texts:
I'm not sure of the right place to ask this, but I got confused trying to understand how the computer will interpret the sentence:

  This is my picture.

In actual sense, the real owner of the picture should be the photographer not the person who was photographed... or am I getting something wrong? So, it seems the confusing thing about 'picture' is determining who the real owner of the picture is. So is there a special category for these kind of nouns or an official clarification somewhere?

Thanks


texts: Idiom for ruining my life to save your own?

texts:
Long story short, I'm writing a grievance to my work. I want it to be quite emotive.

In short, they cut my pay to save the company, even though, with less pay, that might put me and my life in trouble.

I was thinking something along the lines of "sink my ship to save your own" but I'm not sure if that fits, or is a 'real' idiom.

Can anyone help with something similar? Googling hasn't helped.

Thank you,
Me


texts: If to me, you are my crush, what am I to you?

texts:
Is there a single English word for that?
For example, if Hinata calls Naruto her crush, what is Hinata to Naruto?
What can Naruto call Hinata?


texts: A word or phrase that defines "Preconceived opinions based on experience or reason?"

texts:
If Prejudice is defined as Preconceived opinion not based on reason or experience.
then what, if any, is the word that defines "Preconceived opinions that are based on experience or reason?"


texts:
Does one say "Hospitalization/hospitalized" when it comes to staying at the hospital because you're sick?

Or is it "I'm being admitted at the hospital"?

And If I was compiling a statistic of people going in and out of the hospital, could I say "entries" and "leaves"?


texts:
At my English lesson the native English speaker couldn’t tell what is correct and promised to search it for us!

He told us that if James is one person then we should write

  James' Book

but if we had many James he didn't know to tell us what to write...

Any suggestions?


texts: Subject and verb agreement expressed in two ways

texts:
Based on an earlier question which was deemed a duplicate, I'm submitting a differently worded question which I'm certain has not been asked before.
The following two sentences, in my opinion, say pretty much the same thing. (If you think they do not, feel free to let me know, and why.) One sentence is as I found it, and the other sentence is my rewording of the original sentence. I won't tell you which sentence is which.

“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”

"What you see and what you hear depend a great deal on where you are standing. They also depend on what sort of person you are."

Is the way in which one sentence is worded preferable grammatically or stylistically to the way in which the other sentence is worded, or do we have a case of "six of one, half dozen of the other"?


texts: Comma or no comma: "...save for the last digit [,] which is 2."

texts:
Comma or no comma: "11112 is a number whose digits are all 1, save for the last digit [,] which is 2.
My sentence is of the following form:

Comma or no comma: "11112 is a number whose digits are all 1, save for the last digit [?] which is 2.

Does the place with a [?] require the use of a comma, require that there is no comma or a comma is optional? I've read that a non-restrictive clause requires a comma before which but I'm not sure if this is a non-restrictive clause (I just encountered this terminology today) because all examples I can find have the non-restrictive clause in the middle (My car, which is pink, is ugly.). Moreover, I would like to stick to the original sentence with minimal modifications.
Explanations and references will be appreciated!


texts: "To loosen up" means "to become not nervous".  Could the phrase "to tighten up" be a good opposite and mean "to become nervous"?


texts: What does the phrase 'off of' mean in the following sentence?

texts:
This threshold is currently eight, so if count is less than or equal to 8, the
  vectored I/O operation occurs in a very memory-efficient manner off of the process’
  kernel stack.


texts:
Is this sentence “derogatory”?

  He just gave me the biggest fuck you of my career.

Intuitively it doesn't seem to rise to the level of derogatory; merely the use of a vulgar idiom.  But what words would successfully counter the argument that it is a derogatory statement?


texts:
According to different dictionaries, state and status have different meanings.

However, is there any case they could have the same meaning? For example:

The state of the situation is not clear
The status of the situation is not clear


texts: What do you call those "gifts" that are passed in a family from generation to generation?

texts:
Example:

  Grandma left me her ring as a [...]

I thought of the word souvenir but I think it's more commonly used to refer to something that you buy in a gift shop.


texts: A word for a place that produces food from animals

texts:
I looking for a word, if exists, for a place where the animals like cow, pig and chicken are killed, cleaned and have its meat and parts processed into bagged foods like bacon, ham, beef, etc.
In Portuguese we have a word "Frigorífico" for it, and translating this word I found theses meanings: Frigorific or Fridge. But, it seems to be incorrect to me.


texts: Is there an opposite of "back to the roots"?

texts:
I wondered whether or not there is an opposite of "back to the roots" in terms of development.

Example using "back to the roots":

  For the city to develop a stable infrastructure, they have to go back to the roots and live independently and more decentralized from bigger cities or even other countries.

What I am looking for:

  For the city to develop a stable infrastructure, they have to [...] and adopt technically, economically and socially essential purposes of regional planning from bigger cities or even other countries.


texts: Should I say “have only been . . . twice” or “have been . . . twice only”?

texts:
Will these next two sentences confuse you?

1.I have only been to London once before.
2.I have been to London twice only.

Now for a more complicated example, I want to express that I have only been to London and only twice. Then I write the following sentence, but I feel it is somehow weird:

3.I have only been to London three times.

Why do I feel it is somehow weird? Because the third has the same grammar as sentence one.
But now to some extent I feel the third sentence didn’t make it clear that I have not been to anywhere else.


texts:
When referring to Linux or Unix, init is a program loaded by the
  kernel that spawns all other processes and typically uses PID 1.

What does spawn mean in this sentence? Thank you.


texts:
Can you please guide me should we pluralize "painted stork" and "black-tailed godwits" in this sentence? Is there any rule regarding the names of species?
Like which sentence makes sence and why?

Among climatic variables, effect of rainfall was negative on abundance of black-tailed godwits and  painted storks.
Among climatic variables, effect of rainfall was negative on abundance of black-tailed godwit and painted stork.


texts: What is a product's normal price called?

texts:
Say a product is normally priced at $14.99, but at various times it goes on sale. Regardless of it's price at any given time, what would the $14.99 price be called?

In other words, I'm looking for the opposite of the sales price.


texts: Word for "not wanting to do something because you have been told to do it"?

texts:
What’s the psychological effect of when someone tells you to do something, and even if you were already planning on doing it and getting ready to, the second they tell you to, you just despise the idea of doing it.

What is that called?


texts: How to technical write, "...is the first of its kind"

texts:
How can I write the following in technical terms

  "Hence, to the best our knowledge, the analysis provided in the
  following sections for .... by an ABC-node is the first of its kind."


texts: Can "wrought from" be used in the same context as "caused by" or "formed by?"

texts:
The most familiar use of wrought is probably "wrought iron," as in iron that's malleable and able to be shaped and, for example, made into fences.
All the dictionary definitions of wrought are along those lines.

Full Definition of wrought from Merriam Webster:
1 :  worked into shape by artistry or effort [carefully wrought
essays]
2 :  elaborately embellished :  ornamented
3 :  processed for use :  manufactured
[wrought silk]
4 :  beaten into shape by tools : hammered — used of metals
5 :  deeply stirred :  excited — often used
with up [gets easily wrought up over nothing]

So I feel like it would be safe to say that wrought from basically means formed by. I find that in my writing, I often want to use it in that context, but I always hesitate and feel unsure whether it would be correct.
The example I'm currently working with is a character looking at all the calluses on their hands, which are the result of handling a variety of tools and weaponry. The sentence would go something like this:

Her own calluses, wrought from years of handling those same tools and weapons, would probably never fade.

I feel like wrought from makes sense here (by which I mean a reader would at least understand what I was talking about), but I'm not sure if it's technically correct to use it this way. Anyone have any thoughts or definitive answers?


texts: Conjugation of wonder in early modern English

texts:
What I actually mean what's the conjugation of the verb wonder. For example:

  I wonder, thou wonderest, etc..

including past, ing form, etc.. (it will actually help me with other verbs too)


texts: Is there a word to describe using one thing as if it is for another purpose?  For instance, Chaplin handling his cane as if it's a pool-table cue stick, or someone using a racing hurdle as a clothesline, or a bird using a stick as a fishing pole?


texts: Can you say “what was —- a reaction to?”

texts: If I mean to ask the main causes of something, so I want to know what something reacted to, can I say “what was the war a reaction to?”? It sounds pretty weird to me...  I’d rather say “what did the war react to?” Are they both right? Are they both wrong?


texts: Word or phrase meaning "ability to take responsibility" or "self-control"?

texts:
There is a word/phrase that I can't recall that is bothering me. It means to be able to take responsibility for a situation or to have the ability to control ones actions.

For example, if you "take away someone's __________" in a legal or societal sense, you remove their responsibility for themselves. Minors are considered not to have this thing, and slaves/people incarcerated would also be considered to not have it.

What is this word/phrase I'm thinking of?


texts: Why is "f" in a singular replaced with "v" in its plural?

texts: For example, "wife" is "wives" in plural, as is knife, strife, etc. What's the reason and/or etymology behind this?


texts: Does a robot process "sensory data" or "sensor data"?

texts:
What is the best name for the data a robot acquires from its environment? Examples include camera images, laser range measurements, acceleration measurements, sound, the force it is exerting on a grasped object, etc.

I think "sensory data" implies a parallelism with human senses, which is often appropriate, but not always - e.g. humans can't accurately measure the distance of faraway objects like a laser rangefinder can, and we don't have GPS.

"Sensor data" loses this connotation, but it also becomes too broad. For example, a robot might have a battery life sensor, which delivers sensor data, but not the kind of sensor data we are trying to describe here.


texts: What does 'to sound off as soon as you arrive' mean?

texts:
One of the channels that my boss created in slack states

  Since we're separated by distance but needs to work together, we need to know who's IN in a given day. Use this channel to sound off as soon as you arrive for work, and before you leave after work.

Does saying Hello is sufficient enough so that my boss will know that I arrive already?


texts:
What is the proper usage between 1) and 2)?
1) "Determine the values of the coefficients."
2) "Determine the value of the coefficients."
Each coefficient has one value in this context.

Similarly, which of the following forms is correct?
1) "Write the values of the coefficients in the book."
2) "Write the value of the coefficients in the book."

Is the rule consistent for all possible [x] of [y], excluding constructs such
as "every" and word-specific exceptions such as "cattle"? I'm aware this question is very vague. Basically, I'm looking for clues like "the rule depends on whether you want to emphasise [x] over [y]", etc.

I read about the similar question 'Does a [x] of [y] take a singular or plural
verb?', but I'm still in doubt after reviewing the discussion.

Thanks for any help!


texts:
Which would be more appropriate?

First quote:

  Furthermore, corporations such as the American Diabetes Association
  offer a variety of prizes for meeting certain fundraising thresholds.

or

  Furthermore, corporations such as the American Diabetes Association,
  offer a variety of prizes for meeting certain fundraising thresholds.

Second quote:

  Randy Cohen, in his column, “The Ethicist,” also questions the
  righteousness of offering incentives for donations in school.

or

  Randy Cohen, in his column “The Ethicist,” also questions the
  righteousness of offering incentives for donations in school.


texts: A word for achieving 2 qualities considered contradictory to one another

texts:
Is there a word for a method of achieving 2 objectives or having 2 qualities that are typically considered to be in conflict with or contradictory to one another?

By qualities I mean strong/ fast, anything like that. For example if a musician wanted his performance/piece to have variation and continuity, you would have to make a compromise/ happy medium between the two, unless you could find a method of not having to compromise and instead have an optimal amount of both.


texts: Defining profit loss in laymans terms - without using loss in the explanation

texts:
I'm updating a training manual and need to define loss (in the context of a business) in a simple sentence. Currently it reads as (previous author):

  Loss: Loss is profit loss due to product theft, damage, or sold at the incorrect price

I'm not sold on the overall wording, thinking along the lines of:

  Loss: Loss is unmade profit due to the theft, damage, or incorrect sale of a product.

Two things:

1: I feel like 'unmade profit' isn't 100% correct English - is that the case? Or if nothing else, it feels like a stumbling block.
2: Incorrect sale doesn't carry with it that the product was priced incorrectly and sold at this wrong price. Yet to say "due to the theft, damage, or incorrectly marked and sale of a product" seems too lengthy to be part of the 3 facets of profit loss. Is there a single word (like theft, damage) that wraps 'incorrect price and sale of', so I can say "due to the theft, damage, ? of a product" ?


texts:
I've seen and heard the word "tnetennba" used, most famously by Moss in an episode of the IT Crowd in which he was a contestant on a fake episode of the TV show Countdown. In this episode, no definition of the word is given by when asked, Moss uses the word in a sentence as follows;

  Good morning, that’s a nice tnetennba

I am trying to establish whether this is a real word or not, which is difficult since language is always changing. I've found multiple sites stating that the word was made up purely for the show and some others saying that the word itself is nothing more than a mechanism for generating traffic to a website, among others.

Is "tnetennba" a real word, and if so, what does it mean?


texts:
Is there any difference between "To like for somebody/something to be something" vs. "to like somebody/something to be something"?

In the following case there seems to be a difference, because the former seems to suggest that one would like so for the sake of the other, and latter for ones own.

  "I would like for you to be happy" vs. "I would like you to be happy"

Here, the above distinction makes no sense, since the weather is inanimate. Is the former a valid thing to say at all?

  "I would like for the weather to be nice" vs. "I would like the weather to be nice"


texts: Is there another word for 'listening' to an answer?

texts:
We 'listen' when we're being told something. Is there another verb for 'listening' to an answer to a question we asked?

Is 'receiving' an appropriate word for it? It sounds reasonable in the context of the answer being in a written format

  "I have received an answer"

But it doesn't sound right if the answer happens to be in an audible format (think two people face to face, instead of the answer being a recording)

P.S.: I'm not looking for 'hear'. I'm asking if there's a verb that carries the same weight as 'listen', but applies specifically to the situation of being given an answer.


texts:
I'm writing an essay about racial discrimination, and I came across this:

  "Laws have been ___ on racial discrimination..."

What verb should I use here? Set? Made? Also, I don't mean enforcing the law. I mean setting it.


texts:
I am not a native English speaker, i don't understand deeply English language. So i just want to ask you this.

Many years ago, maybe before 2000, i seldom heard English people say “Uh huh”, “Uh huh” when expressing that they are understanding in a conversation. Instead, most people use "ok","ok" to express that they understand what the opposite person is talking.

But now i heard this word every where, they even use this term in country like China & many other countries (I means some Chinese people use "Uh huh" in their conversation is not rare though English is not their language).

I think “Uh huh” in other countries (especially in Asia) is a quite rude expression if u say like that to older people.

So, When was “Uh huh” invented? is “Uh huh” a formal English?


texts: Is there a word/phrase to describe someone who works from home?

texts:
Background:

With the rise of the Internet, more and more companies are starting to see increasing portions of their workforce able to accomplish their work from any location with an Internet connection and a phone. In some cases, this can be a part-time thing (such as someone who works one day a week from home but is at the office the rest of the time) or an occasional thing (such as someone who telecommutes when sick to avoid getting his/her colleagues sick as well. In other cases, there is no office for the worker to go to; the worker routinely works out of his/her own home. (For the purposes of this question, I'm not so much asking about someone who has built his/her own business from home (e.g. someone who makes things and sells them on Etsy), but the concept I'm looking for might include such a worker in its definition.)

Question:

I am specifically looking for a word to describe someone who works from home full time. The idea is a word (or short phrase) that means: "an individual who routinely works a full time job as part of a larger company, but who does so all or most of the time from a home office."

In particular, I wonder if there is such a word or phrase that specifically includes the word home or a derivation of that word?

Other notes:

There are a couple of obvious candidates that I think are specifically excluded from consideration:

telecommuter: This is the closest example I've come across, but as I understand the word, it implies that the worker is not working from home on a regular basis (i.e. the worker also works out of the office a significant portion of time). It also, in my mind, doesn't necessarily imply that one is working from "home"; one could just as easily telecommute from a coffee shop or a park bench. I should acknowledge that my impression of the meaning of telecommuter does not appear to jive with the definition available at The Free Dictionary. The definition at Wiktionary does a better job of approximating my personal understanding. Does anyone else agree with my assumption that telecommuting is inherently less than full time?
freelancer: May apply to some people who work from home full time, but not all people who work from home are freelancers (see the part of the requested definition about it being full time work for a company), and not all freelancers work from home.
homeworker: I have never heard this word used in real life. Ever. I'm not convinced that people would understand what it means. (Especially because it's superficially similar to the unrelated concept of a homemaker.)
self-employed: This term implies that one is one's own boss, i.e. that the worker is not employed by a larger company/organization. I'm looking for the concept of working for a company but doing so out of your own home instead of at the company's office location (if it even has one). I suppose a self-employed person who works from home could possibly be a subset of the term I'm looking for, but the concept I'm trying to get at is at best a superset of this definition, and perhaps even different altogether (this is why, for now, I'm including "part of a larger company" in my idealized definition, above).


texts: Is the second period necessary after an abbreviation?

texts:
Which one of the following is correct?

only in the continental U.S.A. For all other countries...
only in the continental U.S.A.. For all other countries...

I am not sure if I need two periods after "U.S.A." or just the one.


texts: A perfect conditional sentence with present

texts:
Is the following sentence gramatically correct?

  If neither of us is wrong, then the discussion wouldn't have been necessary in the first place.

I'm trying to use "is" instead of "had been", because I'd like to refer to the present. However, I haven't been able to find anything online that would justify this.

Is there a grammatical explanation why it is correct/incorrect?


texts: "which had return'd to the inheritance of Fortinbras"

texts:
Here are some lines from Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 1
(The Arden Shakespeare edited by Harold Jenkins)

Against the which a moiety competent
Was gaged by our King, which had return'd
To the inheritance of Fortinbras,
Had he been vanquisher;

I think "which had return'd" should be "which would have returned" in Modern English. Was "which had returned" regular at Shakespeare's time?
Or was it irregular even at that time?


texts: Why is "k" added to "panic" when suffixes added (as in "panicky")?

texts:
When adding any suffix to the word "panic," a "k" is added after the "c". Examples: panicked, panicking, panicky.

Why is this the case? Are there any other English words that do the same? I'm also curious about any other words that add extra or unexpected letters when part of speech or tense changes.

The etymology of "panic" includes a Greek origin--"panikon"--which is spelled with a "k" but no "c". Does this origin have anything to do with adding the "k" in variations of "panic"? But still, why keep both the "c" and the "k" in these variations? I know many other English words use "c" and "k" together (stick, lock, back, truck), but these others consistently use "ck" in all forms ("stick," "sticky," "stuck").

Why is "panic" different?


texts: Happiness only real when shared... isn't it?

texts:
Yesterday I was rewatching the movie "Into the Wild", and noticed that protagonist writes next phrase:

  HAPPINESS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED

and, I'm not native english speaker, but is he missed the is? Should it be:

  HAPPINESS IS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED

or it's ok to skip is in that particular case?


texts:
I'm wondering the sentences below are grammatically correct or not.

A : It is three days "after" that Sumi's midterm exam will be over

B : It is three days "later" that Sumi's midterm exam will be over

I think using 'later' in A is right but how about 'after'?


texts: Capitalization rules concerning historical time periods

texts:
What are the capitalization rules concerning historical time periods? For example, how would I write:

  post-classical Europe

Is it:

  "post-classical Europe"
  "Post-Classical Europe"
  "post-Classical Europe"

or none of the above?


texts: Subjunctive Mood in Past Tense, Historical, Narratives

texts:
I have a question about use of the subjunctive in past tense narratives.
The quoted passage is from Keith Thomas’s Religion and the Decline of Magic, a sort of cultural history of England in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The excerpt regards an obscure zealot, William Hacket, but I’m quoting it for its last sentence, a subjunctive statement:

Hacket had already been roughly treated in various English provincial towns, and his prominence in 1591 sprang from his association with two Puritan gentlemen, Edmund Copinger and Henry Arthington .... [to the former of whom] Hacket ... was both King of Europe and the Angel who would come before the Last Judgement to separate the sheep from the goats; if he were imprisoned, the bolts would magically fall off.

So of course this is a “were” conditional. Its reference is to undefined time, or more precisely not to time at all but to the hypothetical. But if Thomas had written the sentence in past time, something like

If he was imprisoned, the bolts magically fell off
Or
If he was imprisoned, the bolts would magically fall off

should our understanding of it be changed? And would it be preferable to cast it in a subjunctive mood, or in a past, indicative one concerned with past eventualities?


texts: A word or short phrase for 'better in every way'?

texts:
When we're comparing two or more things, there are times when we have to weigh the advantages or disadvantages of each one.

There are other times when one of the things is better for every way in which it's being judged, and the final decision is not based upon trade-offs.  I know that I've heard a phrase for this (I want to say it was two words), but I've had no luck in remembering it.

I don't think 'clearly superior' or 'clear winner' quite fit the bill, as that might still suggest that the disadvantages are significantly outweighed by the advantages.

Is there such a phrase, or even a single word, that would convey this meaning without using idioms?


texts:
I'm new here, and I would like to ask for your help.

I'm translating an American article about a certain theatre piece, and there's a phrase that I can't understand  properly.

"Music, song, dance, video and other sounds and images make up the work; the impression is of many short takes that add up to more than so many bytes, augmented by the way that Baryshnikov’s own performance history and identity are featured front and center."

My question is about the phrase "augmented by the way that". Does it mean that
a) it is increased, enlarged because of the fact that Baryshnikov's performance history and identity are featured front and center, or
b) it is increased, enlarged by the manner in which Baryshnikov's own performance history and identity are featured front and center, or
c) some other thing?

Many thanks in advance! :)


texts: Present Perfect Tense - Determine usage case

texts:
Present Perfect has two usage case:
Case A: Say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now.
Case B: To show that something started in the past and has continued up until now.

How can we determine a usage case in the following sentence:
I have studied English!
How can I tell is this action happened already in the past vs. this action started in the part and has continued till now?


texts: How to quote text with ellipses inside of it?

texts:
I am quoting this text from Anna Karenina:

  I saw it in your eyes. Yes, yes! What can it all lead to? You were drinking at the club, drinking and gambling, and then you went ... to her of all people!

The ... in this passage are part of the original text. How do I make this clear when I quote it?


texts: Is there a single word for "fly spinning through the air"?

texts:
Juggling clubs spin when sent into the air by the performer.

A dagger thrown by a pirate spins blade-over-handle as it travels through the air.

Is there a single word that describes this kind of motion?

Example:

  She made an imperceptible movement. The dagger [????] through the air
  and fell into the water with a muffled plop.


texts: Is there an English idiom “in threes and fives” to describe arriving, gathering, or leaving of people in a pair, trio, or group in succession?

texts:
We say ‘san-san-go-go – 三三五五’ in Japanese to describe the status of people coming, arriving, gathering, going, or leaving in a pair, trio, or group in succession in such a way, People gathered in the square ‘san-san-go-go.’ ‘San’ means three in Japanese. ‘Go’ means five, and ‘san-san-go- go’ is used adverbially.

I know “by ones and twos” is applied to the case more than “by one and one.”

When I consulted New Japanese English Dictionary published by Japanese publisher (Kenkyusha Publishing), I found the translation – ‘in threes and fives.’

I suspect if this is a literal translation of 3-3-5-5, and not standard English phrase.

Is there an idiom or phrase to express the status of people coming (arriving) and going (leaving) in the pack of three-to five individuals to a place incessantly?


texts: Is the word "palaver" in common use anywhere in the English-speaking world?

texts:
In a sci-fi movie from 1957, an astronaut says he's "going to palaver" with the cave-dwelling natives. I'd never heard the word before, but my husband—a history buff—knew it by its original meaning: a conference between a 'civilized' person (or persons) and folks from a more primitive culture. Supposedly, it has disintegrated colloquially to mean something like "meaningless blather" (probably because of the way it sounds) but when I checked that Ngram thingy, it looked as though its main use in writing is in its original sense—ironically, or not.

Is "palaver" still in use? (If so, in what part of the world is it used?) In what sense is it used?


texts: Is it gramatically correct to start a new sentence with Moreover without the comma?

texts:
I'm translating a book, and the following bolded sentence came up in a bit of dialogue, shown translated below.

“…He is a lone traveler, and possibly a minor. Moreover he is Japanese. That country of mass media is certain to be a bother.”

The original text for the bolded "Moreover he is Japanese" is below, for comparison purposes.

しかも日本人。

I know that in English, Moreover is used to connect two senteces together with a semi-colon and comma, or is used at the start of a new sentence with a comma. I'm wondering if its possible to leave out the comma, and still be correct for American English.


texts: Word that is nearly but not quite, hypochondriac or malingerer or Munchausen sufferer?

texts:
Background

I made a doctor appointment for a minor health worry. The usual practitioner was on leave so I saw a locum. The new doctor was quite dismissive and may have written something disparaging in the medical notes. I was worried my regular doctor might be influenced by this.

Problem

I wanted to say to my GP.

I enquired about problem X while you were away and your stand-in was quite dismissive. I wouldn't like you to think I am a _______ "

Excluded answers

hypochondriac - This was a real ailment and the locum admitted it but dismissed it as unimportant and seemed to think I was wasting his time. In fact it turned out that my own GP commended me for mentioning it as treatment was needed.

malingerer - I was not trying to shirk my work or responsibilities. I wanted treatment so I could carry on with my daily activities.

Munchausen sufferer - This stems from a desire to interact with doctors as much as possible. That doesn't describe me at all. I prefer to keep away from doctors and hospitals.

Question

So what is the term? Can you offer me a single word or, failing that, a concise phrase.


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Correct position of “only”

Should I use only before or after the pronoun?

  If only I had a chance

  If I only had a chance

Both sentences bring a lot of results and both seem to be the name of songs. Are both correct? Is there a rule for similar sentences?


texts:
I am looking for an interesting idiom but with also a poetic slant to it. Something which means the same as "I really love something".

For instance, an idiom that can be used instead of the bold part and would have a similar meaning to:

  I love this song madly.

Does such an idiom exist in English?


texts:
When using the transition "above all", is it acceptable to have only one item before the transition?  Or can it only be used when comparing the information after the transition to two or more pieces of information?

For example, is this the only correct usage?

  (A) is important. {explains why} (B) is important as well. {explains why} Above all, (C) is important.

Or is this acceptable as well?

  (A) is important. {explains why} Above all, (B) is important

I was wondering because I wasn't sure about an question in a reading comprehension workbook.

  Instruction: Put items (B), (C), and (D) in the correct order after item (A).

  Passage:

  (A)Some people seem to have a knack for learning languages. They can pick up new vocabulary,master roles of grammar,and learn to write in the new language more quickly than others. They do not seem to be any cleverer than others,so what makes language learning so much easier for them? Perhaps if we take a close look at these successful language learners,we may discover a few of the techniques which make language learning easier for them.

  (B)Therefore,successful learners do not wait for a chance to use the language;they look for such a chance. They find people who speak the language and they ask these people to correct them when they make a mistake. They will try anything to communicate. They are not afraid to repeat what they hear or to say strange things;they are willing to make mistakes and try again. When communication is difficult,they can accept information that is inexact or incomplete. It is more important for them to learn to think in the language than to know the meaning of every word.

  (C)First of all,successful language learners are independent learners. They do not depend on the book or the teacher;they discover their own way to learn the language. Instead of waiting for the teacher to explain,they try to find the patterns and the rules for themselves. They are good guessers who look for clues and form their own conclusions. When they guess wrong,they guess again. They try to learn form their mistakes. Successful language learning is active learning.

  (D)Above all, successful language learners are learners with a purpose. They want to learn the language because they are interested in the language and the people who speak it. It is necessary for them to learn the language in order to communicate with these people and to learn from them. They find it easy to practice using the language regularly because they want to learn with it.

The correct answer is (C)(B)(D), but I was wondering if (C)(D)(B) could work as well.


texts: How does the "partial" in "I'm partial to" relate to the "partial" in "partial fraction"?

texts: The two senses of this word seem very different.  One sense is just another way to say like, and the other is an adjective describing the state of being divided into different portions. I can't see immediately how they are related.  How did the antecedents of this word evolve?  What is the etymology?


texts: Is it "Probably yes" or "Probably, yes"?


texts:
I am working on documentation for some work stuff.  A reviewer has told me to change this:

  Decisions made by the CAB apply to all members of ETG and non-ETG employees that participate in ETG processes.

to this:

  Decisions made by the CAB apply to all members of ETG and to non-ETG employees that participate in ETG processes.

Now, in my mind both are correct.  "To" can be implied.

Am I correct?  What do style guides such as APA and MLA say about this?


texts: Is it reasonable to say: "This is going to be the most amazing day by so far!" ? I mean the "by so far" part. English is not my first language, but I caught myself typing so and started wondering where did I get that from. It's just without the "by" I feel like something is missing.


texts:
Is it correct to say:

  "I'll send you this file per E-Mail"?

Or

  "Please send me this file per E-Mail"?

I know most people say "I'll send you this file by E-Mail" or "Please send me this file by E-Mail".

Is "per E-Mail" also correct?


texts:
I have been actively learning to write English for over a month. Though I can, some how, manage with grammar, sentence structures are not easy for me. In the sentence below, please any one comment why this usage is not correct or it is.

Original:
" De Mestral patented Velcro in 1955, subsequently refining and developing its practical manufacture until its commercial introduction in the late 1950s "

Modified :
" De Mestral patented Velcro in 1955, subsequently refining and developing its practical manufacture until it was commercially introduced in the late 1950s "

Also, please answer which is the most preferred one in the written English and why ?


texts:
I was reading wikipedia about a ship and it it's always refered as female. Is it unique to ships?
I've learn in school that words in english does not have a sex, you can call a cats and dogs as "it".


texts: What do you call someone who is aroused by strangling someone to death?

texts:
What is the terminology for someone who is aroused by strangling someone to death?

Albert DeSilva, the Boston Strangler, was a(n) ________.

I realize sadist covers this but I was hoping for a more specific term.


texts:
I am reading a book that says a man "consumed the marriage", which I presume should be "consummated".

I did find an Italian website a using the same expression, although that read like it was written by a non-native speaker.

I assume there is no such expression as "consumed the marriage"?

The book is “Easy Meat” by Peter McLoughlin. Opening page:

  “...then he [Muhammed] married Aisha when she was a girl of six years
  of age, and he consumed that marriage when she was nine years old” -
  Hadith Book 63

The book is English but the quote is a translation. However, I'd be surprised it was the author that ran it through a translator.


texts: Mathematical notations are usually called symbols in the large, yet particular symbols seem to be blessed, they are often called signs ('equals sign', 'multiplication sign', ...).  Is there a linguistic justification for this, or more precisely, is there a generally agreed difference between symbol and sign?


texts:
ODO: rude {adjective} = 4. {attributive} {chiefly British} Vigorous or hearty
OED: Etymology:  < Anglo-Norman rud, Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French rude, Old French (Lyons, rare) ruide (French rude) ... (of a person's body) robust, vigorous, strong (1426) ...

I wish to dig deeper than the definition, which I already understand and so ask NOT about. I heed the Etymological Fallacy. What are right ways of interpreting or rationalizing this meaning, in order to intuit or naturalise it, and to help me remember?
Does this definition 4 (of positive connotation)  jar with the negative definitions of 'rude' ?
Just as  Etymonline and Wordreference.com don't, OED above only states, but doesn't explain, the definition.  Above I excerpted OED's lengthy entry; please advise if I should display more.
Footnote: I first encountered this in 'rude health' here, but please beware that I ask about this definition in general, and NOT only this set phrase.


texts: Does English allow a zero copula in subordinate clauses?

texts:
In a casual search of the web, I found a few indications English does not allow zero copulas (https://linguistics.stackexchange.com/a/1468).  However, I frequently see sentences with subordinate clauses that juxtapose a noun phrase with an adverb phrase, such as the following from a contemporary sci-fi author:

Kai stares up at me from the grave, his eyes hard as obsidian.

If this clause were made into a sentence, it would take an obligatory verb:

*His eyes hard as obsidian.  His eyes are hard as obsidian.

The original clause seems to contain an implicit "to be."  Is it an example of a zero copula?  If not, what is this construction called?


texts: Does this sentence that uses "gestalt" make sense?

texts:
I am trying to talk about the aesthetics of an architecture firm's work in a cover letter I am writing.

Here is the sentence:

  Your beautiful interior details and furniture design that encourages material exploration and utilizes collaboration between designers, builders, and users, shows through to the gestalt of your projects.

Does this make sense?


texts: You do 'find something for somebody', but is 'find somebody something' equally correct English?


texts: A word for a sale that is not an installment but actually paid in full

texts: When you are buying something in a store you have the option to pay it in credit or debit, with or without instalments. Is there are a single word for something that is paid in full at the time of purchase?


texts: Which order of the two preceding modifiers is correct for this proper noun?

texts:
In southwestern China, there is a mountain named (after translating to English) Qingcheng Mountain (or Mount Qingcheng). However, apart from Qingcheng Mountain itself, there is also a second mountain about one-hundred kilometers southwest of Qingcheng Mountain which (for any reason) is considered to be located in the outer area of Qingcheng Mountain.

In Chinese, this second mountain is named (in Chinese grammar's order of modifiers) "Qingcheng Outer Mountain."

Now my question is, what order of modifiers here would be grammatically correct in English for this second mountain and why (i.e. which grammatical rule applies)?

Is it 1) "Qingcheng Outer Mountain," or
2) "Outer Qingcheng Mountain"

And does it matter for the order of modifiers if a proper noun is a translation from another language for how it is translated grammatically to English?

Thanks a lot for your help!


texts: Natives of a Country: Norway Native vs. Norwegian Native

texts: I want to describe someone who comes from Norway. I feel like it's better to say "Norwegian native," but I'm almost certain that I've heard nouns come before "native," like in "San Francisco native." What's the best thing to do in this situation?


texts: Can 'so that' be used to express apposition?

texts:
Once I saw a clause : "The whole purpose of the special rules around arrays is so that you can use a pointer to an array element as though it were an array" in a reply posted on Stack Overflow.
I have seen usages like 'the purpose of it is that ~' or 'the purpose of it is such that', but not one like 'the purpose of it is so that'.
Is it gramatically correct to use 'so that' like such?


texts: English idiom equivalent to “Like a deaf man at a wedding procession”

texts:
I have been trying laboriously to find an equivalent idiom or a catchy phrase to the one we have in Arabic مثل الأطرش بالزقة which simply means, “He is like a deaf man at a wedding procession”.

It is used when two or more people are talking about a specific topic and one person in that group (or someone who happens to join in) is completely ignorant about the topic and cannot follow the conversation. That person might then say, “I’m like a deaf man at a wedding procession”, or the others may say it about him.

I was just curious if there was any similar idiom in English; or if not, is there anything in vicinity of it, or some catchy phrase which people usually say or any casual sayings?


texts: When someone tells you that it is "just water under the bridge", what does it mean when they say "But sometimes there is not any water under the bridge"?


texts: Word for when you think of anyone and they call you

texts: Is there a word when you think of someone and he suddenly shows up or calls you ?


texts:
I have been corrected twice in the sentence

  I was not alive, at that point in time.

We were having a discussion involving life in the 1980s, and at some point I said I was not alive so I would not know. Someone corrected me saying the correct way of saying it is I was not born at point in time.

To me it seems perfectly grammatically correct to say I was not alive, for it is a true statement. It seems to me that saying I was not alive means that I was dead before, which then turns it into a philosophical argument.

  I was not alive at the point in time.

This seems to be equally valid with I was not born or I did not exist.

Is it just context or it is just the way we say it just because? Am I correct to keep saying I was not alive?


texts:
I’m curious whether, if one were to order a bagel, well toasted, if the correct hyphenation would be, “Hello, could I please get a well-toasted bagel?”
Thanks.


texts: Does it make sense to end this sentence with "manually"

texts:
This sentence:

  Verify that the table includes the configured values manually.

Is it the same as saying:

  Manually verify that the table includes the configured values.

or the same as:

  Verify, manually, that the table includes the configured values.

Somehow it feels odd to put the word "manually" last since it then sounds like you are talking about the configured values and not about the verb "verify".

Do all three sentences mean exactly the same thing? Which grammar rules allow "manually" to be placed at the end of the sentence?


texts: "ahead of" is NOT used with a particular time reference?

texts: Am I right that the phrase "ahead of" is NOT used with a particular time reference such as "ahead of 2 o'clock"?


texts: When to use “this" and when to use “that”?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Using “that” and “this” interchangeably

What is the difference?

What do you think about that?
What do you think about this?

What is the grammar rule about using this and that in this way?


texts: Why is the word 'heroine' not pronounced like 'hero-ine?'

texts:
Why is the word 'heroine' not pronounced like 'hero-ine' but instead like 'heroin?' It has the word 'hero' in it and it's the female equivalent of a hero. It's not like I use the word in public often but it feels weird when I do because I have to pronounce it like 'heroin.'

Is there some origin to this word that created this distinction?
Or is that simply how things ended up being (?)? I'd like to believe there's a reason for almost everything but who knows, right?


texts: Is there a single word for being "financially literate"?

texts:
I am writing about literacy, numeracy and the gap between those and financial literacy, but can't think of a single word for the latter. Specifically the gap experienced by someone who can read a bank contract, and verify that the maths is correct, but can't see that they have no ability to meet the terms, or no margin for error (viz, they might be able to make payments now, but if another cost arises they won't be able to meet both). Not an optimist, but someone who looks at a budget where the critical line is "Available funds per week: $100. Repayment per week: $101" and says quite sincerely "yes, I can do that". Or possibly more likely, someone who never thinks to actually make the budget and just says "I earn $500/week, $101/week for the loan will be fine".

  The second group are people who, while literate and numerate, are not ....

Or

  The .... are not necessarily naive, but nonetheless find themselves in unsustainable debt by means they don't understand.

I need to distinguish those people from people who have no choice but to knowingly sign an impossible contract in order to delay the inevitable. So someone who, for example, needs their car to keep their job but can only borrow to repair it on impossible terms (payday loans, for example). They know they're in trouble, but all they can do is defer the problem and hope for the best.


texts:
Being that this highly related question primarily asked whether ironical is actually a word (and if it is used regionally), I'm interested to know whether there is a difference between it and ironic and what that difference might be.

@steven_desu touched on it in his comment, but I'd like to see a more complete answer to the difference between the two words (if any).
Are they completely interchangeable?
Is one more appropriate in certain situations?


texts: What's the meaning of the word "circumvent"?

texts:
I'm confused with the meaning of "circumvent"

According to my vocabulary book, the meaning of circumvent is "to frustrate as though by surrounding"
An example sentence given was, "Our hopes for an early end of the meeting were circumvented by the chairperson's refusal to deal with the items on the agenda."

However, another dictionary says the exact opposite, and said the meaning of CIRCUMVENT is "find a way around (an obstacle)".
An example sentence given was, "the checkpoints were easy to circumvent".

So which is it? I'm really confused since I see how these two meanings can be used in the same situation with completely different meanings.


texts: What's the difference between "for a short time" and "in a short time"?

texts:
I submitted the following simple sentence to my tutor, and she told me to replace "for" with "in":

  I really want to know about his business because he has made so much money for a short time

That is, she told me to replace for a short time with in a short time.  Can anyone tell me why?


texts:
I must insert in my curriculum my high school studies. Well, nothing bad with this,unless for a small thing.

I attended High School in Italy, My school was not a technical school but what we call a "Liceo", an institution made for those one who wants to continue studying after graduation.

In Italy every school has many learning courses, let's call them in this way.
For example, in Italy, in my school, I could choose among this possibilities:

A normal course
A 2 years intensive math and physics + 3 years philosophy and physics course
A special course with no Latin language to be studied

I am calling them courses but in Italian they are called "Indirizzi di studio", verbatim they are "Study addresses".

How would you refer to them in English?


texts: "newfangled", "fandangle" and "fandango"

texts:
I see a little silhouetto of a man
  Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?

Anyone who's over 30 years should recognize the lyrics of Queen's epic song Bohemian Rhapsody

A fandango is an intimate dance for two people that starts slowly and increases tempo. It originated in Spain, probably in the 18th century. But there is a second meaning of fandango

  2. an elaborate or complicated process or activity.
  "the Washington inaugural fandango"

Perhaps this explains  the appearance of fandangle, which Oxford Living Dictionaries tell us is an archaic term.

  A useless or purely ornamental thing:
  ‘a solo with no end of shakes and trills and fandangles’
  Origin
  Mid 19th century

Now perhaps some of you are saying "so"? Wait, I have not finished. There is the adjective newfangled which means

  derogatory
  Different from what one is used to; objectionably new:
  ‘I've no time for such newfangled nonsense’

Which you might think is a  recent coinage but you would be sorely mistaken, according to Oxford Dictionaries,  its origin is Middle English.

  Middle English: from newfangle (now dialect) liking what is new, from the adverb new + a second element related to an Old English word meaning to take.

Relations and political alliances between Spain and England were consolidated by the time Henry VIII married his brother's widow, the Spanish princess Catherine of Aragon, in 1509. Interestingly, she was named after her British great grandmother Catherine of Lancaster (1373–1418). During this period, was it possible that the English language adopted, and anglicized Spanish terms? Today fandango in Spanish means foolishness, or confusion., but Etymonline says its origin is unknown.

  mid-18c., lively Spanish dance, the word of unknown etymology [OED says "alleged to be of negro origin"], of uncertain origin.

Could fandango have been a corruption of the Middle English term newfangled?
In light of its history, could newfangled have been a Spanish loanword?
Could someone provide a more detailed evolution of these three related terms?


texts:
Can a series of years be possessive? For example:

I am 1990s' child

This feels weird, but is it technically correct? And how about the following?

I am a child of the 1990s'


texts: How to describe a person who has two functions in a sentence

texts:
What would be the shortest way to say someone has two jobs or obligations in a sentence? I am searching for a universal way to use this. I can say “an abandoned daughter, a lonesome father, or a fearful sister” but how can I do the same with someone who is a mother and a politician, father, and a doctor, or a sister and a cop?
If I write:
"A mother and a doctor searches for her way out..."
Word and other apps automatically correct “searches” into “search,” because they think these are two different persons.


texts: Why do we use plural for indefinite objects?

texts:
Building off another question I answered here, I couldn't justify why exactly we say:

I like to ride bicycles.

Instead of:

I like to ride a bicycle.

(This could be anything: "climb mountains", "fly helicopters", etc.)

Both of these forms should refer to some generic, indeterminate bicycle object. But we can't ride more than one at a time, nor do we mean to say that we like to ride them one after the other, so how does the plural form work here?

Even though the second example looks like a valid construction, it just doesn't sound right. I suspect it's because the indefinite article "a" adds something when used in this sense, instead of just meaning to say "a bicycle" in the generic sense, it implies:

I like to ride a (particular kind of bicycle).

However, "I like to ride my bicycle" works. Is it because "my" makes it less generic, or just because it means "the one that is mine"? So why does the indeterminate "a" not work in the same construction?

(The only sense where "a" seems to fit is when using the conditional: I would like to ride a bicycle. But again, this has a slightly different meaning than I would like to ride bicycles, in the general sense.)

How should I understand what's happening in these constructions?


texts: Is there a word for the total amount of time you weren't working in a day?

texts:
I can say that I plan to work 7 hours today, but how do I say I plan to "not work" for 2 hours?

"Be on a break/pause for 2 hours" or "Rest for 2 hours" doesn't work because I might take several smaller breaks.

"Not work for 2 hours" sounds too vague because I am referring to periods of rest during the workday.

Maybe, "I plan to take breaks that add up to 2 hours".

Any ideas?


texts: How do I pronounce names that end with "t" in the standard American dialect?

texts:
For example, how do I pronounce the "t" in "Robert"? (Assuming nothing is said after it, or the thing after it starts with a consonant)
Is it a half-stop "t" or a regular "t"?


texts:
I am interested in etymology of word "forgive". It is interesting that english word "forgive", german word "vergeben" and french word "pardonner" share the same pattern:
    for + give
    ver + geben
    par + donner
I mean participle + word like "give". Why is that so?


texts: Meaning of "could" in a question. Implied condition

texts:
I have a question concerning the meaning of "could" in this sentence:

  "It could refer back to the subject, Jane, or it could refer to somebody else."

As I understand this, there's an implied condition in the sentence.

Something like: "It could refer back to the subject, Jane, or it could refer to somebody else if some specific circumstances were taking place"

Is my understanding right?

Here's a screenshot of a part of grammar explanation. And the sentence that I asked a question about is at the end of the text.


texts: Which is grammatically correct? we're having rain or we've been having rain

texts:
Can you believe all of this rain we've been having?

or

Can you believe all of this rain we are having?


texts:
Agnes suggested sending off a balloon with a message to Jenny.

The phrase sending off puzzles me. I know it’s a verb phrase, but I don’t understand why it ends on -ing. Is it a noun or a verb?

I've looked at -ing words and spent some time thinking about how they are used. Normally, we use them as verbs with a form of to be, but there is no am or is here. When you Google "sending off", you get something about rugby, or it shows you send-off. But those are probably not the same thing. It's hard to find the right words to search for. I don't know how to proceed.


texts:
I think it means "I'm for it now," meaning said person has to face up to some sort of chastisement/consequence (as they have done something wrong and will pay the price.) Is that right?

Are there other examples of this use?


texts: Saying for using an overly powerful tool to fix a minor problem

texts: I found "A sledgehammer to crack a nut" as one example. What are some others?


texts:
Is there any difference between "to know" and "to know about" when they refer to an abstract thing? Examples:

I know (about) this difficulty/problem.
I know (about) Engineering.

In the first sentence, it seems to me that "to know" expresses that the speaker experienced the problem/difficulty before while "to know about" only expresses that the speaker has heard or read about it. In the second sentence, it seems to me that "to know" expresses a deeper knowledge than "to know about". Are those impressions correct?

This is NOT a duplicate of ""Know about" vs. "know of"", which focus only on "to know about" and "to know of".


texts: What is the term or word for when facts or truths, while accurate, have no bearing on the subject or argument: "Leaves are green in summer, therefore we should all wear boots"


texts: Connotation behind "what's wrong with you?"

texts:
In the Ocean's 12, I remember the scene of Brad Pitt asking "What's wrong with you?" of Matt Damon, who had interrupted his sleep to ask a favor.

I think the phrase "What's wrong with you?" is more often used when someone scolds/blames somebody else for their wrongdoings rather than when they want to find existing problems (if this make sense).

Given the context, can I assume that Brad Pitt said it to show that he is irritated and actually showing his unpleasant feelings to Matt Damon?

Or was he just asking what problem Matt Damon has?


texts:
Which one of the following sentences is correct?

  selected to register in Maths course
  selected to register for Maths course


texts:
I am looking for a way to describe the state of having an intense driver or urge for a thing. I could only think of "compellement" but I fear it is not a word, or the state of being compelled exists in a different form than what I can guess.

An example of what I want to communicate would be "As opposed to doing it out of addiction, he did it out of compellment for the art".


texts: What is the difference between "into" and "onto"?

texts: I see both used, at times, almost interchangeably. What are the general guidelines?


texts: Meaning of "and the bright eyes of danger"

texts:
In Robert Louis Stevenson poem, Youth And Love: I., there is a line that I can't quite understand.

and the bright eyes of danger.

Here is the complete poem:

Once only by the garden gate
Our lips we joined and parted.
I must fulfil an empty fate
And travel the uncharted.

Hail and farewell!  I must arise,
Leave here the fatted cattle,
And paint on foreign lands and skies
My Odyssey of battle.

The untented Kosmos my abode,
I pass, a wilful stranger:
My mistress still the open road
And the bright eyes of danger.

Come ill or well, the cross, the crown,
The rainbow or the thunder,
I fling my soul and body down
For God to plough them under.

What exactly is RLS referring to with this line?

Is he simply referring to embracing the danger inherent in taking on the open road or exploring the unknown?


texts: Why is "union" an exception to the "a/an" rule?

texts:
Usually when a word starts with a vowel, we will use "an" before it. But for union, it is "a union" not "an union." It is not explained in the previously mentioned a vs an why union is an exception. It explains how to know exceptions for h like hotels.

Also are there any exceptions for the opposite side, where there should be an "a" but is an "an" instead? (Unfortunately I have no example of a case like this.)


texts: What is natural way of saying I am/was suffering from fever?

texts: I know that the expression I have written is completely correct, but it does not feel very natural and I have never seen it being used in movies etc. Should it be something like "I picked up a fever"?


texts:
According to Oxford Learner's Dictonaries, the -'s suffix can have these two meanings:
(added to nouns)
1 belonging to

the woman's hat
Peter's desk
children's clothes

2 used to refer to somebody's home or, in British English, a particular shop

Shall we go to David's (= David's house) tonight?
(British English) I'll call in at the chemist's on my way home

So except for the last example, it looks like it's always used for people but not for things.
Is it really like that?
Song lyrics or Song's lyrics?


texts:
I saw a lot of usage of machinery, mechanism, to be used with similar meaning as techniques, ways, methods,....

For example, my math teacher said the machinery in the proof of some theorem is not heavy. Mechanism is also used to describe how something works.

I have actually been confused if they can mostly be exchangeable.

Also are there similar terms that can be used in this kind of scenario?

PS: I have asked similar questions before here, but the post got closed. cerberus encouraged me to ask again.


texts: Comma between "because" and a preposition like "in"

texts:
I have seen this both ways, but is it better to do it like the first or second one? Does it change the meaning of the sentence when the comma is added, or is it just a verbal comma?
1.) That's because, in addition to the troubles here, there were other issues.
2.) That's because in addition to the troubles here, there were other issues.


texts: Which is correct, you will find or you will consider?

texts:
What is the correct way to write the following sentences?

We hope that you will consider the school welcoming, willing to listen and willing to respond to your questions.
We hope you will find the school welcoming, willing to listen and willing to respond to your questions.

The second sentence is my attempt. The first sentence is my principal's attempt.


texts: Single word request for a plane flight which will be stopping to refuel?

texts:
You have direct flights, they take you to your destination via a single flight. You also have a ___________ which stops for refuelling or for some other reason.

What is the term used for the second type of flight?


texts: Do Americans use "driving" for a bus journey?

texts:
I haven't been in America all that long and I'm still getting used to English usage here. Sometimes I've heard people say they "drove" from Austin to Dallas, for example, in a context that strongly suggests they took a Megabus - is that a common usage, or am I reading this wrongly?

This question (I will drive into town... but I can't drive) seems related but not the same thing.


texts: 2 or more dots is an ellipsis ... or something else?

texts: As a transcriber, I have seen many ways dots are used in literature —mostly to avoid redundancy. But I have seen dots unspaced from single letters, such as in the phrase "Guess the city: N.. Y..." The answer, of course, is New York, so the number of dots replaces the number of missing letters. Are these ellipsis points? To call them "ellipsis" would be wrong, but is there a literary convention that would allow me to refer to these omissions as "ellipsis?"


texts: What is it called when some pronounces their "s" sounds sharply

texts:
I've long noticed that when it comes to pronouncing words containing an "s" sound, their are those that pronounce it softly and those that pronounce it sharply.  I have always wanted to put a name to the latter condition.  Does anyone know what this is called?

Examples:
 - While whispering in a quiet room, people that speak this way can be heard by a regular "siss siss siss" sound, as they sharply pronounce each word containing an "s" sound, audible despite attempts to be unheard.
 - Words such as "issue" and "controversial" are pronounced with a sharp "sss" instead of "sh".  E.g. "controverSSSial iSSSue" vs "controverSHial iSHue" (admittingly this one could be more geographic in origin).
- Elongation of sharp "s" sounds, especially at the end of words.  E.g. "issuesss".

I'm certain there is a name for this.  Some might call it simply being eccentric, but I suspect there is a proper linguistic term, which is what I'm interested in foremost.


texts:
I was in en elevator with my girlfriend and a random black guy was in it too, he saw me holding a box of strawberry and ask me "Strawberry and Netflix tonight"? I don't know what he meant, the other white guy in the elevator said "I do that every day".

What does that mean???


texts:
There are descriptions in the book:

  This event has a probability of Pi(t)(1 −λit) plus terms of order t2.

What's "terms of order" here?


texts:
What exactly is the "schwa" sound? As a non-native speaker, I hear this sound as not being a pure and clean sound. I mean I know that every vowel sound may vary depending on whether the syllable is stressed, on the accent of the person that makes the sound, etc. But generally this sound is the same in the sense that it does not depend on the consonant sounds that come before or after, and might or might not be heard as being different by the non-native speaker ear.

The schwa sound is a very difficult one for me because I cannot find a pattern to follow. When I was learning the other vowel sounds I could analyze a long list of words being pronounced (by the same person of course) and then abstract the sound so I can produce it perfectly. But this does not work for the schwa sound. So for example I hear one sound in words like a-bout, b-a-loon, decim-a-l, and a different sound in words like s-u-ppose and impet-u-s, t-o-day or t-o-night. Also in words like Ros-a-'s and ros-e-s, the schwa sounds differently.

When it comes to words that have the schwa sound on vowels e an i like in the word insan-i-ty then the sound is almost the one for the i in t-i-p, but also in words like b-e-hind I hear some people say it with a schwa sound like in a-bout and some other people pronounce it like the i in p-i-t. So, I would really appreciate an explanation about how you perceive this sound and how you would explain it to someone who, like me, is not a native speaker.


texts: How would you describe the feeling of feeling like being treated unfairly?

texts: For example, when two siblings of different ages are told to go to bed at the same so the older one feels "..." ?


texts: What do you call it when doctors or therapists give the same prescriptions or solutions to everyone that has similar illnesses or problems?

texts: As in, they do not attempt to give individualized prescriptions. What's a phrase or word that characterizes this tendency?


texts: What is pronunciation of Efron in American and british English?

texts:
I'm reading Statistics. there is a statistician named Bradly Efron which I have doubt in pronunciation of his name. Firstly I readed his name: ɛfrɒn but google translate reads it: ɛfron.

Which one on correct?


texts: What is the word for "the space left behind when a shape is removed"?

texts: What is the word for "the space left when a shape is removed from something", like for example, the gingerbread-man shape left in the dough after the gingerbread-man has been cut out of it? Its not the "counterfoil", or "the negative"....I seem to remember there being a specific word for it, what is it?


texts: Formulation: "I like to see the beauty in ugly things"

texts: What would be a good way to express the following: "I like to see the beauty in ugly things"? (This is related to drawings, paintings and photography.)


texts:
I think this is quite a simple question but one I have found no answers for.

In regards to a tilde, I believe it can be used as an abbreviation for "about". For example ~5 translates to "about 5" (an approximation)!

Assuming this is correct, in regards to using the tilde with a currency, should it come before or after the symbol when the currency symbol comes before the value.

For example, should it be

~£5 ~$5

or

£~5 $~5

I assume the first approach is better (the second approach seemed unnatural whilst writing it out) but I can't find anything which states this to be so.


texts: Is there a single word to describe a "young wizard"?

texts: A wizard is an expert magician but there are some trainees (like Sabrina the Teenage Witch). I was wondering if there is a single word to describe an amateur or young wizard as opposed to fully describing as "young wizard".


texts: What is an alternative term for "Swiss army knife"?

texts:
What is an alternative term for Swiss army knife?

As in a general multi-purpose tool.  It is a word that everybody understands, but I would like to know some alternatives.

Clarification:
The term Swiss army knife is often used to express a multi-purpose, versatile tool outside the contexts of knives or armies.

The Swiss army knife for writing books.
Perl is the Swiss army knife among programming languages.
Swiss army knife of codecs (Google's search entry completion).

I think that "multi-tool" or "one stop shop" are adequate alternative, maybe there are more?


texts: What’s the reason for the zero article after a preposition and countable noun in “a change of X” and in “a switch from X to Y”?

texts:
I am a non-native speaker of English and therefore need your help. The question is: why do we use the zero article in the phrases “a change of X” and “a switch from X to Y”?

For instance:

a change of address
a change of government
a switch from student to teacher

The words following the prepositions set in bold (that is, address, teacher, student, and government) are all countable nouns, are not they?

So why do they get to be used without an article given that they are countable nouns?

How are they different from a change and a switch, which do have an article before them?


texts:
An exam question is driving me crazy.

  Find the mistake in the following:
  Four years are a long time to spend away from family and friends.

Literally everyone solved it by replacing are with is.

Could it be "a long" to "long"?


texts: Why is the “L” silent when pronouncing “salmon”?

texts: Why is the letter l silent when pronouncing salmon properly?


texts: Should terms such as "customer" or "owner" be capitalized in a proposal letter?

texts: When writing a proposal letter for a price quote in the construction construction industry, is it correct to capitalize terms such as customer/owner/client? Many estimators tend to do so, but it doesn't seem correct to me since the terms are not defined anywhere on the proposal letter.


texts:
My coworkers use "timely" in a way that I am unaccustomed to and it strikes me as odd (wrong).

An example: "we need to get those reports timely".

As I've always understood it, the correct form of the sentence would be "we need to get those reports in a timely fashion". But they are essentially it as a substitute for "quickly".

Is it correct grammar to use the word as they are?

Edit

I work in the Seattle area, in tech.  Tech is integrated somewhat heavily with west Asian culture (Indian, Pakistani) and therefore some the misapplication of English is adopted unconsciously by native American English speakers.

It strikes me as odd because it sounds clunky.  Look at all of these applications, where it seems "good":  https://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/sentences-with-the-word/timely.html.

It seems to me that "Make sure the reporting is timely", or "We need that reporting in a timely fashion" is good vs "We need that reporting timely" is not good.


texts: Why is great pronounced /greit/ while in other words the ea is pronounced differently? Take treat, for example: /tri:t/. Why are two words with the same number of vowels and consonants and the same syllable structure are pronounced differently? Is there any way for people to guess a word's pronunciation at first place correctly? How can we trace pronunciation history of a word?


texts: Is there a better way to convey "completely motivated and ready to work"?

texts:
I am writing a cover letter and I think that my use of adjust myself in this sentence sounds rather weak.

  Since I am experienced at this topic, I believe that I could (adjust myself) to the collaboration more quickly.

I doubt that "adjust oneself to" conveys the right impression here: should I use something different?

It should explain that I could get involved quickly and start to be useful and fully dedicated, since I'm experienced.


texts:
"The captain gave away his authority"

In this example would away be an adverb or an adjective?


texts: phrases: "marry a guy and he'll provide"

texts:
Trying to find a similar phrase to this Chinese phrase:

嫁汉嫁汉，穿衣吃饭

which basically means if a woman marries a guy, then the guy will provide food and clothing.

I can't think of anything off the top of my head, something like

marry a guy and he'll provide
marry for provision

are there any set phrases/idioms in English?


texts: Word for the movement of one fluid within another

texts:
I'm looking for a word (doesn't matter how obscure) that describes the turbulence / twisting of one substance in another.

The example I'm trying to describe is colored ink being dropped into — and flowing through — water.

I.e. "The ink [XXX] through the water."

Visually:

Source: Shutterstock


texts:
I read the following in a article on apple.com (the emphasis is mine).

  This section presents some key principles critical to the design of elegant, efficient, intuitive, and Aqua-compliant user interfaces. Sometimes overlooked by developers, these principles are as relevant today as when Apple first published them decades ago. In fact, they drive the design of the Mac OS X user interface.

What does Aqua-compliant mean?

The article is Human Interface Design (only visible if JavaScript is allowed from apple.com).


texts:
What do you call a person who doesn't believe in something but still saying things about it?
For example let's say Mario doesn't believe in God (he is an atheist) and something bad happens to Mario so he says:

Why me God?
What did I do wrong to deserve this God?


texts: What is the verb form of "Cheque" or "Bank Check"?

texts: I am writing a corporate policy about transactions that needs written checks. Is there a shorter for it like, "Transactions for chequeing (checking)? So it doesn't sound like checking (correcting).


texts: What is the difference between "pliable" and "pliant"?

texts:
I am confused between pliable and pliant.  What's the difference?
The explanation in the Oxford Dictionary seems vague:

pliable
        1. easily bent; flexible
            [quality leather is pliable and will not crack]
        2. easily influenced
            [pliable teenage minds]

pliant
        1. easily bent
            [pliant willow stems]
        2. easily influenced or directed; yielding
            [a more pliant prime minister]


texts: How to use nevertheless and nonetheless?

texts:
Are these examples correct?

He was so weak nevertheless completed the task?
The task was hard to complete but he is the man who nonetheless did that hard task.

My question is,
Are these words used as a replacement of the phrase "in spite of"?


texts:
The railway station is far away.

Where is the adverb here, and what does it modify? My answer was "away", but I am not quite sure if it's correct.

I am also confused by

  I would rather wait

as i don't know what "rather" modifies.


texts: Present perfect and present perfect continuous for actions in progress

texts:
My grammar book says that both present perfect and present perfect continuous, when used with "for, since, etc", express a situation that began in the past and continues to the present. When used without 'since' or 'for', present perfect expresses the action that has happened before now and the progressive without any specific mention of time expresses a general activity in progress recently.

So neither of them implies that an action is still in progress when time is not mentioned, but I noticed that sometimes even when specific time is mentioned both can refer to an activity that is not in progress anymore and that has finished. Eg., I have been wearing this dress/I have worn this dress the whole summer. (The summer is over, the action is over too) What do you think about it? I can give another example; I have been living in France (Maybe the person has just relocated and says that he has been living in France recently) and I have been living in France my whole life/for five years/for ages(Again the person has relocated to another location and says where he/she used to live recently. I have lived in France my whole life/for five years/for ages. Similar statements as the two above: he/she doesn't live there anymore, but was recently living there. Sometimes native speakers tell me that nothing is impossible :).

What do you think about these statements?
I have been driving my car. The specific time is not mentioned, however the progressive form  implies that the action is still in progress. I have been confused by this sentence too as well as by the sentences below.  I have been driving my car for ages/for five years. I know that this normally means I am still driving it, but I have been told (not by experts) that it can also imply that the action has finished recently or even if not recently it is not in progress anymore. The following  sentence has the same meaning as the previous one;  I have driven my car for ages/for five years. And They have been married for twenty years/for ages, maybe they are still married, maybe have recently divorced.

Are these comments right? Thanks


texts: A slang word for people who live in "fantasy land"

texts:
Lately I've been searching for a current slang term, used in the US, describing people who live in a fantasy land, or prefer to live in a bubble.

After googling quite a lot, I realized that it's quite hard to search for this kind of thing, as slang is constantly changing and what may have been an excellent fit a year ago is long outdated today.

Any suggestions?

For clarification — The context should be somewhat cynical. The assumption is that living in fantasy is, of course, not recommended.
You can think of it as a cynical slogan saying:  "Not recommended for people who want to live in fantasy land".


texts: What is the difference between 'one off' and 'one of'?

texts:
I do not believe that this is a duplicate question - apologies if others find it so.

I hear frequent usage of the two terms interchangeably depending upon who is speaking when discussing something built that is unique (sometimes called a "point solution").  It doesn't really matter what the 'thing' is that is or has been built.

EDIT PER COMMENT

Most frequently I hear it in the Computer industry.

  The code we built for them was a one-off

others say

  The code we built for them was a one-of

Can anyone clarify the difference?


texts: Using the word "quota" in plural and singular

texts:
If I need to use the word "quota" in both the plural and the singular, what is the correct form?

Is it "several quota" and "one quotum" or "several quotas" and "one quota"?


texts: Do I need a comma after this question mark?

texts:
I want to write the folowing sentence in some work:

You went there on Thursday? for instance, is not an interrogative clause but a declarative one, even if the utterance may be a question.

In the format that I am expected to use, sentences like this should appear without any quotation marks, but in Italics. The parenthetical for instance needs, in my opinion to be set off by commas. However, if I put a comma after the question mark, it looks very odd indeed:

You went there on Thursday?, for instance, is not an interrogative clause but a declarative one, even if the utterance may be a question.

What should I do in this instance?


texts: when the result is unknown for a past counterfactual situation

texts:
We normally use the third conditional for describing past counterfactual situations. We use it when we're sure about the occurrence or non-occurrence of both the condition and the result clause (more precisely, what is said in them). For example:

If she had studied, she would have passed the exam. (We do know that she didn't study, and we do know that she didn't pass the exam)

If I hadn't eaten so much, I wouldn't have felt sick. (I know I ate a lot, and I know I felt sick)

But there are contexts where a) we know about the occurrence/non-occurrence of the condition clause but do not know about the occurrence/non-occurrence of the result clause, b) we do not know about the occurrence/non-occurrence of the condition clause but we do  know about the occurrence/non-occurrence of the result clause, c) we do not know about the occurrence/non-occurrence of the condition clause neither do we  know about the occurrence/non-occurrence of the result clause.
Here, in this thread, I'm  interested in situation(a) only. Consider the following, please:
Person A: My brother was supposed to appear for an interview at 8am, and now it's 10. One of his friends called just a few minutes ago to inform me that he didn't get the job, and I don't know if he's been sad for that.

If he had got(ten) the job, he would have been very happy.

If he had got(ten) the job, he would be very happy (right now).

Again, consider this, please:
Person A: My brother's interview was at 10am, and now it's 11. He left the house at 9:30am. I don't know if he was on time for the interview or not. But, I'm sure

if he had left the house at nine, he would have been on time for the interview.

Another example:
Person A: My sister appeared for an exam a month ago, and I'm sure she'd not studied for the exam at all.
X: The exam results came out just an hour ago. I don't know her results yet. But, I'm sure

If she had studied hard for the exam, she would have passed it.

Y: The exam results are not out yet. But, I'm sure

If she had studied hard for the exam, she would have passed it.

And I could go on and on.
Q: Are sentences (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) correct?


texts: The "continuous tense". How can I use this tense with "better than anyone could"?

texts:
I'm not sure what tense this is, but it's for a presentation. It's the best I could come up with while translating it into English.

  Meeting deadlines.
  Working with bla... bla...
  Building 3 SCRUM teams of 8 individuals/team and having them operational
  in 2 months at the customer’s quarters within a budget lower than anyone else being able to provide for a similar experience and technology.

I'm not sure which one of these is correct.

  Better than anyone could provide?
   Better than anyone was able to provide?


texts: How did the term "Sidejacking" come out? What is its origin?


texts: Alternative of 'disable/disabled' in software contexts

texts:
In light of movement to "clean" up language used in software like "master/slave" and "white/black" lists.
What could be instead of "to disable"a software or feature, or when a software or feature is "disabled"?
The option that seems as close and flexible is "to deactivate" and "deactivated". Others like "turn off" don't have the an adjective for it.


texts: Starting sentence with subject and not including it in verbs later on

texts:
When creating longer sentences, I am apt to say something like

  "I love it when he visits and am looking forward to his next one."

where I say "I ...", using a subject and verb, but then say "and am" without including the subject pronoun again. Is this acceptable in English? Are there any situations in which only mentioning the subject pronoun once at the beginning of sentence would be incorrect? The meaning does not seem unclear because of it, but saying "I" again sounds repetitive and unnatural.


texts:
I have a few questions on this phrase "Like father, like son".

Is it an idiom or a proverb? Or both?
Can it be analysed grammatically?
If the answer is "Yes", can you analyse it grammatically for me?


texts: What do you call this instance of break in noise?

texts: You're in the gym waiting for the school principal to make a speech and everyone is talking, the whole place humming loudly. Suddenly it goes quiet because you all thought the principal has arrived, yet no one told you to be silent. Everybody else notices the others being quite and follows suit. Everyone is silent for a moment, but after they realize no one arrived and no one is enforcing the silence, the noise starts again. This has happened to me in classrooms and at seminars.


texts: Difference between family name, name at birth and first names?

texts: I'm filling an English document and I'm being asked to complete my family name, then my name at birth and then my first names. Does anyone know the difference between these 3 concepts? My guess is that my family name is my last name, my name at birth is my complete name at birth, and my first names are everything but my surname. Is that correct?


texts: Can we use the word "coed" to describe any activities or facilities available for both men and women, or should it only be limited to something educational or youth related?  Also, any suggestions for alternatives?


texts: Is there a suggested maximum amount of words for a single sentence in academic writing?

texts:
For instance the UK government generally suggests that 25 words is a good limit.
I find hard in academic writing to respect such limit, and 50 words seems more appropriate to me. But English is not my native language, and in Italian sentences are generally longer.
Do you know any good resource with suggestions or guidelines in this regard or do you have any thoughts about it?


texts: Is this the right way to express concession using inversion?

texts:
Is it grammatical to say:

  May the emotions be controlled, it is not easy to do that.

Obviously what I want to say is:

  Even if the emotions may be controlled, it is not easy to do that.


texts: A word to describe "believing all your emotions are truth"

texts: I remember finding a word like this, but I can't find it any more.


texts: Do things that “get one’s rocks off ” always “rock one’s socks off ”?

texts:
I see both of these two phrases used quite often and I have to question why rocks are so cool here. Is there a history behind both of these sayings, and is possible that both of them are just mere propagandistic marketing blather by Gary Dahl?

How do you decide which one to use? In Texas, I hear both of them interchangeably.

  That horse will rock your socks off.

or,

  That horse will get your rocks off.


texts: Different pronunciations of "-ead"/"-ed"/"-aid" words

texts:
I find that American/British English dialects tend to pronounce words like "bed", "red", "dead", "bred", "said", etc. with the exact same vowel sound: the IPA ɛ vowel (- and so this question may seem a bit odd to some of you). However, where I come from (Singaporean English), there is a clear distinction in the correct pronunciation in normal spoken language, with two categories of words:

Pronounced with "ɛ", such as "bred", "led", etc.
Pronounced like the e in "hey" but ending sharply at he the
"e" without the draggy "ɪ" sound, such as "head",
"bread", "said", "red".

(This is clearly distinct from
the "eɪ" sound in "braid", "frayed", "played" etc.) For example,
"red" or "bed" is much closer to "rad" or "bad" in
American/British pronunciations, but that would sound completely
weird here, where it is much more between "rad"/"bad" and
"raid"/"bayed". (I can't seem to find the IPA for this
particular sound, however, though it is very prevalent in many
words)

Does this distinction exist in other dialects too?


texts: What is the meaning of 'SO' in Denali is SO last month?

texts:
From this article, I guess that the name 'Denali' isn't used any longer for Microsoft SQL Server 2012, which now seems to be the official name.

But I want to know, what is the meaning of 'Denali is SO last month'.

I found these Wikipedia sites SO nor so. But I can't get the answer from them.


texts:
I was writing to someone and I had below line using "just in case"

"I have done blah blah blah..., just in case they need to be so and so..."

I was wondering if this the right way of using it?

or should it be

"I have done blah blah blah..., just in case if they needs to be so and so..."

Please suggest!!


texts:
I am writing a procedure to display an image that the user selects with the software. When I write my documentation, do I say it's displaying an arbitrary image or a particular image, or something else?

  Display Arbitrary Image on the Screen
  Display Particular Image on the Screen


texts: what is the correct use of "when vs If"?

texts:
Stop work and initiate emergency response when unplanned contact with a buried facility occurs. OR
Stop work and initiate emergency response if unplanned contact with a buried facility occurs.


texts: Is there a consensus usage to refer to the contents of linked text?

texts:
Everyone is familiar with what I am talking about though it's easiest to show by example:

Three versions that differ only in how they refer to the linked-to document:

The performance of each of the leading web servers was compared in
this careful study.
The performance of each of the leading web servers was compared in a
careful study located here.
Nicholas Piel recently published the results of a comparative
study of web servers.

I don't claim that the correct answer is one of these three--rather these are just three common implementations to illustrate my Question.


texts: I think I have heard, and I think to understand, the phrase "in an utter attempt". I want to say something like "In an utter attempt for brevity, I will summarize each chapter in one sentence". Is this correct to say?


texts:
Is it best to use "throw away" or "throw in" for an expression when you ask someone not to throw something, like "Don't throw them away/in/out (the rubbish bin)."
Specifically, if one doesn't know where it's going to be thrown, they could be given to charity or someone else instead.


texts: Race is to Racist as Religion is to what?

texts: Please have a one word answer; and it is not zealot. Zealots are idealists. Being a racist has a very negative connotation. Also maintain the same part of speech. I would like a noun.


texts:
I realize assassin is shorter and easier, but is assassinator a legitimate word? Is there any semantic difference between the two?

I realize in a historical context assassin can be used to refer to a member of the Islamic Assassin sect, I'm curious about the more common 'murderer' definition.


texts:
Present Tense and Past tense in context
There is a text/ paragraph as follows:
If I have a description at the start, say "I visited Thailand. There were a lot of nice restaurants.", then if I would like to express that I like the food there, I guess I can use present tense, like "I love the food there.
But I want to know what tense should we use for "It is delicious." which is the sentence after "I love the food there".
Should I say "It is delicious." or "It was delicious."?


texts:
I have the following text in my mobile app:
How are the marked rows called?
The app has been published for several years, and today I received an email from one of the users:

Just wanted to let you know that, “How are the marked diagonals called?” Is not proper English and sounds really weird to native speakers. It should be, “What are the marked diagonals called?”

Why the "how" should be changed to "what"? I thought "How are ... called" is the right choice, because the question asks about how they are called, not what they are.


texts: A toned down term to replace "orthodoxy" in sociology of art

texts:
I think this community could help me a lot. In sociology of culture the term orthodoxy refers to ideas held by most and imposed by cultural institutions, so that the "doxa", or opinion, is maintained for a long time and is difficult to depart from. In art, this would easily apply to the academic art of the XVII to XIX centuries, but the closer you get to the second half of the last century and to our times, the more fluid these ideas get, because many cultural institutions compete and no institution can really impose ideas as strongly.
So I think a softened term would be needed instead of orthodoxy, so that one would be able to refer to ideas that are shared by many for some time. Ideally a neologism, replacing the prefix "ortho-" and keeping "-doxy", both to refer to "opinion" and to keep some familiarity with the term replaced. Could you help?


texts:
When people talk about things in the future like plans for instance, what is the difference between these 3? So let's say you were talking about smoking.

  In the big picture, smoking will cause cancer.
  In the long run, smoking will cause cancer.
  In the long term, smoking will cause cancer.

Which one of these is ideal and is there a situation on which phrase is better to use among these?


texts: Is it wrong to say ''Get out your books''?

texts:
1) When we are in class, is it wrong to say ''get out your books'' to the students?
Should it be ''get your books out''?
Is there a difference? Or is it ''take out your books / take your books out''? Are these separable phrasal verbs?

2) Is it incorrect to say 'what page'? I know we have been taught 'which page are we'' but ''what page are on'' sounds also natural to me?

thank you


texts: Context: I was playing badminton with some friends. Sometimes one of us would accidentally serve and hit the net, to which a friend would say "___gan". The word ends with a 'gan' and means something like getting an extra try.


texts: Etymology is about the history of words, but is there a comparable word for the history of grammar?

texts: Etymology is defined as "the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history", but is there a similar name for the study of the history of grammar?


texts: Why "enough for to fill" instead of "enough to fill" in this sentence?

texts:
"I drank enough drink for to fill Galway Bay".   This is from an old Irish drinking song called "Drink it up, men", by the Dubliners. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niOHxjdKQ-c

My question is:

Is it a dated construction in Irish English?
Is it current usage somewhere in Ireland?
Is it (and has it always been) ungrammatical?

I've edited the title.


texts: This might be the wrong place or way to ask this question but I'll give it a shot. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown", the "protagonist" wakes up from a dream (or vision, maybe even reality) of all his religious towns folks members taking part in blatant evil deeds. The next morning, his perception of everyone changes to the point he (not exactly) distrusts everyone because of what he saw and eventually dies lonely due to his callous nature. Nathaniel made this in order to warn against this type of action or character trait but what is a term for this, this trait? This callous behavior due to an imperfect/changed perspective? Is it a combination of terms?


texts:
I have few questions for my customer and I want to say him that it is just my curiosity. What is the right sentence which I can use to deal with my customers so that they won't find it funny or offense?

Could you please indulge my curiosity?
Could you please kill my curiosity?
Could you please satisfy my curiosity?


texts: Please help me understand the meaning these sentences

texts:
We have a call about it tonight.  We're trying to close it as a bigger project.  I'll let you know soon.

I would like to understand what 'close it as a bigger project' means. Does it mean the project is being shelved or does it mean that project is being made as a bigger one.

Sorry , I am weak in these things!


texts: Reliable test for whether PP is an adverb PP or adjective PP

texts:
"We should tie the rope to the tree."

The McGraw Hill Handbook of English Grammar and Usage gives two tests for determining if a PP is adjectival or adverbial, neither of which stands up to much scrutiny (pages 39-41). The 'movement test' for an adverb PP is that if the PP can be moved to a different position in the sentence, it is an adverb PP that modifies the verb.

In "We should tie the rope to the tree", 'to the tree' is absolutely definitely (in normal usage) a modifier to 'tie'. But we couldn't say "To the tree we should tie the rope" or "We should to the tree tie the rope". So the movement test fails here.

The test for an adjective PP is that it, together with the whole noun phrase, can be replaced with a pronoun. In theory, 'the rope to the tree' could be replaced by 'it', but only if you take the sentence to be "We should tie [the rope which runs to the tree] [and then tie that other rope too]." And that is not the way any normal user would understand the sentence. So this test is unreliable too.

Is there any reliable test or tests for whether a PP modifies the noun or the verb, or do we have to rely upon sense?


texts: What is the English equivalent to the Telugu proverb: "For cat, the rat is the witness"?

texts:
We use this proverb in this type of conversation:

Dad: Did you read today?
Son: Yes, Dad.
Dad: Did my son read today?
Mom: Yes, he did.
Dad: For cat, the rat is the witness.
Mom: Oh, come on! I swear, he really read it.

What is the English equivalent to the Telugu proverb:

For cat, the rat is the witness


texts: What do you call someone who is very careful with their word choice?

texts:
What do you call someone who knows the exact denotation of many words and uses very specific words to describe something?

I remember reading a sentence that went like this:
Only a _____ knows the meaning of _____.  (where ____ is the word I'm looking for)


texts: Should I put (,) (;) or (:) after saying Think() Where am I now? Nowhere