texts:
I understand the meaning of "if nothing else" in sentence A, but couldn't understand the meaning in sentence B.

A. "I will go to library this afternoon if nothing else to do."

B. "Google argues that e-mail recipients have the right to view e-mail messages using the service of their choosing
and that on the Internet senders are not required to consent to automated scanning, which every e-mail provider does,
for security purposes if nothing else."


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Order of “not” with infinitive

The following are both accepted as grammatically correct, right?

  You pretend to not notice.

  You pretend not to notice.

However, if I think about it, it seems like the first one is correct but not the second. Why would that be?

It's almost as if the second one is saying "You don't pretend to notice," which means something different from the first.


texts: parts of a business letter, terminology question

texts: What term, if any, is used to describe the initials of the author and typist seen together at the end of a letter at the left margin, such as AB/xyz?  Thank you.


texts: What's a word or short phrase for someone who knows what's going on around them

texts: I am looking for a word that quickly describes someone who knows everything that is going on in the in the city they live in. This person does not engage in gossip concerning other people's personal lives, but rather is someone who knows what the weather is going to be like today, what sales are going on, what events are going on, and what happened in the news. They could tell you things like, "Store A is the best place to buy meat, but if you want vegetables is store B. If you want to buy dog supplies, you normally want to go to store Y but today there happens to be a sale on dog treats at store Z. There's a 5K going on tomorrow at 2:00, and there's a band concert at location X later that night." This person is not over dependent on technology for this information, as she gets most of it by "getting out there" and being involved with the community.


texts: Are there racial overtones for the term thug?

texts:
Some of us have seen the Richard Sherman pre-SuperBowl interviews where he accuses the media of racism by using the term "thug" to describe him/his actions.

He suggests that it is being used to replace the n-word.

Does it?


texts: What does the term "beagles" mean in this WWI-era poem?

texts:
Jessie Pope's poem "'Ware Wire!" (seen on page 17 of Jessie Pope's War Poems, 1915) starts its description of trench warfare this way:

  When the beagles are running like steam,
  When the plough is as sticky as glue,
  When the scent is an absolute scream,
  And there’s wire in the fence to get through—

What does it mean for "the beagles [to be] running like steam"?  "Running like steam" itself seems to be a common enough idiom — it means running quickly — but are we talking about actual beagle dogs here, or is this slang for something else? (This being WWI, it can't be slang for the F-15E.)

I know dogs were used in WWI, but I wouldn't have expected beagles specifically, nor do I understand why an image of beagles running quickly would be a natural opening line for this poem about "our boys at the front."

And on the next line, I suppose the "plough" is a literal plough, maybe for digging trenches or maybe involved somehow with cutting wire; or maybe it's just a mistake for "slough"?

At least I understand (or think I do) the reference to the scent of no-man's-land.


texts:
As is often the case, I got stuck while programming because I couldnt' find the right name for a variable.

I want to write an interface for a class that has dependencies, but I'm unsure about how to name it.

TL;DR:

Something that has dependencies is a ...

fill in the blank


texts:
as I always have had a hard time figuring out, when to use commas in English, I would like you to have a look at the following sentences and tell me whether the commas are correct or not.

Based on the literature review,  Section 2 identifies the objetivces of this study.
The electrical load is reduced, leading  to lower costs.
This study shows the disadvantages of the traditional methods and thus, the need for new methods
Besides energy storage systems for storing electricity,  such as batteries, flexible loads are necessary for integrating renwable energy sources. [both commas]
The device has an electrical power of 2000 W, which can be  adjusted continuously.

I'd appreciate every comment.


texts: Do I use a comma to separate "From.... to"?

texts:
At about three o'clock, the professor transitioned from the topic of communication, to the topic of political correctness.

or

At about three o'clock, the professor transitioned from the topic of communication to the topic of political correctness.


texts: What is the appropriate word in this context?

texts:
I am trying to write down the solution to a math problem which has five separated questions, marked as (i), (ii),  (iii), (iv) and (v). At the beginning of my answer, I would like to write something like this:

  Through the following discussion, we will separately prove the properties stated in the five (...) of the proposed problem.

What would be the right word to use in (...)? Maybe items, or questions? In Spanish we have a standard word to refer to the different questions of a problem, but is there one in English too?


texts: Are "subject" and "object" syntactic classifications?

texts:
I would like to know where the classification of Arguments such as subject, object... comes from. I know that the roles classifications come from Thematic roles; however, how about those mentioned above?

I looked into both terms but couldn't find any reference pointing where they derive from.


texts:
We do not normally use prepositions in some common expressions.

  Let’s discuss your plans.

  She married a rich business man.

  The baby resembles its father

Is there a rule behind such expressions and do we have a specific name for these expressions.


texts: What do we call the person who gives a beggar money?

texts:
A beggar is a person who beg for getting money or something from a person but what do we call that person who gives the beggar the money ?
Like Hop-ons are people who jump onto the back of the stair car for a free ride.
In the question, I mean people who gives money not always or gives money in an irregular form, like not giving donation at a particular time/date or day.


texts:
Is there any specific word for self made electronics as a hobby?

I have seen some people expressing this with popular brand names such as Arduino or Raspberry.

My only idea so far is "DIY Electronics", but it does not feel quite right.


texts:
I have stumbled upon the phrase "What does who want?" which puzzles me. Its unusualness makes me doubt.

I have been told it is used just as "What does he want?", with [who] replacing [he] when we don't know who we are addressing, but that is unclear to me. Is it the same than "Who wants what"?
Grammatically, where is the subject and which is the interrogative pronoun? Does it become a double question which we expect two answers? Which answer is expected (what + who)?

Can you enlighten me about the different cases we ought use it? Is it formal written english?


texts: How does the expression "Not half bad" hold its meaning?

texts:
I'm interested in the phrase 'not half bad', which, like 'cheap at half the price' actually means the opposite of what the user is generally trying to say. The term 'not half!' is commonly used to mean 'definitely', as in 'and the rest!'

So, when a person says 'not half bad' it doesn't make sense to me. It's like 'cheap at half the price', which literally means the opposite of what the user is trying to say.

What does the expression "Not half bad" mean? What do people use it to say?


texts: What is the correct abbreviation of "continued"?

texts:
Assume that I give my work information in my CV with the date (year) intervals. My last position started this year and is continued at the moment.

Example Co.  ABC Manager    2012 - cont.

How should I abbreviate continued here? Is cont. correct?


texts: word or term for letting someone else have a chance to win

texts: What's the word for giving a chance to someone, or when you play with little children and you don't fully use your ability to play professionally—instead you play with their level so that they can win?


texts: What is the name of this octagonal shape?

texts:
Let's say that this image (imagining that it has eight sides):

is placed on top of this image (an octagonal prism):

What will the resulting shape be called?


texts: Tenses - Reported speech WITHIN a conditional clause

texts:
If we would like to express a conditional statement about a present fact
as in "Can you go outside today? - I don't know yet, I need my parents' approval first"

Are these sentences correct?

If James asked his friend if she could go outside, she would tell him she needs her parents' approval first.

If James asked his friend if she can go outside, she would tell him she needs her parents' approval first.

If James asked his friend if she could go outside, she would tell him she needed her parents' approval first.

1: It sounds ok.
2: To me it is acceptable (no backshifting). However it may sound more like a general statement rather than a one-off invitation.
3: Now it's the tricky one. Couldn't it be interpreted for example as a related past event?
"If James asked his friend if she could go outside when she was 13, she would tell him that back in the day she needed her parents' approval first."

Reported speech usually triggers a backshifting when the introductory clause is in the past. Using the same examples as in the beginning:

John asked if she could go outside today.
She told him she didn't know yet and that she needed her parents'
approval first.

What if the introductory clause is a conditional sentence?

(If he liked her) John would ask if she can go outside today

vs

(if he liked her) John would ask if she could go outside today


texts:
I'd like to know what franchise meas as a verb in the following sentence:

  Catering in this school has been franchised to the company.

The native speakers I consulted, both American, don't seem very sure of its meaning.

I know the verb typically means (of a large company like McDonald's) to permit an individual or a smaller company to sell products or offer services in its name. But in the example above, I can hardly imagine a large "catering company" sold the right to sell its products in a school to a smaller company. Perhaps this is because I haven't heard of catering companies in connection with franchise agreements in my country. Could it be that it means the authority of the school gave permission to a company to provide catering? Could 'outsource' be used in this context to replace 'franchise'?


texts: Why are the vowels in "harmony", "harmonic" and "harmonious" pronounced differently?

texts:
The "O" in all these words represents a different vowel:

Harmony → /ˈhɑː.mə.ni/
Harmonic →  /hɑːˈmɒn.ɪk/
Harmonious → /hɑːˈməʊ.ni.əs/

(UK pronunciations from Cambridge Dictionary)
I know that stress varies in all these words. In "harmony", the first syllable is stressed. When "harmony" becomes "harmonic", the stress moves to the second syllable and makes the vowel different. But both "harmonic" and "harmonious" are stressed on the second syllable, but the vowel in both words is different.
I can't find anything on Google and their etymologies don't suggest anything helpful. That is, my research didn't turn up anything useful.
Why do "harmonic" and "harmonious" have different vowels for the letter "O"?


texts:
I am an Italian engineering student and I am studying Differential Geometry from "Analysis on manifolds" by Jams R. Munkres and I'd like to discuss the meaning of the verb "to vanish" in the following theorem. Here the text.

Does f vanishes except on a set of measure zero mean that for any set that does not have not measure zero,

there exists a point x such that f(x) = 0

or that

there exists a point x such that f(x) → 0?

So could someone help me, please?


texts:
The following two sentences seem to have the same general meaning to me:

If I ever became a musician, I would grow my hair
If I ever become a musician, I will grow my hair

I was wondering whether one was more correct than the other.


texts:
Google search gives about 19,500,000 results for "haven't known" and about 12,500,000 results for "haven't knew". So I am a bit confused about this.

Could anyone please explain how should I say and why?


texts: What is a word or expression to describe anxiety about the passing of time?

texts:
What is a word or expression to describe a feeling of anxiety about the passing of time?

I am not referring to boredom which refers to not having anything to do or being dissatisfied with what I'm doing and wanting to do something else.

I am referring to the feeling I get when I contemplate that time has passed by, or that time is passing by.


texts: What is the difference between “any” or ”every”?

texts:
Consider:

  The system is deterministic if any two runs produce the same result.

Can I say every instead of any in every such sentence?


texts: Is the following sentence in the active or passive voice?

texts:
"The preparation for lodgment of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to the Department of Planning ("Planning") continues."

Although I believe the previous sentence to be an agentless passive, it is supposedly in the active voice. Can anyone clarify?


texts: Is "vicious cycle" or "downward spiral" used properly here?

texts:
Suppose someone doesn't often learn things thoroughly. Over the time, that creates problems for learning further.

I was wondering if this situation can be expressed properly by:

  It is/creates a vicious cycle.

  It is/creates a downward spiral.

Or what do you often say for such cases?


texts:
I've always been taught to use "that" to introduce a subordinate clause only if there is an ambiguity in the meaning of a sentence without it.
For instance:

He said on Monday he had lost his dog. (unclear)
He said that on Monday he had lost his dog. (clear)
He said on Monday that he had lost his dog. (clear)

In sentences where it is not necessary to clear up any ambiguity, I've been taught to always drop "that".
For instance:

He said he is going to be late.
"Rasoul said he is confident the military will retake other cities captured by ISIS." CNN.com

But I have seen instances where writers use that but it doesn't help clarify the sentence.
For instance,

"Warren said that it doesn't appear that ISIS has the strength to take Ramadi back." CNN.com

Does using "that" to introduce a subordinate clause serve any other purpose but to eliminate ambiguity?


texts: Term for advice that cautions against action?

texts:
I'm polishing my floors, and I've reached a point where I can add another coat or accept it as it is.  As such, I've been having a conversation with myself about whether or not it's advisable to do so.
Is there a term for the types of advice contained in some of my favorite expressions:

Better is the enemy of good. (Var. Perfect is the enemy of good.)
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Don’t just do something, stand there.

All three expressions caution you not to take action when inaction may serve you best.  This advice is counter-intuitive at best.  Advice usually encourages you to improve your situation through action, not inaction.
How would you characterize this type of advice?  Discouraging seems incorrect as they're not meant to demoralize.


texts: What's the meaning of "Skip the rock stars"?

texts:
In the Rework book written by Jason Fred there is a chapter named "Skip the rock stars".
Can somebody tell me what does it mean?


texts: "Prospects of" or "Prospects for" a new project?

texts:
The title more or less says it all.  In particular, I'm considering the title of a presentation or short article.  I'll say that it's a discussion of new discoveries that might come from pursuing a "Project X".  The title is currently (not by my doing) "Prospects of Project X", but my gut feeling is that it should rather be "Prospects for Project X".  Glancing at a few examples it looks like there isn't a clear distinction, although a Google Fight gave "Prospects for" as the winner.

So, which should it be? "Prospects of Project X" or "Prospects for Project X"?


texts: Validity of the phrase "I had wrote to her"

texts:
I recently got corrected on another community on this platform. I wrote: "An email I had wrote to her", and it was courteously changed to "I had written to her" which still makes sense, however, I want to ask if the former is not grammatically correct and if these are simply two phrases that mean different things.

Question
Is "An email I had wrote to her" ever correct English? Is it bad English totally or there are instances it may be used.

I'm thinking it would be valid when I refer to the time in the past, where the action was already past tense.

English is not my mother tongue, but I'm not necessarily learning English anew, so I wasn't sure whether to post in the other English community.


texts: Why don't interrogative sentences _start_ with a question mark?

texts:
Not all questions start with Wh- words, so why don't we start a question with a question mark to make it more obvious that it is actually a question?

For instance, when I'm reading a book which has a long interrogative sentence at the bottom of the right-hand page, it often isn't until I turn to the next page that I realize it is a question.

Not that this represents too much of a problem, but from a beginner's perspective it must make it harder to interpret the words of the sentence in the correct context.

Similarly, why don't we start exclamatory sentences with an exclamation mark?

I know this is a trivial question, but I'm wondering whether some kind of historical or colonial/imperial decision might explain the absence of these marks in the situations I describe.

P.S. I am a student programmer, so pardon my ignorance / funniness


texts:
What does "scored heavily against" mean? As in the following sentence.

  A scored heavily against B in that TV encounter.

Update:

Thanks for the answer. In the book that I'm reading, it was not clear to me that who got the better score. Now it's confirmed that it's A. This gives me a better understanding of the author's perspective.


texts: Participle phrase? What is it modifying?

texts:
In the sentence below how does this part function? tending some garden within or without until I felt appreciated.
I think it is a participle phrase that modifies 'Trappist': is that correct?

Of course there was no sign I was about to go all quiet and Trappist, tending some garden within or without until I felt appreciated.


texts: A verb for becoming curious as a result of an event?

texts: I am looking for a verb to convey “becoming curious as a result of something having taken place”. Any suggestions?


texts: What is the word for when someone talks like the people from a certain area?

texts: What is the political strategy called when you use certain dialect and mention certain things in order to appeal to people in a target area? This is done a lot during campaigns in order to give yourself credibility and ethos, since people are more likely to trust/believe someone who sounds like them.


texts:
This is regarding a sentence describing a graduate program at a university.

I am pretty sure this is incorrect, but I would like to know why:

  This program engages in research and educates on cutting edge technologies in fields such as ...

EDIT: My principal question has to do with subject/verb usage. Can a "program" "engage in research"? My understanding is that only people or groups of people can engage in research.


texts: I am someone looking for sponsors. I go to potential parties or individuals who may or may not agree to sponsor and present my proposal asking for sponsorship. Who am I?


texts: Is there a gender-neutral word for "aunts and uncles"/"parents' siblings"?

texts:
Brothers and sisters are siblings.  Husbands and wives are spouses.  Mothers and fathers are parents.  Sons and daughters are children.  Grandparents, grandchildren ... but what about uncles and aunts, or nieces and nephews?

In writing this, I scanned the "Similar Questions" sidebar and found that half of my question is already answered; there is no real term for nieces and nephews.  Bummer.  But I'm still wondering about aunts and uncles: does anyone know about that?


texts: Which is more correct: 'Instilled upon' or 'Instilled within'?

texts:
They are similar enough to generally not cause an issue of clarity in a sentence, but I am curious which of these is more logically sound:

  It was instilled upon me at an early age.

or

  It was instilled within me at an early age.


texts: Why can I contract *across* a word, skipping the word in the middle?

texts:
I wrote this sentence:

  Why wouldn't it be valid?

--and I realized that without the contraction it becomes:

  Why would it not be valid?

As opposed to "why would not it be valid," as the contraction would imply.

What's going on here? Why can I contract across the middle word this way? Or, to put it the other way, why can't I "de-contract" this without moving the not over by a word?


texts:
I am in a little bit confusion here. I was going through a blog article and I read

  He is more intelligent than me.

I think it is incorrect. It should have been

  He is more intelligent than I am.

To summarise, which is correct?

He is more intelligent than me
He is more intelligent than I
He is more intelligent than I am


texts: Is a comma necessary before an adjunct that-clause?

texts:
CGEL by Pullum (Page 969) says:

4.7 Adjunct in clause structure
There are a handful of constructions where a declarative content clause functions as adjunct rather than complement.
(a) With subject + predicator order
[52] i What has happened, that you are looking so worried?
ii ‘This is my party card’, he said, holding it high, that all might see it.
iii The more we talked, the more I liked her.

In both [52i] and [52ii], there's a comma before an adjunct clause that starts with a subordinator that.
When the subordinator that is clearly marking the start of an adjunct clause as in [52i] and [52ii], do you still need a comma before that? Or is this comma rather optional?
Be it necessary or optional, is the comma there to show that the that-clause is an adjunct of the main clause, as opposed to a complement?
Because I don't think you need a comma before a that-clause that is a complement of a main clause:

*What has happened, that has never happened before?


texts: What's the meaning of "I can't imagine why."?

texts:
Does it mean "The answer is obvious to me." in a sarcastic way, or does it mean "I really don't know the reason."? I am inclined to go with the former. Surprisingly googling doesn't help.

Secondly, is this sentence more common in British English?

Edit: Here is the scene from 'Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince' that prompted me to ask this question. Here Harry appears to be sarcastic. But I have heard this same sentence used truthfully, though I can't find any references now.

Edit2: Here is another example from 'Friends' where again its used in a sarcastic way.


texts: Is it just me or is "I can't tell them apart" odd?

texts:
As I understand it, "tell" usually refers to talking or explaining something to someone. If you "can't tell", it means you don't have enough information to determine what to say.

However, this doesn't quite seem to fit with the phrase "I can't tell them apart". The meaning seems pretty clear at first glance, but on closer inspection it appears to me that the speaker is saying that they "can't [explain to] them apart", which doesn't make a lot of sense.

What is happening here?


texts: Is there a single word for "deep-sea exploration/diving"?

texts:
Examples:

  The bathysphere was a pioneer in [deep-sea exploration].

  I prepared to embark on a [deep-sea dive].

A technical noun/gerund term is preferred. If one does not exist, clearly marked suggestions for newly coined terms (probably beginning with "bathy-") are fine.


texts: What does 'the timeless' imply in this paragraph?

texts:
The very best the Eternal City has to offer, from the timeless to new kids on the block, including a next-generation trattoria and a friendly microbrewery. Select your favorites for a perfect weekend away.
Source: Pick-n-mix Rome


texts:
I read the phrase in a poem called "the White Troops Had Their Orders but the Negroes looked like Men". The context:

  Who really gave two figs? Neither the earth nor heaven ever trembled...

What is the meaning of "Who really gave two figs"?


texts: I’m looking for a word or phrase which clearly describes this: a number of dialects of the same language are spoken across a geographical area

texts: and, although slightly different from one another, as one crosses them all, from the westernmost to the easternmost of them (or vice-versa) ,  one will observe that they differ from one region to the next in such a way that neighboring dialects are mutually intelligible, but the farther apart the two regions, the  more difficult the communication, to the point where speakers from opposite ends of the spectrum may no longer understand one another.  Is there a word or phrase for this linguistic phenomenon?


texts: I am not sure if this sentence should have numbers of or number of. Here is the sentence "Right now, there are some impressive statistics on the numbers of women entrepreneurs in the US."


texts:
I have a question regarding this sentence

  Yesterday, I went to the mall to buy child clothing/clothes for my baby.

Is it wrong to write it this way? Or should it be children? Because I always see this phrase "Baby Clothing" on every commercial/advertisement.

I looked up the internet, but the majority use "Children Clothing", but I don't know why 'child clothing' is wrong.


texts: Understanding the phrase "belly matches paws"

texts:
Could someone explain the meaning of the phrase "I like the way your belly matches your paws" to me? It is used in a feline context. One such usage appears in:
http://www.cc.com/feeds/transcripts/video/0ba2cd68-ed01-11e0-aca6-0026b9414f30

  she had these two cats, you know. And I think the cats were gay,
  'cause they're always licking each other and spooning in the window
  and criticizing the way I dress.

  [LAUGHTER]

  I don't think it's a biological thing, like they're gay by birth. I
  think it's an environment thing, like they're prison gay. Like they
  don't see any female cats ever. And after awhile, it's just like,
  "Look, Tony.

  [LAUGHTER]

  We ain't getting any younger, buddy. This might be the catnip
  talking, but I like the way your belly matches your paws."

I don't see how the cat belly matches the paws, except maybe the fur color. Is this a compliment or does it carry a derogatory connotation?


texts:
From the SAT:

  No sooner had Andrea del Sarto traveled to France to work for the French king than his wife persuaded him to return to Italy.

I am not sure what no sooner ... than means. Does it mean the same thing as:

  As soon as Andrea del Sarto traveled to France to work for the French king, his wife persuaded him to return to Italy.


texts:
In exile, Quique had discovered that the traumatic arithmetic that melded a past and a moustache could function as proof of a set of privileged experiences, as shared as they were private, in the light of whose mysterious shadow the true socialist homeland would always exist, in the hearts of comrades and lovers, as stated in Walt Whitman’s dedication to his readers in Leaves of Grass.
what does the bold sentence mean?


texts: Is there a word for the word being described by an adjective? In other words, the "target" of an adjective. Or, by analogy, "Operators have operands, adjectives have ____."


texts: What matters vs. what matter when starting a sentence

texts:
I am wondering if it would be better to write in the sentence below, "what matters most is" or "what matter most are," since what follows are two clauses. Or should "what" stand as the singular subject of the sentence?

"What matter most are her right to tell her own story and the willingness to accept that we cannot always understand everything."


texts: Difference between summit, apex and pinnacle

texts: I was playing a words app on my phone, and I found that summit, apex and pinnacle all means a highest point, but I'm sure there is some difference between these three synonyms, so what is is? And when can we use each of them?


texts:
My roommates and I want to name this little "island" on the culdesac that we live on, a sort of nickname.

We aren't looking for something literal, something humorously exaggeratory, like "the sacred grove" or something, but more creative and epic, and no adjective would be better.

......................

http://imgur.com/AkFih2E


texts: "after finishing her trip, latest by March 2015, she will..."

texts:
The sentence is

  after finishing her trip, latest by March 2015, she will continue to work for us.

What does that mean?
What is March 2015 related to? To the end of her trip or to the end of her work?


texts: Is the word "attached" in the sentence "Please find attached the file..." passive or adjective? Why can the word "attached" split verb from object

texts:
The sentence "Please find attached the file containing the data you requested" is often seen at the beginning of emails. To be precise, the first part of it (Please find attached the file). The second part(containing the data you requested) provides more details about the attached file and varies based on the situation.

In English, a verb is typically followed by the object. Having written that, "find the file" should be together. But they are not. What part of speech is the word "attached", is it adjective, or passive? And why "attached" can split verb from object? What rule is applied here?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Using -ed vs. -ing in the “needs washed” construction

I've always used the following construct:

  The book needs to be read before Thursday.

But I've heard some people say:

  The book needs read before Thursday.

Which is correct? Or perhaps both?


texts: What are "greens" in relation to clothing?

texts:
What are "greens?" Work clothes? Here is the context:

  ...and gave me a leather jacket to cover my greens and loaned me...

The quote is from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a novel about a mental patient.


texts: An adjective that describe special kind of loneliness and foreignness/strangeness

texts:
I'm looking for a noun/adjective which describe a person lonliness and being stragner in a social group.
In Persian we have this word غریب which means not being known by others or being a foreigner in a remote country far away from homeland. We also use this word metaphorically when we want to say that somebody seems "not well being understood by others" and "not having real/close friend" or "being away from be loved ones". In other words for us this adjective refers to a feeling which a person feels when (s)he doesn't feel connected with others, in a way that ended up in a little sadness and loneliness and also this feeling usually contributes to persons personality (his independence and mindfulness).
So is there any particular word to which I'll be able to translate غریب.


texts: What do you call someone when they don't believe in something then they believe in it when they see it themselves?

texts: Jesse didn't believe that there are notebooks, Then when he saw it for himself he believed the was.


texts:
I came across this quote about "nothin' tea" from "The Martian", though I haven't read the book.

  I started the day with some nothin’ tea. Nothin’ tea is easy to make. First, get some hot water, then add nothin’.

I googled for "nothin' tea", and most hits I got were for the book.

Are there any more common terms for this concept, apart from "hot water"? An example usage would be

  My grandma sometimes has ____ - not because she's stuck on Mars, but because of problems she has with tea.


texts: Should I write "module/theme" or "module / theme"?

texts:
I usually put a space before and after a slash, when indicating alternatives.

We review a module / theme per user.

Is it correct, or should I rewrite the sentence to remove those spaces?

We review a module/theme per user.


texts: What does it mean by the phrase "not my story to tell"

texts:
I recently heard the phrase in the season 3 of Blindspot series. One of the characters used this phrase:

  Well, if i knew it, i'd swear that i'd tell you, but it's not my story to tell, so, sorry.

What did he mean by using this phrase?

I would like to get as many usages as possible. Thank you.


texts:
I know that if do come between the pronoun and the verb, it makes the verb stronger. Does it work the same if it came before the verb.
This is the text:

  Only after the trucks have passed through my street and the people quiet down do I go home. When I get there, I am confused to find my whole family packing.


texts: How do you rephrase a quality about yourself as a skill, specifically, being detail oriented?

texts: I am filling out questions for a job application on-line. I am to list the top skills I used in my last position. The job I had was somewhat like editing, but for item records on a library circulation system. Mentioning my linguistics training doesn't exactly fit the bill. However it absolutely required a detail oriented eye. What say you?


texts:
As I watched the murder of crows sitting on the line above my house this evening, I got wondering where all of the collective nouns for animals (pod of whales, gaggle of geese, pride of lions) came from and why we need so many.

If sheep can be a flock, why can't whales, geese, lions, and crows?


texts: What are the common words to describe the different parts of the sea?

texts:
OK, this is an attempt:

  I remained there, gazing at the sea. Its color was light green in
  the part closest to the shore, turned slightly darker in the middle,
  then abruptly changed to dark blue in deeper waters.

Are those words commonly used? Or is there a better and simpler terminology to describe them?


texts: Which is correct: sign in, signin or sign-in when used as a noun and also as a verb?


texts:
I understand obviously that an "age" is a measurement of time, but can someone specify for me the earliest known use of "ages" as a slang term? An example would be the following use:

  The drive to the school took ages

Why is "age" the unit of time that is used in this case? Why not "eons" or "periods" or "cycles" or "centuries"? Thanks in advance.


texts:
How to replace failed to in the following sentence to make it being more polite.

  State-of-the-art algorithms failed to find a compromise between accuracy and efficiency.

I think failed to is too strict. Am I right?


texts: What should a table of presence/attendance be called precisely? (Schedule vs Attendance vs Timetable vs Time Sheet)

texts:
I'm looking for a precise title to put on:

A page on which people of a team indicate which days on a week they are present/working in the office.

Looking for different terms, I've several options by non of which I am satisfied:

Schedule: This term suggests a meaningful series of timings or plans to achieve something. Its emphasizes the timing of the jobs not the people. From Merriam Webster's:

  3 : PROGRAM

  especially : a procedural plan that indicates the time and sequence of each operation

  //finished on schedule

So, even adding prefixes to this term, can't describe what the document indicates.

Timetable: This one is very precisely on the timing of something specific. As used for timing of trains, I can accept this term to indicate the times that are agreed upon to coordinate daily or weekly events and their times but not people who are participating in them:

  2 a : a schedule showing a planned order or sequence

  b : PROGRAM sense 3

Time Sheet: This one is precisely a tool to calculate how much time someone has spent on his work. This is specifically a record of past events not a plan for future. From Merriam Webster's:

  1 : a sheet for summarizing hours worked by each worker during a pay period

  2 : a sheet for recording the time of arrival and departure of workers and for recording the amount of time spent on each job

Calendar: A too generic term which carries no meaning on what it is to show. It suggests something long-term or a plan. This one has a long definition on Merriam Webster's Dictionary: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calendar

Attendance: This one also suggests a record of the past. It has also too much emphasis on attending to something which is not the case in an office because it needs to be an event like a class. From Merriam Webster's:

  2 a : the persons or number of persons attending something

  Attendance at the soccer games has been increasing.

  also : an account of persons attending

  The teacher took attendance [=made a record of who was present] before starting class.

There are combination of above words with Sheet and Table and also Work Schedule which is the best one I found but still unsatisfactory.

I'd be more than happy to hear ideas and arguments about the right term.


texts:
Writing about a product, is the following sentence valid?

  X aims to rid you of Y

I remember seeing the phrase "rid you of" somewhere before, but this doesn't seem valid for some reason. Any help on this would be great.


texts:
Commas always trip me up. I feel that I use them far too often, and I most likely do. Can anyone set my mind at ease in regards to the following sentence:

  Neutrogena is a family-oriented brand producing a large array of
  health and beauty products, such as acne wash, hair treatments, and
  sunscreen.

The comma in question is the one between "products" and "such." I feel like it can go either way, but I would like a second, third, or even fourth opinion.

Thanks a ton.


texts: What is the difference between "daemon" and "demon" in a religious context?

texts: Is there a difference between demon and daemon in a religious context?


texts: What is difference between lie and lie down? Please explain with some examples.


texts: How does one end a sentence correctly when using a quote excerpt?

texts:
Apologies if this has already been answered, I have searched but couldn't find anything. Also I'm not using American English, so periods are outside of the quotations by default.
What's the correct way to include an excerpt from a quote at the end of a sentence?

He described it as "...terrible, an absolute disgrace...". Other locals agree with him.
He described it as "...terrible, an absolute disgrace..." Other locals agree with him.
He described it as "...terrible, an absolute disgrace". Other locals agree with him.

I would have guessed the third answer is correct, however not including the "..." seems wrong, as it implies that the quote actually ends, but I may be wrong.


texts: Word for protective disc between screw/bolt and material?

texts:
I'm trying to order a product online, but can't seem to find any. So I have a feeling that there might be a word that I am missing.

What I am looking for is the name of the often round disc, used as an area enlargener between a screw or a bolt, and the material it is inserted into.

More specifically, I am looking for the round metal variant, 50mm diameter, and 10mm thickness, if that matters for the name.

Searching for metal discs, even with the proper dimensions, I can only find grinding and cutting discs, or other kinds of tools.


texts: Should I use "got" or "gotten" in the following sentence?

texts:
I can't figure out whether to use got or gotten in the following sentence:

  I no longer recognized my own skin, my own feelings, my own thoughts.
  It was as if the real me had got/gotten lost on the highway.

Which is the correct form of the verb?


texts: I wonder whether “ask” can be used as verb in past or present perfect tense. I used “I have asked something from somebody” in email, but this sentence sounds a little weird to me. So I want to check whether the grammar is right.


texts: Is the word "encomprise" used in modern English?

texts:
If one googles the word encomprises, there are 5K+ pages, that have this word. I personally have heard people in the USA use it with a meaning of include.

Official dictionaries, on the other hand, only have the word comprise.

Is "encomprise" just a verb form of "comprise", making the use of "encomprises" a mistake?


texts: Word to describe somebody who is kind-hearted, but also can't be bullied

texts: I'm trying to describe somebody who is generous, loving, and warm, but also capable of harsh retaliation if somebody crosses them. In other words, a person with a heart of gold who can "take care of him/herself".


texts:
I'm looking for a way to say that something it is really difficult, like when you start learning a new language, or reading something that you are not familiar with and there are terms that you never heard before.
I found this "double Dutch", but not sure if it is still used or substituted by doublespeak or double talk.

The sentence is

  [...]better understand all the "technical" terms that sometimes sound double Dutch.

I'm wondering if I should add like:

  sound like double Dutch.

From the comment (thanks @Phill Healey): Adding 'like' would make it a literal statement, and thus mean something that had the same phonics as 'double Dutch' So for example 'bubble hutch' would "sound like" 'double Dutch' as opposed to something which is not-understood.

edit:
Do the words gobbledygook OR gibberish make more sense for what I want to say?


texts:
Sometimes you come across this format suggesting 'one or more', in not as many words, like "Please select the book(s) you wish to loan". But what happens in that case of plurals that don't follow the same standard like Entry (Entries)?

Is it

  1 of 1 entry(s) selected

or

  1 of 1 entrie(s) selected?


texts: How can I describe someone in one word who forcefully describes or explains?

texts: I there a word that best describes someone who forcefully describes or explains them self to others?


texts: Metalanguage and Sentence Structure (help!!)

texts:
I got my assessment back on Friday, and my teacher said I need to work on metalanguage and sentence structure. I don't understand what she means. I have looked on the internet for past 20 minutes about metalanguage but cannot seem to get my head around it. Can someone please elaborate? Thanks!

Here is one of my short answer responses, whereby she said I need to work on my metalanguage:

  The extract from the novel Whispering Death by Gary Disher uses the construction of the character Grace to communicate the idea of criminality, which is usually expected in crime fiction stories. Disher portrays this through the characterisation of Grace, hence her actions and motives in the narrative. By using the actions of Grace to describe the extract, the reader becomes known to the idea of offence against the law. We are told, “She took a pair of shoes … slipped them over her runner … Something to occupy the detective who would be called to investigate. Then she went to work.” In this example, it not only explains how she is going to commit a felony, but also shows how she is use to and now an ‘expert’ in the field of crime and robbing rich houses. In Whispering Death, the actions of Grace have helped to construct and communicate the expected idea of criminality in crime fiction stories. Further to this, the construction of Grace and moreover her motive for money depicts the idea of criminality as Grace is so addicted to money that it is all she thinks about, especially when she “mentally selected for target …” After her raid in the second house all she was worried about was how “the software alone was $6000 new, the computer $3000.” This quote demonstrates what any typical crime fiction antagonist would care about, they all know what “… the smell of money” is. Throughout the course of the text, the author has wanted the reader to know that Grace loves money. Thus the construction of her character has conveyed the expected crime fiction idea of illegality and breaking the law, from Disher working together with Grace and the main idea in the text. Therefore, the extract from the novel Whispering Death by Gary Fisher has used the construction the main character Grace to communicate the idea of criminality, through her actions and motives.

Thanks you so much!!!!!!! I'm in year 10 by the way too in English Extension, so please be hard on me because I need to know how to do this!


texts: Traffic or Traffic jam which is countable

texts:
Why is 'traffic' an uncountable noun while 'traffic jam' is a countable noun?

I have asked many people and also googled but didn't get a satisfactory answer


texts:
Please tell me which sentence is written the right way:

X differs from Y in having vertebral folds.
X differs from Y by having vertebral folds.

I already read differ by is only used when it refers to values or sizes (is it true?), but I feel that in the case of this sentence differ by express better the idea that Y do not have folds. English is not my native language, so it can be just bad intuition. Could someone please confirm it?


texts:
I wanna describe dimensions; would you please let me know which of these below sentences are correct?

It is 3cm in length and 1cm in width.
It has 3cm of length and 1cm of width.
It is 3cm long and 1cm wide.

Thank you in advance.


texts: Is there a single word that means "under the table"?  I am looking for a single word that conveys a knowing, sly, violation of law or ethics — like an under-the-table or off-the-books payment.


texts: how to say "friends who love to quarrel"

texts:
I am translating a story with a word (kenka-tomodachi) meaning "quarrel-friends" or old friends who love to fight constantly about things as their basic way of interacting.

Can anyone think of an expression or a pithy saying that might capture these friends?


texts: What are the references of the words in the paragraph?

texts:
While reading an article about persuasive games, I stumble upon this paragraph, which I do not understand the meaning of the sentences from the way they are structured.

  The concept of authorship incorporates another feature of art more
  broadly: the pursuit of a particular truth irrespective of the demands
  of reception or sales. The sense that the artifact has something to
  relate and will not relent until that thing is expressed, rather than
  an experience to be optimized, is at work here.

  ...

  Player agency in games of all kinds leads to unique interpretations of
  play experiences; in proceduralist works, such meaning generation is
  stimulated by the knowledge that a specific human being set the work's
  processes into motion.

What does it mean to say "player agency"? My interpretation of this term is an organisation of gameplay for the players in he game. But I am not certain.

In its following sentence, it says "stimulated by the knowledge that a specific human being set the work's processes into motion". Here, who is the "specific human being" referred to? Is it the author of the work, or the player in the game?


texts: What's the difference between a "main stage speech" and a "panel speech"?

texts:
So our company is intended to participate in one of the meetings and give a speech. And the host offered two different speech types, a "main stage speech" and
a "panel speech" with different prices.
From my understanding, the panel is like a discussion group. So a panel speech is like to do speech in a group?

Can someone help to explain what's their differences and what exactly is a panel speech?


texts: What do you call a note that is "in" the given chord?

texts: I'm trying to find a word that describes, for example, any one of the three notes in a C major chord. Would I just call it a "chord note"? Or is there a more fitting word or phrase to refer to that?


texts: What is a term describing the destruction of crops by insects, bugs, or vermin?

texts:
The term pestilence has some application of use to generally describe

  2: something that is destructive or pernicious

I have seen it used in reference to destruction of plants and crops by insects (or other vermin). But besides being a more generic term of something destructive,  pestilence appears to be more focused on disease, as it's first definition is:

  1: a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is virulent and
  devastating

What I'm trying to find out is if there is a single word that refers to crop devastation by bugs (locusts, caterpillars, etc.) specifically; or optionally by a larger subset of vermin (including [small] mammals, birds, etc.).

To clarify, I'm not seeking a term for the actual vermin themselves, but the effects they have left behind upon the crops. So instead of saying "the crop was devastated by bugs" or "the crop was devastated by pestilence," I'm seeking a word that encapsulates in a single word the devastation idea along with the agents of the devastation being bugs (or vermin). "The crop was [single word]."


texts:
I am writing an academic thesis related to a specific topic (the actual topic is irrelevant, so let's just call it XXX). The thesis basically consists of:

pointing out a couple of problems in existing literature related to XXX,
methodology that according to my research can be used to lessen these problems, and
some more or less random extensions to the topics covered.

My working title for the thesis is "XXX: Pitfalls, Remedies, and Extensions". I like it in the sense that it reflects the three aspects described above – without referring to "problems" too directly.

However, what I do not like is my feeling that there are no "remedies" for "pitfalls", are there? I would assume that remedies exist for illnesses and such, whereas a pitfall you can for instance avoid, or circumvent – but how to express this in such a title?

Alternatively, replacements for the word "pitfalls" can be suggested, even though in my opinion it fits in rather nicely regarding the specific issues that the thesis happens to address. Finally, reworking the whole title can be suggested as well, of course – I've already considered just "XXX", but I feel that it is not a very good match regarding the actual contents of the thesis.

Edit: "XXX" is "Overfitting in Feature Selection".


texts: "currently is a ..." or "is currently a ..."

texts:
I'm not sure which statement is more correct.

  John has been with the team since 2010 and is currently a senior researcher

OR

  John has been with the team since 2010 and currently is a senior researcher

(Hint: John has been with the team for sometime now and has been promoted few times having a much senior title now)


texts:
Can we use the word 'construct' as a noun in relation to civil engineering (construction)?

The situation of intended use: I attend to a construction project comprising several buildings and structures distant from each other but connected to each other with service lines; the said lines are also 'construction things' in their own right.

Example sentence:
"Three of seven 'constructs' have been undertaken to be built by subcontractors."

So 'construct' therein must mean building or structure or service line of those contained by the project.

In my native language they would be commonly named 'construction objects' (if translate directly), or 'constructives' (as a noun); however, I have never met in English sources the word 'constructive' as a noun to imply material thing.


texts: Tower of Babel, what is the meaning of the following verse?

texts:
What is the meaning of the following verse from Bernie Taupin's Tower of Babel as sung by Elton John on the album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy?

Those hungry hunters
Tracking down the hours

I cannot come up with anything except for a reference to the Book of Hours, which would make some sense to me. Obviously, the lyrics deal with drug usage, and "hungry hunters" could be the police, "tracking down the hours" could then mean chasing after them.

Help from a native English speaker would be really useful here.

The lyrics can be found on Bernie Taupin's website here.

Thanks a lot!


texts: nonexistent, non-existent or non existent?

texts:
I see various spellings of the same, which one is correct?

I have considered that the spelling might differ if it is British or American English, but as English isn't my native speak I have no clue.


texts: What are non-ironic English expressions used with a meaning opposite to their literal meaning?

texts:
The phrase lowest common denominator is a phrase that has a meaning opposite to its literal meaning. Are there any other phrases like that? What is the term used for such phrases?

Edit: Obviously, there are endlessly many such examples in the general class of irony; we're looking for phrases that are used in meanings opposite to their literal meaning, but with no hint of sarcasm or irony.


texts: Separation of concerns: Just a computer science term?

texts:
I studied computer science, that's why the term "Separation of concerns" is common for me.

I read the wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_concerns

Now I am unsure. Up to now I thought this term gets used outside computer science, too.

I thought it is a general principle to answer the question "who is responsible for what?".

Can you use the term "Separation of concerns" outside computer science to answer the question "who is responsible for what?"?


texts: Do Americans pronounce the letter "t" in the end of words like a "d"?

texts: How do Americans pronounce the letter "t" in the end of words? Do they pronounce it like a "d"?


texts: Word for "waiting longingly/expectantly"?

texts:
Example:

  Many people [...] for the end of the days.

I thought of the word anticipate. But I think it sounds a bit like an understatement.


texts: According to this site (https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Break%20bread), to "break bread" means to engage in amiable conversation. However, I cannot find a sufficiently reliable source for its past tense. For example, would the sentence, "We broke bread on our first date," be correct?


texts:
I am writing a short story (approx. 650 words) in the past tense, and one paragraph of this story (100-125 words) is written as a flashback.

I originally planned to write the entire flashback paragraph in the past perfect, but the overabundance of "had" made it seem awkward, so I researched the situation.

As far as I can tell, the accepted convention is to use the past perfect for the first and last few verbs and the simple past for everything else. However, this would leave me with only a few "in-between" verbs written in the simple past tense.

Because of this, I am considering writing only the first and last verbs in the past perfect. Would this be correct?


texts:
What does word "shipping" mean?
I've seen this word in many Internet shops.


texts: Use of "guarantee" in "What is the guarantee that..."

texts:
A: Are you going to invest in that plan?
  B: I dont think so, it seems confusing and vague to me. What is the guarantee that my money will not be lost?

Is guarantee okay here? If not, what other word can I use?


texts:
Where does the term "restroom" come from?  It surely can't have anything to do with resting.

The first time I landed at a US airport I was actually so confused about this that I thought that the "Restroom →" signs were showing the way to the waiting hall.


texts:
I once was discussing a personal decision I had made with an acquaintance, and he expressed his disapproval of my decision with the phrase "It's not about you".

As far as I could understand, this phrase somehow means "You're acting selfishly and you don't have the right to do this".  But I am having a hard time putting that into the words "it's not about you".  On the surface the words are gibberish.  Of course a decision I make for myself is "about me".  Does the phrase mean "a personal decision that affects you should not concern you"?  That also makes little sense.

Of particular concern is the issue that it's impossible to refute without understanding what it is trying to say.  So the recipient of such a statement (i.e. me) has no choice but to accept this vague statement of disapproval without objection.

What is the correct way to understand how to parse this statement?


texts:
Should comma be used in sentences like "Hello, Michael" / "Hello Michael" ?

For example, there is a wikipedia article Hello, sailor (with comma), but it mentions two different books, a band, and two albums, all called "Hello Sailor" without a comma.  The article in Grammar-Monster.com seems to suggest a comma, but it is not clear from the text whether it is necessary if "Hello (comma?) Michael" is a complete sentence.


texts: Is this sentence "he hopes for taking his life, to which he has no right" correct?

texts:
My intention is: He hopes for taking his life, but he shouldn't have the right to do so.

Is "which" used correctly?


texts: How to add clarity to an acronym that is already a word

texts: Where I'm working we have an acronym spelled "was" and I'm wondering is there a way to clearly distinguish it from the verb? According to here "acronyms...usually do not require periods" so is this a good time to make an exception? It's already been entrenched in the corporate culture to pronounce it  as "was" but in these situations do people say the letters of the acronym i.e. "w-a-s"?


texts: Is there a phrase to describe two people who love each other, but are too afraid to show it?

texts:
"Unrequited love" is usually when one person loves another, but keeps it a secret because it is not reciprocated.  Is there a phrase to describe a two-way unrequited love?  For example, where two people love each other, but both think it is not reciprocated, so both keep it a secret?

This is a very common plot line in TV shows.  For example, in season 3 of The Office (US), Jim and Pam are both in love, and are not involved in any other relationships, but are both afraid to say something out of fear of rejection.  Is there an succinct way to describe situations like this?


texts: During at the beginning or at the end of the sentence?

texts:
Which of these sentences are correct? Or both correct?
1. During stages 1 and 2 l sleep lightly.
2. I sleep lightly during stages 1 and 2.


texts: Word/phrase for changing applicability of something

texts: What's the word/phrase to indicate that applicability of something has been changed. For example in a given scenario, how to announce " enjoy tool "A" in its new application" in the form of "---- of tool "A"".


texts: What does the ‘-lite’ in Rick Santorum's ‘We're not just an Obama-lite’ mean?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  What does “Japan-lite problems” mean?

I found the word, ‘Obama-lite’ in the headline of the Time magazine article (March 17) , titled “Santo: “We’re Not Just An Obama-Lite.” The article quotes the following remark of Rick Santorum aired on a Missouri radio:

"If we keep winning and doing well and we keep winning the states were supposed to win and upsetting in states and do either very well..., we're going to win the nomination. I have no doubt about that whatsoever. We're the candidate that's energizing folks. We're the candidate that has the best chance of beating Barack Obama.... We're not just an Obama-lite."

As I am unfamiliar with the usage of suffix, -lite, I checked its meanings in dictionaries at hand;

Readers English Japanese dictionary defines -lite as;
1. the suffix used for fossils, minerals, explosives, products.
2.a believer of, or in a person.

www.yourdictionary defines it only as stone: used in the names of minerals, rocks, and fossils, e.g. chrysolite, cryolite.

wikitionary.org defines it simply as “used to form names of rocks and minerals
Representing Ancient Greek λίθος (lithos, “stone”).

I don’t think Obama-lite has anything to do with fossils, stones and minerals, nor it does mean Obama-believer, because it’s silly if Santorum said “We're not just an Obama-believer.”

What does Obama-lite mean, and first of all, is “-ite” used here as a suffix to represent for what?


texts: The use of reflexive pronoun myself for emphasis

texts:
Is it possible to use in the following sentences the reflexive pronoun "myself"?

  I'm an interpreter myself
  I'm mysеlf аn intеrрrеtеr.

Which of these two sentences are grammatically correct? Are they both correct?


texts:
We say:
I don't know whether he is right.

Is it acceptable to say:
I don't know he's right or wrong.


texts: Etymology of 'inexorable' : What does 'out' + 'pray' mean?

texts:
inexorable (adj.)
      1550s, from Middle French inexorable and directly from Latin inexorabilis "that cannot be moved by entreaty," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + exorabilis "able to be entreated," from exorare "to prevail upon," from ex- "out" (see ex-) + orare "pray" (see orator). ...

  exorable (adj.)
      1570s, "susceptible of being moved by entreaty" (a word much rarer than its opposite and probably existing now only as a back-formation from it), from Latin exorabilis "easily entreated, influenced by prayer," from exorare "to persuade" (see inexorable) ...

1. What's the meaning of 'pray' as bolded above? Is it the modern one  of  prayer, or the olden one?

2. How did the 2 syntagma  (ex- "out" + orare "pray") combine to mean
exorare "to prevail upon,"? I don't understand this key link in the etymology.


texts: Can I replace "is" with comma in a sentence?

texts:
I want to write a short sentence as a headline. The sentence is:

"JAVA developer with excellent analytical skills is available for new challenges."

Can I replace "is" with comma in the above sentence? For example:

"JAVA developer with excellent analytical skills, available for new challenges."

Or could you suggest me any other way to write this sentence?


texts:
I found the term off used in the following way (technical document):

  ... a total of two (2 off) Single radio channels ...

While the meaning seems pretty clear, I'd like to know what off stands for in such a context. I supposed it could be an acronym, but could not find any references.


texts: When was the phrase 'sunlit uplands' first used?

texts:
It is quite often used by British politicians to denote a happy future of some sort- in the media, it can also feature as a sarcastic remark (e.g. the 'sunlit uplands of Brexit' are unreachable). It also features in the popular 'Yes, Prime Minister' (S01E01, Grand Design).
I have only found reference to it in Churchill's 'finest hour' speech (text here, p. 61). According to some websites, Churchill was the one who popularized it. Is there some evidence for that? Could the phrase not be older?


texts: Past vs. present tense in relative clauses in the past

texts:
Which sentence is grammatically correct, and why?

He wrote a didactic novel that set out to expose social
injustice.
He wrote a  didactic novel that sets out to expose social
injustice.


texts: Wordsmith, singer, Leonard Cohen was perplexed as what word rhymes with orange?

texts:
My first question was basically, "What word, or words, rhyme with orange?
The word "tinge" was not included in any of the answers, or words presented to me. Thank you for your patience as a new contributor. I changed my question, citing my reason for asking a question that seemingly had been answered. I believe there is much more to add.
As quoted below, Mr. Leonard Cohen was befuddled to find a word that rhymes with orange. I wish he was was still with us, as I have answered this query of his.
My answer would be:
"The woman I long for has hair of a brilliant orange -
With a familiar scent, and beauty of a radiant tinge."
In the 'McLeans' Magazine' article - 'The heart will not retreat': How we loved Leonard Cohen'
From 2016: Brian D. Johnson on the private and permanent connections Leonard Cohen’s fans felt for him.
By Brian D. Johnson
November 16, 2016,
Second paragraph:
Leonard Cohen said in part, as quoted, "The first time we met was in a Toronto hotel, in 1992. Leonard was on a 17-country talking tour, promoting his album The Future. Speaking in finely tooled paragraphs, he described the ordeal of creating an album: “Layers of friendship fall away, and you know that you’re in it when you’re not doing anything else but trying to find the rhyme for ‘orange.’ It doesn’t exist. Some people say it’s ‘door hinge,’ but that’s not right.” As I left, he thanked me profusely, as if I had just joined his army, and I floated out onto the street feeling special. I was chagrined to see the no-rhyme-for-orange line appear in another interview, but came to learn that Leonard treated publicity as a ritual that required a polished repertoire. What mattered is that face-to-face he was so utterly present, respecting the moment as if it were as valuable as any other..."
Footnotes:
If you have interest in this article regarding Leonard Cohen, and the rhyming of the word orange, the link is: https://www.macleans.ca/culture/arts/the-heart-will-not-retreat-how-we-loved-leonard-cohen/


texts:
What do you call someone who always talks a situation in their favor?

For example, Tom tells Mary that she has a piece of meat stuck in between her teeth. Mary replies "Oh I purposely left it there". How do you describe Mary's character?

Thanks.


texts:
I have read in a newspaper, the writer is using 'to becoming'.

eg: "We're on track to becoming developed nation."

Is this sentence really correct?


texts: Should I use "tournament", "championship" or simply "game" for an online competiion site?

texts:
We're releasing a website in which the users can submit and join video game competitions. The game can be League of Legends, FIFA, Counter Strike and so forth.

We're not native english speakers so we're not sure whether we should use "tournament", "championship" or simply "game" to characterize an instance of these competitions.

What is the difference between these terms? Which of them would be more suitable for one single instance of an eletronic sport competition?


texts:
Reading and observing varies things daily, I noticed that these types of commas are correct, but why? Why are these commas used here:

  "I want to meet with you on Sunday, tomorrow."

  "I like to help communities, with an emphasis on supporting schools.

  "It was a nice day today, on Memorial Day."

Why do these commas make sense, and why do they belong where they belong?


texts:
I am aware of the following expression

Back and forth

Basically that means to move in one direction and in the opposite one.

I wonder, whether is it possible to say the following

This button can be used to navigate forth ?

But I am sure that the following sentence is correct.

This button can be used to navigate back ?

I am not sure about the forth word only.

I would be grateful for any explanation.

Thanks


texts:
From what I understood, it is something related to the word "Cross-Section", which is defined as a surface or shape that intersects with an three dimensional object with a plane.

but I wonder, with this word, is there anything more too it or is it basically the same thing, the word I heard it from is here:
https://mangapark.net/manga/fairy-tail/i1628464/9


texts:
What does snail toss mean in the following sentences?

  I'll drop this in the snail toss on the way, all right?
  I was thinking about some hardcore snail toss later.


texts: What do you call a person who is seeking endorsement (or approval)?

texts:
My actual paragraph is:

  arXiv required endorsement for people without an institutional email address. And that endorser has to have at least two papers in the same field as the ______ .

Fill in the blank, please.


texts: What does it mean to use the subjunctive after verbs of command?

texts:
I'm looking at this quote:

Thy dukedom I resign, and do entreat
Thou pardon me my wrongs

I came around this site: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.03.0080%3Asection%3D4%3Asubsection%3D12%3Aparagraph%3D369
It says that 'The Subjunctive after verbs of command and entreaty is especially common; naturally, since command implies a purpose'. But, in the quote, what is the 'subjunctive' and what is the 'verb of command'? Is this a common usage?


texts: When is it acceptable to combine expressions of probability with expressions of expectation/planning?

texts:
While working on expressions of probability with some ESL students, the question came up of whether it'd be ok to say something such as:

Hopefully, they will probably help us out in the future.

My knee jerk reaction to this sentence is to say that you should pick one or the other, either 'hopefully' or 'probably' but I haven't been able to find a thouroughly well-reasoned explanation as to why that is the case. Some combinations are obviously nonsensical in that one expression clashes with the other, for example:

Hopefully, this will certainly be useful.

Or

We are planning to definitely complete the assignment in time.

There's an inherent sense of uncertainty in 'hopefully' and 'planning to' that doesn't match the adverbs used further down the sentence. However, it wouldn't strike me as odd to see an action framed as a plan or expectation being used together with an adverb that denotes some level of uncertainty, like this:

We are aiming to maybe finish in 2 hours, 3 at the most.

Would this be an exception to the rule or is it simply a matter of the terms used not clashing in the perception of certainty/confidence they create? I'd love to know if there is some kind of formal rule or study that explores this in more detail.


texts: "What happens when a volcano erupts." vs "What will happen when a volcano erupts."

texts:
Which will you prefer to say; "What happens when a volcano erupts." or "What will happen when a volcano erupts.". Please give your answer from a grammatical prospective and your native sense of English.

Also, when it comes to "What comes out of a volcano when it erupts." or "What will come out a volcano when it erupts.", your answer will be still same?


texts: Why is it "to complete" rather than "to be completed" in the following sentence?

texts:
Given that "complete" is a transitive verb meaning "to finish doing or making something," why is it "to complete" rather than "to be completed" in the following example from a dictionary?
"The building took two years to complete."


texts: I am looking for a word to describe people such as barber, ironsmith, tailor, carpenter etc. People with miscellaneous specialty who would move to a village to serve others who are normally into agriculture. Any ideas?


texts: Is that right to write "Nightly Coyote"?

texts: I want to mean a coyote that frequently walks at night. Is it correct to write "Nightly Coyote"?


texts: Is "leave out to dry" an accepted variation of "hang out to dry"?

texts:
Earlier this week, I told someone, I would never intentionally leave you out to dry. I realize, just now, that the more common idiom is hang you out to dry.

Is the first one also acceptable? is it common? or is it preferable (and more correct) to use the latter? Beneath is a good definition of the idiom.

  hang someone out to dry

  Leave someone in a difficult or vulnerable situation.

If the variation leave out to dry is indeed acceptable, then I would be interested in any instances of this variation from respected sources.


texts:
I am puzzled how punctuation would work with two lists in a sentence. Am I using the semi-colon correctly here?
"Those strawberries were ripe, red, and juicy; fruits with great taste, texture, and color."
Or would it be more proper to use an em dash?
"Those strawberries were ripe, red, and juicy—fruits with great taste, texture, and color."
Any help will be greatly appreciated.


texts: Is there an Idiom or term for someone sharing information to a group that already knows it?

texts:
Let's use comic book fans for example. There's this group of comic book fans who pretty much know everything there is to know as they discuss things daily. There's new information of a new comic coming out, and so an outside person who doesn't really care about comics comes in to share the news like it's something exclusive, but the comic book group already knows about it.
Is there an idiom or term to describe what the outside person is doing?  Attention seeker? It's kind of like stating the obvious.


texts: Is a "dozen donuts" a singular or plural subject?

texts: which is correct?  How much IS a dozen of donuts?  OR How much are a dozen of donuts?


texts: Antonym of "addressing" somebody (opposite of @ at)

texts:
We are working in teams on the same files. We developed a mechanism to add markers for oneself or to address other people with the following syntax (similar to the @ addressing mechanism here at the StackExchange networks):

//Bob: I need to remember this place and come back later (addressed oneself)
//Bob @ Alice: Please continue here or please fix this error

With the words of 1006a:

  So to put this in English, you currently have a notation that means
  something like

  Bob says to Alice: ...

  but you want something that can be read:

  Alice, Bob says: ...?

In the tools we use there is a special view where everybody can see this "note". However for a better ordering we need to switch both names but want to keep the meaning. Is there an opposite symbol for the @ (at) sign? I didn't find any so a short word would also suffice. But all the words I can think of don't exactly match the meaning.

// Alice (by Bob): Please continue here or please fix this error
// Alice (from Bob): Please continue here or please fix this error
// Alice (addressed by Bob): Please continue here or please fix this error

The first two sound strange and the last one is too clumsy - isn't there a short version or an @ antonym symbol?
Unfortunately a leading @ (e.g. //@Alice (by Bob) ...) is not allowed since that would throw off the ordering. So the addressee name needs to come first.


texts: Looking for a word to describe someone who is famous to a small group of people

texts:
I'm looking for a word to describe someone who is famous to a small group of people.

For example I play a competitive card game and there are several people who are famous within the gaming community, but outside of that community they are just your average people. Most people wouldn't recognize them as celebrities.


texts: What is the meaning of "just as well" in this context?

texts:
The family cemetery sat at the bottom of the hill from the mansion.
  Dan thought it was kind of stupid they'd hired a hearse to carry Grace
  a hundred yards down the driveway. They could've put wheels on the
  coffin like they have on suitcases and that would've worked just as
  well.

Does this "just as well" have the same meaning of "just as well" in "It's just as well we'd prepared everything beforehand."


texts: What term means "the area beyond the surrounding area"?

texts:
I need to find a word which is a good match for the word "surrounds" (n., the surrounding land or territory), but which instead describes all of much the space not included in the "surrounds".

To explain a bit more clearly, suppose "surrounds" approximately refers to the territory visible within the horizon in all directions. The word I am looking for likewise approximately refers to all of the land beyond that. Whether it refers to the entire rest of the globe or not is perhaps not important, but I am not looking for a strictly professional or scientific term, just one which might be a good pair with "surrounds", which to me, sounds a bit informal.


texts:
I took my car to the garage to have them check the air-conditioner.
  To watch Uncle Billy tell this story is an eye-opening experience.

What is the meaning of the verbs check and tell in these infinitive phrases?
Are they acting as verbs or another part of speech? Because this is not a simple present tense.


texts:
I stumbled upon a phrase on the internet the grammar of which I can't understand.

  Except as being a bit too conservative and Republican-Lite, don't you
  think XXX is one of the best President?

It was written by a native speaker, so it's most likely that it's just me who can't grasp the meaning of the sentence, not a grammatical mistake in it. Why is except as being used here? Wouldn't except being be fine?


texts: Pluralizing an acronym where the last letter represents a word that ends in s

texts:
Having a little debate here at work...
What is the correct way to pluralize an acronym where the last initial represents a word that itself is a plural / ends with a "s" ?
Our specific example, for context: COW (Cellular On Wheels). If it makes a difference, we are saying this acronym as the word "cow", not C.O.W. Is it COWs? or just COW?
My thought is it should be COWs. The counter point is that this would then make it Cellular On Wheelss (double s)


texts: would you ask someone to drive safe or to drive safely?

texts: When someone is going to drive their car somewhere, I always used to say "drive safely" to them.  Recently I was told I should say "drive safe."  Which is correct?  So it's about when to use the word SAFE and when to use the word SAFELY. Thank you.


texts: Is it correct to use this expression in an email: "Attached you may find ..."?

texts:
Is it grammatical to use the expression "Attached you may find ..." in an email? For example:

  Dear Sir or Madam,

  Attached you may find the documents you requested.

  ...

If this is proper, should there be a comma just after "Attached"?

  Attached, you may find the documents you requested.


texts: Looking for a word to describe an anecdotal situation

texts:
I am looking for a word to describe a situation where something may happen on occasion, make headlines, and become perceived as being significant. But in reality is so rare that it is not really significant.

For example being worried about crashing on an airplane.

Any words come to mind?


texts:
can I use the plural form of 'efficiency' when talking about multiple devices? For example, I have the following question and I need your help:

"Reducing the supply temperature of the heating system increases the efficiency/ies of heat pumps"

I'd appreciate every comment and I would be very thankful for your help.


texts: Most obvious meaning of the phrase "Hit me baby one more time"

texts:
Long, long time ago there was a song of Britney Spears "Baby one more time" with phrase "Hit me baby one more time".
Since that time I wondering, what is primary meaning of 'hit me' in this context? I understand that 'hit me' may have many different meanings: 'push me', 'reach me', 'impress me', may be even 'f*ck me'.
But what is the most obvious meaning of this phrase for native English-speaking peoples?
When you're hearing this song, what you think Britney exactly asking her ex-boyfriend to do with her, when she singing "hit me baby one more time"?
Thanks in advance for your answers!


texts: What is the difference between "impossible" and "implausible"?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  “Plausible” vs. “possible”

My English-Russian dictionary translates "impossible" and "implausible" absolutely the same. But there must be a difference. Could you explain, please?


texts:
According to the UK Department for Transport Traffic Signs Manual, distances in fractions of miles are written without the dividing line or slash on traffic signs:

What is the linguistic (i.e. history of language, orthography, etc.) background for this represenation? And can fractions be written without slash elsewhere?


texts: Alternative word for jealous (without the negative connotations)

texts:
I was wondering whether there is a word similar to jealousy but without the negative connotations? For example, if I really admired someone for their memory and wished mine could be as good - however, I didn't feel begrudging of their good memory, or wished I could have good memory and they didn't.
Basically, a word meaning I'm happy for someone for their good fortune, but wished I also had it.

Thank you :)


texts: What is the meaning of "cold- mutton-commercial type" in this context?

texts:
What is the metaphorical meaning of this phrase "cold-mutton-commercial type", that we can relate to English tea planters?

The railway carriage was full of tea-planters (including one or two
wives and sisters), and there were a few at the hotel. It was curious
to see some English faces of the cold-mutton-commercial type, and
in quite orthodox English attire, in this out-of-the-way region.
Adam's Peak to Elephanta (1892)


texts:
I can't seem to find any answer in my high school grammar textbook regarding the use of commas after titles that appear in quotes. Is this question addressed by American style guides?

  I recently read the newspaper and the "95 Theses," and I learned so many things!

Here is an alternative syntax:

  I recently read the newspaper and the "95 Theses", and I learned so many things!

EDIT: For the downvoters, the feedback I've gotten suggests that there is no objective answer for the question of which syntax is "correct." Therefore, I've reworded to ask a more objectively answerable question about what popular American style guides recommend about this part of English syntax.


texts: "I love you." ... "As do I." Interpretation?

texts: If someone says I love you and you reply “as do I “ it means I love you too right ? Or does it mean you love yourself ?


texts: Why is "being " used in this sentence "it being a rainy day" as a present participle?

texts:
The following sentence is somewhat confusing.

  It being a rainy day, we had to abandon (or simply say cancel) the match.

or

  Being a rainy day, we had to abandon the match.

I think one of the following sentences is sufficient to get rid of the confusion.

  Since it was a rainy day, we had to abandon the match.
  It was a rainy day, so we had to abandon the match.
  It was a rainy day, therefore we had to abandon the match.
  We had to abandon the match because it was a rainy day.
  We had to abandon the match because of a rainy day.
  We had to abandon the match as it was a rainy day. (might not be used in this context)
  The match abandonment (or simply say cancellation) was due to heavy rain.

Does the first sentence have some special meaning or usage? In which particular situation should it be used?


texts: Why are English language essays written in past tenses?

texts: As we are studying English from the nursery the thing that always confuses me is that whenever we write an essay it should be in past tenses and I always find difficulty in writing essays that way. I searched it many times. I take help from goggle, read grammar books  and consult my language professors. They just give me the reason that it is the custom to write in past tenses. I found so much difficulty but  no guide.  I post my question in this site so I may get the best guide and can write essays without any tenses mistakes


texts:
Is this text correct?

  Dont ever let anyone tell you you aine beautiful

Someone told me that this is correct:

  it's a phonetic transcription (Afro Americans discard a lot of phonetic rules while speaking)


texts: word for a put-together system or solution

texts:
I am looking for a word to describe a system or solution that has been put together from pre-existing parts. For example if a computer company gets software from 3 different software houses and sells it together as a complete solution maybe with some integration work on their part. The company might even white-label the system/solution and the customer may not even be aware that the system has been put together from constituent parts. The word could be IT industry specific but it doesn't have to be.

I always thought the word 'turnkey' meant this but I have found that 'turnkey' really means the opposite (ie an off-the-shelf system) and bespoke is a closer word but a bespoke system implies to me that it has been created entirely from scratch to the customer's specifications whereas the word I am looking for is more like 'assembled' really but that seems a bit weak.


texts: Is it "dressing" if I cooked my "stuffing" outside of the turkey?

texts: I've always cooked my Thanksgiving stuffing without actually putting it inside the turkey. Does it have to be stuffed into the turkey to be called stuffing?


texts: That vs Which when talking about a subject

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  When is it appropriate to use 'that' as opposed to 'which'?

This is actually the title of a question I just asked a minute ago ::- ). While writing it, I remembered one of my most terrible dilemmas ever: when to use "which" and when to use "that"? Even worse, Microsoft Word sometimes forces me to add comas before "which".

Phrase in question:

  What tense to use when writing about an ongoing action in a text which will be published / read in the future

vs

  What tense to use when writing about an ongoing action in a text that will be published / read in the future


texts: What is the meaning of "every other time"?

texts:
I was wondering what every other time means. For example:

  I know it's being fixed, but rebooting every other time you do something gets old.


texts:
Can someone help me to identify some English synonyms/idioms meaning to "wonder so hard"? The word or phrase I'm looking for could be used in a situation where somebody tries to solve a very confusing riddle or is unable to manage what is going on.

I thought one example might be "breaking [somebody's] head open" (like in other languages: "den Kopf zerbrechen" or "rompersi la testa"), but I realized that the English meaning is literal in that case.


texts: Need a word for "Should not have happened' with a negative context

texts:
I'm looking for a word to mean "should not have happened."  I'm trying to relate this situation; two paths - one positive, one negative - with the same end result, and the negative path was taken.

Help please! Thank You!

Update:
OK, so the 2 paths being: my daughter had a cut by her eye, the doctor chose stitches instead of suture glue, and the ensuing pain, torn stitches, and inability to remove them all could have been avoided if she'd just used the glue in the first place. The sentence I am trying to finish is: "Based on the open scarring left behind from the use of sutures, the whole experience seems __."


texts:
Asyndeton refers to a practice in literature whereby the author purposely leaves out conjunctions in the sentence, while maintaining the grammatical accuracy of the phrase.

Example:

Read, Write, Learn.
Watch, Absorb, Understand.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Source: Literary Devices

If we replace the commas with periods what device would it be, if any?

Read. Write. Learn.
Watch. Absorb. Understand.
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.


texts: Why these sentences doesn't have auxiliary word in it?

texts:
In these sentences, why isn't there an auxiliary verb? I would expect that there will be one after "Who" in both sentences:

1) Who cooks when Karen and Andy have friends round for dinner,

2) Who chatted to people online at the weekend?


texts: Photographers seems to love to say this. Is this still considered funny?


texts:
Is this an omission (ellipsis)? What is this omission called in linguistics?

  What has changed in the interim, to my knowledge, is a huge explosion of self- and mutual-admiration among those who propound what they call "theory" and "philosophy," but little that I can detect beyond "pseudo-scientific posturing." (source)

"there is" seems to be elided in this sentence which I'd have written as:

  What has changed in the interim, to my knowledge, is a huge explosion of self- and mutual-admiration among those who propound what they call "theory" and "philosophy," but there is little that I can detect beyond "pseudo-scientific posturing."


texts:
Source : Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte.

Extract:

  One end, indeed, reflected splendidly both light and heat from ranks of immense pewter dishes, interspersed with silver jugs and tankards, towering row after row, on a vast oak dresser, to the very roof.The latter had never been under-drawn: its entire anatomy lay bare to an inquiring eye, except where a frame of wood laden with oatcakes and clusters of legs of beef, mutton, and ham, concealed it.

What does the word "under-drawn" mean in this context?


texts:
What is the correct way to write a question you would verbally ask in a higher tone of voice?

  How is this possible?!

OR

  How is this possible!?

The subtlety lies in the punctuation.

Thanks


texts:
I need help with finding out which of the below sentences is correct:

Since she wore glasses, I could not discern whether she was crying.
Since she wore glasses, I could not discern whether she cried.

Are both the sentences correct? If so, when to use which sentence?


texts:
Do I use a comma before with?

The mother allowed the father to take the children with the understanding that they would be returned the next day.


texts: Phrase to means "something a hipster would like"

texts:
I've been trying to come up with a phrase that means "something a hipster would like" in the modern context. Cool and hip seem kind of dated, so what would be a good recommendation for a more modern phrase (that a hipster would use?)

Downvotes only make this hipster post more valid!


texts: What's the difference between synergy and synergism?

texts:
Do synergy and synergism mean the same thing?  Is there some sort of subtle difference in connotation?   I'm asking in the context of American English, if it makes a difference.
Edit: the context is general use, rather than a specific area such as theology or pharmaceuticals.  Dictionaries seem to give identical definitions, making me wonder about subtle connotations that may not appear in dictionaries, and also making me wonder if one or the other is more common.


texts:
My teacher asked me,

  What friends were you hanging out with?

I think maybe she was wrong or maybe I do not know the other uses of "what" in asking questions.


texts:
Given the following sentence:

  I want you to join both the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
  documents together by lunch time.

Is the repetition of "and" OK? Should I wrap my documents in quotation marks?


texts: Idiomatic expression for the result of a fight

texts:
I need an idiomatic expression for what I am going to (try to) explain: Two men are about to start a fight. Who's stronger he'll get a reward (a life, for example), the other one the opposite (will be dead/just ashamed, or something else). We don't know how the situation will turn out; someone will get this, someone will get that, we don't know the outcome, we wait to see.

Edit: The battle doesn't have to be physical nature.

Thank you!


texts:
If I include a reference at the end of a sentence where it is already included in a bracketed phrase, do you put one or two brackets to close?
E.g.

  Goldilocks and her friend found that bears were not as friendly as she had been told (her father had previously reported that they were always tame (Bruno, 2019)).

Is the double bracket correct - I feel it should be a single bracket that closes both in one with a fullstop


texts: What is the adjective for "sent down" or "descend"?

texts: The only word I found is descendant but this is often used for people, and I want to use the word for objects. Is there an adjective or alternative I can use if I want to say sent down, brought down as an adjective? It seems the word descended does not exist.


texts:
I have run into a song by Fred McDowell which is called Going Down to The River. It starts as follows:

I'm goin' down that river
I'm goin'-a take that right hand road
I'm goin' down the river
I'm goin-a take that right hand road
Lord, I ain't gon' stop walkin'
'Till I get in sweet mama's arms

Please could you explain what this line exactly means?

  I'm goin'-a take that right hand road

goin'-a stands for going to, as it was suggested in comments, is it correct? And if it is, then what does to take that right hand road mean?


texts:
This is a number:

123,456,789

This is a digit:

1

And another one:

4

And another:

9

So what are numerals? Is this just a synonym for "digit"? Or are digits synonyms for numerals?


texts:
This is a very simple question, yet I did not find anybody that could give me a satisfactory answer. I would say “go by foot”, but it seems that “go on foot” is used more often.

Which one is right? Are both right?  Does it depend on the context?

Edit: Searching with Google yields 26,000,000 results for “on foot” and 8,000,000 for “by foot”, so it seems that at least both expressions are used.  However, whether they are both correct is another issue.


texts:
My name is James Lamar Smith, in which my first name is James, middle name is Lamar and my last name is Smith. I would like to  know which form of my short name is acceptable in English:

1 J. L. Smith (with space after periods)
2 J.L.Smith (without space after periods)
3 J L Smith (without usage of periods)

And my question is: can I omit periods by using space anywhere after using a capitalised letter without periods like J L Smith? From J. L. Smith? And there is a space after the periods; can we neglect it as in J.L.Smith? Could it be used without using space anywhere? Which is acceptable in English for official and agenda use?


texts: Proper ellipsis [linguistic] for "Yes/No" questions/answers containing "do + like"

texts:
Is it grammatically correct to say/write the following

Q: Do you like to eat ice cream/apples...?
A: No, I don't like [to eat apples]./ Yes, I like [to eat apples].

Is it necessary to include the object [in brackets] if it has been mentioned in the preceding question? And how about the main verb to eat, can it be omitted as well?


texts: Correct tense of verb in passive voice sentence

texts:
I have written the sentence

  One difficulty when performing a numerical integral arises when one does not know the exact function being used (for example, in signal processing), but is instead cumulatively calculating data points that are then fed into an integral function.

"Is" sounds incorrect here; what should the verb be? I tried "are", but that doesn't sound right either. Would it be better to split up the sentence?

In short, how can I formulate this so that it is grammatically correct?


texts: Word for ability to understand, analyse and judge things

texts: Is there one specific word in English to describe one's ability to understand, analyse and judge things? I'm trying to find an equivalence for 悟性 in English. Thanks.


texts: A word like `dichotomy` but not necessarily mutually exclusive

texts:
According to Wikipedia:

A dichotomy is a partition of a whole (or a set) into two parts (subsets). In other words, this couple of parts must be

jointly exhaustive: everything must belong to one part or the other, and

mutually exclusive: nothing can belong simultaneously to both parts.

I am looking for a similar word which is still logically jointly exhaustive but not necessarily mutually exclusive.


texts: What is the word starting with P that is a type of chart where all values are calculated?

texts:
So, it is a word that that is used with 'analysis' and it means to calculate using all possible values to prepare a chart (I only know this meaning, it is not the dictionary meaning). Let me give you a background:
E.g. In a case study, I have a window size of 2x3. Now, I have been asked to calculate the different properties for all varying possible sizes. e.g 3x3, 3x4, 3x5, 2x4, 2x5, 3x2, etc. And then to prepare a table. What is this type of analysis called?


texts: "Don't let no one" vs. "don't let nobody"

texts: Does the phrase "don't let no one touch it" fall under the double-negative category?  What would be the difference if no one was replaced with nobody?


texts: I'm a student originally from the West Coast but currently studying in New England. I came across an interesting question concerning dialectology and the use of Patio vs. Porch. I have observed other words like Deck, Veranda, Lanai... etc. Where can I find evidence to show that this is a regional difference or just preference? Thanks!


texts:
What does it mean by "no mere shuffling of commercial cards" in this context? Also would like to know what is a "commercial card" in a time like 1892 (Under a British command)?

"... as long as the peasantry in these lands are (as they are) practically
starving, and the irrigation works practically neglected, the
responsibility for such a state of affairs must lie with the rulers ;
and naturally no mere shuffling of commercial cards, or encouragement
of an export trade which brings fortunes into the hands of a few
tea-planters and merchants, can be expected to make things better."
-From Adam's Peak to Elephanta (1892)-


texts: Asking about the date on which something happens using "effective"

texts:
How is the word "effective" or "effect" used to indicate from which date a new rule / change will be applied? I am not sure which of the following is correct:

  These changes will take effect from March 1, 2012.
  These changes will take effect on March 1, 2012.
  These changes will be effective on March 1, 2012.
  These changes will be effective from March 1, 2012.
  These changes will be effective March 1, 2012.

Update: I just came across a new phrase:

March 1, 2012 is when the new changes will come into effect.


texts:
Comment on imgur:

  Actually that's an appropriate use, comma used for the purpose of producing a short pause to add emphasis to what follows.

Is the comma in it is, a done deed correctly used?


texts: confused about “…I may have tripped over someone else who's hiding”

texts:
I'm translating a post about psychology and having trouble with this sentence:

  "I know when I'm sitting across from someone who's smiling brightly at me while simultaneously describing a significant loss or disappointment that I may have tripped over someone else who's hiding."

The context is someone trying to hide their negative emotions. But I can't say for sure what exactly the author is meaning. I understand what is meant by someone who's smiling brightly but it's the latter part of the sentence which confuses me, i.e. while simultaneously describing a significant loss or disappointment that I may have tripped over someone else who's hiding.

Does the author mean while he/she is chatting with someone who's smiling happily, someone out there is having trouble and stuck in sadness but trying to hide these emotions?

Or he/she means, he/she talks about an unhappy one while chatting with the bright one?

Could you guys please clear up this sentence for me? Thanks so much.