texts: Is it acceptable to refer to a grad student as Professor in a paper?

texts: If a grad student is the instructor for a introductory writing course, is it OK for students writing a paper to write ' Professor John Smith' at the top?


texts:
Which one is grammatically correct?

John, James and Fred helped, each in his own way, to rebuild the village.

John, James and Fred helped, each in their own way, to rebuild the village.


texts:
Sentences such as I came across a letter that was typed by her secretary, can be "reduced" by removing that and the auxiliary verb, yielding I came across a letter typed by her secretary. In this particular case, the by phrase, or some other modifying phrase such as that morning or in red ink appears to be obligatory. You can't simply say, *I came across a letter typed, although you can say I came across a typed letter.

In other cases, though, this seems to be OK; consider All the students arrested were from King's College.

In what cases is a dependent required to make the clause grammatical? Can anyone point me to a discussion of this in a reliable reference grammar, preferably the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language? I see it mentioned there on p. 78, but this particular issue is not discussed.


texts: is the first sound /k/ in the word "confused" aspirated or unaspirated?

texts: I thought that it is aspirated because of the rule of aspiration : the stops like /p t k/ become aspirated when they occur in the word initial position OR in the onset position of the stressed syllable. But the answer was "unaspirated" because /k/ is not in the stressed syllable even though it occupies the word initial position. Is the answer correct?


texts: Differentiate between Present Simple vs Present Progressive (Continuous)

texts:
Is the following sentence in present simple or continuous tense?

I am in class.

How do you change it to the other tense?


texts: Etymology of the scientific term "tomont"

texts:
What is the etymology of the scientific term "tomont", referring to a life stage of certain parasitic organisms such as Cryptocaryon irritans?

The Oxford English Dictionary has an entry for a combining form "-ont" which is says is

  < ancient Greek ὀντ-, ὄν being (see onto- comb. form). Compare German -ont.
  Combining with first elements of Greek origin. Formations are found from the late 19th cent.

  Biology.

  Forming nouns denoting organisms (or cells) of a particular type, esp. protozoa at a particular stage in the life cycle.

This appears to be the source of the end part of tomont. But I can only guess about the first part. The main candidate I have been able to find so far is Greek τόμος (tomos) meaning "slice" or "piece", but I don't know exactly why this would have been used as the base of the scientific term. I'd also like to know whether the etymology is explicitly given in any source. The word seems to have existed since at least the first half of the 20th century.


texts:
"This is one of my favourite couples to smoke up, drink down or party on sideways (does that sound weird?) with."
This appears on a backpacking blog which suggests other blogs to follow. The writer is describing a couple who runs one of these blogs, he knows them personally and this is his description.
Could you explain to me what does "party on sideways" mean?


texts:
For example, a man's name is Jeff Smith.
My question is:

When should I call him "Jeff"?

When should I call him "Smith"?

When should I call him "Jeff Smith"?

in western.


texts: The police officer ordered the gunman (to) drop his weapon

texts:
(1) The police officer ordered that the gunman drop his weapon.
(2) The police officer ordered the gunman to drop his weapon.

I think these mean virtually the same. Perhaps, the act of ordering in (1) is more directed to the act of dropping itself than to the gunman, and vice versa in (2).
That said, I'd like to know if there are any other discernible subtle nuances of these sentences. For example, which sounds more urgent? Which sounds more formal? And so on and so forth. And of course, any reasoning behind the differentiation would be appreciated.
EDIT
To avoid confusion, I have inserted "that" in (1). Sorry about that. Please answer my question based on the revised examples.


texts: Is it "the present he" or "the present him"?

texts:
For example:

  The present he/him had no choice but to run away.

If reworded, I would put something like:

  He presently had no choice but to run away.

But then, it could also be reworded to:

  The person who presently had no choice but to run away was him.

From that, I believe that the correct one is "him", but I am uncertain.


texts: Would you call this a plaque, or would you use another word?

texts:
This sculpture has a plate accompanying it giving a description of the subject. The title is "Statue of Pan", and then it goes on to describe a woodland deity.

What would you call this plate? Would you call it a plaque? That's my first guess, but I think it might be wrong, as the writing is not engraved but rather printed, it would seem.

So I would be curious to know first of all whether plaque is an appropriate word to describe this plate and second of all what would be the best word for it?

To state some basic research, I looked up plaque on Merriam Webster's online dictionary and found this definition for English Language learners, which might supply a case for using it here.

  a flat, thin piece of metal or wood with writing on it that is used especially as a reminder of something (such as a historic event or an achievement)

Another definition, higher up on the page, i.e. 1c, gives a description of plaque that implies an inscription is necessary.

  a commemorative or identifying inscribed tablet

But it just occurred to me that print is a form of inscription, even though it is not a form of engraving. So perhaps this too supports the usage.

Without further ado, here is the sculpture.


texts: 'Skullcandy' is a plural noun but can also refer to a product, so will the plural be Skullcandys or Skullcandies?


texts: Something that reminds you of your true self

texts:
Is there a single word or a phrase for 'something that reminds you of your true self'?

I want to use this word for a Science Club. In the context that it reminds you of your basic nature - to enjoy discovering new things and feeling restless for finding out more about the world we live in.


texts: Which is correct: Most information and knowledge is false; Most information and knowledge are false;

texts: I followed the discussion of the use of "Most" and it is evident that if the noun is plural, the verb takes the plural. Most companies are .... But in the example above "Most information and knowledge are false" sounds wrong.


texts: I am currently writing a fan fiction on Wattpad. The characters meet because they are all employed by the same underground wrestling federation. Should I capitalize the names of wrestling moves, holds, and attacks (e.g., Boston Crab, Camel Clutch, Piledriver, Backbreaker) even if the individual components are not proper nouns?


texts:
The other day I've learned that you cannot use "to" in the sentence "I am going (to) home". At the same time, you should use "to" with other place names. For example, I am going to work.

Could someone, please, explain the rule why we cannot use "to" with the word home? Are there any other words that we should use without "to"?


texts: Name for someone whose interest might be to discredit one's results by trying to find hypothetical mistakes?

texts:
What do you call a person whose interest might be to discredit your results by trying to find hypothetical mistakes? This person does not seem to focus on solving a problem with pragmatism. Is there a word or an expression for that?

I came up with an answer and the described solution seems valid. Most participants give good feedback, except this one particular person.

My feeling is that this person merely wants to discredit my solution/answer. I suspect that he/she does this in order to favor his/her own answer/solution.

P.S.: If possible I'd like to put it in a (most?) polite way. Let's say I am talking to the Queen of England and I want to tell that she ...

P.S.S.: Of course I am interested in other (formal, familiar, vulgar, etc.) words or expressions too. But let me know in which context it can be used appropriately.


texts: Is there a word/phrase for Pre-Academia?

texts: I'm looking for a word that means pre-academia. Academia is the establishment of those engaged in higher education (mostly graduate students and up), so pre-academia would be those engaged in lower education (mostly K-8, high school, and undergraduates). Is there a word/phrase that means this?


texts: Can you help with the difference in these past perfect tenses?

texts:
Example 1: 'Edison invented the light bulb. He had been working on it for years'.
Example 2: 'Edison invented the light bulb. It had taken him years'.

In example 1, the past perfect continuous makes perfect sense, as working on an invention takes time and repeated effort.
In example 2, the same argument could be made, yet we use the past perfect simple. Why?

Is it the 'dummy subject it'? Is it the verb 'to take years'?

Help please!


texts:
Like the title says: I don't think "to can" is right :)

I mean "can" as in to be able to. I'm aware of other meanings.

I can't find the answer here. (There's What is an "infinitive"? which sidesteps this precise case). Online dictionaries draw a blank (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/can, e.g.).

I'm looking for some official indication that the infinitive doesn't exist for this irregular verb.

It would be nice if someone could share any information on how this has evolved to be the case.


texts:
What are the specific uses and differences of "it" and "that" in anaphoric reference? Sometimes they can be used interchangeably and sometimes they can't.

I am teaching back referencing as a conversational strategy next week, and I was trying to find a way to distinguish the uses of "it" or "that" as a anaphoric determiner. I did a few searchers, but could find no reliable information regarding these words. Looking at a few textual examples, I was able to conclude that

"That" refers to a general idea or whole clause
"That" can be used for emphasis, whereas the use of "it" would carry no specific emphasis
"It" it refers more to actions
"It" can also refer to ideas or clauses, but only if these ideas or clauses precede "it" almost immediately so that there is a more temporal reference

Here is an example, with anaphorics in bold:

D: I bet you were furious.
M: No, not at all, it’s just that…you know, I just don’t want our coffee shop to become another branch of Café Pronto. They’re all the same, aren’t they?
D: That’s true. I’m not keen on the idea either. You’re very fond of the place, aren’t you?
M: Of course. I know we don’t go there very often, but I think of all that work we did getting it ready.
D: How could I forget it? All the cleaning and painting and stuff we did with Rob. I quite enjoyed that, actually.
M: Yes, me too.


texts: Is "auditory aid" correct when talking about helping someone through audio signals?

texts: I'm not talking about the concept of a "hearing aid" (those little things you put in your ears).  I'm talking about sounds like the ones emitted by traffic lights, letting us know they've turned green. Is the term "auditory aid" correct, or is there some other term for that?


texts: Can a pairing exist of more than two items?

texts:
Can a pairing exist with more than two items?

  His favorite meal is a pairing of tofu, bok choy, and straw mushrooms.

If not, what word should be used to represent a 'pairing' of three items?


texts: Aspect (simple, perfect and progressive): What are the differences?

texts:
Could you please explain to me the differences between the simple, progressive and perfect aspects.

"Simple aspect" means completed action (action starts and finishes) but I don't really understand the fine details.

For example, with these sentences:

  It usually rains in the fall.
  He smokes 15 cigarettes a day.
  I slept for a long time yesterday.

Here's what I understand: if I didn't complete sleeping I should use "I was sleeping". If it doesn't stop raining we can't say "it is finished". Is that correct?

For continuous aspect, duration is an important factor – but how?

For example:

  She is wearing a jacket.

Normally "to wear" action is completed but we can use here present continuous aspect.

Another example:

  She has been wearing the same jacket for 3 days.

and why can't I use continuous aspect here?

  I have cleaned my room.

It means that my room is clean now. Action is finished but why can't I say "I have been cleaning room" like "They have been playing in the mud"? Action is completed but we don't care here about completed, we are caring about duration, why?


texts: How to refer to several paragraphs or articles §§ in law or pages in books

texts:
As a non-native English speaker, I came to the problem, how to refer to several articles or pages in law for an essay I have to write.

I did some research here and found the page Is there reference material for dictionary abbreviations used in the first half of the 20th century? which was only partially helpful to me as the Wikipedia-webpage did not exist anymore and a similar one, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_lateinischer_Abk%C3%BCrzungen only offered Latin terms.

So I refuse to use abbreviations and I am not satisfied with the results of translators like DeepL, that say "and following" is to use. It seems to me like word-for-word translation without considering common speech.

So, please help me to replace "and following": (Thanks in advance)

Please refer to code of law page XYZ "and following" - especially to Article ABC "and following".


texts: Is there is a word that describes vehement disdain for people who are perceived to have a lower social status than one's self? I'm looking for a word that is to class-ism as bigotry is to racism.


texts: what is the difference between charlatan and chicanery?

texts:
I am skeptical abut the difference between the above two words. When I googled it shows charlatan is "a person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill." and chicanary is "trickery, deception"..In my case both are same synonyms ...But it doesn't show in google.

Please provide precise meaning between these two...


texts: What do you call someone moving arms and legs around much?

texts:
I'm trying to find a word or short description for someone who...

...May well wave their arms and legs around, but not in a clumsy, clowny way, not randomly, not without a purpose.
...Is not afraid of getting attention from physical expressions, but may not actively seek it either.
...Generally likes to move his\her body around, with no sports activities or physical tasks involved.

Some examples of the movement I'm talking about:

Dancing, especially without music or being the only one dancing around other people.
Stretching arms and legs far and wide while not alone.
Literally jumping around for being in a good mood (I'm talking about grown ups)
Likes to use the whole body to impersonate something or someone, when explaining or telling a story.

These people are usually extroverts, but 'extrovert' has way too broad meaning.


texts: If the prefix milli- means 1E-3, why does "million" mean 1E6?

texts: Is there a reason million diverges from the metric system convention?


texts: Is "You are good than him" somehow grammatically correct? I know that the indisputable sentence is "You are better than him". But still wanted to know if the former is correct in some context.


texts: Can “zealot” have a positive connotation?

texts:
A zealot is a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals.

I have never seen this word used with positive connotation, but could it (without causing raised eyebrows)? For example, “Gandhi was a zealot and should be admired by all who believe in non-violence.”

Also, do “zealous” and “zeal” carry the same connotation as “zealot”?


texts:
Question on the term: Take a gander. I've seen and heard it used in two different ways.

I'll take a look

Verb:
(idiomatic) To take a look; to check or examine.

They all went downtown to take a gander at the new shops that opened there.

I'll take a chance/gamble

Verb:
Take a gander is defined as to make an attempt or venture a guess.

An example of take a gander is when someone asks if you want to try to answer a hard question in a trivia game, or help to solve a puzzle that is being done.

Online, I see option 1 to be a more common usage.

Trying to get a feel on how many would or have used it the 2nd way.


texts: 'I am going nowhere' or 'I am not going anywhere'

texts:
Is there any difference between these sentences?

I am going nowhere.
I am not going anywhere.

And are they correct?


texts:
(a)  "The daughter of the colonel who had a black dress left
  the party."  (b)  "The daughter of the colonel who had a black
  mustache left the party."  (c)  "The daughter of the colonel who had a black hat left the party."

(a), (b), and (c) are grammatical, but, while (a) and (b) are understandable, I have some difficulties in understanding (c); more precisely, in (c) it is unclear, at least to me, whether the hat is the colonel's hat or the daughter's hat.

I wonder if it exists a grammar rule to decipher (c).

I searched for grammatical proximity without any useful result.


texts: Where can I find an "official" list of English graphemes?

texts:
Do you know of a list provided by some academic institution? I did find some lists, but I am unable to judge the quality and/or completeness of these:

This pdf, referenced here.
and this pdf, referenced here.

Background: I am trying to program a random name generator for project working titles, using the approach outlined here, by extracting graphemes from these downloadable free corpus samples and feeding it to some kind of markov chain.

UPDATE:

I used the Wikipedia list as suggested by @tchrist and the free COCA sample corpus referenced above. The approach worked quite well for my purposes. Here is a small random set of generated words for anyone interested:

Wanstasy, Indricis, Voformer, Colutove, Ingerstr, Tottione, Lspheres,
Umandsam, Extivelo, Pironoba, Zofiropr, Bingernt, Kitleron, Viewinef,
Juntialt, Enabbyth, Uplpofor, Everopeo, Heventri, Ntozzler, Buncener,
Granalse, Nocosacc, Randeren, Randantu, Caredyou, Ftedowla, Ncesnarr,
Ulilkien, Factitur, Grontoft, Noughtoo, Lackeded, Zofricsp, Viewedon,
Tuartand, Dossions, Kifreaps, Xicatage, Evertsom, Emorever, Manksgis,
Ponkiold, Nsualina, Atofficl, Mallitsi, Spmethir, Dayspeed, Anditout,
Xatofrse, Izamedoo, Bupleati, Plitteni, Failitha, Hinglood, Dcoveyou,


texts: Should I use "meet" or "know" when referring to a fictional character?

texts:
My native language is Portuguese, but I can understand a lot of English, especially when reading or listening to something. However, sometimes, I get stuck on a few things when writing.
When referring to a fictional character, should I use "meet" or "know"?

Marcus Kane is one of the most touching characters I've ever been
lucky enough to meet/know and certainly one of Ian's best works.

Thank you!


texts:
"Thou hast cleft my heart in twain" says Gertrude to Hamlet. 'Cleft' is from 'cleave' meaning divide or split. Yet, I often meet constructions such as 'clefts' 'clefted' or 'clefting' in the writings of English native speakers.
Has 'cleft' shifted to an infinitive in the modern usage? Or is it likely to?
Believe it or not I've also encountered this construction in a newspaper: 'He clefts my heart in twain'.
As a nonnative speaker of English I find this confusing.

Anyone to shed some light?


texts: Job market that is structured in favor of people looking for a position

texts:
seller's market (noun)
A market in which goods are scarce, buyers have a limited range of choice, and prices are high.

buyer's market (noun)
A market in which goods are plentiful, buyers have a wide range of choice, and prices tend to be low.

I am looking for a term that could concisely describe the job market in a way similar to the phrases seller's market and buyer's market.
e.g.

A   I'm not sure if I'll be able to find anther position in this area.
B   Don't worry, it's ... [phrase goes here] .

Is there a phrase that would work here?


texts: A question about single or plural form in math paper writing

texts:
I met the following problem in a math paper writing:

Suppose that a_i, i=1,2... are elements which satisfy some common property X. Then should I say

"a_i has property X" or "a_i have property X"?

I want to say all the elements have this property, but I just don't want to write "a_i, i=1,2..." at each time.


texts: What's the shortest length of time an "era" can be?

texts:
In day to day usage (by which I mean non-scientifically specific), what would you say is the shortest period of time an era could be?

Definitions of the word state:

  ...a long and distinct period of history with a particular feature or characteristic.

The thought occurred when I came across a text which said "from the World War II era". To me this seems a inaccurate use of the word (being ~6 years), but I can't find anything to backup my assertion that it needs to be longer than this.


texts: Shouldn’t “art” be “is” in “Our Father who art in heaven”?

texts:
The Lord’s Prayer begins in English:

  Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Shouldn’t it be who is there, not who art?  You would have said thou art and he is at the time this was written. See the Wikipedia article on Thou for example.


texts: 1607 writ by Edward Coke - Relative pronouns?

texts:
(Sir Edward) Coke further noted that
  legal disputes about such matters as inheritance of goods:

    are not to be decided by natural reason but by the artificial reason and judgment
    of law, which law is an art which requires long study and experience, before that
    a man can attain to the cognisance of it: that the law was the golden metwand
    and measure to try the causes of the subjects; and which protected his majesty in
    safety and peace. . . .

I know that this was written in 1607, but:

How would you determine the purpose of which? It doesn't sound like the modern relative pronoun; "which is an art which" sounds curious. This refers to Why does legal English sometimes repeat the antecedent noun after "which"?.
I think that is optional, but is it truly? Why or why not?

This doesn't duplicate; the linked question doesn't answer question 2.

Source: P13, How the Law Works, Gary Slapper


texts: "You've come to the right place!" vs "You came to the right place!"

texts:
I have to write this on a website, which one is better?

  Are you looking for [...](description of our service)? You've come / You came to the right place!


texts: What does it mean by an "instinct" in this context?

texts:
Was it about the government's instinct (feeling) that such wage restraint efforts could transform the country into an economic giant? Would someone help me to clarify this?

Underlying Germany’s surplus is a decades-old accord between business and unions in favour of wage restraint to keep export industries competitive (see article). Such moderation served Germany’s export-led economy well through its postwar recovery and beyond. It is an instinct that helps explain Germany’s transformation since the late 1990s from Europe’s sick man to today’s muscle-bound champion.

Why Germany's current-account surplus is bad for the world economy, The Economist, July 8 2017 http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21724810-country-saves-too-much-and-spends-too-little-why-germanys-current-account-surplus-bad


texts: "The oxen's poop is all over the place"?

texts:
Apostrophes are used to show ownership. If the thing that owns something is plural, then we are supposed to put the apostrophe after the "s". For example:

"Three cats' toys are all over the floor"

But what if the plural thing does not end in an "s". For example "oxen" is the plural of ox but does not end in an "s". So if we want to say "the poop from the oxen is all over the place", how do you say this using an apostrophe?


texts:
Is it grammatically incorrect to use a verb with multiple meanings so that the meanings are used at once?

I'm thinking of a line from the classic Flanders Swann song Madeira M’Dear:

  … he hastened to put out the cat, the wine, his cigar and the lamps.

Is there a name for this kind of structure?


texts: How did "owly" come to mean irritable or grouchy?

texts:
I am curious about the history of "owly" to mean irritable, grumpy, or uncooperative.

The Word Detective explains (but doesn't substantiate) that the association derives from the fact that many owls have tufts of feathers above their eyes which resemble the furrowed brow of a grumpy old man. Seems a bit specious to me, particularly since I thought we associated owls primarily with wisdom.

Also:  is this usage - as a colleague insists - truly limited to northeastern US and eastern Canada?


texts: Is the phrase Comfort Room to mean rest room acceptable in English?

texts: In the Philippines, people label the "rest rooms" with the letters CR which stands for "Comfort Room". Is this acceptable?


texts: What should come after 'us', 'is' or 'are'?

texts: Should it be "every single one of us is" or "every single one of us are"? seeing as 'us' is a plural term, should the word 'are' come afterwards?


texts: What is the term that represents knowing, and not knowing what it is like not to know?

texts:
I am seeking the word that means something similar to "when you know something (such as knowing how to ride a bicycle) and you do not know what it is (or what it feels) like to not know it."

Examples may be:

0) When one has learned about a topic so extensively that explaining it to another person and not knowing what another person knows about that topic can be difficult. If this topic was programming, the person who learned so much about it may see many things on the computer in a completely different way than someone who knows very little about programming. Topics that could produce similar situations that can occur in every day life could be art, aviation, physics, and philosophy.

1) When one performs an activity so frequently or in such a way that attempting to understand why a person at a lower skill level doing it in a different way (for whatever reason) or explaining how to do what the performer is doing can be difficult. @ermanen's answer.

2) ~If a person was doing something (gaming, working out, eating with certain rules) so often, and that person expected others to do the same and could not understand why others do not do the same.

3) ~The state of nature.

4) "It’s not really possible to know how to ride a bicycle and not know what it is like not to know this, since nobody is born knowing how to ride a bicycle. If anything, you don’t remember what being unable to ride a bicycle is like. Seeing or hearing would be better examples: those of us who are born seeing/hearing simply do not know what it feels like to be blind/deaf. I don’t think there is a specific word for this state, though; ‘presupposition’ is one (well, several) practical outcomes of one aspect of this, but it doesn’t really fit as a description of the state itself." - @Janus Bahs Jacquet's comment.

5) "If it's a learned behavior, you've absorbed it, it's become instinctive, it's in your bones. If it's a part of you anyway, could you say you're consciously unconscious of it or even unconsciously conscious of it?" - @Leon Conrad's comment.

~ = maybe or similar, it may not be in the same exact term, however, adding in more examples may make it easier for some to connect the dots so to speak.


texts: "Hitch in my get along", or "Hitch in my gitty up"

texts: What is the origin of the pharse, " Hitch in my get along, or gitty up"? I understand the meaning, but would like to find out the origin.


texts:
Can one say 'throttle up'? The OED only lists 'throttle down':

  (throttle back or down) reduce the power of an engine or vehicle by use of the throttle.


texts: Word for consciously doing something without knowing that it is already a thing

texts:
I'm looking for a single word, possibly ending in "-consciously", that represents doing something socially common that you were not aware had a name or a greater context.

For example, many people have played Huckle buckle beanstalk (the hotter or colder finding things game) without knowing the name or thinking that it is even considered a game.

Someone learning the term for the first time might say "I've subconsciously played that game with my friends for years." But that's not quite right since they were consciously engaging in the activity, they just didn't know it was a proper game.

Is there a word that can replace subconsciously?

(I know that something like "I've never heard that term but I've been playing that with my friends for years" would also work, but I feel it could be shorter.)


texts: I am wondering whether spider-like and spider-looking mean the same thing to native speakers. A friend from New Zealand describes something looking like a spider with "spider-looking". However when I googled the word, I can only find spider-like.


texts: Name for a street that goes through the green area

texts:
I am looking for a word for this type of road: http://imgur.com/2DCwEpW

Some sort of alley that goes through the lawn and surrounded by trees all the way along it, through which transport can move (not specifically trams).

On the picture, you could see that the rails are located in between of two roads, but that's not important. The accent is made upon the green path, which could be a separate road as well.


texts:
Raj is not only brave but also clever.
Is it Compound sentence? What are the two main clauses?


texts:
I am watching Grace and Frankie, S2:E9 in which Robert and John are talking to each other at a park. John asks him the reason for coming out the closet so late, to which Robert replies that he fell in love.

John then goes on to say, “Maybe we’re the lucky ones”.

Robert: How’s that?

John: When you come out young these days, it’s difficult to avoid the near occasion of sin.

Robert: Amen.


texts: What's the subtle difference between certificate and credential?


texts: what does "the rearing, reeling of silk" mean?

texts:
There is a part of the advertisement:

  Education and enjoyment go hand in hand so at th Lullingstone Silk Farm witness the unique rearing, reeling and production of English silk, as supplied to royalty.

I have looked up the word rearing

  1 the process of caring for children as they grow up, teaching them how to behave as members of society

  2 the process of breeding animals or birds and caring for them as they
  grow

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 9th edition © Oxford University Press, 2015
There is no result related to material and the word reeling is also hard to understand.
By the way, why did the writer use as supplied to royalty but not as a supply to royalty.


texts:
What is the literary term for a sentence that contrasts two things with "but" between them.
example:A wise son brings honor to his father but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.


texts: A question concerning use of simple past and present perfect tense

texts:
Do you think you saw me somewhere before
Or
Do you think you have seen me somewhere before
In my grammar books it says that the Present Perfect is never used with adverbs of past time. In such cases the past tense is used. However it also says that the present perfect is used to express past actions whose time isn't given and not definite.
In the first sentence an adverb of past time is mentioned before according to the book's rules the past tense should be used. But I feel like the latter is correct. Please tell which is right with the reason.


texts: How do you cheer angrily without being insulting?

texts:
I am trying to describe individuals who are watching a competition (e.g., any sporting event) but they are unhappy with how the result is going. Specifically, consider the subs of the losing team sitting on the bench. If they were happy, I would say they are cheering, but they are in fact very angry and disappointed because they are losing.
I could use "jeered" or "catcalled," but that is quite disrespectful, which usually the members of the same team would not do to each other; instead, they would perhaps be shouting angrily and disappointedly, but not in a rude way that perhaps fans might. So, something in between a cheer and a jeer.
e.g., The rest of the team looked on as yet another goal was missed, they got to their feet and ______ at their team members on the court/field.


texts: What conjunction is used with "comparative analysis"?

texts: It is certain that after the phrase comparative analysis the preposition of follows and that after the first element compared the conjuction and is usually used. But can the conjunction and be replaced with the conjuction with in such cases? For example: the comparative analysis of the ideal model of girlhood with the real experiences of girls. Are there any other posibilities to use the phrase comparative analysis, i.e. using between etc.?


texts: Sometimes people tell me that I should avoid using "you" in formal writing and insist on telling me to use "one" ("One should not use 'you'" as opposed to "You should not use 'you'"). Are there any rules governing the use of these two words in formal writing?


texts: What is a less offensive synonym for "retarded"?

texts:
I occasionally use "retarded" when chastising myself or other friends. I know it's not Politically Correct, but am I only allowed to say stupid? How long before we can't say that anymore?

Other words like "ignorant" don't work well because well, I don't like that word because it's misunderstood (even though it works well for how I say retarded . . for me it's like if you don't know something you should know).


texts: is it correct if i say:" This result is a merit of the strategy which you have taught us."?

texts: is it correct if i say:" This result is a merit of the strategy which you have taught us." ??


texts: Place is followed by time, but is it always?

texts:
What I mean is: in a sentence like "I go to school in the city centre every morning." the place must always precede the time.

I am looking at a sentence that says: "established in 2010 in London, this facility is characterized by its high-end equipment".

Would this sentence still be correct, or do the place and time need to be switched?


texts: Meaning of "My friend, who lives in Paris, is a teacher" with and without commas

texts:
Can anyone help me understand the difference in meaning between these two sentences?

  My friend who lives in Paris is a teacher.
  My friend, who lives in Paris, is a teacher.

To me it seems they convey the same meaning, however the latter better structures the sentence.

I came across this in the following question:

  How would you explain to a learner of English the difference in
  meaning between the following pairs of sentences?


texts:
It would be great if someone could explain this sentence structure to me:

"Why is it that you don't like me?"

I don't understand how all of the components come together.
What is the link between it and that?
Is "that you don't like me" a relative clause that modifies "it"?
Is "it" the subject?
Thank you in advance.


texts: Comma with 'who' in this specific sentence

texts:
Can you shed light into this?

The coach came to the defence of the player who has been sacked from the team following his differences with the captain.

OR

The coach came to the defence of the player, who has been sacked from the team following his differences with the captain.

Isn't the subordinate clause that begins with 'who', non-restrictive?


texts: How to construct the -ish form of a compund adjective?

texts: Will it be yellow-greenish, yellowish-greenish or yellowish-green?


texts:
Which is correct?

  The English Stack Exchange user with the ID of 5481 is me.

  The English Stack Exchange user with the ID of 5481 is myself.


texts:
China’ government faces a lot  of challenges in global politics and
  domestic politics. On the side of global politics, it is criticized
  for its lack of moral courage to take side in conflicts. On the side
  of domestic politics, the people are not contended with only living as
  a happy pig, they start to struggle for political freedom.
  (self-made)

I only know the use of “on the side of” in expressions like “to err on the side of…”, not sure whether “on the side of “ is good  here. Is there any another alternative? For example, “in the respect of”.


texts: Starting sentence with "indeed" to complete previous statement

texts:
Is it correct to add a sentence that starts with indeed in order to complete a previous statement? For example,

  The political crisis has a negative influence on the economy.
  Indeed, foreign investments have never been as low.

Is it recommended to start a sentence with indeed in a research paper?


texts:
I told Cindy we would not be able to eat American Chinese food again for a couple of years, once we moved to Shanghai.

I told Cindy we would not be able to eat American Chinese food again for a couple of years, once we move to Shanghai.

CONTEXT: We have not moved yet. It will happen in the future. But I am recording a conversation that happened in the past--a few hours ago.
My question is: Should I write "once we moved to Shanghai" or "once we move to Shanghai"?
That is, should I use "moved" (#1) in order to be consistent with the tense in the rest of the sentence?

Update (16 hours later): When I wrote my question last night I didn't realise that the tense of "will" should be, and in this case can be consistent with the tense of "move". It is true the impossibility of eating American Chinese food (I crave General Tso's chicken) will occur in the future. I feel now more comfortable saying "I told Cindy that we will not..., once we move...".


texts:
I used in a sentence:   your most memorable dream.
I meant it as the dream I thought of first.
It was interpreted as the dream which is remembered with the most detail.

Memorable means, "worth remembering" or "easily remembered." I looked at recall and it means, "to bring back from memory." I didn't think that fit.

Can I use memorable in my sentence and have it mean "thought of first" or is there a better word? What word would I use to state "remembered with the most detail."


texts: Is "of course" just a warning that something is NOT obvious?

texts:
I've come to feel that the phrase "of course" is just a warning that--perk up!--something is NOT "of course." Consider these examples:

NY Times: "There is of course a difference between speculative bubbles caused by greed and psychological ones born of fear."
NY Times: “Corporations are people, my friend,” Mr. Romney responded, as the hecklers shouted back, “No, they’re not!” “Of course they are,” Mr. Romney said, chuckling slightly.

I'm afraid that in neither of those cases is it obvious to me where truth resides. "Obviously" is another warning flag to me that something is NOT obvious. Does anybody feel the same way?


texts: Can we use design and make in this sentence

texts:
I know that we usually say:
We make/produce films.
But my teacher said we can also say:
We design films.
Is it correct to say designing films?


texts: "Is there living in space?" vs "Is there life in space?" what is the rule or convention?

texts:
My Russian-speaking friend recently used this one in asking me a question: "do you think there is living in space?" while using the gerund "living" in place of a noun.

To me it sounds horribly wrong--I would say: "do you think there is life in space?" or "do you think there are living things in space?" but I'm having trouble justifying this with an actual rule or convention on why.

I want to say that the definition of "living" as a gerund or noun refers to the condition of being alive and not a living thing itself, and can't be a replacement for the word "life", but I'm not confident that this is really the reason.


texts: "Duplicated" vs "multiplicated" - for an element copied multiple times

texts:
Let's say I have an Excel sheet and I need to make sure I have unique rows in the sheet.

There are rows, however, which are the same and present in the sheet 2 or more times.

Now, if there is one copy of another row, I'd say the row is "duplicated". But what is the correct form in the case when a row is copied 2+ times? Does "duplicated" still make sense? Or should I say the row is "multiplicated" (which sound a bit off, for some reason)?


texts:
I have this sentence in my bachelor's thesis:

After a paragraph describing an accommodation subprocess (set of activities)...
Basically, there are two potential optimizations to this subprocess.
...then a paragraph describing two possible optimizations.

Is it correct to use optimization to in this context? I didn't find any similar expression on the web.


texts: Word to describe someone who fears the strong but bullies the weak

texts: A person who shows respect towards or fears those who are strong, aggressive, always ready to fight when pushed around or something unfair happens to them, but bullies the weak or those who dare not speak for themselves or fight back when treated unfairly or badly. What do we call this kind of people? Is there one word (adjective or noun) for that?


texts: Need help deciphering the meaning behind a phrase spoken in 1893

texts:
While trying to find a word that describes someone as having a fondness/interest in microbes, I stumbled across this Nature news article in 1893 that utilized the word, "bacillophil" seen below:

A WELL-KNOWN English writer a short time ago informed the public that
Prof. von Pettenkofer, the distinguished veteran in sanitary science
in Munich, expressed the opinion that "the atmospheric envelope of
this globe is at present in a bacillophil humour." Expressions such
as these have been repeatedly used in one form or another, some more,
some less witty; the intention being, of course, to convey an
exagerated impression of the frame of mind of over-zealous
enthusiasts. By such expressions more or less distinguished speakers
and writers have been enabled to exhibit the smartness of their
phraseology.

The issue I have is not being able to clearly understand the humor Pettenkofer expressed in the quoted sentence.
Could a linguist help me understand what the sentence mean in an 1893-context?
Thanks!
side note, it seems that there actually isn't a definitive English word that describes someone as having a significant fondness in microbes--at least not in any dictionaries that I've looked through so far.
Reference:
Bacteria, their Nature and Function. Nature 48, 82–87 (1893). https://doi.org/10.1038/048082b0


texts: Does the term "farm-to-table" as a contemporary food movement derive from early 20th century govt. programs?

texts:
One of the hot phrases of the day for foodies in the United States is farm to table.  This "social movement" is described in good detail on Wikipedia, however, there is no mention of how old the term is, whether it was popularized by any particular subset of this social movement, or whether it traces back decades or even centuries.

Searching newspaper archives does show a tremendous spike in the term in the past several years, but interestingly there was also a lot of use of the phrase around 1915, usually referring to a government program where consumers could purchase commodities directly from farmers by post at reasonable prices.

1915 - The Oshkosh Northwestern (Oshkosh, WI) 3 April 16/2 (paywall)

Google NGram seems to suggest that the term never really disappeared from its early uses referring to these government programs through today, where the term is very trendy and often used by the eco-conscious.

So does the term farm to table as it is fashionably used today to refer to a lifestyle choice focused around environmental awareness and nutrition derive from earlier uses of the term that had meanings related to government programs that delivered parcels of food by mail?  Or was the term coined separately with regard to the contemporary use?

For a bonus, are there other meanings this phrase has held over the last century?  Did its earliest sense in fact derive from government programs or was the phrase around even before that?


texts: Word that describes someone who believes all their actions are justified.

texts: I was wondering if there is a word for someone who believes all their actions are justified. Like they believe their ideology is the best one there even if it is against society set morals.


texts: Should I avoid using a phrase that is commonly misused?

texts:
The phrase "Doesn't do nothing" is often used when a person actually means,  "Doesn't do anything."

Should I avoid using this phrase? Generally, I would, but in my context, I want to negate what I had said previously.

Example:

I wrote that clicking a button does nothing. Later on, I found out that it does do something, so I want to write that I was wrong and that it, in fact, doesn't do nothing but does x.

Is it okay to write it like this or should I avoid it because people commonly misuse this phrase to mean the opposite?


texts: Single word for "continuous improvement"

texts: I'm looking for a noun that represents the idea of ongoing improvement. It needs to be directional, alluding to movement and progress. "Improvement" by itself isn't right because it suggests that something is broken and needs fixing. All help is appreciated.


texts: What is the etymology of the shift dress?

texts:
A shift dress is a type of woman's dress. But what is the etymology of the word shift in this sense? Did shift simply mean "shirt" at some point?

The earliest quote from the OED which has shift in this meaning is:

  1957   M. B. Picken Fashion Dict. 293/1   Shift,..loose dress hanging
  straight from shoulders, with fulness closely belted at waistline.


texts:
I came across the word, ‘scooplet’ in a statement by a New York Times reporter in the "What we are reading" section (October 24). In it, Carolyn Ryan introduces Time Machine written by Kitty Kelley with this preamble:

  The story setting off buzz in political circles right now is not a recent scooplet or Trump-driven feud. It is a newly unearthed 1974 profile of Joe Biden. The story is startlingly (and almost too) candid about Mr. Biden’s personal life after losing his wife and daughter in a car accident in 1972.

From the suffix, “let,” I can easily assume ‘scooplet’ means a small scoop, but I don’t find the word in English dictionaries at hand, nor in Oxford Dictionaries and Cambridge Online Dictionaries. GoogleNgram doesn't show this word.

Only www.wordnik answers “Sorry, no definition found,” instead showing an example:

  There's been a mad dash to break these Marianne Gingrich scooplets, and the Washington Post has their own interview with Marianne Gingrich on the matter of this "open marriage.

Is "scooplet” a new or relatively recent word?

Though I understand "scoop" is basically a journalism-related term, can I use "scooplet” in a personal topic in such a way as "Tom, I have a scooplet about Betty’s new boyfriend” or “I got a scooplet that my boss received money under the table from subcontractors”?


texts: Single Word for Telling a Narrative that Spans Over a Character's Lifetime

texts:
I am looking for the appropriate word for a kind of narrative that covers a large time period in someone's life, or is a summary of their entire life. A desired sentence would be as such:

"That song is written in the style of ____ , so you will know what happens to the character towards the end."

All I can think of is to include the word "life", such as "life narrative" or "life chronicle" but this doesn't seem to capture what I want.


texts:
In the movie  Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), there is a scene where Peter and his friend Ned are in Aunt May's car before they go to Liz's party. Aunt May says this line to Ned:

  May: Ned, some hats wear men. You wear that hat.

I know she is complimenting Ned, but I don't understand why it is.
What does "some hats wear men" mean?


texts: Where can I find a modern English version of King James’s “Counterblaste to Tobacco”?

texts:
I find A Counterblaste to Tobacco by James I very interesting. Many people are under the impression that anti-tobacco sentiment began in the last century, and this document pretty thoroughly refutes that.

I've read a modern "translation" of the translators' preface to the King James Bible. To professional students of English, such a thing is not necessary. But to many members of the public, it is. So does anyone know where I could find a modern rendering of James' Counterblaste?


texts: "more of a"or "too much of a" in a plural sense

texts:
Using "more of a" and "too much of a" is quite common, but when it comes to pluralizing these expressions, things become more complicated. I've never seen someone use these with a plural subject – I just see people rephrasing:

  "He is too much of an idiot to understand."

  "They are too stupid to understand."

Something I have always wondered about is whether you can pluralize those two expressions, something like "They are too much of ... ". But I cannot think of any way it would be used in the plural.


texts:
"It doesn't seem that she knows what it means."

I know the sentence above is correct.
But I wonder if the following sentence is grammatically right, too.

"It seems that she doesn't know what it means."

Is it okay to use "It seems that + negative form"
in written English??


texts: "Bridging X and Y" or "bridging X with Y"?

texts:
Which is the correct (or more correct) version of this phrase and why?

  Bridging ancient wisdom with contemporary science
  Bridging ancient wisdom and contemporary science.


texts:
There was the following sentence in a pretty old (October 7, 2013) article of New York Times titled, “A Jew not quite English enough,” which comments on the life and lifestyle of Ralph Miliband, the late father of David Miliband, Britain’s former foreign secretary and of Ed Milliband, the leader of the Labour Party.

  In his book “Anglomania,” Ian Buruma wrote to Win: “This is indeed an
  old, old story . Keep quiet, use code, ignore the occasional comments
  about “pushiness” or “flashiness” or “stinginess” or Jewish behavior”
  or a comment about a Jewish woman’s “great conk of a nose." This afterall, is no more than genteel prejudice, harmless enough, unlike the Continental brand that Ralph Miliband fled**.”

I don’t understand what “a Jewish woman’s “great conk of a nose” means. What does it mean? Is it just a description of a physical feature, or special attitudes of “a” Jewish woman?

We have a popular Japanese idiom, “鼻っ柱が強い- hanappashira ga tsuyoi,” of which literal translation is “(have) a tough bridge of the nose, and it means a self-assertive, stubborn and sometimes quarrelsome person who would never concede.

I wonder if “hanappashira ga tsuyoi” is close to “great conk of a nose” in meaning.
Furthermore, is “great conk of a nose” politically incorrect expression?


texts:
I have two questions about this analogy from an SSAT practice test:

  Silk is to worm as

  A. honey is to bee

  B. corn is to pop

  C. bread is to wheat

  D. egg is to chicken

  E. frog is to croak

Their explanation is:

  By now, you have seen several types of analogies involving objects or individuals and activities. There is the object-to-activity analogy (chisel is to carve), as well as the individual-to-activity analogy (tourist is to sightsee). The sequence presented here is another variation, this time involving insects. To answer this question correctly, you will need to know that worm and silk appear in the stem [I don't understand what that means] because silk is produced by a species of worm. Similarly, honey is produced by bees.

I don't get why A is better than D.  What gives A the edge over D?  Their so-called explanation doesn't clarify that.  What am I missing here?


texts: How to ask properly: "how grave a mistake is"?

texts:
I Googled the following sentence:

“how serious is the mistake” and it produced only 5 hits! Does it mean the sentence is ungrammatical? I then tried Googling “how serious is the error” and only got 27 hits. Is that ungrammatical too? What mistake am I making?

How do I reformulate my question, in order to make it correct?


texts:
In order to improve my English listening/understanding ability, I listen several different documentaries at least 5 minutes per day. These documentaries are generally produced by BBC. They are in British English accent as you know. Is this a good selection? I mean that should I listen which one, American or British English accent? Which person (having English or American accent) can easier understand other accent (American or English accent).

By the way, I open any other suggestion about listening because I saw that it is very useful for my language improvement in all dimensions.


texts: "learnings" to talk about things that were learned but that were not taught

texts:
I understand that the use of learnings is very controversial. Some say you can't use it, while others say, "there is nothing wrong with teachings, so why with learnings?".

I want to use learnings not as the action of learning something (a lesson) but as a list of things that are being learned and that have been learned.

Often the suggestion to replace learnings in this context is lessons.

Lessons implies:
1) the process: things that have been taught (directly or indirectly such as a life lesson)
2) the action: of learning
3) the result: the thing that has been learned

In all the three cases, a lesson is taught by someone or something and it has a direction or a goal or is seen as having a kind of sense (a lesson of math makes you clever, a lesson of life wiser).

Some examples:

Performing an art requires some complex learnings to survive.
Species need to make some learnings (epigenetics is a kind of learning/adaptation).

Don't you think "lesson" would be inappropriate?
I heard that "we can't quantify a [single] learning", but we can "teach a lesson", and you can quantify a lesson (a general lesson can contain little lessons). So why not quantifying a learning that is not a lesson? The problem is to explain the difference between both since apparently no word could define precisely what a learning is made of.

I am looking for a word that only keeps the meaning 2 and 3 but that would not imply the teaching part: "several things have been learned, but no lesson has been taught (not even what positive or negative 'life lesson'). You would not talk about 'evolutionary lessons' for instance. The things learned had no goals: learning just happened".

To illustrate this point, think about a fish. It did not really have to be taught to breathe underwater and to reproduce, but somehow by evolution, the fish learned it, not strictly speaking at the individual scale but at the species scale. We could talk about "evolutionary skills". Those skills have been acquired without teaching but they are still in a way "learned" through many failed and successful adaptations and epigenetics which is a kind of innate learning.

It comes handy also when speaking about animal social learnings, at least when we consider the "learnings" that have been learned (and accumulated through generations) but that hasn't been "taught" (not even vaguely through positive or negative "life lessons". I'm talking about evolutionary skills, like the fish example).

Would you agree with the use of learnings in this case?

EDIT1: Imagine "learning" as a result (of a learning process). If it was commonly accepted in English, would you see the differences between some "social learnings" and some "social lessons"? I struggle to define precisely this difference (in French it's easy to see the difference between them since we use two words). I guess this "teaching" connotation (directly or indirectly) that bother me.

EDIT2: The topic might be tricky because it talks about the line between nature and nurture. Some believe that this line is becoming more and more blurry, some people start to think that they are no line at all (can we really change more easily our environment than our innate nature?). Imagine a kind of learning that would be halfway between innate and nurture, or even a learning that would be more innate than "nurture" (like specific epigenetics "learnings"). Don't you think "learnings" would come handy to talk about this last one?


texts:
I need sleep, whereas you seem to need not. (self-made)

When I first say “need”, I use it not as a modal verb, but an ordinary verb. So in the second part of the sentence the “need” is still an ordinary verb. It seems only modal verbs or auxiliary verbs can use the structure like “verb+ not” instead of “do/does not + verb?  Therefore I cannot say “you seem to need not” here, and better say “you seem to need none”?


texts:
I received a newsletter from my University that read, "Are you promoting innovation, diversity, and excellence at [university name]?"

I was with a friend and we both saw the email on our phones. I quipped "Nope. I'm an agent of mediocrity, exclusion, and ..." but I couldn't think of a good antonym for innovation in this context.

What would a good opposite of innovation have been?


texts:
"The most important thing I took away from my work experience" + "was that a great teacher is compassionate" or "is that a great teacher is compassionate"?

Which tense is correct? Present because I still have the thing I took away or past because I took it away from a past event?


texts:
I am quoting from the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Reigate Squires by Arthur Conan Doyle:
"'There are some very singular points here,'said Holmes, smiling. 'Is it not extraordinary that a burglar - and a burglar who had had some previous experience- should deleberately break into a house at a time when he could see from the lights that two of the family were still afoot'. 'He must have been a cool hand'". I found the following sources:

finedictionary.com which kind of doesn't fit in the context, and

thesaurus.com which perfectly fits in the context, but I couldn’t find this meaning in any of several online dictionaries.


texts: Etymology of the expression "make a larry", i.e. turn left

texts: Where I live (Canada) people sometimes say "hang a larry" or "make a larry" when they mean turn left, like when they're driving. I'm at a dinner party and we're trying to figure out where this expression came from. Can you help us? We promise to laugh heartily.


texts:
What's the difference between the two sentences and which one is grammatically correct:

"She is the best and wisest girl in the class.",

"She is the best and the wisest girl in the class."?


texts: Is the comma usage correct in this? Why?

texts:
So, the commas in this are driving me crazies. It comes from a Stephen King book, but I don't understand why specific commas are used in this structure.

Still, the editors said, his story, "Outside Marty's House," was an extraordinary mature work.


texts: Who was the first person to use the phrase "fun fact"

texts:
I want to know when the first known use of the phrase *fun fact" was.

When, where, or who first used the phrase fun fact to mean a small tit-bit of information?


texts: However, conflicting orders and German diversants operating in the rear disrupted both attacks and led to chaos in the Polish ranks.


texts: Syntax for "doesn't do this thing" but "will"

texts:
Working on this sentence:

  I look forward to iOS in the Car so the one clock that doesn't set itself automatically will.

Recognizing that it (intentionally) feels non-standard, is it grammatically correct? Or should there be a comma before "will"?


texts:
I had done some researched online, but i can't find any answer to this question.

1) Can Auxiliary Verb "do/does/did" take present tense after it?

2) Is the auxiliary verb "have/has/had" only take past participle?


texts: "Attending Events displays stored data" or "Attending Events display stored data"?

texts:
I am having a discussion with my manager over the correct verbiage to display in a dialog on a mobile application. Could you please help us identify which statement is correct in the English language and also the reason why the 's' is or is not required in the word displays.

Option 1 (mine): "Attending Events displays stored data."
Option 2 (his): "Attending Events display stored data."

To provide some context around the verbiage being displayed in the dialog, the dialog displays on a page in the mobile application that user is viewing is called "Attending Events". This page displays a list of events that the user has marked as attending. Since the data is stored when the user is offline we need to provide the user a informational dialog with the correct verbiage as this is a business requirement.


texts: Expend vs. Spend: is my understanding of the semantic difference between "Expend" and "Spend" correct?

texts:
I, sort of, tried to handpick the best resources and dictionaries for the semantic comparison/distinction of these two words. From those, I will share the definitions by the dictionaries I mainly tend to use.
Cambridge Dictionary
defines Expend, as:

Verb [T]: to use or spend time, effort, or money.

defines Spend, as:

Verb [I or T]: to give money as a payment for something:

Collins Dictionary
defines Expend as:

Verb: To expend something, especially energy, time, or money, means to use it or spend it.

defines Spend as:

Verb: When you spend money, you pay money for things that you want.

Is my understand correct, that:
Expend serves a bit more generic purpose in the cases, where we want to apply semantics of the Consuming some finite resource, be it a money, energy, fuel, or etc.
whilst
Spend defines exclusively the meaning of Spending money for something?


texts:
Is the "of" in the following sentence mandatory, old-fashioned or ungrammatical?

  I am quite "of" a beginner.

In my research, I saw that in many cases the "of" tends to be dropped. For example: "many years" is preferred to the old-fashioned "many a year".


texts: Name for title used before a name for phonetic or rhythmic reasons

texts:
Often, when people are announced or mentioned in the news, their name is prefixed by a title that gives rhythm and balance to the sound of their name. For example, we sometimes hear "Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi". I'm pretty sure his title is not "strongman", but this prefix gives rhythm and balance to his name.

I have a vague recollection long ago of knowing the origin of this practice (Chaucer, I think) and a name for it. I've tried every way of searching for it, but I can't find it. Am I remembering wrong, or is there a word or phrase for this?


texts: what is a single word for a quest or journey of self discovery

texts: i need assistance with finding a single word to describe a quest (non religious) for self discovery. i have already tried looking in a thesaurus, to no avail.


texts: Word, Phrase or idiom describing information intended to be concluded

texts:
This is a problem i stumbled upon multiple times while writing papers and presentations:

I am searching for a word or phrase which references information intended to be concluded during an activity. I once heard the phrase "take away" being used in the context, but am not sure whether this is actually a correct term or just badly applied language.

Some examples of usage would be:

Your "take away" of this lecture should be
The "take away" of the paper is that
This meeting's "take away" is

Please note that I would prefer a non-colloquial term and am trying to avoid "conclusion", which doesn't feel quite right in the context. Thank you!


texts:
I have a word in the Arabic language that is transliterated into Mushib in English. It means Verbose. I need to enforce the pronunciation of this word to be Mus-Hib (Without pronouncing the sh sound)

Is there a way that's better than using a "-" (dash)?


texts:
When should 'the' be pronounced 'thuh' and when 'thee'?

I heard that 'the' should be used as 'thee' before vowels and in some particular cases. All other cases should employ 'thuh'. What are the 'particular cases'?

And when is 'a' pronounced 'eh' and when 'uh'?


texts:
Put the verbe in the correct tense

"On this occasion we did, but once inside in the establishment we wished we ____ (not go) in.

I would say "we wished we didn't go in"


texts:
I remember hearing once a three-part expression but have not been able to remember or find the third part in years.

Curiosity killed the cat.
Satisfaction brought him back.

What is the third?


texts:
I see 'debilitating' a lot and I've always inwardly considered it a shortening (if you'll pardon my insular attitude, even an Americanisation) of the longer word 'dehabilitating', in the same vein as words like airplane and esophagus.

It's taken me until recently to actually Google the words and I find very few uses of the latter – enough to confine it to the refuse heap of "common mistakes" – but I wonder if it doesn't have some archaic root or extinct word with which it is being confused, as it seems like rather a few people are picking up on what would otherwise be a fairly arbitrary extension to the word.

Any ideas?


texts: Can I say "please, fill the form previously"?

texts: Our program requires a "group name" to be specified in advance in order for a user to be able to assign someone to the group. If a user tries to assign someone to a non-existent group, the program displays an error saying "please, fill the group name previously". I have a wrong feeling about that, I would rather made it say something like "please, fill the group name in the form first".


texts:
can I say that

I am on the day 19th of fasting from rudeness, backingbiting, cursing, food and drinking during the daylight.

I will include you in my prayer


texts: How to ask if someone is doing the same thing as before without using "still" for negative connotations?

texts:
"So, X, are you still living in Y?"

"So, A, are you still working at B?"

For a conversation opener or continuer, is there an alternative way to enquire, interest, about someone elses situation without using the word "still"?
I should say I'm not a fan of "still" used in this way as a conversation opener and prefer to find another way to open or continue a converation.
I'm not a fan because I feel in this context, "still" seems to me put down the other person, especially if they reply yes. I certainly don't like to be asked a question like this. It has the implication of suggesting that the receiver is an underachiever or lacking of ambition.
For the wonderful diverse language that English is, with many ways to say something, this enquiring question demonstrates the potential negative sense of the word still.


texts: What is the meaning of "down front" as in "How do you think that’s gonna play down front?"

texts:
"- How do you think that’s gonna play down front?" It's from the movie called "Spotlight"

Specific context: two journalists of The Boston Globe have just come out from an editors' meeting where the new editor-in-chief proposed them to investigate on a case of sexual abuse allegedly committed by a Catholic priest, and they comment on that, wondering how the paper's publisher (a Mr. Gilman) will react at such proposal.

According to the translation, "how will the higher people react?"

Now, can you explain how this translation works out?
What does this expression mean by “down front” in this context?
How about “play"?
What does the pronoun “that” refer to?

Thanks in advance for your help.


texts: How do you use "timbre of the times" and what does it mean? I read: Given the timbre of the times, I wouldn't have done it. Thanks.


texts:
I wonder if I could omit the second 'visit' in such sentence:

  You have to visit all the places, which she wants to (visit)

Would it be correct?
 Thanks in advance
:)


texts: "solution" vs. "approach" in academic writing

texts:
I have been trying to understand the differences between solution and approach, as well as when to use which. For instance, what are the differences between the following sentences?

Different solutions to A can be categorized into two categories.
Different approaches to A can be classified into two categories.

I have the impression that a solution implies a permanent, final, and correct way that provides a definitive answer to a problem. A solution is applicable only for problems where the right answer exists, such as "the solution of a linear equation."

On the other hand, I think an approach is more applicable to scenarios where it is unclear whether it is possible to reach an optimal definitive answer. It needs to be used as an attempt to address some problem without necessarily truly solves the problem.

Thanks!


texts: A word or term for a physical type of a prize?

texts: Is there any phrase with the word "prize" that would describe that the prize is a material one? I.e. you would get some kind of a product or thing, not money.


texts: "One of my friends" vs "a friend of mine"

texts:
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, page 717, reads

[16] quantified NP has scope over frequency adjunct
One of my friends has been sacked two or three times in the last few
months

When expressing the possessive, is there any difference between these two structures in general?
Do both imply that the same friend got sacked each time?


texts: Plural of "copula", does "copulas" or "copulae" sound more professional?

texts:
When talking in linguistics topics about the word "to be" and its foreign language equivalents like Spanish "ser" and "estar", the name of this kind of special verb is "copula".

But copula has two plural forms:

Regular English plural: "copulas"
Irregular Latin plural: "copulae"

In a formal context as linguists might use, which sounds more "professional"? Does the Latin irregular seem "more correct and erudite" or "too pompous"?

Please note I'm not asking for prescriptive vs descriptive debate or plain vanilla "most frequent" as a simple Google Ngram would provide. As far as I'm concerned both are correct, I just want to narrow it down to how professionals use it in the given context.


texts: In present-tense narrative, does "I spend the NEXT few hours..." make sense?

texts:
I'm writing a novel in present-tense. If all the actions are in the present-tense, e.g. as the character is experiencing them, does the phrase, "I spend the next few hours pondering about it" make sense then? Doesn't it seem like a flashback instead?

I know in past-tense this would be no problem.

Thanks!


texts: Should I use an apostrophe, when the possession appears before the possessive subject?

texts:
In the following (poorly written?) sentence:

  You improve your co-worker's luck and your business's.

I want to say that the luck of your business will also be improved... How do I say this? By putting an apostrophe after "business"? I'm trying not to repeat "luck".


texts: Remove extra "the"s and improve a sentence

texts:
I have the following statement describing a course learning outcome:

At the end of this course, the students will be able to:

Apply concepts of lighting and illumination technology and show the types of electrical installations and their techniques and the protection systems used in buildings.
...

I feel that there are too many the's than is necessary. I also feel that the sentence can be improved. As a non-native speaker, I always struggle with such structures. I deeply appreciate your suggestions and help.


texts: Confused about use of verbs in conditional sentence

texts:
I'm a bit confused about the use of verbs in a conditional sentence. This is what I'm trying to say:

Your career would be in better shape if you would spend as much time worrying about your own performance as you do about other people's work.

I'm wondering about the tenses of the verbs after the 'if'. It sounds better to use past perfect tense, because you make a statement about what shape something would be in now, if you had done things differently in the past:

Your career would be in better shape if you had spent as much time worrying about your own performance as you have about other people's work.

However, I want to state a general rule, not a past occurrence. Could the first sentence work like that?


texts: What word(s) describe a woman's voice as "sexy"?

texts: I am looking for a word (or two words) to describe a woman's voice that is "sexy" in a slightly deep, smooth, alluring way.  The best I could come up with is mellifluous, but I'm looking for something simpler...


texts:
I would like to describe a person who appears to be famous for his ability to earn big bucks, but in actual fact, they may not have the ability and remains ambiguous. Therefore, the question is should I say:

John is attracted by Mary's illusive fame, OR
John is attracted by Mary's elusive fame?


texts: What is an appropriate response to "what's up" greeting?

texts: Sorry if it's a trivial question, but when someone uses what's up as a greeting I have no idea what they want to hear. What are the possible answers and what does this question mean exactly?


texts:
The world* is talking about getting vaccinated, and saying "vaxxed" to do so. Here are the first five Google News results for "vaxxed":

"Free Joints for Vaxxed People in DC Today"

"Please Go Get Vaxxed So We Can Hang Out Again"

"The New York Post spent weeks fearmongering about vaccines. Now it's telling them to 'GET VAXXED'"

"Get vaxxed and ready"

"Vaxxed, waxed and ready to kick off Shot Girl Summer in L.A.? Here are 5 expert tips"

That last one hints at my initial curiosity: vaxxed, waxed – isn't it odd we put two xs in vaxxed? We don't for waxed or vexed or fixed, or any other word ending in -x – except, interestingly, another newly coined, highly politicized word, doxxed.
The subjective experience of living in 2021 reveals the popular preference for vaxxed over vaxed – see the headlines above, social media, etc. Google Trends shows similarly.
Google Ngrams starts to complicate and flesh out tale. Vaxed, the spelling of choice in the 1918 pandemic, predominates usage until 2016, when Vaxxed, capitalized, takes over. Interestingly, lower-case vaxxed makes a single appearance in Google's 1800-2019 English corpus.
The capitalized Vaxxed makes reference to 2016 pseudoscience documentary Vaxxed, about the imagined ties between vaccines and autism – the early core of the anti-vac movement.
Five years later, a world dependent on vaccines is talking about the doses in a flurry, and has appropriated the conspiracist orthography: vaxxed.
So what's going on? Are there non-anti-vax origins to the spelling? Is there a linguistic rationale for the double x? Given the double x's other appearance in recent and charged doxxed, are we observing a change in orthographical norms (perhaps toward duplicate letters, broadly, or a changed pronunciation/conceptualization of x) or is there simply a provocative appearance to xx, encouraging its use in provocative words?

*Particularly the portion of the world with patent-protected exclusive access to vaccines.


texts: How do Americans refer to their non-metric system in everyday circumstances?

texts: In Australian English, we'd refer to using feet, inches, pounds, ounces and the like as "imperial units". In everyday conversation, do Americans refer to their non-metric units as "imperial", even though it's slightly different to the non-metric units Australians use? If not, what do they use?


texts: Is "be sleeping with a person in charge" a common metaphor or idiom for "being favored by that person"?

texts:
I couldn't find it in the Oxford Idioms Dictionary, but I've heard it a couple times from people who'd been unjustly favored over, and who possibly didn't mean to imply a sexual relationship:

  -Why did he get promoted? You're so better than him.
  -That guy is sleeping with the boss.

I know that as a metaphor, this expression is well capable to convey favoritism. What I want to know is whether it's commonly used in that sense, i.e., whether it's a well known idiom or not.


texts: Is there a gender neutral equivalent of “manspreading”?

texts:
Who knew that the term manspreading is considered deeply sexist?  I didn't

A nameless user proposed to delete the term from an answer of mine. His explanation was “remove misandry”. I had written

  [someone] who spreads their legs and invades your space (AKA manspreading)

The comment got me thinking. At first, I was quite flabbergasted and speechless. Agreed, the term is not complimentary, but I had considered it mainly to be a humorous term that was basically stating a truth. Men often do sit with their legs apart. It can show swagger, confidence, and suggest dominance. It can be due to their height, the taller the man, the more difficult it is for him to close his legs when seated in public transport.

That's what I thought

But according to one spinal neurosurgeon, John Sutcliffe, the reason is two-fold

  “The overall width of the pelvis is relatively greater in females and the angle of the femoral neck is more acute. These factors could play a role in making a position of sitting with the knees close together less comfortable in men,” he told The Independent.

and

  “I suspect most men would suggest the reason for adopting the more spread posture in sitting would be the avoidance of testicular compression from the thigh muscles. The pelvic rotation goes some way to improve compression in both aspects,” Sutcliffe continued.

  The Independent

I suppose that makes sense. The phenomenon is dictated by physiological differences that are inherent in men and women's bodies.

I turned to Wikipedia. It confirmed the user's standpoint, and why he suggested its removal

  Both this posture and the use of the neologism "manspreading" have occasioned some internet criticism and debates in the US, UK, Turkey, and Canada. The public debate began when an anti-manspreading campaign started on the social media website Tumblr in 2013; the term appeared a year later. OxfordDictionaries.com added the word "manspreading" in August 2015. Use of the term has been criticized as "a caricature of feminism" and the practice has been juxtaposed with examples of women taking up excessive space in public spaces with bags.

Further on, it supplies a female equivalent of the term

  The criticism and campaigns against manspreading have been counter-criticized for not addressing similar behavior by women, such as taking up adjacent seats with bags, or "she-bagging".

So much controversy over a non-vulgar term, living in Italy I had no idea about the heated debate this term has sparked. So to make some sort of amends, I edited my answer and now it reads

  [someone] who spreads their legs and/or invades your space (AKA “manspreading” or “she-bagging”)

But it's not a perfect fit. And she-bagging doesn't work if you're talking about an airplane seat, does it?

What would be a gender-neutral equivalent of manspreading. A term that would not offend men, but could be applied to both sexes?


texts:
While there often appears to be a word that could replace an idiom or a phrase in meaning, this one seems to be an exception (for me that is). I've tried:

Confused   : Less powerful, isn't it?
Dearth     : Needs completion by of something.
Vacuous    : Close, but complete absence of thought isn't the case, I suppose.
Speechless : Don't know if lack of ideas or happy, shocked etc.

I'm not sure if these words could be ignored because of the reasons I have mentioned, but you can clearly see that I'm at my wits' end on this one!


texts:
is it correct to say "one is following the other", when for example referring to cars or persons, or is bad English and I should say "one is following the other one"?

Is there maybe a difference in meaning between both sentences?
Can I use "other"—which I think is an adjective—without "one", like in "other one"?

Thanks!


texts: why the following question is-> How to help them succeed? instead of How to help them TO succeed?


texts: When and where was “portfolio career“ first used?

texts:
The expression portfolio career meaning:

the fact of having several part-time jobs at once, rather than one full-time job:

A portfolio career is suitable for people who want to have a variety in their work life.

(Cambridge Dictionary)
Etymonline has no information about the origin of the above expression, can anyone tell me when and where it was first used?


texts: Does "assistant store manager trainee position" need hyphens?

texts:
Is the following sentence clear enough without hyphens?

  He applied for the assistant store manager trainee position.

Or should it be:

  He applied for the
  assistant-store-manager-trainee position.

Or for another example,

  I like chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.

Or:

  I like chocolate-chip-cookie-dough ice cream.

Would you write these with or without the hyphens? Unfortunately, I cannot recast.

I think that in these examples, the inclusion of hyphens is somewhat distracting, and we should write these phrases as presented above (i.e., without any hyphens whatsoever). Do you agree?


texts:
Consider the following sentences-

1- He is taller than me.

2- He is taller than i am.

Which one is grammatically correct and acceptable in various English language exams?

(I've read about it in some books.. Asked some teachers but still there is confusion)


texts:
Apparently in Sichuanese a similar term to the English “oops” or “drat” or what have you comes from the sound of a fire going out.

It is written 哦呵 (pronounced: o-ho) or 哦呵儿 (pronounced: o-her).

Is there a translation for this?

What’s the onomatopoeia for a fire going out in English?


texts:
I was reading a novel about alcoholic going to rehab and people there use very often the term "drug of choice".
Example:

  What is your drug of choice?

I understand the meaning of the phrase. It's defined in OED Online as

  of choice: (as a postmodifier) preferred, favoured. In early use, freq. in Med., esp. in drug of choice (see DRUG n.1).

and the earliest attestation given there is from 1924:

  A. Hunter & J. A. Dauphinee in Proc. Royal Soc. B. 97 218   In such a case, or whenever the utmost precision is desired, the third is undoubtedly the method of choice.

Was 1924 the earliest use? When and, so far as it is possible to determine, why, was it adopted as jargon in the rehabilitation industry?


texts:
what's the difference between "What if you stepped into" and "What if you could step into"?

For example,

  “What if you could step into situations where political, social, and environmental issues have gotten people stuck?”

  “What if you stepped into situations where political, social, and environmental issues have gotten people stuck?”


texts: A question of case when referring to a floor or level of a building

texts:
Can someone please confirm whether the word should start with a capital or not when when the it is used in this context... "We are moving to Level 6, 555 Smith St" or "We are moving to Floor 6, 555 Smith St", rather than "We are moving to level 6, 555 Smith St"

I understand that if it was used like this "Take the stairs to the 6th floor" then lowercase is correct.

Thanks in advance.


texts: What distinguishes the two meanings of the word "though" as a conjunction

texts:
The dictionary provides two meanings for the word "though" when used as a conjunction:

to introduce a sentence that makes what you just said surprising, as in

  "He is a Marxist, though he has read the Gulag Archipelago."

to introduce a sentence that makes what you just said less true, as in

  "Marxism is a laudable belief system, though the Gulag Archipelago is a devastating critique."

What is the essential difference between the two? Is there some characteristic that would allow one to identify one or the other? If so, what would that be called? Something like a "negating conjunction" vs a "modifying conjunction" or something like that?

I'm trying to argue that the use of the word "though" in a particular instance communicates the writer's less-than-complete faith in the veracity of what he is writing (for a lawsuit).


texts: Why did an author use in the sentence past simple with present perfect

texts: The sentece is: Vincet knew enough to have decided that no one in it could ever be trusted.


texts: Request: Single word for "barely failing to touch or grasp"

texts:
The title pretty much says it all. I'm just looking for a word to use to describe an agent coming ever-so-slightly close to reaching a goal without actually doing so.

The best I've been able to do on my own is co-opt and brutalize "asymptote" for my specific purpose. Can anyone out there do better?

Also, I'd be somewhat okay with borrowing a foreign word for this.

EDIT: Maybe it'd be useful to give some more context. I'm investigating the relationship between noumena, being, and knowing. I've been using contrivances such as "asymptoid", "symptic", and "sympticate" to some success, but I find myself in constant need to express the condition of being "close but no cigar".

Based on a response from Phrase for something that is always out or reach/you almost have but never can get I think I may have settled upon calling such a condition "iron" (as opposed to "brass", which would describe success). This works well for my purpose, as metallurgy sufficiently distant from the space I'm working in, plus it leaves open the opportunity to add similar metaphors.


texts: Possessive apostrophe at end of an acronym that ends in S

texts: The school where I work has an S when it is an acronym (NEGS) it looks odd with an apostrophe to show ownership e.g. NEGS' tennis team...any thoughts?


texts:
I looked up about the word "Raw" and found it has bunch of different meanings, one of them being 'A Natural, uncontrolled quality'
And, the other day, I heard someone say, in a bit of an apprehensive tone, "He is of raw defiance".
I couldn't seem to reproduce its usage in this context, what other sorts of qualities can I pair with 'Raw' and do the qualities always need to be indicative of strength and superiority?
How else can it be used, it'd be great to see a couple of examples.


texts: Is it correct: "Let's suppose someone is trying to disarm you."

texts:
I need help with the following sentence:

  Let's assume that somebody tries to disarm it.

For example, at a demonstration for demonstration purposes on a quizlets product.

My first thought was that I put it like it was going to happen. Accordingly, I thought this option would be correct.

  Let's suppose someone is trying to disarm you.

Would that be correct? Or would you formulate the sentence in a completely different way?

Thank you in advance.


texts: Is there a word similar to vocabulary, but meaning the body of phrases known to a person?

texts:
I could say I have a wide vocabulary if I know the meaning of many words. What would I say if I know many phrases?

Or, if I learn a new phrase, then I have added it to my ____.

I am not looking for words that can be used for groups of things in general (e.g. arsenal).


texts: A single word for “one who boasts about knowing or dating famous people”

texts:
If I am not wrong, I once encountered a British word used (in slang i suppose) to describe a person who boasts about going out, knowing or dating famous people. Does it exist? In this case, is it common?
Thank you.


texts: A sign that is still up after it no longer applies

texts:
What is the word to describe the following situation: There is a sign up warning people not to do something, but it has been up so long I think it no longer applies, but I'm going to follow it anyway.

Thanks.


texts:
The usage of my ass to mean me is now relatively common. My impression is that it originated from AAVE and has since been included in various other dialects. The NGram below implies it became popular in the 70s:

However, that is only for the specific usage of save my ass and might not be representative of the general trend.

So, where does this come from? Does it in fact originate from AAVE or was it just popularized through it? How old is this usage and is there any etymological information on it? Specifically how/why did it enter the general vernacular?

Clarification: This is not about the phrase My ass! to express incredulity in the way expressed by My eye! but about my ass to mean me. As in She saved my ass, or You got my ass into trouble etc.


texts: What is the word for someone who had the same job or position as someone else in the past?

texts:
I know that the word "predecessor" is used to mean "a person who held a job or office before the current holder". But the question is: Can it be applied to someone who had the same job as you in the past?

For example, both Greenblatt and Eliot are critics, but Eliot is dead now. Now can we say Eliot is Greenblatt's predecesssor since the former lived as a critic before the latter.


texts: Word that means "tendency to avoid something"

texts:
I am looking for a word that means "tendency to avoid something". At first I thought that aversion fit the bill, but then I learned that it meant "a strong dislike towards something."

For example, most people have an aversion towards feces. I am looking for a word that more along the lines of "they don't hate PBJs, they just try to avoid them as much as possible."


texts: What is the correct usage of 'consumption'

texts:
Which of the following sentences is correct?

1) My rice consumption has been slowly reduced, as I am on a diet plan.

2) My rice intake has been slowly reduced, as I am on a diet plan.

I am not clear about the use of consumption.  Can anyone clarify it?


texts: "To find something" vs. "to find oneself faced with something"?

texts:
What exactly is the difference in the meanings of 1 and 2?

  After considering all alternatives, we find a variety of different accounts for X.
  After considering all alternatives, we find ourselves faced with a variety of different accounts for X.

"To find oneself faced with x" is frequently used for when X is a sort of problem or difficulties or unpleasant thing. Is the phrase used always like that, or that is not necessary? What exactly is the difference between it and the simple verb "find"?


texts: the difference between “really” and “very”

texts:
Is the statement below true about the difference between really and very when really means “very” in the example “It’s very/really hot in the summer”?

  “Really” shows more involvement, even feeling, on the part of the speaker, thus is more personal sometimes. “Very” is more neutral. —englishforums.com

Thanks.


texts:
In the following sentence I have to write one word:

  One annoying example of this is when you walk into a room, _____ to
  realise you have forgotten what your reason for going there was.

According to the key, it is only. But why doesn't just work? No dictionaries have evidence for this phrase. The only reliable source was ludwig.guru, which suggests both work. Would you accept my answer?


texts: Does pronouncing an initialism make it an acronym?

texts:
One definition of an acronym is:

  An abbreviation formed by (usually initial) letters taken from a word or series of words, that is itself pronounced as a word, such as RAM, radar, or scuba; sometimes contrasted with initialism.

An initialism is:

  A term formed from the initial letter or letters of several words or parts of words, but which is itself pronounced letter by letter.

If I pronounce an initialism, as a word, and not just as letters, does that 'make' it an acronym?


texts: Would it be proper to use 'partake' these days?

texts:
Is 'partake' an old fashioned word? Would it be proper to use it these days?

Thank you @tchrist,@JLG and @MT_Head. I found your answers interesting. By 'proper' I meant in current use. While writing, it was the first word that came to me when I wished to discuss the involvement of people in their economy. The sentence read - He realised that if people had to partake of their growing economy, families needed to be planned and healthy. A friend said, "no one uses the word these days. it is old fashioned." I wished to know more.
@J.R. Thank you for introducing the Ngrams. The usage seems to be going up in the last few years after falling in the twentieth century.


texts:
Usually, the verb (to) alight can be used to express:

Landing somewhere
Disembarking a vehicle

But since you can also set something alight, I've been wondering if someone would light my cigar if I told him, "please alight."

In other words, does the a- prefix bear a constructive or destructive meaning?


texts:
Given the example:

  Was it then that I thought of Alan? No, earlier. From the very first wave of panic my mind reached out to him. Yes, even then, in the heart of the fear, there was a still small voice saying, This will change your life. Sometimes that’s what it takes to bring people together, a crisis, a tragedy. You could say that’s what brought David and I together. I would not have been in that place were it not for my crisis.

There are two nominal relative clauses starting with what.
The first one has it after what. Do they call this it expletive?


texts:
Are hyphens absolutely necessary in these dollar amounts and ranges? Do you feel as though they are clear enough and readable without hyphens. I cannot locate an answer in The AP Stylebook or The Gregg Reference Manual or Chicago.

The closest answer I could find was in the AP Q&A, which shows "a 15 to 20 percent a year increase in revenues."
The AP listed that example without any hyphens in response to a query, so I think that all examples below could possibly follow suit without any hyphen insertions. Do you concur? Unfortunately, as much as I'd like to, I cannot recast. Thanks for any opinions.

√ Fashion is a $3 billion to $6 billion a year industry.

√ There will be a $1 to $5 per day surcharge.

√ He signed a $22 million a year contract.

√ A $10 a month fee was nominal.

√ a $55 a barrel price

√ a $55 per barrel price

I don't think a reader would stumble on these without hyphens. Do you agree to all examples without hyphens?


texts:
Heard it quite a few times in television series episodes but find it hard to use it in real life. I have found this question 'Use of the expression "Stop it! You are too cute"' which I think is similar but was closed for being too broad and it has only one answer and it doesn't give the context when we could say something like that.

What does it mean?
Where and when and why exactly do we use it?

EDIT: One of the memes which I found is "http://i.imgur.com/eGtLLO8.jpg" where they use this phrase. Just a quick google search result.
One more gif which I found was http://angpal.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/oh-you.gif Not sure if it helps the cause though


texts: Resident advisor: an advisor who resides or someone who advises residents?

texts:
Google assures me that there's a position at various postsecondary institutions called "resident assistant", "resident advisor", or "resident adviser". This is a student who lives in a dormitory and assists/advises its other residents.

When this phrase (whichever saw earliest use) was starting to be used, was it intended as

residentadjective advisor

(i.e. a local advisor, an advisor who resides in the dorm) or as

residentnoun advisor

(i.e. someone who advises residents, à la "stamp collector")? Any evidence would be most welcome.


texts: What's the meaning of "what gets put where"?

texts:
I came across the following sentence:

  What gets put where determines the particular type of the architecture.

What's the meaning of the phrase in bold?


texts:
Which one of these is correct?

  I had two options of which I chose the former.
  I had two options from which I chose the former.


texts:
"Luck out" means succeed by luck. For example,

  I lucked out and found the last parking spot in the lot.

I wonder what phrase has opposite meaning and still uses "luck" as the verb? "luck in"?


texts:
The professor wants to retire.
Here 'to retire' is used as object or complement?
Also, in "The man gave Amy some good advice"
Is 'some good advice' an object or complement?


texts: "Commit" vs. "commitment" vs. "committing" in computer-related texts

texts:
Let’s suppose we have the following excerpt:

how the target DB engine handles data commitment
how the target DB engine handles data commit
how the target DB engine handles data committing

Which of those three variants is correct?

I'm confused by commit as a noun because no dictionary claims it is. But it is used pretty often as a noun in the computer-related texts.


texts:
Consider the difference between the following sentences:

"The charlatan beguiled his way into her good graces."

and

"The man ingratiated himself with her."

They both describe approximately the same actions, but one uses words transparently intended to evoke a particular feeling.  Additional examples of leading sentences might include, "This is obviously nonsense, to anyone possessing a brain." vs "The claim is currently unsubstantiated.".  (The exact equivalence of those two statements is debatable, but hopefully demonstrates the difference in tone I am trying to highlight.)

It seems to me that the addition of descriptive words such as "foolish", "stunning", or "marvelous" rarely adds objective information, but rather attempts to color the writing with the author's subjective opinion.  Similarly with opinionated non-adjective words, such as "fraud", "genius", or "boondoggle".  One would therefore expect these to be common in sensationalist journalism, but scarce in academic literature.

Is there a word or phrase which describes these words?  Or at least the use thereof?  "Loaded terms", or possibly "leading words", are close, but they both seem more subtle than the blatant emotional arm-twisting I'm asking about.  A sentence including the word or phrase I desire might look like: "Your paper would have been improved by the removal of the many loaded terms you used, favoring instead a more clinical analysis."  If either of the two above are the best candidate, so be it, but I'm hoping for a word or phrase that more accurately conveys the abandonment of any subtlety in favor of either ham-fisted vitriol or honey-glazed acclamations.


texts: What does 'under subsection' mean in the following clause?

texts:
40. (4) The Secretary of State may not make an order under subsection (2) if he is satisfied that the order would make a person stateless.

What does under subsection mean in this context?