
  butter.
  When I opened the fridge there were only some eggs, a bottle of milk, and
  butter.

But Grammar Girl in episode 278 Oddness When You Start a Sentence with
"There Is" gives completely different explanation:

  A listener reader named Joe wants to know whether he should say, "There is a
  couch and a coffee table in the room," or "There are a couch and a coffee table
  in the room."

  ...

  It's a compound subject since it has two nouns connected by the word "and,"
  which makes it plural ... Now that you know the subject is "a couch and a
  coffee table" and that it's plural, it's easy to choose the right verb:
  "are."

I'm somewhat confused by these contradictory rules. Could someone explain what I'm missing here?


texts: Longest sentence yet (Text Analysis). How do we decompile this sentence?

texts:
> Context:
On the other hand, Italian writers did well to draw on the Tuscan vernacular rather than the other vernaculars of Italy [1250] for the reasons that everyone knows and which we have stated pp.1246, end-47, beginning.

  But it would be silly, absurd, pedantic, and ridiculous to conclude from this that only that vernacular can therefore be drawn on, that writers can only write in the manner and to the extent that that particular people speaks, that the Italian language and Italian literature wholly depend on the common people of Tuscany (when it does not even depend on the common people at all, but simply uses them when it so chooses), that in and outside of Tuscany, an Italian writer cannot create words or phrases that the Tuscan populace does not use, that, in short, someone who is not Tuscan, indeed, who is not Florentine, or not actually from the Old Market, is not Italian.

The questions would be:

1.There are two 'that' in line 3, would someone kindly explain this queer using of 'that'?

2.Is it acceptable writing in English using 'that' so many times in a single sentence? Wouldn't it be more appropriate if for example the first and second line:
'But it would be silly, absurd, pedantic, and ridiculous to conclude that only vernacular can therefore be drawn on'

3.If we decompile those 'thats' into multiple sentences, would it change the conveyed meaning?

Thank you!


texts: Are both correct? The higher the priority

texts:
The earlier the request is made, the higher the priority it will be given.
The earlier the request is made, the higher priority it will be given.

Seems like 2 is more common than 1.
I would like to have your opinions.


texts: Origin of the "white feather as a symbol of cowardice"

texts: I’m researching the origins of the white feather as a symbol of  cowardice. The earliest reference I can find is in Francis Grose’s 1785 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. Does anyone know of any earlier occurrences?


texts: It can be happened.. is it false to utter it?

texts: is it wrong to use this expression " It can be happened...". In fact many of colleagues said that the right expression is " It can happen". Do you have any comments on this?


texts:
I came across the expression "outstayed my welcome" in the following excerpt of a novel

  I glance around and see that the café has filled up with people ordering lunch and that a couple is queuing by the door. I have outstayed my welcome.
   p53, Apple Tree Yard By Louise Doughty

I have no difficulty in understanding the idiom, which means to stay in a place longer than one should or is invited to;  Oxford Dictionaries also includes the verb overstay and gives the following examples

he makes you feel you’ve outstayed your welcome before you’ve even sat down.
Finally the moment came when I knew I had to leave as I had already stayed for dinner and overstayed my welcome.

However, I understand the term "overstay" much better, it makes more sense to me because the prefix over- is used to express an excess of something or the idea of "too much" e.g. overweight, overdone (when a piece of meat has been cooked too long), oversleep and overtime, but I have difficulty with the prefix out-. We don't say outweight, outdone (referring to food), outsleep nor outtime, so why do we say "outstay"? To me the latter seems to express an endurance test, as if I stayed in a place longer than anyone else. Am I mistaken?

Is "outstay one's welcome" more common than "overstay"? Is there any difference in meaning or are they completely interchangeable?


texts: Missing reflexive when there's a preposition

texts:
English does distinguish between a regular pronoun and a self referential one in all persons. However, it seems like the reflexive form isn't always needed.

  She told him good bye and shut the door behind her.

I (not a native speaker) feel like saying "behind herself" would actually sound odd here.
Here are my questions:

Is the sentence correct without a reflexive marker?
Would it sound wrong to use one?

If yes:

What would happen if "she" shuts the door and there's another female in the room? How would we know who has left?
Is there a rule to tell when one is needed?
(I feel like it would be needed here: "She put the book behind herself"... sorry if that isn't idiomatic)


texts:
What single word would you use to describe a list of food preferences, which includes:

Allergies (e.g., shellfish)
Sensitivities (e.g., lactose intolerance)
Dislikes (e.g., Brussels sprouts)
Likes (e.g., chocolate)

Some examples include "preferences", "consumables", and "edibles".

For example, if you had to say that Johnny is allergic to peanuts, cannot drink milk, really doesn't like bitter vegetables, but likes sweet candies... What is a word to describe the subject matter of Johnny's food preferences?

Is there another word I'm missing?


texts: Just 'carry' for 'carry weapons' and just 'lift' instead of 'lift weights'. What linguistic phenomenon is it?

texts:
There are English verbs that can be used without an object while meaning a certain object. E.g.

Carry = carry weapons
Lift = lift weights
Use = use drugs
Possibly, ‘investigate’ (an incident, a crime, a statement) as well.

Some examples I saw:

California may issue permits to carry if a person meets the requirements.

For years I lifted just because I loved to lift.

The FBI was called in to investigate.

This is what I’m wondering:

Any more examples that spring to your mind?
Is there a word or a term in Linguistics for this sort of phenomenon?

I found and read a few articles about null objects / context null objects. They mention examples like ‘Beat [ø] until stiff’. Are my examples the same phenomenon?
Thank you.


texts: Adverb placement, before or after the verb

texts:
first time on this side of the StackExchange.

Quick question:

  My dream is to code a chess game, and then have the AI I developed
  checkmate me legitimately.

vs.

  My dream is to code a chess game, and then have the AI I developed
  legitimately checkmate me.

Also, is that comma okay to add pacing to the sentence?


texts:
Every time I see this expression, I can't help thinking it's grammatically wrong.

Till death do us part

Is it grammatically acceptable? Why is it used extensively in this form?


texts: The present perfect with distant actions in the past

texts:
The present perfect serves in different aspects and conveys different nuances two of which are these:

1) An action with a result in the present.

I have bought a new sweater. = I have a sweater now.

2) A collection of life experiences

I have seen this movie. = I have the experience of watching this movie.

However, I think there can be a clash between the two. For example, if I say.

a) I have lost my keys.

Can it mean both 1 and 2?

I have lost my keys. = I don't have them now.

I have lost my keys. = I know what it feels like to lose keys. I have had it happen to me.

Do you think this confusion is technically possible. If yes, how can we tell one from the other?

For example,

- Did you know that Joe has lost his keys today?
- I have lost mine as well... it's not a big deal...

Does the person say that he doesn't have his key as well or that he has lost them as past of his life experience but now he has them?


texts: Is it grammatical to use a gerund after "to help". To me saying: "to help protecting the environment" is  ungrammatical. I would like to get the syntactic explanation.


texts: tailored to someone needs VS tailor-made

texts:
I wrote a text about our company's services and added that we also can offer products tailored to the needs of our clients. One of my colleagues insisted that the expression was wrong and I should say that we offered tailor-made products.
Is there actually a difference between the two expressions generally or in the context I described?


texts: A word for not paying attention to detail, causing sloppiness

texts:
I'm looking for a word that signifies a lack of attention to detail causing sloppiness.

For example, if I write an essay, and there are terrible grammar mistakes and sentence structure mistakes all over the paper,  it would be because I was (or was not) being _.

If I make a drawing and the eyes aren't lined properly and the shading is done poorly, it probably shows that I was (or wasn't) being _. I wasn't paying attention to that detail.

Words like "lazy," or even "attentive" could work, but those are too general. I could not be attentive in class or not be attentive during my meeting at work, but those don't take into account that the lack of me paying attention to the important details, caused my poor and sloppy error in whatever I was doing.

Is there a word that matches what I'm looking for, or should I just go with the word "attentive" to say what I want?


texts: Differences between "knowledge" and "experience"

texts:
Context:

I'm exploring how people acquire, share and efficiently apply knowledge and experience; structuring my thoughts by writing axioms, propositions and formulae.

When writing, I struggle with choosing the right words to accurately describe certain thoughts around these subjects, because some essential words are either ambiguous, synonymous or overlapping; yet I feel like there are subtle distinctions that I fail to discern.

Questions:

Specifically, I struggle with choosing between knowledge and experience.

These are the definitions I have in mind:

  Knowledge: Facts, information, and skills acquired through experience
  or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.

  Experience: The knowledge or skill acquired by a period of practical
  experience of something, especially that gained in a particular
  profession.

What are the nuances and differences between knowledge and experience?

My current understanding is that knowledge and experience are very much synonymous, however, knowledge emphasises theory, whereas experience emphasises practice. Whenever I struggle with choosing between the two, it's usually because I'm looking for an "all inclusive" word.

Here are a few excerpts from my own working definitions:

  Knowledge is the sum of my impressions, based on how I understand my sensory input. Experience is the act of exercising and challenging my knowledge (or lack thereof), in order to obtain sensory input. There is a symbiotic relationship between knowledge (theory) and experience (practice).

One of the things I'm trying to figure out is if the mutualistic relationship between knowledge and experience is obligate or facultative in nature.

Does there exist a collective term that includes all nuances of both knowledge and experience?

I greatly appreciate any information and advice you can give me.


texts: Is Dr. the same as Doctor? Or how to distinguish these two?

texts:
First of all, English is my foreign language. I've never thought of this until the release of the film Dr. Strange the supreme sorcerer. My co-worker argued that Dr. means Doctor (as a job), while I translate it to Dr (as a title, like Master, bachelor, doctor).

I think Dr is, of course, short for Doctor, which can be both a title or a job. However, I'm not so sure if they have the same meaning (when using as a prefix).

The question is:

Does Dr. as a prefix could mean both as a job and a title or only one? If it has only one meaning, how do I distinguish those two? How do I know if it's being used as a job or as a title?

P/S: Also, does Dr. as a title has anything relate to those in {Master, Doctor, Bachelor}?


texts:
I sometimes get confused about how to use the article "the".
For example, let's look at the following sentences.

In comparison with the hand-picked method and above mentioned instrumental measurement, optical non-destructive measurement techniques are attempted to examine external or internal quality of blueberry.
In comparison with the hand-picked method and the above mentioned instrumental measurement, optical non-destructive measurement techniques are attempted to examine external or internal quality of blueberry.

I am not sure if it is okay to use "the" only once. And I am also wondering if the conjunction "or" can be used here.

What's more, I was told that uncountable nouns don't need articles. I don't know whether I should add "the" before uncountable nouns.

For example,
1. Sample queue showed the considerable potential  for establishing a simple but robust classifier.

Sample queue showed considerable potential  for establishing a simple but robust classifier.

Are these sentences correct?

I would feel much obliged if you can kindly help me with these questions. I have  read the use of articles in the grammar book, but still can't get really clear about the use.


texts: Difference between "assent" and "consent"

texts: What is the difference between assent and consent?


texts:
Is it ever okay (or acceptable in modern casual usage) to approximate an ellipse glyph '…' with three full-stops '...' or spaced full-stops '. . .'?

The textbooks say you shouldn't, but more and more people use this style nowadays. The differences are particularly noticeable in monospaced fonts:  …   ...   . . .

Also, is it okay to approximate the em-dash '—' or en-dash '–' with hyphens?


texts: "Put on a show" vs. "put on an act". What's the difference?

texts:
What's the difference between "put on a show" and "put on an act"? Are they interchangeable? They look similar in meaning to me. Is there any nuanced difference?

Examples sentences from dictionaries:

They put on a show of affection for the sake of the children.
Be natural. Don’t feel you have to put on an act.


texts: Is 20 dollars here a direct object or a predicate complement? 'This book cost me 20 dollars.'

texts:
In this sentence:

  This book cost me 20 dollars.

Is 20 dollars a direct object or a predicative complement?


texts: What is the word for when you're helping someone willingly?

texts: Eg. You're in an association so you are helping persons willingly and you are looking for no reward.


texts:
I'm analyzing this phrase:

  Only if ye are sorrowful, or weary, or angry, or discomforted; then ye
  may know that ye have lost the golden thread, the thread wherewith I
  guide you to the heart of the groves of Eleusis.

The full text is a modern text written in "old" english, with such things as "giveth" all around.

My question is: how should we interpret the variation between "ye" and "you"? My first inclination was to read this as a difference between singular and plural. However, in the phrase above, the number of addressees doesn't seem to change.

Is this simply incorrect? What meaning could it possibly have?


texts: Are Said Phrases Dependent Clauses, Independent Clauses or Phrases?

texts:
I have been stuck on these two questions for figuring out whether or not these are independent or dependent clauses/ phrases. The two are:

a new year

and

the blues and the bad

I think that "a new year" is a phrase because there is no verb, and I think "the blues and the bad" is a phrase as well because of no verb as far as I can tell, but I would like confirmation and why.
Thanks.


texts: Do you put double dots when a contraction occurs at the end of the sentence?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  When “etc.” is at the end of a phrase, do you place a period after it?

Is it grammatically correct to use two dots at the end of the contraction 'etc' when it comes at the end of the sentence? For example,

All he eats is junk food: ice-cream, pizza, burger etc..

Or should be put just one dot there? like

All he eats is junk food: ice-cream, pizza, burger etc.

I am asking because my auto-correct is bugging me.


texts:
I am having difficulty deciding whether the definite article is required in the following sentence.

  An indicator of a strong character is (the) person’s ability to compliment the achievements of others.


texts: Any single word synonym for "fawn over"?

texts: I have been looking for single word that can be used in place of "fawn over"


texts: Difference between "mythical" and "mythological"

texts:
What is the difference between "mythical" and "mythological"? I find these two interchangeable.
Also, please give some examples.


texts: What is a student discussion place called?

texts: Is there any English word for a place where students of different colleges discuss about  activities (events, reputation) of their colleges/universities?


texts: Is it correct to use leave good memories for someone after a particular experience or event? Are there any other options or examples?


texts:
I have always pronounced "yeah" as /yε/, i.e. as "yes" without the last sound.

Recently a friend told me he pronounces it /yæ/, i.e. it rhymes with "nah."

This came as a shock to me. Even worse, another friend agreed with my second friend. Is this a regionalism? I come from the American South, and the friends in question don't.


texts: What do you call a person who tells you to do something but they can't do it

texts:
For example if you are in a relationship.
The man tells you to update him or tell him everytime you leave the house and go home.
Yet he doesn't do it. He doesn't update.
He expects you to do the things he want yet he doesn't do it.
Is that hypocricy??
Thanks:)


texts: Word Readability Grading - 7th Grade Dictionary

texts: Has there ever been a "grading" of, say  the 30/40000 most-used words to determine the  US school grade readability level", i.e. 7th Grade, 8th Grade etc., in relation to readability of those particular words? I understand that some US Newspapers use 7th Grade - so do they actually have a "7th Grade Dictionary"? That is what I am after.


texts: "You're a louse!" "I?" (Personal Pronouns vs Objective Personal Pronouns)

texts:
While reading Atlas Shrugged I've come across a number of conversations similar to the following:

  Person 1: "You're a louse!"

  Person 2: "I?"

This sounds very odd to me, but I can see how 'I?' could be short for 'I am?'.

I've looked around trying to discover if this is grammatically correct and I've learned about personal pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they) and objective personal pronouns (me, you, him, her, it, us, them).

Personally, I think the conversation sounds much better like this:

  Person 1: "You're a louse!"

  Person 2: "Me?"

...with the reasoning that this:

  Person 1: "He's a louse!"

  Person 2: "Him?"

sounds much better than this:

  Person 1: "He's a louse!"

  Person 2: "He?"

Therefore I think the correct grammar in this scenario is the objective personal pronoun (me) rather than the personal pronoun (I). I'm not sure, though.

Can anyone give me some concrete rules about this scenario?


texts:
I want to use well-connected in the context of

  The James family was a well-connected family in ...

Can someone suggest better ways to say it?  I want it to mean that that particular family was well known in the area, was well respected, and had clout.


texts: How to explain the name of the author of a work which is a base for a performance

texts:
Could you please help me with the following:

The context is a printed information about a play. For example:

              name of the play: .........
              playwright: ...............
              director: .................
              cast: .....................
              etc.

And now I want to say that the performance or play is based on, uses motives from the famous work of an author. For example based on Chekhov's work, or Dario Fo or another. And how do I say that correctly?

after Dario Fo?
by Dario Fo?
based on Dario Fo?
with motive from Dario Fo?


texts: Treasure Island: What is a squire as Mr Trelawney's?

texts:
I'm reading Treasure Island by  Robert Louis Stevenson, and wonder what is a district squire, as Mr. Trelawney in the novel.

Squire, as wiki explains:

  Beginning in the Middle Ages, a squire was the shield or armour bearer
  of a knight. At times squires acted as a knight's errand runner or
  servant. Use of the term evolved over time.
  Initially, squires were a knight's trainees/apprentices. Later a
  village leader or a Lord of the Manor might be called a squire, and
  still later the term applied to key public figures such as justice of
  the peace or Member of Parliament.

So, squire could be a "village leader", a "Lord of Manor", or "justice of the peace".

From the novel seems Mr. Trelawney possibly owned a manor, as Dr. Livesey went " to the Hall to dine and pass the evening with the squire".

However, it seems the "squire" title of Mr. Trelawney means not only possession of some real estate, as the wiki page says: "He is associated with civic authority and social power".

What kind of authority and power does a squire have?  Mr. Trelawney seems to have the power to order his fellowmen to take a risky trip with him: John Hunter and Richard Joyce are his manservants, while Tom Redruth is his gamekeeper. All three joined the trip as Mr. Trelawney calls, though "old Tom Redruth ... could do nothing but grumble and lament". And, alas, all three died.

Is such authority and power due to Mr. Trelawney's personal charisma? or is it also due to some social hierarchy of then English society?


texts: Another question about the novel "Waterland" by Graham Swift

texts:
I met a question in the sentence "whose need of stories is matched only by the need adults have of children to tell stories to" of the novel "Waterland" that was written by Graham Swift.

http://www.fiction2.com/waterland-online-graham-swift?page=0,2

I began, having recognized in my young but by no means carefree class the contagious symptoms of fear: ‘Once upon a time …’

Children, who will inherit the world. Children to whom, throughout history, stories have been told, chiefly but not always at bedtime, in order to quell restless thoughts; whose need of stories is matched only by the need adults have of children to tell stories to, of receptacles for their stock of fairy-tales, of listening ears on which to unload those most unbelievable yet haunting of fairy-tales, their own lives; children – they are going to separate you and me. Lewis has seen to it. Forgive this emotion. I do not deserve your protestations. (We need our Cricky and all that stuff of his.) I do not expect you to understand that after thirty-two years I have rolled you all into one and now I know the agonies of a mother robbed of her child.… But listen, listen. Your history teacher wishes to give you the complete and final version …

And since a fairy-tale must have a setting, a setting which, like the settings of all good fairy-tales, must be both palpable and unreal, let me tell you

The sentence in which I met the question is below.

"whose need of stories is matched only by the need adults have of children to tell stories to"

Does "the need adults have of" mean "adults have the need of"?

I can't understand the structure of "adults have of children to tell stories to".

Thanks a lot for everyone's help in advance.


texts: Triangular opposite of 'powerful' and 'powerlessness'

texts:
I'm looking for a word that describes that state of being-free-of-power.

"Powerlessness" is not it, as it describes an unwanted state of being deprived of power.

The state I'm wanting to describe is that in which one is not even in need of power (free of the need to wield-power-over or give-power-to others; neither authoritarian nor submissive).

Sentence example: Peter is ___; he has no authoritarian control over his wife as he is secure enough to not seek power over others; nor does he give others any power over him. Peter and his wife live under free association, with neither party seeking to influence (seek power over) the other, and as such they experience a life full of delight devoid of the common relationship pitfalls.


texts: Why use "his" in association with the word "mankind"?

texts:
The economist Keynes in a book wrote:

  The power to become habituated to his surroundings is a marked characteristic of mankind.

I would have used "its" instead but since English is not my mother-tongue and Keynes was probably a good writer I am sure I am the one being mistaken.

Can anyone please explain ?


texts: Changing tense with brackets: "Bully[ing]" or "Bull[ying]"?

texts:
I've noticed that it seems to be common to bracket letters when partially quoting someone in order to make it grammatical. If Bob said "I'll retire when I turn sixty," one might write, "Bob told reporters he would retire upon 'turn[ing] sixty,'" adding the [ing] to make it grammatical. (That's pretty poor phrasing, but you get the idea...)

But what happens when changing the tense would requiring changing several letters? Suppose Frank said:

  "I was bullied during my tenure with the company."

Would a newspaper report read:

  "Bob accused the company of 'bully[ing].'"

or

  "Bob accused the company of "'bull[ying].'"


texts: Similar idiom to 'Do not feel sorry about the turn of the times'

texts:
It's from Arabic poetry:

  He who is covered by the days is naked, so do not feel sorry about the turn of the times/the infidelity of the days, for long have dogs danced around the corpses of lions, but lions remain lions and dogs stay dogs.

It's used to comfort one/those who was/were at the top and by the nature of life have gone down, been abased and humiliated.

For example:
people who have been regarded as elite for many years and rule a country, but they are toppled by killers and those who were most contemptible in society; things have turned and those who were at the top are now at the bottom and vice versa.

Anything similar?


texts:
Had a discussion about the difference of connotation between "You shall" and "You will"; after discussion I became curious about which would be more appropriate in the context below.

The Context:

  There's a man, named John, who is, as a mortal, going to die someday, and another man, an ardent some-pseudo-religion believer, who knocked on John's door to offer the religion of his. However, the fanatic was refused and said "but remember. You will/shall die someday," calmly like a soft breeze.

My question is:

If the fanatic had said shall, would it have been as if he was implying that John was inevitably going to die, no matter his will would be; that "you'd better believe God"--with some offence hidden under shall?

And if he'd said will, would it have been as if he was reminding John of the fact that John was going to die; that "it's the best for you to believe God"--with no offence?

And what if the fanatic had been just a normal religious man who casually came to offer the religion, then what would've been more likely for him to say? Shall or will? Or would either of them have been too offensive to say someone?


texts:
My neighbour's little son (they are from UK) asked me for something, saying that he wants it and hence he will get.
I realized I do not know how to say that correctly (for the first one I used inversion)

  Not always gets the person what he wants.

or

  It is not that everytime you wants something you will get it.


texts: When people use words that have nothing to do with race to refer to race

texts:
What is it called when when people use words that have nothing to do with race to refer to race?

For example, news anchors saying "urban" or "inner city" to describe someone who is black.

A related phenomenon is that TV shows often describe a main character as "just your average guy" if that character is white, but if the main character is black or Asian, it's suddenly not a normal show, it's a black show or an Asian show.


texts: Is it "me" or "I" in this sentence? And why?

texts:
In the following sentence:

___, the mastermind, and you, the slave.

Should it be "me" or "I"? And why?


texts: What is the difference between I haven't eaten since morning and I haven't been eating since morning?

texts: What is the difference between I haven't eaten since morning and I haven't been eating since morning ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.


texts: What is the etymology of "do(ing) lunch?"

texts:
I read somewhere online that the phrase "to do lunch," or "let's do lunch," originated in the entertainment industry in the U.S., but the writer provided no source and I can't find any corroborating evidence.

According to ngrams, have lunch seems to have been common back into the 1800's and likely earlier, whereas do lunch seems to have have been a rare term until it spiked in the 1980's.

Is it true that this sudden increase in use was related to some particular group or subculture, like the entertainment industry?  What prompted the rise of "let's do lunch?"


texts: Why is 'diphthong' pronounced the way it is?

texts:
According to Wiktionary, the word comes:

  From French diphtongue, from Ancient Greek δίφθογγος (díphthongos,
  “two sounds”), from δίς (dís, “twice”) + φθόγγος (phthóngos, “sound”)

Separated into its two logical parts and translated loosely as 'two-sound', it can be compared to any of a variety of other words prefixed with 'di-', such as digraph and diglot, each of which is pronounced with a leading (ironically itself a diphthong) ˈdaɪ, not ˈdɪ.

Why is this word parsed this way? With dissect, for example, it is at least acknowledged that 'dis-sect' is a logical alternative to 'di-s[s]ect', the prevailing pronunciation. With 'diphthong', nobody even seems to ever raise an eyebrow.


texts:
At the end of chapter 16 of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, the author states:

  After that day, a day rarely passed without her drawing the hammer on her slate, and without Orlick's slouching in and standing doggedly before her, as if he knew no more than I did what to make of it.

I looked up the definition of doggedly, and it says: "having or showing tenacity and grim persistence." In the sentence, however, it seems that the character Orlick seems confused, which makes the word doggedly seem more like dogmatically.

Why was doggedly used here?


texts:
Please explain the meaning of the word/letter,  "a" in gazette title.

Boris Johnson risks major row with Donald Trump after allowing controversial Chinese app TikTok a London HQ.

www.thesun.co.uk/news/12295304/boris-johnson-clashes-donald-trump-tiktok-london-hq/amp/
I guess it means "have".


texts: What does "I cannot but totally agree" mean?

texts:
What does the phrase/expression "I cannot but totally agree" mean?

The sentence was said after Person A had praised Person B.

I understand that Person B is completely agreeing with what Person A said. But Why is cannot used at the start? What does it signify?


texts: When people talk about illness, they tend to say they have lung cancer instead of lung tumours, or brain tumours instead of brain cancer. Why is this?


texts: "A colleague from work" vs. "a colleague at work"

texts:
Which is correct?

  The tag showed the familiar name of a colleague from work.
  The tag showed the familiar name of a colleague at work.

The colleague is not necessarily working at the moment the tag is shown, much rather it's just a colleague from the workplace.


texts:
An article titled "THE NIGHT ON THE BRIDGE" has this paragraph:

  I choked back tears as I contemplated my impending suicide attempt. What had started as a late-night run to clear my head had ended with me precariously balancing on the edge of a slippery bridge wall. Something inside was screaming at me to get down, begging me to think rationally about what I was about to do, but the despair in my heart was so heavy I thought it alone could drag me off the bridge into the traffic below. In that moment, I could think about nothing but how dying would end the torturous battle of being at odds with myself.

Is it possible to replace how in the last sentence with the way without significantly changing its meaning *?

  In that moment, I could think about nothing but the way dying would end the torturous battle of being at odds with myself.

*EDIT

By "significantly changing its meaning" I mean this:

Normally, "how" is replaceable with "the way" without significantly changing its meaning when it means "the way in which".
For example:

  I always think about how English works.

Here, "how" means "the way in which" and thus can be replaced with "the way" without significantly changing its meaning:

  I always think about the way English works.

But when "how" does not mean "the way in which", it cannot be replaced with "the way" without significantly changing its meaning.

For example:

  It's amazing how they completed the bridge so quickly.

Here, "how" doesn't mean "the way in which" thus cannot be replaced with "the way" without significantly changing its meaning.

  It's amazing the way they completed the bridge so quickly.


texts: Why is "idea" sometimes pronounced as "idear"?

texts: I know that idea is pronounced as /aɪˈdiə/, but I've meet several people in real life who put an 'r' at the end of the word. How come?


texts: Word for discrimination based on (partly) consisting of mechanical parts

texts:
There are a lot of words for various types of discrimination. What is the word for discrimination based on (partly) consisting of mechanical parts?

EDIT: Comments ask for clarification so: I mean people who co-consist of a pacemaker or mechanical eye or limb, or creatures that mostly consist of mechanical parts.


texts: Does it make sense to say "plummets upward"?

texts:
According to Google, the word "plummet" means "fall or drop straight down at high speed."

So, if I want to say that something quickly shoots upward, would "plummet upward" make sense, or sound normal to the native ear?
If not, what would a good substitute be?


texts: Why is it I know it and They know it but He knows it? But then I knew it,  They knew it and He knew it?


texts: Why is it "'s" after Let and before a verb, example "Let's go" or Let's do something"?

texts:
We often learn the structure “Let’s do something”, but why it there an apostrophe-s after let and before the verb?

Why does we need ’s in this structure?

Does ’s means is or does it mean was?


texts: "Objective" vs "Subjective": what is the difference (really)?

texts: I have trouble understanding the difference between these two words, especially when people use them while talking about aims and goals. Any help please?


texts:
In the current post-fact / "alternative fact" political climate, what is a word to describe the feeling that one has while listening to or conversing with a person who absolutely refuses to acknowledge plain facts (or conversely, proffers unsubstantiated claims as fact)?

I thought maybe "flummoxed" but that doesn't seem strong enough to convey being one step away from banging your head against the wall in frustration.


texts: Which pronoun refers to a group such as an orchestra — "they" or "it"?

texts:
Which pronoun should be used to refer to, say, an orchestra? Does it go on concert tours, or do they?

Intuitively I’d go for “they”, but intuition is known to fail…


texts: Which of "chafing at the bit" or "chomping at the bit" is more accepted/proper?

texts: I've used "chafing at the bit" for quite some time, but have also heard "chomping at the bit" as a way to indicate impatience, etc. Which of these two is the more "proper" or accepted variant?


texts: What's a clinical or all encompassing term for whether a person is alive or dead?

texts:
Male/Female comes under the category 'Gender'

What category does Living/Deceased come under?

I'm writing a webservice that clients will use, and data will come back like this:

person.Name = "Jeff"
person.Gender = GenderEnum.Male
person.Alive = AliveEnum.Alive or AliveEnum.Deceased

I need to use a clinical and non-offensive word instead of 'Alive' that is professional and makes sense, but I can't think of anything.

Also, person.Alive = AliveEnum.Deceased is a weird way to phrase it because Alive means what it means.


texts:
Sometimes I found myself in the situation that I don't know how to link two different ideas in the same message. For example, writing an e-mail:

  Hello. I can start working on the
  project, just tell me which are the
  requirements. _ _ _ _ I would like to
  see if you can help me with my income
  tax declaration.

What word is a good option to fill the blank space? I thought moreover and in the other hand are good options, but they don’t convince me.


texts: A term to describe a phrase that can be changed without having to know the origin

texts: I'm sure I read about this on this website, but I am clueless as to what it was.  An example may be adding 'gate' to the end of scandal titles.  People understand it enough to use it to describe other scandals with out knowing where it started.  I have a vague recollection of the name of this having something to do with snow??? but please don't quote me on that


texts: Is "You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!" still considered a compliment in English?

texts:
I grew up hearing the phrase, "You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!" used as a compliment, a genuine expression of admiration, fairly self-effacing at the same time.

I have to admit that, while I knew from context that it was meant as praise, I long ago forgot most of the poem it came from, remembering just that Gunga Din was heroic on the battlefield. Hence the admiration.

I was about to use the phrase when I realized that the person I was addressing might be too young to get the reference, so I skipped it, but went back to read the poem. It is (to me) shockingly racist, with lines like

  An’ for all ’is dirty ’ide
  ’E was white, clear white, inside
  When ’e went to tend the wounded under fire!

Researching it a bit, it seems the poem is not taught anymore, much like some of Mark Twain’s works in the US.

So, is it still a compliment or have the racist overtones made it obsolete?

Edited to add: The last stanza refers to meeting up with Gunga Din in hell someday. [Again edited to add] I realize that the meeting in hell was a compliment - once again - to Gunga Din. The author calls him, "You Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din!" In the Bible, the Rich man (in hell) asks to let Lazarus (in heaven) give him water: ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ While the Biblical answer is 'Nope', the author has so much faith in the goodness of Gunga Din that he believes Gunga Din will bring him - and others - water not only on the battlefield, but also in hell. (I think...) Thanks to @Michael.

Sorry, I realize this has some POB aspects to it.


texts: A person who is resistant to temperatures — what do you call them?

texts: What is the word for a person who through training becomes, or just naturally is, resistant to high or low temperatures? For example, the people who are able to meditate naked on an iceberg or something.


texts: What is the correct way to express yearly quarters? Is using roman numerals correct?

texts:
While looking over a company's annual report, I realized that every business quarter was denoted using roman numerals. E.g. QI,2014     QII, 2014    etc.

I am sure I am being petty and pedantic, however, do you need to express the year completely or should it be: IQ14 or 1Q14

Also, the comma used in QI, 2014 appears jarring to my mind.

Or is it just business writing?


texts:
I have two questions.

Is there a noun for something which should be deferred?
What would be the opposite for something which should be "fetched later"?


texts: A word that signifies an interest in something but in an academic sense?

texts:
I may be mistaken here but to me if I say that I have an "interest" in something, the other person might assume that I view that thing in a positive light (e.g. "I am interested in the stock market" could be perceived as "I like the stock market"). Is there a word which will signify not only that I am interested in something but that I am interested in a purely academic sense?
For example, I would feel uncomfortable saying "I am interested in serial killer's psychopathy and childhood trauma". What word could I replace "interested" with that would more or less mean "I am interested in serial killer's psychopathy and childhood trauma but in a purely academic sense"?
I looked at synonyms for 'interested' that could convey that I am interested but that don't have the positive connotations that are attributed to the word. 'Absorbed' and 'engrossed' came up but those seem to be stronger words than merely just interested so they don't help. 'Intrigued' and 'curiosity' also came up and those seem to be pretty much the same as 'interested' and appear to have the same connotation as well.
I might be wrong to assume the positive connotation of 'interested' or 'intrigued' but I usually see it in writing and speech with such a connotation. What do you think? Is there a word that could fit better than 'interested' or 'intrigued'? Am I wrong to assume a positive connotation when there is none?


texts: What do you call the love of ancient ruins?

texts: I am trying to find one word that describes the love of old building ruins.


texts: The indefinite article "a" at the beginning of a sentence

texts: Is it correct to write: Small change makes a big difference  or do I need an indefinite article a at the beginning of the sentence? Why?


texts: “More than reflect”, what’s the subject here?

texts:
“I went to Florence without any idea of looking Jamie up, for this was the third or fourth time I had been there and without doing more than reflect that for a few days we would be in the same city, he and I.”

I came across this sentence in a novel and I’m confused by the “reflect” here after “without doing more than”, is it grammatically right? Could anyone help me understand the structure?


texts: Single word for “for how long information is considered fresh”

texts:
I am looking for a single word for “for how long a piece of information is considered fresh”.

Suppose I have a piece of information, say a score of a cricket match at a particular moment in an ongoing live match. It can be considered as “stale” or “fresh” depending upon whether we have updated information available or not.

I was thinking of validity but somehow it doesn’t look correct to me. Validity is more like whether something is correct or incorrect.


texts: the usage and origin of the expression "I bags that"

texts:
This expression is used when you want to reserve or secure the right to do or to have something: he bagged the best chair.

I see this listed as Australian slang but also have noticed references its to use in other countries.

I can see the potential links to capturing something ... but that sense doesn't really completely capture the sense of 'laying claim to something'.

Is the expression as used in this sense largely confined to Australia?

And is it possible to say whether it definitely derives from the 'bagging a tiger' etc sense? And if so, how/when the extension occurred?


texts: Are "mmm" and "hmm" the only words in the English language without vowel letters?

texts:
Somebody told me that "hmm" and "mmm" are the only words in the English language without a vowel. Is that true?

If not, please provide counterexamples.

No acronyms please.

I am not looking for words that sound as if they have no vowels (that's already answered here), but whole words that have no vowels in their spelling or consonants used as vowels as such as 'y'.

Some syllables have no vowels, and that is already answered here, but I want whole words.


texts:
Is there any difference in meaning or usage when pronouncing "blessed" with two syllables rather than one syllable?

Two: bles-id [blɛsəd]

One: blest [blɛst]


texts: Ending a sentence with: "within context"

texts:
Basically, does "within context" need a description of what is meant by that context, or is it sufficient to just say within context.

For example, when talking about information can you say: "This chapter gives a description of the data within context."

I found many examples of this use online but I'm not sure if it is correct.

I suppose what I am asking is does the above mean the same as: "This chapter gives a description of the data within the context it was created in."


texts: Can one say "with application to" instead of "with applications to" if only one application is intended?

texts:
I am writing a scientific article in which I am presenting a certain scientific approach. In this article, I highlight a (i.e. one) specific application of this approach. In my title, I'd thus like to say

An approach to ..., with application to ....

However, using the singular "application" in the expression "with application to" feels weird to me. Is this phrasing correct or should I rephrase the sentence altogether? I've seen it used in other scientific article's titles by Googling "with application to", but maybe that's just because I'm looking for it literally.
EDIT: The entire title of the article as is reads: "A Generalized Approach to Operational, Globally Optimal Aircraft Mission Performance Evaluation, with Application to Direct Lift Control"


texts:
So, as a rule of thumb if you remove a word or clause which has been enclosed with bracketing commas then it shouldn't destroy the meaning of the sentence.

Does this idea/rule apply to all aspects of sentence construction and comma usage or other punctuation; the notion that any isolated information in a sentence must not leave anything ungrammatical should it be removed ?  Any exceptions?


texts: How and in which situation can the word "meditate" be used?

texts:
Meditate has two meanings:

To think calm thoughts in order to relax or as a religious activity:

To think seriously about something for a long time:
Cambridge definition

I can understand the first meaning. But for the second meaning I don't know how or in what situation I can use.
For example, can I use it like this?

He meditated on the weird attitude of my girlfriend yesterday.


texts: Can the word, “whammy” be used for good news?

texts:
I found  the following  headline in today’s (May 11) New York Times:

“Triple whammy of good news led by Coronavirus Hopes catapult
Dow more than 900 points.”

I was under impression that the usage of “whammy” is limited to bad news. For example, Oxford Advanced learners English Dictionary defines “whammy as:

an unpleasant situation with an event that causes problems for somebody or something.

Likewise, Cambridge online English Dictionary defines “whammy” as:

a magical spell or power that causes someone to have a difficult or unpleasant time.

Can “whammy” be used for good news, like a prediction of a jump in the stock market?


texts:
I'm trying to complete this dialogue but I've encountered a bit of trouble with the usage of 'all the more'. The dialogue is below.

  Our bond is based on trust. We have no contract.
  Trust? Then all the more ___ for me to break it.

Should I put the word: easy, easier or easily in the blank space?


texts: What is the phrase for not participate in something

texts: So here is the scenario, I first agreed to take part in an activity, but when the date is drawing near, I realized that I can't do it. So what is the word to not participate in this activity? Cause I want to explain to the host with "I'm sorry that I have to bail out" or "I'm sorry that I can't join you", what is the synonym phrase for "bail out" or antonym phrase for "join you"?


texts: “Naming names”: Descriptive or redundant?

texts:
The phrase naming names arises often during the reporting of corruption investigations, political scandals or the like. The word naming is defined as citing by name or giving a name to. I could not think of any similarly redundant phrase for comparison.

Is this phrase merely an alliterative embellishment, or does it say more than a replacement phrase such as naming of implicated individuals would imply?


texts: Is there a concise expression for 'as it exists today'?

texts:
Especially in the context of a situation that is anticipated to change in the near future.

As in:

  An analysis of the subway system capacity, both as it exists today and after upcoming expansions.

Or:

  This document surveys the ethnic makeup of Manhattan, both historically and as it exists today.


texts: Origin of the expression "being cagey about something"

texts:
What is the origin of the expression "being cagey about something"? Does it have anything to do with "being in a cage", not letting someone out of a cage? I googled for it but didn't get much:

  cagey
  "evasive, reticent," 1909, U.S. colloquial, of unknown origin.
  Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper


texts: T- and D-flapping when at start of word preceded by vowel

texts: It seems to me that the "d" is flapped in "I don't know" in American English. Am I right? If I am, I'm wondering if t/d is always flapped at the begining of the word when it is preceded by a vowel? For instance in "I did it"?


texts: What is the difference between transplant and transplantation when they are used as noun

texts:
transplant is used as verb in a normal sentence.
In particulary, transplant is used as noun in some sentence.
Is there any reason why we should use 'transplant' as noun form although we have already noun form, 'transplantation'?
What is the difference between transplant and transplantation when we use them a noun?


texts:
The answer to this is probably painfully obvious, but is there a verb to describe "being ignorant"?

I was discussing a sensitive subject with an LGBT friend and we touched on the ignorance of a certain individual. I was about to use a modified "haters gonna hate", but "ignorants gonna ignorant" is awful.

I wasn't going for grammatical excellence, the intention was to be silly, but it occurred to me that I've never learned a word to describe the act of being ignorant. Or perhaps I have and never made the connection.

Is there one?

Edit: This is not a duplicate of the suggested question. I'm looking to maintain the negative connotation of the word.


texts: Is there a word for being sad about knowing that the things that make you happy will eventually go away

texts:
I figure since we have maudlin and melancholy maybe we have something for this as well.

An example would be when you are on holiday and you should be enjoying the holiday because it does make you happy but instead you are sad because you know the holiday is nearly over. I'm after a word for that particular kind of sadness.

It would be used in the same way as maudlin or melancholy, so:

  "How are you today?"
  "OK I guess, feeling kinda ________, I wish this
  holiday could go on forever."


texts:
I am writing an article that is focus on websites and web applications. I also need to refer to the rest software products. But I don't know how to properly name them. I could say "non-web software", but it sounds awkward. I also thought about "desktop software", but apparently, this is not inclusive because non-web software also contains server software, mobile software, etc. Could you please share your opinions and suggestions? Thank you!

The context: I am using this in the computer science field. More specifically, I want to talk about websites and web application vulnerabilities (e.g. SQL injection, XSS ...) versus non-web software vulnerabilities (e.g. buffer overflow, ...).


texts: Client who orders directly, what do we call who outsources their work?

texts:
Well, am working on a business project where I need to name a category, say clients, now this applies to the people who directly places an order to the company, but the company also accepts outsourced projects, so they want to maintain records for the other companies who outsource their work to them.

So what is a correct word that can be used for a comapany/individual who outsources their projects?


texts: What is an adjective for multiple things originating from the same source?

texts:
I feel like there should be a word for this, and it seems like it's on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't think of it.

Is there an adjective for when a number of things all originate from the same source?

I'll give you an example. Suppose you knew a number of jokes. You learned all of these jokes from the same person. All of these jokes could be said to be (adjective). Uni-source-ic?

Another example. You have a number of electronic devices. They all came from the Apple Store down the street. These devices are (adjective).

One final example. Suppose you believed that all knowledge in the world came from God. You would say something like "I believe in the (adjective) nature of all of the world's knowledge".

Can anyone help me out?


texts:
I've seen sentences like this one in which "i.e." refers to a word or a phrase:

  I like citrus fruits, i.e. the juicy, edible fruits with leathery,
  aromatic rinds of any of numerous tropical, usually thorny shrubs or
  trees of the genus Citrus.
  (http://dictionary.reference.com)

I wonder if it can restate the whole sentence, especially in this context:

  Nowadays, many students tend to start their tasks as close to the deadline as possible, i.e., "Student Syndrome".

Here I mean:

  Student Syndrome is a phenomenon in which the student is likely to begin his or her tasks as late as possible.


texts: Formal writing: "…for my colleagues and {I/me/myself}."?

texts:
I'm currently using Cambridge English Advanced 1. It's a book that contains past examination papers, and includes numerous samples of authentic writing. This material helps, candidates and teachers, understand what the examiners are ‘testing’ and how these papers are marked.
The assessment covers four categories: content, communicative achievement, organisation and language. Each category is awarded a mark between 1 and 5, so the maximum score is 20, and each mark has a brief note attached by the examiner.
Any errors of punctuation, orthography, grammar, appropriacy, and vocabulary are left intact. In fact, there are no corrections because the  ‘examiner’ does not specify where the errors lie. This can be frustrating, even though spelling mistakes are rare at the advanced level, and errors in style, collocation or register are still relatively easy to identify, sometimes I'll read a phrase that forces me to ponder.

Dear Director,
[ TEXT ]
To conclude, this letter is a polite request to cover the costs of a 2 month language course for my colleagues and me. We would be very pleased if the company would do us this favour.
Yours sincerely
John Smith

The following marks were awarded
Content                    5    blah, blah, …
Communicative Achievement  2    blah, blah, …
Organisation               3    blah, blah, …
Language                   3    blah, blah, …

I am able to pick out six minor errors in that brief extract, maybe some users will identify more, maybe some will identify fewer, and maybe some will say that the language used is perfectly acceptable. But if I can help a candidate attain that elusive B,  I would be delighted.
I am interested in (what could be) the 7th error, emphasised in bold.
Because the letter of proposal is formal, I feel the phrase, for my colleagues and me, is jarring. I want to change it to for my colleagues and I, but the antecedent requires an object.
You would not say: “This is a request to cover the cost […] for I”. So, why use the subject pronoun I in the expression “my colleagues and…”?

Could I use instead, myself?

Which of the following is preferable in a formal written proposal?

…for my colleagues and me
…for my colleagues and I
…for my colleagues and myself

EDITED: I found a pdf file  of the writing sample (11/11) if anyone is interested.

I've looked at the following question, Should I put myself last? "me and my friends" vs. "my friends and me" or "my friends and I" Some answers appear to be contradictory, the accepted answer says using  I and me are both grammatical, which in my example is not true. Moreover, there's no mention of myself, as a possible solution, in the question.


texts: Rhetorical term for repetition for clarification?

texts:
In Malcolm X's Ballot or the Bullet speech, at one point he states: '...dripping with blood, dripping with the blood of the black man....

Is there a specific rhetorical term for this technique, where a phrase is repeated to provide clarification?


texts:
Can someone explain the structure of the following sentence?

It was not until hours later did I find him.

Does it have anything to do with emphasis ?


texts: Phrases for two methods that are different but both can solve the same task?

texts:
I want to describe a type of pairs , that method1 and method2 have different implementations/settings, but both can be used to solve the same task.

My questions are:

Is there any terms/phrases or succinct ways to describe such pairs of methods?
How can I describe the relations of method1 and method2? Can I say "method1 is method2's counterpart/peer"?

Update:
method1 and method2 are not necessarily of the same quality. Each method may have its own pros and cons. For example, method1 might be easier to implement but slower; method2 might be hard to implement but faster.


texts: Is "live" an action verb or a state verb?

texts:
I've always thought of "live" as a state verb since it implies a state rather than an action. A testament to this is the fact that we cannot use the structure "past time reference + would + live" to talk about a habitual activity in the past (e.g. in "Every summer, we would live in our villa in the country"), instead, we have to use "used to", as in "We used to live in London, but then we moved to Italy."
However, as shown in the picture, the book "Longman Academic Writing" refers to "live" as an action verb (I'm not so sure about "lose" either). I was wondering if the book has made a mistake? Or am I the one in the wrong?


texts: What do you do with "the last will and testament"?

texts: Do you "execute", "carry out" or "fulfil" the last will and testament?


texts: Did the word "responsibility" come from the two words "response ability"

texts: For example, if you had better response ability you would receive more difficult tasks.  And if you are responsible you are response able, or able to respond.


texts: Where did the phrase "shut up" as an expression of disbelief or amazement originate?

texts:
I recently heard shut up used according to this definition in Urban dictionary.

  shut·up (shuht-up)
  --interjection
  1. An expression of disbelief.
  2. Amazement; astonishment.

I've only heard it used in a few movies (The Princess Diaries and in an episode of Dr. Who for example).  What is the etymology of this idiomatic phrase?  I'm particularly curious as to when and in what country this use originated and in what circles is it used.  Also, is there a proper or expected response to the phrase in conversation?


texts:
I’ve found this sentence while reading a book.

  [S]he wouldn’t relate to his carefree days of movie theater binges and wing crawls with his dorm buddies.

In this context, what is the meaning of the phrase “wing crawls?” I’ve learned that the word ‘crawl’ can denote something like ‘drinking after drinking,’ but still have no idea what that ‘wing’ is. It may be that I’ve misunderstood the structure of the sentence at all. Could anybody help with this?


texts: How to identify subjects and verbs in a sentence?

texts:
"Just as expert carpenters must be thoroughly acquainted with the tools of their craft and artists must have expert knowledge of colors, so good writers must have a thorough understanding of the basic material with which they work: words."

The sentence above is from a book.


texts:
The context for my question might be a bit strange.

I have stuttering and therefore I have some difficulties pronouncing some words starting with particular phonetics. And I've found that if a sentence starts with a /th/ sound, it makes me feel uncomfortable.

Especially in the word is "thanks" or "thank you".

So I want to know if there's a popular alternative for "thank you" that may not seem strange and that unnatural. I've searched the website and I know there are alternatives like "I appreciate your help." but that sounds a bit overly formal for me. (Or is it? correct me if I'm mistaken.)


texts: 'computer programming is quite literally black and white'

texts:
I was thinking about this in the context of creating task requirements, having having to explicitly define how a program is to function.

One might say:

  Law is often described as black and white, for most cases it is quite clear whether something falls within the bounds of the law or not. However, unlike law, computer programming is quite literally black and white, there are no areas that are open for interpretation.

What I'm meaning, isn't that computer programming is literally the colours black and white. But that it is binary and deterministic, there's not room for interpretation. Whereas for other fields, even though law can be described as 'black and white' there are areas that are open for interpretation.

I think you could argue that the use of literally here is correct - that is, computer programming literally matches what the idiom 'black and white' is expressing.

If literally isn't correct, what phrase can one use here instead?


texts: The figure of speech in "with a flash of triumph in her eyes"?

texts:
Please, what is the figure of speech of the following expression?

with a flash of triumph in her eyes


texts: Word for words with close/similar spellings

texts:
I am working on Levenshtein distance and I try to explain the concept.
Is there a word that means that 2 words are "close graphically speaking".

I found homophone, or homogragh, but these words are not the one I am looking for.

edit : homophone can be used with relatively "long distance" words : 'close' and 'clothes' (are up to three character away). However 'take' and 'make' are 1 character away but not homophones.

edit : homograph is used for exact (visually) same word with different meaning


texts: How often do people say "gotta", "wanna" or "gonna" in English speaking countries?

texts:
I learned these three words from Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.

got|ta /g'ɒtə/
Gotta is used in written English to represent the words 'got to' when they are pronounced > informally, with the meaning 'have to' or 'must'.
Prices are high and our kids gotta eat.

wan|na /w'ɒnə/
Wanna is used in written English to represent the words 'want to' when they are pronounced informally.
I wanna be married to you. Do you wanna be married to me?

gon|na /g'ɒnə, AM g'ɔːnə/
Gonna is used in written English to represent the words 'going to' when they are pronounced informally.
Then what am I gonna do?

Here are my questions:

How often are these words used in oral English?
Are they only used in informal speech/conversations?
Do educated people also use these words?


texts:
Please refer the following questions asked elsewhere on this site:

Is there a word that means "the wife of one's brother"?
What is the relationship name of my wife's brother to me?

I am a native Hindi speaker; Hindi has a plethora of terms referring to relationships. To take a trivial example, the term uncle may refer to father's elder brother, father's younger brother, mother's brothers, father's sister's husband, mother's sister's husband, all of which have specific addresses in Hindi.

I discussed the same with one of my teachers. She had the opinion that the development of language mirrors the cultural moorings of the society that uses the language. Now, since all of the above relationships have distinct status and reverence in the Hindi speaking society, that calls for different addresses. That may well not be the case in English speaking societies.

Is that correct? What other linguistic reasons may account for such a dearth of vocabulary in English in this area?


texts: word for retaining irrelevant parts of old design

texts:
Is there a word to describe the process of retaining certain aspects of design just because the users are accustomed to seeing it although removing it would not make a major difference.
Context: Consider a very old software from 80's which is being obsoleted with new UI. The new UI is being created to look pretty similar to the old one like accepting date in different input fields manually rather than a date picker just because it would be consistent with the older software. Since, the people who decide are apprehensive of new ways of doing things, they want to "keep things consistent" to crazy levels.

Criteria: While not limited to software, I am looking for a word which I could use when I want to say like -

  "I know you crave for consistency, but its high time to stop [the
  word], otherwise there may be serious doubts about our creativity"

Non software example: I have read that rivets served a purpose on jeans at the time they were invented, but now they are retained only for consistency.

The closest word I have seen so far is- skeuomorphism. While it has a connotation of taking inspiration from older known objects, I wasn't quite sure if it fits in the above context.


texts: Tom and Julia are "husband and wife" or "_a_ husband and wife"

texts:
I saw this sentence in a book:

  Tom, 45, and Julia, 40, are husband and wife.

It sounded natural to me not to use the article "a" before "husband and wife". But I'd like to know the grammatical explanation.


texts: I want to decry an act or object as having heathen-like qualities. I would call it *heathenous, except apparently this word is neither in the dictionaries nor oft-seen by google.


texts: Should I restate "not" in a list of things that are not the case?

texts:
This seems strange to me. I am trying to say that the document was not filled out, not signed, and not dated. Which sentence is correct? P.S. I prefer the Oxford Comma.

"The document was not filled out, signed, or dated."
"The document was not filled out, not signed, and not dated."


texts: Does "it is entirely possible that" require the subjunctive form of the verb following "that"?

texts:
For instance, take the following sentence (from a real email exchange):

it is entirely possible that one WebEx is not enough

Is it correct? Should it be

it is entirely possible that one WebEx be not enough

?

My reasoning is as follows:

(1) it is necessary that you be here -->
(2) it is necessary that one WebEx be here -->
(3) it is necessary that one WebEx be enough -->
(4) it is necessary that one WebEx be not enough -->
(5) it is entirely possible that one WebEx be not enough -->

Is it true that the grammatical context is preserved throughout the entire transformation, starting with a sentence known to require the subjunctive (1) and ending with my example (5) ?

I have performed a few simple Google searches and the results are quite confusing:

"it is necessary that he be" yields 170,000 results
"it is necessary that he is" yields 342,000 results
"it is possible that he be" yields 985,000 results
"it is possible that he is" yields 4,040,000 results

Of course, no conclusions can be drawn from these results ...


texts: How should I address a woman who serves food and drinks to passengers on a plane?

texts:
When I want to speak of a woman who serves food and drinks to passengers on a plane, should I use 'air hostess' or 'stewardess'? What's the difference?
And when I take a plane, how should I address her?


texts: What is the difference between metonymy and synecdoche?


texts:
Assumming that tommorrow my friend will take a examination, but he didn't study anything, so it's too late for him now, he is doomed for sure :). Is it grammatically correct if I say to my friend:

If you want to pass the test, you should have studied harder (in the past).

I did some research about mixed conditionals, but almost all the documents/blogs said that the if clause must be unreal conditionals. The verb "want" in my sentence is confusing me, I don't even know if it's likely (possible) situation or unreal (hypothetical) situation.
I know it is correct to say: If you want to pass the test, you should study harder. But in this sentence, I feel like he still has time to study.


texts: What's a word or phrase that means "saved in the wrong file format"?

texts: I'm writing a report on a website. There are files that were saved in the wrong format which has reduced the quality of the images. How can I say this, but still sound professional?


texts:
deque is a standard container in the C++ programming language. Its name stands for Double Ended QUEue. I am wondering how this word should be pronounced:

like deck (this is how I've pronounced it so far)
like dequeue
like Dee-Ee-queue

I realize that this word is not in the dictionaries. I just want to know how most programmers pronounce it. Hope it's on topic.


texts:
A hint with a description reminding me of the past

How to call that hint?  Something about physical ,about time

For example: Look at the bag( a hint) on the tv screen, it is good and reminds me of the birthday gift, a  Gucci bag, you gave me last year


texts: "Video sniffing's form of parasitical subversion"

texts:
The following context is about sniffing CCTV's. What does "Video sniffing’s form of parasitical subversion" mean? And what is its difference from " tapping into live feeds"?

Nicholas Whybrow, Art and the City (Google Books)

  Video sniffing’s form of ‘parasitical subversion’ by contrast is in itself legal – though the act of tapping into live feeds may not
  strictly be above board – and it is certainly not damaging to anyone.


texts: What's the difference of these words that means "to indicate by signs"?

texts:
presage
  bode
  augur
  betoken
  omen
  portend

These are the words I learned today. Are they basically the same, or are they usually used in different contexts? I checked the Google Ngram Viewer and it turns out that "presage" and "omen" are used much more commonly than the others, is it because these two are somewhat more colloquial?


texts: What do doubled-verb-doubled-noun and doubled-noun-doubled-noun constructions imply?

texts:
In the sentence "The company is able to store and conserve fruits and vegetables.", which relations between verbs and nouns exactly do we imply?

Let's consider the following general case "A and B C and D", where A and B are verbs and C and D are nouns, e.g. "store and conserve fruits and vegetables".

Intuitively, it seems that both A and B apply to both C and D. However, is this always the case? Do we have to make use of the word both, e.g. "The company is able to store and conserve both fruits and vegetables."? Is it acceptable to use this construction if we want both A and B to apply to C and B to D, but A not to D, for instance if the combination A and D does not make sense? Example: "to eat and store food and energy", where "eat energy" does not make sense. Is this acceptable, or how would this example have to be tweaked to obtain an acceptable construction?

Secondly, what happens if we use different tenses or nouns instead of verbs? Do we make the same implications, or does something change? Example:

"The company stores and conserves fruits and vegetables."
"The company is storing and conserving fruits and vegetables."
"The company is into storage and conservation of fruits and vegetables."

Especially for the latter (where we have replaced verbs with nouns) I am tempted to make use of the word both, twice, if I want to imply all relations:
"The company is into both storage and conservation of both fruits and vegetables."

Lastly, let me note that I'm not sure if I'm on the right SE, because this question also applies to many other languages.


texts:
How to find all forms of a word ?

Given that you have a noun , a verb, an adjective or an adverb ?

The forms i am referring to are :

Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb

Thanks !


texts: What is the word for a concept which represent a variety of ideas?

texts:
I'm looking for a word which works in the following sentence:

I like John not as a person but for _____ reasons.

_______ = Due to him encapsulating disperet but interconnected set of ideas.


texts:
To begin with a clarification: I'm not speaking of "wanting" as in "lacking" (e.g. a box wanting its lid.) Rather, it's about uses like this one:

  Person A: I want to go with you.

  Person B: Thank you for wanting to go with me.

To me, it sounds so horribly wrong to use "want" like that, but I can't figure out why. The following sounds correct, and unless I'm mistaken, is perfectly valid:

  A: I believe you.

  B: Thank you for believing me.

So, when is using "wanting" valid, and why is it invalid in other times?


texts: Afterward versus afterwards -- which, and/or when?

texts:
So, I've noticed over time that I see both "afterward" and "afterwards" at different times.  Having a pet peeve (though I'm not certain it's actually a well-founded prejudice, lexicographically speaking) against hearing "anyways", I've started to wonder recently about "afterwards".

With a quick bit of web searching, I turned up this analysis, which I find to be somewhat helpful, I'm just wondering if there's more that people could say to help me get an intuitive understanding of when to use which, or otherwise why to use one versus the other.

I suppose (as mentioned in the linked article) this question could also apply to forward, backward, toward, etc.

Which shall I use?  When?  Why?  Does the 's' indicate some sort of plural meaning, or something else?