texts:
Our train leaves at four-thirty tomorrow morning.

This is probably a simple problem, but I am having difficultly finding a source that answers my specific question. I am having some trouble determining the tense of leaves here, and determining tenses in general. The sources (here's one example, but I am referring to basic guides) I have read imply that a lack of any auxiliary verbs (beyond will for future simple) automatically indicate simple tense. Is this true? For example, leaves is present tense on its own. However, in the context of this sentence, the train is clearly departing at a specific time in the future.

How do I determine the tense? Is it present simple because there are no auxiliary verbs, and leaves on its own is present, or is it future perfect because it "describes an action that will be completed by a specific time in the future." Is it neither?

Does the context of a sentence change the tense of a verb like this? Or am I entirely off the mark in how I'm determining tense? Grammar resources like the one I linked are useful, but I am still finding myself lost. Any links to more exhaustive and nuanced explanations/resources would also be appreciated.


texts: What does "big dough shall be divisible with union dues for all" mean?

texts:
In George Carlin's book Last Words, he mentioned that his father had produced the following message during World War II.

I pledge allegiance to the people of the United States of America and all the political crap for which they stand, big dough shall be divisible with union dues for all.

I know the words "big dough", "divisible", and "union dues", but I don't understand the usage of "big dough shall be divisible with union dues for all". What does that phrase mean?


texts: Should I Use a Comma before the Second “and”

texts:
Please enter your email and password, and click on the “Log In”
  button.

Should I use a comma before the second “and”?


texts:
Im looking for an antonym for the word improved.

For this sentence:

  Last time he improved, but this time he ________

I would prefer one word.


texts: When "why would ..." becomes an embedded clause, should word order be changed?

texts:
Let's say I have the following "wh-question":

  Why would a random person like me be able to see ghosts?

I want to turn this sentence into a complete answer statement. I would say:

  I have no idea why a random person like me would be able to see ghosts.

To me, this sounds correct and natural. The verb would is moved from before the subject to after it.

My question is, is it grammatically incorrect to say the following?

  I have no idea why would a random person like me be able to see ghosts.

As a native speaker from Canada and living in the USA, this sounds both unnatural and ungrammatical to me; however, I can't find any actual linguistic or grammatical references that say one way or the other.

Questions of similar structure I've examined (and come to the same conclusion) include:

  Why would a bag of chips be this expensive?

  I don't know why a bag of chips would be this expensive.

  How would I open this door if I were Satan?

  I don't know how I would open the door if I were Satan.

  Where would I find the bathroom?

  I don't know where I would find the bathroom.

Forming those sentences using the wh-question word order seems incorrect and unnatural as well.

So, my question: Is it grammatical, and natural, to leave word order intact when turning a wh-question into an embedded clause?

NB: I have taken a look at this answered question as well as this unanswered one but neither of them address this particular scenario.


texts: "Focussed" or "focused"? Rules for doubling the last consonant when adding -ed

texts: Initially, my question was: is "focussed" or "focused" the correct past tense of "focus", but since this applies to a lot of words, I would like to generalize and ask: is there supposed to be a rule when to double the consonant?


texts:
I am writing a leader's guide for a preschool curriculum. When I put instructions inside of parentheses, should I end a full sentence with a period?

Examples:
(Give children time to respond)
(Show slide of hermit crab)
(Allow them to choose from tray of gadgets)

Do these need a period, or does it even matter? :)


texts:
Language on a presentation plaque - is it written in sentence format or are the words capitalized like in a title? Example below:

In Recognition Of Your Exceptional Leadership Of The Prevention Program Of The Oregon Sexual Assault Task Force And Your Commitment To And Support Of The Effective Prevention Of And Response To Sexual Violence In Oregon.


texts: Is it polite to say "I have a question for you"?

texts:
I'm not a native speaker. I've seen it a lot, but I'm not sure in which situations it's proper. Does it sound like a teacher asking a question to a student? Is it polite to say that if you are asking someone like a teacher to you? Sometimes I want to ask a question to a specific person in a group chat with @, if that person is senior to me, is it polite to say "I have a question for you"?
I forgot to mention that the group chat was for work, where we discuss technical issues and raise questions at experts, so not all the members in the group are familiar with each other, and it's only active when someone asks a question, which is not very frequent. So I think it sounds a little abrupt to bring up a question directly @ someone. Usually, I begin with "Hi (name), I have a question for you." and then I ask my question.


texts:
I knew it was you because you always knock first, and then enter.
I knew it was you because you've always knocked first, and then entered.
Is there a differnece?


texts:
A Russian user posted this sentence as an example of the usage of the verb “sleep on“ to mean “underestimate.“ I’ve lived in the United States my entire life and I’ve never heard anything of the sort. Does this sound weird to any other natives?

  Hey, don't sleep on MAX DUGAN RETURNS. It's a classic.


texts:
...none of them was going to Malory Towers.

This is taken from a story book, Enid Blyton - Malory Towers I think, and a pupil at school queried this with me. I can see her point, "were" sounds better (instead of was) but which is correct?


texts: Word for someone that believes he deserves everything he wants

texts:
What's the word for someone that believes he deserves everything he wants?

I'm thinking "spoiled" or "entitled", but I'm sure there's a more accurate word out there.

EDIT:

"what do I have against entitled?" I'm thinking about it, and it is actually a perfect word, but I realized I'm not looking for an adjective but a noun. As in:

"I'm tired of the ***something-ness of these people", which I know can be rephrased as "I'm tired of these entitled people", but I wanted some variety...
"sense of entitlement", maybe? but in just one word... I feel there should be a word for it, (just "entitlement", then?) or maybe I'm being too pushy.


texts: In which varieties of English is 't' in 'often' silent?

texts: I'm from India and all my life I've pronounced 'often' with 't' silent. Since we follow British English, I assume British people say it the same way? I guess in American English, one pronounces it with 't'. What are the rules about this word in other varieties of English?


texts: Word meaning something like "created by the addition of several subcomponents"

texts: I remember hearing it in context the context of describing a social science modeling tool.  The example I remember talked about trying to ascribe values to component parts that compose property values.  For example, a house's value would be impacted by neighborhood, traffic, schools, location to an economic center, etc. and there are models that try to quantify the value that each of these component parts contributes to the total value of the property.  This type of model was described as a [blank] pricing/valuation model.  I think I remember the blank word starting with an "h" but I don't know.


texts: Use of "you and I" in TS Eliot's Prufrock

texts:
I've long been a fan of T.S. Eliot's poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.  However, it seems to me that his use of "you and I" in the opening lines is incorrect.

Let us go then, you and I, when the evening is spread out against the sky

My reasoning is that "you and I" replaces "us" and you wouldn't say "Let I go then", so it should be Let us go then, you and me.

Is this Eliot taking poetic license or am I just wrong?


texts:
I have always struggled with this. Consider the following statement:

  Format string before insert into database else
  return unaffected string

Would I use unaffected or uneffected in this sentence?

Collins

'Uneffected' adjective: not effected; not settled or established
'Unaffected' adjective: unpretentious, natural, or sincere


texts: Is there a usual, widely used word (a noun) in English that can mean a nice/cute/etc cat and a nice/cute/etc guy as well (internet slang, maybe)?

texts:
In my language I have a phrase/wordplay about a guy surrounded by cats:

  "I see just a bunch of _____"

I need a hypernym that is a word for the cute cats and the cute guy, in a playful way. In my language it's just a diminutive of a word for cat.


texts: How to indicate middle name is preferred name in professional email signature

texts: In almost all situations, I prefer to be addressed by my legal middle name. However, in the email signature (what's automatically included at the bottom of the email) of my university email, I must include my legal first name, leading most people in emails to address me by it rather than my middle name. I was wondering how I could indicate in my (professional) email signature that I prefer to be addressed by my middle name. Would I write: FirstName "MiddleName" LastName?


texts:
I'm trying to remember a word from a company name, it's about integrity/stringency/risk assessment and making sure that activities comply with regulations and health and safety.

The company does risk management for events but I can't remember what the company name is - it includes this word.


texts:
I don't know the exact difference between these two expressions:

  There is an apple on the table

and

  An apple is on the table

Can anyone explain the usage?


texts: Does 'symbolic' mean the same as 'symbolical', and should one be preferred?

texts:
Wikipedia's article on vespers contains this passage (my emphasis):

  The name, however, by which it was most widely known during that period was Lucernalis or Lucernaria hora (l. c., 126). This name is characteristic. It was so called because at this hour a number of candles were lighted, not only to give light, but also for symbolical purposes.

I think I would have said for symbolic purposes. This got me thinking: do 'symbolic' and 'symbolical' mean the same thing? I couldn't tell you any difference between them.

If that's the case, it seems redundant to make use of both. There will be times when one or the other is more appropriate for contextual reasons (eg if you need something to rhyme!), but in general, should we prefer one over the other? I lean towards preferring 'symbolic', because it's shorter and cleaner.

More generally, is 'symbolical' some sort of hypercorrection? Or, if not hypercorrection, is it in the same genus as 'burglarize', where words grow unnecessary decorative plumage at the end which emphasises which part of speech they are?


texts: How to express the "multiple" of one thing's advantage over another？

texts:
For example, car A runs at a speed of 30 km/h, and car B at a speed of 90 km/h. How can I express the multiple of B faster than A?

B has 3 times advantage over A in speed.

B has 2 times advantage over A in speed.

B is 3 times faster than A.

B is 2 times faster than A.

Which of the above statements is appropriate. What are the better expressions in academic writing?


texts: Using "and" before an adverb like "furthermore"

texts:
Plastic surgery is vain and unwise, (and) thus it should be banned.

We can use the word "and" with adverb like "thus" as shown above.

But why is it impossible do the same thing with word like "furthermore" when they are same adverb? For example, in this case.

  People say that plastic surgery is vain, furthermore they also assert
  that they should ban it.

Like this, if I use "and" with "furthermore", whole sentence becomes so wrong. Why is that?


texts: Does the word "plethora " necessarily have a negative connotation?

texts:
"Plethora" is frequently used to express an abundance of something in a positive sense.

My understanding of the word is an overabundance or "too-muchness"

Is it a case that the word has changed meaning as it has come into common usage or that it is simply being mis-used?


texts: How is it called, when you rhyme two words, one of which is transformed?

texts:
Comedian Hannibal Buress once rhymed “Morpheus” with “seashells by the seashorfeus” (see also full text). The latter phrase references a tongue-twister that goes “she sells seashells by the seashore”.

Buress deliberately changed the ending of the word “seashore”, so it could rhyme with “Morpheus”. Is there a name for this particular rhyme? If not, to which more general class this kind of rhyme could belong? Wikipedia's types of rhymes doesn't list anything similar.

If there's no name for that kind of rhyming, what are similar examples of such rhyming?


texts: Does it make sense if I use " conflicted " in this sentence?

texts:
I'm wondering if it is okay to use " conflicted " in below sentence.
( I'd like to use " conflicted " instead of " concerned " or " worried ")
Example)
They are very conflicted about how they can reduce the amount of disposable products especially from restaurants and cafes in pandemic situation.
Thanks in advance :)


texts: I need to know how to use quotation marks within a list

texts:
How do I punctuate this?

She said, "How many are there?", "What is his name?", and "When can she get there?"


texts: Is there a word for regrets you didn't/don't know you should have had?

texts:
Bach's Brandenburg #3 came on the radio this morning on the way to school (does anyone else's kids tell them to turn their music down?) and the kids and I talked about how Bach had written the Brandenburgs for the Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt who, lacking the musicians to have them performed, basically stuck them in a drawer and forgot about them.

It occurred to me that the Margrave, had he had any sense of what had been given him, would have experienced great regret at never having heard them performed.  But given that he was unaware of what he had, he had no regrets in that regard.  I believe, however, that he should have.  So is there a word for a regret that someone should have had, but didn't know that they should have had that regret?

I know that one can regret in advance and that that there is a word for something you wanted to know but then regretted knowing it.  It's kind of the opposite of Lagniappe.  I definitely feel proxy regret for the Margrave.  But what do I call that which he should have felt?


texts: Is "I've told you at fewest ten times" grammatical?

texts:
After this question was put on hold, I am editing this to clarify that I am not seeking "the most wrong answer," but that I am instead asking for a reason for the continued use of a construction that some still haphazardly propose in certain situations.

I'm not at all a prescriptive grammarian so I would like to know the argument one would make for preferring the quoted title formation over the more common,

  I've told you at least ten times...

It seems to me this would be the logical construction if you agree with the "rule" that "few" or "fewer" should be used with count nouns. Merriam-Webster's Concise Dictionary of English Usage phrases it:

  Here is the rule as it is usually encountered: fewer refers to number among things that are counted, and less refers to quantity or amount among things that are measured. This rule is simple enough and easy enough to follow.

Before you think that I'm being difficult or arguing for an "incorrect" answer in offering the title construction as an aberrational example, consider that I've encountered people who do believe this.

I've had people correct me when saying, for example, "There are at least ten bagels downstairs."
At least one store has taken note and changed their signs to conform to this "grammatical standard."
There are plenty of times where it occurs in writings. Examples are below.

Examples

"Two of the British Troops, at fewest, were scalped, & one of them before he was dead." - Letter from John Dickinson to Arthur Lee, April 29th, 1775.
"...and end this empty Letter with a Thousand Compliments to Dear Mr. Lysons and his happy Family: 500 at fewest to Miss Sharpe-her Letterto me was both kind and wise." - The Piozzi Letters* by Hester Lynch Piozzi
"...the iron trade had rooted itself so firmly, that, in the intermediate period of the years above mentioned, at fewest fifty additional furnaces were erected." - A Treatise on the Progressive Improvement and Present State* by John Holland
"Reptiles with completely developed hind limbs have at fewest four toes..." - The Great Dinosaur Controversy: A Guide to the Debates* by Keith M. Parsons

To clarify, I am not asking for a summary of the less vs. fewer argument. I am perfectly capable of opening a book or Googling to find such a summary. I am asking for those who are bothered by "10 items or less" signs to provide an argument in favor of universally applying those rules to count nouns. If there is a "rule" as prescriptionists in this area claim, it seems to be the construction in the title would be correct. I disagree, but, I would like to know their answer.

Simplified question: Why would some argue for "10 items or fewer" and not "I've told you at fewest ten times"?

In accordance with this site's rule of Keeping an Open Mind, I ask that this question not be closed or on hold, but be open for those who do have input to contribute.


texts:
I have been just informed that I have passed the second phase of a job interview. They asked me to visit them for the next phase at the company abroad. I'm trying to politely ask them to pack everything for this visit, so I won't be have to repeat this long distance travel again. I wrote:
"because of the long distance, I would be grateful if we could talk all issues (you concern) at(in?) the same visit."
can we use visit in this way? or should it be replaced by: 1. date (seems less polite like I have the major authority!! which I actually don't.) 2. meeting ( I'm not sure if this visit will include just one meeting!) 3. visit date?

I really appreciate if anyone could help me. I have to answer them as soon as possible!


texts: Is the verb 'taking' a gerund in this sentence?

texts:
"I remember my father taking me to the zoo."
Is 'taking' a gerund? And why?


texts: 'disincorporate', 'discorporate' and 'incorporate' - when an alleged spirit takes over control

texts:
Admittedly, it's a rather strange topic but... . Please note, this is different from 'obsession' or being possessed by a spirit:

The word incorporate is sometimes used to indicate the process of an alleged spirit entity temporarily taking over control of a given human being.

In order to indicate the opposite, which is the process of the alleged spirit leaving the human body, is the word disincorporate appropriate?

I have searched through my favourite dictionaries. Only the big Oxford English Dictionary has an entry for 'disincorporate' that would match the meaning but it is marked as obsolete.

An alternative word option could be 'discorporate', but drawing on the entry in the Oxford English Dictionary, it seems even more closely related to 'corporate' in a sense of business, than 'disincorporate'.

Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 8th Ed. [no entry]
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary  [no entry]
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5th Edition [no entry]

Could I get your informed opinion on this - does this word convey the meaning I intend to convey?

Many thanks!
J


texts: What are the roots of the word "manger"?

texts:
In Marxist Economics: A Popular Introduction to The Three Volumes of Karl Marx's Das Kapital," Ernest Untermann says this about the origin of a word:

  The old English word manger, a term synonymous with "dealer," is
  descended from an old Aryan root meaning "to deceive," and it requires
  no deep penetration to realize that the cattle and horse trader of
  primitive times is the forbear of the modern horse swappers.

This is a pretty remarkable statement, but there isn't any reference, and I couldn't find any supporting evidence that this is true online. I'm also guessing "manger" may have been a typo and he meant "manager," that would make more sense in the topic of the book, but even then I'm not sure, so I figured this would be a good place to ask. This book was published in 1907 in Chicago. Would appreciate if anyone can help suss out if what this might mean or if there's any truth in these statements.

Thanks.


texts: Looking up dictionaries I don't see a easy rule when to use ability vs. faculty in sense of a describing attribute . For example, "cognitive faculty" or "faculty of speech" seem to be standard terms, but then "learning or mental ability" seems more common than "learning faculty". The only pattern I see is that abilities are kind of innate(?).


texts:
What are the rules for choosing whether to use "of" or "for" before a word ending in "-ing?"

Example:

  We propose a method of simplifying algebraic expressions.
  We propose a method for simplifying algebraic expressions.

I have seen it written both ways, and would like to know which way is proper.  Or is this a case where "it depends?"


texts: Trying to find a good word for 'a small discussion' or perhaps 'a focused discussion'

texts:
Almost like the opposite of 'palaver'.  I like the word 'palaver' but it generally (as I understand it) means a needlessly long conversation.  I'm thinking more like a short, or intensely focused conversation.  Ideally not a common word like 'chat', which is so generic as to mean any kind of short talk.

Edit:

I'm pretty flexible on the context, but for the sake of scoping the question, let's say it's between a handful of colleagues with the intent of building understanding or figuring something out.


texts:
What to call the area where the hair directions all change on the head? In Russian that term is макушка, and looking for the translation I find it to be top.

However, that is not a satisfactory answer, since some people have two areas on their head where the hair changes its direction.  Also, sometimes these areas are not on the top of their head.


texts:
“Funny, isn’t it,” she said, “how the law can have a soft spot like
  that? No, someone had seen her in the village at the time Robin went
  missing, so she wasn’t really a suspect. It was decided that because
  of her. . . because she was . . . well, not to put too fine a point on
  it, that Meg was best (1) left out of things entirely, and that’s how
  it was done.”

  “So it was Dieter who found the body then.” “Yes. He told me about it
  that same evening. He was still in shock – hardly making sense: all
  about how he had come (2) racing down from Gibbet Wood, yelling
  himself hoarse . . . leaping fences, sliding in the mud . . . running
  into the yard, looking up at the empty windows. Like dead eyes, they
  were, he kept saying, like the windows of the Brontes’ parsonage. But
  as I said, poor Dieter was in shock. He didn’t know what he was
  saying.” (The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag)

I guess the first participial construction is a complement of the adjective best, while the second participial construction is an adjunct for it’s not necessary to complete the meaning. Am I right?


texts: Is saying 'I wouldn't delude yourself...' correct?

texts:
The following is a line from the TV show Arrow:

  "Nanda Parbat is remote, but I wouldn't delude yourself into thinking
  that Ra's-Al-Ghul missed your televised return to Starling City"

From Season 3, Episode 13

Now, I've come across the I wouldn't construct many times. Instead of You shouldn't do that, people say I wouldn't do that. I've always thought they meant I wouldn't do that if I were you, and dropped the if I were you part.

But shouldn't the 'I' analogy be consistent? Shouldn't the line be I wouldn't delude MYSELF into thinking... (if I were you)? Or am I missing something here? Any thoughts on the correct usage of the I wouldn't construct?


texts: The grammar structure of this sentence which looks like one subject is hidden

texts:
I am trying to understand the grammar structure of the given sentence below:
For example, considering the one-loop exchange of W or Z prime gauge bosons, results in theoretical predictions for the muon and electron anomalies having the same sign.
Here, my question is what is the subject in front of results in in the sentence and what is the full grammar structure of the given sentence?
Many thanks for any help in advance


texts: Dropping articles in confirmation messages

texts:
When writing a confirmation message, (i.e. from a computer system) is it correct to say:

"Item was modified"

or is it necessary to include the determinate article:

"The item was modified".


texts: A word or short phrase to reduce the influence of something

texts:
When talking about depression, I prefer to use positive/active words as opposed to combative or oppressive words. I'm looking for a word that fits in this sentence that is active and positive:

  I can use this technique (to?) ________ depression

I thought about something like disempower, but to me it feels more oppressive, like taking power away. I'm looking for a word that reduces the implied power in the first place, like dimming a light vs shading it. Possibly like you see in films, where the imaginary influence becomes smaller and less significant, vs binding it.


texts: This puzzle is not solved yet. : Is this correct?

texts: This puzzle is not solved yet by anyone. - Is this grammatically correct?


texts: one word or small phrase for the 'first meeting' of 'to be lovers'

texts: one word or small phrase to perfectly describe the 'first meeting' of 'to be lovers', when they were aloof of each other's existence and all of a sudden their universe collided. Preferably on the poetic side.


texts: F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Nor Does He Spin" subheading title, what does he mean by spinning?

texts:
In his book The Beautiful and Damned one of the subheadings of Chapter 1 is "Nor Does He Spin." There is no specific reference to the title (I think) within this section. So what did Fitzgerald mean by spinning?

[Spoiler?] This is the section in which Anthony Patch talks to his grandfather upon returning from Rome and declares his intention to write a history book. Also at the beginning there is a listing of what his servant Bounds does for him.


texts: Addressing a former office-holder by that office's title

texts:
When is it appropriate to use an "expired" honorific to address or refer to a person?

In the U.S., former state governors are occasionally referred to as "Governor So-and-so", although they have not held that office for several years. I see this happening most often when the former governor is actively campaigning for a new office (usually U.S. President), and my impression is that it's done only by someone with an interest in the campaign (for or against) rather than a (relatively) neutral party like a newspaper.

Certainly this could be used as a jab: in a political campaign for high office, addressing one's opponent by a former title — lower than one's own — could imply that the opponent is not qualified for the new job. It could also be used the other way around, to remind listeners that a candidate one supports used to hold an important title.

I'm curious whether there are formal rules for this in the U.S., or at least style or journalist guidelines, for various offices. Are ambassadors, for example, entitled to some sort of emeritus honorific?


texts: Is there a different word than“back and forth”?

texts: I am writing a story about an immortal that was born at the end of time and lives backwards to the start of time. He meets a girl at the end of her life then falls in love and goes with her, through her life. Can you help me by finding a word that means that "going past one another?"


texts: Parsing an English to Math expression question, is this ambiguous?

texts:
I'm an instructor of a College Algebra course.  The computer gave the following question,  which I saw as ambiguous:

Computer question: Write the corresponding algebraic expression or equation for the verbal statement. Let x represent the unknown number. The quotient of one and five times a number.

The problem is where does one put in the pause in the English language. You could parse this as either "The quotient of one and five" "times a number" which gives you the answer of 1/5 * x, or the way the computer wants, "The quotient of one and" "five times a number", which gives 1/(5x). The computer only accepts the second interpretation, but according to my reading of the English language, either reading should be acceptable.

Now,  someone else in a comment section noted an even third possible reading, that the times could modify both the 1 and the 5,  giving (1x)/(5x)=1/5 as a third possible reading.

Does anyone have any reasoning/sources on if these are all valid interpretations, and if not,  why one is more valid?  Otherwise I'm going to contact our vendor and try to get this question removed/changed.


texts:
May I use a question mark in the middle of a sentence?
Examples:

Would you like the drapes to be white? or perhaps something off-white?
Would you like the logo to be centered? at the bottom? left off entirely?


texts:
there is a word for lies like 'ready in a minute' 'I'll be right there''back in a moment' etc.
What is it? Is there a website with definitions for such?


texts: When a Security Deposit needs to be used

texts:
When a tenant doesn't pay rent, he forfeits his security deposit (bond).

But what is it called from the landlord's side? Surely he isn't forfeiting the deposit.

What is the correct word?

  The landlord was patient for three weeks, but ultimately had to ______________ the deposit.

P.S. I'm looking for the word used in AmE. Any others are welcome but please note which English your answer is in.


texts:
I'm watching Batman with Sara.

or

I'm watching Batman, with Sara.

Sara = my friend, not an actress. Which is correct?


texts:
Which is correct?

I haven't gotten any sleep since Monday
I haven't got any sleep since Monday

(Are both of these sentences wrong? Should I use "I haven't slept since Monday" instead?)

Thank you x


texts: How To Classify A Way Of Speaking Other Than Pronunciation Or Accent?

texts:
When you hear certain people talk, there's something distinct about the way they speak that you insist is not their accent. It's not even the pronunciation (e.g. can't vs. cahn't). It's also not their natural voice or emotion.

This happens when you hear someone speak and the "accent" may reveal his or her sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, intelligence, popularity, subculture, sometimes disability, etc.

What do you call this kind of classification?


texts: They are not the same, are they? For example, if a person says: "I can't stand those f----ng people because they are so foul-mouthed!", I don't view the statement as ironic. But some highly-educated friends disagree with me.


texts: Of vs For in “The Institute of/for Wildlife Research”

texts:
Is there a difference between saying:

The Institute for Wildlife Research

and

The Institute of Wildlife Research


texts:
How would you punctuate list of two items that has the word AND in the title?

For example:

  ... two documents with titles of Power of Attorney and Living Will and Appointment of Health Care Agent.


texts: What does "not to betray too green an interest in fate" mean?

texts:
Can someone help by paraphrasing this sentence from Thoreau's Walden:

  Think, also, of the ladies of the land weaving toilet cushions against the last day, not to betray too green an interest in their fates! As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.


texts: Is there a word for when a problem's understood complexity grows exponentially as you work on it?

texts:
Example:

  Hey Joe, can you fix simple problem A?
  Sure, Sally, no problem! After all it's simple, right?

But A is then found to have dependent sub-problems B and C; B to have dependent sub-problems D, E, and F; and C to have  dependent problems G and H.

  The problems have to be removed in alphabetical order.

Context: As a software developer, I run into problems like this while working on bugs in complex programs.

I wonder whether there's an English name for this concept.


texts: Expression for parents who are "silly" happy?

texts:
I was wondering if there is an expression to describe parents (usually newly-made) that are extremely happy with having children, with this happiness manifesting as "childish" behavior on their part when interacting with their offspring.

As an example consider someone with a 6-month-old baby that talks to the baby in a silly voice, makes cartoon faces and sounds, moves the baby around while simulating a train or aeroplane (with sound effects) and so on; at the same time this person does not hesitate to do these things in front of others -- possibly even complete strangers.

In Greek we call this person χαζομπαμπάς (father)/χαζομαμά (mother), a term that literally translates to "silly dad/mom" but does not carry negative connotations. At the very worst someone might call you that to imply that the parent is incapable of denying the child any request, but usually it simply means "this person is so happy that they don't pay any attention to appearances".

Is there something similar in English? I have already looked at this question, but it's not exactly what I 'm looking for because I read it as having to do with feelings, while I am specifically interested in how those feelings manifest as behavior.


texts: Good word for "framer" (not in the constitution sense)

texts:
Is there a good word for a person who frames another person (for a crime, etc.)?

Looking for something in the vein of "snitch"

Thanks!


texts: Proper Apostrophe Usage with Initialisms: CCS' or CCS's?

texts:
I work with a company whose name is frequently reduced to an initialism (acronym).  Let's say the name is "Cool Computer Systems" (CCS).  I am engaged in an ongoing, bloody battle with the marketing department, wherein they insist the following apostrophe use is correct:

Buy CCS' New Product.

Reading that line brings visions of crying 4th grade teachers and librarians to mind.  I am quite certain that it should be written:

Buy CCS's New Product.

UPDATE:
The examples are in title case because the sentence is the subject line of an e-mail.

UPDATE:
Their argument is that "Systems" is plural.  I say that plurality doesn't matter, because "Systems" is part of the name.  The name as a whole should be handled as a singular entity, because the company is, in fact, a single, legal entity.  Thus, the possessive form should be written:

The Emperor's clothes
Cool Computer Systems's clothes
CSS's clothes


texts: Is an excessively shy person a "gussie"?

texts: I'm sure most of us are familiar with a shrinking violet as being an excessively shy person; however, while reading from Flappers to Rappers: History of American Youth Slang Dr. Dalzell defines a "gussie" as 1920s slang for an excessively shy individual. Any ideas why this may be?


texts: Word for person willing to argue contradictory things depending on what suits him

texts:
Is there an adjective or a noun to describe a person willing to argue contradictory things depending on what suits him?

For example:

  "Our company should buy X — it's good for the shareholders". Realizing later that it's bad for his career: "Our company should not buy X — we have too much invested in Y".


texts:
Suggest a word to express a task/thing has started, is running and is not yet complete.

Does inchoate fit?

Also, suggest a word to express completed/fully built thing/task.


texts: "Stupidity" or "Stupidness" - What should I use? Can I use either of them?

texts:
I got into a debate with a colleague when I said "Look at this level of stupidness" and he said "It's not stupidness, it's stupidity".

Here I am, trying to win a debate.


texts: What does the phrase "stone-gloved first baseman" mean?

texts:
I have been reading an article of Charles Krauthammer written about baseball. To be honest, I'm not a fan of this sport then when I bumped into the above phrase, I didn't have any clue of what "stone-gloved" means. Below is the full context.

  "Now understand: This is not the charming, cuddly, amusing incompetence of, say, the ’62 Mets, of whom their own manager, Casey Stengel, famously asked, “Can’t anybody here play this game?”—and whose stone-gloved first baseman, Marv Throneberry, was nicknamed Marvelous Marv, the irony intended as a sign of affection."

A quick research about Marvelous Marv has been taken and I get that this guy is some kind of the worst defensive player at the first-base position. So does the fact has any relation with the puzzled phrase above? Or could anyone kindly explain for me in detail the meaning of such phrase?

Thank you in advance!


texts: Why is the pronunciation of "Exodus" different from the spelling?

texts:
Why is Exodus pronounced like "Exidus"? Is there any historical reason for the "O" to be silent and "i" pronounced instead?

I understand from the comments that it is not "I", but a case of " O" not stressed. So to rephrase, how is this different from "exotic"?

As a foreign language speaker, I am interested to know if there are similar words like this?

Somehow Exodus doesn't fit with the generic pattern, I tend to say it with a stressed "O".


texts: Is the first syllable of "acknowledge" pronounced with /g/ by any notable amount of speakers?

texts:
While I was trying to think of examples for an answer to Vun-Hugh Vaw's question about voicing voiceless consonants in American English, I considered the word "acknowledge", which I think I can pronounce with [g.n] instead of with [k.n]. But I hesitated to mention it because I'm not sure if many people would agree with that judgement.

Merriam-Webster only lists "ik" and "ak" as possible pronunciations of the first syllable; the American Heritage Dictionary lists only "ak", while the OED says it can be /ək/ or /æk/ in American English.

I did a Google search of the spelling "agnowledge", and it turned up more than just a examples of this misspelling, but I'm not sure how much to read into that. I did find the following Reddit coment which is more explicit evidence for the existence of a pronunciation with voiced /g/:

  Acknowledge...why do we say it like it's agnowledge?

(posted by smittyeuler Wed May 6 12:37:26 2015 UTC in AskReddit thread "What is the stupidest pronunciation of a word you've ever heard?")

Does anyone know of any more evidence about this? I'd be particularly interested in learning if any linguists have noted/discussed the occurrence of this pronunciation, but I'd also appreciate hearing about any other kinds of evidence, like a description of this pronunciation in a list of "mispronunciations to avoid".


texts: Should "communicate clearer" be "communicate more clearly"

texts:
I just saw an ad on Twitter that says: "Communicate clearer by drawing and talking over your images".

It seems to me they aren't communicating very clearly and it would be better to phrase their sentence like this: "Communicate more clearly by drawing and talking over your images".

Can you tell me if I am correct and why I am correct or wrong/mistaken please?


texts: the meaning of: 1. 'hind f'omus 2. light'ud knots

texts:
These two phrases are from Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman. I'm not sure, but I guess the first one (light'ud knots) is talking about a woman who can handle problems easily and is kinda independent. As for 'hind f'omus, I guess Jim is right in his comment below that it must be "behind from us".

Here are the paragraphs:

  Don’t you know how to catch a woman, honey? Women like for their men to be masterful and at the same time remote, if you can pull that trick. Make them feel helpless, especially when you know they can pick up a load of light’ud
  knots with no trouble. Never doubt yourself in front of them, and by no means tell them you don’t understand them.”

and

  You’re sort of ’hind f’omus, Miss Scout. You sort of haven’t caught up with yourself … now if you’d been raised on a farm you’da known it before you
  could walk, or if there’d been any women around—if your mamma had lived you’da known it—”


texts: “An idiom for looking foolish because of embarrassment of being unable to get what you purposed or desired”

texts:
One day a girl proposed her beloved in an assembly to marry, but the beloved didn’t give her his heart, and therefore she felt embarrassed and looked foolish and went back because of failing to get what she has been desiring for ages.

Example:

  Having looked in the mirror, she felt to be at a loss.
  So much pride her Lordship had on not giving the heart!

Dose “at a loss” somewhat suit the example ? If not, then the idiom is needed as expressed in the Title box.


texts: Pronunciation of "inquiry" with first syllable stress?

texts: I am an American and I always pronounce “inquiry” with second syllable stress.  After hearing more and more Americans say it with first syllable stres, along with British people saying it the way I do, I though I was pronouncing it the British way.  But when I consulted wiktionary and all the American dictionaries, I realized that they prefer the second syllable stress, or “British way”.  Does anyone know why people pronounce it with first syllable stress and why it is so widespread among educated Americans when no American dictionary prefers it?


texts:
This book specifies the difference as:

martyr for something: smb. who is made to suffer severely for a cause
martyr to something: smb. who is acutely inflicted by something

Oxford dictionary also tells us this:

(martyr to) a constant sufferer from (an ailment):

Other online dictionaries don't seem to explicitly specify a difference, though all example sentences for "martyr to" contain an ailment.
Yet, I've seen the usage "He/She is a martyr to his/her cause/country" a lot. In fact, google gives more hits to the "to" use than the "for" use.

martyr to his cause: 315,000 uses vs. martyr for his cause: 285,000 uses
martyr to his country: 371,000 vs. martyr for his country: 266,000 uses

So is there still a difference between the two in modern/current use? Is this a case of colloquial use being inconsistent with grammatically correct use? Is this a US vs UK issue? Help, please? Surprisingly google is not yielding even a single article discussing this usage.
ETA: Ngram comparisons that have now only increased my confusion. It seems "martyr to cause" is significantly more common is usage than "martyr for cause".
Diagrams for Cause and Country


texts:
What is the difference between two things?
I think there is no difference.


texts: Using "reachable" instead of "available"

texts: Is it possible to use reachable as a replacement for available? I noticed that some dictionaries don't have the former term in their database. Is there any origin for this word?


texts: Origin of the culinary use of "fabricate"

texts:
I recently learned that the preferred term in the meat industry for breaking down an animal body into consumer cuts is "fabricate".

This is at odds with the common use of the word, which is a synonym for invent, create, construct, manufacture, or assemble. It comes from the latin "fabricatus", which means pretty much the same thing.

To me, "fabricating an animal" suggests building one out of smaller parts, not cutting one up.

How did the culinary use of "fabricate" come to be?


texts: How can I describe a conjunction that ends a sentence (so, and, or, but ...)?

texts:
Recently I (American English speaker / academic / raised in Appalachian and Southern dialect household) noticed myself falling into a conversational pattern with coworkers where I would end a spoken sentence with a conjunction and trailing off. Here are a few examples in the spirit of what was said.

Needing to print off more fliers:

  The printer doesn't seem to be working right now, so ...

Making a decision with multiple possibilities:

  Should we go with the red paper, or ... ?

Picking a group of people for a trivia team:

  So it should be Alice, Bob, Charlie, and ...

I attribute the trailing off to leaving an opening for further input from others. Sometimes it's because they would get the gist of what I'm saying in context and be able to reply. Sometimes it's because I really need their input. (Who am I forgetting for the trivia team? What other colors of paper are good options?)

I'm wondering if there are grammatical or linguistic explanations for this feature. A past question about a terminal "so" dealt with whether it was grammatical, but none of the options mentioned feel particularly descriptive of this feature: whether or not it's trailing off or an ellipsis, it isn't just that; it could be a kind of discourse marker but I would expect
them to begin a sentence; it is somewhat like a tag question but sometimes not a question at all.

Meanwhile, this source calls it a "conjunction-ended sentence," which describes the form (a conjunction does end the sentence) but doesn't generate any other search results. Perhaps there is a better concept capturing how it's being used. It would be even better if a term would lead me to further resources on the subject.


texts: Is "crooner" old-fashioned and humorous?

texts:
My dictionary tells me "crooner" is old-fashioned and humorous.  I was wondering why "crooner" is humorous?  I would like to hear from native speakers how you view/use this word.  Here's an example of use:

  Movie star Debbie Reynolds and crooner Eddie Fisher are Fisher's parents. In the 1950s, they were America's sweethearts. But, Eddie left Debbie for bombshell Elizabeth Taylor when Carrie was just a toddler. – CBS-Sunday Morning


texts: Do we need another 'as' before safely in "... as quickly and safely as possible"?

texts:
Is it correct to say:

  It is our mission to help you achieve your goals as quickly and safely as possible.

Or do we need to put another as before safely?


texts:
Guests invited to the Merrills' 20th wedding anniversary celebration are expected to dress _____ formal attire.

in
with
on
per

I have never asked question but when i was studying something this thing came out and made me blurred.

What's the correct answer? is it something to do with idiomatic pattern that
when you use the word dress, the stable preposition should come along all the time?

Thanks


texts:
I am writing some APIs and documentation. We have configurable "voting rules" which are methods for deciding when a business process may proceed.

Some examples:

First valid response
Majority Super
Majority but requires minimum participation

Users may actually create their own voting logic and configure our system to use it. So, I decided to call this voting logic module a "quorum". That left me with reaching for the plural of quorum which (I believe) to be "qui".

Feedback has come to me that this is too obscure. The academic in me would insist that the great unwashed masses wash themselves and learn something (a new word) but I also believe the word "quorum" is truly the most accurate word to describe these logic modules and thus the plural should be "qui".

My questions to the community:

Is the word "quorum" appropriate here?
If so, is "qui" the correct plural?
If not, then what is a more appropriate?
Even if everything I say is correct is there a more approachable and also accurate term?


texts: What part of speech is 'closer' functioning as in 'I moved closer'?

texts:
'I moved closer.'

At face value, 'closer' seems to be acting like an adjective; however, I don't see anything in the sentence to which it can refer. A friend suggested that 'to move closer', 'to move further', and friends are a family of phrasal verbs, but this seems like a cop out to me.

I think the most likely answer is that 'closer' is functioning as a comparative adverb. A very common error in colloquial English is to use an adjective in place of the adverbial form ('I am doing good' instead of 'I am doing well'). Correcting for this error yields 'I moved more closely'. Admittedly, this sounds awkward, but I think that has more to do with the uncommon phrasing than the technical integrity of the expression.

Is there something I am missing here?


texts: How quickly is she running towards the exit? = How fast is she running towards the exit?

texts:
What is the difference in meaning between
How quickly is she running towards the exit?
and
How fast is she running towards the exit?
Is the following dialogue ok:
- How soon can she drive here?
- She will drive here very fast.


texts: There is(are) a lot of temptation(s) out there in the world

texts:
I don't know how to deal with these abstract nouns. The Cambridge Dictionary says it is (C/U), which makes it even more confusing. I would like to know regarding the sentence in the title, should I use singular or plural form? And I would also like to know if there is any easy rule regarding abstract nouns in general.

Thanks for your time


texts: Is using They,Their and Them acceptable in research paper or thesis?

texts:
I argued with my I.T. teacher who is also our research adviser because as far as my knowledge is concerned I insisted that using they, them and their is acceptable based on APA style. She prohibited us from using she and he, which is understandable, but they, their and them? I don't understand that.

So the words left for us to use is  us and students who are the subject of the research and these words eventually become so redundant in our research paper. I think this is very stupid.

Is she correct?


texts: What is it called when a reflection of a person comes out to speak to him?

texts:
Many a times in movies,plays etc a person's internal debate is shown by two similar people coming out - generally one dressed in white and other in black, debating with each other to bring the mind of the protagonist to a conclusion.(many times leaving him in confusion)

How can it be written in words?
Is there a specific word we use to write them?
Or any phrase as such?


texts: What is someone called who makes and sells sandwiches?

texts:
I am translating a text from Persian to English. I need to use an equivalent for "ساندویچی" (pronounced 'Sandwichi')(In Persian, a person who makes and sells sandwiches. It also applies to the place, where this is done).
I found snack bar that can be used for the place (sandwich shop), but no equivalent for the employee therein. Is there such a word in English?


texts:
The following was used in a radio broadcast (The Adventures of Harry Lime, 14th December 1951, episode 20 “An Old Moorish Custom”) as Harry was hit on the back of his head with a rifle butt by a giant Moorish bodyguard:

  “It was a blow that knocked me colder than a witch’s kiss.”

Where did the phrase come from and when was it first used?

Are there any common variation and is it also (or usually) used for temperature comparisons rather than the violent thwack of the quote?


texts:
I've looked for similar questions as How to write the “plural of plural”?, but my question might be slightly different.

There are boats, and each boat may have zero to many engines. Which is more correct to say:

Boat Engines
Boats' Engines
Or else?

And then what if there are manufacturing companies:

Company Boat Engines
Companies' Boat's Engines
Or else?

EDIT:

Since it depends on context, I'm actually using these for I.T. purposes, as in function names and database table names, etc. While there are powerboats, there are also traditional boats (zero engines). In the database, there are cars and car engines, bikes and bike engines, etc. So if I want to refer to the boat engines, I need to specify the type (cars or boats or else).


texts:
I have two questions:

When considering gains and losses, advantages and disadvantages, pros and cons, etc., what is a good word for the traits which are equal between the two options. "Equalities", "draws", "ties", etc. all seem a little out of place (especially stylistically and word-length-wise). Moreover, "draw" feels too similar to "drawback".
What is the opposite of "benefit" (which matches stylistically)? "Disadvantage" does not work because that opposes "advantage", "con" does not work because that opposes "pro", etc. "Drawback" is as good as I can presently get, but I am not satisfied with it.

Thanks!


texts:
The plural of 'passerby' is 'passersby' with an 's' acting like an infix (W-B says that this is the only plural form of the  word). This seems like a very interesting exception, so I thought I would ask a question.

Are there any other English words that are made plural by an 's' put inside the noun?

One criterion has to be met: the singular noun is composed of one (unhyphenated) word only.


texts:
It's pretty normal when people use inversion in a sentence like this one (with the aux verb at the front):
"In no way do I agree with what you're saying."
But I'm not sure if these belong to a type of inversion:
"To the west of Ethiopia near the Sudanese border lies a place called the Asosa zone."
"In the middle of the room stands a sculpture by Penny Byrne"
If so, where are the aux verbs? I'm so confused, please help!


texts: Possessive pronouns vs possessive determiners

texts:
If my understanding is correct, the  possessive personal pronouns (which are mine, thine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, and theirs) are used in place of nouns, whereas the possessive determiners (which are my, thy, your, his, her, its, our, and their) are used as adjectives.

If this is the case, then why is example 1 below correct, as opposed to example 2?

Whose book is this? It is mine.
Whose book is this? It is *my.


texts:
A has something to do with B
B has something to do with A

Are #1 and #2 interchangeable?
I mean, is #1 equal to #2 or is there a difference? If there's a difference then what is the difference?


texts:
I've heard people saying "I am going to town", why can't it be "I am going to the town"?

And why is it "I go to the city" and not "I go to city"?


texts:
I'm editing a manuscript that has a lot of constructions like these:

  “The sound is almost deafening,” Amanda said as they continued down the narrow lane.

  “Maybe I could come and work here,” Amanda said as she craned her neck watching...

  “So how is it going?” Bernice asked as Amanda walked to the lectern.

I instinctively want to put a comma after each “said”, but can't back my play with an explanation.

Any thoughts? (There are too many of these too rewrite each instance.)


texts: What's the difference between degree and grade?

texts:
Maybe I am wrong but sometimes I am pretty sure to have seen something like
"I graduated in my university with a degree of 105".
Shouldn't "grade" be used in this case?

I though that "degree" was used to identify a specific course, for example "master degree".


texts: A word for price after tax and service charge but before discount

texts:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_gross_price_and_net_price_mean

The gross price is the price before deductions.
The net price is the price after deductions.

If a something is $100, and:
VAT + service charge = $10
Discount = $5

Then:
$100 -> initial price
$110 -> gross price
$105 -> net price

Is that right?


texts: What is another word for a person who loses admiration/love/respect towards someone or the act of losing said traits?

texts:
I am looking for a more educated word than "Hater" that describes a person or type of person that at one point admired/respected you, but then for one reason or another, ended up hating/disliking/attacking you. Not necessarily betrayal either. Its more about the part where their emotion/mindset is going from admiration/respect/love to belittling/disrespect/hate towards a person. Adjectives are acceptable too.
A word for each scenario that it could be used in:

You reject their love/admiration so they start hating you/attacking you instead
You don't live up to their expectations so they don't admire/like you anymore
Doing something that changed their initial impressions and feelings about you


texts: What is a term to collectively describe the state or condition of a piece of media's "being" as it pertains to being either physical or digital?

texts:
For instance, if I have a movie on DVD, that particular movie holds a physical form, in the form of the disc. That particular movie is subject to the same physical limitations as anything else. In order to watch that movie, it has to be physically moved and inserted into and kept inside a physical player for the duration of the viewing. When I am done watching and ready to watch another DVD, it has to be removed and put out of the way to make room for the next disc. It takes up space and can be physically manipulated.

And if I have another movie that is downloaded and stored on my computer's hard drive, that movie does not hold a physical form in the same way. It is present on the hard drive, which has a physical form, but the movie itself is not subject to the same physical limitations as the movie that is on the disc. It can be copied and transferred freely to other device's hard drives (assuming no DRM). It does not take up more physical space than was already taken up by the hard drive. Short of picking up the entire computer or hard drive that houses it, it cannot be directly or individually handled or manipulated in a physical space.

What is a word or term that can be used to collectively describe the condition of a piece of media--whether it be a movie, book, song, video game, et cetera--as being either physical or digital, as it pertains to this example? I'm looking for something like "state of being physical or digital" or "condition of existing in a physical space or a virtual space" but more concise, more specific to this example, and in much fewer words.

Perhaps "state of being" is as close as we can get, but I figured I would ask since I am certainly stumped. Thanks!


texts:
Please see this sentence "Do you like eating fruits?".

If we stress the iː in "eating", then do we link k to iː so that it can become ..../laɪ'kiːtɪŋ/....?

I guess that we don't link k to iː, but we will make a short stop or pause at k for a few milliseconds so that we can have enough energy to stress the word "eating". So, it will be like ..../laɪk (pause here for a few milliseconds) 'iːtɪŋ/....

But, I often hear the linkage /laɪkit/ in "Do you like it?". So I guess that if we don't stress "it" then we can link "like" to "it".

When do and don't we link 2 adjacent words in pronunciation?

What is the rule of linking in English pronunciation?


texts:
Would this be an independent clause:

"This had little noticeable effect on our demographic".


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Is there any subtle difference between “to study” and “to learn”?

What is the difference between "to learn" and "to study"? Can you study without learning? For example, if you study complex math as a subject but you don't understand it completely.


texts: Is there any difference between "crenellations" and "battlements"?

texts:
Both these terms seem to refer to the jagged parapets you see on classic medieval castle towers.

Merriam-Webster defines "battlement" like this:

  a parapet with open spaces that surmounts a wall and is used for defense or decoration

And it defines "crenellation" like this:

  1
  :  battlement

  2
  :  any of the embrasures alternating with merlons in a battlement — see battlement illustration

Looking at the picture, it appears a "crenellation" is a gap in the parapet, and a "merlon" is a solid part, while "battlement" is the whole thing.  But this doesn't seem to match up with the usage in the relevant Wikipedia article, which says "crenellation" is the process of converting a parapet into a battlement (by knocking holes in it).

If I specifically want to talk about what Merriam-Webster calls "merlons," what is the best word to use?


texts: Is "wtf" an abbreviation or a euphemism?

texts:
In the English language we have a lot of euphemisms for profanities that take the form of abbreviations; for instance, people may say the f-word or the s-word if they don't want to say fuck and shit. I always used to assume that WTF was the same type of thing.

However, I've noticed lately that if people are reading out loud a sentence that contains wtf, they often pronounce it as what the fuck - for instance, if they get a text message saying "Hey, wtf just happened?" and another person asks them what the text says, they are likely to say what the fuck just happened? instead of double you tee eff just happened? In this usage, wtf isn't a euphemism; it's just an alternate way of writing the profane phrase so that it is easier to type, i.e., an abbreviation.

So, my question: Which do we consider it? (And has it always been that way? For instance, perhaps it started out as a euphemism but is evolving into an abbreviation?)


texts: "when is he expected back" Vs " what time is he expected back"

texts: Are these questions correct and how can we answer these questions correctly.Could anyone help me out,please?I always get confusion while asking and answering these questions.Please need your valuable suggestions!Thanks


texts: Offer me (something) or offer (something) for me?

texts:
I have an issue with the usage of the word offer. This particular sentence below is giving me a headache.

  I am positive that these two subjects can offer me the best opportunities, as I take interest in both the core and the related areas.

Is that correct? And if so, is this alternative correct too?

Should for be replaced with to? (keep in mind it is supposed to be formal)

  I am positive that these two subjects can offer the best opportunities for me, as I take interest in both the core and the related areas.


texts: Use of the word 'lawmaker' when referring to elected representatives

texts:
Over the last few years I've noticed more news stories referring to elected representatives as 'lawmaker' rather than Senator, Congressman, Member of Parliament or whatever specific title they might enjoy.

I presume that it must be a matter for a local style guide that various organisations habitually use it; I first noticed it with Bloomberg (e.g.), but if you search any major news website, you will probably see examples.

In many situations the people being described are more than just lawmakers, they represent a constituency, sit of committees of oversight and similar roles that are at least as important as making laws. In the UK, they are members of Parliament, not just 'lawmakers'.

I have taken quite an irrational dislike to the word and I'm looking to make my opinion more rational. Why should 'lawmaker' be used, given that it seems to represent only a part of the responsibilities of the people generally described?


texts: Can the name of a country be considered a plural noun, as a collective of e.g. its citizens?

texts:
Brazil have Neymar. Argentina have Messi. Portugal have Ronaldo. Germany have a team!

I read this on Facebook, and someone said the singular "has" is supposed to be there instead of the plural "have" in all cases within the quoted phrase.

I got myself thinking, though, whether the plural wouldn't be correct, making each country's name a collective of the people that are part of it, or perhaps a collective reference to the national team of each country in this specific case.

I've seen uses such as

  the police are conducting an investigation

making the noun "police" a collective of all people within a police force, but I'm not sure these kinds of usage are a recurring mistake by native speakers or something of that nature.


texts: Can I continue a sentence after "respectively"?

texts:
Is it okay and in common usage to continue a sentence after using the word “respectively”?  Consider this example:

  Denoting the object’s mass and acceleration by m and a, respectively, Newton’s second law can be written as F=ma.


texts:
Why is the term 'tyre kickers' used to describe potential customers that want something for nothing or are likely to prove troublesome or waste your time?

I believe it was likely something to do with car sales and the stero typical, kick the tyre when you go take a look at the car but I assume this is a term that can used in any other sales context?


texts: Is "a topic about which I could talk for hours" correct?

texts:
I'm a little bit confused whether the following sentence is correct or not.

  It is a subject about which I could talk for hours.

As far as I'm concerned with English grammar it should be correct but the part about which just doesn't sound good to me.


texts: What happens when baker's, butcher's, etc. are in the plural?

texts:
If the singular it is:

  The baker's and the butcher's are closed on Sundays.

Which one is the plural?

  Bakers and butchers are closed on Sundays.
  Bakers' and butchers' are closed on Sundays.


texts:
I am wondering if there is a word that is a verb and describes an operation that is the opposite of ignoring, but not in the sense of appreciate. I want a short way to describe the operation that follows ignoring, i.e. un-ignoring. But "un-ignore" doesn't sound good.
Do you have any better alternatives?
Context:
The context is computer science. I have a set of automatically extracted semantic tags, which are used to characterize the contents of a text. A user might find some of them uninteresting, e.g. bare names of people like Paul. So there is an operation of ignoring such tags. Yet, in the future, some of them might be found interesting. So I need another operation allowing for un-ignoring such previously ignored tags.


texts: What do you call it when you refuse to give up on a particular task

texts:
In Dutch we've got the expression 'Vastbijten in'. It means you really get into a problem or some work. And you won't give up till it's resolved. I've been looking all over the web, but I've not been able to find an expression that comes close enough.

Is there a way of saying this en English? The Dutch expression is a verb phrase, so that would probably come closest.

Edit

Thank you all very much for your answers:). Since I can only accept one final answer, I feel the need to do some clarification. Initially I added the single word request, since the expression in Dutch is just one word (not including the preposition). However, that's very specific to the Dutch language and I'm mostly looking for an expression that comes closest. Therefore I feel that:

to get one's teeth into Comes closest, it's actually almost an exact translation both literally and in meaning.
indefatigable Is the best candidate when a single word is required(although the literal translation in dutch for this would be 'onvermoeibaar'). This also is an interesting choice since vastbijten can be used as noun(vastbijter), meaning an indefatigable person.
to dig in Would be probably the American equivalent of to get one's teeth into. Also not one word, but approaching the meaning closest.


texts: the difference between best time to tell... and best time to be telling

texts:
A says something insensitive, and then B's look in his face hardened.
And then, A says:

  I'm sorry, probably not the best time to be telling you that.

Would there be any difference if I would replace to be telling with to tell you that in that sentence?


texts: Difference between "size" and "dimension"

texts: What is the difference between nouns "size" and "dimension". When I want to set dimensions/sizes of an object which noun should I use?


texts: A single word for "hurting of one's pride"

texts:
A little anecdote to illustrate my question: Say I've been an aspiring poet all my life but I've never dared to tell anyone. Then the local TV station has an anonymous poetry contest. Since I've by now written a lifetime's worth of poems, I enter the one I consider the very best.

However, to my utter horror, at the night of the screening, my poem is analyzed and burned down to the ground. Which would of course sadden me very much.

But it's not just saddening. It's more than that, as I actually considered poetry one of my strong suits.

What is the word capturing this emotion?  My best guess would be crestfallen, however this can only be used as a past tense "adjective verb" (I'm not sure that is the proper term, so if I'm wrong please tell me).

Is there a word that I could use in the present tense? So the sentence would look something like this:

  The analysis of my poem was very <insert word here> to me.

My closest guess for this case would be humiliating. However, that has the implication of it being a public thing.

Disclamer: All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. ;)


texts: What type of humor would racist and sexist jokes be categorized into?

texts:
I did not major in literary studies so I do not readily recognize the nuances that are used to distinguish between the various concepts.

It doesn't seem to fit insult comedy since it is rarely told to members of the group it is insulting, nor heritage comedy since it generally refers to people of a different heritage. My first inclination is to lump it into the black comedy genre, however I'm not sure the intended purpose of such jokes meets this criteria listed on the Wikipedia page:

  The purpose of black comedy is to make light of serious and often taboo subject matter; some comedians use it as a tool for exploring vulgar issues, thus provoking discomfort and serious thought as well as amusement in their audience.


texts:
Begun on the margins of the newspaper in which the statement appeared
  while I was in jail, the letter was continued on scraps of writing
  paper supplied by a friendly Negro trusty

So when the author was in jail, the letter was published little by little? Is that so?


texts: "by as much as 8 percent" means "by 8 percent" or "by up to 8 percent"?

texts:
The authors of the study, one of the most closely watched overviews of the global high-end retail market, predicted that such expansion would drive up growth across the global luxury market by as much as 8 percent.

My question: what does "by as much as 8 percent" mean? Does it mean "by 8 percent" or "by up to 8 percent"?

Thanks,
Jeffrey


texts:
So recently I've came across a sentence like the following:

  "If you (have) ruined my skirt, I will slap you."

A possible context for this could be a situation where you had given a skirt to your friend and when she came back with it, she looks nervous and you think something happened to the skirt.

Anyone I've asked is telling this sentence looks correct, and I think it's correct too, but I don't know the reason. As far as I know, you can't mix type 1 and type 2 conditionals, so it should be probably "If you ruined my skirt, I would slap you".

So my question is: why or why not is this sentence correct?


texts:
What does the expression old school mean in the following paragraph?

  In the old school, we would say, "You look fine," but today, the kids say, "You look hella cool."

From the sentence above, I understand as follows:

  In the old time, we would say, "You look fine," but now in 21st century, the kids say, "You look cool."

Am I right?

Please help improve my understanding.


texts: Is there a word that means "thoughtful-looking"?

texts:
I don't mean "thoughtful" as in considerate or generous, but one who considers the actions of others and tries to make sense of them.

Thank you


texts:
The issue was, and still is, hotly debated at the grass roots level,
  with children coming to our schools speaking more than 200 languages.

In the above sentence, I guess the subject is "issue" and the predicate is "was/is".
"hotly debated at the grass roots level" is used to embellish "issue". And I'm
confused by "with children coming to our schools speaking more than 200 languages".
Is the object "with children coming to our schools speaking more than 200 languages"?


texts: Is it grammatically correct to say "Many more happy returns of the day "?

texts: Many people greet me "Many more happy returns of the day" on my birthday. I thought it is grammatically wrong. Can we use "many" and "more" at a time in a sentence. I thought that it is correct to greet "Many happy returns of the day".Are the given below sentences grammatically correct?1)Many more happy returns of the day.2)Many many happy returns of the day.


texts: what is meaning of " the water was hidden" in The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle story?

texts:
I am reading "The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle" story, I don't understand this sentence:

  When they got round the bend in the river and the water was hidden
  from view, you could still see their huge brown sails towering over
  the roofs of the town, moving onward slowly—like some gentle giants
  that walked among the houses without noise.

Here what does "the water" mean? the river or the sea? How come to be hidden?

Thanks


texts: What does “triple down” in “Trump triples down on George W. Bush’s responsibility for 9/11”mean?

texts:
A Washington Post (October 18) article begins with the following passage under the headline, “Trump triples down on George W. Bush’s responsibility for 9/11.”

  Donald Trump says he doesn’t flat out blame former president George W. Bush that the Sept. 11 terror attacks happened on his watch. But he can think of three reasons why one could hold Bush responsible. And, he might add, they are three things a President Trump would do very differently. “You always have to look to the person at the top,” Trump said Saturday in a telephone interview. “Do I blame George Bush? I only say that he was the president at the time, and you know, you could say the buck stops here.

I know the word, “double down” as a blackjack word, but I never heard of “triple down.”

Neither Cambridge online Dictionary nor Oxford Dictionaries carries this word.

Google Ngram shows both “double down” and “triple down” at respective 0.000.0037375 and minimal 0.000.0001722 incidence level.

What does “triple down” on somebody mean? Did Trump castigate G.W. Bush? Does it have anything to do with “three things” Trump will do if he is elected President?
Is "triple down" a common word?


texts:
When I finished cleaning out my late father's apartment, I felt relief at having finished an irksome task, but also satisfaction at having done it well. Is there a word that connotes both feelings?

Sample: "While I didn't relish cleaning out my late father's apartment, and had postponed the job several times, after I finally did it, I felt both relieved that is was over and proud that I had done a good job; in a word, I felt RequestedWord."


texts: What's the difference between "hundreds of thousands of" and "hundreds and thousands of"?  Are they both correct?


texts: Are there any special English words describing indexed items which are displayed first word last?

texts:
The indexes in the back of some books contain items which are listed with the first word at the end, e.g.:

An entry for "The Golden Goose" would be listed as "Golden Goose, The".
An entry for "baseball teams" might be listed as "baseball teams", but also as "teams, baseball".

Are there any English words to describe such a reversal, or to call index items which are displayed in reverse, or to call an index which contains such items?


texts: In the context of a table leaf, what is the correct plural term, "table leafs" or "table leaves"?


texts: Do the words "peasant" and "pissant" mean the same thing?

texts:
I recently completed reading the novel "Cat's cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut. In this novel he describes peasant as:

  "A pissant is somebody who thinks he's so damn smart, he can never keep his mouth shut. No matter what anybody says, he's got to argue with it. You say why you like something, and, by God, he'll tell you why you're wrong to like it. A pissant does his best to make you feel like a boob all the time. No matter what you say, he knows better."

I have never seen this word before so I checked it with the online dictionary. However, there was only an explanation for the word "peasant". Can anyone please explain me if these words mean the same thing? Is the word "pissant" with the meaning above in wide use today?


texts: The acceptance of eye care services among patients "is likely to be high" or "will potentially be high or higher"

texts:
In the above sentence, my confusion is words after patients " is likely to be high" or "will potentially be high or higher".

is it correct and which one will be more appropriate?


texts: When to use “in the last year”, “last year” and “in the past year”?

texts:
I'm curious about the differences between "in the last year", "in the past year" and "last year".

I went to NY in the past year
Last year I went to NY.
In the last year I went to NY (This sounds wrong to me).

Could you please explain when to use each?


texts: "Do my best for something to happen" is grammatically correct?

texts: “I did my best for them to add (something) in the list” is that a grammatically correct way to convey the intended meaning, which is (I convinced them) to add that thing to the list?


texts:
Can a phrase starting with "if" always be replaced with a phrase with a phrase starting with SHOULD?  It doesn't seem like we can make a direct substitution.  For example, we say

  If he askED you to move to Italy, would you do it?

But

  Should he ask you to move to Italy, would you do it?

Why is this, and what is the rule for the substitution?


texts:
Jelly in a vise is a proverb mentioned in "Asian Figure" by W.S Merwin.
What does "Jelly" mean in this proverb? Does it mean gelatinous? Or the jelly that we eat?
What kind of clamp is a "Vise"?


texts: How to choose the meaning of a word from many meanings

texts:
To increase my vocabulary, I collect words from my daily study and then find them in the Cambridge dictionary. But one word has many meanings. It is sometimes hard to memorize all of them, and it is also time-consuming. But I don't understand which meaning I should chose. So how can I understand which meaning is the most important one that I should memorize?

After reading the comments, I think I should add some more elaboration.
I have been preparing for the GRE. I have quite a long time on my hands. I have read a book called "Barron's Essential Words for GRE," which gives words together with their meaning. I have also read another book called "Barron's Essential Words for TOEFL". Both of these books list some words with their meanings. These books list one or two meanings. But when I search those words in the dictionary, I find many meanings aside from the meaning they have listed. This makes me confused.


texts: When is it not possible to reduce relative clauses to participle phrases?

texts:
While "The woman who lived next door was a doctor" can be reduced to

"The woman living next door was a doctor",

the sentence

"The woman who called me was a doctor"

cannot be reduced to

"The woman calling me was a doctor".

Perhaps if the tense (or aspect?!) were past continuous it would make sense. But in the first example the tense is also simple past, yet the reduction is meaningful. Is there any reasoning behind this one could explain to their students?

Thanks


texts: What does it mean when someone or something is referred to as being "86'd"?


texts:
Which of the following is the better or more correct usage when the noun reason is plural?

  I can't do it. There are several reasons to it.

vs

  I can't do it. There are several reasons for it.


texts: Correct capitalization in figure caption

texts:
I'm writing my thesis and it has many figures in it.

I was wondering when I should use upper case and when do I need to use lower case in the caption.

For example:

  Figure 23: Lateral moment vs Time

or

  Figure 23: Lateral Moment vs Time

or

  Figure 23: Lateral moment vs time.

If there are any guidelines that would really help.

Thank you.


texts: A word for words that are often seen in their negative forms

texts:
Words like "misconstrue" or "disgruntled" are fairly common. But you much less commonly see the word "construe" or "gruntled"

Is there a term for words like this?


texts: First known occurrence of the word "technique" in English

texts: I’m trying to track down the first printed use of the word technique in English. Can anyone tell me the name, author, and date of the publication in question? It would be especially valuable, on top of that, to have an excerpted passage containing the word, in order to infer its intended meaning from its context.


texts: Non-finite clause complementation of complex transitive verbs

texts:
This question has been bothering me for a while. It came up when I was reading Chapter 16 of "A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language."

How to explain the grammatical structure of the following four sentences?

"We knew him to be a spy."
"I saw her leave the room."
"I heard someone shouting."
"I got the watch repaired."

What category do the four non-finite clauses in boldface fall into? They do not seem to fall into any of relative, nominal, comparative and adverbial clauses.


texts: Idiom used to express something that brings about one's destruction in a very precise and effective way?

texts:
From the point of view of the werewolf, the silver bullet is far from having a positive connotation. What similarly idiomatic word or expression could be used to express something that brings about one's destruction in a very precise and effective –sort of perfect-storm– kind of way?

The context is a promising technology or product that failed due to unrelated and unexpected conditions and/or developments in the market (here there is no fault on the part of the market-player; it's just mere chance). I can imagine this extending perhaps to literary evil characters which had contrived a very clever way to become strong or invincible, but the archetypal weaker character exploits a weakness that the villain did not consider (here there is perhaps some fault/blame to be assigned).

Thanks in advance.


texts: What is a term to refer something in the middle of a list just like "former" and "latter" is used in a list containing two things?

texts:
In a sentence, if someone says the former, they are talking about the first thing they listed, and says the latter for the last thing they listed. What would be the term to refer something in the middle of a list? Consider the following two scenarios:

  I like to eat burgers and hot dogs, although I like to eat the former more.

  I like to eat burgers, hot dogs and ribs, although I like to eat the __ more.


texts:
I wonder if there is a difference between the words "whole" and "entire". For example, the following sentences:

I spent my whole life waiting for you.

I spent my entire life waiting for you.


texts: What is a word for "being forced into submission"?

texts:
I have a quote in my essay but I don't remember where I got it from, so I need to remove and paraphrase it. Here's my original sentence:

  The belief that, as Christian women, queens should behave meekly is a reflection of the “submissiveness that a male-dominated Church and society imposed on women.”

I'm trying to rewrite it as:

  The belief that, as Christian women, queens should behave meekly is a reflection of the Church and society's [word for "forced submission"] of women.

Does "coercion" work here? If not, do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks!


texts: How shall the word "biology" be interpreted, if no English word can start with two stressed syllables?

texts:
I am little confused over this matter; the teacher has stated that no English word can start with two stressed syllables and that you understand a syllable is stressed when it's not reduced to a schwa and when it is therefore a full vowel. For words like biology (/baɪˈɒl.ə.dʒi/), it seems that the PRICE vowel /aɪ/ is followed by the LOT vowel /ɒ/. It makes 2 full vowels followed by each other and contradicts the first information of the teacher.
Is there something I am missing?
The teacher considers aɪ an unstressed syllable.

The cambridge dictionary also considers it as being unstressed: /baɪˈɒl.ə.dʒi/ and not /ˌbaɪˈɒl.ə.dʒi/.


texts: Is there a word for a class of circular shapes?

texts:
I'm not sure if this belongs here, but I'm wondering if there is a word for a class of circular shapes?

Thinking about this hierarchically:

* Shape
  * Polygon
    * Square
    * Rectangle
  * ???????
    * Circle
    * Oval

EDIT:

Ok, so mathematically I'm not sure there is a correct answer to my question that's any better than the one Mehper so eloquently explained (round shape). Let's break down what we have so far:

In the blue corner: Noldorin

* Ellipsoid
  * Ellipse
    * Circle
  * Oval

In the red corner: pretty much everyone else

* Oval
  * Ellipse

Now, my question for the red team is: where does a circle fit in? From what I understand a circle can't be an oval, but a circle is an ellipse. Those two facts make the following untrue:

* Oval
  * Ellipse
    * Circle

I'll stick with ellipsoid for now until I hear some better explanation.

Also note this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellipsoid#Egg_shape

An egg shape, which is an oval (not an ellipse) is comprised of two ellipses. This seems to make an oval a sub-class of an ellipse.

Kindly correct me if I've made any mistakes.


texts: Is "an ocean of flowers" singular or plural?

texts:
'There are an ocean of flowers.' I saw this sentence in the Internet. Is it grammatically correct? I was wondering whether 'an ocean of flowers' should be treated as singular or plural.

If it is singular, then the verb should be 'is' - There is an ocean of flowers.

Apparently, the writer consider 'an ocean of flowers' a plural subject, as the verb 'are' was used. But should it be plural when the phrase starts with 'an' ('AN ocean of...')?

Thanks!


texts: Is there a word for the concept of attributing genius to something simply because it's incomprehensible?

texts:
Say someone is a well-known, highly-praised academic figure who came out with an idea that was complete and utter nonsense, yet instead of dismissing it as BS, some folks insist the idea is brilliant and visionary precisely because it's incomprehensible.

In context, I have a character spouting off some vaguely pretentious-sounding amphigories in order to trick others into believing it is a valid piece of awe-inspiring genius.

Is there a word or even simply a shorter phrase to describe such a concept?


texts:
What is wrong in the following sentence?

For an element x of G, denote by o(x) the order of x and x^G the conjugacy class of x in G.


texts: Why does "this car is riding fastly" sound terribly awkward?

texts:
I checked this and this answer, but it still unclear to me.

Let's say

  This car is fast (slow, careful, lazy)
  Here fast/slow definitely is adjective, it describes the car.

But if we modify the sentence in this way

  This car is riding slowly (carefully, lazily)

the 'slowly' is an adverb, because related to verb 'riding', correct? Then why

  This car is riding fastly

sounds terribly awkward? What should be used here and why?


texts:
I've seen both, even in the same Wikipedia article entry. Is there a right and wrong version, or is either version OK as long as I'm consistent?

I'm using the word in the context of patent law, as in 'this invention must do A, B, and C to be considered novel and non(-)obvious'.


texts:
I heard this phrase in a TV show. Two characters are drinking in the scene, and one of them is not pleased with the low quality of the alcohol brought by the other person. The conversation goes like this:

A: Where did you get this swill, man?
B: It's a celebratory gesture. We open, we sip, we move on with our lives. Everything does not have to be top-shelf foodie porn.
A: Yeah, but you didn't have to roll a hobo to get it.

What does "roll a hobo" mean here? I found that "hobo" means "homeless, poor person", so I guess the sentence means something like "you don't have to act like you're that poor". I'm still not completely sure though, because "roll" has too many different meanings, and I could not find any reference to the phrase "roll a hobo" online. Does anyone know what the correct interpretation is?


texts:
I am afraid that when I hear it (if I hear it) I may introduce palm to forehead aggressively (an action some of you might in fact encourage me to do):

Is there one word to express "not belong"? As in:

  That book does not belong on that shelf. It belongs on this one with the other compilations of Manitoban poetry.

Or:

  I really feel I don't belong here. I mean, everyone is dressed so nicely and speaks so properly, while I in my oversized plaid shirt mumble nonsensically.

Thus, I mean an antonym to belong in the sense of "used to say that someone or something should be in a particular place or situation" (from M-W).


texts: If one suffers from a disease, is one better considered a sufferer from a disease, or a sufferer of a disease?


texts:
I guess the sentence is in correct English grammar and style. But sounds strange to a Brazilian. Can someone tell why the sentence is "more correct" than the following?

  She is a so persuasive girl.


texts: Is “-th” still a productive suffix in English?

texts:
The main question here is whether using -(e)th to create ordinals out of cardinals1 is still considered a productive suffix in English. Is it?

If so, then does it matter whether we are in a formal or informal register?  Is it accepted in some contexts but not in others?  Is it blocked by certain circumstances?

Consider these sorts of formations, arranged by least to most shocking; are they legal, illegal, or suspect?

the nth or nth item
the zeroth element
googolth for which item is number googol
epsilonth and  ¹⁄epsilonᵗʰ (¹⁄epsilonth)
alphath or perhaps alphath
calculating the (1−alpha)th percentile
three-halfth for ³⁄₂ᵗʰ (³⁄₂th)
two-thirdth for ²⁄₃ᵗʰ (²⁄₃th

Footnotes:

Such as we do with four > fourth, fifty > fiftieth, and  billion > billionth


texts: Every word is a particular part of speech.  Which part of speech has the fewest words?


texts: Difference between "I reached home" and "I have reached home"

texts:
I often confuse these two things:
"I reached home" and "I have reached home".
Once my friend asked me, "Where are you? "
I messaged him: "I have reached home".
He told me not to use "have reached "...

  reached = past tense, have reached = present perfect

Can someone please clear this doubt so that I don't make the mistake again.


texts: What does "girls of the world" refer to in this context?

texts:
In the 1986 rap song "Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble" by "DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince", the lyrics go like this:

Listen, homeboys, don't mean to bust your bubble
But girls of the world ain't nothing but trouble

Full lyrics: https://genius.com/Dj-jazzy-jeff-and-the-fresh-prince-girls-aint-nothing-but-trouble-lyrics
Where it's said/sung/rapped in the music video: https://youtu.be/IOaFh-yJk_k?t=18
What does "girls of the world" mean? Is it just a convoluted way to say "girls" or "females" in general? Or does it refer to "girls of the world" as in "girls who are worldly" or something? And if so, what does that mean? It's not at all obvious to me what "girls of the world" means, and I suspect that it might be some kind of "Ebonics" slang which I haven't learned.
Maybe I'm overthinking this, but those "girls of the world" words have repeated in my head regularly for many years now. I need to get "closure".


texts: Adjective for someone who refuses to be kind

texts:
I'm trying to find a word describing someone who refuses to perform an act of kindness, even if they know they're breaking societal norms.

  The old woman fell on the ice and couldn't get up. To everyone's surprise, Bill kept walking, ignoring her outstretched arms and pleas for help. He's one ... bastard.


texts: Exact meaning of the Gandalf quote, "He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom."?

texts:
What is the exact meaning of following quote (it belongs to Gandalf the Grey):

  He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom.

I have a problem especially with understanding what it is has left.


texts:
So we know that the noun "Afghan" is preferred over "Afghani" when it comes to describing the people of Afghanistan, but what's the scoop for using it as an adjective?  For example, is saying an "Afghani carpet" incorrect, offensive, both or neither, as opposed to an "Afghan carpet"?

Context: A rather lively debate on Travel.SE about whether using the term "Afghani passport" in a newspaper article is a mark of cluelessness.


texts:
Consider the following sentence as is:

  We'll let you know whether your application has been accepted by one
  of our trusted partners in minutes and take you straight to your
  quote.

There are two pieces of information contained in the sentence:

We'll let you know whether your application has been accepted by one
of our trusted partners in minutes
take you straight to your quote

However, the second part only applies if the application has been accepted. I could modify it as below but this is meant to be short and snappy and it seems to be a bit wordy/clunky - any opinion/advice/alternatives?

  We'll let you know whether your application has been accepted by one
  of our trusted partners in minutes, and if it is, we'll take you
  straight to your quote.


texts:
I am translating a document, and I came across this sentence:

  One of the fans of your work is a cute girl – this time I’m assuming you’re a man, I’m sure over the past four years you’ve learned some choice words for people who do that.

I don’t understand the last part of the sentence: "I am sure ... " What does the expression "choice words" mean? I thought something like "insults". But then, what does it relate to?

Any ideas? Some context might help: it is an imaginary life of a man who lives an idyllic life in the mountains.


texts: "Hitler will send no warning" vs "Hitler won't send warnings"

texts:
As in this WWII poster:

Are they the same thing, or are there differences in expression？

Why do native speakers choose the first one?


texts: English equivalent to the Arabic idiom 'soak it and drink its water'?

texts:
There is a common Arabic idiom, which literally translated says:

  Soak it and drink its water

It can said about pretty much anything, to express a kind of contemptuous indifference.

For example, when Hassan Naseralah was informed Hezbollah had been included in the European Union's list of terrorist groups, he made a speech where he said "You can soak your list and drink its water".

It's similar to the English idiom "you can shove it up your a$$ for all I care", except in Arabic the phrase is formal, not vulgar.

Is there a formal, or at least non-vulgar, analogous idiom in English which expresses contemptuous indifference, belittlement, and scornful dismissal?


texts:
The modifier error in the sentence below creates ambiguity regarding who is on the way home - John or the huge man.

  John saw a huge man on his way home

What are the different ways to fix this? The intended meaning could be either - John or the huge man.

  John saw a huge man who was on his way home

Who introduces a relative clause that necessarily applies to what immediately precedes it (the huge man).
So this seems fine.

  John saw a huge man while he was on his way home

This seems to retain the ambiguity.

  John saw a huge man while on his way home

Note: There are various of phrasing this correctly (as pointed out in some of the answers), but I am interested in verifying the correctness (or otherwise) of the version above.
It seems correct, referring to John, but I can't justify why?


texts: "Over beforehand" and "for" meaning in this context

texts:
I've been reading two sentences:

For they had not married heedlessly in America.
Although they have talked everything over beforehand.

In these two sentences, I'm not sure about the use of for and over beforehand (especially over). I know about beforehand, Oxford Dictionaries say–

Before an action or event; in advance

but it's the over bit that is confusing me. Please help.


texts: What is the correct way to use 'as adjective as' while comparing and/or contrasting two things?

texts:
What is the correct syntax when you want to compare or contrast two things using 'as adjective as'?

Is it syntactically correct to say:
"You should be as hurt when someone in another country dies as you would when someone in your country does."

I am looking for a general syntax:
--first part of the sentence-- as adjective --first thing-- as --thing to which it is compared/contrasted--.

Is there a simpler way to present it?


texts:
Similar to how euphonic describes words that sound pleasing, is there a word for numbers that feel pleasing and comfortable? Like 12:34, $20, or 7.17? I ask because it seems to be an important concept in marketing, storytelling, and even culture.
I can think to construct eunumeric, which I find euphonic too, but I've never seen that anywhere. :)
EDIT: Would like to open again because someone claimed this question was opinion-based, but I added a comment explaining why I think that’s incorrect. The definition is not opinion-based, but it does describe a subjective concept.


texts:
I am currently proofreading a typeset document that's automatically hyphenated "client" to justify a line. The bottom of one page has "cli-", and then, after a page turn, "-ent" on the next page. I'm marking it as something that should be changed. Are there written rules that address this?
Thanks for any help.


texts:
Despite the apparently same meanings of the three words (which I looked up in Wiktionary), I would like to know if my interpretation is correct regarding their differences.

"sensible" is used to describe a person who can be perceived and understood by other people.

"sensitive" is used to describe a person who can perceive other people or things.

I am not sure about "sentient". Is it the same as "sensible" or "sensitive"?