texts: An adverb to signify an unknown amount of some quality

texts:
You see a car in the ditch, abandoned after a collision. The car appears to be damaged. You don't know how damaged it is, though.

Would you drive that ____ly damaged car?

In other words, would you drive that car which is damaged to some unknown degree? It might be irreparably damaged, or it  might be superficially damaged, but you are leery because you don't know enough about cars to tell.

Another example. You said something really mean to James. James appeared to be hurt.

My comment left James ___ly hurt.

He might be deeply hurt, or just temporarily hurt; you can't tell because he tends to hide his feelings.

It doesn't have to be a -ly word but I am looking for some kind of word or short phrase to put in the blank. Also, my bad if that's not technically an adverb--I'll edit the title if I'm using the wrong term for that.

The closest I've come is "ambiguously" but it just doesn't have the range or emotional care I want to express. It sounds like I don't care how bad it is, but I do care, and it kind of scares me that I do not know.

Does this word exist or do I just need to reword?


texts: What is the 'counterpart' of unprecedented?

texts:
I'm not looking for the literal antonym. Unprecedented means 'never seen/happened before then', but what is the word for 'never seen/happened since then'?

I have a feeling it might be unrepeated, but that doesn't really sound like an actual word.


texts: what do you call a table that contains counts of items which have 2 characteristic attributes represented by the rows and columns?

texts:
What do we call a table that holds counts? A binning table? Frequency table? Unnormalized probability density table?

What if, instead of a table, it's just a list? And what if the table has more than two dimensions?


texts: Difference between 'taken back' and 'taken aback'

texts:
A sentence is written like this,

In this work of Pankaj Mishra, we are taken back to 18th century Europe where ...
In this work of Pankaj Mishra, we are taken aback to the 18th century Europe where ...

I understand that first one is more natural because 'taken aback' usually points to 'surprise' but the word 'aback' also mean backward. Thus the second construct should be equally natural, at least in this context. Isn't it?


texts: What is the right verb for "knowledge" as in when we know something? Do we form knowledge, acquire knowledge, make knowledge, ...?

texts:
What is the verb we use that describes what we do when we get some new knowledge?

It seems to me that we "acquire/obtain/gain knowledge" but then such verbs have a strong sense of activeness while sometimes we just passively know things.


texts: Whatever happened to "what ever" and whenever did it happen?

texts:
I am curious to know when whatever, whenever, wherever and whoever first started being used as interrogative words. Merriam-Webster, etymonline and dictionary.com offer no hints. Wikipedia doesn't even mention them as interrogatives, completely ignoring the fact that there are countless books titled Whatever happened to X?. TheFreeDictionary.com points out that

  [c]ritics have occasionally objected to the one-word form, but many respected writers have used it

and leaves it at that (well, thanks for nothing).


texts: Is travell still an accepted variant of travel?

texts:
The word travell caught my eye recently.
It seems it's an archaic version of travel.
But is it still in use ?

AmEng traveled/traveling
BrEng travelled/travelling

But both AmEng and BrEng use travel right ?

https://wikidiff.com/travell/travel


texts: Is 'grousily' a word?  I would like to use it in a sentence to mean 'grumpily, as if in imitation of a rumpled grouse' but don't think it's okay because of how I couldn't find it in either OS X's dictionary via Spotlight or on the Internet via Google.


texts: "If you were to ..." or "If you ..." or "If you will ..."

texts:
If you were to go home, you would feel better

versus

If you went home, you would feel better

versus

If you will go home, you will feel better

Are all the above correct? Are there circumstances where one is preferable over the other? Or, are some of them just informal colloquialisms?
Is one form always more preferable than the other? In other words, were I to always use the "If I were to ..." form, would I always be correct?


texts: "Dear Sir or Madam" versus "To whom it may concern"

texts:
When is it appropriate to use the terms Dear Sir or Madam and To whom it may concern?  The rules I was taught state that Dear Sir or Madam should be used when you're writing a letter to a person about something that person has direct involvement in (e.g. returning a defective product to a customer service department).  By the same rules, To whom it may concern would be used for situations in which the recipient is a third party to the topic of the letter (e.g. regarding a letter of reference or recommendation).

Was I taught correctly?  Is the rule actually something else?  Or is this one of those situations where many people have an opinion but there is no real rule?


texts: "Wizards" in software. "A wizard who" or "A wizard that"

texts: Is a wizard in software design animate or inanimate? More of a philosophical question I guess.


texts: Where do accents come from? I am not just talking about American accents

texts: Where do accents come from? If I was speaking with a Mexican person that spoke English, I would not understand them.


texts: Usage and confusion on "geek" and "hipster"

texts:
Within the circle I regularly communicate with the meaning of these words is commonly understood:

Geek - someone with an obsessive interest in one field.
Hipster - someone who ironically apes geek fashion, but is more interested in being cool.

In particular in the UK a hipster always refers to a Nathan Barley type. They even have a song.

Does anyone know (and can provide citations) for when this usage of hipster started?

Online these seem much more confused; I regularly see traits from hipsters applied to geeks. For instance someone described as a geek for wearing an ironic t-shirt, while to me that would make them a hipster (a geek would genuinely be a fan of whatever it was). Occasionally I've seen geek traits applied to hipsters, for instance someone describing a hipster as socially awkward (stereotypically UK hipsters are all about being seen at the right parties).

Is this a US/UK difference to what geek and hipster refer to?

Is the meaning of geek changing over time to refer to hipsters?

Is there a US equivalent to hipster?


texts: Grew up hearing my (partly Scottish) dad say "keep your eyes skunned" (my guess on how skunned is spelled) when looking for places or things as we drove down the road. I know of "eyes peeled". Came across a citation for "eyes skinned" elsewhere. My brothers and I have wondered the skunned origins, as our dad passed a few years ago.


texts:
Why are women called chicks? Is there a negative connotation, I do assume there are sexist undertones there. Any idea about the etymology or origin of the term?

Is it derived, in anyway, from 'chic' meaning elegantly and stylishly fashionable?


texts: I am writing a logline for a story which deals with the global immigration crisis and the Catholic Church's response to it. I think the word response here would have a negative connotation when the story talks about the help the church is giving stranded and helpless migrants.


texts: The origin of Shelock Holmes' "deerstalker"

texts:
A deerstalker is a soft cap, most commonly associated with Sherlock Holmes.

Neither Oxford nor Etymonline lists the word's origin.

Does anyone know when and how this word originated?


texts: What is the word to describe companies that are in the same industry?

texts: I need to use only one word to describe companies that are of the same industry. "Competitors" is not right under this context. Is there a noun that means "of the same industry" or "in the same business"? Thanks!!


texts: Try to do something vs. Try doing something

texts:
Is there any differences between

  Try to do

And

  Try doing

Thank you in advence.


texts:
In Gossip Girl, there’s a line like this:

  Spotted, Lonely Boy going from
  Teacher’s Pet to persona non grata in
  the pitter-patter of a heartbeat.

What’s persona non grata?


texts: Do readers think of the word "ejaculate" beyond its common sexual meaning?

texts:
I am an editor, and a poet whom I work with has included the expression "I ejaculated little prayers" in one of his stanzas, which we all know has the dictionary meaning of "intensely calling out." Since the spiritual act of praying is completely at odds with the sexual act, I know the poet would be absolutely horrified should the reading public immediately think only or primarily of ejaculate's sexual meaning.

My question is will people in general only think of the sexual connotation?

Thank you!


texts: Which English accent works satisfactorily for speech recognition?

texts:
According to “Google iPhone voice-recognition tool baffled by British accents”, mobile phones have trouble recognizing speech.

Which accent (probably US) works satisfactorily?
Are there any resources like videos that demonstrate an accent that works well?


texts:
Is it?

The car was stolen last night.

or

The car has been stolen last night.

Also which of the following endings is correct?

She bought a little cup which had been filled with butter/has been filled with butter/was filled with butter.

My teacher really made the passive voice complicated for me, especially the past perfect and present perfect parts. I'm really confused, I would appreciate some help.


texts:
Will these expressions sound natural (to native English speakers)?

Any better way to say:

1 - A turned on car

2 - A turned off car

3 - An idling car

4 - An idled car

5 - The car is turned off

6 - The car is turned on

7 - Turn on the car

8 - Turn off the car


texts: Should I put a comma after a state before a country?

texts:
Example: Sacramento, CA, USA
I am certain about the comma after the city before the state but what about between the state and the country?


texts:
Hi I'm working on a software project for work that inflects english words into their various derived forms. e.g. work (verb) -> works, working, worked. My main problem at the moment is that I need to standardize some naming conventions or categories for each inflection type in my program, and then funnel scraped data from across the internet into these categories.

For nouns it was fairly easy since there is just plural and possessive (correct me at any point if there is an error).

For adjectives I have base form, superlative, and comparative.

For verbs the situation is more complicated. I have a mood -> tense -> person -> number hierarchy currently that was brought over from the Italian language system. I want to be clear that I do not need a category for every possible combination, and I do not need separate categories for conjugations that use auxiliary verbs, only those which inflect the verb's form. I want a minimum set of categories that will fully describe all possible flexed regular & irregular verb forms. For instance from what I can tell https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/be#Conjugation "be" is the most irregular verb and has 8 different forms, so ideally I'd like to have at most 8 categories.

At the moment, when I say "category" I mean a single combination of multiple "aspects". Sorry if I am using jargon loosely or improperly, I'm learning things as I do research for this project.

So far I have the following jumble of aspects:

Moods: indicative, imperative, subjunctive, infinitive, participle

Tenses: present, past, preterite

Persons: first person, second person, third person

Number: singular, plural

An example of a category might be indicative, present, third person, singular for work -> works.

I do not need to keep this hierarchy, I can use any flat or nested structure necessary. However, I need to know how a standard conjugation table (from wiktionary for example) might map onto it.

Currently I'm most worried about moods and tenses. For instance is the preterite identical to the past form? I understand that it's used to describe a different tense but it seems like the base inflection is the same. Can I get rid of one, and if so which?

The moods were mostly just copied and pasted from Italian. Can I get rid of the imperative? Does it have the same inflection pattern (i.e. none at all) as the infinitive?

Thanks for any replies


texts:
Now, I'm certain they're both grammatically correct, but I'm curious of their usage; 'various of' seems rather archaic (it's used in Politics and the English Language by Orwell, for example). So, I presume it's either an archaic use, or the British use.

Can anyone tell me which?

Context:

  I list below, with notes and examples, various of the tricks by means of which the work of prose-construction is habitually dodged.

From George Orwell's "Politics and the English Language". He uses the word 'various' only twice in this essay, both of which precede the preposition 'of'.


texts: An alternative more formal way to say: "I'll free up time to do something"

texts:
I occasionally am answering emails where employers ask me whether I am interested in applying for a position.

I would like to reply something along the lines: That I am interested and I should soon "carve out" the time to fill out an application.

But this form feels too casual to me as if I am not taking the proposal seriously or too busy to consider it...

So I came up with an alternative form: "I should get around to file the online application soon"  - Is it correct and formal enough expression to be used in an email to a potential employer?

I am not native English speaker and am not sure this is an appropriate answer in this situation. Nevertheless, it sounds that this answer conveys what I want to say in a formal enough way and does not stress too much that I am "too busy" to deal with the application.

Thanks!


texts: Second-Level Conditional and the Subjunctive

texts:
Does the second-level conditional such as, “If I studied harder, I would do better on the test,” derive from the subjunctive? Or does it belong to its own “tense” (or perhaps “mood”) in the English language?

Thank you!


texts:
I was reading this Reddit post's comments: 'I am the guy with two penises. AMA' (NSFW), and came upon this discussion (of sorts), where the plural of "penis" has been suggested to be either: "penises", "penii", or "penes".

I looked it up and Wiktionary states  that "The hyperforeign Latinate penii is occasionally used as the plural in modern English."

Is "penii" or "penes" also correct in other contexts (medical or scientific, perhaps)? What are the correct plural forms of "penis"?


texts:
So, if teaching is the insertion of knowledge from one person to another, then the opposite of that is the extraction of that knowledge.

So for e.g, if I was to read up on the history of the slave trade, then to 'unteach me', you'd have to employ some sort of technique to eliminate that specific piece of information. You can think of it in the same as deleting data from a computer, to draw upon an analogy (well... I guess some would see little distinction)


texts: Non-offensive version of the word "mongol"?

texts: I want to describe a person or group of thugs who cause damage without concern for science or culture.  I had written down "mongol behavior", in reference to the Mongol invasion.  Is there an all-culture-friendly word to express a similar concept?


texts:
Is it wrong to say "cook a cake"?
Is it wrong to say "to cook a cake"?


texts: "Cislunar" for arbitrary planetary systems?

texts:
It appears the term cislunar specifically refers to the space between Earth and the Moon's orbit.

Is there a generic term to describe the space between any planet and the orbits of its natural satellites, or between any body and its satellites? For example, one that could equally describe the space between Mars and Deimos (thus including Phobos' orbit), or the space within the Jovian system, or indeed the Earth/Moon system?

Or can cislunar be used in this way? I tried looking for it but it doesn't seem to appear much in other contexts.


texts: Is that right to say "For the first time we show..."

texts: In a PhD thesis, I would like to express that I am the first one who has proved the result. Is it right to say "For the first time we show..."?


texts: A word for knowing the truth but not wanting to believe it

texts: What is the word for someone who knows someone else is lying but accepts it


texts: SWR surname that in fact describes or applies to the human in question?

texts:
There are (in real life) many amazing examples of this (Bill Gates, "gates" being the fundament of computers, Tiger "Woods", the greatest ever user of "woods" golf-clubs, etc) and it is a staple of fiction.

Is there a single-word for this, or a frequently-used term?

Note that in fictional usage, I observe there is literal "X", so, for example I just saw a children's movie where "Madame Work" was a taskmaster. However, authors often employ near-literal "X": for example, most of the minor character surnames in Harry Potter are 'kind of" "X".

So, is there an "X" for Bill "Gates", Tiger "Woods", an undertaken named Mr. Death, etc?  Sorry if this has been asked already, I couldn't find it.

Note - I've just found there's a "wikipedia" page claiming 'aptonym' or 'euonym' is sometimes used.  Wikipedia is often valueless, so I do not know if this is a meaningful claim.


texts: What is the definition of abstract nouns?

texts: How do you define the word 'abstract' in 'abstract noun'? Why are 'whiteness', 'laughter', 'arrival' abstract nouns?


texts: Is there a word or phrase that means 'works but not for the reason we expect it to'?

texts:
I'm looking for a word or phrase that means that something works or functions, but not for the reason that people think or claim it works.

Examples

John went outside in the rain with an opened umbrella above his head, thinking that pointing a stick at the heavens would let the gods know that he respects them and have them protect him from getting wet.
Homeopathy: People believe that like cures like - that a dilute version of an irritant could cure the irritation. It works, but not for that reason: it's just a well-administered placebo, and placebos are remarkably effective.

Related concept:

Cargo cult: I'm looking for a word / phrase / idiom that could describe what would happen if a cargo cult actually achieved what the participants set out to achieve.

Example sentence:

As requested, this is an example sentence which would show the use of the concept as a single word (please note that I'm also looking for phrases that would be suitable, so this is just per the requirements of the 'single-word-requests' tag.

  John went outside in the rain with an opened umbrella above his head,
  thinking that pointing a stick at the heavens would let the gods know
  that he respects them and have them protect him from getting wet.
  However, this was merely a __________, because it was actually the
  fabric of the umbrella that protected him from the downpour.


texts:
Have I correctly used comma in the following sentences?

However, he soon realized he was short of money, even though he had sold his car to pay his debts.
He was sent to Court, and the court ordered imprisonment up to six months.
Tomorrow, we will look again into your case.
The judge pronounced the new sentence by saying, “The Court had
decided to cancel the sentence. Though, the father will be under
surveillance.”


texts: "become a President" or "become President"

texts:
If he had not been a film star, he would not have become President.

In my opinion, "a President" is correct. Examples:

  "My dream is to be a teacher"
  "My dream is to be a President"

Which is correct usage? President or a President?


texts: Indian English . Meaning of the sentence

texts: The man card goes quack. What is the meaning of this with reference to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump ?


texts: What's a word for something half-submerged?

texts: I'd like to briefly describe a number of large objects that are half-submerged in a swamp, and nothing quite fits so far. Just "sunken" or the like might work in a pinch, but I thought I'd ask in case someone knows a word that quickly communicates that the objects are also clearly visible above the water.


texts:
What punctuation should I use here?

  Hester needs to be more grateful and focus on: her baby, Pearl; and her sewing.


texts:
Is there difference between "should never have" and "should not have". For example:
I should not have done what I did.
I should never have done what I did.


texts: Distinguishing Australian, English, South African accents

texts:
I have attended courses in English over many years, and as most of my English teachers have an Algerian accent, I have always wondered about the question of accents.

I can distinguish an American accent because of the movies I've seen, but I can't distinguish between British, Australian and South African accents as they sound the same to my ear.

Even on social media I can only get in touch with non-English speakers that have foreign accents.

Q: How can I identify whether my interlocutor has an Australian, English or South African accent?


texts: What's the idiom for "It ought to be like that but it isn't" (It would be nice if it was like this, but it isn't)

texts:
In my native language there is an expression that means "Things ought to be like this, but unfortunately they aren't"...  This implies that you just should accept life as it is and toughen up.

Normally most expressions translate well and become a "wow-very-original-English-idiom" but this one just doesn't mean anything when translated in English...

So: what would be a correct idiom? (as googling didn't help much)


texts: Why does common usage of "random" feel so incorrect?

texts:
I am bothered by the modern usage of the term "random", and am wondering if "it's just me" or if there is a reason for my being discomfited.
Take for instance, this lovely bit:

The column and table names are random.

Or, perhaps, in the colloquial sense, when talking about a post on Facebook, etc.:

That's so random.

To me, random indicates something that occurs completely by chance.  A post on Facebook and indeed the names of columns and tables, can hardly be "random" since they have been chosen consciously.
Am I right, or just too "old skool" for my own good?


texts: Word or phrase to describe someone who learns from another’s experiences

texts:
Context: I'm 22 years old, I am very bright in a logical way, my whole life growing up my parents struggled a lot, and I took that all in. I took in their worries and knowledge and now exercise it as if they were my own, but every time I meet someone new and we begin talking, they often take my intelligence for granted and rant on about stereotypical young adult mistakes. Like not knowing how to manage their finances, partying late with strangers, eating healthy, and even common sense things. They ridicule comments by saying things like, "Oh, now that you are paying bills someones conscious of turning off the lights!", "You have to save money not blow it all!" things like this despite being enrolled in a matched 401(K) with my job, having two separate checking accounts on direct deposit with mainstream banks(free spending and bills) and a separate credit union with no card for direct savings.

I want a word/phrase that isn't just "smart/bright/intelligent". "I'm smart, I know this." because all children say this.


texts: How should I refer to 'people' that propose a proposal?

texts:
I received a proposal for a project.

When addressing the authors of said proposal, how should I refer to them?

Should I say:

As argued by the proponents ...

I don't want to use the word authors, since it may not be appropriate as they may not be the original authors of said proposal.

Edit: Forgot to add that this takes place in a formal scenario.


texts: Is ‘then’ of ‘now and then’ past or future?

texts:
Then is commonly used for things happened in both the past and future.

In the common phrase now and then, is then in the past or the future? Could anyone help?


texts: What is another name for a storage closet?

texts:
The room in question is carpeted, has bare wooden shelves, and is located within a suite on the second floor of an office complex. It is referred to as a 'shed'.  If it were outside as a roofed, stand-alone structure, it would definitely qualify as a shed but in this instance it doesn't seem accurate.

What are some alternative terms for a walk-in closet/room that stores supplies (including scientific instruments, batteries, yard tools,storage containers, etc.,)?


texts:
Is this phrase grammatically correct?

  Is you is or is you ain't my baby?

It's from a Tom and Jerry cartoon: http://vimeo.com/40283242 (at 1:30, 2:00 and 3:00).


texts: I can't quite understand when it is correct to say "in" or "to" while speaking about location and destination. What is the difference between "We had a trip to Romania" and "we had a trip in Romania"? I always feel that the right way is "to", but I see a lot of people using the "in" version and it gets me puzzled every time. Can anyone explain that to me? Thanks!


texts: Word that means "Something only a philosopher would argue with"

texts:
I remember reading (apparently not on the internet) a lighthearted definition of the word I want to use. This noun means a kind of quibble that is so trivial that only a metaphysician or similar flibbitigibit would point it out. To all normal people the matter is resolved.

Can anyone help me get this word off the tip of my tongue and into electronic ink?

I think it begins with the letter "p" and has at least three syllables.


texts: Words where "not [word]" means more than a lack of

texts:
Sorry for the poor title.

Is there a name/category of words with the property that using "not" before them does not give a standard negation in a way similar to the given examples?

The two examples, which will help me make this question clear, are "recommended" and "supposed."

In both of these cases, "not recommended" seems to mean "recommended to not," while "not supposed" seems to mean "supposed to not."

To demonstrate:

"He did not jump across the pond."

What did he do? Well, whatever he did, it did not involve jumping across the pond.

"My professor did not recommend that I take both classes at once."
This reads (to me) as though the professor gave positive advice against taking both classes. If "not recommended" meant a simple lack of recommendation, then this sentence would apply if I didn't speak to my professor, or if we simply had lunch together without discussing my classes.

If I say "we are not supposed to wear button up shirts to work", it reads as though it is against policy to wear button up shirts ("supposed to not") while if "not supposed" simply meant a lack of supposition, then this statement would be true as long as other types of shirts are allowed.

Are there other examples of this? Am I being clear?

Thank you.


texts: when should "to" be preposition or be part of infinitive?

texts:
When "to" is a preposition:
I look forward to receiving your letter.
When "to" is part of the infinitive:
I expect you to come over.
My question is, how could I know whether "to" is a preposition or part of an infinitive? Is there any rule behind?


texts: Whats the person called who updates war maps

texts:
If you picture in any war movie, you'll have three or four people standing around moving components on a war map. What are those people called? Cartographers, Mapmakers, or Map operators?

“And where is that Blood ridge you mentioned?” Seamus asked.  “There,”
the monk said pointing a chubby finger at a spot on the map 100 yards
behind Boru's encampment.  “Lugaid, I think we found our new
mapmaker.”

Cartographers?
Mapmakers?
Map operators?


texts:
English is not my first language, so I'm finding it weird to understand a particular usage for the word 'Preside'.

I'm creating an Programme Schedule for an event and I need to add a line that indicates Mr X is going to preside over the event. The rest of the schedule is like so:

  Address by Mr. ABC,
  Inauguration by Mr. EFG
  ----------- by Mr. X

I'm just not sure how to frame the sentence here. Do I write

  Presiding over by Mr. X?
  _____ion by Mr. X (I don't know if Preside has a ion form)

or something else?


texts: How do I say "what technologies should be *used* in a project"?

texts:
Hey, I'd need a synonym for used in this phrase, because the meaning is from the "long term" point of view, something like:

  What technologies should be employed in a project for it to succeed in following 10 years?

If I use used it seems like we take advantage of this technology right know; that's not the meaning I need.

I'm using this kind of sentence very often in a documentation and I need a substitution for often.

Regards.


texts: What does (s.d.) stand for in literature cited section of a paper

texts:
I think s.d. is some reference to a date. I know that n.d. means "no date".
Here are the complete citations I encountered:

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. "Asian Carp in Tennessee Information and Images." (s.d.): tn.gov/twra/wildlife/fish/asian-carp.html. United States Geological Survey.
"Are Asian Carp Dangerous?" U.S. Department of Interior (s.d.) usgs.gov/faqs/….

These citations are in a report by the Howard Baker Center.
My staff attorney says it may be Latin for sine die which means "without a date".


texts: Word meaning "the act of intending to do nothing"

texts:
As I am a person who frequently intends to do nothing (or at any rate as little as possible), I wondered if there was a word meaning "the act of intending to do nothing".

I had the impression that floccinaucinihilipilification meant this, but sadly it turns out not to be so.


texts: Hard work is "washed away" - Correct word?

texts:
I want to tell my boss that -

"My hard work is always washed away by client's repetitive changes. Other employees' hard work is visible to you, but not mine. So everyone here got increment in the last 7 months but not me."

What is the correct word which can replace washed away and  please correct me if there is any better way to express the above point.


texts: Which pronoun should I use when writing about a generic activity in a thesis?

texts:
I'm writing my Bachelor's thesis where I describe students' activities in a dormitory.

  A student produces with a valid ID or passport here and hands in an ID
  card photo. In case he/she has a reserved room, there is prepared a
  printed dormitory agreement.

Should I use only plural in the whole document or is singular form also applicable?


texts:
Imagine you are working on a formal research paper (several authors). At the time of making an asumption, what would be more correct:

  Let us suppose that...
  Let's suppose/assume that...

The latter sounds better and more natural to me, but I want to make sure.


texts: Distinguishing /f–t–θ/ in th-fronting and th-stopping dialects

texts:
In standard English, the digraph th is a dental fricative [θ, ð]. Several dialects feature th-fronting, where th becomes a labiodental fricative [f, v]; others feature th-stopping, where th becomes a dental stop [t̪, d̪]. For example, three sounds like free with th-fronting, tree with th-stopping.

How well can English speakers distinguish word pairs in these dialects? Specifically:

Can th-modifying speakers distinguish /f–θ/ and /t–θ/ in their own dialects?
Can they distinguish minimal pairs as spoken in standard English?
Can standard English speakers distinguish the th-modified variants from similar words?

I expect that the answers vary between dialects and individuals, so I'm interested in reasonable generalizations. If there's a significant difference between (for example) th-fronting in Cockney and African American Vernacular English, I'd be interested in that too. Likewise if there's a significant difference between the voiced and unvoiced consonants.

Wikipedia notes that th-stopping dialects generally distinguish between the dental stop of thanks [t̪æŋks] and the alveolar stop of tanks [tæŋks], but they lose the /t–θ/ opposition in some cases like tree/three, and the /d–ð/ opposition is even weaker. This answers part of the question for th-stopping dialects: They can sometimes (but not not always) distinguish /t–θ/ in their own dialect, and I imagine they can also hear the opposition in standard English. I'm not sure whether a typical speaker of standard English could distinguish [t̪æŋks] from [tæŋks], however.

One case that particularly interests me is whether th-fronting speakers can distinguish the /f–θ/ opposition in standard English. When I say the minimal pair free–three /fɹi–θɹi/, can th-fronting speakers hear the difference, or is [f–θ] an allophone in free variation for them?

Examples of standard English minimal pairs that might merge in these dialects:

father/fava, mother/mutter
thin/fin, thin/tin
three/free, three/tree
with/whiff, with/wit
wraith/Ralph, wraith/rate


texts: What would be an equivalent meaning expression?

texts:
There is a saying in portuguese:

  Pare de guardar gelo no bolso!

Something like "Stop keeping ice in your pocket", meaning that you should stop doing something that is useless.

Is there an expression with this meaning in English language?


texts:
Browsing the web, I came across this image of the cast of the television show Community using a type of structure familiar to me, and I wondered if there's a name for it.

The most familiar instance is likely "See you later, alligator." And because it brings to memory the similar "In a while, crocodile,"
I found a phrase that loosely encapsulated these with the Wikipage for Parting Phrases.

Then I remembered other examples from the musical number Telephone Hour in the 1963 film Bye Bye Birdie, in which teenyboppers greet each other on the phone with phrases like

What's the story, morning glory?
What's [the] tale, nightingale?
...
What's the word, humming bird?

And I've found several pages of lesser-known but valid examples of what I wish to describe, some examples being "So long, King [Donkey?] Kong" and "Mañana, iguana." So I was tempted to label this question "Term for '[Salutation], [Rhyming Organism]'."

Now I wanted the term also to include the quotes from Community, most of which (an example being "You're on your own, Al Capone") are preceded by a phrase that is not a salutation. But growing up we had a book called "See You Later, Alligator"; it contained the alligator and crocodile phrases, but it also had ones that were something like "See you on the veranda, panda" and "See you in pajamas, llamas." Because these opening phrases are not idioms or figures-of-speech, my ideal term does not include them.

And even organism may not quite capture the terminal phrase, as shown in Jeebs' example using a title in 2002's Men in Black II: "Let's make it happen, cap'n." So I have generalized it to rhyme.

The idiom restriction aside, I suspect there may be a term like iambic pentameter or Oom-Pah-Pah to describe the rhythm these phrases make when spoken. I am open to suggestions like these but my preference lies with terms more like antimetabole, a word I recently learned from ELU which focuses more on the structure or composition of the phrase than on its sound.

Is there a word or phrase that precisely describes expressions of the form "[Idiom], [Rhyming Phrase]"?


texts: Meaning and Usage of "comma" and "claimed"

texts:
Subject to the other provisions of this Act, the State Commission shall have jurisdiction—
(a) to entertain—
(i) complaints where the value of the goods or services and compensation, if any, claimed
exceeds rupees twenty lakhs but does not exceed rupees one crore;
The above is an excerpt from an enactment (The Consumer Protection Act, 1986) of India.  Is the expression, "claimed" applicable to "value of goods or services and compensation, if any," or only to "compensation, if any,"?
My question, rephrased, using some numbers: Assuming "Value of goods or services" is 70 lakhs, "Value of goods or services claimed is 25 lakhs" and "compensation claimed is 5 lakhs", would it mean 25 + 5 lakhs or 70 + 5 lakhs?
Note 1: one crore = 100 lakhs.
Note 2: This is more a question in English usage and its meaning than interpretation of a legal provision but I tagged it as 'legalese' because the source of the text is from an enactment.


texts: What is the grammatical designation of "that" in "...that she may have..."?

texts:
The following sentence is the Modern English translation of a line from the Old English poem Judith:

  He (God) advanced a gracious favour to her, that she may have a steadfast faith.

My question isn’t really about the Old English. The conjunction that introduces a sense purpose like so that.

My question: what do we call this that (without the so), which presents a purpose?


texts: How to refer to "streetlights" that are in parks and skating rinks?

texts:
I'm writing a novel, and the story is set in a roller rink. Similar to the one below:

How to refer to the "streetlights" in the background?

Disclaimer: I'm not  native English speaker.

(I would also like to know if the one in the picture is actually a skating rink).


texts: Would you be flattered or offended if you were said to have 'purred'?

texts:
David Cameron was overheard by microphones saying that 'the Queen purred' when he gave her the result of the Scottish Referendum vote.

This is surely not literal, but a figurative use of purr.

I did notice that Oxford Dictionaries records a meaning 'speak in a low, soft voice, especially when expressing contentment...'.

But that is not the same as 'purring', the early 17th century origin of which word was imitative of the contented sound a cat makes.

Would people be pleased or offended at having been said to have made a sound usually reserved for cats?


texts: Looking for an adjective that describes a tool part that is subject to wear and tear, and is requires replacement over time

texts: I see a question virtually identical to mine that has been active for 3 yrs, and 3 mos., and may be closed, but received no satisfactory answer.  Here is the situation: Someone submitting an expense report for these types of items such as replaceable knife blades, hacksaw blades, drill bits, replaceable screw driver bits, and the like, and needs to describe them with a one word adjective.  Some of the answers get close (disposable, consumable, perishable), but none specifically addresses the wear and tear component. I'm sure such a word exists in other languages, but I have yet to see a satisfactory one in English.


texts:
Yesterday, I talked with Emma. I said:

  ‘‘Those indulging in the social media often live up to the needs of their followers on the social media but neglect their real families.’’

However, Emma thought "their real families" should be changed into "their families in reality" because she believed if "a real family" is acceptable,"a fake family" will be too.
But,"a fake family"sounded weird to her,so she didn't think "a real family" was correct.
What do you think?
Are they different in this sentence?


texts:
A friend of mine just forwarded me a tongue twister. And I got curious about a possible relation with connected speech

  The pheasant plucker’s daughter sits plucking pheasants pleasantly

Such a tongue twister is supposed to end up with a swear word if said very fast. Recently I've also come across a video explaining assimilation process in spoken english. Is there any relation between this specific tongue twister and the connected speech in general?

(The video is this)

I was wondering if saying the swear word is the effect of the fact that in "pheasant plucker's" there's some kind of assimilation (for example I guess the "t" is absorbed to a "p") etc.


texts:
When you increase your distance you go farther.
When you increase your speed you go faster.
When you increase your acceleration you go ______?
I just can't think of the word to describe the increase of acceleration, I almost thought accelerate but that's the same as go faster.


texts:
Please take a look at these two sentences:

This medicine can help your health in general.
This medicine can help your health overall.

From 1., I can know that my health can improve in most parts. But, I can't say the same about 2..
I checked "overall", which can mean "general", or "all things and circumstance considered". In view of this, 2. seems very ambiguous.
Could someone help explain?


texts: Do we use a comma here? "This, we will do last." vs "This we will do last."

texts:
I'm wondering about whether it is correct to use a comma in this situation.

  This, we will do last.

vs

  This we will do last.

The "this" here is referring to something described in the previous sentence obviously. The comma looks to me a little bit less grammatical and yet agrees better with the vocal pattern where a significant pause is expected.

Which is correct and why? Can they both be correct?


texts:
It's a nice book but it's 'too' expensive. I'm not going to buy it.
I would buy it if it weren't 'so' expensive.

These are from the book 'English Grammar in Use'.  So, I'm sure that these are the perfect sentences. However, is it okay to use 'so' rather than 'too' in the first sentence and 'too' rather than 'so' in the second one?


texts:
From this site

  Together, we’ll be looking to build on early successes with our digital-first approach to campaigns including ‘Holly’s Must Haves’ and to better utilise data for ‘always on’ cross-channel campaigns. There’s lots to do and we’re all looking forward to working together to make M&S more relevant, more often, to more customers.

1) What does build on early successes mean in this sentence? In Cambridge:

  build on sth : to use a success or achievement as a base from which to achieve more success:

  We must build on our reputation to expand the business.

  A good relationship is built on trust.

If early successes are used as a base from which to achieve more, what is being building ( on early successes)?

2) our digital first approach to campaigns including "Holly's Must Haves"
Is it the approach that includes "Holly's Must Haves" or campaigns?

3) ...and to better utilise data for 'always on' cross-channel campaigns.  is better being used as a verb in this sentence? If so how to understand this verb+ verb combination? Does this sentence mean: We're looking to improve the data that always-on cross channels use?


texts: Difference between "irascible", "fractious", "irritable" and "atrabilious"?

texts:
It seems that they can all mean "easily provoked to anger"

irascible：Easily provoked to outbursts of anger; irritable.

fractious：Irritable; argumentative; quarrelsome.

irritable：1.Capable of being irritated. 2.Easily exasperated or excited.

atrabilious：1.Characterized by melancholy. 2.ill-natured; malevolent.


texts: What is the name of the literary technique/device used where the reader is only shown one side of a dialogue?

texts: What is the literary device used when there is a dialogue but only one speaker's side is heard/shown to the reader/audience. And how can I write this in a way that it is clear that although this person is talking to someone else, and that person is responding, that the words present belong only to one speaker?


texts: "Lyrics to a song" vs. "lyrics of a song"

texts:
I've seen both being used interchangeably. Are both valid? Is only one correct?

  Lyrics to a song.
  Lyrics of a song.


texts: is it ok to say "from diagnosing to treatment to follow up"?

texts:
what i want to express is

  Blockquote

from diagnosis to treatment to follow up

  Blockquote

.i want to express it in a way that reader feels that its a continuous and long term process.
diagnosis - treatment - follow up
Please suggest me a proper way to express this.
thanks in advance


texts: Comma and Rephrasing of " and when needed"

texts:
I am writing a Cover letter and my paragraph reads as follows:
(the last line sounds somewhat clumsy to me).

  I demonstrate ample professional experience in the academic writing sector and communication sector acquired at prestigious international universities, research centers and organizations. Having acted as a lecturer and consultant at international universities and media schools has complemented my skills with confident public speaking. My background as an international editor and writer has equipped me with the skill to craft clear, concise and when needed compelling content.

Is there a better way to express it, please? Grazie mille.


texts: I do not often come across the word catsup, but I do see it every once in a while, and I know it means ketchup.  What I don't know is why they both came to be words for the same thing (though ketchup is much more popular).  Dictionary.com says catsup was invented later as an anglicization, but even that raises questions.  Why and when did someone try to anglicize ketchup, and why didn't it ketch on?


texts:
I have this part of a sentence for a college essay I am writing:

Penn's plethora of student-run groups are a well-suited outlet to continue my extracurriculars.

Do I use are or is after groups? When speaking it, it sounds like "are" is correct. However, grammarly suggests otherwise. I understand that plethora is non-plural, but does the student-run groups after change the subject?

Sorry, I am pretty bad with this grammar stuff, anything helps!


texts: Can "Christmas" be used as an adjective in "Christmas-colored"?

texts:
I was just wondering whether I can write:

  Christmas-colored stockings

I know that Christmas can be a modifier as in Christmas gift, but can
it be used as an adjective in Christmas-colored?


texts: How can I refer to people who do not own a bicycle with a single term?

texts:
I'm writing a paper and I need a term to refer to people who do not own a bicycle, so I don't need to write 'people who do not own a bicycle' every time. What is the right option?

non bicycle-owners
non-bicycle-owners
non-bicycle owners
bicycle non-owners


texts: Is there an adjective for people who work poorly together?

texts:
I'm looking for an adjective that describes a group of people who don't get along, who work poorly together, who don't necessarily like each other. A word that means or implies interpersonal difficulties, but not ones that are impossible to overcome.

Example:

  Several ____ coworkers caused the project to be delivered late.

Some words I've come across that I don't think fit:

Inharmonious: This is probably the closest, it just sounds very clunky. I wouldn't use it in everyday conversation. If I can't find anything else, this is probably what I will use.
Incompatible: This has a more absolute connotation that I want. If two things are incompatible, there is just no way around it.
Antagonistic: Close, but it doesn't convey the "interpersonal" part. If I said "several antagonistic coworkers," I'd be more inclined to think they were antagonizing someone outside of the specified group of coworkers.


texts: "There exists some people..." or "There exist some people..."?

texts:
I know the usage of

  This is a new car.

This is singular.

  These are some books for you.

These is plural.

Shall we use

There exists some people who agree with me.
There exist some people who agree with me.

Which one is the correct usage and why?


texts: "Challenged by" or "Challenged with"? How to decide whether to use "by" or "with"?

texts:
Freedom was challenged with/by the clashing wills of powerful states and evil designs of tyrants.

Which one to use "by" or "with"?


texts:
I'd like to learn the etymology of using the preposition with in the phrase in love with somebody. For me it doesn't make much sense because with seems to imply something that is shared by two people, something symmetrical wherein the phrase only states that one person has romantic feelings towards another. In Polish, we say być zakochanym w kimś which directly translates to be in love in somebody, which, at least to me, seems to make much more sense.

Why do we use/What is the etymology of using with in the phrase in love with somebody?


texts:
What is the difference between the two?

I think that "caretaker" is more appropriate for someone who takes care of things or inanimate property; whereas "caregiver" would be someone who takes care of a person.

I'm just amused at how the opposite roots of "give" and "take" are used to mean the same thing.


texts:
I found this phrase from a book I am reading now.
"Tommy did not seem at all dejected."
It sounded unnatural to me. And why not something like
"Tommy did not seem dejected at all." I feel like more familiar in this way. Am I wrong? or up to writer's choice?
Thank you.


texts: A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject. - What does it mean?

texts:
I am studying a book called, "The elements of style" and there is one concept that doesn't make a sense to me.

I copied the text from the book below.

Participial phrases preceded by a conjunction or by a preposition, nouns in apposition, adjectives, and adjective phrases come under the same rule if they begin the sentence.

On arriving in Chicago, his friends met him at the station.
When he arrived (or, On his arrival) in Chicago, his friends met him at the station.
A soldier of proved valor, they entrusted him with the defence of the city.
A soldier of proved valor, he was entrusted with the defence of the city.

Young and inexperienced, the task seemed easy to me.
Young and inexperienced, I thought the task easy.

Without a friend to counsel him, the temptation proved irresistible.
Without a friend to counsel him, he found the temptation irresistible.

Sentences violating this rule are often ludicrous.

Being in a dilapidated condition, I was able to buy the house very cheap.
Wondering irresolutely what to do next, the clock struck twelve.

My question is "What is so bad about the last two sentences?"


texts: Word or phrase for one expecting gratitude and who often boasts about his generosity

texts:
Is there a word for someone who gives away something expecting a lot of gratitude from the receiver and often brags about his magnanimity?

And what would be the word for such an action?


texts: signal occurrence intervals / signal arrival interval / signal return period /

texts:
Let there be given a sequence of some signals.
For ex.,
At time 0 the 1st signal appears.
At time 3 seconds the 2nd appears (1st continuing).
4 sec, 1st disappears.
6 sec, 3rd appears, (2nd continuing).
7 sec, 2nd disappears.
9 sec, 4th appears, (3rd continuing).
And so on.
Moreover, the appearances and disappearances are not momentary but gradual.

Please help me choose the term that defines the time interval which is 3 seconds in the above example. Could it be

signal(s) occurrence intervals,
interval between signal(s) arrival(s),
signal(s) arrival(s) interval,
return period?

or some else?

Words such as "rate", "frequency", etc., do not fit because the term should mean exactly time interval, this time interval will need to be compared with another time interval (“...in the case when the _______ is less than the time required for the operation execution.”).

Especially valuable for me would be a native English speaker's answer with a technical background.

P.S. I will be grateful if you indicate all grammatical or syntax errors in my posts, if any.


texts: What is the difference between "if" and "ȝif"?

texts:
What is the difference between Middle English "if" and "ȝif"?

Wycliffe Bible
Mt.6:23

In accordance with studylight.org:

"...bodi shal be liytful; 23 but if thin iye be weiward, al thi bodi shal be derk. If thanne the liyt that is in thee be derknessis""


texts: I'm looking for a verb that means following the instructions written in a recipe.


texts: What does "a tremendous flapping and snapping of the four-cylinder engine" mean?

texts:
I am unsure about the meaning of especially "flapping" but also "snapping" in this 1904 text:

"It was my privilege, on the 20th day of September, 1904 to see the first successful trip of an airship, without a balloon to sustain it, that the world has ever made, that is, to turn the corners and come back to the starting-point....
The engine is started and got up to speed. The machine is held until ready to start by a sort of trap to be sprung when all is ready; then with a tremendous flapping and snapping of the four-cylinder engine, the huge machine springs aloft.
When it first turned that circle, and came near the starting-point, I was right in front of it; and I said then, and believe still, it was one of the grandest sights, if not the grandest sight of my life."

A. I Root, eye witness.


texts:
I've continually struggled with this sentence arrangement. I have a list of 2 groups, but one of the groups is also a group of 2. Example:

"I need help finding turtles and brown and grey foxes"

The multiple "and's" makes the sentence awkward and confusing.


texts:
I'm seeking a more professional replacement for the word "home made". I'm writing my dissertation and I want to explain how I first used a home made code to simulate my project, as apposed to using a built in toolbox that comes with a professional program (which I use later).

I cant use the words "custom" or "bespoke", as the toolbox is extremely flexible and can be used to create custom and bespoke simulations (which is the reason I end up using it over my original code), so I don't want to cause confusion by using these words.

I basically just want a word that distinguishes the difference between a simulation I made myself from scratch, and a simulation made using a professional program.


texts: How do I analyze this sentence from John Dyson's "Don't Look Down"?

texts:
John Dyson's DON'T LOOK DOWN has a sentence that reads:

The cable heaping on the roof, even a vibration from the men inside, could nudge the 2.4-ton cage into free fall.

The cable heaping on the roof  part appears to me a misplaced modifier as it's apparently modified by a vibration, which I don't think should be as such.
I tried comparing the sentence with—

Dagger in hand, he darted across to assault the man.

Here it's clear that Dagger (being) in hand is a participle phrase modifying he.
What am I missing here?
Further, is it OK to use the second comma in the sentence ( appearing before could nudge) or had one best omit it?


texts: What's the difference between adjuncts and modifiers?

texts:
All types of adjuncts (my conclusion from wikipedia.org):

An adnominal adjunct is an adjunct modifying noun, i.e. it's dependent words in noun phrases (a good boy, the discussion before the game). There is also a noun adjunct – a type of adnominal adjunct - a noun functioning as a pre-modifier in a noun phrase (examinations department).

An adadjectival adjunct is an adjunct modifying adjective, i.e. it's dependent words in adjective phrases (very happy).

An adadverbial adjunct is an adjunct modifying adverb, i.e. it's dependent words in adverbial phrases (too loudly).

An adverbial adjunct is an adjunct modifying verb (She will leave tomorrow / in the morning / after she has had breakfast).

But if we look at the page in wikipedia.org about modifiers and their types, we can see examples absolutely analogous to the examples of the adjuncts above.

Therefore, adjuncts and modifiers are just synonyms. Am I right and if not, then why?

Thanks!


texts: What is the appropriate phrase for whispering to someone's ear?

texts: What is the appropriate phrase/word for whispering into someone's (most probably a close friend) ear generally to share some secret about someone else?


texts: 'Run' or 'Operate' for a business related sentence

texts:
I am trying to decide between two sentences but not sure which one fits the most. I am going to use this sentence inside the 'About Us' section of the company.

Option 1

  Company A also runs two hotels.

Option 2

  Company A also operates two hotels.


texts: Punctuation after a list introduced by a colon in the middle of a sentence

texts:
Consider the following sentence:

  I am particularly grateful to seven people: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G[?] for our numerous merry gatherings, whether with reason or not.

The question is: What punctuation should follow a list introduced by a colon in the middle of a sentence?

This questions is related to that one. I believe this question is different due to the following. In that case, the clause is independence, and the conclusion is to reformat it using parentheses or em dashes. In this case, the clause is dependent, and the use of a colon is reasonable.


texts: When using "Used To" in a sentence with two clauses, do you change the verb tense in the second clause?

texts:
I was helping a friend proofread one of her essays on the short story The Lottery. She had written this sentence:

  I think the lottery used to have a specific reason and represent something in the society.

I changed the sentence to

  I think the lottery used to have a specific reason and represented something in the society.

I thought that, because 'used to' was not directly preceding 'represent', it should be changed to past tense. But after thinking on it for a while, I am just not sure. I can't seem to find a definitive answer and the question left all of my friends conflicted.


texts: A word that refers to the availability of something moving from the wealthy/businesses to the common man/individuals

texts:
The best example I think is computing.  The advent of the personal computer made computing available to the individual.  I see the term "commoditization" used in conjunction with the idea, but that seems to focus on the economics, not the idea.

For example literacy used to also be something restricted to a privileged few, but has now become available to the common man.  I don't think we would say literacy has become "commoditized" in saying it is now something available to the average person.


texts:
this is my first question, so I hope I'm doing it right.

My students keep writing "under the war" and "under WW2". I would have intuitively written "during the war", but since I'm not a native speaker myself, I'm starting to doubt... Who is right?


texts: Is there any grammatical mistake in "web designers and developers required?"

texts: I am going to publish the requirements of some local developers, however, someone said that there is a grammatical issue in following sentence: "web designers and developers required." Is there?


texts:
Women saw him and wanted to weep--to tell him that their chest hurt and their knees did too.
  Strong women and wise saw him and told him things they only told each other: that way past the Change of Life, desire in them had suddenly become enormous, greedy, more savage than when they were fifteen, and that it embarrassed them and made them sad;
  that secretly they longed to die--to be quit of it--that sleep was more precious to them than any waking day.
  Young girls sidled up to him to confess or describe how well-dressed the visitations were that had followed them straight from their dreams.

What does "the visitations" mean?

I believe the meaning of the visitations should be person but I couldn't find anything like that in many dictionaries.

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/visitation

The action or an instance of visiting or an instance of being visited: rules governing visitation at a prison.
An official visit for the purpose of inspection or examination, as of a bishop to a diocese.
The provision made for a parent to spend time with a child who is in the physical custody of another.
A gathering of people in remembrance of a deceased person, especially in the presence of the body at a funeral home.
a. An inflicting of punishment or affliction or a dispensation of comfort and blessing regarded as being ordained by God.
b. A calamitous event or experience; a grave misfortune: a visitation of an epidemic.
The appearance or arrival of a supernatural being.
Visitation Roman Catholic Church
a. The visit of the Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth.
b. May 31, observed in commemoration of this event.

Can it be the visit of the virgin mary? The visit can be well-dressed like living thing?

The dictionary says this meaning should be capitalised

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/visitation

Capitalized : the visit of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth recounted in Luke and celebrated July 2 by a Christian feast

so I guess this meaning cannot fit.

Or the appearance or arrival of a super natural being?


texts:
shipping costs or shipment costs?

I want to know the correct form and the difference between them, if there is one.
Thank you!


texts:
Contaminate (transitive verb) means "to add a little bit of bad stuff to (something), rendering it bad". Or thereabouts.

Is there a word for "to add a little bit of good stuff to (something), rendering it acceptable, not bad"?

Or, less optimal, an intransitive verb, or a noun describing the action?


texts: Is logicalness a valid word and if not what word can be used instead?

texts: I've never heard anyone use the word logicalness, however, it is listed in some online dictionaries (1, 2, 3), but not others (4). If it is not a word, what word can be used instead?


texts: Ordering at a restaurant and giving notice

texts:
Can ordering a meal at a restaurant be considered an act of 'giving notice'?

Some people (I am not sure whether it should be a majority) find the following sentence unacceptable:

  The waiter served us on short notice two cups of coffee and two jumbo steaks that would normally take one hour to prepare.

And I found the following sentence, with "on short notice" and "serve" in the same sentence in Almost a Gentleman by Pam Rosenthal:

  He'd never stayed at the Red Boar Inn before, but he was impressed by its cleanliness and by the quality of the kidney pie she served him on short notice; all the diners had been abed when he'd arrived.

Do you find the first sentence acceptable?
If not, do you find the second one unacceptable as well?


texts:
The dictionary lists these as antonyms, although the definitions of both don't really oppose each other.

I mean a case where the central figure of a story (and possibly simultaneously the narrator) is a black character, a meddler, evil guy with no redeeming values, who causes all the trouble, while the rest of the "crew", all secondary roles, are the opposition.

The traditional approach equates main character = the good guy = protagonist, and the opponent = "person causing problem" = the antagonist, but what if the protagonist is the one causing the problem?

What do we call the protagonist's opponents then? Or maybe one should cease to call the central character "protagonist"?


texts:
Is there something wrong with that phrase? It has 0 results on Google Books.

Example sentence:

  "Is that why you know so much about those topics?"

Or maybe this alternative is more common?

  "That's why you know so much about those topics?"


texts: "Why don't you..." question with the verb "be"

texts:
I am confused about how to use "Why don't you...?" with the verb be.

I know that we can use "Why don't you" with other verbs as in:

  Why don't you go with me?

However, I'm not sure if we can use these two sentences.

  Why don't you be a man?
  Why don't you be a doctor?


texts: Is there a word that describes taking some clothes with both hands raising your arms and quickly bringing them down?

texts: I'm not talking about only using 1 hand, but both, as when you're done laundering clothes.


texts: Looking for two terms from law vocabulary

texts:
I'm looking for two technical words used in law:

Someone who accepts the law, they will try to do the best things in any situation.
The opposite of number one, they reject any law and at every chance will run away from it.

for example in the law vocab, "ALIBI" means : A defence where an accused alleges that at the time when the offence was committed, he was elsewhere.

I'm looking for words like that! like "objection" or ...


texts: Digitization vs digitalization of science/scholarship

texts:
Is there a semantic difference between "digitization" and "digitalization" when used in the context of the advent of digital science/scholarship?

E.g., is there a difference between saying "the digitization of scholarship affects scientific methods" and "the digitalization of scholarship affects scientific methods"?


texts: Non-standard English to Standard English, in Milne's Ugly Duckling

texts:
The following is from Ugly Duckling written (a play, 1941) by A. A. Milne. I cannot understand Dulcibella's speech which seems to me non-standard. In this play Dulcibella is depicted as a very beautiful but stupid maid of the plain princess. Could anyone paraphrase or explain especially the italicised part of her speech?
DULCIBELLA (eagerly, seizing his hand). Oo, yes, he’s ever so smart, he’s an archer, not as you might say a real archer, he works in the armoury, but old Bottlenose, you know who I mean, the Captain of the Guard, says the very next man they ever has to shoot, my Eg shall take his place, knowing Father and how it is with Eg and me, and me being maid to Her Royal Highness and can’t marry me till he’s a real soldier, but ever so loving, and funny like, the things he says, I said to him once, “Eg,” I said—


texts: Should nouns used as adjectives be in plural?

texts:
In Spanish, we say "Servicio de reservas" and in English we are in doubt about these options:

Bookings Service
Booking Service
Booking Services

The problem is that we think that the first one represents what we are trying to say, but maybe it's wrong, and then no one represents exactly what we are trying to say..

Which one is the correct?


texts: What is the grammatical breakdown of phrases such as "fair of face", "strong of mind"?

texts:
The components of such phrases are: adjective + "of" + noun. Could you refer to the adjective as the qualifier of the noun? Or the noun as the object of the adjective? Is there one grammatical term that refers to these types of phrases?

Thanks!


texts: Term for when inventory is discovered to be missing

texts: I previously worked in a bookstore and at around this time of the year, we did an inventory of the bookstore, counting our stock and shipping back old stock to corporate. There was a term we used to describe what happened when there was a difference between our computer stock read as and what we actually had on-hand in the store. This  term essentially meant "unanticipated loss of stock due either to theft, misplacement, or other reasons." What was this word?


texts: Someone who can't function being out of jail

texts: What's it called when someone who's been incarcerated for so long that when they're released they aren't able to function well because they're more comfortable in jail.


texts: Where have you been for your last vacation?

texts:
I'm about to work at an English Hagwon in Korea.
Hagwon is the Korean term for a private language school so unique to this nation only.

I received this textbook and on its first page there are some examples of conversations.

One of them goes,

  "Where have you been for your last vacation".

The answer is "I have been to Los Angeles".

  "What have you done there?"

"I have visited Universal Studio"

I can't quite put my finger on but they don't sound natural.
They sound a bit awkward.

I would rather say "Where did you go for your last vacation?"
and I would say "Oh I went to Los Angeles" and " I went to Universal Studio".

The previous sentences sound like, "Where have you been all this time ?! We were looking for you!".

What do you think?
Do those sentences sound weird to you too?
If so, why?

P.S.
"Where have you been *for your vacation" sounds a bit ... unfamiliar.
Would "Where have you been *on your vacation" be better ?


texts: Product name for service that manages connections

texts: Looking for a word or catchy phrase that captures the meaning of "connection management". I work for a web-based company that manages APIs (API's are the connective tissue of the Internet of Things). The best we have come up with is "Spider" since a spider constantly monitors and manages its web. Thanks!


texts: When using "long" meaning "a long time" do you have to specify that you're talking about time?

texts:
For example: Do I have to say "It leaves the mouth fresher for a longer time" or can I simply say "It leaves the mouth fresher for longer"?
I was comparing two products, and I had to translate some comments about them into English.


texts: How to punctuate an embedded quoted question within a declarative sentence?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  How should I punctuate around quotes?

I'm having a devil of a time trying to determine how to punctuate an embedded quoted question within a declarative sentence. A comma is used to introduce the quote, but things get hairy at the end of the quote.

  When Ms. Peremptory asked, "Are you ever going to be ready?" I was unable to respond.

Is this situation best handled with no closing comma? Placement in any of the possible spaces between the closing "y" in "ready" and the subject of the sentence produces visually confounding -- though possibly grammatically correct -- results.


texts:
I found the phrase 'In the light of the nature of the allegations' in a BBC news  article titled 'Jeff Bezos: Amazon boss accuses National Enquirer of blackmail'.
The context is:

"American Media believes fervently that it acted lawfully in the reporting of the story of Mr Bezos. Further, at the time of the recent allegations made by Mr Bezos, it was in good faith negotiations to resolve all matters with him," the company said in a statement.
"Nonetheless, in light of the nature of the allegations published by Mr Bezos, the Board has convened and determined that it should promptly and thoroughly investigate the claims. Upon completion of that investigation, the Board will take whatever appropriate action is necessary."

I don't understand exactly the meaning of 'the nature of the allegations'. Does it mean 'the intention of allegations'? Do they mean the fact that they were in a good relationship but Mr Bezos broke that by the allegations?


texts:
WHY is this sentence incorrect?

"All that they can do is preparing as much as they can."

I know it should be

"All they can do is (to) prepare as much as they can."

But, for the life of me I can't figure out why.


texts: What is the difference between "raise" and "get up"?

texts:
When must I use get up and raise ?

Example:

  Help me to raise this table.

  Help me to get up this table.

Which sentence is correct ?


texts: What is the origin of the place name Privett vs. plant name Privet?

texts:
The Ligustrum vulgare, the English Privet, seems to have a confused history.  It was known to the ancient Greeks as an important plant in making their formal gardens or topia "places" which gives us the word topiary for which Ligustrum vulgare is well-suited.  If you've ever cared for a privet hedge, you know that they need to be pruned very early in spring.  Which fact makes the historical name primprint somewhat apt even if this etymology "first spring" is in dispute.

What seems to confuse things is a much earlier attestation to an English place name in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle. Pryfetes flode, now Privett, Hampshire.  However, I think this is a false cognate.  I have some Welsh ancestry and an old Welsh dictionary which lists Pryfydd as vermin-killer. I read elsewhere that the older meaning was rabbit-hunter, but I can no longer find that reference. Flode is a gulch.  Why is there a place name in Hampshire with a Welsh name?  Or is this not the origin of the name at all?  Welsh rabbit-hunter's gulch?  Is this a joke?  I looked on a map and Privett is at a high point in the Chalk Ridge of South Downs not a gulch providing easy access to the great forest beyond.  And in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, a nobleman was thrown from the cliff whether to his death or to dispose of the body is unclear.  Is this another example of the English poking fun at the Welsh their frequent object of derision?

Can anyone shed any light on the confused and entangled history of Privett, Hampshire and Privet, Ligustrum vulgare?  I think they are unrelated, but separately interesting etymologies.

OED:

  privet: Origin unknown. Compare later primprint n., prim n.2, and primp n., and also primet n.
  A connection between the present word and later private adj.1, privy adj. has frequently been suggested, but there is no evidence to support this.

  Apparently attested early in place names, as Pryfetesflode (c900 in an annal for the year 755), Prevet (1207), Pruuet (c1245), Privet (1248), now Privett, Hampshire; bosco de Prevet (1268), boscus de Pryvet (14th cent.), now Privett Farm, Wiltshire. The β forms are perhaps attested earlier in the following place name: Prinelegh (read Priuelegh) (1380), Preuelegh (1481), now Prewley, Devon


texts:
I marked a student down for using the word chillax as I believed it to not be a word. Later on they approach me on the issue and show me that it is indeed in the dictionary.

Every fiber of my being screams that it shouldn't be used. Even this site underlines the word saying it's not correct.

According to all dictionary entries I've seen it's not even listed as slang, only informal.

What is a valid reason that chillax shouldn't be used?

Perhaps because it's informal but that doesn't seem like a valid reason as there are plenty of informal words that are quite common and I wouldn't think to mark them down for words such as phone or kids.


texts: "Through" or "to" for expression of range

texts:
16-bit unsigned short integers that range from 0 through 0xFFFF

  16-bit unsigned short integers that range from 0 to 0xFFFF

Which expression is better above?


texts:
I encountered this sentence and the word "before" disappointed me. Can you explain why there is the future tense and this word in the end. If the meaning of "before" is "after your back or in the past" it can't be with future tense.
The sentence: Here's some really nice cheese that I don't think you will have tasted before.
Thanks.


texts: Should the question mark be in the middle of a sentence?

texts:
The goal is to answer questions of the form "is vertex v connected to w?" in constant time.

Should the question mark be there?  A related question is how this sentence might be made better?


texts: What does the expression "Brothers in Arms" mean?

texts: I was listening to Dire Straits and wondered what "brothers in arms" are...


texts: A Photoshop term for "body double" or "doppelgänger"

texts:
I saw a tutorial on TV. The tutorial was like this:

  Take your snap sitting on chair, another standing on left side of chair and then last one standing on the right side of the chair. Now, use Photoshop to merge these three pics. After everything it will be three look alike on the pic.

Now, I want to search this tutorial on web but I don't know what to write for "How to create __ in Photoshop"? Please suggest.

Edit I tried body double and doppelgänger but it is not the word I am looking for.


texts:
Does this sentence have too many subjunctives?

  If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I
  will pay 10,000 talents of silver into the hands of those who have
  charge of the king's business, that they may put it into the king's
  treasuries.

I am stumped by this sentence construction. First, there is "Let it be," which is a common English idiomatic phrase, but then it follows another subjunctive. Is that to say you can actually have a subjunctive followed by another subjunctive? Also, why does the sentence use "please"? If that's the subjunctive tense there, then why is it followed by another subjunctive instead of a conditional, or maybe "Let it be" is the conditional? Lastly, I wish to know how the that is used in the sentence. Perhaps, the simplified sentence can be restated like so:

  Let it be decreed that they be destroyed and that they may put it into
  the king's treasuries.

If not, maybe the simplified sentence can be restated like so:

  I will pay [insert direct object here] so that they may put it [insert prepositional phrase here].

Maybe the "so" word is eliminated and replaced by a comma?

For reference, this lengthy sentence comes from the Esther 3:9 (English Standard Version of the Holy Bible).


texts: "Little by little I began to have increasing doubts"

texts:
Is the sentence

  Little by little I began to have increasing doubts

grammatically correct? One reason I think it might not be is that if I google little by little I began to have increasing I don't come up with anything except my own quote.


texts:
English uses two lexemes to denote that something is smaller in number or size/amount: "Less" and "fewer". "Less" is used for uncountable nouns ("I needed less time to mow the lawn today"), while "fewer" is used for countable ones ("I needed fewer attempts to get the lawnmower going today").

However, sometimes "less" is used with countable nouns (famously the "X items or less" register in supermarkets). When can countable nouns be used with "less"? Consider these examples:

I'll only need five minutes or less to mow the lawn.
A lawnmower may only go 5 mph or less.
You may only use my lawnmower if you weigh 75 kg or less.

These sentences sound correct to me, while the use of "fewer" in these contexts seems incorrect or at least odd to me (as a non-native speaker of English):

? I'll only need five minutes or fewer to mow the lawn.
? A lawnmower may only go 5 mph or fewer.
? You may only use my lawnmower if you weigh 75 kg or fewer.

Which of these do native speakers prefer?

Could it be that "less" is acceptable, when the countable noun refers to an uncountable entity (such as time, speed or weight)? If so, is this restricted to units (minutes, mph, kg)? Also: Would this explain the use of "less" in "X items or less", as "items" as a countable noun refers to an abstract, uncountable entity (i.e. "shopping")?


texts: Are the words “fact” and “fairy” etymologically related?

texts:
Bruno Latour remarks in a 2003 lecture that “fact and fairy are etymologically related but I won’t develop this point here”.

  We can summarize, I estimate, 90 percent of the contemporary critical
  scene by the following series of diagrams that fixate the object at only two positions, what I have called the fact position and the fairy position—fact and fairy are etymologically related but I won’t develop this point here. The fairy position is very well known and is used over and over again by many social scientists who associate criticism with antifetishism. The role of the critic is then to show that what the naïve believers are doing with objects is simply a projection of their wishes onto a material entity that does nothing at all by itself… Is it not time for some progress? To the fact position, to the fairy position,
  why not add a third position, a fair position?

  Why Has Critique Run out of Steam? From Matters of Fact to Matters of Concern

According to Wikipedia, the word fairy has several variants: fay, fae, fair folk; faery, faerie and is derived from the Latin fata. The suffix -erie (-(e)ry) was added to faie to become faierie, and signified the land where Faes dwelled. Whereas fact is derived from the Latin factum.

But what is the connection between fact and  fairy that Latour mentions?
Are there any leads on this?


texts:
I was watching a BBC documentary with Louis Theroux called "Drinking to Oblivion."

During an interview at 26:44, a person with an alcohol problem tells Theroux:

  I was with my girlfriend at the time, and I was out pissing it up too
  much, really, and was pretty horrible to her, frankly. I remember,
  after that, thinking, I definitely, definitely don't ever want to
  drink again "because I don't want to put someone through that again."

It should be noted that the speaker is an educated person who appeared sober at the time of saying this.

I am aware that pissed can mean drunk. I also know about the slang phrase piss drunk which means extremely drunk.

I'm obviously guessing that "pissing it up" means getting very drunk (based on context, if nothing else.) However, I have not found any references for this phrase online.

How old is this phrase? Is this a relatively new slang phrase, or a recent variation of the two examples I referred to above?
What exactly does it mean? I've guessed that it simply means to get very drunk. Is this correct, and/or is there anything else to it? Detailed descriptions are welcome.

Good references would certainly be welcome. So would references to the phrase being used.


texts: Is "do for" always inherently positive, compared to "do to"?

texts:
Compare the sentences:

After all he has done for me, he needs my help.

After all he has done to me, he needs my help.

The first one implies that the subject has done good things for the speaker and now the speaker has the opportunity to repay him; the second implies that the subject has wronged the speaker in some way(s) and now needs the speaker's help.

Is there any context in which "do for" could carry a negative meaning, or "do to" could be positive?


texts:
In a compound noun with a postpositive adjective, such as "Director-General" or "Court Martial," the noun is pluralized by using the plural form of the first word (i.e. "Directors-General" or "Courts Martial").

Question:

How are possessive forms of both the singular and plural compound nouns formed?

Answer formats:

Please include the "Director-General" and "Court Martial" example in your response.


texts:
I have come across writing which says

  "Trending topics in Twitter do not carry much semantics"

as well as

  "Trending topics in Twitter do not carry much meanings"

I am aware that semantics and meanings are similar, what I am curious is when is the right time to use "semantics" vs "meanings"?


texts:
I'd always thought "at the moment" was the only correct one, but then I saw in a Cambridge book "in the moment".

Do they mean the same thing?
Is "in the moment" mainly British?

Thanks


texts:
I remember that we have learnt a structure, what has always been really strange to me. We can say that "I recommend to do something" However in the strange structure we can say something like(I am not sure): "I suggest you(/your) not being here". So it is built up:

[object] [verb] [indirect object] [gerund]

I am not sure that it was exactly like this, but I am eager to find out how it is called, when to use it and if I can use with all kinds of verbs. I hope your figuring this out.


texts: It-cleft - Can I say "It is a girl that I am"? If not, why?

texts:
We usually say:

"It is ME who killed Bill", which stresses the subject, or,

"It is HIM who you should see", which stresses the object, or,

"It is At 1972 that he dropped out. ", which stresses the adverbial;

but can we stress the predictive or the compliment? Can we say:

"It is A GIRL that I am" or

"It is A CROOK that Jim is called"?

I know they look strange, but are they correct or incorrect?


texts:
[i]
  I saw her clean the room.
  [ii]
  He helped me do the work.
  [iii]
  She made me clean the room.
          What makes you think so?
          Let me know what he said.

Bare infinitival has the meaning of ‘wholeness’ in [i] - I saw the whole event of her cleaning the room, not a segment of it as in ‘I saw her cleaning the room.' (CGEL, p.1237)

It now in [ii] has the meaning of ‘actual’ (direct) help - he actually did some of the work, whereas he ‘enabled me to do it myself' in ‘He helped me to do the work.’ (CGEL, p.1244)

About [iii], it's not easy to find out what their, the bare infinitivals', implications are. They seem to have the wholeness as in [i], but not connected with the actuality in [ii]. Are the bare infinitivals intending to say their actions are simultaneous with the main verbs’ activities, without delay – for ‘to’ is likely to project into the future?


texts: If you don't reply for the next three hours

texts:
Imagine I told you something like:

  If you don't reply for the next 3 hours, I will stop talking to you.

What would you think the meaning was? Do you think it would be

  If you don't keep replying for the next 3 hours I will stop talking to you. or >- If you don't reply sometime between those 3 hours, I'll stop talking to you.

Is it just a matter of emphasis? E.g.:

  If you don't reply for the next 3 hours, I will stop talking to you.
  If you don't reply for the next 3 hours. I will stop talking to you.


texts:
When comparing words, do you say

  "X means the same as Y"

or

  "X means the same thing as Y"

I understand you could get around this and be more clear by saying :

  "X has the same meaning as Y"

or any other clearer formulation, but I am genuinely curious about choosing between the two phrases above.


texts: The Hill (from Spoon River anthology) - Exact meaning of a verse

texts:
I was reading an Italian translation of the following verse from "The Hill":

  They brought them dead sons from the war,
  And daughters whom life had crushed, ...

The translation is ambiguous on the first line, and on the second line it says something like "and daughters crushed by the (their) life", which sounds erroneous to me. Can someone explain in prose the exact meaning?


texts:
"It takes an old friend who came back after 5 years studying in England
to get her out of her shell"

context: the 'her' here never went out anywhere. it is only now when her friend is returning after years of studying abroad did she finally come out of her residence.
Is the use of 'takes' and 'came back' in this sentence correct? is the above sentence grammatically correct?


texts: Should thin spaces be used between numerals and units

texts:
After starting to use the siunitx package for typesetting units (and the numerals before the units) in LaTeX, I noticed that it typesets a single space between a numeral and a unit (a space that is not as wide as a normal space). I have tried unsuccessfully to find a proper reference that calls for this. Wikipedia mentions it on Space (punctuation), but the external reference given on the Wikipedia page, which is in this online .pdf brochure, does not say anything about thin spaces. It only mentions that there should be a space between numerals and units, but says nothing about the size of that space (in which case I think it is reasonable to assume that a normal space is referred to). I have added a question about this in the talk section for the Space article.

What is the proper size of spaces between numerals and units? It would be interesting to know the source for the usage of thin spaces in siunitx, and if that is the way it "really should be".


texts: What's the word for "tiny pieces of food stuck in between teeth"?

texts: Is there a word that describes the tiny pieces of food that gets stuck in between your teeth after eating, and that you get rid of by brushing?


texts: Ambiguity in "translated" as an adjective?

texts:
Suppose I have a German document that has been translated to produce an English document.
It seems that there are two sensible ways to interpret the following request:

"Give me the translated document."

I have empirically confirmed this ambiguity (small sample size), where some people argue that the requested document is the German one and others argue that it is the English one.
Question: Is the phrase grammatically ambiguous or is there a correct way to interpret "translated" (a participle acting as an adjective) here?


texts: Neutral word for something or someone that blocks/overrides/negates/vetos something else?

texts:
I am working on a system with numerous filters for data.  If some filters are applied they will automatically void other filters.  E.g. if the user is searching a unique ID the date range filter will automatically be disabled.

Is there a nice word for something which voids something else?  Best I can think of so far is "negator".

Example 1: "The addNegator method of the Filter class accepts an observable property which will render the filter void if its value is truthy."

Example 2: "If the person was acting maliciously it may have been appropriate to call him a saboteur but his capacity override was designed into the the system and actively encouraged.  Therefore it would be more fitting to call him a [...]."


texts: I'm struggling a bit with an apostrophe question - I have the clause, "Using the example of the singer Michael Jackson’s death", which I'm pretty sure isn't right as there should probably be a comma after "singer", but the apostrophe doesn't look right there either and I'm not sure how to handle this. Thanks in advance.


texts: What are demeaning foods to call people?

texts:
I was debating someone recently, and he started rejecting my view point entirely. He started referring to me as "cupcake", an attempt to insult me, I'm sure. I don't quite understand why, because cupcakes are awesome, but it has been used before, like by the soldier from Team Fortress 2.

So I was wondering, what are some other foods that could be demeaning to call someone?


texts: In British English, when speaking of, or to medical doctors, when does Mr denote a higher rank than Dr?

texts: My knowledge of the nuances of British English come from reading authors such as P.D.James, but I have the impression that Dr. Smith is a less eminent medical doctor than Mr. Smith.  Was this so, and if so, it is still the case?  When does it take for Dr. Smith to become Mr. Smith?  And, if the eminent medical doctor is a woman, is she referred to as Mrs. Smith whether or not she is married?  Ms. Smith or Miss Smith seems unlikely, but, as I say, I don't understand the nuances.  (Sorry not to have a specific quote.)


texts: Why does the word colonel (as in military rank) have such a strange spelling compared to how it's pronounced (or vice versa, although I don't know how you would pronounce that)?


texts:
Which one of the following sentences is correct?

The geometry of the objects are known.
The geometry of the objects is known.

Both cases are common in the literature and have been used interchangebly!


texts: Why can't the contraction "you're" be used in this sentence?

texts:
How come this sentence works:
'Let me know if you’re available.'

But this one doesn’t:
'Let me know if either of you’re available.'

Because the second one doesn't work, there must be some sort of rule about where contractions are valid. What is it?


texts: Word for caring about the appearance of a matter but not its spirit

texts:
"To care all about the appearance of a matter or a law, without paying attention to its meaning/spirit and essence"

Actually, I look for a suitable word for to express such meaning, and place it in this text:

The Pharisee Jews were so/very/too ................ . That is to say, they were paying attention to the appearance of religious orders, but they didn't care about the spirit of those orders at all. Jesus told them: "You argue about the uncleanness of a dish with one another, but you do not argue about what is earned through usury or a forbidden and unclean way, that you eat in the same dish?! You're okay with usury, but you judge on trivial matters, such as the egg that a chicken laid on Saturday (Jewish holiday)?!"

The words I have found so far are:

Formalistic

and

Superficial observer

Also im not sure about to choose among these:

1. Appearance of religious orders

or

2. Outward of religious orders

Please leave me any kind of improvements and changes you think works within the whole text.


texts:
How can I say "about which" in legal English (using some word akin to "herein" and "therewith")? For example, I would like to say "John Smith was born on April 1, about which there was made a record," only using an apposite legal word instead of the ones in cursive.

Additional context:

I am working on a translation of a birth certificate, which---even when interpreted in its original language---is a rather awkward read. So, if translated literally, the sentence would sound like "Citizen ... was born on ... about which in the civil registry about birth in year ... on the ... day of month of ... was made a record numbered ..." So, on one hand, I am disinclined to translate the text very liberally, but on the other hand I cannot possibly translate it word-for-word and derive a readable English sentence.


texts: What is the tense/verb phrase of & meaning of sentence: 'It’s raining outside'. Is it present tense & nothing more?

texts: I am really struggling with tense/verb phrase without an action. I have been researching all the tense/verb phrases I am aware of but is it just 'present tense' & nothing more? As for meaning, I guess it sets the scene but nothing more.


texts: "Whether" or "if" in this context: "I wonder *if/whether* I will ever see this again"

texts:
I think the more common recommendation (or appropriate) style is to use "if" in this sentence, "I wonder if I will ever see this again," because there is only one "option."

Alternatively, I would write "I wonder whether or not I will ever see this again."

The question came up when a native English speaker corrected one of my sentences. I'd be happy to hear your opinion on this.


texts: Verb agreement with relative pronoun "what" as subject

texts:
The following construction can be found in one of the post in the ELU.

remembering that the heart fibrils are what vibrate abnormally to cause a heart attack

The verb "to vibrate" is in the third person plural, and the subject pronoun has for antecedent a plural noun; this is apparently normal, but only apparently so (an innate notion of singular agreement impinges upon my mind, yet not in any exclusive fashion, the logic of a plural taking over incessantly); numerous existing cases show that given a plural antecedent, the agreement of the verb can be either plural or singular; cases "a" and "b" below, respectively, are some examples.

(ref. a1) some other role must be found for it. Motivating reasons are what is believed;

(ref. a2) Since the actual behaviours and decisions are what is of interest to us,

(ref. a3) The rules and principles that emerge from these sources are what is compendiously called constitutional doctrine.

(ref. a4)  But rather they are what is nearest and least dangerous to the rioters.

(ref. b1) Listening and being heard are what are important.

(ref. b2) A workable definition of what we mean by 'drugs' has been used, albeit a circular one, so that drugs are what are usually included in the debate about drugs.

(ref. b3) Degrees of height are what are now referred to. The natural mind, by its two capacities called rationality and freedom, is in such a state as to be capable of ascending through three degrees

(ref. b4) The elements of design are what are actually on the film frame, such as points, lines, planes, shapes, and colors.

I cannot get at any source treating this case.
There should be a clear-cut rule about this agreement, or so I imagine for now as I have not given this problem enough time to fathom any real intricacies. If so, what is it?


texts: The difference between "delimit" and "limit"

texts:
In an article I came across the following sentence:
"To delimit the responsibility of the police means to delimit human reason" I was just wondering why did the author use "delimit" instead of "limit" in this sentence?


texts:
I was interested in the term, “reverse fig leaf” in an article titled, “Should Germans read ‘Mein Kampf'” appearing in the New York Times (July 7), which deals with the planned publication of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf in Germany due to expiration of the copyright held by the state of Bavaria in 2015. It reads:

  “(Facing an outcry among academic and in Bavarian Legislature) in an awkward dance, Mr. Seehofer’s government was forced to reconsider its reconsideration. It agreed to leave the money in place while withholding its government seal of approval (for release). This reverse fig leaf may or may not mollify opponent, who thought they had stopped the book.

I know "fig leaf" has biblical origin and means a hasty/inadequate cover-up for something shameful, but I never heard of the word, “reverse fig leaf.”

Google Ngram shows growing currency of ‘fig leaf’ at 0.00000912% in 2008, but no track of “reverse fig leaf.”

If we reverse a fig leaf, we’re gonna disclose or publish a hidden object, secret, or shame. How can I define “reverse fig leaf” precisely?

Is it just an incidental combination of adjective, “reverse” and a figurative “fig leaf,” or a set of word to be applicable to many other instances, for instance, "Japanese Prime Minister, Abe’s latest decision to authorize the nation’s Collective Defense Right is a reverse fig leaf of the existence and nature of Japanese Defense Force under the pacifist Constitution prohibiting its engagement in any kind of wars."?


texts:
I'm trying to read my way through The Boy at Mugby by Charles Dickens. The story is written in an 'accented' language, and there are a few words I'm having trouble making out:

(The text excerpts are from here)

"Wicer Warsaw" as in (paragraph 6)

  You should hear Our Missis give the word, “Here comes the Beast to be Fed!” and then you should see ’em indignantly skipping across the Line, from the Up to the Down, or Wicer Warsaw, and begin to pitch the stale pastry into the plates, and chuck the sawdust sangwiches under the glass covers, and get out the—ha, ha, ha!—the Sherry,—O my eye, my eye!—for your Refreshment.

"a leetel gloss hoff prarndee" as in (paragraph 7)

  There was a foreigner, which having politely, with his hat off, beseeched our young ladies and Our Missis for “a leetel gloss hoff prarndee,” and having had the Line surveyed through him by all, and no other acknowledgment, was a-proceeding at last to help himself, as seems to be the custom in his own country, when Our Missis, with her hair almost a-coming un-Bandolined with rage, and her eyes omitting sparks, flew at him, cotched the decanter out of his hand, and said, “Put it down! I won’t allow that!”

Might this last one be 'a little glass of brandy'?

Addendum

What I have named 'accented language' is apparently called 'eye dialect'.


texts:
I am a little confused about how to use rave, because sometimes it means a bad thing like:

  A madman cried (raved) loudly.

Yesterday, my friend recommended me a movie by saying:

  My people raved about it, you'd better see it.

According to his expression, I guess it means a good movie.


texts: What is the correct preposition to use with the verb "to spell"? I'm trying to write a sentence "this sound is usually spelled by the letter "e". I'm not sure if I should say "by the letter "e" or "as the letter "e". Or maybe both variants are not correct? :)