texts:
A girl uploads a picture on Instagram and writes-

  Yay, I am Graduated.

This sounds quite a bit odd to me.

But amongst the following, which one is more natural?

Yay, I graduated today.
Yay, I have graduated today.

situation: I got my graduate degree today and I am calling my friends up to say that I have finally got it.

Is “I have graduated today”, correct?


texts: the meaning of "compensation" in the context

texts:
The following paragraph is from the book "Justice". It is about the 2007-08 financial crisis. The citizens thought the executives of AIG, who caused financial crisis, did not deserve the bonuses. What's the meaning of the word "compensation"in the paragraph? Does it refer to "bonuses"?

  The worst case involved American International Group (AIG), an insurance giant brought to ruin by the risky investments of its financial products unit. Despite having been rescued with massive infusions of government funds (totaling $173 billion), the company paid $165 million in bonuses to executives in the very division that had precipitated the crisis. News of the bonuses set off a firestorm of public protest. This time, the public outrage was about lavish rewards subsidized with taxpayer funds to members of the division that had helped bring the global financial system to near meltdown. Something was wrong with this picture. Although the US government now owned 80 percent of the company, the treasury secretary pleaded in vain with A.I.G.’s government-appointed CEO to rescind the bonuses. The CEO replied, “We cannot attract and retain the best and the brightest talent,” “if employees believe their compensation is subject to continued and arbitrary adjustment by the U.S. Treasury.”


texts:
When the gender of the subject of a sentence is unknown, I sometimes use the feminist she rather than the more common singular they. Now I happen to feel that something is wrong when I use it as subject of a bad/negative action.

In a specific case, I wanted to refer to the OP in a Stackoverflow question. The OP made a stupid mistake; I didn't feel like writing

  she made a stupid mistake

and I went for

  they made a stupid mistake

(I wasn't that rude in a comment, I'm just exaggerating for the sake of this question).

Are my thoughts stupid?

UPDATE

my question was edited; feminist was turned into feminine. However, I meant feminist, since some feminists recommend replacing "gender-neutral he" with "gender-neutral she."


texts: Filling out forms that ask for “relationship with”

texts:
When I fill any form for my son this question “relationship with child” confuses me. Should the answer be “son” or “father”? To me, the ideal answer is always “a father–son relationship”.

A little explanation is appreciated.


texts:
I've got an answer to my comment at Stack Overflow, and I don't get what it means.
I've googled and looked over several dictionaries with no help. Seems like it is some specific slang/phrasal verb, which I cannot find.

zerkms: @OMG Ponies: I have an idea of writing small .net application that formats any sql query accodring to the rules you've thinked of/invented (to get a practice in lexers/parsers). What do you think of this? ;-)
OMG Ponies: @zerkms: Urge to kill... rising... :p


texts: What is the American word for a notebook that students have at school in which they do their homework assignments?  I mean the notebook in which a teacher marks good or bad behavior of a student and which parents have to sign weekly.


texts:
What does the phrase "a window to the world mean"? Is this the correct format of the phrase. How can I use it in a sentence?

(e.g. The plants in this garden provide a window to the world of flora diversity)


texts: How should I distinguish between "can" & "can't" in American English pronunciation?

texts:
As a non-native speaker, I feel that it is ridiculous that can and can't could sound so similar in American accent.

Just now, I was just listening to a video in which the speaker with an American accent says

  Fat cells can't reproduce themselves.

The speaker dragged the word "can't" longer for emphasis, but perhaps as a result, what I heard at first was

  Fat cells can reproduce themselves.

Of course from the context I later figured out what he was really saying, but I felt extremely surprised by how these two words which literally mean the opposite could sound so similar in American accent. How is that not affecting American people's daily conversations? As a non-native speaker, is there a way for me to further clarify them when my listeners are confused? (Like when you say "one-eight" to clarify that you were trying to say "eighteen" as opposed to "eighty".)


texts: What's the usual name for a 'dot' billboard?

texts:
The original luminous billboard (probably the first ever installed was the famous 'zipper' at One-Times-Square) was made of dots, created by light bulbs, like this one, but this is the only one that shows up in an image-google-search, and a general search gives only a few hundred hits.

What is the usual specific name for such type of billboard?


texts: "Don't fix it if it ain't broke" versus "perfect is the enemy of good"

texts:
I was working on my French and while looking to find the best translation for "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", I also came across "perfect is the enemy of good", for which there is a good French translation already (given that the saying actually comes from French! It's by Voltaire).

In any event, would you say the two have exactly the same meaning?  In my view they do; unless the reference to fixing things is not so much about making them better but to keep them from failing.  Of course, idea of perfection may also suggest a fault-finding mind at work, I don't know.  What do you think?

EDIT: Though I can't pick one answer as THE answer that solves this problem, I do like to thank JOSH, Peter Point, BoldBen, Hot Licks, and the new user200930, who've all added something useful, which has helped me gain more clarity.  Thank you.


texts: "You still have got ..." vs "You've still got"

texts:
In a discussion on Hacker News, titled:

  Not on a Social Network? You’ve Still Got a Privacy Problem

somebody commented that it should say:

  Not on a Social Network? You Still Have Got a Privacy Problem

For me personally, the former sounds more readable. Is there a rule about word order here?


texts: Is there a phrase to describe a ready-to-throw-away phone?

texts: I am looking for a phrase that describes a really crappy mobile phone, which has become so dysfunctional that it is ready to be thrown away


texts: I wish you would have died... vs. I wish you had died

texts:
I was watching an episode of the Arrow TV series and I came across the following sentence:

  Tommy (to Oliver): I wish you would have died on that island.

I know Americans tend to use constructions like: "If I would have gone there, I would have lost." etc., and there is literature on that, but what is your take on the sentences bellow?

  I wish you would have died there.

  I wish you had died there.

I cannot find anything on the first structure with wish. Besides grammatical correctness, is there any difference in meaning? There's only this info about the structure, but there is no legitimate source provided:

  Could it be that, when looked at in isolation, they have the same
  meaning, or similar meanings, but a speaker might prefer to use one
  version over the other depending on the context or situation?

  It seems that the first version (with "would") might sometimes be
  preferred by a speaker when they wish to be polite. For instance, when
  talking to their boss or to their own friends.

  A speaker might prefer to use the second version when they want to be
  blunt. For instance, when you are reprimanding someone because they
  should have known better than to have not told you.

  When a speaker wants to be polite, they'll often use versions that
  have more past-tense verb forms in them than would be necessary, and
  have more words with modality in them (e.g. "might", "perhaps",
  "could", "would"), and are longer in sentence length and wordier.

  When a speaker intentionally wants to communicate bluntness, usually
  the shorter versions (less wordy) are preferred.

  Compare the following:

"You should have told me that"
"I wish you had told me that"
"I wish you would have told me that"

  It seems that #1 could be the most blunt of the three, and that #3
  could be the least blunt.

  As to the grammaticality of "I wish you would have told me that",
  usually the grammaticality of a sentence depends on: whether or not
  native English speakers would intentionally say something like that in
  a normal context and expect (all) other native English speakers to
  fully understand them, and that other native English speakers do
  understand them. Roughly that's the meaning of an utterance being
  grammatical in today's standard English.

  Now, as to that specific utterance of yours that is in the title of
  your post, I can accept that many native English speakers will speak
  that intentionally, and that many of those speakers would be
  considered to be well-educated and good speakers of English by many
  fellow native English speakers. And it also sounds okay to my ear. And
  so, it seems to be grammatical to me.

  And since you "hear people say things like this quite often", that is
  more supporting evidence for its grammaticality.

  Aside: On a school test, the teacher probably wants to see the last
  version ("I wish you had told me that") as the answer.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/grammar/comments/3q6xnr/is_it_ungrammatical_to_say_i_wish_you_would_have/

Excess wordiness adds to politeness?

My questions are: Is there any difference in meaning? And if so, could you please provide a reputable source to back up your claims, too?


texts: One word for accepting the punishment or consequence for one's wrong doing

texts: The title is the question and the word starts with a "C". It exactly follows the given definition. I just can't remember the word. Any help is deeply appreciated.


texts:
I was surprised when I heard zero is plural, and even 1.00001 is plural.

Then, what about following numbers ?

(1) 1.00

which means the value measured  between 0.995-1.004, having possibility that it was exactly 1.

(2) 0.99999.....

which is mathematically equal to 1. Also, are others that are mathemattically equal to 1 than this, treated completely same as 1?

(3) -1

Is this singular? Or negative numbers are generally plural?

(4) i = square root of -1

I know it's weird to count things with imaginary numbers, nonetheless, if you were to count, which form, plural or singular, would you be to use?

That's it.


texts: How to describer "Checking with alliances/signed-agreements to see if something is permitted/lawful" in two or three words

texts:
If your boss asks you if we (that is, our company) can do something (like a particular import from a company in another particular country), and you say that we will have to check with the agreements you have signed with our partners.

How can you describer that in the form of noun - something like "Conditions Checking", or "Agreement Checking"?

What would be the correct/appropriate alternative to "Conditions checking", "Agreements Checking"?

What I want to describe in 2 or three words is: CHECKING the written/signed agreements/alliances to see if something is allowed.

EDIT: I am looking for a term for CHECKING the rules to see if we are working in compliance with them.


texts: Analysis of "There is something it is like to be us"

texts:
I found these similar phrases (bolded by me) in an article [1] and am wondering how they can make sense.

  Ordinary human beings are conscious. That is, there is something it
  is like to be us. We have conscious experiences with a subjective
  character: there is something it is like to see, to hear, to feel,
  and to think. [...] More broadly, a complete physical description of a
  system such as a mouse does not appear to tell us what it is like to
  be a mouse, and indeed whether there is anything it is like to be a
  mouse.

Now, the meaning the expression conveys is rather straightforward — it is the formulation I have questions about.

Can anyone explain this? Is the form even grammatically correct?

[1] Chalmers, D. (2010). "The Singularity: A Philosophical Analysis." Journal of Consciousness Studies 17:7-65.


texts:
1.Method responsible to retrieve active offices by country.

2.Method responsible for retrieve active offices by country.

For and To when to use? That's right ?


texts: "Trainer" is to "trainee" as "mentor" is to what?

texts: What do you call someone who is being mentored? Is it mentoree or mentee? Does the term student or pupil imply a context outside the business environment?


texts: What's a positive phrase for "stating the obvious"?

texts:
This is somewhat of a dual to Word for "stating the obvious?", but what would be a good word selection to say that someone's point is obvious in hindsight, but without any sort of negative connotation that the idea is trivial?

  His idea to fund prevention versus treatment is [obvious in hindsight]


texts: I've found a phrase "an additional $30,000 in income" in a government document. Is the article an correct there and why?


texts: using "at your convenience" while asking a question?

texts:
I am writing an email for a professor in a university and asking some question about a program. First, I asked the questions and in the ending paragraph I wrote:

  I would be grateful if you answer my questions at your best convenience.

Does it elevate the overall politeness of the mail or it is incorrect?


texts:
Why do we say

  get hold of
  lose sight of

instead of

  get the hold of
  lose the sight of

The missing article has always bugged me.


texts:
What is the difference between "motor transport" and "motorized transport". The dictionaries do not contain these collocations and relevant explanations.

Are they interchangeable? As I understand, motorized transport and motor transport mean the vehicles fitted with an engine.


texts:
In Wikipedia, specifically at the entry on the Middle English creole hypothesis:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_English_creole_hypothesis

it appears that ‘agnew’ is being listed as being the aristocratic form of ‘lamb meat’, but I cannot find confirmation of that anywhere, including the online dictionary of Merriam-Webster. Can anyone confirm/refute this entry?


texts:
What is the difference between:

a. A tropical area
b. Tropical area

in the following sentences?

Morphological characteristic in a tropical area is available.
Morphological characteristic in tropical area is available.

Do the two sentences have the same meaning with respect to the area?

Does the first one signify a more specific area?


texts: Word or phrase for the poor idea of replacing old with nearly as old

texts:
Someone that I know is trying to replace a very obsolete item which is currently causing problems with one that is itself obsolete, if not as much so.

I am trying to find a word or succinct phrase to describe this, other than plain daft, and how poor an idea it is.

The sort of thing that I am thinking of is "this is like replacing the planned use of a steam car with a Model-T Ford".


texts:
Which of the following is correct?

1.

  What would you do if we found life on Mars?

OR

  What would you do if we find life on Mars?

2.

  He hasn't still find out the secret

OR

  He hasn't still found out the secret

Please give some explanation with answers.


texts: Is there normally a lexicalized loss of phonemic /d/ in the coda of "depends"?

texts:
According to a blog article by Steven Norman under the title “My 100 most mispronounced words in English”, the word depends should be /dɪˈpenz/ when “correctly” pronounced.

Notice he provides for no /d/ between the /n/ and the /z/ there in the coda. Is that normal with this consonant cluster, or has the author left it out by accident?

I ask because the Longman Dictionary of Pronunciation disagrees with such info. Their online version gives the base form of the verb as /dɪˈpend/.  In contrast, the OED disagrees with both of those, giving /dɪˈpɛnd/ as the base form of the verb.

It’s sometimes hard to look up the pronunciations of inflected forms in dictionaries. However, a word that you would imagine would be a perfect rhyme for depends is amends, which Longman Online gives as /əˈmendz/ although the OED gives as /əˈmɛndz/.

Kenyon and Knott show both versions of amends, with /əˈmɛndz/ first and /əˈmɛnz/ second. Merriam-Webster similarly shows the /d/ as optional with \ə-ˈmen(d)z\ (albeit via their idiosyncratic and non-standard in-house notation instead of IPA).

Is this all just a typographical error in the blog post’s rendition where he forgot to have a /d/ there, or is his version the standard pronunciation we should expect to hear and strive to emulate?


texts: When should types of cheese be capitalized?

texts:
Does this recipe call for Cheddar cheese or cheddar cheese? Does pizza have mozzarella or Mozzarella on it? Heck, I'm not even sure if this sandwich contains Swiss cheese or swiss cheese.

Is there a convention here, or is it a matter of taste? Does it depend on whether the word was originally a proper noun ("Cheddar"), a proper adjective ("Swiss"), or something else ("bleu")?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Pluralization rule for “five-year-old children”, “20 pound note”, “10 mile run”

Is it correct to say

  "This is a forty foot drop"

or

  "That is a forty foot telescope"

Shouldn't it be "forty feet"?

And what if it is

  "This is a thirty nine foot drop"

instead?

Are both correct? Does it depend on the context? How does it work?


texts: Antecedent of "size 6”" in "Pig traps, Pressure and Level Control Valves, MOV’s, Shutdown valves, Relief valves, manual valves of size 6” and above"

texts:
As a general guidelines EN10204 3.2 certification is applicable to all process
  wetted parts which include the Corrosion Inhibitor injection skid, Lube Oil
  Pumps, Pig traps, Pressure and Level Control Valves, MOV’s, Shutdown valves,
  Relief valves, manual valves of size 6” and above.

I am confused about whether the 6” and above is applicable to all valves or only the manual valves. What does that phrase qualify?


texts: What is the best term in (global) copywriting: "sticky tape", "tape", "scotch tape" or "sellotape"?

texts:
Perhaps "sticky tape" is childish? Sellotape is British?

It should be general and indicate the transparent, adhesive tape.

Thanks for your input.


texts: "That" - Omitting extra words vs. Grammatically correct

texts:
I've read in several places that it's better to omit "that" in sentences, because it's best to omit extra words. Also in programs like "Grammarly" and "Pro Writing Aid" they recommend removing it for that reason.

But sometimes it feels/sounds like it's not grammatically correct. Are there rules that govern whether one can/should remove it? Is it a matter of style?

"...the plane Bill had folded..." vs. "the plane that Bill had folded..."


texts:
What is the difference between "use" and "utilize"?
Which one is more common?

  utilize : to use something in an effective way

  "The vitamins come in a form that is easily utilized by the body."

It is also possible to use "use" in the example. Right?


texts: What are words that describe "the people" in the same way that "the machine" describes the ruling class?

texts: The powerful ruling class has been described as "the machine", "the man", "patricians", "the establishment", and "big brother". I am looking for similar words to describe the 99%, aka the plebeians (and more specifically the proletariat).


texts: How do you decline nouns borrowed from languages with several categories for declining nouns (or none at all)?

texts:
English has two grammatical categories of number.  One is the singular, and the other is the plural.  Many nouns in English have different singular and plural forms.  When nouns are borrowed from other languages into English, the plural form in the source language comes with it (at least sometimes).  However, not all languages have the same grammatical number categories that English has.  I think that some don't decline at all for number.  Some have more categories, like the dual and the trial[1].  If you import a noun from a language with more categories, do you use any different dual, trial, etc. forms that the noun has in the source language?  What about if you import a noun from a language that doesn't have grammatical number?  Do you decline it for number using English's "default" -s/-es scheme?

This is mostly or entirely contrived (currently, anyway).

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_number#Types_of_number


texts: Why do they use "received" in "received pronunciation" instead of "official pronunciation"?

texts:
I’ve just learned the expression received pronunciation: the official standard queen style or accent!
I'm not native speaker, but why use the word received here instead of standard or officially accepted?
Received is when you receive something physically, like a parcel from a friend and such. Isn’t it?


texts:
Myrmidons were a people in ancient Greece commanded by Achilles, the son of their king, in the Iliad.

In modern English, a "myrmidon" is a henchman; a subordinate tough;  - I think the word is pejorative - but I only think so from dictionaries, I've never heard it in use and don't recall ever seeing it in print except in the Iliad.

SO, why is it a pejorative word in English?  As far as I can tell, no one in the Homer story regards them as anything but fine warriors.

Agamemnon tells Achilles "take your Myrmidons and beat it" right in the beginning - I am wondering if people who had to read that, not knowing what a Myrmidon is, but knowing Agamemnon is speaking insultingly to Achilles, just jumped to the conclusion that Myrmidon was an insult, and the word entered our language that way.


texts:
I am looking for an alternative for "full-fledged".

  Mister X systematised its use and meaning, and developed the notion
  into a full-fledged concept of ...

The context is academic, but not related to zoology. Its a paper about language and semantics, and I do not like the phrase "full-fledged" in those contexts, so I guess I have two questions:

Is this expression ok in this context
Notwithstanding Question #1, are there suitable alternatives?


texts: Antonyms for "extempore" — speak without notes

texts:
I am looking for antonyms for extempore in the context of "to speak extempore", i.e. speak without notes.

I am looking for something better than prepared.


texts: What is the difference between "in order to" and just "to"?

texts:
He invited me to dinner to discuss her future.
  He invited me to dinner in order to discuss her future.

  He impressed his boss to get a promotion.
  He impressed his boss in order to get a promotion.

Is there any difference between each of the sentences in each pair?


texts: Phrases similar to "one man's trash is another man's treasure"

texts:
I'm looking for a similar phrase to: "one man's trash is another man's treasure."

Any help would be appreciated.


texts: Is it acceptable to drop the Jr. suffix in a citation?

texts:
I want to cite a book written by John P. Smith, Jr. Should I write

  see Smith [2009] for details.

or

  see Smith, Jr. [2009] for details.

I think my question boils down to: is his surname "Smith, Jr." or "Smith"?


texts:
This is to ask for the exact meaning of the expression You must be kidding. More precisely, is it supposed to be: (a) friendly, (b) antagonistic, or (c) neither one?

In French the answer to my question for the roughly equivalent expressions Tu plaisantes or Tu rigoles would definitely be (a) but, as we all know, faux-amis do exist.


texts: Searching for a term, foreign derivation but used in English

texts: There's a word of foreign derivation but used in English for a position within an organization created to provide someone favored by that organization a paid position with no real duties. Is anyone familiar with this word? I can't remember it.


texts: Expression implying passivity due to familiarity

texts:
What is the proper term for an expression that implies passivity due to familiarity? As in "Oh that's just old Aunt Kathy"

  "Ah yes, the old 'dog ate my homework' excuse".

Looking for a term to refer to the use of "old" in front of a noun as sort of weathered form of reference... I was thinking "utterance" but was wondering if there was perhaps a more specified or nuanced term.  Thank you


texts: Need another phrase for fit in (as in a group)

texts: What other word or words can be used to replace "fit in"? E.g. "I believe I will fit in with your organization."


texts: Why is there no article before "key" in "key amongst them being ..."?

texts:
Why is there no article before key in the sentence?

There are however pressing challenges for both systems, key amongst them being the need for better IT skills on the part of students and teachers.

Source: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAKegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw1vanGVOuCeK6Iqllk7jLpz


texts: situation where parties do their own thing

texts:
My client has recently been trying to explain his IT team's failure to get a newly-launched system to work properly, which he attributed to insufficient testing. When I asked him why the system hadn't been sufficiently tested, he said another department might have put pressure on the IT guys to get it going before it was tested well enough.

Then he looked for a phrase to say that each department was following their own agenda, and used the name of a famous Russian fable describing how a swan, a crab, and a pike tried to move a wagon, the swan trying to take to the skies, the pike going downstream, and the crab pulling it back.

Here's the question: is there a phrase to describe a situation in which every party involved does their own thing, and their efforts are poorly coordinated?


texts:
There is a proverb in Urdu, "Bacha bola nahi bola nahi muh khola to Amma maro Bawa maro bola".

This could be translated as, the kid never spoke, but when he did, (to his concerned parents shock) he said, may my father die, may my mother die.

Is there any similar proverb in English?


texts: Word for selecting the most appropriate word

texts: What is a word to describe selecting the absolute best word to use in a sentence? This is a problem for writers.


texts:
I love creative writing and especially figurative language. So, very often I dig dictionaries to find the idiomatic uses of words that would potentially 'add spice' in a way I want.
All dictionaries have the feature but it's very limited. However Oxford collocations dictionary is super useful, I guess there must be something more specific.

I'm actually looking for a reference (website, dictionary, etc) that especially includes figurative uses of words/expressions. For example, if my purpose was to imply something it, my implication would be the entry and word/expression would be the outcome. Something like a creative reverse dictionary.
For exampl, the following are my own way of thinking, so I need a dictionary to do this, when I'm lost :)

(imply --------------------------> return)

too much of sth ----------------> (look in the area of water/liquid) be dripping/soaking with sth

not putting much effort -------> (something around the idea of 'rope' might do) slack off

improve/ increase sth ---------> (must be about pushing up, in mechanics let's say) jack up

enjoy ---------------------------> (as if absorbing-- a 'sponge' pops up) soak up


texts: Confused about the comma at the end of a sentence

texts:
Examples:

  We haven't spent much time together(,)
  recently.

  I think you're good at
  dealing with problems. And not only yours—but other’s(,) too.”

I always get confused by this. Should the comma be in those places? Is there any technique to figure out?


texts: Is it possible to use a hyphen in a listing (in a sentence) for abbreviation, even if the compound word consists of two separate words

texts:
I'm currently asking myself if it is possible to use "-" for abbreviation in a listing in a sentence to emphasize the togetherness of the previous words and the word in the end, even if they are two separate words or do not contain a hyphen.

Example:

(...) baby-, owner- and product names.

Background: I would not like to harm the spelling of i.e. "product names" because it is spelled this way in a certain context. However i would like to make it clear that not "babies" or "owner" but "baby names" and "owner names" are meant.

Thank you,


texts: Why is "messenger" the term instead of "messager"?

texts:
Just wondering how we got from message to messenger instead of message to *messager?

When and why did this happen with this word? I'm not really interested in the rule so this isn't a duplicate, more interested in this word specifically.


texts:
The phrase "sell like hot cakes" is a simile for how quick something is selling.  That said, the meaning of "hot cake" is apparently a synonym of pancakes, or before pancakes, corn griddle cake and other varieties.   Dictionary.com lists the date of origin dating back to 1839, where it first appeared.

That said, I'm wonder what's so "hot" about hot cakes?  Was the time period in 1839 a period in which "hot cakes" were all the rage? Is there something about hot cakes that made them so popular that the phrase was coined?

I'm looking for the etymology of such a phrase.


texts:
What does what you're in for mean in following sentence?

  The journey seems intense and, frankly, it often is. It's important that you understand what you're in for, particularly if you go it alone.


texts: What is the difference between “begin” and “start”?

texts:
EDIT: This question didn't help me.

Should I say:

  This is the point where the road begins

or

  This is the point where the road starts

What about the arc endpoints instead? Should I say:

  This rope connects arc's start point and arc's end point

or

  This rope connects arc's beginning point and arc's end point

To my taste, begin works better with roads and start works better with arcs. Is it correct? Is there a reason for it?


texts: I looked at the mirror and saw: "me" or "myself"?

texts:
Which one is right to use in the following sentence?

  I looked at the mirror and saw Me / Myself.


texts:
Someone's told me today that

  I had had already finished

is grammatically correct and it means:

  In the past, I had already finished.

Is this grammatically correct? I feel like past perfect is enough and I've never seen two had followed by yet another verb.


texts: Is there a way to intensify "blooming" in "The flowers are blooming"?

texts: In some languages, for example, in Korean, it is possible to intensify the act of blooming. For example, using the phrase 핍니다 would imply blooming, for example, simply "The flowers are blooming". However, it is possible to intensify this by using the phrase 많이 핍니다 which would mean something like "The flowers are blooming a lot". This however does not sound proper to me. Is there a way to intensify an abstract act like flower blooming (or any other), in English? For this particular example, are "The flowers are blooming a lot" or "The flowers are blooming very beautifully" proper ways to intensify the act of blooming?


texts: What is the difference between "self-imposed" and "self-inflicted"?

texts:
I'm writing something about Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Notes From Underground about how we sometimes revel in suffering. I want to then add

  ... much of which is not only self-inflicted, but also self-imposed.

Meaning that not only do we hurt ourselves, we do it on purpose.

Is that correct? That was my first intuition when writing that sentence, but I'm not confident in that.

What is the difference between self-imposed and self-inflicted?


texts:
My dictionaries and references define, and I've always thought of, one of the functions of the word whatever as a "relative determiner."

In a sentence like, "I will help you in whatever way is possible,"  inserting the relative pronoun "that" between "way" and  "is", or replacing "whatever" with "the" - a pure, non-relative determiner - (I reckon) renders it ungrammatical:

  *I will help you in whatever way that is possible.
  *I will help you in the way is possible.

However, I do often encounter utterances like the first one above, such as:

  My hope and intent is to contribute in whatever way that I can.
  I wish to be of service to the local communities in whatever way that is possible.

where "that" is used, and thus "whatever" can be replaced by "the" without  making the sentences ungrammatical (if they are grammatical to begin with):

  My hope and intent is to contribute in the way that I can.
  I wish to be of service to the local communities in the way that is possible.

Is this usage of "that" with "whatever" wrong, though colloquial?


texts:
A colleague asked whether it was possible to begin a sentence with the word 'Comes', noting that there should, surely, be an 'It' first. Of course standard grammar requires it, as far as I can tell, and leaving out the pronoun makes the sentence sound weird.

On the other hand, I'm sure I've seen it done before, most likely within advertising (which this example is). Is there a decent explanation for why we can omit the pronoun?


texts: Is the meaning of **I'll keep an eye out for it** understood outside of the UK ?

texts:
I sometime write in emails :

I'll keep an eye out for it

OR

I'll keep an eye out for your email

Im in the UK and i think that the majority on english speakers in the UK would understand this, but in other major english speaking countries would this be understood ?


texts: Does question ''What is your father like'' imply information solely about personality properties of the the father in question; or else does it imply as well physical properties of outer appearance in addition to those of personality?


texts: "What he is looking for are books" or "...is books"?

texts:
Which of the following is correct?

What he is looking for are books written by Jane Austin.
What he is looking for is books written by Jane Austin.

Is it are to agree with the object books or is to agree with the subject he?


texts:
My cousin owns an old joke book, of dubious quality, called "Super Jokes and Riddles". It is divided into several catchily-titled sections, mostly based on the subject matter of the jokes (e.g., "Say Ah! Ah! Ah!" for jokes about doctors/medicine; "Silly Dillies" for jokes about pickles [of which there are actually surprisingly many]).

However, one of the sections has a title I can't make sense of. It is called "Smile Awryls". My cousin asked me what "awryls" were and I had no idea; I looked this (presumably plural) word up later and failed to find it in any dictionaries. A Google search for "smile awryls" turns up only one result, which seems to be an eBay review for the aforementioned joke book.

Based on the fact that many of these sections have rhyming or near-rhyming names, I'd say "awryls" is most likely intended to be pronounced uh-RYE-ulz. Also, unlike many other sections, there was no real theme to the jokes in this section, making me guess that a "Smile Awryl" was just a generic name for a joke, something that stirs up a smile among its readers. The word is similar to "awry", but I'm not sure I can find any connection between the two.

Has anyone seen or heard of this word/two-word phrase anywhere else before? Or, better yet, does anyone here own a copy of this joke book (or remember having owned it) and have their own interpretation of the word? Any input would be appreciated.


texts:
In an administration panel, I have a "Subscribe" button, which will send a mail each time a new user registers to the application. What would be a correct way to name the button label?

  Subscribe to new registrations
  Subscribe to registrations
  Subscribe for new registrations
  Registrations subscriptions


texts: Word: an inability to understand a spoken language

texts:
Illiterate is used to describe someone who cannot read.
I am looking for a word to describe someone who cannot understand a spoken language.

  David was [unable to understand French] {People are speaking french around him}

  Jean's friends were laughing about a joke, but David was [unable to understand French] and didn't know what they were laughing about

Not-fluent is the obvious compound, but it is rather inelegant.


texts: Word for sentences that make sense when read backwards?

texts:
Is there a word for sentences that make sense when read normally or backwards (not necessarily by reversing the words)? Example:

  "Are you as bored as I am?"


texts: What's the opposite of "newcomer? Is "veteran" OK?

texts:
Someone who has just come to a new workplace may be called a "newcomer". What about someone who has been at a workplace for a while or a long time?

Does veteran mean this? I looked it up in the dictionary; Collins says "You use veteran to refer to someone who has been involved in a particular activity for a long time."  But I do not quite think this word fits. Are there any other words for this? What about "old people", "old man", "old comer"? Are they OK?


texts: Scientific Writing: Acceptance of "one does"?

texts: Essentially what the title says: Are formulations like "To determine the unknowns one employs the following conditions" acceptable for scientific writing? My professor insists that sentences like this are not only inappropriate for scientific writing but bad style in general. Would you agree? And can you recommend a good reference when it comes to appropriate grammar regarding scientific writing?


texts: Word for combination of strength and agility

texts:
I'm looking for a way to call an attribute for a Pen&Paper RPG.
It's supposed to be derived from "Strength" and "Agilty" and would be used for all kinds of things which usually fall somewhere in between, like swimming, climbing, jumping, etc.
So far, I am stuck with athleticism and I was also wondering whether sportiness might be an option or whether that's usually used for "fairness in sports". But both feel a little unwieldy compared to other attribute names.
Any better suggestions?


texts:
He will not agree to marry her even if they offer him a big flat

He will not agree to marry her even though they offer him a big flat

I'm a new English learner, hence I don't know what i wrote is correct: most of Indian English speakers say that both are used  interchangeably as well as me too , however I wanna know  these word. Please explain to me


texts: What does 'ten of six' mean in regard to time?

texts: I am referring of course to the expression describing time. Today a corporate trainer (From north Philadelphia) that is teaching a class at my company used it in the context that the current time was 'ten of six' (5:50PM), but I have always thought of it as 'ten of six' (6:10PM). Which usage is correct?


texts:
Is a comma needed in this sentence?

  There they search for an identity of their own.


texts: What punctuation should be used to indicate a set of quotes has been rearranged?

texts:
For example, you might have the following paragraph:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America

But in quoting it, to emphasize aspects in a different order, you might write:

"We the People of the United States...do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America" {some-punctuation-here} "in Order to form a more perfect Union"

Is an ellipsis appropriate in this scenario?
Is punctuation even needed (other than quote marks, of course) because the quotations are out-of-sequence?


texts: Is "Spring would already be better" correct in English?

texts:
While a native speaker of English, I feel like my English has been affected by living in Germany for 3 years. English phrasing that used to sound awkward or wrong to me when I first moved to Germany doesn't strike me as different anymore. One example is the use of "already". I remember being surprised and confused about how my German friends used "already" much more frequently and in other contexts than time.

I just remarked "Spring would already be better" to my friend when she said "She can't wait for summer". And then I paused and considered whether the old-pre-German-influence-me would have said it like that.

Would you say it is correct phrasing?


texts:
As far as I know there are two different meanings of the word "reset":

to restore an object/value to a previous/initial state - that's the most widely use of the word;
to set the value/state a second time.

But, is it common to use "reset" with the second meaning? For me it makes more sense to distinguish the two meanings by using "re-set" on the second one. But, does "re-set" even exist?
For example, what would be most acceptable in the following examples?

The thermostat is now set to 20 ºC. You can make it colder or warmer by resetting/re-setting it [to a different value].
"Production stop" works simply by resetting/re-setting the end time [to a different value but not to the default one].


texts: Question about meaning of "Object" in the Declaration of Independence

texts:
Referring to this: "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

What exactly is the "Object" that is referred to here? What exactly is the "Object" that is being pursued?


texts: "it was my dream since childhood" vs "it has been my dream since childhood"

texts:
i am not a native English and have a problem for understanding grammar.
Is the sentence bellow (A), explain that i am no longer have dream/ same dream after childhood? and is there any possibility that my dream is still same?

  (A) it was my dream since childhood

and the sentence bellow (b). explain that my dream is still same since childhood?

  (B) it has been my dream since childhood


texts: What are "coherence" and "cohesion" in text linguistics?

texts:
I am still learning English. My English language professor has given me an assignment on coherence and cohesion. But it seems difficult to me. I've consulted my friend and he told me:

Cohesion and coherence are terms used in discourse analysis and text linguistics to describe the properties of written texts.
A text may be cohesive without necessarily being coherent: Cohesion does not spawn coherence. Cohesion is determined by lexically and grammatically overt intersentential relationships, whereas coherence is based on semantic relationships.

Phew too difficult! Can anyone please explain the meanings, differences and examples of these to me, in simple and easy English?


texts: Superlative: Correct way to use mix "most" and "-est" adjectives/adverbs?

texts:
To create a superlative, when multiple adjectives/adverbs are preceded by most*, but the latter adjective/adverbs should normally be written with the -est suffix, which one of the two following forms is correct/recommended:

  The most incredible and easy path

vs.

  The most incredible and easiest path

Here, easy is meant as easiest, not just easy.


texts: Difference between ''may'' and ''may well''

texts:
What's the difference between may and may well in following sentences? Besides, which sentence says it is more likely to rain?

It may rain.
It may well rain.


texts: Is there a word which describes being unable to see the stars because of the brightness of the moon?

texts: I'm looking for something like "eclipsed" or "occulted", but caused by the brightness of the light rather than by anything solid being in the way.


texts:
Steve will be really disappointed if he _______ get a ticket.

1) doesn't
2) won't

which one is correct?
in my opinion, both answers are fine. :(
but I know I'm wrong Q_q


texts:
What is a 'festival circuit'?

I have been browsing through the internet but the only meaning I have found is that 'festival circuit' is the same as 'festival'.

Any differences between the two?

Possible contexts:

"But then there are other filmmakers who don't take such a sunny approach to the film festival circuit. Certain filmmakers believe that the entrance fees and travel expenses involved with the festival circuit are a waste of resources, particularly regarding larger festivals such as Toronto, SXSW, or Sundance."

"Explore the international festival circuit. Gain exposure for your production, develop new contacts, and obtain recognition by participating in film festivals around the world."


texts: Sentence structure: how to combine the sentence together?

texts:
I was writing this in my paper.

  70 million photos and videos are sent daily on Instagram, while Louvre
  Museum has 300,000 objects [Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010], which is
  merely 0.4% of Instagram in quantity.

But the sentence seems long and the structure is weird. I think I should combine Louvre's object and percentage in one sentence, but I'm not sure how to rephrase it.

Could you please help me rephrase it? Any ideas/suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks a lot.


texts: Should I use 'value' or 'worth' or 'value worth'?

texts:
For example, which one is best phrased:

The current Dollar value of 10 Euro
The current Dollar worth of 10 Euro
The current Dollar value worth of 10 Euro

Or is there a better way to express the above?

Thank you very much!!!


texts:
Was a little surprised I couldn't find a previous question asking about the phrase "Ain't Seen Nothing Yet".  I try to decode its meaning every time I hear the song of the same name by Bachman Turner Overdrive.

If you process each word by itself it seems (to me) that the message is "You have not seen nothing; therefore, you have seen something"; but I don't think this is the intent of the phrase.  Maybe I've over-analyzed this too much?  The addition of "yet" even further complicates things.

Music Lyrics snipplet for the unmusical:

  I met a devil woman
      She took my heart away
      She said, I've had it comin' to me
      But I wanted it that way
      I say that any love is good lovin'
      So I took what I could get mmh, mmh, mmh
      She looked at me with them brown eyes

  And said, You ain't seen nothin' yet
      B-B-B-Baby, you just ain't seen n-n-n-nothin' yet
      Here's something that you're never gonna forget
      B-B-B-Baby, you just ain't seen n-n-n-nothin' yet
      And you're thinkin' you ain't been around, that's right

EDIT: Definitely not looking for lyrics interpretation... this song is the only time I really hear the phrase however and it distracts me every time I hear it.


texts: Is "Peeping Tom" unique in that is has history?

texts: I had discovered that the term "Peeping Tom" comes from the story of Lady Godiva as being the only person who dared look at her as she rode naked through the streets. I then tried to find other words with similar historical significance but I only found defenestration. Defenestration was the term referring to the defenestrations of Prague that sparked two separate wars with two separate defenestrations. I am not sure if defenestration fits what I am looking for but I could not find other words with similar historical significance. Are these words unique?


texts:
How should this sentence be phrased?

Please, do also visit this house.

Please also visit this house.

It seems like that the answer might be dependening on the actual context, however, in that case, which context does each of these sentences belong to?


texts:
I have seen and/or heard the sentence "thank you for the kind words" more than once. The context is usually that the speaker is responding to an appreciative comment in a discussion whose overall purpose is different.  For instance, I once received this response at a doctor's appointment after an appreciative comment of mine.

This sentence tends to sound a little bit trite to my ears--perhaps even dismissive. But judging by the occasions of use, I think it is used when the speaker is grateful for meaningful encouragement. Do others have the same negative reaction I do, or is this an accepted convention that I am misinterpreting due to lack of familiarity? In the former case, what are better ways of expressing the sentiment?


texts:
In the documentation file I am working on right now, I have to inform user about filling some optional and mandatory text fields.

Which verb better describes the "putting some text in the field" - "fill in" or "enter"?
Here are two examples:

In the newly opened Add Currency window (see Picture 4) fill in Name and Short Name fields and put a check mark next to Default currency checkbox (if required).
In the newly opened Add Currency window (see Picture 4) enter Name and Short Name fields and put a check mark next to Default currency checkbox (if required).

Thanks in advance.


texts:
Imagine a technical specification that reads:

  In the text box, enter "O1" (O the letter, not the number zero)

Is there a convention which achieves this explanation more succinctly, or is more immediately clear?


texts: What term is used to define the act of asking for an opinion

texts:
In a blog, we have "Topics"

In stackoverflow, we have "Questions"

What single term do we use if we want to ask for opinions?
(I find the sentence "ask for opinions" to be too long, and I must find single word to replace it, just like Questions & Topics)


texts: What is the role of the single quote sign in Hebrew transliteration?

texts:
What is the role of the single quote sign in transliterations?
I have the following example:

  Malkat Sh'va in Modern Hebrew
  (From Wikipedia Queen of Sheba Article)

What is the ' sign called in this context? And what does it do?

I have already browsed the internet, but couldn't find an explanation. I have even looked into ISO 259-3, but got only confused.


texts:
Is there a difference in grammaticality, meaning, or usage between the following two ways of phrasing the same statement?

  I am sure that I am the appropriate candidate for this position.

– versus

  I am sure that the appropriate candidate for this position is me.


texts: He admitted that it took... Or, He admitted having it

texts:
Consider the following example:

A man wrote a book in 2 days. He admits it.

Should I say:

"He admitted that it took him 2 days to write the book"
"He admitted that it had taken him 2 days to write the book"
"He admitted having it taken 2 days to write the book"


texts:
I have a question regarding this sentence:

  The personalities of project leaders affect their reactions while they face problems in the project.

Do you think that the sentence is grammatically correct and clear?

I'm afraid people will be confused that the word their refers to the personalities of project leaders instead of to the project leaders.

Do you have any suggestions?


texts: Is there a word for two words that refer to something similar but aren't identical?

texts:
The best example I came up with is the following:

Just for the sake of argument, Eastern Orthodox and Catholic; two words which refer to similar religions, but are not identical.

How would that be defined?


texts: What are the limits of using the suffix "-esque"?

texts: I'm seeing this suffix everywhere lately. Of course, there are a number of -esques that are commonly used (i.e. Kafkaesque), but is there some sort of rule for determining who (or what) gets assigned which suffix? For instance, was Orwellian chosen simply because someone decided it sounded better than "Orwellesque"? What about "Kafkanian"? It all seems very willy-nilly.


texts: Is there anything awkward in saying " Prince Charles is now a husband"?

texts:
In my English class today my prof gave us a sentence:

  Prince Charles is now a husband.

He then told us to find out if there is anything wrong with this sentence as our homework.  Undoubtedly, this sentence is grammatically right. The only possible problem is it may not agree with the conventional English use. I think it's maybe because the "now" is a bit out of place, but I'm not sure.  (The only thing I can sense is that if we transform the sentence into " Now Prince Charles is a husband" or " Prince Charles is a husband now"  they'll certainly sound perfect).  I'm not a native speaker.  Can anyone help me about this!  Best regards.


texts: Single word for a person who gets depressed when a certain activity or period comes to an end

texts: I'm a person who gets depressed when a holiday/school year is over. I've been looking for single word that gets the whole point over. If anyone would have any idea for a word that could express the title exactly, I'd be very grateful!


texts: Where does "pop it in the oven" come from?

texts: Where and when did the phrase "pop it in the oven" originate?


texts: I have learnt that "pack" is the verb and "packaging" the noun (for the wrapping). Therefore I think the correct word must be "packing machine" for a machine which packs the product into "packaging" (for example a bagging machine). However in my work I see the word "packaging machine" very often, and this confuses me (English is not my native language).


texts: What is a word or term for extreme questioning?

texts:
Could someone tell me please the word for when someone reports a crime, but under extreme questioning they change their story as they are made to doubt the other persons intentions and relents and changes their story to what the interrogator wants to hear?

There is a particular word or paraphrase which describes the coercive questioning that leads a victim to change their story. I saw it on a crime programme a while back – but I can't remember the phrase used. The show I saw was based on a young lady who was raped whilst at a college party in the USA – she went to the police and they basically said, well were you dragged into the room – NO. Did you go into the room of your own free will – YES. The coercive questioning actually made the girl doubt that she had actually had unconsenting sex in the first place – so she was charged with lying under oath and sent to prison.


texts:
According to Wikipedia, this is a hyperbaton:

  "Whom god wishes to destroy, he first makes mad" — Euripides

Is that right, and if so, why? My native language is Swedish, but I speak English fluently. Anyway, why isn't the following considered hyperbaton too?

  It's not that hard, I suppose.

It's very common in Swedish, which may be the reason why it sounds so natural to me, but still, it's rather common in English too.


texts: When using if I were and if I was--is there a rule of thumb one can rely on? I seem to remember it has something to do with fact and fantasy.


texts: Is the verb plural or singular where the subject is unclear?

texts:
I'm editing this sentence:

  Keep in mind that the judge, and probably a law clerk too, [have/has] read your ?>papers and submissions and [are/is] familiar with the case."

The question is whether the 'have' and 'are' should be singular referring to the judge, or plural because there's reference to the clerk as well. To me, it reads better in the singular since the clerk is added as an aside. Which is correct in this situation?


texts: Why is it “A president,” not “The president” in the sentence, “Voters re-elected a president who promised to fight for ...”?

texts:
The New York Times article (November 9) titled, “The Fiscal Cliff Opener” begins with the following sentence.

  “On Tuesday, voters re-elected a president who promised to fight
  for higher taxes on the wealthy, for more public investment and for
  careful cuts in spending. Three days later, President Obama challenged
  Republicans to extend the Bush tax cuts for the middle class, right
  now, and said he would not accept a deal that does not require the
  wealthy to pay a bigger share.”

I think I learned that we should use “the,” not “a” for the antecedent followed by the relative pronoun i.e. "that clause" in English language class of high school – it was more than 55 years ago for me.

Why is it “A,” not “The” in the sentence, “voters re-elected a president who promised to fight for higher taxes on the wealthy, for more public investment and for careful cuts in spending.”

The article sounds like to me saying U.S. voters happened to re-elect a president out of a lot of presidents who ever promised to fight for higher taxes on the wealthy, for more public investment and for careful cuts in spending as well as President Obama.

I don’t think there were so many U.S. Presidents who actually promised a set of agenda for raising taxes on the wealthy, increasing public investment, and cutting spending, and President Obama was just one of them.


texts: "A lengthy accounting of what took place" vs. "a lengthy account of what took place"

texts: I proof read a letter for a friend today. The body of the letter explained various situations over a 2 day period that made her uneasy. In her closing she wrote "I know this has been a very lengthy accounting of what took place over only two days"  - it doesn’t SOUND right to me, I feel that it should say "a lengthy account of what took place".... I could very well be wrong but just would like to know!  Thanks!


texts: A natural-sounding, colloquial, idiomatic phrase for "in my city"

texts:
Recently, a student of mine said a sentence that I felt was ok grammar-wise, but sounded a bit weird. The sentence was:

  I attend medical conferences in my city

In my native language the expression "in my city" can have both a literal meaning and a slightly idiomatic meaning. In the latter usage,  it means something along the lines of "in my area" or "locally". My question is: are there any idiomatic or colloquial expressions in English that conveys the idea of doing something in someone's city, without sounding too literal and stiff?
Or maybe I'm too picky and "in my city" sounds just fine?


texts:
I am an IT Professional with over 12 years experience in Website Development, IT Management, IT Support and project management.

I have the following strap line on my resume

  A dynamic, creatively thinking and result-oriented IT professional with 11+ years of experience in Web Technologies, IT Administration, IT Support and Database Administration.

In Microsoft Word it always shows a green line (like  underline) indicating a grammatical error, as shown below.

I am not sure how to rephrase it to make it grammatically correct.
Help in this regard is appreciated.


texts: What is the adjective that designates a thing or person that is still missed or mourned?

texts: I am struggling to recall a little-used adjective that would work similarly to a made-up word such as "bemourned," as in as in "our ----- old radio station that went defunct years ago."  Have tried many different search strings in Google, to no avail.  Thanks!


texts: Do subordinating conjunctions subordinate clauses with verbs only?

texts:
While in Rome, John took a lot of pictures.
  While he was in Rome, John took a lot of pictures.
  Although on vacation, John calls the office often.
  Although he is on vacation, John calls the office often.
  Many people have a disinclination to recognize the weakness of their
  analytical skills while willing to admit their lack of computer skills
  or other technical skills.
  Many people have a disinclination to admit fault while recognizing
  that they can’t possibly be in the right all the time.

Both While and Although are subordinating conjunctions, I am confused whether they should be followed by a full clause (with verb) or not.

Which one of the above examples are incorrect? I have seen many "while +ing," modifiers whereas Although must be followed by a clause which has a subject and a verb. Is that correct?

Which subordinating conjunctions (as in ON A WHITE BUS mnemonic) must be followed by a clause with verbs and which ones are more flexible?

Excuse my English - not a native speaker.


texts: Correct way to say 'everywhere in the hotel'

texts:
Recently I wanted to say that Wi-Fi is everywhere in a hotel. First, what came to my mind was "Wi-Fi is in the whole hotel", but it sounded very awkward to me.
My second idea was "Wi-Fi is everywhere in the hotel". I want to know whether the first way is correct and if it sounds awkward, whether the second way is correct, and lastly what is the best way to say this.


texts: What do you call that little area just inside the front door of some houses?

texts:
Some houses have a little rectangular area just inside the front door.  You then walk through that little area to get into the main areas of the house.  This little area is well defined with a wall on either side, with the front door behind you.

What is this little area called and is it considered a room at all?


texts: Should I use a colon or semicolon in a list that doesn't end with "and"?

texts:
Should I use colon or semicolon in the following?

  I liked the atmosphere: the rusty tables, the old wooden walls, the
   Western-style counter.


texts: Is the expression "for all time" correct?

texts:
I'd like to know what's the correct usage of the expression "for all time".
In particular in this sentence: "she cried for all time" (it's about a girl who took a plane and cried during the whole flight).
Thanks a lot for your attention!


texts: Is it acceptable to use plural nouns and mass singular in a list together?

texts:
I was taught that when you form a comma-separated list, they should have the same form (singular or plural).

I encountered the sentence below and I can't tell if it is grammatically correct.

  I understand that all other company policies, handbooks, standard operating procedures, work instructions, and other mandatory documentation that relates to computer system security is available to me. [emphasis added]

It has a list of pluralized nouns (policies, handbooks, etc). This would usually go with the form are. However the item in this list (documentation) is a mass singular noun and would use the form is.

So in the sentence above:

Is the use of is correct?
Can plural nouns and mass singular be used together like this (in other words, sound documentation be changed to documents)?


texts:
I am trying to decide whether the semicolon or em-dash is the more appropriate punctuation mark in this case:

It's not that I don't care -- it's just that I'm busy with other things.

It's not that I don't care; it's just that I'm busy with other things.

I would greatly appreciate it if people would please take the time to clarify which one is more appropriate.


texts: Is there a proper way to refer to the "source" and "destination" of a phrase used in communication?

texts:
The terms topic or subject can be used to describe what a sentence refers to. What are the proper terms for the "source" (the person who is speaking or writing) and "destination" (the person who is listening or reading) when referring to a particular phrase used in communication?

For example, if Ann were to tell Bob: "The sky is blue" What general term would I use to describe Ann or Bob in relation to that sentence?

If they were speaking out loud, I might call Ann the speaker, and Bob the listener. If Ann had written to Bob, I might call Ann the writer and Bob the reader. In both cases, I might also call Bob the audience. Ann could be described as using the sentence to communicate with Bob. The trouble with all of these options is their actual use:

"The source of the sentence" - implies text, not a person
"The sentence speaker" - excludes writing, sounds wrong
"The sentence writer" - excludes speaking
"The person who used the sentence" - too verbose

"The sentence destination" - a tagline for your local jail?
"The sentence listener" - an upcoming Hollywood movie?
"The sentence reader" - excludes listening
"The audience of the sentence" - could imply more than one person, too verbose


texts: Difference between "belong to" and "belong in"

texts:
How would you understand this example?

  I actually belong in his world.


texts: "close to within" vs "close in to within"

texts:
Which sentence is correct in this context?

..."missiles fired by pirates too cowardly to close to within turret range!"
versus
..."missiles fired by pirates too cowardly to close in to within turret range!"

Current complete sentence is:

  If it seems pointless to you to sacrifice the firepower of an entire turret just for limited protection against missiles, you may think differently the next time you find your ship being bombarded by missiles fired by pirates too cowardly to close to within turret range!

Thank you


texts:
I'm looking for certain themes for a project of mine and I would like to use sayings like "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". However, I'm having trouble finding more good examples.

What I'm mainly looking for are short sayings that have popular imagery attached to them, such as the above saying and the three wise monkeys. So the saying should be short and sweet and have an image associated with it.

Is there a specific name for these kinds of sayings?


texts: Differences in uses of efficient and effective

texts:
I am really confused when efficient and effective appear  in a sentence.

I get quite confused about the whole meaning of the sense it pulls of.


texts: How to say something/someone looks funny/silly but in a good not ridiculing way?

texts:
I am looking for a word that captures when something/someone looks funny or silly, but in a positive way.
For example when someone is putting their heart into singing but they aren't very good or their expression looks funny, but overall you can appreciate the positivity of how they must be feeling and watching them makes you feel good as well.

Sample sentence: She looked so _______ while she was singing.
Another example, when you see/overhear a couple or friends doing/talking about things that makes no sense to you as the outsider looking in, but it makes them laugh/happy, so even though it might actually be ridiculous/funny, it's positive for them and for you watching/hearing.

Sample sentence: They looked so _______ whenever they were doing something together.
Endearing and adorable have come to mind but this doesn't really capture the funny/silly part. Any suggestions on a more appropriate word or words?


texts:
What do you call the side of a building that is neither the near side nor the far side?

A friend suggested adjacent. I think that fits, but is there a way to distinguish between adjacent faces of a building when you are closer to one of them, like near adjacent or something similar?

The sentence I currently have is:

  The sounds of conversation brought her attention to the adjacent side of the building where fellow members of the dojo were making their way out towards whatever transportation would bring them home.


texts:
In some older English texts I have stumbled on phrases where the word "that" is used as part of a preposition.  Here are some examples from the KJV Bible:

Deuteronomy 9:4   Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, ...
Acts 25:16   To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

There are numerous examples througout the text.  In each case, the language would be more natural in modern English with the word "that" left out.  And there doesn't seem to be any way to make common sense of the usage of "that" (such as an article or object).  It seems to be an actual part of the preposition.

What is specifically interesting to me is that in learning Spanish, I noticed that prepositions "before" and "after" are almost always followed by the word "de", which can have a similar meaning to the word "that".  So in Spanish you would say "después de ..." or "antes de ...." followed by the phrase.  So these older phrases betray a common pattern that has been lost in English.

Am I correctly interpreting the word "that" as part of the preposition, or is there some other way to dissect these sentences that I'm missing?  Does anyone have any insight to the origin and history of phrases "before/after that" as a singular preposition?


texts: Each question carries 0.5 marks vs Each question carries 0.5 mark

texts: Which one is right and why? Does the answer change if instead of 0.5 we have let say 5.


texts: Use 'Two dollar word' or 'Ten dollar word' or other?

texts:
We commonly use the phrase "two dollar word" in our company, but recently I have seen "ten dollar word" and "four dollar word" being used.

Which is the most common one, and therefore which should we use?


texts: Does the "she was found in violation of..."  "she was violated" equivalence have a name?

texts:
This is a follow-up to this question: Why is "violated" being used as future perfect with a person as the object?

At that question, it was established that there is a jargon/slang usage of the word "violated" within the aviation community that means "found to be in violation of". As in "The pilot will be violated..." means "The pilot will be found in violation of a regulation" in that context.

Does this type of thing have a name?

Are you aware of any other verbs that have been inverted like this? For example, something like this completely made up example: "She was found to be in possession of drugs" meaning the same thing as, "She was possessed", even if only in a slang/non-standard/jargon context?


texts:
I read an article on TechCrunch titled,

  "Gates Foundation Picks Its Moonshots In India To Reinvent Toilets Globally"

The 'Moonshots' is not familiar to me; it is not defined in the dictionary.

What does it mean?


texts: Meaning of "I'm so excited I could crush a grape"

texts:
I read this on a sports website, where a fan is welcoming a new signing in their team.

I assume this means one is really excited, but what is the meaning of "crush a grape" - does it imply opening a bottle of champagne? or some test of physical strength?


texts: The use of "that" in passive voice structure

texts:
For a publishing writing, I need to use "that" in a sentence which structured of passive voice. Is the following correct passive voice sentence  ?
The profiles of the velocity that is applied at the inlet of the channel are provided in Figure 1.
Where, velocity is defined by an equation in the same section.
Please note that: my question about the bold text part in the sentence, and not about "profiles ... are provided" part.


texts: This might be kind of vague, but I was thinking about this the other day. When someone asks "Who are you?", what are they really wanting to know? Is your name really enough to explain who you are? Maybe the answer represents what you think of yourself... or maybe I'm just taking this way too philosophically.


texts: Should personal pronouns always be placed at the end of a list?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  “My friends and I” vs. “My friends and me” vs. “Me and my friends”
  Is naming the first person last proper grammar or just proper manners?
  “Julio and I” vs “I and Julio”

Today I made a post on Facebook in which I copied a conversation from somewhere else.  To preface my post, I wrote:

  A conversation between me and John:

There were a number of comments on my use of pronouns, but the one I am most interested in was on the word order.  One commentator said that the personal pronoun must always come last.  I admit that I was raised to always use the personal pronoun last and simply did not type what I felt was correct, but I honestly don't know whether what I was raised with was correct.  So,

Should you always place the personal pronoun last in a list?  If so, why?


texts:
I am trying to figure out the correct usage of fortune in the following scenario:

I had the great fortune TO begin my investigations...

or

I had the great fortune OF beginning my investigations...


texts: How to simplify this: "can include, but not limited to"

texts:
I am writing a list of props and found myself writing

  ...including, but not limited to...

(and here in context):

  Options for Scary Creatures (can include, but not limited to);

  Mummy
  Vampire
  Frankenstein's Creature
  Goblin
  C'thulu

My question is this: Is there a nicer way to write this phrase. I want to say, "here is a list of scary creatures that you can include, but if you want to use something else, then go for it", but in a nicer way.


texts:
He said: “You are a very stupid man.”
  → He said that I was a very stupid man.

But when we express the past by using the structure "used to" is the shift rule valid as well?

  He used to say: “You are a very stupid man.”
  → He used to say that I was a very stupid man.


texts: What are people, male or female, working in a Brothel, called?

texts: They sure are not called call girls or hookers (absolutely not!). I don't believe "call girls" because these are people working in an establishment, right there, not making calls, not that 'kind'. Prostitute is a general terms for all such people who sell their body for pleasure. Hooker is someone you Meet, I believe. So is there an actual terms for such service people? Gracitas


texts:
How would you paraphrase

"One of the objectives is to make Dubai branch a self-sustaining organization."

to make it sound more professional by avoiding the use of "make".


texts: What is the word and/or process used to describe mashing two words together or inserting phonetic sounds to create new written words?

texts:
The question

Portmanteau seems to apply in cases like:

Phablet - Bigger than a smart phone, smaller than a tablet.
Smog - Smoke and fog.
Vlog - Video and blog.

There must be another word for things that have a more phonetic feel:

Shizzle - recently added to the OED, which sort of feels like sure with fizzle in it?

Or for a word that has one letter replaced by another letter or letters, but where the pronunciation stays the same:

Comix - Web comics?


texts: What is a good word to describe watery eyes?

texts:
Before someone cries, their eyes often appear watery. Is there a good name for that effect?

This was my attempt to describe it so far:

  "My eyes become ________ [glossy] as I hold back my tears."

Is there a better word to be used in place of glossy? The whole "eyes become glossy" part can be reworded to suit the new word.


texts:
I'm a non-native English speaker, so is my friend. We are not literature students but we have our interests in English language and we do speak it to a decent level. He thinks we cannot use the word "craziness" in literature, we have to use craze. I disagreed because I think craziness is a valid word that describes insanity and perfect for using in literature.

After searching several online dictionaries, it seems to me that craze also has the same meaning as craziness, but normally craze is used to describe popularity of something while craziness is used to describe insanity.

Do these words bear the same meaning? Is my assumption about the usage of these two words correct? Is craziness valid for using in literature?

EDIT

Meaning of craze according to dictionary.com


texts:
From Planet 51:

  I never had the right stuff.
  I'm a button pusher, Spam in a can.
  I don't even fly the ship. It's all automatic.
  I only got this far on charm and my rugged good looks.

Is "spam in a can" an idiom? Is it just for space and astronauts etc. or is it a common expression? And what's the exact meaning of it?


texts: Past Simple or Present Perfect: “tried” or “have tried”

texts:
I’ve tried to help you.

The action happened in the past but I don’t say when.

I tried to help you yesterday.

The action happened in the past but I say when.
More Examples:

You can use the account that you’ve already created.

You can use the account that you already created.

I’ve sent you an email. Please check your Inbox.

I sent you an email. Please check your Inbox.

Question

Which is correct and which is not? I’m very confused!
Is there a simple rule to follow?


texts:
I've tried to search whether I should use "outshined" or "outshone".

My spellcheck underlines "outshined", but dictionary.com suggests I can use either.  Which one should it be?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/outshined


texts: When is "-less" used, and when is "-free" used?

texts:
When is the suffix "-less" used, and when is the suffix "-free" used?

My initial assumption was that "-free" is used when the absence of something is good, such as "care-free", and "-less" is used when the absence of something is bad, such as "careless".

But while looking up -less in Wiktionary, I came across words like "blameless" and "cordless". If the above logic were used, it'd be "blame-free" (the word gets some google hits, but nowhere near as many) and "cord-free".

Is there any logic to when "-less" and "-free" is used?


texts:
The paper was a hoax, produced to demonstrate that postmodernist, socially constructed analyses of science were based on ignorance, prejudice and hilariously muddled thinking. Peppered with scientific errors, the paper had been accepted without question because it supported the prevailing political and cultural orthodoxy of the journal and its constituency. It was difficult for even the most rigorous cultural theorist to come up with a defense that had any clear credibility in the science world.

Does

  It was difficult for even the most rigorous cultural theorist to come up with a defense that had any clear credibility in the science world.

mean

  Even for the most skilled scientist it was difficult to scientifically defend this hoax paper"

or does it mean something else?


texts: Term for medication used when the beneficial result cannot be determined to result from the medication

texts:
For example: water treatment tablets. If the water is contaminated and the tablets don't work, the you will get sick. If the water is contaminated and they work correctly, you will feel fine. However, if the water is not contaminated, you will also feel fine. So, if take them and don't get sick, you don't know if it was because of the medication or if the water was actually not contaminated.

Another example would be Cold-fX.

I was looking at the term "placebo", but it clearly doesn't make sense in this context.


texts: as + adjective + as vs as + many + as Rules

texts:
I'm trying to sum up some rules for myself around "as + adjective + as" and "as many/few/little/much as".

This is what I have summed up for myself. Is this correct?

If using a plural noun with "as + adjective + as", the noun must come in the middle.

Example: The jewels are as beautiful as the ocean.

If using a singular noun with "as + adjective + as", then the noun can come at the beginning OR the middle.

Example: The jewel as beautiful as the ocean OR As beautiful a jewel as the ocean.

If using a plural noun with "as many/few/little/much as", then the noun must come in the middle.

Example: There are as many dogs as cats.

If using a singular noun with "as many/few/little/much as", then the noun must come in the middle? This is where I get confused.

Example: A risk as little as one chance in a million.

Can someone help me summarize when to use when? Thank you!


texts: Question concerning Subject-Verb Agrement

texts:
Please consider the following sentences:
He is one of the best players who has played for India.
Can I use a singular verb if I am referring to the "one" of many?
He is one of the best players that have played for India.
Does this sentence mean that I am referring to all the great players who have played?


texts: Is it correct to say “Success Attracts The Best“ ? I mean, is it a must to add a noun after ‘The Best’ and ‘The’ before Success?


texts: Looking for word to describe refillable cards at arcades/casinos

texts:
Those cards that you can pay for and you can refill with money, and at arcades/casinos you simply take the card and swipe and you can play. It's like the alternative for inserting a coin and playing.

What are those called?


texts: Frequency: Every three weeks or more / At least every three weeks / etc

texts:
I would like to express that an action should be done every three weeks, but that longer periods are also acceptable.

Which of the following is the simplest, clearest, and most natural way to express that? And if any of the expressions below are problematic, in what way are they?

Take the pill:

  Every three weeks or more
  At least every three weeks
  Every three or more weeks
  Every three weeks or longer
  Every three weeks or less frequently


texts: Obviously "douchebag" has a literal meaning - however if we see someone wearing sunglasses indoors, we would call them a douchebag.  I'm trying to explain this to a friend.  How do you verbalize this meaning of the word?


texts: Is it widow or widower in a same-sex marriage?

texts:
There are a lot of widow questions here on SE.

My same-sex partner has passed away, and today I referred to myself as a widower.  But it appears in the Collins English Dictionary that a widower is a man whose wife has died and who has not remarried.  It also has a very heavy connotation that I was married to a woman.

Is it exclusively any man who loses a partner is a widower, and any woman (even should she be in a same-sex marriage) who loses a spouse is a widow?  Is there another term more appropriate for me to use?


texts:
Which of the following answer is correct?

Laura was worried. She was not in a ____ area any more. She was lost...
a) common
b) known
c) recognizable
d) intimate

Thanks!


texts: How do I use "still" in a negative sentence?

texts:
I'm having trouble with the use of "still". Which of these is correct?

This area is still not widespread in Latin America.
This area still is not widespread in Latin America.
This area is not widespread in Latin America still.


texts: "Where should I put the question mark (?)(,)" asked RoDaSm(?)

texts:
"Where should I put the question mark(1.?)(,)" asked RoDaSm(2.?)

If I place the question mark at the end of the first clause (1.), I should start the second clause with a capital letter and make it a new sentence, but Asked RoDaSm is not sentence. so I'm left with either of the two options written below. Could someone shed some light on whether the alternatives are correct or considered acceptable usage?

1."Where should I put the question mark?" asked RoDaSm.
2."Where should I put the question mark," asked RoDaSm?

Would the same rule apply for a sentence such as: "What am I'm supposed to do with that," said RoDaSm?


texts: Term for poetic technique in which the last word of a line is the first word of the next

texts:
"Runs in the family" by Amanda Palmer contains the following lyrics:

  Strips in the city and shares all her best tricks with

  Me?

  Well, I'm well

The first word of the bridge, "Me?", is also the last word in the preceding verse. However, unlike with anadiplosis where the word used in both sentences is repeated, here the word is only used once.

This may be a form of enjambment, but it seems slightly different to the examples I've come across. In particular, the three lines are not strictly well formed in conjunction, as the "me" is used both as the start and end of a sentence depending on which pair of sentences it is considered to belong. This is contrary to many examples of enjambment in which each line follows the previous semantically.

Is this difference a meaningful distinction, and if so, does the technique have a name?


texts: What do you call 'underground floors' in AmE and BrE?

texts:
I understand that the word basement means:

  the part of a building that is wholly or partly below ground level

[Merriam-Webster]

But I wonder what American English and British English call 'the first basement floor right below the first floor of a building' and 'the second basement floor beneath the first basement floor'.

Is it all right to call it 'basement one' and 'basement two' in both AmE and BrE?

The most common English translation for what the Chinese call this type of floor is underground floor, or first/second/third/etc. floor underground, as evidenced by this link: http://eng.ichacha.net/underground%20floor.html

Is this terminology also acceptable in colloquial AmE and BrE, or is it more technical in nature?


texts: Is it acceptable to put "at least" at the end of the sentence without a comma?

texts:
When I am using at least at the end of the sentence, is a comma required as below?

  I was trying to practice my skills, at least.

Or is it fine without a comma?

  I was trying to practice my skills at least.

Just so you know, I don't think it is a colloquial usage. But if it is, please tell me, so that I will not make any mistake of using this sentence in formal writing. Thank you.


texts:
onety, twety (two-ty), thirty, fourty, fifty, sixty...

Most of the count is consistently named using 0 through 9 with hundred (ten tens), thousand (hundred tens), etc. -- there are only four exceptions.

I am teaching my son counting. He is confused by the breaks in the pattern for ten (wiki has no explanation for origin) and twenty (two tens per wiki; does not help since twoty also would mean two tens).

Why ten at all, shouldn't it be zero, one-zero, two-zero, three-zero... (that thought runs out at nine-zero). Forgetting repeating zero and instead sticking with named order of magnitudes:

... Zero
One zero, Two zero, Three zero, Four zero... Ten (Ty)
One ten, Two ten, Three ten, Four ten... Hundred

Onety-one, Onety-two, Onety-three, Onety-four... Twoty
Twoty-one, Twoty-two, Twoty-three, Twoty-four... Threety
Threety-one, Threety-two, Threety-three, Threety-four... Fourty
Fourty-one, Fourty-two, Fourty-three, Fourty-four... Fivety

One hundred, Two hundred, Three hundred... Thousand
One thousand, Two thousand, Three thousand... Million

This article goes into more detail on these inconsistencies: "Linguistic influence on mathematical development is specific rather than pervasive: revisiting the Chinese Number Advantage in Chinese and English children" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4341514/

There is a similar question about eleven and twelve as opposed to oneteen and twoteen: Why do eleven and twelve get unique words and not end in "-teen"? They explain the orgin of the words as old german with reference to the position relative to ten; essentially 'first over from ten' and 'second over from ten.' My son was also confused by these but the link above answered this.

A question for the mixed use of 'thir' instead of 'three' in thirteen but four for fourteen: Why is it "thirteen" and not "threeteen"?

A close issue is the shifts in format from order-of-magnitude name + count: Why is there a "one" before "hundred", "thousand", etc. but not "ten"? Which has at times been more consistent: 19th century English texts occasionally use Germanic-style number words, such as "four-and-twenty". When did this fall out of use?

EDIT: I modified the question (removed firsty and seconty) to reflect a better understanding between ordinal and cardinal and misassociation of thirty and fifty to ordinal origins, thank you @rjpond


texts: I’m looking for a phrase that means mission impossible

texts:
I’m trying to rack my head, but I can’t think right now. So I’m asking the reliable interwebs, what is a phrase that means mission impossible.
Insert word or phrase into blank;

  “The Vikings are ____ themselves in a ___ to try to trade the bulk of Kirk Cousins contract.”

Is there a single word for 'mission impossible' that would fill the blank?


texts: What is the name of this rhetorical device involving the use of One. Word. Sentences. For. Effect

texts:
I am trying to find the name for the rather recent, I think, rhetorical device of one-word sentences used for emphasis and effect.

For example:

Columnist Ruth Marcus, writing for the Washington Post, wrote this of Hillary Clinton's speaking fees:

  “You don’t need any more! Just. Stop. Speaking. For. Pay.”

Columnist Michael Barone, writing in the Washington Examiner, wrote this about the chances of a contested Republican convention:

  “I have bad news for those looking forward to a brokered convention. It. Isn’t. Going. To. Happen.”

Final example: Bob asks, "Are you ever going to stop using sentence fragments in your writing?"

Mary responds, "I. Don't. Think. So."

So, in the realm of rhetorical devices . . .

Repetition of a beginning word, phrase, or clause in consecutive sentences = Anaphora.

Insertion of conjunctions between every item in a series = Polysyndeton.

One. Word. Sentences. = ?  ?  ?

Can anyone help?

Footnote for anyone reading. From the related question, in terms of a search for the origin, really the best possibility which came to the fore was: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comic_book_guy. Possibly 1997. But the origin is still totally unclear, unfortunately; CBG could have been referring to something from the 80s, say.


texts: "I don't like all/every X": does it mean I only like some X, or I like no X?

texts:
I don't like all students

Does it mean I like some students or none?

  I don't like every student

Does it mean I like some students or none?

I have always been bothered by these questions, and whenever I use them, no one seems to have an issue. That means, I could have been misunderstood all the time. Can some knowledgeable person shed some light on this?


texts: What is the generic word to specify "rides" in amusement park?

texts:
Is there any common word that can be used for all types of rides in an amusement park?

For example, in theme parks, there are different kind of rides like Swing, roller coaster etc. Calling them "rides" doesn't sound correct (or maybe it is correct). So is there any generic word for them?


texts: Are there grammatical terms that clearly distinguish between words that join clauses and those that join words in a list?

texts:
The grammatical term conjunction is used to identify words that join things together in some kind of relation, but joining clauses is very different than joining words in a list. Are there any terms that make this distinction clear?

  Tom and Judy will walk the dog.

  You choice is between chocolate or vanilla.

In these sentences the words and and or are just joining words in a list, within the same clause.

The term conjunction is used to identify words that join things together in some kind of relation, but joining clauses is very different than joining words in a list.

  Tom will walk the dog in the morning and Judy will walk the dog
  tonight.

  Give me liberty or give me death.


texts:
What's the best word for small kind animals such as earthworms, butterflies and caterpillars but not the bad bugs like flies, mosquitoes and cockroaches?

The word may refer to the bad bugs, but it should sound sweet and kindly, and girls may use it as a nickname.


texts:
In the front matter of some books, before the half-title, on the very first page, is a small excerpt from the book, sometimes slightly edited in relation to the actual content, as a kind of teaser. In a paperback, it's normally on the first recto immediately after the cover.

Does this excerpt have a specific name?


texts: Term for intentional inaccuracies that better convey meaning?

texts:
Is there a term or concept that describes instances where an author/speaker intentionally or knowingly uses wrong spelling/pronunciation/grammar because it better conveys the intended meaning, and is therefore used by the author/speaker in place of the correct spelling/pronunciation/grammar, exclusive of instances of the author simply quoting someone else? (e.g. a character who uses incorrect grammar wouldn't count, since that was (presumably) intended by the author).
Here are some examples I have encountered in the wild (I'm sure there are better ones):
Spelling

If you’re completely new to SQL you might start with this codeacademy tutorial.

This misspelling of codecademy as codeacademy is arguably slightly more readable, especially to those who haven't heard of it before.
Grammar

Waters Edge

This should have a possessive apostrophe, but the name doesn't use one, probably because it becomes less catchy, less easy to write etc.
Pronunciation
I've seen this occur where it makes communication more practical, for example, during a short interaction (especially when at some nexus of travellers all with different accents/pronunciations), if someone mispronounces a word, it is sometimes easier to use their mispronunciation than to risk them not knowing what is meant when the correct pronunciation is used. In this case, the first instance is an unintentional mispronunciation (so it's not relevant to this question), but the second mispronunciation is intentional.
Other notes
I came across this quote from Oscar Wilde's letters to the St. James's Gazette:

Now, as regards grammar, I hold that, in prose at any rate, correctness should always be subordinate to artistic effect and musical cadence; and any peculiarities of syntax that may occur in Dorian Gray are deliberately intended, and are introduced to show the value of the artistic theory in question.

So Wilde appears to say he would have no issues deliberately making grammatical inaccuracies.
Is there a term to describe such instances where intentionally incorrect spelling/pronunciation/grammar are preferred by the author to the correct ones?


texts:
Reading a text I have seen the following:

  A man and two girls he gave a lift to.

But doesn't this mean that I can say "give a lift to"?

What about this:

  I gave my friend a lift.
   I gave a lift to my friend.

Dictionary says "give sb a lift". But then I dont understand the "to" (A man who I gave a lift to - would not work without to?)


texts: What is the word that best describes this?

texts:
I'm looking for a single word to describe a person who:

Labels or has labelled another person with a specific negative label.

&

Uses this label a lot when referring to that person.

Example sentence:

  "Why do you keep calling him that? Stop being a [insert_word]"

  "Don't be too much of a [insert_word]"


texts:
The word sesquicentennial means "150th anniversary". When I first found this out, I thought about the prefix sesqui- and what it could mean.

My first thought was that it meant 6/4 = 1.5, because it seemed that the syllables matched up with "six" and "quart". After deciding that that must be right, I decided to check online. To my surprise, it appears that the prefix literally means "half and".

Was my first revelation a complete coincidence or is there actually a legitimate reason for what I noticed?


texts: Question about distinction between "trellis", "grid", "grating", "mesh", etc. etc

texts:
I have a question denoting the right word for a particular object. In German, we have mainly one word for all the objects denoted by "grid", "trellis", "grating", "mesh", and a few others. So, I find it hard to grasp the distinctions between all these words.
For a paper, I am confused as to which English word might be the proper one we should use to denote the object you can see in the enclosed image. We built it ourselves (if you are wondering, we use it for calibrating cameras).
Any insights will be highly appreciated.
Best regards, Gabriel
PS:
if this is not the appropriate forum, I'd appreciate a pointer to the right one.


texts: Emphasizing the sum was greater or less than expected value

texts:
If some points do not add to an expected value, what is a good way to emphasize the sum was greater than or less than the value?

So, instead of simply stating the fact that The sum was greater than X, but I could say something like The sum is in excess of X. Similarly, I could say The sum is in short of Y for the other case.

However, I feel like they are simpler ways to express these two scenarios. It doesn't necessarily need to use correct mathematical or legal terms. I felt that is short of probably works for this case, but in excess of did not sound like the proper antonym, and it also sounded a bit to verbose. Any suggestions?


texts: Word for unnecessary good while being insufficient?

texts:
Is there a word for something or somebody who fulfils the unnecessary while not fulfilling the necessary ?

Example: Matthew is a handsome thief.

It is good but not necessary that he is handsome, which he is, but it is necessary that is he not a thief, which he is.

Or for example, a car that is water-proof, which is good but unnecessary, while the velocity meter doesn't work, so the car doesn't meet the required demands even though it is water-proof.

Or for example, a product that looks nice (which is not necessary) and doesn't work good enough.

Or for example, a person who is nice or nice-looking (which is not necessary) while being dishonest and thus not fulfilling the necessary requirements while being more than necessary nice.

Update

Now I think that maybe a word for it could be suboptimization while not capturing the notion that you're actually failing the necessary.


texts: Who coined the term "baseball diplomacy" (and when)?

texts:
President Obama's recent visit to Cuba has prompted some news sources to dust off the term "baseball diplomacy" (one example here).

According to a paper I found on the topic,

  "the ... term [baseball diplomacy] was first used in the 1970s to describe specific efforts at using high-profile exhibition baseball games to generate political goodwill between the Washington and Havana governments."

My question(s):

What specific year was the term coined?
Who coined it? (I'm assuming it was either a politician or journalist.)


texts:
Does this sentence have two independent clauses?

  I do not like biology nor do I like chemistry.

To me the last clause seems dependent, but I find sources that tell me to place a comma before nor, thus making it an independent clause. What are your thoughts?


texts:
What's the difference between rules and principles? For example, which one is the better fit in the following context?

  Strict __ govern the clothes we wear.


texts: Can I say "great move" to mean "good job"?

texts:
Can you use the phrase: "great move" instead of the phrase "good job" or vice versa?

Are "good job" and "good work" similar phrases?