texts:
New Yorker December 15 issue carries the review on the recently released comedy, “Young Adult,” written by Diablo Cody, directed by Jason Reitman, and starring Charlize Theron as a heroine.

It reads:

  “The movie was shot not in Minnesota but in White Plains and central Long Island, which only reinforces the point that so much of the country looks the same, feels the same. But are Cody and Reitman too clever by half? Have they loaded the case? They don’t produce anyone (besides Buddy holding his child) who gives a damn about anything.”

As I didn’t get the exact idea of “Have they loaded the case?” I tried to find its definition online. Neither of Cambridge nor M-W online dictionaries registers ‘load the case.’ OED registers ‘load the base’ as baseball terminology meaning ‘fill the bases,’ but not ‘load the case.’

Google Ngram shows an undulant usage pattern of ‘load the case’ peaking in circa 1940.

What does ‘load the case’ mean in the above sentence?


texts: Do you say content is in a website or on a website?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  “On website” or “at website”?
  Which of these is correct: “Sheila is now in Facebook” or “Sheila is now on Facebook”?

Which is best in your opinion?

"You can find this content on the X website."
"You can find this content in the X website."

"I posted the comment on FB."
"I posted the comment in FB."

Thanks for your opinions and advice!


texts: Orthography of definite-article contractions in the Yorkshire dialect

texts: In the Yorkshire accent the definite article is shortened to just t. E.g. 'I went on the bus' becomes something that sounds like 'I went ont bus'. How does one punctuate this? Is it 'I went on t'bus', which seems logical (as the apostrophe indicates missing letters) but does not reproduce the sound that one hears? Or could it be 'I went on't bus'?


texts:
If odometer provides cumulative data.
Then which type of data speedometer provides ?

I mean that every measurement of that type of data is a separate value and do not depends on previous or next one in opposite to cumulative data.

How we can describe this type of data in English?


texts:
When I watch some sports events,
narrator says,

"A turn-away crowd tonight,
a sold-out American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX"
(actually this one is from WWE ;-)

What is the meaning of " a turn-away crowd" ?
"enthusiastic people" or "crazy fans"?

I cannot find this adjective usage in my dictionaries.
It would be super if anybody can help.


texts: Correct usage of comma- Specific sentence

texts:
I don't have a choice but to reply since I try my best to dispel hate, which you're proficient at.

I wanted to know if the use of a comma is appropriate in the above sentence? What does the sentence mean? Is the person proficient at dispelling hatred or is he hateful himself?

I found the text online and wanted to know if the text is legitimate.

Will there be a comma before 'and' in the above statement?


texts: What is the nicest way to say "old person" while still being polite and non-offensive?

texts: So I was working on a presentation and I was using the word elderly, but the evidence I was using had the word senior in it. And I was thinking that the word elderly was polite and non-offensive, but now I am not sure. Any ideas on what word is non-offensive and polite?


texts: The term for caring more about problems that you see as directly affecting yourself

texts:
What is the term for the tendency to care more about problems that we perceive as directly affecting us? Or, relatedly, the tendency to show more empathy for people's problems when we perceive the people to be more similar to us?

There must be academic terminology related to this. I have tried Googling with different keywords, but I haven't found any relevant results.


texts: passive question...we do not add ANY colouring to our cakes...(where does the any go?)

texts:
we do not add ANY artificial coloring to our cakes

ANY artificial coloring  is not added to our cakes :( artificial
coloring is not added to our cakes :)

I can't work out a good reason why the ANY disappears.


texts:
"The most very best you will ever in the universe"
There's a word for the category of words such as the above, words that are used to emphasise something without adding any content by themselves.

Those words that are used a lot in marketing and in reviews to convey "wowing".

I can't find it.

Edit: In retrospect the question wasn't clear enough, and the word I was looking for (Superlative) isn't necessarily the correct answer to the question. But the answers to the original question are good, so I'm not changing it.
After rereading the question and the answers, I'd say that both Intensifier and Puffery are good answers to the question as-is.
I decided to mark Intensifier as the answer because it relates to the modifiers themselves rather than to the phrasing as a whole, and because it was interesting to read about it.


texts: If technical skills include things like familiarity with certain software packages, programming languages, CAD, etc., what is a general term for the other kind of skills, such as fluency in foreign languages, media relations, internet marketing, etc.?  I wanted to suggest "soft skills" for a friend's resume, but that doesn't seem to fit, according to the dictionary ("personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people").  What term can I use for the section of the resume where skills such as foreign languages, media relations, internet marketing, etc., are listed?


texts:
What is it called when a letter is within another letter? For example, the letter O within the letter L:

Edit: Or the first C in the Coca-Cola logo:

Does this arrangement of type have a name?


texts: How to translate: university application sentences

texts:
I would need to know whether the following is correct:

  I applied for study of mathematics and physics.

or do I need to say it like that:

  I applied for admission to university to study mathematics and
  physics.

Is the first enough to express the meaning of the other sentence?
Thanks


texts: Is choice of verb form or construction determined by context or by a sentence's internal structure?

texts:
I'm trying to understand the concept behind the correct usage of tenses. Should I choose the correct tense based on the context or is it strictly constrained to the text within the sentence?

For example I have a phrase like this:

  Within a year before the renovation, a total of 10,000 people had
  visited the museum, and the majority had voiced dissatisfaction
  with their experience.

So basically I'm describing an action 10,000 people had visited the museum which is taking place before the certain event renovation.

Now. I want to add a bit more clarification to this idea and write something like this:

  During this time, 40% of the museum guests voiced their dissatisfaction with the
  experience.

Now this sentence is in Simple Paste tense, but is it correct? I mean, the overall context is in Past Perfect Simple, as stated by the previous sentence. So should the second be in Past Perfect Simple as well, if it's following the first one as part of the same paragraph?


texts: "Like X but a little less Y and a little more Z"

texts:
Like X but a (little/lot) less Y and a (little/lot) more Z.

Is there a name for this type of comparison? It's not really an analogy (or is it?) It's not a simile or a dissimile.

  Examples of usage:
  - Detest is a lot like despising but a little less personal and a little more abstract
  - To the eye, he seems to be a lot like Margy Time, but a little less power and a little more speed and flash (context link)
  - Quixote is pronounced like peyote but a little less pee and a little more keex

Any suggestions? I added idiom-requests as well, as the answer could be an idiom, but if there's a definitive answer that's not an idiom, then please feel free to remove the tag (and this note).

PS: Apologies in advance for any lost productivity caused by the TVTropes link.


texts: What do you call the rhetoric strategy of purposely writing a paragraph that no one can understand?

texts:
Most of us have come across a paragraph which sounded meaningless to us or which made us wonder if we were intellectually equipped to read it. That may have been the case, but sometimes one writes a text, using specific terminology just to fool people. You read it over and over again and can't make out what the author means. Politicians do that too. What is it called?

This paragraph, from a book by Felix Guattari sounds like what might be an example to me:

  “Existence, as a process of deterritorialisation, is a specific inter-machinic operation which superimposes itself on the promotion of singularised existential intensities. And, I repeat, there is no generalised syntax for these deterritorialisations. Existence is not dialectical, not representable. It is hardly livable! ( Intellectual Impostures, p. 158).

... might be an example, if the author's intention were really to confuse. I'm not sure, though.


texts: Why is "uncanny" not the opposite of "canny"?

texts:
If canny means "cunning"

  Having or showing shrewdness and good judgement, especially in money or business matters.

why does uncanny mean "supernatural"?

  Strange or mysterious, especially in an unsettling way.

Uncanny should have meant "slow-witted" or "foolish" which is the opposite of cunning.


texts: What's is the right answer: 3-D-printed component vs 3-D printed component vs 3D printed component vs 3D-printed component?

texts:
Recently, the editors of a journal where I was publishing a paper changed a small part of the title "3d printed components" for "3-D-Printed Components". However, for a different paper, other editors of the same journal wrote "3-D Printed Components" instead.
I have checked on the Internet for other papers that have a similar structure (3D Printed "Sth"), but I don't understand if there is a right way to use the hyphen/s. Here are some examples:

Compact high-Q hemispherical resonators for 3-D printed bandpass filter applications
3-D Printed Flexible Heterogeneous Substrates with Customizable Gain and Bandwidth
3D-printed Microsystems for Opto-medical Imaging
3-D-Printed Comb Mushroom-Like Dielectric Lens for Stable Gain Enhancement of Printed Log-Periodic Dipole Array

Seems messy in my opinion to use hyphens, however, I would like to know if there's an exact answer, or maybe there are multiple options that are valid.
Thanks,


texts: Looking for a classier word to describe a "packet" or "envelope"

texts:
At work, we sent a packet (letter-sized envelope filled with letter-sized things) out to a bunch of different people who had reached certain sales goals in our company. They have a bit of pomp about them, so while calling it a 'packet' or 'kit' is accurate, it comes up a bit short in my mind.

Looked up synonyms...'sachet' was an interesting idea, but its definition didn't quite seem to fit and it feels a little TOO pretentious :)

Any other ideas?


texts:
It's always been on in mind, how can a single word have two meanings so opposite as "Swear" has?

More specifically, how did the word "Swear" assumed its good and bad face?

Was it born as good and then started to be used also as bad? The opposite?

Citing a comic I read a couple of days ago, if someone tells you "Swear to God", what do you do by default? An oath or a mean sentence?

(They may appear as multiple questions but in the end they all go back to the main one...)


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Which phrase is correct: “dependent on” or “dependent upon”

Is there a difference between the usage of 'depend upon' and 'depend on' or is one considered improper usage?


texts: What is a good alternative for the reverse of a boycott?

texts:
Boycotting is a classic consumer strategy to, in a sense, vote with your feet or with your dollar against some business that is doing something you find troubling, whether integral to the business, like slaughtering practices for meat, or incidental, like personal ethics violations by management.

But there is a practice that is the reverse for this, that is, providing additional support or changing brands to a business that does good things, changing business practices to acceptable ones, or giving to charities you approve. In the end, rewarding the company for activity that you like.

Is there a good term that captures this 'opposite' of boycotting?

Dictionaries specify 'support' as the antonym, but that word is much too broad to correspond well with 'boycott'. There are other terms: 'sanction' (an auto-antonym), 'encourage patronage' (probably the most exact but a bit of a mouthful)

Obviously the best corresponding word would be just as snappy as 'boycott': 'reverse boycott' (but still possible negative), 'to santa clause' (like a gift?).

Can you make a case for these or other suggestions?


texts: Is there a word for degree or quality of being phallic?

texts:
How do I describe an object's potential / degree of being phallic?

Example:
This beer stein's what word here is a bit over the top.


texts: Why use "is" in this sentence "Here is your umbrella and your coat“

texts:
The sentence

  Here is your umbrella and your coat.

is from New Concept English. So I presume it is grammatically correct.

I also saw sentences like

  There is an apple and two oranges.

So why is is used instead of are?


texts: The meaning of a short excerpt of dialog from the "La-La Land" movie

texts:
I came across the following dialog while watching La-La Land in English with subtitles:

  Mia: How’d you get on the lot?
  Seb: I basically just hauled ass past the guard gates. I think I have 20 minutes until they find me.

Can anyone tell me what this dialog means? What were they talking about? Was it just a joke I'm not familiar with?


texts: Is there any difference between "putting on" and "faking" (an accent)?

texts:
I know they both mean "pretending to have" (a particular accent). Yet, I'm unsure if they can be used interchangeably. Are they both disapproving?
For example,

He was just faking a Scottish accent. He couldn't speak it at all!
He was just putting on a Scottish accent. He couldn't speak it at all!


texts:
Is there a term for a person who by local standards is normal in his/her behaviour?

I mean a person who tends to like the same sports, same teams, same music, and same hobbies. Because in El Salvador people are like that, and I call them (in my mind) very generic, trivial, and boring.


texts: What word is used to replace a redacted name?

texts:
If a name of an military officer is redacted for security reasons, how can I replace his name with an adjective and the word 'officer' without too much hubbub?

Say the original sentence is "The meeting was led by Lieutenant Smith and his men." Can I say, "The meeting was led by an unnamed/redacted officer and his men"? If not, how should I say it?


texts: Word meaning "to fall down accidentally?"

texts:
Example:

  The bridge's parapet was thick so I could sit on it without
  feeling dizzy, fear of [...] down.

Is there another word other than fall? I thought of tumbling but I think you can only tumble down a slope not a free fall.


texts: Barlow knife quote meaning in Mark Twain's Adventures of Tom Sawyer

texts:
True, the knife would not cut
  anything, but it was a "sure-enough" Barlow, and there was
  inconceivable grandeur in that - though where the Western boys ever
  got the idea that such a weapon could possibly be counterfeited to its
  injury, is an imposing mystery and will always remain so, perhaps.

Doesn't seem to be your normal construct in regards to "...such a weapon could possibly be counterfeited to its injury..."

What does "to its injury" mean here?


texts: Sentences starting with the preposition "Of"

texts:
I often see sentences starting with the prepositions "In", "With", "To", and "For".
However, a sentence starting with "Of" seems to be quite rare.
Is that grammatically correct? For example, what about the following complicated sentence?

Of our shelves A, B, C, and D, for B and C, you can take any book from there; for A and D, you cannot.


texts: Is there a word for someone who is a regular computer user but not an expert?

texts: Is there a word for a person who uses the computer regularly and is adept at doing what she has to do or wants to do on the computer, but has no interest whatsoever in its hardware or software innards, nor in allowing it to take over her life?  The word is not "agnostic" nor "Luddite".  I have a particular person in mind, who calls herself a "computer dren".  Is there an actual word?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Where can I obtain an English dictionary with structured data?

Where can I find a digital English-language dictionary or word list containing pronunciation? I would prefer something under an open source or similar license.


texts: How do I express the weather being helpful to my plans?

texts:
I know there's the expression "weather permitting", but I want to use it like this:

  I plan to go on a bike ride tomorrow, so let's hope the weather ____!

Is there a word more idiomatic than "permits" for this context?


texts:
According to Oxford dictionary household means:

  a house and its occupants regarded as a unit, e.g., ‘the whole
  household was asleep’.

The question in my mind is if it can be regarded as the agent of an action. For example, is the following sentence correct or not?

This chart demonstrates the distribution of renting and owning accommodation by households in percentage during 1918 to 2011 in England and Wales.

Thank you in advance.


texts: Why can we say “worth more than” but not “expensive more than”?

texts:
Why can we say:

  It is worth more than. . . .

but not:

  It is expensive more than. . . .

It’s the position of more which I find so confusing.

Also, is worth an adjective in both these cases?


texts: Would you place an implant "in" or "on" your jawbone?

texts: In the sentence, "The doctor will place the implant on your jawbone" would you use "on" or "in"?


texts:
"Whether you're buying by the bottle or by case, shopping for wine is easy a BC Wineguys."

Is buying by the bottle just one bottle or any quantity of bottles as long at is not in a case or any quantity of bottles as long as it's less than the number of bottles in a case?


texts: Colloquial definitions of 'nice', possible alternatives?

texts:
I (and my family) use the word 'nice' in a very particular way which I seem to have trouble conveying to other people; so I've come here to see if there is anything remotely analogous.

I describe myself as "not a nice person", and that I'm " not particularly fond of nice people". By that I don't mean I'm unkind, nasty or bad natured, but that I'm just not... Nice?

I think it's illustrative of what I mean to say that a 'nice' person pities a bad situation, whereas a 'kind' or 'good' person offers help; a 'nice' person avoids conflict at all cost, whereas a 'kind' person will rock the boat for a good cause.

I feel my distinction of this niceness/kindness separation isn't unique to my circle, but I can't find it documented or described anywhere in dictionaries. Is this something that exists? Are there any better words for it? How can I eloquently explain this distinct meaning of the word?


texts: What would be a suitable antonym of "reluctance" or "hesitance" that does not have the connotation of "rash judgment/action" or any negative connotation? Instead, I am looking for an antonym that suggests that someone is not afraid to deal with the problem at hand.


texts: Does quoting in British or American English depend on the quoted or the audience?

texts:
If you are quoting/documenting the conversation between two people — one is British and one American — do you use a consistent approach directed towards your intended audience or switch to the spelling of that person's dialect?
For example:

British person: "I realised that I was wrong"
American (in response): "Yeah, I realized that too"

Probably a silly question, but thought it would make for an interesting discussion.


texts:
Hadn't ought: "ought not —usually used with to ": you really hadn't ought to do that.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hadn%27t%20ought

Is this ''had'' the same as the one in had better? How'd these expressions come to be?


texts: Is there a word for someone who makes others better?

texts:
One quality or trait that many employer looks for in a leader is the ability to not only perform well yourself but to also elevate the performance of others around you.

For example, Steve Nash was an elite point guard and an all-star that made the people around him better. He made Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire all-stars and afterwards, when they were no longer teammates, they were not able to play at their all-star levels.

You could say that Steve Nash is a great leader but it does not inherently imply that he also makes the people around him.

Is there a specific word that describes this? A phrase to describe it would be, "he brings the best out of others", but I cannot think of a word to describe this ability/trait.


texts: Disorder: can't recognize who the voices belong to due to certain damage in the brain?

texts:
When a person can't recognize faces due to some damage in the brain, it is called prosopagnosia.

When a person can't recognize colors due to some damage in the cerebral cortex, it is called cerebral achromatopsia (a type of color blindness, different from color blindess that is resulted by the abnormalities in the cells of the retina).

So is there a technical term for the disorder of not being able to recognize voices due to certain damage in the brain? [Can't know who is speaking just from hearing but do understand the content]


texts:
Reading "Psychology, Briefer Course" by William James I stumbled upon the following¹:

  How easily do we forget a bodily discomfort when conversation waxes
  hot

By context, I'd suppose it's something good; but what exactly does it mean to say that a conversation waxes hot? I tried my best but could not relate to anything I know of either wax or hot (I'm not a native speaker).

¹ p. 21, 1st edition Outlook, 2018.


texts: "I'll have the Mesclun Salad, please." Note the capitals. This question concerns the definition of a proper noun and how context can subtly change this. Please refer to former question. It is a question dealing with grammar and nouns, which is Stack Exchange topic. My main question at this point is how could I find an answer to this question using the list of references as recommended: I'm still working on it.


texts: What is the difference between "as though" and "as if"?

texts:
I'm genuinely in confusion when it comes to using those two: can I draw a distintive line in using them?

Thank you.


texts: What is this US accent found so often in instructional videos?

texts:
What is this accent or register?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0E4PX3e3RE

It seems to me to include

extensive creaky voice
a broad range of pitch
rising question intonation

This question is not about the merits of that vocal style. I have extensively edited this question as it appears that this vocal style is controversial, so as to avoid provoking rants.


texts:
"Benefit of the doubt" is a standard phrase in English and is a very useful one in formal discussions. Is there an equivalent expression to denote the opposite of it, formal or informal?

For example:

  Sara: What do you think of our new neighbour?
  Sam: I do not know them, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. [they must be good people]

How about an opposite case (I will try to convey it below):

  Sara: Will you marry me?
  Sam: I do not know you, so I have to __ (I wont risk it, you could be terrible...)

One thing I can think of is possible risk. Is that how the English speaking world go about this?


texts: Is the term 'Distress Properties' or 'Distress Property' grammatically correct?

texts: I'd really like to know if the term 'Distress Properties' (or Distress Property) is correct, i.e distress property in relation to distressed properties in real estate?


texts: Term for military officer serving with another military force

texts:
Is there a general term for a military officer serving "on loan", so to speak, with another military branch or another nation's military forces?

As an example, say that country A and country B are conducting a joint military exercise, and one of A's officers joins one of B's units to facilitate communication or offer advice.

Another example would be the installation of Soviet "military advisors" in communist countries that commonly occurred during the Cold War.


texts: Confused about use of "one another" in a possessive way

texts:
In this sentence, I don't understand why there is a 's at the end of "one another":

  We are constantly making comparisons to one another's success.

Does this sentence make sense? If not please help me fix it. Thank you.


texts:
'co-opt' in US usage means to take over for a purpose for which it was not really intended, having a slightly inappropriate connotation, while in the British usage it means to choose or elect as a member.

I can find a single reference that says the US usage started in the 50's but with no further explanation as to the reason for the shift in meaning.

Any help would be appreciated.


texts: Name for phrase only understood by those who already know?

texts:
I'm having a hard time thinking of an example, except I remember someone making a recursive joke about it once. They explained the meaning of it by using its definition, hence the joke. Something like "An X is only an X for those who already know".

What is the name for this kind of phrase?


texts:
There are several sound clips that are widely understood to mean "(epic) fail". I think the most famous one is the one with the oboe or trumpet... 4 notes with declining pitch, the last one being stretched out.

Is there a common way to capture that in writing?


texts: Is there any statistical data about English languange?

texts:
Not sure if this is on topic, feel free to migrate it, close it or delete it, it's the first time here, i found the programming tag so I give it a shot.

Is it possible to download some sort of a dictionary which offers statistics about English language:

How many verbs are there? and list them
How many nouns are there? and list them
How many adjectives and so on
What is the synonym for x

In such a way that you can quickly access what you're looking for, and quickly tell if x is a verb or noun and what is the synonym for x and so on

Suppose y is a column that lists all the verbs, if a user input a word, i search y, if the word exists in y then it's a verb.


texts:
A friend of mine told me English demonyms, words that identify people from a particular place (Roman, Japanese, Dutch etc.), largely depend upon the historical period in which the term originates. However, looking at the list on wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demonym), it's difficult for me to see a specific historical pattern.
Is there anyone here who knows anything about how history has influenced the use of English demonyms? Can we associate a particular demonym with a certain time in history?

Sorry for the vague question. Any insight would be appreciated ^^


texts: Is “I don’t suppose you could lend me a pound?” a well-used expression when you ask someone to lend money?

texts:
I came across the phrase, "I don’t suppose you could lend me a pound?" in the short story titled "Chalk and Cheese," contained in "To Cut a Long Story Short" by Jeffrey Archer.

The phrase appears in the following sentence that Robin, the young brother who is gifted in fine art asks his elder brother at his one-man show at a gallery to lend him money:
Robin brags his brother on his talent:

  "One of the things I most admire about you," said Robin, "is that you have never envied my talent."
  "Certainly not," said John. "I delight in it."
  "Then let’s hope that some of my success rubs off on you, in whatever profession you should decide to follow." "Let's hope so." said John, not sure what else he could say.
  Robin leaned forward and lowered his voice.
  "I don’t suppose you could lend me a pound? I’ll pay it back of course."
  [Note: actually Robin has never paid back his repeated small loans from his good-natured brother.]

As I’ve never heard "I don’t suppose you could lend me a pound?" as an expression for asking somebody for lending money, I checked the usage of the phrase with Google NGram to find no result. The very beginning phrase, "I don’t suppose" sounds to me somewhat rounabout and disingenuous.

Is "I don't suppose you could lend me a pound?" a well-used pattern of phrase in Both England and America in borrowing money from someone whoever intimate with you or not?


texts: What is the word for the universe a movie lives in?

texts:
For example, in the movie The Invention of Lying, nobody can lie. So a rule is created that states that nobody can lie in this universe, and the story is constructed with this rule in mind.

So a universe is created which respects this rule.

Every movie creates its own universe, whether it's characters that don't exist in our universe or events that didn't happen in our universe.

What do you call the universe a movie lives in?


texts: Question tags: "Hardly seems... Doesn't it?" vs "hardly seems...does it?"

texts:
Is it correct to use a negative question tag in this sentence:

"It hardly seems fair, doesn't it?"

Bit confusing, because if I wrote "it doesn't seem fair, ..." The correct tag would be a positive "does it?"

But "it hardly" is essentially "it does hardly..."

It appears that the negative tag is grammatically correct, but I think it still sounds wrong to the ear.


texts: What does "Benefit of a second's distance" mean

texts:
I was watching Silicon Valley (HBO) and one of the characters said this:

  ”I grant you with the benefit of even a second's distance, this isn't a good look."

Now I understand the last bit and the first six words, but not the rest. So could anyone tell me what "Benefit of even a second's distance" means?


texts: I know "of" sounds like "ov". Does "I've" sound like "If"?

texts:
I was studying connected speech and I read when we say for example

  I've finished my homework

we pronounce the 've and f in finished as only one sound.

Is it only in this case or whenever I use this contraction?


texts: What is the name/title of someone that merges things?

texts:
If I was a thing/person who merges things, what would my title be? Merger is the end product, and there doesn't seem to be something similar to "comparator".

I'm actually looking to name a software tool which merges two objects.


texts:
Reading some older texts recently, I came across

  L.--    s.--    d.--    q.

which were obviously Old Money accounting abbreviations.
For whatever reason, I  had never seen q. before, or had not remembered that I had.

The matter of L.s.d. has been questioned and answered here, so I will not bother with that now. I did not find it simple to confirm that q. stood for farthings as the abbreviation does not seem to have ever been common, and certainly would have little use now.
I had help from

making things clear what q. probably meant.  Searching farthing produced quadrans. and the q. became obvious. The Greek form of quadrans is rendered farthing in the KJV.
I have only found appearances of q. in 18th Century works, and only involving currency exchange.

My question is when did q become an abbreviation for farthing and was it ever a common abbreviation. I've reached the end of trails on this. I hope someone else can help.


texts:
I read a Cambridge advanced grammar in use and there's one line says We can use sufficiently before adjectives to express a similar meaning to enough. Sufficiently is often preferred in more formal contexts:
She didn't play sufficiently well to qualify. (or...well enough to qualify.)
I'm confused that well is an adverb so why do they say that we can use sufficiently before adjectives ? (I know that well could be an adjective which means healthy but it has nothing to do with this context.)

Thanks in advance


texts: Does it sound OK to say: 'Let's have a quick check of this structure (of a sentence)'?

texts: Does it sound OK to say: 'Let's have a quick check of this structure (of a sentence)' in the meaning let's have a quick look at this structure.


texts:
Which sentence is grammatically correct:

"We can provide extremely fast shipping times"

"We can provide extremely fast shipping time"

I was arguing the first was correct because multiple items will be shipped.
Also

"As for shipping time, your order is expected to be delivered within
10-20 days from the day of your order"

I was arguing with my coworker "As for shipping time" is awkward, but couldn't discern grammatically why it was incorrect.


texts: Punctuation for multiple questions in one sentence

texts:
I have multiple questions that I want to put in one sentence.
Is this punctuation correct?

Is there anyone who can read it? Understand it? Translate it?

or

Is there anyone who can read it? understand it? translate it?

Alternate would be:

Is there anyone who can read it? Is there anyone who can understand it? Is there anyone who can translate it?


texts: Long word meaning "to purify the text in a literary work"

texts:
What is the long word that means "to purify (remove vulgarity) in the text of a literary work"? I have been thinking on it for a while - I used to know it - but forgot.

There is only one word that fits what I am looking for, but the only words that came to mind were proselytization, bastardization, and vernacularization.


texts: The thing a person with a one-track mind is stuck on

texts:
T. has a one-track mind.  He is a school psychologist who thinks that the solution to all teenage special learners' problems is for the teen to attend all his planning meetings with school personnel.  He is so stuck on this idea that he can't even recognize when the parents are already allowing and encouraging the teen to take an active role in the family's advocacy efforts.

What can I call the thing the one-track-minded person is stuck on?  It's an idée fixe but I often have to communicate with people who are unlikely to understand idée fixe.  I end up calling it T.'s thing.  Strictly speaking it is an obsession but this give offense.

Example sentence:

  T.'s _________ is that teens should attend their own meetings and advocate for themselves.

I don't mind recasting if it helps me communicate with an unsophisticated audience.

Edit: I think Lee Leon cracked it:

  T. feels it's his mission to get teens to attend their own meetings and advocate for themselves.


texts: What's wrong with this sentence? (A passage from Heart of Darkness) -2

texts:
The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.

This is a passage from Heart of Darkness.


texts: Expression that refers to an event that appears in the news very fast?

texts:
The first thing that came to my mind was an event like this would makes the headlines very quick. But after checking on Google, I realized there were 0 results. So, obviously I was wrong.

What's the right expression for a case like this?


texts: Which words to use to characterize a person who likes to understand things deeply?

texts:
I want to use this phrase in my CV:

  person who always tries to understand the very essence of processes and things.

The idea is to show that I like to understand things deeply.

My concern is that my phrase sounds awkward.

What other phrases can you suggest?

upd.
"Analytical" conveys the meaning but it is one word, while I would like to express it in phrase.

Frankly speaking "deep thinker" and "a thoughtful person" sounds cliche.

Apparently this question is not easy and couldn't be solved by using thesaurus.
The only suitable variant that I found in thesaurus is "curious", however I already used this word previously and do not want to tautologize.


texts:
@ is usually pronounced as "at", but it seems @ is a verb when it means Twitter somebody, like:

  @Tom for more information.
  Tweet Tom for more information.
  Contact Tom for more information.

But not:

  At Tom for more information.

Right?


texts:
This has confused me for a very long time. I might be overthinking this and this may be a super simple concept, but if anyone can confirm or clarify, I'd really appreciate it! :-)
When the media use 'since' to compare something to a previous benchmark, I'm not sure I totally understand what is being said.
A couple of examples:

"Israeli air strikes against Syria 'biggest since 1982'"

"US trade deficit largest since President George W. Bush"

In #1, does this mean that the Israeli air strikes in 1982 were bigger than the current ones? OR was there a peak in 1981 or before?
In #2, does this suggest that the US trade deficit was larger under President George W Bush?
OR was the trade deficit larger prior to George W Bush's administration?
The more I think about this the more confused I get. I guess what I'm trying to understand is in the construct:

"X is the biggest  since Y", is Y the high water mark?


texts: Is there an idiom beginning “when a dog is cornered”?

texts:
Is there any saying in a complete sentence including “a dog which is cornered”? I have tried to find a complete one, but there seems to be no one.

Actually, what I want to know is how to explain the situation in North Korea. Since I think North Korea has been going through hard times and now they have nothing to lose, they keep threatening with their nuclear weapons as their last resort.

So, I want to use a saying. Is there one like “When a dog is cornered, it bites or attacks or something else?” I want to get a fixed sentence, which is cliché.

If there is another saying that can show the situations above, please give that, too.


texts: What are some synonymous phrases for the phrase "Turning Criminal"?

texts: I need suggestions for different ways to say "turning criminal," as in "He began turning criminal, committing illegal acts instead of abiding by the law."


texts: Is there a term for when one word is used as a generic blanket term, even though it may be technically inaccurate?

texts:
Periodically I'll hear people refer to their six-cylinder engine as a V6, when it's actually an inline-six or a horizontally opposed engine.  And I've actually done this myself--unintentionally called an engine a V6 that I knew as actually an inline-six.

I'm reminded of generic trademarks, but in this scenario there is no trademark.

I can't think of any other examples at the moment, but I would describe the phenomena I notice as using one term that means a very specific scenario, to be a blanket to refer to all related scenarios.


texts: Order of placing Mr. and Mrs. in a wedding card

texts:
I am designing a wedding card, I need to know how to start it, these are some samples:

Mrs. & Mr. Xyz invite you....
Mr. & Mrs. Xyz invite you....
Mrs. Abc & Mr. Xyz invite you....
Mr. Xyz & Mrs. Abc invite you....

Which is the best one to suit a wedding invitation? or suggest me some other lines which looks correct and polite in reading too.

Note: Couple inviting here are mom and dad of the bride.


texts: Is there a verb counterpart to "pair" when bringing together three things

texts:
The word pair is used both as a noun

a pair of gloves

and a verb

a cardigan paired with a matching shirt

I believe the matching noun for three things is "trio", but is there a corresponding verb used for bringing together three things?

To clarify, I'm looking for a word that applies to combining exactly three different things. Not less, not more.


texts:
Is this sentence correct?

  I am starting learning xyz.


texts: Word for class of equipment that applies a physical quantity on a thing

texts:
I am looking for a word that describes the class of (lab-)instruments
whose primary purpose is to force a physical quantity onto something.
This should be different from instruments whose primary purpose is to
measure a physical quantity. (Many instruments which can force a physical quantity can also measure it, this is why I only classify by the primary purpose)

Examples members of this class could be:

A Power supply applies a voltage to an electrical node.
An Electronic Load draws a constant current out of an electrical node.
A Thermal chamber forces a temperature to the environment a thing sits in.
A centrifuge applies a centripetal force to a thing.

I thought of "Measurement Instrument" but for me that sounds to specific
to instruments that measure something. I also thought about "Source" or "SourcingInstrument", but that sounds too electrical engineering specific (plus "Source" doesn't really fit to the Electronic Load example, as Loads sink a current instead of sourcing a current). Best that I could come up with is "ForcingInstrument". But maybe someone has a better suggestion.

Intended use

In Software development, to name the parent/interface class for those kinds of instruments.

Example usage

"Physical quantities can be measured by classes that implement the MeasurementInstrument interface and can be forced by classes that implement the  Interface. Classes can implement both the MeasurementInstrument as well as the  Interface, if they can measure and force a physical quantity."

Edit

I gave a pretty abstract description, here is some clarification:

With physical quantity I meant basically any physically measurable condition. Pretty much how wikipedia defines it:

  A physical quantity is a physical property of a phenomenon, body, or substance, that can be quantified by measurement.[1] A physical quantity can be expressed as the combination of a magnitude expressed by a number – usually a real number – and a unit; for example, 1.6749275×10−27 kg (the mass of the neutron)

  -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_quantity

A more specific example would be:
"A Power supply is used to apply a Voltage of 5 V to a circuit node." Here 5 V would be the physical quantity of type "Voltage".


texts:
I am just a bit confused about prepositions and where is the best situation to use them like a pro.
For example, I need to say

"We have a few authors who are popular ___ philosophy".

or another one:

The most popular authors ___ philosophy.

Well, what should I do? in, for, of?
If there is any logical principle I will be happy to learn it I just do not like this confusion.


texts: Searching for a rare word for "something taken as truth due to having been repeated so much"

texts:
I'm searching for a certain single, rare, literary word meaning "something taken as truth due to having been repeated so much". This "something" could be either true or false. It is not necessarily pernicious or benign.

An example of such a "something" (at the risk of getting political) is that Osama Bin Laden was killed in May 2011.

Does anyone know the word I'm searching for?

P.S.: "Factoid" is ticked — however, there may exist an even better fit.


texts: Why do affectionate diminutive forms of different names follow different patterns?

texts:
Let's take John, Fred and Paul and consider the affectionate diminutive (AD) forms of their names. John becomes Johnny, Fred becomes Freddie, Paul becomes Paulie.
Formalizing the transformation:

Trailing consonant doubled: J+, F+, P-
ie as a trailing vowel pack for the AD form: J-, F+, P+
y as a trailing vowel for the AD form: J+, F-, P-

I understand that this is how English works, different names get transformed differently. But is there a rule that tells which pattern a particular name would follow, or you simply have to memorize all the names and their proper AD forms?


texts:
What is the difference between intertwined and interwind? Especially when used talking about abstract subject matters.

For example, should one say: "love begins when admiration and trust .........." interwind or intertwine?


texts: Italicize Translated Title in Parentheses?

texts:
I'm proofreading a book and came across the title of a  poem with the translation in parentheses (name changed for confidentiality):

"... in his poem, Les Amours des Dieux (The Loves of the Gods), ..."

"Les Amours des Dieux" should be italicized for 2 reasons: it's a foreign phrase and it's the title of a poem. But, since the translation is also the title of the poem, should it also be italicized?


texts:
The only example I could find of this words usage is

  They concededly ignored the historical record and made assumptions about jury behavior that have been called into question by more recent research.

Somebody is trying to convince me that this usage is correct.

  “Yes” Jamie says concededly.

I’m trying to say that this usage is correct.

  “Yes” Jamie conceded.

Are they both correct or is one incorrect?


texts:
Second consideration was for the maximum size.
  Second concern was for the maximum size.

Which usage is correct?


texts: "Put on the spot", origins of the phrase

texts: I was recently asked by my partner about the phrase "on the spot", with the meaning of suddenly being placed in a difficult or awkward situation. Both of us assumed that the origins of the phrase comes from theatre, relating to the spot light. Is this true or are the origins of the phrase different?


texts: What would you call an entity that is indestructible, but harmless to others?(read statement)

texts:
I know the film Hancock is fiction, but I still can't help but wonder if there is a word that describes how, although he tossed that boy hundreds of feet in the sky, the boy had no damage done to his belly when he landed on top of Hancock's shoulder. For those who don't know, Hancock is an invincible guy who can also fly and has super strength.

Is there a word to refer to Hancock's unique ability as described here?


texts:
The initialism1 IMHO stands for "in my humble opinion".  It's commonly used in text-based communication (chat clients, forums, popular Q&A platforms).  Here's an example:

  Person A: What do you think about implementing this new feature
  request?

  Person B: The cost for that change outweighs the relatively minor
  benefit IMHO.

I feel that:

On one hand, mentioning one's own humility seems a bit...ironic (or possibly even sarcastic), which is rude.
On the other hand, it's possible that, for most people, this reads the same as "IMO" (in my opinion) - which sounds more neutral, and thus is not rude.

Is "IMHO" a rude thing to say (or type)?  Why or why not?

I'd appreciate answers with facts, references, or significant personal experiences if possible (as opposed to just opinions), as I realize this is somewhat subjective.

1: I just learned this word today!


texts: What do you call the behaviour of "locking a door so that it cannot be opened inside without a key"?

texts:
For example, if you turn the key for about 45° to lock my house's front door from outside, it can still be opened from inside using the deadbolt knob without a key. But if you turn it for about 90°, then the key is needed even if you would like to open it from inside.

The lock of our front door looks like this one:

FYI I'm a native Mandarin speaker and I'm actually looking for the English word for "反锁" in Chinese.

Example sentence:

  Hey, buddy, could you please avoid _____ so that I can still open it directly from inside?


texts: I can't find any authoritative source information on which prepositions to use when describing a background something is positioned on. Is it correct to say for example "photography of a wall clock on a warm, pastel background"? Or should it be "a clock with a pastel background" , or "against a pastel background"? Sometimes many options are possible but one or two are more widely used, so if "with" or "against" is preferred in this case, is the expression "on a pastel background" grammatically correct?


texts: "I hope you get to feeling better soon." v.s. "I hope you get to feel better soon

texts: I texted a coworker who is sick. I texted like this "Hi xxx, I hope you get to feeling better soon." Is it a correct sentence? I feel I should have texted " I hope you get to feel better soon." Which one is correct? I'm always worried about my grammar when writing something or say something.


texts: When is necessary to use "its" and how to use it correctly?

texts:
For example, I was writing the following sentence:

"Sony donates 5% of profit to good causes."

How can I know that is necessary to use "its" in that sentence, as follows:

"Sony donates 5% of its profit to good causes"


texts:
Where it becomes murkier is when using behavioural science and data
strays into manipulation.

In this sentence, a form of two verbs on both sides of 'and' in when claused are different.
A former is a -ing form(straying) and a latter is a Present tense verb (strays).
Could someone tell me how could it be possible grammatically, please?


texts: Single Word Request: "The process of corporatising" (similar, not that word though)

texts:
I remember using a word in the following context:
There is this street with small family businesses, and my cousin used a word to describe that in a few years time it would likely be replaced by large businesses, it had '-ation' and possibly '-isation'.


texts: Word for walking while in stunned thought

texts:
I'm trying to find a word that better describes the manner in which a person walks / moves across a room after receiving stunning news. The person is mentally absent and deep in thought processing the information.

I found worlds like amble and saunter that imply a slow walk (would certainly apply here) but they seem to connote a relaxed emotional state. Do either of those words apply here? Is there a word that does?

If not, any suggestions for concisely conveying that type of walk?


texts: If you're starting a sentence with "and" or another conjunction, must you follow the conjunction with a comma?

texts:
When I was a kid, I was always told that starting a sentence off with "and" was improper. However, now it seems as if the consensus amongst members of the English cartel is that it is totally acceptable with one addendum, "you must always follow the conjunction with a comma."

My girlfriend just started a sentence with "and" and she didn't use a comma. Was she wrong? Could someone elucidate on "and", and conjunctions at the start of a sentence, and subsequent commas? Here is the exact context,

  Did you see those people giving us the finger? And the counter protest?

Should that and have been followed by a comma?


texts:
When should a capital letter be used for the word city?

E.g

spark innovation in the city....
The city has an opportunity....
The city is growing...

Would I use a capital in any of the above sentences? I've been told that if you are talking about "the City" then it should be capitalised?

Thanks


texts:
Would it be correct to use the following sentence?

The group make for a handsome lot. And that poise of talk can only be
found in the most opulent of beings, such as themselves.

I have been mulling over whether this is an acceptable way to use 'such as themselves'. If this isn't, could any of you reframe the sentence for me?


texts: "No match for X" vs "no match against X"

texts:
Hi all I was wondering if I wanted to say that a tsunami has no chance against a set of defenses, would I say:

This tsunami is no match against the defenses.
This tsunami is no match for the defenses.

Or are both acceptable?


texts:
I have a question about two “if-then” sentences.

If [past tense] + [past tense]: If they knew, they didn’t say.
If [past tense] + [future tense]: If he missed yesterday, he will be here today.

Neither of these sentences exactly fits the template of the conditional sentence, which will usually combine present and future tenses with modal auxiliaries. But I also can’t see anything wrong with them. Do these belong to the conditional type, or is something else going on here that I don’t see?


texts: "Peeving about grammar disguised as a question"

texts:
In the FAQ for this site, peeving about grammar disguised as a question is discouraged. The various forms of peeve in Merriam-Webster however does not justify this usage.

Peeve is a verb meaning annoy, forming peeved and peeving. It is also a noun meaning grievance. Peevish is an adjective meaning ill-tempered.

Peeving about grammar then would suggest one can rewrite the phrase as annoying about grammar which does not make sense. How common then is this usage of peeving and is it legitimate?


texts:
Context

On languages having an Academy (I know it's not the English case thanks to this SE site) it's usual that those academies edit and maintain a kind of official dictionary for that language.

Examples:

The RAE - spanish royal academy - and the RAE spanish dictionary
The RAG - galician royal academy - and the RAG dictionary

I speak galician and spanish natively, and use that dictionaries to access a kind of official definition for some words when writing documents, I trust that resources because are widely accepted by both language communities. I do it often:

to ensure quality choosing words, especially within assertions. (Ex: this words are sinonyms but what should I use here?)
for grammar doubts (Ex: is that word masculine or femenine? Is that word a plural or singular).

Usually I find myself using the definitions feature of google translate (see an example) to know a kind of formal definition for a word, but I don't know where that definitions come from. That definitions seem enough valid to me for reading purposes (knowing the meaning of a word) but for writing with a proper terminology I would like to access something more official, if there is any.

so...

Is there a kind of "official" dictionary for the English language?

If there isn't, are there good alternatives? With good I mean:

Free, at least to access and use.
Trustable - being widely supported by the English language community
Online accesibility is a nice plus

Author Notes:

The intents of the questions above are nothing but finding a good dictionary to daily use for the writing purposes I explained within the context.
Sorry if my English hurts your eyes ;)


texts:
Which one is correct:

What I said is wrong.

What I said was wrong.


texts:
It appears that MSN Weather has chosen an amusing adjective (from my British point of view) for the weather today:

I'm assuming the precipitation (sadly) won't contain any hundreds-and-thousands. To a British person, what is this equivalent to: drizzle, mizzle or deluge?


texts:
what is the right way to say?

"combat sports lesson" (sports with s) or "combat sport lesson"?

It should not mean a specific style of combat sport like wrestling or karate.

It should mean combat sport in general.

Thank you.


texts:
What is the correct usage?
I shall update you
or
I will update you.

in short, what is the difference  between Shall and Will ?


texts: Term for "utilize for commercialization"

texts:
I'm making a résumé right now and I need a term for "utilize for commercialization" as in:

  I have learned how to [use for commercialization] the concepts learned in school.

Or something like that. I came up with this wild idea of:

  I have learned how to weaponize the knowledge learned in Economics class.

But that sounds too hostile or so.

Help me get hired! :)


texts: Why do pet (animal) names in English tend to end in ē as a diminutive?

texts:
I counted, 46 / 100 of the most popular dog names end with an ē sound, and 5/10 of the most popular cat names in the UK end with an ē sound. ( 32/100 cat names from a broader but less accurate source )

But only 14/100 of the most popular men's names and 17/100 of the most popular women's names end with an ē sound.

Small children tend to suffix items with the ē sound, such as in the words "mommy", "daddy", "bunny", and "kitty" if this helps at all. I think that perhaps this is the orgin of the ē sound because children are allowed to name pets far more often than they're allowed to name people, but that is just a hypothesis. I also read on wikipedia that these pet names are intended to act as a diminutive to make the pet seem smaller/cuter , so that's a start.

This has been driving me crazy for weeks, can somebody please explain why ~50% of pets are named with an ē sound while only ~15% of people are named with an ē  sound?


texts:
Don't look a gift-horse in the mouth.

What is a gift-horse? Why shouldn't you look in its mouth?
What does this idiom actually mean and how is it used?


texts: How to say that I'll do something after I cool off/calm down after a stressful/anxious situation?

texts: I'm in shock after a stressful situation and I can't do anything. I want to say that I'll do something after I calm down. What's the best way to say that? Does something like for example "out of shock" exist?


texts:
Are there any words for unfortunately?
I know that "sad" is a wrong replacement, but I don't know any other words for it. I write this word just way too much and it would be nice to have an alternative.

For example :

  I would send you a post card, but unfortunately I don't have your new
  address.

or :

  I unfortunately can't give you the information. I am sorry.

Thanks.


texts: Is there an adjectival or adverbial form of "legacy"?

texts:
For example:

  This process orders entries in a <word-ic> way     (adjective)
  This process orders entries <word-ically>     (adverb)

My first thought was legacical(ly), but a quick Google search reveals that isn't (yet) a word.

If there isn't a direct form, is there a similar adjective or adverb that can be used in a context like the one above?


texts:
When are "and" and commas used in a list of adjectives? For example,

Poor little rich girl, or
Poor, little and rich girl (or Poor, little, and rich girl)?


texts: What does “plenaried” mean in this phrase?

texts:
A recently-asked question, since deleted by its author, prompts the following question.
In a 12 March 2013 New York Times column called The Axis of Ennui, David Brooks  concluded with:

What are the names of the people who are leading this shift? Who is the Steve Jobs of shale? Magazine covers don’t provide the answers. Whoever they are, they don’t seem hungry for celebrity or good with the splashy project launch. They are strong economically, but they are culturally off the map.
This revolution will not be plenaried.

What does the last sentence mean?
Adjective plenary has senses that include “Fully attended; for everyone's attendance” and “(theology or law) Complete; full; entire; absolute”.  The noun phrase plenary session typically refers to  “a session in a conference which is open to all (or a large number) of attendant speakers, who may each contribute prepared or ad-hoc material”.
But what does  “This revolution will not be plenaried” mean?


texts: Why does "for" sound more appropriate than "during" in "I couldn't do anything for the rest of the day"?

texts:
I couldn't do anything for/during the rest of the day.

I know that for sounds correct, perhaps because "the rest of the day" is a finite chunk of time like "one hour" or "one week".

However, I am struggling to explain to my colleague (who speaks English as a second language) why during can't be used instead.


texts: Which word means “to show off with little money？

texts:
I'm looking for a verb used on someone who doesn't have much in the pocket but strains to keep up his/her appearance through constant notions of luxuries he/she doens't really have.

In Chinese we have sayings like "穷嘚瑟(flaunt  with no money)" or "装大款(fake being rich)", which are often used in a sarcastic and informal tone; but I haven't had any luck finding any English equivalent yet.

Also, is there an adjective for people behaving like that? Thanks a lot!


texts: Can the verb "increment" refer to a quantity other than one?

texts:
For instance:

  Every time the user logs in, increment the login variable.

vs

  Every time the user logs in, increment the login variable by 1.

Which is more correct? My gut tells me the first example is correct, and in the case of a number other than one, one should use "increase" instead of "increment".


texts:
Recently I saw these two sentences in two different books

So after dinner my cell phone was rang and it was Tom. (The Journey of Andrea: Make Sure You Live Your Life to the Fullest Before ...,By Andrea)
Ash was already in bed sleeping and didn't even move when the phone was rang. (Too Fat to Dance, By David Luck, page 155, last paragraph)

Now, is it right to say "the phone was rang."?


texts: I ordered a CD from an online music store. My confirmation email reads "your order has shipped." English is not my first language, and this strikes me as odd. Shouldn't it be a passive-voice sentence, i.e. "your order has been shipped"?


texts: Correct preposition for dual citizenship

texts:
Which is preferred:

  He is a dual citizen of the US and Canada.

or

  He is a dual citizen in the US and Canada.


texts: Relist adjective when I want to say both are that quality?

texts:
If I want to say that I like good music and good movies, which do I say:

I love good movies and music.
I love good movies and good music.


texts:
I'm wondering about the grammatical structure of a stage direction "Enter Hamlet".
Is "Enter" in the imperative mood or the present subjunctive mood?
If it is in the imperative mood, who is the person that receives the command?
The actor who plays Hamlet or the director who directs the play?


texts: Is "this object remains a valid inclusion in a discussion of similar objects" grammatically correct?

texts:
The wider context within which I am writing this phrase is:

  What is certain, however, is that early twentieth-century piano rolls, while not themselves audio recordings, remain a valid inclusion in a discussion of recordings for their potential to provide insights into ...

Is this grammatically correct? A friend was proofreading my essay and claimed that using the word "inclusion" here was somehow distorting my intended meaning and that "valid element" or "valid aspect" would communicate the point far more clearly.

While I'm 100% not against using 'element' or 'aspect' here, I'm also not at all against using the word "inclusion" - it seems to make perfect sense, as I'm discussing the significance of whether or not piano rolls should be included in such an essay.

Thanks in advance for any tips!


texts:
I'm writing a book, and I'm having trouble wording this:

  "I have a forum to __," he said as he walked out the door.

Should the blank be filled in with administer or administrate?


texts:
I am trying to understanding the lyrics of Django Unchained 2012 soundtrack and in one line there is a phrase.

"Django, have you never loved again?"

Unfortunately, I cannot make sense of it. According to English Gramma rules it is in the past perfect tense but it is a question and there should not be never. As I know never speak of an action that has not occurred and what is the meaning of using it next to again (which speaks about future) in the context of a question and in the past perfect tense?

Could any native speaker elucidate this for me?

Source: http://lyrics.wikia.com/wiki/Luis_Bacalov:Django


texts: Is there a word for intentional misspelling as a literary device?

texts:
Good examples would be writing "nite" for "night", "4" for "for", "wimmin" for "women". I guess it also applies to substituting final s with "z", as in "wordz". In the way that Prince was prone to. Recently I've seen it a lot in alternative literature and music.

Example sentence:
"Nice ... in that album title 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx'"

I can't find them under figure of speech schemes on Wikipedia. Which is odd, because this sort of rhetorical device seems to me currently more popular than, for example, hysteron proteron.

These stylistic devices are different from “kinda”, “sorta”, “coulda”, “shoulda”, “lotta”, “oughta”, “betcha”, “tseasy” etc., in that these are informal contractions, coming from "natural" speech acts like slurring. This question is about deliberate misspelling for artistic or satiric effect.


texts: connection between a participial phrase and the main clause

texts:
A coworker wrote the following sentence, but I wonder what connection there is between the -ing phrase and the main clause:

John lived on takeaway food -- regularly discarding the packaging on the floor.

This -ing phrase does not look like a description of cause or consequence, as in "Feeling hungry (= Because he was hungry), John bought a sandwich" and "The typhoon struck the city, killing fifty people (=, which killed five people)."

How would you describe the relation of the -ing phrase to the main clause in (1)?


texts: Is "prolongation of nasalization" ocurring in English?

texts:
I am wondering if the same phenomenon occurs in English, as described here in Spanish: https://spanish.stackexchange.com/q/37916/11155.

Q: Why did the Latin coemeterium change into cementerio* in Spanish, where does the n come from?
A: (@Charlie) The origin of that middle -n- is due mostly to a prolongation of the nasalization produced by the previous -m-.

which I understand that once the velum is lowered, it takes some time to return back and the "momentum" influences the pronunciation even of the next vowel.
Is there a phenomenon like this also in English? Can you provide examples?


texts: A general term for standards, legislation, handbooks, etc.?

texts: What is a general word or phrase that could encompass the class of documents called standards (i.e. ISO, ANSI, BS, etc.), legislation, laws, handbooks, style guides, manuals, etc.? Basically, all prescriptive written things that tell people what to do.


texts: Is there a single word that means "Being merry at Christmas" but excludes being merry or happy at New Year?


texts: What's the difference between 'envy' and 'jealousy'?

texts:
Do you have to be jealous of someone in toto as opposed to a specific thing they have or do?

Is the fear of losing that person a key component of jealousy, whereas you can be envious of someone you barely know? I.e. is some sort of relationship (not necessarily romantic) required or implied by the use of 'jealous'?

Is one of these stronger or more negative?


texts: What is a word for not seeing obvious "warning signs"?

texts:
I'm reading a book right now where there are a lot of strange events that the main character doesn't question and I'm having difficulty describing them. What is a word for not seeing obvious warning signs?

For example, in the book, the main character has just gotten a new job and their employer requires them to provide a copy of their birth certificate. The main character does this without questioning it at all. They are not ignoring that this is strange, rather they don't even acknowledge it as strange.


texts: Word to describe "legal ability to advertise"

texts:
I'm looking for a single word that describes a "legal ability to advertise" ("... to publish" and "... to communicate" are viable options too). I would like to use it in the following sentence:

  You have 3 days until advertiseability of x.

I've considered communicability but I think it's related mostly to diseases.

The context is: I'm trying to find a name for a function in a programming language, so it should be short and concise. Something like: daysUntilAdvertiseabilityOf(x); Basically, you can publish an ad in three days, but not before.


texts: I'm writing a piece that relates to food and eating and am looking for adjectives that describe both. I just picked up the word prandial and that piqued my interest. Are there any similar words out there?


texts: Which one is correct? Watching soccer games make/makes me happy

texts: "Watching soccer games" is the subject but the teacher argues that it is the word"watching"


texts: Why is "guinea pig" used as the colloquial term for test subjects?

texts: Why do we refer to people as guinea pigs when discussing the subjects of an informal experiment? Surely mice, rabbits and rats are much more common experimental subjects. Indeed, it's rare that you'll hear of real guinea pigs being used experimentally.


texts: How to change sentence with 'ensure that...' to passive form

texts:
Ensure that there is no short circuit.
How to change this kind of sentences to passive form?


texts: What does “Sautéed” mean in “Someone who has not sautéed in a subject”?

texts:
Maureen Dowd article titled, “Neocons Slither Back” in September 15 New York Times begins with the following sentence:

  “Paul Ryan has not sautéed in foreign policy in his years on Capitol Hill. The 42-year-old congressman is no Middle East savant; till now, his idea of a border dispute has more likely involved Wisconsin and Illinois.”

I guess “sautéed” in the line of “Paul Ryan has not sautéed in foreign policy in his years on Capitol Hill” either “seasoned / well-trained /well-experienced” in the subject (foreign policy) or “being grilled on the specific issue,” but I’m not sure.

Cambridge online Dictionary defines ‘sauté’ as verb meaning ‘to cook food in oil or fat over heat, usually until it is brown.’

Oxford Online Dictionary defines it as verb meaning ‘to fry quickly in a little hot fat: and adjective meaning ‘fried quickly in a little hot fat’.

OAELD defines it as verb meaning ‘to fry food quickly in a little hot fat, and adjective that is only used before noun.

None of the above definitions seems to match Maureen Dawd’s usage of “sautéed” in the above quote.

What does “Paul Ryan has not sautéed in foreign policy in his career” mean?

Is this again Maureen Dawd’s favorite, quirky diversion of a plain cooking word for an irrelevant subject, or just an ordinary usage of “sauté” in your day-to-day conversation?

If it is the latter, can I say “He has sautéed in the medieval English literature, (Hollywood movie, or topics of American football)”?


texts: Which word can describe programmer, coder and developer in computer science?

texts:
I have seen many questions here and there about programmers, coders and developers.
Like "programmer vs coder vs developer" etc. All these words are having slightly different meanings. Can we describe them together using single word?  If yes what would that word be?

References:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/27516/whats-the-difference-between-programmer-and-software-engineer

http://www.skorks.com/2010/03/the-difference-between-a-developer-a-programmer-and-a-computer-scientist/

https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/questions/4951/what-are-the-key-differences-between-software-engineers-and-programmers


texts: Is this expression right "he won the Grand Slam in the same season when she won her maiden title"

texts:
Basically what I am trying to ask is, can I use expression an expression like

  ... in the same season when she won the title.

instead of

  ... in the same season she won the title in.

I can extend these examples for same day, same year


texts: when is it more correct to use to in a sentence. example, sam and ellen were married to each other or sam and ellen married each other

texts:
Sam and Elen were married to each other, or
Sam and Ellen married each other.  What is the proper usage, with or without the "to"?


texts:
This phrase is said as part of the script of a film where a CIA agent who is romantically involved with this woman Carol is traveling with her and apparently going on some sort of official mission where she can involuntarily help him with that mission.

So, that's what's his colleagues guess that he is doing: "He must be running Carol".

What synonym verb would you use instead of "run" in this case?

What's exactly the idea expressed here? Does it mean that the guy is taking advantage of Carol in some way?

Thanks!


texts: What is the proper plural form of 'apparatus'?

texts: Dictionary.com claims that the plural of 'apparatus' is 'apparatuses'. Surely that can't be right... isn't it 'apparati'?


texts: Is it formal or informal to use y/o as an abbreviation of "years old"?

texts: This is my first question on this site. I am not a native speaker. My question is, is it formal or informal to use y/o as an abbreviation of "years old" in British English?


texts: What is the meaning of this phrase or sentence

texts:
while reading the lesson Bromides and Sulphides I passed through this one sentence which was qouted.

  If you saw that sunset painted in a picture, you'd never believe it would be possible!

What does this mean ?


texts: the similar meaning of impress and strike...as

texts:
I learnt the phrase 'strike somebody as something', which means 'to seem to have a particular quality or feature'. I think it is similar to 'impress somebody with something'. Maybe it is most common for you native speakers to use either of them, but as second language learners, we must say 'impress' at once, but rarely use 'strike', it seems a little authentic and can't remember.

And how do you choose words and phrases in written English?


texts: "Managers are one group to which" vs. "managers are one group to whom"

texts:
Which of the following is grammatical?

  Managers are one group to which these findings are relevant.
  Managers are one group to whom these findings are relevant.


texts: Is there a word for "Supercomponent", similar to "Subcomponent", but in the other direction?

texts:
So say you have a car, which is composed of some seats, which are composed of some fabric

You could say that the Seats are a subcomponent of the Car
and the Fabric is a subcomponent of the Seat

But is there a way to describe the relationship in the other direction?

Like "The Car is a supercomponent of a Seat"

Specifically, I am trying to list "Subcomponents" as well as "Supercomponents", and want to describe the lists accurately

Here is an example of the two lists, if I'm looking at a Seat:

Subcomponents:
- Fabric
- Cushion
- Frame

Supercomponents:
- Car
- Desk
- Airplane

I'm just wondering if there is another, better word for "Supercomponents"


texts:
Some people use specific words out of habit that they have used since childhood. Without their knowledge, these words will be the first to come out of their mouths. Examples of what I'm talking about include actually and what the fuck.

Is there a particular term to describe such words? I've searched for it but failed to come up with anything.


texts: The process of cutting and shaping sheet metal so that air can pass through? like sides of a 1968 Corvette Stingray

texts:
Perhaps more technical or industry related, but what is the English word that describes the process of cutting and shaping sheet metal so it breathes yet aerodynamic and weather resistant. Kind of like the gills on the sides of a 1968 Corvette Stingray?

For some reason thinking Rivet or Velour.. but that does not appear to be it.


texts:
Does anybody know the etymology of the phrase "sweet dreams"? I tried googling but did not find anything satisfying.

Is this a relatively new phrase of the modern world or has this been in use for some time? I think it's the latter one.


texts: Use of "is" and "are" before the word "family"

texts:
I want to ask if this sentence correct?

  The greatest happiness in life are family happiness?

Is the "is" or "are" before the word family correct ?


texts: We have a local newscaster who inserts the word "on" into almost every sentence.  For example, he might say,"The rain will move on out."  The extra preposition grates on me, but I have not been able to find a rule which says that his grammar is incorrect.  Is his usage appropriate?


texts: this is/was the best meal I have ever had/had had

texts:
We are currently discussingq with my colleagues what the correct grammar would be in this context: you have just finished a meal and want to say it was/has been the best meal you ever had. What tenses would be used here?

This was the best meal I have ever had. - some say past simple should not be mixed present perfect like this and would choose past perfect.


texts:
In the following sentence, should there be a comma after the word slogan?

The 1958 Ford Edsel was advertised with the slogan "Once you've seen it, you'll never forget it."


texts: What were nightmares called before "nightmare" was used in that sense?

texts:
Apparently the word "nightmare" has only been used in the sense of "bad dream" since c. 1829.  Before then the term referred to the agent causing the dreams—a mare < mera, mære 'goblin, incubus'.

What word or phrase was used earlier?  I'm interested, in particular, in the meaning "bad dream" as opposed to "creature causing bad dreams" or "medical condition; pavor nocturnus".  I'm interested in all time periods: Anglo-Saxon/Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English, and (modern) Modern English.

Progress

Anglo-Saxon

I found swefnes wóma 'sleep-noise' as a possibility.  OEME defines this as "dream-tumult, vision", and I can find a few uses in the corpus.

Alain Pannetier suggests wódan dreáme, though this seems to have the primary or exclusive sense of "fit of madness". Dreám/dreáme seems to mean 'song, music' rather than 'dream'.

Middle English

The MED has:

dwelsinge

drēming/drēm/dream/dremme: Apparently not attested with the meaning "dream" but more like "vision" (in sleep); included nightmare-type visions or dreams.

night frai/night drede 'night fear'

incubus: Alain Pannetier suggests this was used from the 18th century on, though this suggests (to me) the agency rather than the condition.  It seems to have been used as far back as 1561 in the sense of "night terror", not quite the sense I hoped for.

slēp: Typically meaning "sleep" but also meaning "dream, nightmare".

bicche doughter: Apparently used to refer to a nightmare by at least one source.  The modern reflex is obvious, and suggests that this was never its primary meaning.

Ephialtes/ephialtes the more: oosterwal suggests the former and the dictionary mentions the latter.  Seems to primarily refer to the cause rather than the condition.

Modern English

Rhodri suggests ill dreams for mid-19th century.

Of course from the early 19th century on nightmare became common and soon pushed all others out of use except for poetic.


texts: Can't think of a good word or term to describe not feeling or thinking

texts:
I'm looking for a word or a term that describes a human who actually can't think. More specifically I'm thinking of a word that describes how embryos don't feel anything or think, etc.
Thanks.

For instance:

  An embryo hasn't developed _________. An embryo is ________.


texts: What's a word or phrase to describe the discovery of something startlingly obvious?

texts:
Along the lines of Occam's razor, but I'd like to be able to use it in a sentence regarding something specific for my college essay.

Here's the context: I grew up in the same house my father practiced chiropractic and acupuncture, and after many many years of trying to bend my life into anything besides either of these two professions, I was able to come to the startling realization that my true vocation had been laying under my nose the whole time, and I never gave it the time of day to seriously consider it.

"Seriously considering becoming a chiropractor and acupuncturist was like sparking a wildfire in my heart, and I had never (insert better phrasing here-something along the lines of 'realized something so obvious yet so powerful in my entire life') "

I don't know if there is a way to imply the concept of Occam's razor neatly into this sentence.


texts: Meaning and origin of the phrase "slips don't count"

texts:
I ran across this expression recently in some Popeye cartoon [EDIT: it was Never Sock a Baby, 1939], but it seems to have been a recognized slang expression with maybe even a bit of old-timey flavor before then.

  "Enoch," said Mr. Stratford, with a smile, "you said too much that time."

  "Perhaps I did," said the old farmer, "but slips don't count."
  —The Hundredth Man (Frank Stockton, 1886)

Another example:

  Watch my smoke when I get into these Hood Shoes. They don't cramp a fellow's style when he's in action. Let the lads on the other team cry "Slips don't count!" Slips don't count against our score for our fellows all wear Hood Shoes. —Hood Shoes advertisement, 1923

What does the phrase mean, and where/when did it arise?


texts:
Is there a word for the feeling/situation where we almost remember a thing/word/scene,etc. but are not able to exactly recall it. For example, the other day I was trying to recall the author of the book Contact (i.e. Carl Sagan). I wasn't able to exactly recall 'Carl Sagan' but was in that situation where I could feel I almost remember it. I could recall there was the letter 'C' in his name. Finally after some effort I could recall the exact name 'Carl Sagan'. Is there any word for such a feeling/situation?
EDIT:
The feeling is not necessarily of trying to remember a single word(as in from vocabulary). It could be trying to remember a movie or an experience that you were a part of, etc. Eg: If say I was with friends and we were having a conversation. After few days I was able to recall a statement said by someone, but wasn't able to remember by whom; i.e. I had a clouded recollection and I could almost remember but not really.


texts: Pronunciation of "Makemake" versus "make"

texts:
"Makemake" is the name of a celestial object, a dwarf planet.

The "i" in name "Makemake" is pronounced different than in the English word "make" meaning create*. It is pronounced as in "maki", the sushi roll. So it sounds like the two words "maki maki" instead of "make make" as two words.

Is that something based on the pronunciation of English words, or maybe just the way the specific name is pronounced, unrelated to the English language?

In the second case it would not be possible to find the pronunciation based on the language. I think it would not even be possible to find out that it is pronounced different from "make make".

So, is it pronunciation of Makemake just unrelated to English?

The "Makemake" is the last mame of the list in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzJIWxplAbQ&feature=youtu.be&t=9m51s


texts: Another word for "manufactured" with regards to argumentative statements

texts:
which on the surface look genuine and possibly discovered but are in fact architected in some way to support a pre-existing position. there is the element of deception, intentional or otherwise

I'm specifically looking for that word which ends in "-ed"


texts:
The British spy thriller series, The Worricker Trilogy, consists of three films:
Page Eight, Turks & Caicos, and Salting the battlefield. What is the meaning of the last title?

I tried looking in Collins ED under salting, but the following information  did not really help me.

  tr.v. salt·ed, salt·ing, salts

  To add, treat, season, or sprinkle with salt.
  To cure or preserve by treating with salt or a salt solution.
  To provide salt for (deer or cattle).
  To add zest or liveliness to: salt a lecture with anecdotes.
  To give an appearance of value to by fraudulent means, especially to place valuable minerals in (a mine) for the purpose of deceiving.

and this definition seems related to the title but I'm not sure.

  salting n (Physical Geography) (often plural) an area of low ground regularly inundated with salt water; often taken to include its halophyte vegetation; a salt marsh

  [The Free Dictionary]


texts: Is the word 'aggressive' when used to describe someone negative?

texts:
google define:
1. ready or likely to attack or confront; characterised by or resulting from aggression.
2. behaving or done in a determined and forceful way.

Going off the above definitions I don't think it is, but depends on context?

e.g. Jim from accounting is very aggressive, he doesn't take any crap from anyone. (I see how assertive would fit better here but can 'aggressive' be used to convey same meaning?)

Is 'assertive' a nicer way of describing the same traits or does it have an entirely different meaning?

This article seems to think that it is very negative but I'm not convinced.
https://englishhelponline.me/2011/09/09/the-difference-between-words-aggressive-and-assertive/


texts: Is there a word for the moment when the ground falls out from beneath your feet?

texts: Looking for a word to describe that moment when you realize everything is falling apart.  You are going along in your life and everything is ok and then suddenly, you realize it is really not.  This would be for an event akin to you think you're happily married and then your spouse files for divorce; you think your boss is a great, upright person and then you realize they were embezzling money and the company is folding, etc.  Not so much for a natural disaster, if that changes any potential answers,


texts:
Does it sound right to say "be successful" instead of "good luck" as a quick reply? For instance:

A : I have a tough exam tomorrow.
B : I hope you'll be successful in your exam.

I suppose using "be successful" as a part of a sentence sounds right, but isn't it kind of awkward or unnatural to say "be successful" as a short reply instead of "good luck"?


texts: What is an idiom for "increase" / "generate more" / "intensify in ridiculous amounts"?

texts: I'm trying to search for idioms to express "increase" or "generate more" or "boost" or "magnify" in terms of business profits. Basically, I'm looking for another way to express "...to generate more revenue for your business.


texts: Is it ok to say “easy to make out reasons”

texts:
I have a scenario: A policeman wantonly or egregiously declines a person's request and instead comes up with reasons for declining.

I want to say it is very easy for police to come up with reasons if they really want to decline requests.

Can I say this:

  It is very easy for the police to make out reasons for any requests.

I know the phrase 'make out' doesn't sound right, but I thought it is somewhat related. Please suggest.


texts: Like someone went to the hotel and doesn't want to waste any freebies so he takes it up with himself to home


texts: The grammar of ‘things I hoped wouldn’t happen’

texts:
I’m looking for the name of the grammar used in the phrase and what type of verbs can be used i. this way and some explanation as to the rule for using it:

  Some things I hoped wouldn’t happen in my life.

I understand the meaning so I’m mainly looking for a name/rule for the grammar that is verb + will/would + verb and what verbs can do this.

Thank-you in advance!


texts: "Transitioning" vs. "transitional" phase

texts:
I am wondering if it is correct to say:

  This is a transitioning phase.

Personally, I would say

  This is a transitional phase.

but my friend insists that the above is just as correct as my version.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!


texts: A more appropriate sentence for “I hope you are the right person to ask.”

texts:
I feel “I hope you are the right person.” doesn’t sound suitable for emailing professors. To me, it sounds a little rude, or cheesy, I don’t know...

Any suggestions for alternatives???


texts:
There's a debate in the office about what makes a phrase or expression or group of words an idiom.  The phrase in question: "middle of nowhere."  The sentence: "The website drops you off in the middle of nowhere."

I feel it is not an idiom or idiomatic usage because the meaning can be understood by understanding the individual words and the words taken as a group.  However, I could be wrong.

Is "middle of nowhere" an idiom?


texts: "Want it to be ready" vs. "want it ready"

texts:
Comparing the following two statements:

They want it ready by Monday.

and

They want it to be ready by Monday.

is 'to be' in the latter redundant? Are both correct?


texts:
In mathematical texts, but not only there, one often first names an object and then explains what it is in a “where” clause, for example:

  “Let x and y be any two numbers from a set M of natural numbers,
  where M is given by the following property ...”

Is such a construction acceptable?  Are there better choices instead of “where” for the same overall structure?

Clearly, overly long sentences are to be avoided.  Whenever possible, one should try to decouple the two definitions.  Here an alternative would be to first introduce M and then talk about x and y, but if we are mainly interested in x and y, first digressing to M feels like disrupting the flow of the text.

Simply splitting the above into two sentences creates, in my humble opinion, the impression that M should be known already, causing the reader to look back for its definition.


texts:
There is an item called "ward no" on my prescription record card from an hospital. What does it mean or what does it refer to?
ward no | ward name
---------------------
   6       Bracken               <--- on one card
---------------------
   8       Meavy                 <---- on another card

There are several items, like "pat no" refers to patient number.
But I am not sure what ward number means.


texts:
The phrase "not working" can be used as an adjective, for example:

  My laptop is not working.

What is the noun-form of the adjective "not working"?

E.g. "The not-workingness of my laptop."


texts:
If you are writing in the past tense, does "it was to be" have a different meaning than "it was"?

e.g. "It was to be the first of many sleepless nights." vs "It was the first of many sleepless nights."

Is there any difference in meaning? A friend of mine said that "it was to be" would imply that it didn't actually end up being the first of many sleepless nights whereas "it was" would imply that it was, in fact, the first of many sleepless nights.

If there is no difference in the meaning of "it was to be" and "it was" why would someone use the former phrase? Is it just more formal?


texts: This positively affects patient lives and

texts:
I am not sure whether patient needs to be plural or singular in the title sentence.
If it's plural is it then "patients' lives"?


texts: Several ways (in context of tenses) to express planned near future actions

texts:
I am reading a English book and in simple present tense section it is mentioned that simple present tense can be used to express planned events of near future, but in present continuous section same thing is mentioned for present continuous as well.

So, my question is whether both of below sentences are grammatically correct?

I leave for New York tomorrow
I am leaving to New York tomorrow

UPDATE:

I did more research and it looks like planned near future actions can be expressed using simple present, simple future and present continuous. So, all below examples are correct:

PM leaves for US tomorrow
PM is leaving for US tomorrow
PM will leave for US tomorrow
PM will be leaving for US tomorrow

Could someone please confirm/correct my understanding.

P.S.: Actually I am preparing for an English Grammar exam so want to know technically correct/acceptable usage, and not colloquial usage.


texts:
The Swedish Academy announced March 29th Bob Dylan will receive his Nobel Prize when he swings through Stockholm for two performances on April 1st and 2nd.

swings through here means goes to ?


texts:
While I know you can attribute 'bitch' to a male, I feel there is a sense of femininity.

I was wondering if there is a colloquial equivalent that describes someone with the qualities of a 'bitch' without the feminine connotation.

Aside from that, Wikipedia says that,

  When applied to a man, bitch is a derogatory term for a subordinate.

Does this indicate that bitch loses its meaning entirely when attributed to a male? Since the word is vulgar and informal, does it even matter?


texts: Does "Any of" mean "one of" or "all of"?

texts:
"Please use any of the five methods to solve the problem."
"Please use any of the methods to solve the problem."

Is there a difference between sentence 1 and 2?

I would think both sentences mean I only need to use one of the five methods to solve the problem. Is it correct?


texts: Meaning of 'All doubtless nourish the soul, but not all fatten the wallet'

texts:
I was going through an article on The Economist about returns of higher education and comparison of returns of various fields of study when I encoutered aforementioned phrase. It was quoted in the context of comparing the returns from liberal arts and humanities to those from engineering degrees.

Can somebody explain what it means? I get the 'fatten the wallet' part, but what is meant by the first part of the phrase?


texts: Use of commas for such that followed by two sentences

texts:
Consider the sentence

  The sun shines such that it is warm and water evaporates.

The two parts of the sentence "it is warm" and "water evaporates" are independent sentences and a comma should be placed between them.

  The sun shines such that it is warm, and water evaporates.

But this reads like

  The sun shines such that it is warm. Water evaporates.

I would like to convey that both "it is warm" and "water evaporates" are a consequence of the sun shining without ending up with an extremely long sentence. What's the best way to rephrase this?


texts:
What is a "codnaturalistic dialogue"?
What or who does "its" refer to? Does it refer to EastEnders?

Context:

  When asked to enact scenes in their drama classes, children of primary
  school age were more than likely to provide the latest storyline from
  Grange Hill or EastEnders, with its codnaturalistic dialogue, and
  to ‘compose’ music in the manner of the band of their choice. What
  else did they know?

  Sian Ede


texts: "On a page" or "in a page" for a web page

texts:
Which is the correct usage:

  Something on a page

OR

  Something in a page

By page, I mean a web page, not a physical book page.


texts: at which point I can shift from past perfect back to simple past?

texts:
Imagine I'm writing a story in past tense. Here come some questions:
SENTENCE 1:
"Tom simply couldn't imagine how different the world had been when his father was at Tom's age: there hadn't been fancy smart phones, people had appeared to be more altruistic, and the parents wouldn't have had to be worried about their kids being killed at school."

Many pulperfects are used. It looks very clunky to me. I suppose the readers would perfectly understand what I mean if I changed all the pulperfects to simple past, which could be:
"Tom simply couldn't imagine how different the world was when his father was at Tom's age: there weren't fancy smart phones, people appeared to be more altruistic, and the parents would have to be worried about their kids being killed at school."
Could anyone, especially native speakers, give me some advices? Do you think it's awkward? Or you think although it looks alright, it would convey different meanings?

My second question is about the back shift of subjunctive mood in reported speech.
SENTENCE 2 & 3
"Tom always said if he had lived in his father's time, he wouldn't have been able to survive for a week. His father always replied that he had used to say the same thing to Tom's grandpa."
Again, for me, they're very cumbersome. I'm not even sure if subjunctive sentences should shift back when they are reported. Can I just write:"Tom always said if he lived in his father's time, he wouldn't be able to survive for a week."?
Also, in the 3rd sentence, "had used to" sounds very awkward to me. Can I just write: "His father always replied that he used to say the same thing to Tom's grandpa."?

I've been confused by these grammatical questions, and they really put me off from writing stories in English. I'd really appreciate your advices.


texts: Is it correct to say "Jimmy learned how to rock climb when he was studying at Carleton College" or is it better to say "Jimmy learned how to rock climb when he studied at Carleton College"?


texts: Equivalent for "dox" in non-internet circumstances

texts:
Are there any terms that are like "dox" but can be used in a non-internet setting?

Myanmar: women's fight against verbal taboo symbolises wider rights battle by the Guardian mentions behaviour similar to doxxing, but without it being internet-based:

  She said she and other women’s rights activists had discovered their names, photos and phone numbers had been put on posters and displayed at monasteries associated with Ma Ba Tha.

I assume the term "doxxing" can't be used, as Wikipedia's article on it mentions that it's used in internet contexts, but I could be mistaken.


texts:
Let say, I am a little boy and my mother had several fruits (orange, apple, banana,...) and she asked me which one which I like, but she was not sure if she could give me that fruit ( I don't know why :) )

Therefore, I need to make a list of what I like the most (e.g: banana),then apple,... and submit for her consideration.

How can I express that list ? Is it "I prefer(like) in order : banana/apple.orange" ? If not, what is decent expression ?


texts:
This is the wording on signs I've been seeing quite often recently. It seems to me quite nonsensical; if you have to push the door to open it, it isn't automatic.

Is that the case or is there something about automatic I don't understand?


texts: What's the meaning of "strike out on an odd tangent"?

texts:
In his blustery speech to parliament, Prime Minister Yusuf struck
  out on an odd tangent to praise China as an "all-weather friend".

What's the meaning of a phrase "strike out an odd tangent"?

I googled it yet I couldn't find any useful information.


texts:
Today I had a thought a problem I couldn't resolve it on my own. I just can't realize what people will think right after they hear others using the word "co-living" and "co-evolving". I mean a particular thought of any specific information that comes to mind once you may hear I say "they have co-lived and co-evolved since then", for example.

Another example I doubt if their use is truly versatile and correct,

Your and my native languages have been co-living and co-evolving for hundreds of years


texts:
Would the following questions demonstrate a proper usage of English? Please, write thorough explanations.

  Do you start understanding English songs?

  Are you starting to understand English songs?

  Do you start to understand English songs?


texts: A good word for someone who frequents many entertainment outings

texts: Preferably to the extent that it is implied that they're knowledgeable about the goings on of entertainment.


texts: How to properly say that agreement is still valid/on?

texts:
For example, we agreed with a friend to meet in a week, and the day before the meeting I want to make sure nothing has changed about the agreement.

So I'd come up with something like

  Are we still meeting tomorrow?

Is there a better (shorter) way to say/ask this?