texts:
What does the lowercase letter after the year mean when citing a work in a thesis?
When should I add a lowercase letter to a cited author? What are the criteria for using it?
Example: Johnson (2000a)


texts: 'Interiors of these houses' or 'interior of these houses'?

texts: If 'interior' is not wrong (or even preferred), then how about 'wife of these men' (instead of 'wives of these men')?


texts: What's the word for when a citizen stands by for military service?

texts: For countries that have conscription is there a term for the requirement to be ready for service in the event of a war?


texts: verb for when you push on a bike's pedal

texts:
I'm not quite satisfied with the results Google Translate gave me, so I'd like to hear more from the community.

What's the action one does when pushing with his foot on a bike's pedal? Or more precisely, which verb would you use when building a sentence involving such action?
In Italian we have the rather straight-forward pedalare, which Google translates to ride, but that sounds a bit too generic in my opinion.
(I think it's worth noting that, when inverting the words, pedalare is not among to ride translations)

So what do you think? Are there any other more specific verbs to use?


texts: Is there a comma after and/or before though in a sentence?

texts:
Is there a comma after and/or before "though" in a sentence?

For example, I am talking about a method that is very slow. At the end of the paragraph I say:

  We will see in the following sections though there is a workaround to reduce the exponential explosion of the computational time.


texts:
Two men are having a conversation. A is plying B with numbers and other technical details, but talks so glibly and rapidly that B does not properly "take on board" the information which A is providing.

It can't be said that B doesn't hear the information. Nor is it quite right to say that B doesn't understand the information (because he could understand it if he focused on it). The truth is that B fails mentally to process the information. That failure is well described by the figurative expression that B fails to "take the information on board".

For my purposes, however, I need a more formal/less casual word or phrase than "take on board". Any suggestions?


texts:
What is the opposite of "abbreviation"?

For example, if ELL is an abbreviation for English Language Learners,
then English Language Learners is a(n) _______ for ELL.

I'm looking for a word that will work for all abbreviations, not just acronyms, so another example would be: if abbr. is an abbreviation for abbreviation, then abbreviation is a(n) _______ for abbr.


texts: What does "As red as ripe new blood" mean?

texts:
From Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath,

  In the morning the dust hung like fog, and the sun was as red as ripe new blood.

What does word "ripe" mean?

Does it mean
1. Fully developed; mature: ripe peaches.
2. Resembling matured fruit, as in fullness.
Why in this case blood is new if it is mature?

Or does it mean
8. advanced but healthy (esp in the phrase a ripe old age)
In this case it would be "As red as healthy new blood".

What variant is correct?


texts: In 'large herds of elephant and buffalo', why elephant not elephants?

texts:
I found the following expression in dictionary.

  large herds of elephant and buffalo

A herd must be more than one, why using singular not plural?


texts: Why does "orange" rhyme with (almost) nothing in English?

texts:
Joel Spolsky asked what rhymes with orange. The official answer is, "Nothing," although a creative poet can get close by using half words, just the -nge part or resorting to place names and foreign words.

Does orange somehow violate the basic phonotactics of English? (And hence we wouldn't expect other English words to rhyme with it?)


texts: Semicolon for list of examples between two types of thing

texts:
I just read that you should use a semicolon for a list where the list items contain commas. However, my sentence doesn't have a list as the main "list" only two items. Or do two items already count as a list?

My question: Is it ok (and understandable) to write:

These include physical techniques, such as phystechnique1, phystechnique2 and phystechnique3; and chemical techniques, such as chemtechnique1 or chemtechnique2.


texts: Present perfect - future perfect in a subject question

texts:
So I know that future perfect cannot be used in conditions or time sentences..instead, it is shifted to present perfect:

  We do it when she has returned.

But is the following a valid, natural language?

  I do not know if she will have been returned next week.

I would like to express that I do not know whether or not she will be already back by then.

Or:

  I am not sure if they will have been there by the time you arrive.

Would that work to put emphasis on the fact that they might have been there for some time by the time he arrives? Or simply "if they will be there" is enough/only possible?


texts: What to call Primary School + High School, but not College

texts:
I was creating a web form for a client who requested the highest-grade completed for primary and high school and then college.

The original paper form had the following

  Circle highest grade completed 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 College 1 2 3 4

For the web form, I turned these into two dropdowns. Labeling College was easy, but the 1-12 was harder.

Due to space issues, I chose "Compulsory" as grades 1-12 in the US are compulsory, but my project manager felt it wasn't a layman term, so I switched it for K-12, which is what the Department of Education calls it, even though kindergarten is not included.

So, my question is, is there a one-word (or very short phrase) equivalent to Primary + High School?


texts:
In an article in The Economist, I have observed the following sentence:

  The less positive point out that human rights are routinely abused, freedom of speech is restricted and corruption endemic.

Clearly the following modification is unacceptable:

  The less positive point out corruption endemic.

Can someone explain why the first sentence is acceptable but the second is not? Is there a theory that describes when this kind of elision is acceptable? Is there a name for this phenomenon?


texts: Are there any differences? - to buy x to purchase

texts:
Are there any differences between the meanings of "purchase" and "buy"?

Thanks in advance.


texts: Definition of  "throw the gauntlet down"

texts: What is the definition of "throw the gauntlet down"? I googled for it and only got examples where it's used, but no actual definition of the phrase.


texts: Is the sentence "Why C treats array parameters as pointers?" correct?

texts:
Why C treats array parameters as pointers?

It sounds quite wrong to me. I would have been happier to hear

  Why does C treat array parameters as pointers?

instead.

Is the first sentence correct?


texts: Can I say "Do you have a facebook" to ask if someone has "a Facebook account"? I know it is not grammatically correct. I just wanted to know if people say that or not.


texts: How to quote a book that has a quote in the text that I'm quoting?

texts:
I'm trying to quote this in my paper:

  despite the universal desire to return to "normal," things changed

How would I quote this in MLA? Would I substitute the double quotations for single, or use double quotes for everything?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


texts: What are the nuances of the British expression "gone" used with time, as in "gone 8" or "gone midnight"?

texts:
An expression I have run across in British novels is "gone [hour]" like this:

  "It was gone midnight, and the house was quiet." The Midnight Witch by Paula Brackston

  "It's only just gone eight o'clock, Hugo, and Maria hasn't brought our
  tea yet." Caribbean Sunset with a Yellow Parrot by Andrea
  Frazer

I suspected from context that this means sometime past that hour, generally where I might say "after eight" or "past midnight", which is confirmed in this (closed) post. I appreciated the detail that it isn't used for planning purposes.

I am still wondering about some of the nuances of usage. This question has resisted my attempts at regular research, with most searches turning up pages of meanings for "gone" or "o'clock" but nothing much useful for the full idiom (except for the above-linked question here). I actually asked a cabbie about this when I was in England for a few days last year, but he wasn't sure. (It's surprisingly difficult to strike up conversations about English usage with random Londoners, at least for me.) I also haven't figured out a good way to express or look for the idiom generally, since there are at least fourteen common formulations (gone one, gone two, gone noon, etc.) and "gone" by itself is obviously not useful. So:

Is there a limit on how long after the hour you could use "gone"? (I
know this is not likely precise, I'm just wondering approximately
how it would be understood by those who use the idiom.) For example,
if it's 8:50 could you still say "gone eight"?
(In comparison, I think I would probably only use "after eight" until 8:29; after
that I would say "eight-thirty" or "after eight-thirty" or "almost
nine" etc.)

How much does the addition of "just" narrow down the window?

Does this depend on hour in question? For example, in the first sentence
above are we to infer that the time was sometime between midnight
and 1am (or 12:30 or whatever the appropriate cut-off is), or is it
less specific, meaning generally late at night?
My guess is that this expression comes from something like "midnight
had come and gone"--does anyone know any more about its origins than
that?
Are there any situations besides the hours of the day that this
usage of gone would be appropriate? For example, "she's gone
fourteen weeks pregnant" or "my baby is gone eleven weeks old" or "it was gone summer by the time the
plantings were ready"?

Many thanks for any insight, and my apologies if this question is unduly fine-drawn. Obviously, I've been wondering about this a lot!


texts: What is the difference between "dewatering" and "unwatering"

texts:
This report on the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy refers to the process of removing water as unwatering. However, I always thought that this process was called dewatering. What,  if any, is the difference between these terms?

The dictionary does not give an entry for unwatering. But a quick google search suggests the term seems to be widely used. If unwatering is not a valid term, why is dewatering not used instead?


texts:
While the engineers will give a press conference, the inspection team
will investigate the accident scene.

While would be synonymous with (the moment) when or during the time when, and I know "when" is normally not followed by "will + verb". So is this sentence correct, or should it be instead:

While the engineers give a press conference...

I am not looking for replacements for "while", I only wish to know if it can be followed by "will" when it refers to time. Sorry if my example is not the best.
Online, I only find instances of it with Present continuous like in this definition of Cambridge dictionary:

Would you like something to eat while we’re waiting?

or with Past Continuous as on this BBC site:

When / While the prison warders were eating their lunch, the prisoners escaped.

Gngram tells me it prefers the present after while.
So is "while" not possible with "will"?


texts: "I have never said" versus "I never said"

texts:
I have never said this.
  I never said this.

Is the usage of have in the first sentence justified or grammatically correct?
What is the difference in meaning?
When should I use one form over the other?


texts:
I am confused about the difference between To and Td in *CGEL's analysis of tense on page 126. Does Td  shift to the moment of decoding as To does in the second example?

1- I am writing this letter while the boys are at school.   [To is time of encoding]

2- You are now leaving West Berlin. [a written notice]      [To is time of decoding]

It is mentioned that Td is "normally the time of utterance," but an exception is never explicitly stated.

*
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, Huddleston & Pullum (2002)


texts: What does this sentence/idiom/phrase mean?

texts:
I saw a sentence in a book:

When George heard that the meal was on the house, he went to thank the restaurant owner for the free food.

The sentence does not make sense to me. I tried Google translating to other languages, but did not work as well.
Is there a specific idiom or phrase that I'm not familiar with?
Can anyone help me with this?


texts: English idiom for 'went on to kohl it, so he/she blinded it'

texts:
'He went on to kohl it [namely, rim the eye with kohl], so he/she blinded it [the eye].'

This is a rough translation of the Arabic idiom, 'ذهب ليكحلها فعماها'

To rim the eye with kohl is to beautify it. It means trying to fix something and then making it a whole lot worse. It's not the same as 'He added more water to the clay', which in English would be 'add insult to injury'. It's different.

Is there a similarly colourful idiom for this Arabic expression in English?


texts: Abraham Lincoln in his famous letter to his son's teacher asks the teacher to teach his son the secret of quiet laughter. Is this expression an oxymoron (like deafening silence)?


texts: Why is the letter 'Q' almost always followed by the letter 'U'?

texts:
Is there a particular rule that states that q should always be followed by a u? Because in certain cases like Qatar, or qawwali, this so-called rule is violated.

What do you folks say?


texts: What is the proper English term for polycopié (de cours)?

texts:
In French, several universities use polycopiés instead of course books for teaching.

The term polycopié can be translated as handout. Is it correct to use it in this case, in which a polycopié constitutes a thin paperback book, with bound cover?

I've only seen the term handout used for small sets of sheets, usually stapled.

By the way, if there are specific American/British variations of the term, I'd be interested in both.


texts:
Blizzard is probably the most used word to indicate a violent snowstorm. Despite its popularity the etymology of the term is quite unclear. Some well-known  sources hint  at its onomatopoeic sound as its possible origin.  Can anyone offer a reliable story behind this term or just confirm its 'obscure' origin?

Blizzard: (etymonline)

  strong, sustained snowstorm," 1859, origin obscure (perhaps somehow connected with blaze (n.1)); it came into general use in the U.S. in this sense the hard winter 1880-81. OED says it probably is "more or less onomatopœic," and adds "there is nothing to indicate a French origin."

Blizzard: (Oxford University Press):

  In British rural speech, there existed a sound imitative complex blizz expressing the idea of great quickness. When the suffix -ard was added to it, the new word began to denote all kinds of things having an immediate effect on its victim, from “a gunshot” to “an intoxicating drink.”

  Most records are from American English. In 1870, in Iowa, a violent snowstorm was called a blizzard. Storms and hurricanes travel fast. Today blizzard is an established part of the vocabulary of English. What else do we not know about its history? -


texts: What part of speech does the word "but" represent in this case

texts:
I am interested in knowing the part of speech (ie. noun, pronoun, adverb, conjunction, etc...) that the word "but" would be in this instance.

  But he has been hampered in his research by the indefensible failure of the State Bar of California to provide the statistics he needs.

I have read elsewhere that "but" almost always represents a conjunction, but in this sentence, it does not seem to conjoin anything.


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  When did the use of acronyms begin?

For whatever reason, people love to claim that words are acronyms: wog, snob, fuck, news, posh; the oldest example I know of comes 1668 when five Privy Councillors (Clifford, Arlington, Buckingham, Ashley-Cooper, and Lauderdale) were accused of forming a CABAL (the word, as every Madonna fan knows, really comes from ancient Hebrew kabbalah).

The actual habit of coining acronyms seems to be much newer.  All the real acronyms I can think of are either technical (scuba, radar, laser) or political (gestapo, Nato) innovations from the 20th Century.

What was the first acronym in English? Was there any developed as something other than a name for a new invention? And (if you really want to make me happy) is there one that is so old that it has fallen into disuse?


texts: Position of “in accordance with” in negative sentence affect meaning of the sentence

texts:
I find that the position of “in accordance with + noun” in a negative sentence affects the meaning of the whole sentence.

For example:

Our company did not supply goods to country yy in accordance with the law.

(Here, the adverb “not” modifies “in accordance with ...” and they together modify the verb “supply”. Rephrase the sentence => (1) Our company did not in accordance with the law supply goods to country yy. - rephrased sentence #1)

v.s.

In accordance with the law, our company did not supply goods to country yy.

(Here, “In accordance with ...” seems to modify the adverb “not” and they together modify the verb “supply”. Rephrase the sentence => (2) Our company in accordance with the law did not supply goods to country yy. - rephrased sentence #2)

It is clear that the meaning of rephrased sentence #1 is completely different from rephrased sentence #2

Is my finding/analysis correct?


texts:
When I want to describe my self .. Should I say I'm a graduate or graduated student in ..
What is more accurate ? Past or present ?
P.s:  I have a bachelor degree and I'm not planning currently to have a master.


texts: "Launch a missile at" vs. "in" vs. "from"

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Correct usage of ‘on’, ‘at’ and ‘in’ from a foreigner’s point of view

I don't know which of these three sentences is preferable:

  India launched its Agni PSLV 5 missile at Chandipur, about 15 km from Balasore.
  India launched its Agni PSLV 5 missile in Chandipur, about 15 km from Balasore.
  India launched its Agni PSLV 5 missile from Chandipur, about 15 km from Balasore.


texts:
In "Time travel” James Gleick discusses the OED definition of the noun ”time” (p248). He notes, in parentheses, that it can also function as an interjection and an obscure conjunction. Sadly, the online version of the OED does not include this lemma, and it's difficult to Google for.

Can anybody give an example of this use, and what it means?


texts:
Lately, I've been pondering about this question.

First of all, we already know that dialogue tags consist of a noun or a pronoun followed by a verb like "said," and "ask."

  "Like this one," I said.

Also, when using an action tag, the dialogue must have a full stop.

  "Like this?" I looked at the text above.

Would "is my only answer" be considered a dialogue tag with that structure? I can't really consider it one since it doesn't have the same structure.

  "I don't know," is my only answer.


texts: What is the correct punctuation for this sentence?

texts:
Yet I cannot remain in these moments for very long without being reminded of nature's harsh and unforgiving side;  I think about fording a raging glacial river in Denali National Park in Alaska and avoiding a bear as he ravages my two-week supply of food.

I am not sure what punctuation to use here.  My reasoning for currently using the semicolon is the rule of two related sentences.  Would a dash serve this thought better?


texts: What do people mean or think they mean by "not to scale?"

texts:
I have in front of me a map of an area in the Angeles National Forest that says at the bottom, "map not to scale." What, if anything, does "not to scale" properly mean on a map or diagram, and if people use it in incorrect ways, do they mean anything specific by it? I.e., is there a common misconception as to what it means?

I can think of two possible meanings for this phrase:

The diagram does not show proper proportions. For example, we could have an anatomical diagram of a human body with the head the same size as the torso, or the famous New Yorker cover painting, "View of the World from 9th Avenue."
The diagram is not full size. It's scaled down.

Interpretation 2 is obviously pretty silly in most of the cases where I've seen the phrase used. For example, I don't need a special warning label to tell me that the piece of paper on which the map is printed is smaller than the Angeles National Forest's real size. My guess would be that the correct meaning of the phrase is #1, but many people ignorantly use it to mean #2 or use it without any clear idea of what they think they're saying. In the particular example of the map I have in front of me, comparison with other maps seems to rule out interpretation #1 -- there don't seem to be any features on the map that are drawn out of proportion to other feautures.


texts: Word order in "either/or" parallel structure

texts:
Does it matter where either goes in this either/or sentence, and do I need to repeat from in or from if I've used either from?

Air pollution may come either from the ocean as natural contaminants given off by sea life or from the internal combustion engines of automobiles.
Air pollution may come from either the ocean as natural contaminants given off by sea life or the internal combustion engines of automobiles.


texts:
Here is a sentence from BBC Learning English:

And I saw that ship break in half.

Is this a correct sentence? I think I should use broke. Am I wrong?


texts:
When we compare numbers of people, we can use the phrases:

"The highest/lowest number of people was"
"The biggest/smallest number of people was"
"The most/least people were"

That the word "lowest" is an antonym for the word "highest".

What is an antonym of the word "largest" when we compare numbers of people?

  "The **largest/_________ number of people was"**

Is it the word "tiniest"?
But number of usage times on google is quite low


texts: Is the expression "rag trade" common in American English usage?

texts:
I want to know if Americans use the expression "rag trade" the way the English do to describe the clothes business. I'm also interested if it is used with a derogatory connotation or not.

It seems to me that the English use it in a slightly deprecatory way but at the same time it has something of an "insider" element to it. So for example someone I met that was quite successful in the clothing industry introduced themselves saying "Oh I used to be in the rag trade"...as if it was something quite insignificant and at the same time it was obvious they were actually quite proud of their involvement in the business.


texts: Why is "do" sometimes put before a verb?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Use of “do” in affirmative statements

Why do people sometimes use the words "do" or "does" in affirmative sentences?

For example:

  A: We know a guy!

  B: We do know a guy!

Why doesn't B just say: "Yes, we know a guy"?

And in general, why the use of "do" in affirmative sentences?


texts: Do "real-life applications" and "real-world applications" convey the same meaning?

texts:
I've been using these expressions interchangeably without knowing their possible differences. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English defines "real-life" as an adjective as follows:

Real-life:
actually happening in life, not invented in a book:

Examples: 1)  a real-life drama 2)  real-life problems

However, it does not define "real-world" as an adjective. It simply defines the real world as "the way life really is, not how people would like it to be or imagine it".

Oxford dictionary defines "real-world" as a noun as follows:

Real-world: The existing state of things, as opposed to one that is imaginary, simulated, or theoretical.

Examples: 1)  We live in the real world of limited financial resources. 2)  the real-world problems that teenagers face

I could not find "real-world applications" or "real-life applications" in my dictionaries. Google suggests about  566,000 and 479,000 results for these expressions, respectively. If these expressions have the same meaning, then which one is better to use? Which one is more formal?


texts: What is the word or phrase for the revelation of finding a word for a concept you already knew but did not have the word for?

texts:
This has recently happened. I discovered Object Orientated CSS. I had the concept for a long time but had never had a title for the concept. Discovering this was a joy for me.

Is there a word or phrase that encapsulates that feeling?

Another example I have is being told about the German word schadenfreude many years ago. Finding a word for that concept was a great feeling.


texts:
An Adjective can, in general, be converted to Comparative (-er) & Superlative (-est) ; for example :

good better best
happy happier happiest

Now Superlative means "Highest in quality", or has positive connotations.
In some cases, the quality is lowest, or has negative connotations.

bad worse worst
sad sadder saddest

(A) Is there a Different way to refer to Superlative in the negative ?
It seems odd/self-contradictory to use "negative superlatives".
(B) Is there a term for the ordering of the 6 words from most-negative to most-positive, like the following ?

worst worse bad good better best
saddest sadder sad happy happier happiest

EDIT: I wish to add some points regarding the positive and negative connotations.
Consider the situation where a movie-maker asks "Was there a good turn-out for my movie ?" and the theatre owner replies "We had a full house !", and the movie-maker exclaims "Superlative !"
Consider another situation where a building-owner asks "Was there much damage to my building in the fire ?" and the watchman replies "It was destroyed completely !", where we can hardly expect the building-owner to reply with "Superlative !"
I came up with a new word to express negative superlative : "Infralative", though it may not catch up with the masses.


texts: How to ask what is your number in the siblings or to your parents.?


texts: Term to describe how often someone meets their deadlines

texts: I'm designing a report that describes our software users' performance on their assignments. One data point is the percentage of assignments submitted on time. I've labeled this column "Timeliness," but I suspect there's a more appropriate word, and would appreciate any suggestions.


texts: What is a good word to mean "nostalgia for the future"?

texts:
Especially when "nostalgia" is presented in terms of "a longing for the past" and "evoking fond memories." For example, a word which would mean "a fondness for the present or future."

A contextual sentence might be:

  He never seemed to dwell on past times—good or bad—and had countdown calendars around his house for nearly every holiday imaginable. When making conversation with him, you could always sense an excited anticipation in his words. He claimed that it was an intense feeling of ___ which drove him to look forward so enthusiastically.


texts: Are there English dialects that still use the verb "to snithe"?

texts: Wiktionary says that it's used in some dialects in Northern England, but I wonder if that information is still up-to-date. Have you personally heard the verb being used?


texts: "He grew up around cars that would later become classics."

texts:
My question is about the use of would in the following sentence.

  He grew up around cars that would later become classics.

The use of would in this particular sense always looks confusing to me because it's so different from:

I would like to know...
I don't think he would agree to that...
Would you mind....
Would it be alright if I...
etc.

The above sentence, as I see it, means "he grew up around cars which were going to become classics in the future". Is that correct? If yes, does it also mean that the cars actually became classics later?


texts:
During this time,his efforts to bring ___ racial justice won him the support of both blacks and whites.
  (A) up (B) about

Why is the answer not (B)？


texts: Is there a word or an idiom for barging in a room with anger?

texts: Opening a door frustrated and rushing in like you are about to scold someone inside... Barging in a room with anger. Is there a word or idiom for that, other than storm in?


texts: "There is a lot of food and fruit" vs. "there are a lot of food and fruit"

texts:
Which of the following sentences is correct:

  There is a lot of food and fruit in the supermarket.
  There are a lot of food and fruit in the supermarket.


texts: What's the name for when a layman thinks a technical task is easier than it actually is?

texts:
As a software engineer, my job is highly technical. A co-worker and I were remarking that frequently our non-technical co-workers will assume that we're not working if a task takes longer than they imagine it should, not knowing the reality of what it takes to accomplish the task. This is almost always the case, their estimate being smaller than the reality by large margins. We successfully related to our non-technical colleagues a metaphor that made sense to them.

"Imagine on your commute to work every day you pass by a construction site where a bridge is being built that will eventually shorten your commute quite a bit. You know that bridges take a long time to make, but as you drive past the site every day you don't seem to notice any progress being made toward a complete bridge. You might get frustrated and assume that they aren't working when in reality the process of building a bridge is intensely complex and includes many many steps that aren't visible from the highway."

Of course, bridges are completely unusable until they are finished whereas software development is rarely so ambitious without usable milestones. Regardless, even on small tasks, it seems the layman expects it is easier and quicker than it actually is. Because this seems a cognitive bias that would be common to all similarly arcane activities, I imagine there's a name of it. What is that name?


texts:
All my life I knew it as "I can do a split", but recently it has come to my attention that many people refer to it as "the splits" which sounds absolutely dreadful to my ear because it defies all the rules of pluralization.

You can do a somersault and you can do "the tango" but you're not doing the tangos or the sumersaults, so, why the splits?! Additionally, it makes it very difficult to describe what sort of split you're doing. "I'm doing a front split" rolls off the tongue a lot more naturally than "I'm doing a front the splits". Anyway... I am curious if anyone knows what the origin of this odd abnormality is.


texts:
I have done research on the word know to many, amen. http://www.todayifoundout.com says that it originated from the Egyptian god Amun, being misspelled as "amen."
I have a hypothesis that this is not correct and there is a deeper origin and understanding of where and when it started.
I have done research of when it originated so I could back track it to how and where it originated.
A friend of mine stated, "I believe it came from a Hebrew word or phrase with a similar meaning."
I wasn't sure about this since he didn't have any evidence of his theory so I did some more research. I found that he was partially correct. There is also a theory that comes and is based off of the Hebrew Language. There is no specific word or phrase that states a relationship but there is still the theory.
In the dictionary the definition of "amen" is:

amen
[ey-men, ah-men]
1.
it is so; so be it (used after a prayer, creed, or other formal statement to express solemn ratification or agreement).
adverb
2.
verily; truly.
noun
3.
an utterance of the interjection “amen.”.
4.
a musical setting for such an utterance.
5.
an expression of concurrence or assent.

If you could give me advise and an accurate answer that would be very helpful for my situation.


texts:
I will prepare some materials 'till or by' the end of this week.

Is there any difference in the meaning? Let us imagine today is Monday. Will you have different expectations because of this?


texts:
Context from a video: After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, God decreed the laws and commandments, which guided the Israelites' life on earth and taught people how to worship God. These laws and commandments not only guided the Israelites, but informed and provided a standard for the creation of the constitutions of generations to come, laying a foundation for legal systems of future mankind.

I want to raise questions based on these passages in the context, and make it as an ad to attract the audience. But I don't know how to make the two sentences more coherent and sounds logical. (ps: I must include "the first part of each sentence")

Now we live in a well-ordered society. Where do today’s legal systems originate?
Now the society we live in is orderly/in good order. Do you know the reason behind this?
Now we're living in a well-ordered society. Do you know how it can be so orderly?
Now we're living in a well-ordered society. Do you know where today’s legal systems originate?
Now we're living in a well-ordered society. Do you know who set the order / know who laid the foundation for its legal systems?

Which one is natural, coherent, better?

As an audience, before you watch the video, which ad attracts you most or can make you have more desire to watch the video?

If none of them is okay, please do some corrections.


texts: Who is the authority -- scientists, or linguists -- on the definitions of everyday words referring to types of animals?

texts:
For instance, biologists these days like to say that the word "dinosaur" is inclusive of modern birds, since birds are descended from dinosaurs. This is consistant with biologists' tendency to categorize things monophyletically -- that is, if it is descended from something, it "is" that something.  A bird is descended from a dinosaur, so it must be a dinosaur.

Linguists (such as those employed by dictionaries e.g. Webster and Oxford) tend to be more pragmatic -- concerned more about communication and usefulness rather than strictly adhering to monophyletic categories. They consider "dinosaur" to only refer to those animals that lived in the mesozoic period....that is, they explicitly exclude modern birds from the definition, because when most people use the term "dinosaur," they are not talking about birds.

This is similar to the way we exclude tetrapods (amphibians, reptiles and mammals) from the definition of "fish", even though tetrapods are descended from fish. That is, "fish" is, by definition, a paraphyletic category.  Other examples are  "monkey" and "ape", which, by definition, are paraphyletic and therefore exclude humans.

So who is the authority on the definition of these words?  And if biologists are, isn't it being inconsistant to define the word "fish" to exclude a subset of its decendants, while refusing to do the same with the word "dinosaur"?


texts:
Below are two variations of a sentence. Sentence 1 is clearly a compound sentence with two independent clauses, and the accepted rule is to put a comma before the conjunction (as here). Sentence two appears to be a simple sentence with a compound predicate. Some editors advise putting a comma before the "and" that connects the second predicate. Is that correct? What is the reasoning behind the inclusion of a comma there?

On warm summer days, I swim in the cool ocean, and I take long walks on the shadowy forest trails.
On warm summer days, I swim in the cool ocean and take long walks on the shadowy forest trails.


texts:
When I was an Air Traffic Controller, we never ever used the word "WINDS". We always said "WIND". After all, it is the Wind, right?

We don't say RAINS or SNOWS or AIRS or SLEETS so why do so called meteorologists add an "s" to wind?

As an example, weather reporters on TV frequently tell us to expect HEAVY RAIN, or RAINSHOWERS, or HEAVY SNOW. They don't say Rains or Snows.

So what are the rules governing the use of weather conditions?


texts:
I checked out its meaning on the web and the common one I have found is "speaking imprecisely", but instinctively I thought it would be like "almost", for example:

  The task assigned is more or less over, only formatting is left to be done.


texts: "who my opponent was" or "whom my opponent was"?

texts: The sentence in question is "I had known (who/whom) my opponent was".  Would you use who or whom in this context, and why?  Thanks.


texts: In what cases can the verb "be" be omitted?

texts:
I have seen some short sentences without "be" verb.

For example:

Enemy detected
Loading completed

Is it grammatically correct?
Shouldn't it be:

Enemy is detected
Loading is completed


texts: What is the correct term for "2" vs "two"?

texts:
When written this way, "2", what is the correct term?
When written this way, "two", what is the correct term?


texts: Using could not for possibility/impossibility

texts:
Can I use ''could not'' form to say that somebody would not be capable of doing something?

Example:

  He was a popular singer back in the 90's. But I'm sure that he couldn't fill a concert hall (now).

Is is better to say :

  He was a popular singer back in the 90's. But I'm sure that he would not be able to fill a concert hall (now).

I know that the posititive form - could- expresses possibility but does the negative form - could not- do the same thing.


texts: Word for a result/achievement so exceptional that it is impossible?

texts:
I am looking for a word or phrase regarding something that is "impossible". I can't seem to put my finger on it, but I am trying to think of the word to describe something that is the top of the top, and thus impossible to achieve?

The only two words I have come up with are elusive and formidable, neither of which really mean what I want them to mean. I want something more clever to put it plainly.


texts:
I need help settling a debate regarding the correct usage of the verb eclipse.

The headline in question is (slightly paraphrased):

  Runner Completes 2mi Run; Eclipses 12m Result

Now, let's assume the 12m result is nobody else's (the runner does not compare himself to any other runner)— but rather a hint at the final result of the runner which is, say, 12:05m.

The headline above uses eclipse in the sense of achieved a result that is above X, and not in the sense of achieved a result which puts the other result in its shadow. MW dictionary lists exceed as one of the translations, but I gather it is in the sense of exceed an achievement or result made by someone else or at an earlier time.

Does the headline make a correct/sensible use of the verb given the assumption mentioned above about the result?


texts: Why there is "the" before some names but not others

texts:
Is there a rule beyond the common "no the with proper nouns and names" for the following problem?

  I saw the Empire State Building.

  We went to the White House.

  We saw the Golden Gate Bridge.

but

  I went to Death Valley National Park.

  I crossed Brooklyn Bridge.


texts: Etymology of "hell." Possible link to Norse mythology?

texts:
The following etymological question has been slumbering in my head for a while, and was woken up by the post on the word "hella."

My Concise Oxford English Dictionary, my faithful vade mecum, tells me that the word "hell" is derived from "hel" or "hell" in Old English, in turn derived from Germanic. Other sources have elaborated that the older Germanic root had a meaning of a thicket or wild, unruly, heath where one might get tangled among the hell of thistles.

I've often wondered, considering the influence of Norse language on English during the Viking settlements, or invasions, if there is any etymological link to the figure Hel (or Hella, or Hela). She was one of the three "strange children" of Loki and the Giantess Angurboda; the other two were Fenris and Jormungand. She also ruled the eponymous realm, Helheim (Hel-Home).

Aside from the possible English/Norse relation, there is, of course, a possible Judeo-Christian relation, with "Hell" and "Sheol," as Hella's realm was an underworld where those who were -not- slain in battle went after death. Of course, all of these elements may very well have been mixed up and juggled about during the centuries.

For all I know, the etymology could have influenced in the other direction, ie., from Old English to Norse. This is why I'm asking! It seems like all of the pieces are there, but I'm not sure how to make them fit.


texts: Looking for a word, phrase or expression that means "not appreciating the present because of worrying about the future"?

texts:
It's all in the title really. I'm looking for a word, phrase or expression that means "not appreciating the present because of worrying about the future"?

For example, when you have made an accomplishment, but cannot appreciate or recognize this success because you are preoccupied overthinking or overanalyzing future risks or outcomes.


texts: A word that describes both "encoding" and "decoding"?

texts:
I am looking for a word that describes both of these activities, however the word coding does not seem to be suitable.

Likewise with encryption and decryption, cryption does not work well.


texts: I need to know the difference between two phrases "learn by heart" and "learn by rote". I would be grateful if you could explain it to me. I'm not a native English speaker.


texts: Difference between "God bless" and "God bless you"

texts: What is the difference between God bless and God bless you?


texts: Difference between *product*, *material*, and *item*

texts:
I am confused regarding the differences between these 3 words. Can you clarify them for me?

By searching I learned that

  A "product" is a manufactured (and often branded) object or commodity.

  An "item" is one of a collection of different things, such as things
  that are in a stock (say in a shop), or on a list, or something
  similar. Items can be products.

  "Material" is the stuff that something is made of.

Which word should I use to refer to an item (e.g. small screws used for implants) that has a brand? I want to use it in a system flowchart if this might help you.


texts: Words with unusual pronounciations of initial letters F, R, S, and V

texts:
Just for fun I'm compiling an "improved" phonetic alphabet.
I'm stuck on some of the letters.

What would be "suitable" words for F, R, S, and V?
(Other improvement suggestions welcome.)


texts: the meaning of "Better off for it" and pronoun "they" from Stephen Hawking's article

texts:
The quote is:

  But we should have been wary of answering back (to the questions of aliens), until we have develop a bit further. Meeting a more advanced civilisation (aliens from other planets), at our present stage (at the current stage of the human beings), might be a bit like the original inhabitants of America meeting Columbus. I don't think they were better off for it.

In the last sentence, does the pronoun "they" refer to all humans? or "original inhabitants of America"?


texts: Which usage of the prefix, "Meta" is correct, "Metaprogramming" or "Meta-programming"? Should the word be hyphenated or not?


texts: Can adjectives be placed before gerunds?

texts:
My question relates to the possibility of placing an adjective before a gerund if a sentence begins with the gerund.

For example, I'd like to prepare a list of my skills for a CV like 'Brief reading a text' (or the only option would be 'Reading a text briefly), 'Attentive proofreading' and so on.

Thanks in advance to native speakers for advice!


texts: Synonym for "a puppet with its string cut"

texts:
I want another phrase/clause that carries the same meaning as above. I don't want to be reusing the above too many times in my writing.

I tried Google, but it seems my Google fu was insufficient.

There are no problems with "a puppet with its strings cut", but I use it frequently, and would rather avoid overusing it in writing.

The context behind the use was someone collapsing due to a loss of cognitive function subsequent to intense coitus.

I may have other uses, and wouldn't want to write a request every time. I generally use the term to refer to someone collapsing due to a loss of cognitive function.


texts: Is it ever correct to use “end” after the name of a month?

texts:
I’ve heard some people say things like September end or June end when I’m used to hearing the end of September or the end of June.

Is the former usage (meaning, the “something end” collocation) correct or standard somewhere?


texts: The passive that begins with 'It is thought' and past tense

texts:
Today doing some English grammar exercises I stumbled upon the two examples in The passive section:

It is believed that the children had been hiding for two weeks.
It was thought that the book had been destroyed.

The thing that puzzles me much is the usage of Past Perfect in the first sentence

had been hiding

and, probably, in the second sentence

had been destroyed

I had been searching over the Internet for several hours without any comprehensive answer found.
Would anyone please give a reference to the rule that explains the usage of Past Perfect in constructions like that?
The other related case is the following:

The athlete was alleged to have cheated
I'm sorry for what I said. I was trying to be funny. It was supposed to be a joke
The book was thought to have been destroyed

Why can't I say respectively the following:

The athlete was alleged to cheat
It was supposed to have been a joke
The book was thought to be destroyed

I'm able to easily find the rules on more simple constructions like It is thought that ... + Present Indefinite / Present Perfect but no comprehensive sources on similar but + Past Perfect
The book with exercises is highly recognizable btw but it doesn't give the answer
Thanks


texts: Correct use of the term “Taxa de Natalidade”

texts:
I have received the answer from my teacher saying that the term “Fertility Rate” is not suitable for the context.
The context is this,

The increase in life expectancy, concomitantly with a decreased fertility rate...

What is the suitable term in this context?


texts:
Which use is correct in sentences such as:

  Estonia's state forests are managed....

  The importance and role of Estonia's forests in cultural history.

  Estonia's forest area increased significantly in the last decade.


texts: Every evening my friend appears at my door dressed up like Carl Lewis and announces "I am going for walking". I was wondering - is that expression right?


texts: Is "tokenization/tokenize" written with a "z" or "s" in British English?

texts: I can't find any examples of tokenization/tokenize written with an "s", and MS Word also corrects it to a "z" when set to UK English. Is there a reason this word does not follow the general rule of "sation"/"ise" or is it simply too uncommon to be found online or by auto-correct?


texts: Pluralizing a last name: Soloniewicz's, Soloniewiczs, Soloniewiczes?

texts:
Say my last name is Soloniewicz and I'm writing a holiday card. Is it:

Happy holidays from the Soloniewicz's
Happy holidays from the Soloniewiczs
Happy holidays from the Soloniewiczes

I'm leaning towards the number three, but looking for input.


texts: What does this sentence mean from "The woman in the window"?

texts:
she is a Bad Cop, no doubt about it, and with disappointment I realize that Little's aw-shucks shtick must be just smoke

What does the line in bold mean - aw-shucks shtick must be just smoke.

This is from "The woman in the window".


texts: Word-Request: "Consider solutions" "Projectively alter"

texts:
I'm editing someone's manuscript. It uses the phrase "projectively altering the politics", I believe, to mean thinking through possible strategies or considering various changes to a political situation.

This phrase projectively alter is really awkward but the idea is pretty simple. I think I must be forgetting a very common word. Strategizing?

I am looking for a word that means to think through possible changes to a situation and their consequences.

Hypothesizing kind of works, so does brainstorming, but are inspecific.  Thought-experimenting carries the meaning well enough, though it's not an improvement and is just as awkward.

Example usage:

  The engineer identified flaws in the current system. She ---- the set-up – thinking through various ways she could change it and what the effects of those changes would be – and developed a strategy for a revision.


texts:
I cannot understand the meaning of one sentence in Aurora Leigh:

  "Now may God
  Deliver me from this strait! This gift of yours
  Was tendered . . when? accepted . . when?' I asked.
  'A month . . a fortnight since? Six weeks ago
  It was not tendered. By a word she dropped,
  I know it was not tendered nor received.
  When was it? bring your dates.'
                             'What matters when?
  A half-hour ere she died, or a half-year,
  Secured the gift, maintains the heritage
  Inviolable with law. As easy pluck
  The golden stars from heaven's embroidered stole,
  To pin them on the grey side of this earth,
  As make you poor again, thank God.'
                                 'Not poor
  Nor clean again from henceforth, you thank God?
  Well, sir–I ask you . . I insist at need . .
  Vouchsafe the special date, the special date.'

Is pluck here a noun or a verb? I can't quite wrap my mind around this sentence either way.

Someone plucks golden stars? Or golden stars are "an easy pluck"? And what is the meaning of "as make you poor again"? The whole sentence is cryptic.


texts: Use of the superlative when only two items are present

texts:
When speaking with my mother a couple of days ago, I read to her a message I was sending to my cousin on her behalf ending with: "... the birthday of your youngest." [implying her child]

She immediately leapt on this and said that as my cousin only had two children, the use of the superlative was not permitted and the comparative must be used instead: "... the birthday of your younger child."

She was adamant that this was a solid grammatical rule that she was taught throughout her education.  As a younger Briton, I have relatively little formal grammatical education to older people who were better taught in this regard, so I usually defer to her on grammatical rule knowledge.

Is she right?  Are superlatives not permitted when the domain of the object is only two?

To me it seems bizarre.  The minimum or maximum of any set does not only exist when there are different minima and maxima, or indeed something which is neither.


texts: Not-quite-opposite of "inherit", someone from whom you inherit without their mentioning you in a will

texts:
What is the verb for being the non-volitional source of an inheritance? For example:

I "inherit" a car from my parent when they die. My parent "_____" a car to me when they die.

What is the "____"? I thought about "bequeaths" but that refers to specifically mentioning someone in a will, rather than passively being the source of the inheritance.
Relatedly, what is the term for the relationship between these two words? These words aren't antonyms, it's more like immigrate vs emigrate.


texts: Choosing between a colon and semicolon when both are appropriate

texts:
Let's say you want to write one of the following:

I am very happy; I just won $100.

I am very happy: I just won $100.

It is my understanding that both of the above sentences are grammatically correct.  How, then, would you decide which to use?  Is there a subtle difference between them?


texts: What is a term for something unwanted but which cannot be ignored?

texts:
More specifically...

What is a term for a problem between sides that has surfaced that one would pretend to have always been submerged yet cannot be ignored?

For example, two sides always had potential and reason for conflict, but this was kept submerged, and purposefully ignored. Now, the conflict has surfaced and none can ignore it, though nobody wishes it were so. Institutional things especially. Imagine for example two government ministers who want to be on the same side but now realize that the conflict between them which they wish could have been ignored has emerged as something unavoidable, and that others can see it as well.


texts: Using nominative "I" instead of objective "me" in plural phrases

texts: I hear people saying, "He said it to my wife and I" when they would never say, "He said it to I." Why are people so inconsistent?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Why don't we use the indefinite article with 'software'?

In France I have always been told that saying "a software" is not correct English (as a nominal compound), and that "a piece of software" or "a software program/package/product/system" must be used instead.

Recently I have doubts... is there any case where it is actually correct?

Examples found on the Internet:

SalsaJ, a software for data analysis at school
So if you sold a software which required your customer to pay a monthly fee, [...]


texts: The number is smaller, fewer or less than?

texts:
I always make confusion about the correct usage of the comparative for "irregular" adjectives (I don't know if this is the correct term).
Recently I had to write "the number of X is ____ ?", while I wanted to say that the quantity of X this year is less than the quantity of X in the previous year.
So, which of the following would be correct? Are there forms that are grammatically correct but not used?

The number of students this year is fewer than the number of students last year
The number of students this year is lesser than the number of students last year
The number of students this year is less than the number of students last year
The number of students this year is smaller than the number of students last year

I know that fewer is used for countables (e.g. "I have fewer children than my friend", or "I have fewer cars than a billionaire would have"), while less for uncountable (e.g. "I have less money than my friend"). Am I correct on this?
So, since "the number" is countable, I would opt for 1, but I am not sure.


texts: How does one pronounce loch? I understand this is a term borrowed from the Scots. Dictionaries are not very helpful with the last syllable. What is the closest English mapping of ch?


texts: Many say that one shouldn't use "hell" as it is informal. You can use "heck" instead. Both convey the same meaning. Then why this difference? Why can't one use "hell" everywhere?


texts: Past and present tense can use in one sentence?

texts:
If I describe the people that I know in the past are special and still friends now, can I write it like this:

Every person that I meet is unique. I treasure the people that I have met, and trust is very important.
Every person that I met is unique. I treasure the people that I met, and trust is very important.

Thank you for clarification.


texts: What is the etymological history behind the mathematical "induction" versus the philosophical "inductive [reasoning]"?

texts:
Was talking about it in a (particularly off topic) university lecture on Emperical reasoning (deductive - our logic-math course, vs inductive - "gravity gets taken for granted"). A reason we were talking a lot about it was because our course has a lot of content on "proof by induction". Which is odd, as the inductive proofs aren't just "well it happened 50 times, itll happen a 51th time"; they're more of our deductive reasoning we've applied.

So maybe "etymology" being the question of what separates the two is less specific than the "history". But I don't know anyway, that's why I'm asking a question!! :)


texts: What is a word/noun to describe someone who authors a project but doesn't produce it?

texts: I'm looking for a one-word noun to describe someone who posts a project idea for a freelancer to pick up. They describe the project and project need, but they are not the producer. For example, "I'm in need of a logo for my business. I'm the "?", and the person who will design the logo is the producer."


texts: Function of "about"- practised physiotherapy for about 6 months

texts:
I practised physiotherapy for about 6 months.

I understand that "about" can take forms such as an adv, adj,
preposition.

Though I can rephrase the sentence, however, I am curious to find out what role "about" is playing in the above sentence.

We already have a preposition "for", can we say that "about" is also
in a prepositinal role or is it a different term for such placements
of "about'.


texts: What is the difference between "which is not to say" is "which doesn't mean"

texts:
I've been wondering what is the difference.
Can the first one be generally replaced with the second one?
Plus, I believe "which is not to say" is more informal and used less frequently, is that correct?


texts: Word (or phrase) that means something you thought was a great idea, that turns out to be a massive error

texts:
We have a variety of suggestions for something that you thought was bad, but turned out to be good.

Is there a single word that describes something that you thought was going to be a brilliant idea that turns out to be an apocalyptic blunder.

  "His idea was an x"


texts:
This must be an easy one, but I can only think of specialized alternatives at the moment: what do you call someone you are about to have a meeting with? Meetee?

In more specific contexts client, friend, date would all work, but they convey more than the fact that you will just be meeting. I've heard appointment used in that sense (as in "your next appointment is waiting outside", but the ambiguity (appointment being a lose synonym for meeting) is not really satisfactory.

Ideas?


texts: Good websites to help improve usage of prepositions

texts:
Please anyone suggest some good websites which give tips on the usage of prepositions on a daily or weekly basis.

I have doubts regarding usage of prepositions in many contexts. So wanted to know a general website which would help.

I am a software programmer and i get many doubts regarding the usage of prepsitions many times while discussing on forums.

For example: I am not sure of a sentence like
"Is this conference only for android developers or anyone without a prior knowledge of/in android coding can attend? "


texts: Does the word ‘clobber’ have the meaning of “secure” or “garner” as a verb other than ‘hitting hard” and “defeat sb completely”?

texts:
In association with my question about the meaning of “chemical Mickey” in Time magazine’s article “The science of romance: Why we love,” (Jan. 28, 2008) http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1704672,00.html, there was the following sentence;

  Men see ample breasts and broad hips as indicators of a woman's
  ability to bear and nurse children--though most don't think about such
  matters so lucidly. Women see a broad chest and shoulders as a sign of
  someone who can clobber a steady supply of meat and keep lions away
  from the cave.

I was amused to find the word, “clobber” which I understand only in the range of meaning,
1. hit sb very hard.
2. (usually passive) affect sb badly or push them.
3. (often passive) defeat sb. completely
as defined in OALED, being used in this way.

What does ‘clobber’ mean in the above quote? 'Clobber meat'- if you had to, or if you are a butcher or a boxer - is understandble. But can I clobber 'supply' - an abstruct concept, not meat - a concrete object, like shut down the supply line - logistics? In other word, I can clobber "a lump" of meat, but I cann't clobber "supply" of meat. I hope you understand the point I'm hunging up.

Does the “Clobber” have the meaning other than defined in the OALED?


texts: Why don't we use the definite article before these examples?

texts:
'We need to look closely at business growth, technological advancement, economic trends, and product development.'

I would never say 'the business growth' or 'the technological advancement' etc.


texts: Can I say "sheer sky" to describe absolute sky? Does this sound right? Any help is really appreciated.


texts:
Is it correct to use the verb pickpocket before the item being taken from someone's pocket?

  Pickpocket a pouch of gold

Or can you only use pickpocket before the person whose item is being taken?

  Pickpocket a tourist


texts: Grammaticality of "Don't let's get you cheap"

texts:
I have come across a sentence in one of my textbooks with which I seem to have some problems. One just needs to translate it, paying attention to the verb "hold" used with the appropriate particles. Here it is:

  "That's right, Bill. Hold out against it. Put out your strength. Don't let's get you cheap".

The part of it, marked in bold, quite baffles me. I have stumbled upon a number of misprints in this textbook, so it may well be one of them here, too, but it appears to be a line from the George Bernard Shaw play Major Barbara (1905).


texts:
What does "throw a wrinkle" mean? Example:

  I’ve got a conversation with Jacob later today that may throw a wrinkle in…


texts: Is there a word or phrase for "person of the same ethnicity"?

texts: I'm looking for something that is the equivalent of "fellow countryman", but for ethnicity. Using this as a starting point, I've been thinking it might be along the lines of "congeneous", though really "homogenous" seems to be more fitting, but too general. Any ideas?


texts:
I've got a spoon (probably a boulion spoon) with the following text in capitals:

  wear-wite rustless
       nickel silver Sheffield
       Made in England

What does 'wear-wite' mean?


texts: Is there any alternative expression to “Brace Yourself ”

texts:
I have translated an article into English. The author of the original article uses a “Bumpy ride on a plane in a hazardous weather” as an analogy to predict an unfavourable  political development in a certain location. He advised the citizens there should “sit tight” (a literal translation here) and be prepared.

I could have translated the phrase sit tight as brace yourself, but it would lose the mental picture of the analogy. Besides, sit tight means something entirely different in English:  to be patient and await the next move.  It’s not a good idea to use sit tight to mean brace yourself.

So, is there any alternative phrase to brace yourself that conveys the same meaning while retaining the picture of the original phrase?


texts: How do you refer to the fictional author of a poem?

texts:
If a poem is written in the first person, how do you refer to the first person character in the poem?

e.g.

  Underneath the fallen blossom
  In my bosom,
  Is a letter I have hid.
  It was brought to me this morning by a rider from
  Duke.


texts: Is it valid to call a person "smart" as to mean well educated?


texts:
I want to ask you a question about the correct usage of "be gone" in the following sentence. I don't understand which sentence is correct and why, especially the grammar.

  But I'm already gone far away

or

  But I'm already far away

Hopefully, anyone can help me to understand why using "I am gone far away" is correct or wrong.


texts: What's the word for a loop that reverts direction after completing its cycle?

texts: If I take a set of elements that can be put in an order, for example the numbers 1,2,3,4 what is it called when I visit the elements from the beginning to the end, and invert direction whenever hitting either the end or the beginning? After going from 3 to 4, the next number would be 3 again. This is distinct from a loop where direction is not inverted and the next number after 4 would be 1. At least that's how I see it. The context is programming.


texts: Are there single words describing the "state of being in a particular shape"? [For Example: "State of being Cylindrical" ]


texts:
Is it grammatically correct if I write:

  On a side note, should I expect an e-mail/telephone call from you confirming my NHO date?
  I am not sure if you are able to obtain/verify all the required information prior to my start day.


texts: Multi-parametric based scheme OR multi-parameter based scheme OR multiple-parametric scheme?

texts:
I am a researcher and have developed a scheme which is based on multiple parameters to work. What should be the grammatically correct title for the scheme among the given.

A multi-parametric based scheme
A multi-parametric scheme
A multi-parameter based scheme

Thanks in anticipation


texts:
What are  the differences between the following sentences? If I wanted to talk about  the beach in general, which would be more appropriate?

  I love playing in beaches
  I love playing in beach.
  I love playing in the beaches.
  I love playing in the beach.


texts: Another expression for "drinking behavior" or "drinking habits"?

texts:
In other words, a member’s drinking behavior is influenced by observing his peers’ drinking behavior.

To avoid repetition of drinking in this sentence, I need either one word for drinking behavior or another expression except for drinking habits.


texts:
In the spirit of:

  You can swim, can't you?
  You should tell the truth, shouldn't you?
  You'd be crazy to miss out, wouldn't you?

Can I say:

  You better study, bettern't you?

It's listed at wiktionary as 'non-standard'.

When would or wouldn't you use this word?
What can I use instead if I'm trying to be a bit more formal?


texts:
This answer on a prior question points out that ligger is defined by UrbanDictionary as:

  Ligger

  An individual who attends parties, openings, social gatherings and events with the sole intention of obtaining free food and drink - an arch blagger.

A similar definition can be found in Wiktionary:

  ligger (plural liggers)

  (slang) A freeloader or hanger-on, especially in the music industry.

  Peaches Geldof may be a top showbiz ligger – but now she’s got a group of her own. – "Peaches gets own band", The Sun, 29 Aug 2006
  The ligger caused a scene when he begged one reveller to find him some gear – and offered sexual favours in return. – "Wicked Whispers", The Mirror, 29 Jan 2005

That is, ligger is apparently British slang for a mooch or freeloader, originally or especially in the music scene.

But while this sense is attested in crowdsourced dictionaries (which lends credibility to its status and usage as slang), I can't seem to find it in any dictionary produced by professional lexicographers (which probably means it's relatively new or relatively unpopular slang). Etymonline comes up dry, too.

In fact, the only clue towards etymology is from the same UD definition:

  Popularised by the NME in the early nineties and possibly with it's entomological¹ roots in the fishing term for "baited line".

The NME is a popular music rag (h/t @Josh61), and while a baited line seems metaphorically apt, and ligger is indeed recorded in professional dictionaries as meaning "baited line", I'm left a bit skeptical because (a) I don't see a lot of opportunity for cross-pollination between anglers and scene kids, and (b) the ligger is the baited line, but liggers are those who pursue the bait. So there is a whiff of folk etymology here.

What are the origins of this freeloading sense of ligger? How widespread is it? Does it still have currency?

¹ I know what you're thinking, but no, there are no bugs in this question's title. We're talking about liggers, not chiggers.


texts: What is a good antonym for "commiserate"?

texts:
The Cambridge Dictionary defines Commiserate:

  to feel or express sympathy for someone’s suffering or unhappiness

In my experience/opinion, it's more than sympathy and implies a joint suffering and is often used ironically.  For instance, a sports fanatic might commiserate a team's loss with a fellow fan.

Using a similar sports example, what might I do with a fellow fan if our team wins?


texts: During what period of history did English use “ß”, the “sharp s” ligature?

texts:
The ß glyph is a lowercase letter than represents a ligature between a long s and a round s, and is still used today in (some versions of) German.  Its uppercase equivalent is two characters instead of one: SS.

It was apparently also once used in just the same way English, but I cannot find just exactly when or where.  Was it used in manuscript only, or in printed books?  During what time period would this have run?  If in print, was it done only in blackletter faces in English, or was it also done in the less German-looking ones?

Somewhat related is the question What animal is a “weefil”?.


texts:
Modern science has given clear evidence that smoking can lead to many diseases.

in this sentence，“that smoking can lead to many diseases” is an Appositive clause,but I wonder if I can say

  Modern science has given clear evidence where（in which） smoking can lead to many diseases.

what is the difference between them？
please help me，thank you.


texts: How does one use the adjectival noun "l'enfant terrible"?

texts:
I have seen this phrase bandied about from time to time, usually in more "academic" works; my problem is that I remember it rarely being applied to children, as a direct translation might imply ("terrible infant"?)  I think I usually just skipped over the meaning when I read it, so I don't know how to use it.  What are connotative elements of this noun that I'm missing?

NOTE: This is an English Language question; I'm not asking about the French, and really have no idea how they use the word — which would be an inappropriate question for this site.   But this phrase does find usage, and I believe has its own distinctive meaning, in English corpora. E.g.:

As always, example sentences would be appreciated.


texts: What do you call someone who needs to be approved, approvee?

texts:
I know:
One who reviews = reviewer
One who undergoes a review = reviewee

I thought:
One who approves = approver
A person seeking someone's approval = approvee

But I found that there is no word like approvee. What is the appropriate word for this meaning?

More specifically, suppose X needs something to be approved and Y is the person who can approve X's things.
Now, Y is approver of X.
X is what of Y?


texts:
Which is the correct form in this sentence: "in" or "on"?

  "I'm sending you the requested permission for using my photographs in/on your project"


texts:
In the earliest grades of elementary schools, students learn that "hisself" and "theirselves" are not words. I do not understand why this is.

If you wanted to refer to 'his' sock, you would say "his sock," not "him sock." Similarly, you would say "their socks," not "them socks."

Why do you not call 'his' self hisself and 'their' selves as theirselves?


texts: What do I call a specialist who performs necropsy of a sacrificed animal during a clinical study?

texts:
I'm translating a text where a description of a clinical study is given in which animals are subjected to necropsy. One of the sentences goes like this:

  If they consider it necessary, the autopsist may take pictures of macroscopic changes reflecting the damage left by the drug.

But is it really autopsist? After all, not autopsy was performed but necropsy. I found almost no results for "necropsist". Are there other options?

The Russian word is патологоанатом, which is basically the same as pathoanatomist - but googling brings up too few results with the word "pathoanatomist", so I wonder if there might be more widely used terms for this.


texts: What is the meaning of some phrases used by Dickens?

texts:
I cannot interpret the following sentence from Dickens' The Haunted House, particularly the bold parts. Can someone help, please?

  If this should meet the eye of the gentleman who favoured me with these disclosures, I trust he will excuse my confessing that the sight of the rising sun, and the contemplation of the magnificent Order of the vast universe, made me impatient of them.


texts: Programmer slang expression for "We'll cross the bridge when we get there"

texts:
What is the software industry word/term/phrase for the saying "We'll cross the bridge when we will get there"?
I need to refer to a feature that can be deferred until its time comes.
For example, YAGNI ("You ain't gonna need it") is used for software features that won't be used, so they would be redundant to code — i.e. don't over-develop a feature.
Similarly, what will be a term for the feature in question? An acronym would be great, but WCBWGT doesn't quite cut it.

Update (adding example to provide more context)
The part 'not wasting any human resource' fits the bill for YAGNI. The context I meant was 'not wasting ... "yet" '
For example: Suppose your objective is to build an autonomous car that can do navigation (sprint 1), speech recognition (sprint 2), image analysis for road bumps (sprint 3) etc During design discussion in sprint 1, if someone wants to resolve or talk for resolution of cameras for image analysis - because that is clearly sprint 3, you would want to tell her "we will cross that bridge when we get there"


texts: Is naming the first person last proper grammar or just proper manners?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  “My friends and I” vs. “My friends and me” vs. “Me and my friends”

I cringe when someone does not follow the rule of naming the first person last:

  Who went to the party?
   - Me, Bobby, Sally, and Joe.

This is surprisingly common in informal spoken American English. I admit have a strong cultural bias against this practice. My native language is Spanish and listeners in informal situations often reply with el burro por delante (the donkey in front) to correct the speaker.

Another post (Which of these sentences use the correct grammar?) partially covers this topic but the answers do not conclude whether it is proper grammar or just proper manners.


texts:
Consider the phrase below:

  He produced almost no news reports this week.

And this another one:

  He produced near to no news reports this week.

Do "almost" and "near to" have the same meaning here? Are they both grammatically correct? Is one more formal and/or more idiomatic than the another?


texts: How to refer to a group of people living in present when writing about the future/past

texts:
I am writing a paper exploring how a particular profession would change in the future. I am wondering how I would refer back to the people in present times who are practicing that profession.

Example:
When talking about future computer scientists, refer back to computer scientists living in the present day.

Simply using "modern day computer scientists", or "present day computer scientists" may be confusing, is there a single word i can use to say this?

Example of usage:
In order to determine the short term goals of [requested word] computer scientists, we can examine how the profession could change over time.


texts: Can I use "impression" to mean the act of impressing others?

texts: Can impression be used to mean the act, process, or phenomenon (in a very transitory sense) of impressing others, like entertainment is used to refer to the activity of entertaining others?


texts: "Best practices for increasing" or "Best practices in increasing"?

texts:
This would be an opportunity to share some of our clients' best practices for increasing ridership.

Should I use for or in? Does the choice of preposition influence the meaning?


texts:
I am trying to get the meaning of the symbol ‡. I saw it a couple of times: as a tattoo in a little boy finger, and on Wikipedia.

How is this symbol called in English?


texts: What's the proper interpretation of: "I was kissed by a girl twice"?

texts:
The other day I experienced two distinct but similar events. I wanted to convey this to a friend and this is what came to mind:
"I was kissed by a girl twice."
My question is, does this sentence say, "I was kissed by the same girl twice," or "I was kissed by two different girls on two separate occasions?"

Similarly, what's the proper interpretation of this sentence:
"He got hit by a bicycle twice yesterday."  (Was he hit by the same bike twice?)


texts: How to properly use brackets and articles when the article is changed by the bracketed word?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  “A/An” preceding a parenthetical statement

I was just posting a question on another Stack Exchange website. And I ran into the following sentence:

  How do I safely reinstall a (audio) driver?

What should the article be, a or an? Should I use brackets to get a(n)?


texts: A word that includes plants and fungi, but not animals

texts: I am working on a project which includes information about plants and fungi. It would be very helpful for me if there a word that means plants-and-fungi, but I'm not sure there is. "Flora" only includes plants, but "biota" includes animals.


texts: What is the difference between "in this year" and "this year"?

texts:
Travis , Tammy, and Shane, from Composition 115, spring semester, were sitting together on a leather bench in the sleekly lit lobby of my apartment building. The three of them had attended the same one-room schoolhouse, and they constituted the majority of their graduating class. Shane was holding a big carton that said "Xerox Paper" on the side. From deep within the box came a murmurous grunting and a sharp, rhythmic pulsing, as if it contained an internal organ. Everyone walking through the lobby looked at the box.
Tammy wore her hair in a high, stiffly sprayed froth of curls. She pushed back some strands and said, "Miss Diana, we just wanted to thank you for how much you've helped us with our thesis statements this year, and correct speech and whatnot, and Travis and Shane thought of this sweet little gift."

The sentences stated above have been chosen from the following link:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/magazine/2004/07/11/the-goddess-of-flowers/f0ca69bf-fb03-47e2-bd6a-460073fbdf52/
If I write "you've helped us with our thesis statements in this year" instead of "you've helped us with our thesis statements this year", what differences in meaning will appear? That is, if I add an extra "in" before "this year", will it be wrong?


texts: English equivalent of the French "Mettre au placard"

texts:
I am looking for an equivalent of the French “mettre au placard”.

It literally translates as “to put in the closet” and describes the fact of assigning no missions to someone on the job without actually firing them. It is often interpreted as a way of punishing them for doing something that cannot be used as a reason to lay off someone (e.g. an employee refusing to maximize corporate profit through shady practices). There is typically no explanation from the employer, so these words convey the idea that the process is somewhat no very honest. This results in an employee showing up to work with no purpose and feeling socially and professionally excluded in the company environment.

I need a word or phrasing that ideally conveys both the malice of the process and the negative personal consequences.


texts: Validity of `[subject] let [verb] [object]`

texts:
I'm writing my statement of purpose for grad school, but used a sentence that I'm not sure is grammatical.

  I inevitably decided on electrical engineering, but never let die my love of language.

I'm a bit confused as to the validity of mechanics of [subject] let [verb] [object]

Is this OK?


texts: "secure" versus "in securing" tense issue

texts:
Okay this one bothers me for some reason.

  "We assisted four municipalities secure funding for public work projects."

or

  "We assisted four municipalities in securing funding for public work projects..."

I know it's a tense issue and the bottom one is grammatically correct, but struggle because the top version "sounds" better to me and the second version sounds busy.


texts: How do I know when a word with "ch" is pronounced hard or softly?

texts:
I'm hard-of-hearing, so when I read, I pronounce things phonetically because I don't hear a lot of soft sounds (like /sh/). To my surprise over the years, I've been continuously corrected on words that have a "ch" sound in them.

For example, "parachute" is pronounced "para shoot" \ˈper-ə-ˌshüt, ˈpa-rə-\ and not "para chewt".

Are there any indicators of when I would use a hard "ch" sound (like in "choose")?


texts: Noun for "things that could be improved"

texts:
Is there a noun meaning "something that could be done to improve x"? If i was inventing one, i might call it "an improvable", but improvable is an existing adjective.

Example: "I can give you some ___ for your project", or "There are a bunch of ___ you should do".


texts: What is the grammatical function of “a Catholic” in “She was raised a Catholic”?

texts:
I was drawn to the following line in New York Times (Feb.25) article:

  “De Blasio, who has said his mother was raised a Catholic but did not
  bring him up in the church.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/26/opinion/dowd-parade-marches-backward.html?hp&rref=opinion&_r=0

Is there difference of meaning among the following?

His mother was raised a Catholic.
His mother was raised as a Catholic.
His mother was raised to be a Catholic.

(I presume most of Japanese learners of English language opt for 2. when speaking or writing in English.)

Is “be raised an X (Catholic / sportsman / pianist/ naughty boy etc.) more common than “be raised as an X” and “be raised to be an X”?

What is the grammatical description of “a Catholic” in 1? Is it simply a predicate?


texts:
I was translating into English when the dictionary gave me a list of synonyms for the translation of one word, and I'm not sure which one to choose.

Which of the following synonyms would native speakers use in this sentence?

  Knowledges of primitive people were very (confined/limited/scanty/bounded/ bordered/restricted or narrow).

For those who doubted that the plural form of knowledge exists:

Google Books reveals 453,000 results for knowledges


texts: Matter of course use of future continuous

texts:
I am unable to fully grasp the matter of course use future continuous.
The explanation says;

we use future continuous to talk about something which will happen, if everything happens as we expect

An example sentence is;

the government will be making an announcement later.

Can someone explain this?


texts: What can I say to tell "both are okay" politely?

texts:
We are going to invite foreign engineers for a workshop in Japan. I would like to ask them whether they prefer to have dinner with us or by themselves.
We will have two opportunities at different places for dinner and are going to ask their opinion by e-mail.

Would you give me advice on the following message? We would like to tell them both are okay politely.

"We can arrange small parties with us at both Tokyo and Osaka. It is also okay for you to have dinner by yourself where you like. Would you please tell me your preferred option?"

Thank you.


texts:
I'd like to to know what type of phrase 'not quite' is.
My English Language teacher says it is a mitigated adverbial phrase, but I have no idea.
I'm pretty sure it is not mitigated, but partly adverbial due to the use of 'quite'.
Please help!


texts: nonsubstantial possessive of a plural - singular or plural?

texts: Which of the following would be more correct - "The individuals in question completed great things over the course of their employment" or "employments"?  We are talking about multiple, unrelated people working for the same organization, but not over the exact same period of time.


texts: Is it improper to refer to a married woman who kept her maiden name as Mrs?

texts:
Jane Smith marries John Doe and keeps her name, and doesn't adopt her husband's.

It seems a good conclusion of this question that it's simplest/best to refer to her as Ms. Smith.

I'm curious if it's improper to refer to her as Mrs. Smith.

My instinct is that "Mrs." implies something like "Smith's wife," but am unsure.

Of course, it'd be ideal to simply find out from her her preferred term of address, but I have in mind the context of addressing a stranger who I happen to know is married and kept her family name.


texts: Word for a single tunnel within a "tunnel complex" or the complex itself

texts:
I would like to differentiate between a tunnel (i.e. the Channel Tunnel) and one of its 'sub'-tunnels.
For example the Channel Tunnel is a 'tunnel complex' consisting of three 'sub'-tunnels - one service tunnel and two main tunnels. So, either a word for the complex (other than the name) or a word for a 'sub'-tunnel would do.

For instance, in Dutch there is the word 'tunnel' to describe the tunnel including all 'sub'-tunnels and the word 'tunnelbuis' to describe a single 'sub'-tunnel. 'Tunnelbuis' can literally be translated to 'tunneltube' or 'tunnelpipe'.

In the Wikipedia article of the Channel Tunnel there is mention of three 'bores'. However, this does not seem to be in widespread use or specifically for a tunnel created with a TBM.

Example sentence:

  The southern _____ of the tunnel is 30cm longer than the northern _____.


texts: "Many lost their life" or "Many lost their lives"

texts:
Many individuals lost their individual life.
or
Many individuals list their individual lives.

Each person has one life right?


texts: Word for kicking the ball far away from opponent's goal in Association Football

texts: When a player is trying to score in Association Football (Soccer in American English) and kicks the ball with too much power and with misdirection, so that it completely misses the goal (typically by going too high), is there an idiomatic word in British English to express that?


texts:
-Nor my friend nor I have seen the film.

-Nor I nor my friend has seen the film.

-My friend hasn't seen the film. Nor have I.

-Neither has my friend seen the film, nor have I.

Are these sentences correct?


texts:
In composing a written response to a comparison that has been made, I've become a bit stumped. In the statement, the latter claims superiority over the former, based upon the self-identified qualities of the claimant as being so, drawing to the inevitable, therefore undeniable conclusion.

Here is the statement/argument:

Less education = religion fanatism, homophobia, violence, manipulation and fear sowing.

More education = secularism, respect for differences, kindness, ethic and morality.

What I am asking for, if it exists, is the name or style identifying this type of tactic/argument/comparison.

I know there are literary terms for such tactics/arguments/comparisons, however I have no idea where, other than here to seek an answer.

Your assistance is appreciated.

ADDED for clarity?

This statement was made during the course of a political conversation, whereby, the person I was discussing this with declared that to be a conservative means that you are likely [less educated, therefore prone towards religious fanaticism, homophobia, violence, manipulation and fear sowing], whereas, if you tend liberal, you are likely [more education, so on, and so on]. I am seeking a descriptor of this kind of argument, for lack of a better term. As in an argument scenario where it is said to be a "straw-man" argument, where you make an assertion, and then draw to a conclusion that misrepresents the opposing persons argument. That is the best I can do to describe what I am seeking.


texts: What is the correct suffix for someone or something from "Bonaire"?

texts: Living on the island of Bonaire, a question has arisen on the correct suffix to be used when describing someone from, or an item pertaining to, the island of Bonaire. Both "Bonairian" and "Bonairean" seem to be in use. Which is correct, and what is the grammar rule that defines it?


texts: Is "walking gingerly" the first usage of "gingerly"? And why did it come about?

texts: I've heard "gingerly" used to describe walking, running, and maybe a few other verbs that I can't think of right now. Was the term first used to describe walking, and why? The meaning doesn't seem obvious if you haven't heard it before.


texts: I've been looking for the synonyms (especially poetic ones) referring to the nouns "tear" and "tear-drop". Unfortunately, there wasn't much for me to find. I've found two, poetic ones - "brine" and "lachryma". Are there some other (poetic or even archaic) synonyms?


texts: Daylight Savings Time - "Saving" or "Savings"?

texts:
The Israeli Ministry of Interior uses the wrong term for DST in their URL:

  http://www.moin.gov.il/Pages/summer-clock.aspx

Summer Clock is a word-for-word translation for the Hebrew Term שעון קיץ, which means Daylight Saving Time.

I would like to send them the right English term, but I'm not sure whether DST is about Daylight Saving Time (singular) or Savings (plural).

Wikipedia's article seem to use both the plural and singular form:

  Daylight saving time (DST) is the practice of advancing clocks during
  summer months by one hour so that evening daylight lasts an hour
  longer, while sacrificing normal sunrise times. Typically, regions
  that use Daylight Savings Time adjust clocks forward one hour close to
  the start of spring and adjust them backward in the autumn to standard
  time

Which form is the right one?


texts: "A positive influence on [the] circulation of blood"

texts:
What is the difference in meaning between the following?

  Habitual physical activity has a positive influence on circulation of blood.
  Habitual physical activity has a positive influence on the circulation of blood.


texts: What is the correct plural for double-barrelled surnames: is it "the Scott Fitzgeralds" or the "Scotts Fitzgerald"?


texts: An adjective for someone who doesn't really care about me

texts: There is a man who projects an attitude of "the things you like are so boring." He isn't really mean about it. He just doesn't care about things that are important to me. What words could I use to describe him?


texts:
Maybe my question is only relevant for my current context.

I'm writing a documentation that shouldn't allow a user (using a calendar) to add an event in/into the past.

So, should it be in or into?


texts: Is it correct to use "for" with "required"?

texts:
I am editing a sentence that is of the form:

  A has required for B to effect a change.

To my ear, this sounds better:

  A has required that B effect a change.

Am I wrong in my dislike of "has required for?"


texts:
I'm fond of old especially folk songs, but as a foreigner I often have troubles interpreting some phrases. Here is one from Wayfaring stranger:

I'm going there to see my father
I'm going there no more to roam
I'm just a-going over Jordan
I'm just a-going over home

Does "going over" here mean "going to", i.e. approaching to some goal? I can't find some dictionary article which can prove this - though I've seen some about "go over to smth" with similar sense.

Or can this be some archaic, or dialect-specific (Appalachian?) usage, but not "normal" for contemporary / everyday language?

Thanks in advance for guiding me!


texts: Gender-neutral pronoun other than singular they?

texts:
I'm looking for a singular, gender-neutral pronoun that can be used when the speaker doesn't know or want to disclose a person's gender. For example, take this sentence:

  He is coming with us.

I've looked for some alternatives on this question, but "they" gives the impression that multiple people are coming along:

  They are coming with us.

"One" doesn't fit in this context, and I'd prefer to avoid using he/she if possible.

Is there a commonly used alternative to singular they?


texts:
When the internet first got kicking, some scholars of democracy and civil society thought that online discussions could create what they called a "conversational democracy”: an ongoing town hall without bricks and mortar.

How to understand "kicking" in the context above? I learned from OED that

  kicking
   adjective
  (informal) full of life and excitement: The club was really kicking last night.

Does it have the same meaning here?


texts: What is the proper suffix to change bildungsroman into an adjective?

texts: In this case I am wondering what suffix would be the best use for bildungsroman when trying to characterize a memoir.


texts: What do you call a person who feels guilty?

texts: I have a character sketch that I have to do for an English class, and the character that I am writing about feels guilty for doing something. What would you call her? Please don't say "a guilty person". She is certainly not guilty of doing anything wrong, she just feels as if the thing that she did was wrong.


texts:
If I want to say "have the same feeling with ..." or "agree with ...", can I use "have resonance with ..."? For example, I knew a friend who doesn't own a cellphone and I found an article saying how great it is not having a cellphone. When I send this article to that friend, can I say "you may have resonance with this article"?

I found some people use this expression, but I'm not sure it is commonly used.


texts: What are the meanings of ' and beyond' in 'beyond' in 'Building forms and beyond'?

texts:
Here is the context:

This chapter covers
Generating HTML with UI component tags
Building forms and beyond
Snazzing it up with templates and themes
Surveying the components


texts:
Past work experience and the current work inspire me to explore further on project management skills.
Does this make sense?


texts: How did 'estate' evolve to mean 'area of land or property'?

texts:
The following are definitions of the word 'estate':

estate {noun} = 1. An area or amount of land or property, in particular
= 3. {archaic or literary} A particular state, period, or condition in life

The following is its etymology given by [Etymonline]:

early 13c., "rank, standing, condition," from Anglo-French astat, Old French estat "state, position, condition, health, status, legal estate" (13c., Modern French « état »), from Latin status "state or condition, position, place; social position of the aristocracy," from PIE root *sta- "to stand" (see stet).
For the excrescent e-, see e-. Sense of "property" is late 14c., from that of "worldly prosperity;" specific application to "landed property" (usually of large extent) is first recorded in American English 1620s.
A native word for this was Middle English ethel (Old English æðel) "ancestral land or estate, patrimony." Meaning "collective assets of a dead person or debtor" is from 1830.

My question: how did definition 3 evolve into 1? Etymonline doesn't explain the bolded terms.
I read but don't quote OED; it's too terse.
Etymonline's reference to the Modern French noun « état » worsens my confusion, because (AFAIK) « état » matches only definition 3 of estate above, and has never embraced definition 1. Does this deficiency relate somehow\ to how Definition 3 jumped to Definition 1?


texts: What is the best way to word a description of a dinner special with options

texts:
My family recently ordered takeout from a local restaurant. My brother, father and I ordered the dinner special. This special included five side dishes, three of which were determined by the restaurant. To complete our order we had to make two decisions, each between two choices. My brother and I understood the way the restaurant worded this, but my father interpreted it differently and insisted they had written the description of the special incorrectly.

Here is the original description:

  All dinners are served with markouk, rice, baba
  ghanooj or hummus, and tabouli or Lebanese
  salad.

To clarify, this was the only description of the dinner besides a list of main course options. The total number of side dishes was not specified anywhere.

After some discussion, here is the potential alternative we came up with:

  All dinners are served with markouk, rice, either baba
  ghanooj or hummus, and either tabouli or Lebanese
  salad.

Is the original description worded incorrectly? Is our alternative correct? If not, what would the correct wording be, keeping in mind that space on the menu is limited.


texts: How to communicate third-party approval to customers?

texts:
Short story

We are running a software company. Today, it's really hard to publish binary files, because of the false positive alarms of antivirus software. By default all executable files that are not recognized are blocked by this software.

After hard work, many antivirus companies approved us. Now our software works for our clients.

The question

We are looking for a way to tell our users that those companies now approve our binaries. It should be in the footer section of our homepage.

We thought about:

Approved By: Symantec, McAfee, ...
Verified By: Symantec, McAfee, ...
Trusted By: Symantec, McAfee, ...
Clean By: Symantec, McAfee, ...

I'm not sure what should be the most accurate and concise way to explain that those antivirus companies found that our software is free from malware, trojans, and viruses.


texts: What kind of word is "place" in "take place"?

texts:
I'm currently analyzing verbs with Stanford CoreNLP and WordNet. I'm interested in particular in verb meanings. I came across sentences like "The scene takes place on the grass." and I found the verb take place in WordNet. However, these sentences don't seem to be discussed anywhere.
It is known that phrasal verbs are formed with particles, prepositions or adverbs. Now, which one is it here?

By the way, Stanford CoreNLP suggests it's a direct object (I guess that's wrong?):


texts: Difference between insignia, crest, emblem, badge

texts: What exactly is the difference between these words. When do you use one, and when the other. Dictionaries aren't too helpful, as they list them as synonyms.


texts:
Related to How did kil get its positive conntations.  Which goes into the origin of "making a killing" and "killed the audience", but not this specific phrase.

Musicians have a particular phrase for doing something very, very well (other individuals use it too, but it seems to crop up with musicians most).

Peculiarly, "killing it" also seems to hold the conntation that it has been done so well, that it is no longer fashionable for anyone else to do a similar performance, becauce it has 'been killed'.  And though I could not find a citation for this, this appears to be implied where I have heard it used in speech.

That point aside, where did this phrase originate from?


texts: "The service is temporarily unavailable" vs. "...not available"

texts:
Is there a difference? Both versions are common.

If there is a difference, which do I use when, and why?


texts: Is either of 'at the same time as you create ...' / 'at the same time that you create ...' unacceptable?

texts:
The following sentence doesn't sound right to me, but I'm not sure whether it's actually wrong:

  If neither approval nor a purchase order is required, you can quickly
  create invoices at the same time AS you create records for the
  vendors.

It seems to me it should say:

  ...you can quickly create invoices at the same time THAT you create
  records for the vendors.