texts:
How is 'wl-' pronounced at the beginning of a word?

Of course, you just don't pronounce it at all, because there is no English word that begins that way and if there were, well, that's just not English there can't be any. Also, even though there are many possible arbitrary consonant sequences, some that just aren't in English words are naturally pronounceable (they just happen not to have any words with them). But 'wl-' just ain't one of them.

Except Oxford Dictionaries (makers of the Oxford Living Dictionaries, (not the OED)), just this morning posted a blog entry about the wonderful world of legitimate English words beginning with 'wl-'..

Some examples:

'wlonk' - proud ('wlench' a verb for 'to make proud')
'wlisp' - basically a variant of 'lisp'
'wlat' - nauseous, loathsome

The difficulty is how to pronounce them in Modern English. Or for that matter in Old English. All the 'wl-' words, (as attested by the OED) are called obsolete, no one uses them nowadays, and looking at all the histories none were used past Middle English (after 1400s).

Is it analogous to 'wr-' where more recently the 'w' is dropped, but in older times there was an actual accepted natural way to utter these things?

Is the 'w' followed by a schwa? Or does it naturally glide liquidly to the 'l'?

The etymologies of all these words (in OED) is pretty sparse. They give connections to Old Dutch and Old Low German, but few hints. I was hoping for some cognates that are pronounceable in the other languages so that sound changes could predict the OE. Under the etymology for 'lisp', it gives "from late Old English awlyspian". But none of the other words has anything similar, so there is no corroborating evidence on a suggestion of how to pronounce it.

Frankly this feels like Russians saying 'Pskov', a cruel trick on foreigners to send them to the tongue doctor or be laughed at.

So, how is 'wl- intended to be pronounced in MSE, ME, OE, West Germanic, anything at all? Is there any definitive evidence (well beyond idle speculation)?


texts: Equivalent to idiom 'Decency has been omitted from the dictionary'?

texts:
The idiom 'That's it. Decency has been omitted from the dictionary.'
It means what is this world coming to no one is respecting anyone anymore. The sayer is suprised, for example it is said if even the young are being indecent and disrespectful to the elderly that know much better than them. There is no more decency and respect in this world.


texts:
If you walk around the US in clothes emblazoned with the American flag, your clothing is patriotic.

What is the equivalent when you're wearing company-branded apparel?  Say, Microsoft T-shirts, jacket, cap, etc.

  The cloud computing conference was full of geeks, all dressed head to toe in X clothing.

Corporate doesn't work, because that implies a generic buttoned-down suit & tie look, not visible devotion to a particular company.  This question is along the same lines, but is specifically looking for a negative word and remains unaccepted.


texts: Does anyone use "misconstruct" (instead of "misconstrue") anymore?

texts:
Is it ever correct to say:

  I misconstruct the truth

That is, to use misconstruct as a synonym for misconstrue?

My research indicates that misconstruct was once used, i.e. is now archaic:

  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misconstruct

while other dictionaries just present misconstrue as a synonym without further details.

Google confirms the usage has waned in recent decades:

But given the ambiguity and contradiction I found among dictionaries, I wonder: is misconstruct still used by native speakers anywhere? How would contemporary native speakers react to its use, as in the example above?


texts:
B is bigger than C and smaller than A.
What I want to know is, if there are no than-clauses, how should I describe B.
I mean which one is correct? B is bigger, B is smaller, or B is bigger and smaller.


texts:
Where can i find the full version of the shorter quotes?

Such as:

  Great minds think alike

is actually a shorter version of

  Great minds think like, small minds rarely differ.

Probably this is just a  pop version -

  Curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back

I have been looking for them since a while now, ever since I heard about Scooby Doo's darker interpretation.

EDIT - Are there any resources or website where i can find more of these?


texts: A word for saying "waiting with good anticipation"?

texts:
What word would you choose for "waiting" for something good?

As a header for a photo, I want to say:

  "Last days of summer. Waiting for the winter."

But it should be clear that I like winters and waiting for it with good excitement and want it to come already.


texts: Common synonym of tortuosity or antonym of straightness

texts:
What is a common synonym of tortuosity or antonym of straightness, as in the following:

  Country roads typically have greater ____ than motorways.

Tortuosity or tortuousness is technically correct but rather uncommon. Is there a more suitable term in less formal/technical speech, preferably a short word too?


texts: Which one should I use ("suggesting" or "to suggest") in the example provided?

texts:
I can’t find anything suggesting that one cannot take out principle from Roth IRA account for education or housing purchases. Nor it’s indicated that money are doled out in a form of a loan.

Part in bold is under question. However, I would also appreciate your pointing out other errors too.


texts: What is the difference between "As" and "Because" in this context?

texts:
__________ these crops can thrive with so little water, that bodes well for African farmers.

According to the answer key, the only possible word that can finish the gap is As. However, why doesn't Because work as well - don't they have the same meaning in this case?

I was wondering if we can start a sentence with the latter, but after I did some research, I found out it is perfectly fine.

What am I missing here?


texts: What is the difference between "regardless" and "irrelevant"?

texts: They are both adjective that mean not relating to something. Are the terms interchangeable?


texts: Word meaning 'circuslike' used to describe Trump's campaign

texts:
There was a great word I heard used on the radio to describe Trump's campaign at the end of last year. It was at least three syllables, a highly unusual word, possibly Grecian in origin. It meant, roughly, 'marked by circus or clown-like performance'. The person who used the word was being quoted by the radio, and had called on Trump to halt his entire X campaign.

I want this word in my vocabulary! All my attempts to remember it and rediscover it have failed...


texts: All I can think about is vs all I can think about are

texts:
All I can think about is the sun, oak tree, and large bird.

vs.

  All I can think about are the sun, oak tree, and large bird.


texts: A more gentle word for the word "settled" in the context of payment

texts:
I wrote the following sentence:

  We will proceed with the registration after the remaining balance is
  settled.

Somehow, I find that using the word settled in this sentence sounds a bit rude. This is especially true if we consider that I'm offering something in my previous sentence. I don't want to sound too demanding or make the reader feel bound to do anything.

I was thinking to replace settled with made. But still, made doesn't sound the best possible word.

What are the expressions that could be used in a sentence like this to say that an amount is to be paid and still sound gentle?


texts:
I was wondering if this sentence is OK:

  I will have you happy (I will cause you to be happy)

Does it have the same meaning of

  I will make you happy

I wonder this because I came across a sentence like the One below

  I will have you laughing.

And to me, it seems to share the same meaning of

  I will.make you.laugh


texts: I promise not to do it, I swear not to do it. Is there a double meaning here?

texts:
"I promise [pause] not to do it"

seems to me equivalent to

  "I promise I won't do it".

However,

  "I promise not [pause] to do it"

seems to me equivalent to

  "I do not promise I will do it" (i.e. I cannot guarantee I will do it, maybe I will do it)

Is there a double meaning here? If so, all promises constructed that way ("I promise not to") may be interpreted as deceitful, treacherous, untrustworthy?

EDIT Just to clarify. The reason I am asking is that I saw a movie where the guy said "I promise not [pause] to kill X" and then he asked someone else to do it for him, thus violating the spirit of his promise (i.e. he wouldn't have X killed), but not the letter because he didn't actually do it himself. My impression, while I was watching the movie, was that the pause was deliberate, the guy was actually trying to hide a lie in his promise. This behaviour is not unheard of: in Ancient Greece oracles would pronounce obscure prophecies such that whatever happened the oracle would have been seen as having guessed. My question is about the grammatical structure of a sentence starting with "I promise not to" and the possibility to use it, consciously, to hide one's intentions.


texts: What's the difference between “bucket” and “pail”?

texts:
What is the difference between bucket and pail?

Is there a distinction between the shape of a bucket and the shape of a pail?
Are buckets and pails made of different materials?
Is there a difference between substances carried in buckets and pails?
Is there dialectal variation in the use of these words?
Is one of these words old-fashioned?

In other words,

When is a native English speaker more likely to use the word bucket? (Please state the whereabouts of the speaker in question)
When is a native English speaker more likely to use the word pail? (Ditto)


texts: "Today is one of my friends' birthday."or"Today is my friend's birthday."

texts:
Could you tell me which is correct to say,

"Today is one of my friends' birthday."
or
"Today is my friend's birthday."

Thank you for your advice!


texts: which verb is the most correct in the following sentence?

texts: When children want to feel important and loved confident by their parents,  do they want to be accepted/ approved/ acknowledged/ recognized by their parents?


texts: I recently experienced a patch where in I just had an urge to write and write. And when I sat down on my laptop, indeed I went on and on writing things I always wanted to. I felt like I experienced something that is opposite of writer's block. Is this a thing? Is there a term in English for this?


texts: Is the word "dude" becoming gender neutral?  I don't think so, however, has modern usage changed?  Are there some recent examples of "dude" being used to refer to a woman or group of women?


texts: What are the comparative and superlative forms of 'lively'?

texts:
My teacher taught me that to form the comparative and superlative degrees of a mono- or di- or tri-syllabic word, I should add 'more' and 'most', e.g.:

  lively -more lively-most lively

I know it is correct, but today I saw these words in these forms:

  lively -livelier-liveliest

Which way is correct? Or are both of them correct? Why?


texts:
I'm a technical writer and I tend to use unambiguous words in my tech writing. I find that "left" and "right" (as in "left hand" and "right hand") are both words with other commonly used meanings, and worse, adjective meanings.

So, please help.

You know, many technical articles are written in English and read by many people around the world. I'm from China and I've seen some bad translations of English IT documentation since I've entered the industry. Using explicit words can save time in helping us understand those tech docs.


texts:
Is there a term or phrase for not doing something for a certain amount of time?

ex: I won't drink for a month or I'll go on a diet until I lose 10 ibs or I'll never smoke again etc

EDIT: I'm realizing I should've phrased my question better. I'm looking for a term or phrase that reflects giving something up for the reward of something like losing 10 ibs rather than just a term that means temporarily not doing something.


texts: Is it redundant to say "the jury is still out"?

texts: Should somebody who seeks to avoid stylistic infelicities related to redundancy refrain from using "still" in the construction "the jury is [] out"?


texts: Does "-able" have an imperative meaning?

texts:
In a question on SO I ran into a question about the meaning of word "closeable".

As far as I know (and my teachers taught me so) it has two meanings:

possible to close
should be closed

The discussion was about whether "closeable" should be used for the resources that can be closed, or for those that should be closed.

I also searched for imperative forms of "-able", and found some examples, although they're really not so common:

applicable rules (rules that must be applied)
marriageable woman (the woman to be married)
considerable opinion (the opinion everyone should consider)

My questions are:

Generally, is the imperative usage of "-able" proper?
What does "closeable" mean for a native speaker?

The referenced question on SO: Java naming convention: isCloseResources() vs doCloseResources?

(Bear with me, I'm not a native speaker. Thanks!)


texts: Word for the longest time in spent in a group

texts: A friend and I were discussing what would be an appropriate word to describe the person that has been in a group for the longest. I suggested the word elder, but that seems to apply the age of the group member is older than the others. The word we are searching for wouldn't imply that they are older, just that they have been in that group for the longest time. Any suggestions for a good word for this?


texts: The word that describes a feeling of confusion/second guessing

texts:
It's like the feeling you get when you have second thoughts or second guess yourself. Not really suspicious, but more with a self reflection/introspection tone.
As I thought more about what she said, I began to feel ___. Why didn't I catch her cues the first time?
When I ran over the speech again, I felt ___. Why was it so difficult for me to accept what he wrote?
Also, what are some verbal cues that can describe this feeling?


texts: Is there any difference in meaning between the definite, the indefinite, and the zero article when we make generic nouns?

texts:
I learned in class that:

a. A tiger is a dangerous animal.
b. Tigers are dangerous animals.
c. The tiger is a dangerous animal.

These three sentences are used generically.
But I just saw:

The tiger is in danger of becoming extinct.
Tigers are in danger of becoming extinct.
A tiger is in danger of becoming extinct.

the previous sentences and number '1' and '2' are used generically but example 3. is not.
Is there anyone who can tell me why the latter examples are different from the former ones?  Also, is there any difference in meaning depending on the article?


texts: Is there a single word that has the same meaning as "As far as I know"?

texts:
"AFAIK" is a popular abbreviation, but I was wondering if there was already a real word that would do the same job, preferably one that wasn't very obscure, but that works too :). So what words have the same meaning as "As far as I know", or "to the best of my knowledge"?

Ideally, this would be a word that would work in the same places "AFAIK" works, such as:

  As far as I know, this isn't possible

or

  The sky is always blue, as far as I know

The following sort of work, but don't quite seem to fit (so I'm excluding them for the purposes of this question, although if you have a good argument for one of them, go ahead :) ):

"Presumably": Actually pretty good, but the connotation is kind of condescending, whereas "AFAIK" has less of that tone.
"Apparently": Has some overlap in meaning, but seems less confident.
"Likely": Pretty odd phrasing in some places where "AFAIK", "Likely", or "Apparently" would work.


texts:
I am coding a program and want to raise a signal whenever the data of a form is in a state that allows it to be committed to a storage.

  signal committabilityChanged();

However, I don't find the word committability in the dictionaries I checked. Is committability a word? Else, what is the noun form of “committable”?


texts: Well is adverb and known is adjective. As far as I know, it should not be hyphenated. For example: clearly impossible task, extremely powerful processor.


texts: What does “Emergency blame game” on Iraq mean?

texts:
New Yorker magazine (June 14) reports as follows under the headline, “Senator, John McCain calls for emergency blame game on Iraq.”:

  “Citing the deteriorating situation in the war-torn nation, Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) on Saturday called for Congress to convene an emergency blame game on Iraq.[..]
  McCain said that he hoped Congress would act swiftly to assign blame to a long list of culprits he identified, including President Obama, the Joint Chiefs, the media, and everyone who did not vote for him in the 2008 election.”
  http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/borowitzreport/2014/06/mccain-calls-for-emergency-blame-game-on-iraq.html

What is “Emergency Blame Game”? Does it have any legal effects, I mean, binding power of the law?

What does the word “game” here represent for? Why is it “game,” not act, initiative, resolution, or campaign?


texts: Is it still an indirect object if you're taking something away?

texts:
So Jim is the indirect object in the sentence "Sally gave Jim a sandwich." But is Jim still the indirect object if the sentence is "Sally took the sandwich from Jim"? And if the sentence were to become "Sally took the sandwich from Jim for herself" would Sally now be both the subject and the indirect object?

Thanks.

Additional (silly) question: did I format the quotations correctly in my second and third sentences or should I have not omitted the periods at the end of the quotations?


texts: Is "may or may not" a correct way of negation of "may"?

texts:
In my paper, I wrote this sentence:

  Individual fitness then may or may not project into the population-level
  demography rates.

Now I started to doubt if it is correct! Because if I look up the meaning of "may not", it is actually a prohibition! So perhaps the "correct" way should be "may or need not"? Or "may or doesn't have to"? Yeah, sounds weird, but that's what you would expect, grammatically.

But I've been looking here in some other questions, and from this it seems like "may or may not" is correct.

So my question is:

Really? Is this correct?
Why? Is it some "inconsistency", an exception, that "may not" in this context means "doesn't have to"? Whereas in other cases it means a prohibition? Is it an exception because "may or may not" reads better?


texts: How are compound adjectives nominalised?

texts:
There are compound adjectives in which each word is inflected (as adjective). When they are nominalised, should each adjective be separately nominalised or only the ultimate word?

The concrete question I have in mind is the following:

In mathematics, (mathematical objects called) topological spaces are said to be 'simply connected' under certain circumstances. What should the name of the corresponding property be?
'Simple-connectedness' or 'simply connectedness'?
Should there be a hyphen in the second case? (The rules for hyphens in the adjective form are clear.)

Which is the grammatically correct usage?


texts: Difference between *splendid* and *splendiferous*

texts:
I just read a post where someone was using the adjective splendiferous and even remarked he would not use that word lightly.

So I did a quick search and found that it has the same meaning as splendid, as well as the same function, i.e. both are adjectives.

What is special about splendiferous in contrast to splendid?


texts:
Does this sentence sound right in English?

  You can improve your English due to me.

Is it correct using "due to" in this case?


texts: Is having two subjects in one sentence a common mistake?

texts:
One of my friend told me that i often make this kind of mistake in my writing, that is having 2 subjects in one sentece. What troubles me is it sounds perfectly fine to me and it could be that i've been wrong all along. Could you guys tell me where i'm wrong and how to fix it?.
For example, i was writing about some restaurants, and he told me that it and their Their signature- Lime drink shouldn't be in a same sentence.

"Their signature- Lime drink is also incredible, it is refreshing and healthy, indubitably would assist you in completing a perfect meal".

or in this sentence he said If you ever visit Lime Restaurant and it shoudn't be in a same sentence.

"If you ever visit Lime Restaurant, be sure to check out their Foie Gras, it is known to often dissolve in one’s mouth and leave a unique sensation on the taste buds, or the Kam Heong Crab that imbued skillfully with necessary fragrances to truly bring out its character".

To me If you ever visit Lime Restaurant was a introductory element and had nothing to do with it. Am i wrong?

Thank you guys ^^.


texts: When something sounds too good to be true, it is or isn't?

texts:
I'm having a hard time understanding why the phrase is

  when something sounds too good to be true, it is

and not

  when something sounds too good to be true, it isn't

Because "when something sounds too good be true," it "is not true", right?


texts:
I've found it in an article promoting a new car:

  In terms of kerbside appeal, it’s in the similar territory to... [another car]

I've googled it and in most results the context is houses, gardens, etc. but I can't find any definition.

Does it mean that something attracts people's attention in a good way? That people want it when they see it?

What's the origin? It makes me think about passers-by who are attracted to something they pass by.


texts:
Why can’t words like interested and other similar past participles, which are adjectives, be placed before their noun?

I was taught an adjective can be placed before noun to describe it. When asked, my teacher does not seem to give me a clear explanation why I cannot put an adjective like interested before noun.


texts: Necessary and unnecessary articles for proper nouns

texts:
In AmE (and probably other dialects as well) there are certain place names and other proper nouns that either have a compulsory definite article or a compulsory lack of one attached to them.

For example:

  The Upper West Side - Neighborhood in New York City with a compulsory The.
  Midtown (Manhattan) - Compulsory lack of The.
  Google - Compulsory lack of The to the point of humor.
  Facebook - Compulsory lack of The decided upon by Mark Zuckerberg.

Then there are others which are pseudo-plurals:

  The Bronx -  Always gets The and is occasionally treated as plural.
  Yonkers - Never gets The, never treated as a plural.

My question:

Is there a name for this phenomenon?  I know that the rules of articles in English are very fluid, but is there a rhyme or reason to this?


texts: Is the poetic device in "silence was golden" best described as metaphor or synesthesia?

texts:
After he stopped talking, silence was golden.

What poetic device is used in this sentence?
This was a multiple choice question with the following choices: symbol, synesthesia, metaphor, oxymoron.

I thought it was a metaphor, since silence isn't actually golden.

My teacher said it was synesthesia since one can feel the "gold".

Note: This example was made up by the teacher who said the answer was "synesthesia". It appeared on a class quiz.


texts: Is there a term for the traced keys or legends sometimes accompanying complicated photographs or paintings?

texts:
For example, Howard Chandler Christy's Scene at the Signing of the Constitution

might come along with a line drawing cartoon identifying each famous subject:

Is there a technical term for this kind of cartoon? If not, what's the best descriptive name?


texts: What is the origin of the term "grounded", as in "it keeps me grounded"? Does it simply come from the ground itself, which is to say keeping one's feet on the ground, or does it refer to "ground" in the electrical sense?


texts: "to whom it may offend" vs. "to whom I may offend"

texts:
In my opening speech, is it right if I say

  I apologize to whom it may offend"

or

  "I apologize to whom I may offend"


texts: Is there a specific word for a cross-language mondegreen?

texts:
A mondegreen is a mishearing of a phrase (usually in a poem or song lyrics) as something else; the word itself is one of the best-known mondegreens: it comes from a mishearing of “And laid him on the green” as “And Lady Mondegreen”. Perhaps the best-known example is mishearing “’Scuse me while I kiss the sky” in the Jimi Hendrix Experience song Purple Haze as “’Scuse me while I kiss this guy”.

A cross-language mondegreen, then, would be a word/phrase uttered or sung in one language, which is being misheard as an unrelated word/phrase in another language.

Is there an English term for such a thing? And are there any quintessential, defining examples of it along the lines of the ‘kiss this guy’ one for English-only mondegreens?


texts: I need an alernative to "before" and "after", which alphabetize with after after before

texts: Some software I use likes to alphabetize things, so I'd like an alternative to before and after, where sorting lexicographical is the same as sorting by time.


texts: Is “since-folded (TV network)” an accustomed English word?

texts:
In its Entertainment TV section, Time magazine (August 29) reports that Sara Palin has launched her own Internet Television network. It says;

  Palin’s not the first candidate to lose an election and then embrace the media. Aug. 1 marks the ninth anniversary of the launch of Current TV, Al Gore’s since-folded television network, which Al Jazeera bought last year.

I was attracted to the word, “since-folded,” and I thought it convenient word to be used in many other ways, like “since-folded shop/hospital/library/hotel/company/program,” and so on.

So I checked OED, CED, and Merriam-Webster English Dictionary to make certain. None of them carries “since-folded,” nor does Google Ngram.

How does "since-folded" differ from "long-folded (closed/non-operating)"?

Is “since-folded” an 'accustomed' English word, or just one-off coinage of the article author, P.Nash Jenkins?


texts: Word/phrase/idiom to describe avoiding answering a question by stating the question doesn't need to be asked

texts:
I run into this situation often in the office. I have a specific question to ask somebody and have chosen the person to ask it, but that person doesn't know the answer.

Instead of answering the question, however, they choose to attack the question itself and increase the scope of the discussion to find a way to avoid having to answer it:

Example:

  Asker: I'm not sure if Google Maps has picked the best route to
  McDonalds. What do you think of this route?

  Responder: You can get to Burger King faster, and the food it better.

What has the responder done? I was thinking of strawman fallacy (logic), unasking the question (zen), etc. But none of these exactly fit.


texts: Where to put a person's name in a question?

texts:
When I'm asking a person about something where should I put a person's name? Which of the following is correct?

  Jem do you know....?
  Do you know Jem...?


texts: Can you use the preposition "into" with "connected?

texts:
Can you use the preposition "into" with "connected"?
Here's the sentence:
"When social data is connected into the platform, it's able to interact with all other data in a unified cross-channel environment."


texts: What is the meaning of "something is my pitch"?

texts:
I heard someone say

  "Something is my pitch".

Its sounds strange to me.

What is the meaning of "my pitch"?


texts: Word that means "plagiarism" but only in relation to plagiarized ideas

texts: I'm looking for a word that has the same meaning as "plagiarism" but in relation to plagiarized ideas only, i.e. not related to writing, art work, drawing etc.


texts: Why the letter "g" discrepancy between *giant* and *gigantic*?

texts:
A little look through an etymology dictionary shows that the root is Latin gigas with adjective form gigant.  So in its derivation to English, why did the second "g" get retained in gigantic but was dropped from giant?

I have an inkling that the word giant may have travelled through French on its way to English, where it may have been pronounced "gee-yant" or "jee-yant" with a change to the second "g" that was then dropped when taken into English.  However, the "g" is retained as a hard "g" in gigantic.


texts: Is there a word for "to be of" something?

texts:
Does english have a word for the concept "to be of" something? One word?
It is hard for me to explain what I mean.
But such as the trees are of earth or a child is of a parent.. Maybe bad examples but might help build a picture.

Not just relating to, but to be directly of that something. A product of that something, basically.


texts:
Actor Vin Diesel was talking about his new movie "Furious 7" in Jimmy Kimmel Live, an American late night talk show.

At 1:48 into this YouTube video, Diesel said:

  And they really did drop the cars. I mean, we did practical passes so much.

The movie has a scene where each car was dropped out of an airplane and then was landed successfully with the help of a parachute attached to each of them. What Vin Diesel is saying here is that they didn't use CGI but that they actually dropped the cars to shoot the scene. In this context, what would "pass" mean?


texts: Does fancy mean "like" or "desire to have something"? If my sentence doesn't have something desired, will it be correct if I say "I do not fancy it" as "I don't like it"? Or "I do fancy it" = "I like it"  or another example "I don't fancy that team" = I like that team / "I do fancy that team" =  I like that team as there is no desire, will it be corrected?


texts: Idiom/expression that means "canceling" an event from your calendar?

texts:
This is a bit tricky because checking off and crossing out could mean that I marked those items as finished. What I want to convey is that I changed my mind and decided not to do those items.

Example:

  My calendar was empty, since I'd already [...] "Going to Hawaii" from
  it.


texts:
I was wondering which of these following sentences are correct:
and if each of them convey different meaning could you please explain the reason?
1.They used to tell people not to get loan but they were getting it themselves.
2.They used to tell people not to get loan but they would get it themselves.


texts:
It's sort of a silly question, but it confuses me and I have no choice but to ask. What is the most accurate way to write: He came, he saw, he conquered.
Is it OK to use 'and' as in 'and he conquered'; should there be a comma before 'and' as in: He came, he saw, and he conquered.


texts:
Person help people very much but not  in case of money.

A: Can you lift this up?
B: Ya! sure
A: Thanks a lot, you are hulk.
B: Nah!
C: can you please give me 10$.
B: Sorry I don't have. (he lied).

What do we call this type of person?


texts: Is "I left the bed" an appropriate expression to mean "I got up"?

texts: I searched online and it says that "I left the bed" means "I recoverd from illness." I wonder whether I can use this expression to mean that I got up.


texts: Can I use the word "reincarnated" for a body part?

texts:
Basically, can I said something like this?

  But what really turned heads were her hands. They looked
  incredibly delicate and soft, so much that some started believing
  they were the reincarnated hands of a Goddess.

(the passage above is describing the hands of a teenager).

For some reason, it sounds strange to me.

Is it OK to use the word like the example above? Is there's a better one?

reincarnated according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

  1 a : the action of reincarnating : the state of being reincarnated b
  : rebirth in new bodies or forms of life; especially : a rebirth of a
  soul in a new human body

  2 : a fresh embodiment


texts: A generic word to define the superset of companies, NGOs and faculties

texts:
I need a word to define a set which includes companies, NGOs and faculties that sounds equally distant to those 3.

I am not a native English speaker so I might be wrong but "Corporation" sounds like it is favoring "companies" more, and "institution" evokes "faculties".

Is there a more natural generic term for those? What would you think about "foundation" or "establishment"?

edit: I was thinking what is common to those 3. They are all bodies with members. So how about calling them bodies? A bit too general, though. What about associations?


texts: What is the difference between a dieresis and an umlaut?

texts:
In my personal experience, many native speakers of U.S. English are familiar with the term "umlaut" as referring to the double dots above a letter, though they are not generally aware of its actual effect on pronunciation.  They are typically unfamiliar with the term "dieresis".  Therefore, they would describe the dots over the "e" in "Zoë" as an umlaut, despite it being a dieresis and not an umlaut.
What is the effect of the dieresis and the umlaut, and how do they differ?
Here are some examples of the dieresis and umlaut:

Dieresis: naïve, noël, Zoë
Umlaut: doppelgänger, übermensch
Metal umlaut: Motörhead, Mötley Crüe


texts: Does the phrase "looks like" can mean that two objects are the same? For example if I say "This car looks like John's car" and the car is indeed John's car am I lying?


texts:
We were talking in a group about two components of my Salary one Offshore and another Onsite.
There I said

  Last year I just got the Offshore Hike and not the onsite hike.

Now I want to know if the sentence

  Last year I just got the Offshore Hike

is equivalent to

  Last year I only got the Offshore Hike

I know the second one sounds better, but I just want to know if the first one (with the word 'just') is also right, as we know the context.


texts: Pronoun + "would rather" + (pro)noun + verb: what is a grammatical structure of such phrases?

texts:
In George R. R. Martin's A Game Of Thrones, there is a moment when one character says the following words:

  “So the slaver has become a spy. I would rather he become a corpse.”

Now, I understand the general meaning of it: that the speaker would prefer that person to be dead rather than spying around. What I don't understand is the exact grammar behind the second sentence of the example below.

From what I know, rather is an adverb, so the main clause doesn't have a predicate and technically is incomplete. And since there is a common language structure "pronoun + would rather + verb1 (+ than + verb2)", like I would rather die (than do it), I assume that in my example is used some specific shortened form of a more verbose construction, like it's the case with would that i could. Am I correct? If so, then what is the full form of it?

Also, I'm not entirely sure in what tense become is used in the second sentence. Is it a subjunctive present form, or some shortened form of present perfect that was used in the first sentence, or maybe something else entirely?

And one more thing. When "would rather" is used like in the example above, does it imply some, I don't know how to say it, temporal reference, i.e. when the action described by the verb that follows it should happen or should have happened? In other words, in my example, does the speaker express a wish to see that person dead already or simply want him to die at any time in the future?

Thank you!


texts:
Could you help me to point out the differences in the following sentences. for me both sentences imply same meaning.

  The Restaurant , offers a broad range of locally caught fresh seafood,
  prime steak and meat dishes

  The Restaurant , offers a wide range of locally caught fresh seafood,
  prime steak and meat dishes


texts: What does “no worse than” mean in this phrase?

texts:
“When we consider either the history of opinion or the ordinary conducf of human life, to what is it to be ascribed that the one and the other are no worse than they are?”

I am confused by what this quote means. The source of my confusion lies in “no worse than they are” and ambiguity as to whether the history of both opinion and conduct is being referred to or just opinion.


texts: Correct term to describe apparent bias in expressing opinions -- extremity as a function of publicity

texts:
I am looking for the proper term to describe the apparent bias that exists in voicing one's opinion. Here are two ways I currently conceptualize this bias:

the content of the comparatively more outspoken individuals are more
opinionated/extreme
the more public/widespread a message is, the more opinionated/extreme
it tends to be

.There is a bit of nuance that sets the above explanations apart, but they loosely govern the same principal. Principal may even be a bit of a strong word, I admit, it's almost akin to a generalization. Nonetheless, there are certainly some sociological/psychological mechanisms at work, so my hope is that there is an existing term for this. It might be helpful to include a quick example/anecdote:

Example 1: When one looks at graffiti messages on walls, they tend to make a distinct stance on something. It would be much more likely to see "Chuck Norris is awesome!" or "Chuck Norris is stupid!" written on a wall than it would be to see "Chuck Norris is so-so."

Bear in mind I'm not grappling with causality or anything, merely correlation. It could very well be that more opinionated messages are more entertaining, sell more views, or what have you. I simply wish to find the proper term for this phenomenon or have the phrase I coined criticized.

Optional

If there is truly no existing term for this bias, I would like to include an optional section for addressing the term I coined for it, which is: "Extrema Bias". It has a nice ring to it, I'm not sure if the etymology is justified by the word roots though.


texts: A single word to convey “one who has control of his life/destiny”

texts: I am looking for a word that describes/conveys one who is in control of his/her life, and believes in his own ability to create his own destiny. I am looking for a word that has some poetic/literature tone/connotation to it. Thank you very much.


texts: Are there words starting with the letter "y" pronounced as a vowel sound and can be proceded with "an"?


texts: "Issue #16 is being downloaded" vs "Downloading issue #16"

texts:
When downloading something on an application, I preferred the present continuous active voice form of the message, say something like "Downloading issue #16"

However I have been asked to change it into passive voice form "Issue #16 is being downloaded"

While I can't really point what is worse or better with the latter, my sensibilities strongly favor the former.

Can you point out which one is better, what would you prefer and why?


texts:
I found the article of New Yorker magazine dealing with U.S. Supreme Court Justice,  Antonin Scalia’s scrupulousness of the usage of words under the title’ “Salia’s word game” very interesting as an English language enthusiast.
After introducing Scalia has quoted Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, Timothy Cunningham’s A New and Complete Law Dictionary, Random House College Dictionary, and others of more recent vintage in Supreme Court opinions, the author says;

  “More than any other sitting Justice, he sees himself as both an
  authority on and an arbiter of our mother tongue. This makes him, in
  some instances, the last word on words".
  http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2014/06/scalia-word-games.html?printable=true&currentPage=all#ixzz34w5n6onk

What does “make the last word on word” mean?


texts: Is veterinary as a noun a current AmE usage?

texts:
The more common term to call a doctor who’s specialized in taking care of the health of animals is veterinarian  often shortened to vet.

veterinary is the related adjective accoding to the Cambridge Dictionary and the OLD but, curiously,  a few AmE dictionaries such as the AHD and the Random House Dictionary  suggests that veterinary (pl. veterinaries) is also a noun meaning:

  a veterinarian.

They don’t suggest that it is a regional or a dated usage so I’d like to ask if “veterinary” is currently and commonly used as a noun in AmE unlike in BrE.


texts: Semicolon followed by a dash;—What is it?

texts: I see repeated use in numerous 19th printed texts and manuscripts, both British and American, of a semi-colon followed by an em dash. It is clearly a punctuation device that was used frequently in formal writing, in letters, and in personal journals, but not anymore. Since I will be quoting some of these passages in a published work, it would he helpful to know what exactly this is, and what it was called. I have looked in vain for an answer.


texts: Are 'among' and 'of' interchangeable in this sentence?

texts:
I am proofreading a book for a museum of archaeology. While I was doing so I came across this sentence and it seems a bit odd but I am not so sure. I need your help;

  "Of the six gold crowns of Silla that have so far been discovered,
  this one represents the oldest form of the original type and features
  ornamentation that closely resembles actual tree branches."

I made some revision:

"Among the six gold crowns of Silla that have been discovered so far does this one represent the oldest form of the original type, and it features ornamentation that closely resembles actual tree branches."

I have two questions:

It seems more natural to me that'among' is used instead of 'of' here. Is it? or both of them are okay?
In this case where this adverbial phrase "Of the six gold crowns of Silla that have so far been discovered,"comes in front of everything else, shouldn't you put the verb in front of the subject as it is a case of inversion?

Thank you in advance.

appreciatedly,

Yeseul Shin


texts:
Is it correct to use respectively in this way in a written text?

  The first month of Spring (respectively Summer) is March (respectively June).

Could you please point to some examples where it is used.


texts: Single word request: the person that "picks up things"

texts:
A person who drives vehicles is a "driver"

A person who swims in the water is a "swimmer"

What do you call a person who goes around and picks things up? "pickuper"?

It would be someone who literally grabs a box on the ground and puts it somewhere else (at higher altitude) ie: from the ground to a truck or from the ground to a shelve

An example:

  A: I need to pick up these boxes
  B: The pickuper will do it for you


texts:
Take the following sentence:

  Are mathematically proficient students, or even mathematically brilliant students, always motivated?

Can students be replaced by ones?

  Are mathematically proficient students, or even mathematically brilliant ones, always motivated?

My intuition says yes. If it is acceptable, does it make the first sentence unacceptable?


texts: Can a property be "idiosyncratic to" an object?

texts:
Is it grammatically correct to write (property) is idiosyncratic to (object) in the same way that one could write (property) is unique to (object)?

For example

  This feature is idiosyncratic to the Apple Macintosh.


texts: Difference between 'kindness' and 'politeness'

texts: Can one use kindness as a synonym for politeness? What's the difference? Where do you draw the line between them?


texts: How can you say you realize something from someone's look?

texts: What is a word or phrase that means you understand something from someone's look, e.g. you realize from their look that you should stop talking?


texts: Concessive "as much as" and "much as". Which came first?

texts:
Related:
"Much though" vs "much as",
Use of 'Much as' [closed],
Using “as much as” at start of sentence
Consider the following two variations:

As much as I hate to admit it, I cannot swim.
Much as I hate to admit it, I cannot swim.

Both seem to be standard, as they both enjoy wide use, but based on the answers to the linked questions above, one gets the impression that the latter derives from the former (and that the former is preferred). I find this suspect for a couple of reasons.
First, I have a much easier time parsing the bare "much as" variation because one of the definitions of "as" is precisely a conjunction meaning "though" (#9). Hence, these should be equivalent:

Much as I hate to admit it, I cannot swim.
Much though I hate to admit it, I cannot swim.
Though I much hate to admit it, I cannot swim.

Whereas "as much as" I interpret as idiomatic.
Secondly, the bare "much as" seems to be closely related to other concessive expressions that strictly preclude any initial "as":

But, fool as he is, I won't have him drowned.
Try as we may, none of us can be free of conflict and woe.
Very much as I hate to admit it, I cannot swim.

The last one I made up, but I can't see why it wouldn't be possible, though admittedly I haven't been able to find it in the wild.
So, all that said, I'm led to believe that "much as" is the original expression, but am not sure how to verify it apart from asking you all.


texts: Pronunciation and transcription of the vowel in "fear", "dear", "near" etc

texts: I wonder, words like fear, dear, near and so on have long e in pronunciation, and it should be transcribed as /i:/, but I've found it transcribed as short /ɪ/. Why is that?


texts:
Apparently optimizable is not a word. Why?

This occurs semi-frequently when we have candidates for one or more optimization techniques.

Note that I would argue that suboptimal has the undesirable connotation that the subject is inadequate, or a poor solution.

related: Meaning of "suboptimal"


texts: Can a comma be put before but if it starts a dependent clause?

texts:
If the dependent clause is nonessential, of course. For example:

  There were other conspicuously terrifying moments during the ride but not any more terrifying than that one.

or

  There were other conspicuously terrifying moments during the ride, but not any more terrifying than that one.


texts: Why is it on the spot ( as in put someone on the spot), but in a tough/ tight spot ?

texts: Why isn't the preposition "on" used in both cases?


texts: The hospital is "in Church Road" or "on Church Road"?

texts:
I've been discussing the usage of "in Church Road" over "on Church Road" with my colleagues in a sentence such as "The supermarket is in Church Road". Whilst it is overwhelming clear that "on Church Road" is the favoured option in this discussion, it remains unclear as to whether the use of "in Church Road" is completely uncommon or incorrect in this context.

The case regarding "Church Street", we feel, is clearly a simple case of who is speaking, but "Church Road" is presenting us one or two problems.

Any help?


texts: Repeat Adverb in a list or is one time enough?

texts:
[1] ...., which is less efficient and secure against ...

[2] ...., which is less efficient and less secure against ...

Is it necessary to mention "less" two times as shown in version [2] or is version [1] sufficient expressing that it is "less" in both cases?


texts: Are there by chance any synonyms for "synonym"?

texts: I was discussing with some friends about synonyms when we found, that ironically nobody of us knew any synonyms to the word "synonym" itself. Are there any?


texts: What is the origin of the phrase "that's mighty white of you brother"; is it simply a racist statement as it appears to be, our does it have another, older or obscure derivation? I've always wondered whether the statement was straight up racial  superiority idiocy, or if there was another historical origin which might justify its retention in the great bank of English complimentary speech.


texts: From the point of view of English language, when is the answer to a question "obvious", in general?

texts:
I am pondering over this question for a while. I was having a discussion with a friend and when she asked me a question, I responded to her that "Isn't it pretty obvious?" and she responded to me that the answer to the question wasn't obvious to her. Now, this is the definition of the word, obvious, according to Cambridge online dictionary: easy to see, recognize, or understand.
So, in English, when is it okay to state or use the word "obvious"? When is the answer to a question obvious and when is it not?


texts: How to pronounce /æ/ in American English?

texts:
This one is really hard for me because I feel like it has at least two pronunciations.
Examples:

bad /bæd/ where it sounds more like /ee/

practice /præktəs/ where it sounds more like /aa/

Can someone help me with the correct pronunciation? Is there a rule for it? I couldn't find anything.


texts:
This is the first sentence of The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams.

  On this day of days there was an unfamiliar stirring deep inside the dozing heart of the Hayholt, in the castle's bewildering warren of quite passages and overgrown, ivy-choked courtyards, in the monk's holes and damp, shadowed chambers.

What are monk's holes in this context?


texts: Is "clean the chicken" an old expression?

texts: In a letter written in 1897 my grandfather, who was hiking cross country, said he was only going to eat 2 meals a day and "clean the chicken".  Was this an expression and what did it mean?  Or am I just misreading his handwriting?


texts:
which one is the correct translation of this sentence in Portuguese? “Ela subiu a escada correndo para me trazer a carta.”
None of them sound good to me. The best structure in the second one, but one should change the verb take for bring.
All the other ones sound weird to me, since when we use the verb ‘run’ as gerund as in these sentences, it becomes a noun.

She went running up the stairs to bring me the letter.

She ran up the stairs to take me the letter.

She went up the stairs running to bring me the letter.

She came running up the stairs to bring me the letter.


texts: Is "X is known difficult to implement" correct?

texts:
Is either of the following correct?

  X is known difficult to implement.
  X is known to be difficult to implement.


texts: Word meaning "absorbs everything around him"

texts:
I'm looking for a word to describe my son. Basically, he sucks in virtually everything around him - music, books, adult conversations, etc - and adds that to his mental image(s) of how the world works.

It's something like absorptive, but that does not feel active enough. Thoughts?


texts: Is it correct to say that a barkeep was "adroitly pouring out drinks behind the bar"? Something rubs me the wrong way here. Perhaps it would be better to use some synonym in this context? If so, which one?


texts:
I have heard people use it frequently. This word is not listed in Lexico and Cambridge Dictionary.

The only source I can find online is

  From the Free Dictionary

  n.    1.  The lapse or interval of time between two events.

What is the equivalent word for this since it is obsolete?


texts:
Macmillan Dictionary gives the following use of the phrase kick off (among others):

  kick someone off something INFORMAL to force someone to leave a
  place or activity

Recently I encountered a post with such a sentence:

  The only airlines that survived are the ones who were hard-ass enough
  to drag people, bloody, out of their seats, hurt single mothers
  carrying babies, and kick honeymooning couples off of flights.

Why an additional of? Is it just an idiomatic feature of the author's English or does it have it's meaning and emphasize something?


texts:
In a cave, through a series of openings, beams of light fall inside. so that the darkness is punctuated with beams of light like so :

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Forest-sun_01.JPG.

What is another name for this collection ?

  Sample Sentence - Sunlight fell in beams through the holes, drilled
  into the sides of the cavern, at intervals so that it appeared to be a
  "??" collection of dark interspersed with beams of light.

Note: I have seen this question and while it talks about the name for the phenomenon, I'm talking about describing the effect.


texts:
We all know that

  If a person has returned from a place we use "been", but if the person
  is still absent, we use "gone". (Source)

Example 1:

  I've never been to the USA, but I'd love to go!

Example 2:

  You realise that a co-worker hasn't been in the office this week. You ask someone about your co-worker and he / she replies: ''Oh, (X) has gone on holiday.'' (The person has gone on holiday, but hasn't returned yet.)

Example 3:

  Your co-worker returns and looks suntanned. You say, ''I can see you've been on holiday!'' (You've been on holiday = you went there and then came back.)

So, all these above activities are about travelling.

My question is that

Is the difference between "been" & "gone" used in non-travelling activities?

This website also talks about the difference between "been" & "gone". It has an example

Example 1:

  Are you ok? Your skin has gone all red!.

So, what is the difference between "Your skin has gone all red!." (your skin is still red now??) & "Your skin has been all red!." (now your skin is no longer red???)

Example 2:

  I'm so tired. I've been working all day.

So, what is the difference between I've been working all day. (I am not working now???) & I've gone working all day. (I am still working now???)


texts:
What's the term for the propaganda technique where someone quotes a statement that's true or perfectly logical, but they treat it in a sarcastic manner that makes it sound kooky?

For example, imagine if Joe X is running for public office, and he says

  I consider Israel a terrorist state.

Next, some newspaper publishes a column titled "Kook Parade." They quote someone saying something truly stupid, like "I believe we can move Earth's entire population to Mars." Their next example of a kooky statement is Joe X's statement, "I consider Israel a terrorist state."


texts: Is saying "back to back" an AmE or BrE usage

texts:
I have been often intrigued by the phrase "back-to-back".
Referring to "back" is reminiscent of the rear of the human body.

I usually hear-

back-to-back meetings


texts: Question about subject of participle clause

texts:
I've read a sentence from The New York Times:

"Every new year brings curiosity and excitement. There is often a collective commitment from people to shed the toxic habits we developed the year before, while pushing to unlock the door of possibilities for the year to come."

What is the subject of the clause while pushing to unlock the door of possibilities for the year to come? It seems to be people, but it also feels like, grammatically, the subject is collective commitment.


texts:
Why do people use nerve cell when both nerve and cell are nouns? Shouldn't the first word be an adjective like in neural cell?

If nerve cell is valid, is there a subtle difference between nerve cell and neural cell? Neural means "relating to a nerve" (Oxford), so is the difference that one is actually a nerve, and the other only relating to a nerve?


texts: The difference between the meanings of "assumption" and "hypothesis" in the mentioned context?

texts:
What is the difference between the meanings of "assumption" and "hypothesis" in the following context.

  Feminist researchers have also developed alternatives to assumptions,
  research questions, and hypotheses that they criticize. [Source]

The definitions that the main dictionaries on the web [for example compare here and here]  offer are all to the effect that both words mean something taken for granted without it being proved and basing other views on it.

Is there a technical difference between the meanings of these two terms?


texts:
I understand most comma rules, but this one stumps me. It is my understanding that the sentence should still make sense after taking out the X in "..., [X], ...." As an example: My friend, a hard-worker, would be a great fit for your company.
I've seen examples like the following before, but these don't seem to abide by that rule. Are they grammatically incorrect, or are they exceptions?

While, on the surface, the plan looks executable, in practice, this is not so much the case.

While on the surface, the plan looks executable, in practice, this is not so much the case.

He claims to value his constituents, but in reality, this is not true.

He claims to value his constituents, while in reality, enacting policies that run counter to their interests.


texts: "There were all kinds" vs "there were of all kinds"

texts:
What's is more grammatically correct?

  Once in the terminal, I started towards the nearest exit, glancing at
  the other tourists. There were of all kinds: groups, husband and
  wife, and people being waited with a sign.

Or

  Once in the terminal, I started towards the nearest exit, glancing at
  the other tourists. There were all kinds: groups, husband and
  wife, and people being waited with a sign.


texts: Once you've introduce an acronym / initialism should you always use it?

texts:
When writing a large document with technical terminology (in this example I'll use 'Content Management System') I would use the full term itself and alongside introduce the acronym / initialism:

  ...When using your Content Management System (CMS) you should first....

However, once I've done this should I always refer to it by the initialism throughout the document, or is it advised to refer to the term by its full name at periods throughout the text?

I don't want people getting confused by the term if they repeatedly come across it and not understanding what it means, so would be tempted to occasionally reuse the full 'Content Management System' wording in order to associate that with the initalism again, but then equally I don't want people thinking "they've already told us what CMS means, why are they using the full words again?"

Should I just stick with the initialism throughout?


texts: Punctuation of a dependent clause for strong emphasis

texts:
Which of the sentences below is correct if I want to strongly emphasize that the pencil is not is not white?

  This is a black instead of a white pencil.
  This is a black, instead of a white, pencil.
  This is a black—instead of a white—pencil.


texts: A simulation from reality vs simulation from reality.

texts:
"While previous simulations were often accused of predictability and lack of immersion, now it was almost impossible to distinguish simulation from reality."

"While previous simulations were often accused of predictability and lack of immersion, now it was almost impossible to distinguish a simulation from reality."

The second is correct grammar-wise, but is the first also correct under certain circumstances?

Thanks.


texts:
I'm looking for a word that I can use to describe the something being less than 50% but not completely void.

For example:

  (Least) of the voters were for the unappealing policy change, but there were a few supporters.

I know "least of" is the wrong phrase to use here, but I'm wondering if there's something that could be used in a similar way.

Is there something I can use here?


texts: Meaning of "two days either side of a dash" (from a motivational speech)

texts:
There is a motivational speech which I'm having trouble understanding. Here's the phrase:

  There are two days either side of a dash, make sure that dash is not empty.

What's the meaning of it?


texts: Word for someone who makes fun of others for a characteristic while himself or herself has it

texts:
What is called a person who makes fun of others for a characteristic while himself or herself has it.

For example a short person who scorn someone for being short.


texts:
Our algorithm is based on a sparse representation framework, where an l0 norm optimization is used based on an OMP algorithm. It works well with one single snapshot and as such, our algorithm has better joint parameter-estimation performance than other algorithms.

Should the phrase as such be surrounded by commas here? Is it parenthetical in this case?


texts: Can you use "resulted" when talking about the equation and not the variables in it?

texts:
Given this equation:

  Selling Price = Direct Cost / 1 - Desired Profit

I can say that Direct Cost / 1 - Desired Profit resulted in 5.26 dollars.

However, is it  grammatically correct to say that  the Selling Price resulted in  5.26 dollars?

If not, what's a more adecuate word? Yielded? Turned out to be?


texts:
Is it ebike or e-bike?

I originally thought it is e-bike, but read on a different discussion that it is ebike rather than e-bike.

Thank you.


texts: Difference between "numbers analysis" and "number analysis"

texts:
The company I work for offers an analysis of a business’s financials.

We'd love to call it either of “numbers analysis” or “number analysis”, whichever is grammatically correct!


texts: Is there a word for wordlessly humming words/phrases?

texts:
"Yeah-huh", "Nuh-uh".  "Ah."  "Oh."  "Um."   "Ew."  "Huh!"  "Huh?"  "Ehh." "I don't know."

Tone and breath are all that separate all of these 'm' sounds.  You can say a lot without opening your mouth.  Does this phenomenon have a name?


texts: Single word for someone who does not eat mammal's meat

texts: Is there a single descriptor for someone who eats anything (chicken, fish, insects, veggie burger,...) but just not any mammals (from the conviction that they are "to close to us" to serve as food).  Not a compound something like pollo-pesco-ovo-etc-arian, but a single word?


texts:
Is there a best answer for this vocabulary question?

The question appeared on a large-scale test and we need to know whether it has two equally acceptable answers or just one best answer:

Sentence:

  She was _________ good at covering the emotions she didn't want to show, but he read them all and threw them back in her face.

  1) carefully     2) seriously    3) normally    4) wisely

Between options 2 and 3, can one be considered a better answer? Your answers can affect the results.

Thanks a lot in advance for your help.


texts: Correct capitalization of words beginning with "e-" (for "electronic")

texts:
What is the correct capitalization of words beginning with "e-" (like e-mail or e-learning or e-assessment) when used in a title? Is it "E-Learning" or "E-learning" or even "e-Learning"?

To clarify: This question is not about hyphenation of such words (there are lots of other questions about that topic), but only about capitalization, e. g., in titles or at the beginning of a sentence. For the argument's sake, let's assume the words are to be hyphenated. ("Email" is a trivial answer.)


texts:
I don't understand exit onto in the following sentences:

Target is east and north of you, looks like Highway 56 to 17. Will intercept him if he stays on 17. Go east on 56 off Highway 2.

What?

You're going to exit onto Highway 56.

Does it mean the target is in Highway 56 and about to go to Highway 17, but the follower will intercept him if he goes to Highway 17, so he has to exit Highway 2 (currently he is in Highway 2) to go to Highway 56 to catch the target?
It's a part of the movie Sicario, I don't know if I can post a torrent link here.


texts: How to stress the difference between 13 and 30; 14 and 40; etc.?

texts:
I've searched this site for questions containing both thirteen and thirty, fourteen and forty, etc. up until I found this question about seventy. Most of the comments seem to be about using "sevenee" to emphasize 70 and using "steventeen" (with emphasis) to indicate 17. However this doesn't work for other numbers like 30 which would turn into something like "thurry".
The top answer on that question is this:

When speaking, you can distinguish between them more easily by stressing a different syllable:

17 = sev en TEEN
70 = SEV en tee

Is this the common practice? It doesn't seem to remove any ambiguity if you don't already know of the practice, but since it is the top voted answer I guess it might be the way to go.
In another, unrelated question I found this relevant remark in an answer:

Sometimes, it is helpful to read numbers digit by digit for clarity. For example, "fifteen" and "fifty" sound alike, so in aviation, such numbers are spoken as "one-five" and "five-zero", respectively; 1500 is "one-five-hundred".
But doing that in informal conversation? You would sound weird, and you probably wouldn't be understood. You could say it redundantly "fifteen (that's one-five)".

Which makes more sense to me as a non-native speaker. I'm assuming that even with a perfect pronunciation (which I don't think I have), there are still going to be cases where background noise (mainly when communicating with someone not next to you) or audio quality will cause it to become unclear anyway, but I might be wrong in that.
What's the way to go about this, keeping in mind that:

I'll talk with a lot of non-native speakers who might not be used to some common practice; and
still wanting to be clear (and not sounding silly or condescending) to native speakers?

Should I use different approaches for different numbers, like "sevenee" for 70 and "thirty like three-oh" for 30? What about other numbers?


texts: How offensive is the word Bastard? And when did it become more of an offense than a term used for child out of wedlock?


texts: What is the correct usage of "A is to B as C is to D"?

texts:
This confused me for a long time. Are the following sentences correct? (The words "Java" and "JavaScript" below are two computer languages whose names are kind of similar but indeed very different.)

Java is to JavaScript as ham is to hamster.
What Java to JavaScript is like (what) ham to hamster.
What Java is to JavaScript is like (what) ham is to hamster.

The first one is a common joke in computer science area, but it doesn't look like a complete sentence. I always use the second or the third one, and people understood them perfectly, but I doubt if I can use them this way. What is the correct way for it and how can I use it in a sentence?

Update:
I wanna clarify some confusion of my question. I would like to know, if someone ask me a question like "What is the difference between Java and JavaScript?" What should I answer as a complete sentence. Is it possible I can directly answer:"Java is to JavaScript as ham is to hamster"?


texts:
I was taught that with the word language, the definite article is used.

  The English language versus English
  The English language Teacher versus  English teacher

What are article usage rules for 'a/the English Language teacher'?


texts: Is there a word that describes inflation that is excessive but not hyperinflation?

texts:
An example would be the recent inflation in Russia, where the exchange rate of GPB:RUB has doubled from ~60 in September to ~120 today.
Hyperinflation was defined by Philip Cagan in his book as 50% inflation per month sustained over a year.
Is there a word or phrase that describes excessive and abnormal amounts of inflation that do not reach hyperinflation levels?


texts:
From the free dictionary.

squabble
To engage in a disagreeable argument, usually over a trivial matter; wrangle. See Synonyms at argue.

bicker
To engage in a petty, bad-tempered quarrel; squabble. See Synonyms at argue.

Does squabble stand for argue while bicker is for sass or do I get it wrong? Clarifying examples are highly appreciated!


texts: Word for mutually bemoaning a shared experience?

texts: I thought commiserate was the word I was looking for, but found out that means sympathy for someone else's experience, rather than two or more people mutually feeling sorry for themselves.


texts: Word for sudden energy drop after success

texts:
Recently, I've been working on a large project that required learning and collating lots of new data.  It's been a big challenge with several unexpected turns, so it has been dominating my thoughts for weeks now.

Today, it all came together and pulled together into a demonstrable project, which was amazing; I was elated and eager to show everyone around me.

30 minutes later and I'm resting with my head in my hands because I am abruptly so tired.  People asked if something was wrong and nothing could be further from the truth, yet I am utterly exhausted.

Is there a word or saying for this state, or even a better way to describe it than the above?  For example, "Nothing's wrong, it's just [exhaustion after success on a long and tough project]."


texts: I see some texts using AD and BC or BCE and CE. But other texts just have the date, like 1992 and it is understood. Is there a rule of thumb for when to add these prefixes? I'm using Chicago-Turabian.


texts:
I am looking for a more elegant term to replace 'playgirl'.

Playgirl (n); a woman who pursues a life of pleasure without responsibility or attachments, especially one who is of comfortable means.

The word should be suitable to replace 'playboy' in, for example;

  "Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist” line in by Ironman.


texts: Why did English change so much between Chaucer and Shakespeare?

texts:
My inexpert perception of things is that the distance between The Canterbury Tales (end 14th century) and Romeo and Juliet (end 16th), from a language perspective, is vast, and vastly greater than the distance between Romeo and Juliet and today's English.

The Canterbury Tales reads like a different language. I can't make much sense of it at all. Romeo and Juliet is broadly intelligible without outside help.

If this is right... why did English change so much in the space of 200 years, and comparatively little in the next 400?


texts: Phrase, idiom, expression suited for putting one's own requirement saying that it is instruction coming from someone else

texts:
Context

My boss one day called me in his office and said that now i have to include tasks 3,5,6 to complete the entire assignment. Traditionally, the usual sequence of task was from 1 through 10, but management had stopped 3,5 and 6 many years ago.

The boss said it is management that has instructed this, but he does not know that i am among the panel to make amendments to the procedure if anything is pushed for a change. Thus this is his own quirkiness that he wants to impose this additional requirement in the name of management (without their approval). So I want to know what is the phrase, idiom, expression suited for putting his own requirement in saying that it is management's instruction.

I feel this would count as duplicate, but I tried searching for this and really couldn't ascertain whether alternative word like name dropping completes my requirement particularly (it could but i have no way to ascertain). So it stands to verify with expert crowd's responses.


texts:
I heard someone today say that lad is the opposite of lass. And we picked up a debate on whether woman is actually the opposite of man, which led me to question whether nouns can have opposites at all.

So can we say man is the opposite of woman? Can nouns even have opposites at all?


texts: What's a synonym for a passionate person?

texts:
What's a word for a passionate person? Like a "passionista", but that of course already has another meaning. Someone that generally has strong desires, goals, or convictions, and works hard to make them a reality or prove their point. Just to be clear, I'm looking for a general term for such a person (which should be a noun, of course).

If no such word exists, then a clever neologism would be acceptable.


texts: Colloquial English word for: a "Remote control"

texts:
What is the most popular word used for calling: "Remote control" in British families?

How do the people call it? How the children call it?

Thanks!


texts: ...when construction of the permanent facilities "is" or "are" projected to be complete: which is correct?

texts:
The funding need will extend through the year 2020 when construction of the permanent facilities is projected to be complete.

My boss insists I should use are instead of is. I disagree. Any recommendations?


texts: Does British English use the term "heel" for the end slice of bread?

texts:
I'm Irish, and hence speak Hiberno-English. Here is a photograph of some sliced bread:

The topmost slice of this (that's crust on the end), is called "the heel". Is this meaning for "heel" understood in British English?


texts: Why we say "save file" and not "keep/preserve file"

texts: Why do we say save the file/image instead of keep/preserve the file/image? Is it because the original meaning was to save (rescue) the object from being lost?


texts: A word for non-Christian equivalent of "chapel"?

texts:
Specifically, the part of a temple in which the equivalent of an altar is situated,  also where the religious services are performed.
I need this word for a fantasy novel I'm writing in which no real-life religions exist. I intend for the word to be as general as is possible. Here is the context:

With the remaining renegades scouting the settlement, sometimes literally shaking information out of the inhabitants, they found the imperial guards to be stationed at a large temple-like structure erected with stone pillars and enclosed with emblazoned curtains and banners.
It was dusk, and no watchmen of any sort was set for the garrison, which the renegades confirmed to be a normal occurrence with corroborations from several near-broken mouths. Also gathered was the fact that the leader of the imperial guards lived in the basement of the garrison, under a raised part of the structure that was once a ____ of some kind.

The goal here to show that the people don't really know what organized religion is anymore after imperial occupation, and any specific terms for the structure was forgotten.
Rejected:

Altar: has specifically Christian association, and is an item to be
found in the room in question, rather than the room itself


texts:
There is a colour named "Peruvian Brown".  This is mentioned in the Wikipedia entry for shades of brown.  The Wikipedia entry gives a reference to an offline book, and examples of modern use (the x11 system, and CSS colour codes), but does not give any etymology.

What is the etymology of Peruvian brown?


texts: Who decides how a foreign name should be transliterated and why do such transliterations change over the decades?

texts: I would like to know how a transliteration of a foreign name becomes "the accepted version", and why the accepted version is sometimes replaced. I would also like to know why some transliterations into English make absolutely no sense to English readers: i.e. what is the main purpose of transliteration into English? It cannot be to help English speakers give an approximate pronunciation, because sometimes the transliterated form uses letter combinations not found in English, that make no "sense" in English orthography.


texts: Did "based off of" come from a TV show for children?

texts:
"based off of" is a new alternative to the standard and traditional "based on", and the first time I heard it used by an adult was couple of months ago.

How does a locution become widespread among young people and become an adult usage only when those young people reach adulthood?  The only thing I can think of is that some popular cartoon character on a TV show for children introduced it.


texts: Something that is the frequent cause of mistakes?

texts:
Let's imagine a hypothetical business: Mistake Corp. Mistake Corp makes a lot of mistakes, and as it turns out, the reason they make these mistakes is typically the same. 90% of the time Mistake Corp makes a mistake, it's because of misinformation. I suppose misinformation is the opposite of a linchpin for Mistake Corp.

I'd like to be able to use the word like so:
"Misinformation is the [anti-linchpin] of Mistake Corp"

What non-ambiguous word, other than "anti-linchpin", can I use to describe something that is a frequent cause for mistakes to those who aren't as English-savvy?


texts:
Can you have a sentence like

  ________________, I would often tell you.

and the part that's left out isn't in quotes?


texts: What would be the correct term for a single instance of a multiverse?

texts:
I am trying to write (some fiction) about how the (singular) universe got shattered into a multiverse (collective noun?)

I tripped up when I wanted to refer to one of the instances (or branches if you will) of the multiverse.

Multiverse (singular) seems ambiguous with the whole multiverse (all of the single instances). Like wise using universe is also ambiguous; a single instance or the single thing which got shattered.

To further complicated matters I want to refer to a sub set of instances (e.g., the instances where 'Alex' dies in a car crash)

So what would be a useful or clear way to refer to:

A singular Universe?
A collective multiverse?
A single instance, or branch, of the multiverse?
A sub set of the multiverse instances?


texts: An adjective to describe someone with strong interpersonal skills?

texts:
I am writing a letter of recommendation for a student who has strong interpersonal skills. In order to list that characteristic in parallel with others of her strengths, I would like an adjective. Specifically, I would like to say: "She is academically excellent, hardworking, and _____."

I thought of the word "personable", but that means having a pleasant personality or appearance. If she were manipulative, I could describe her as "Machiavellian", but I believe she uses her powers for good. What I mean to communicate is that she is a good listener, communicates well, and has good social skills.

Update

I chose not to use words like "sociable" or "gregarious" because I wish to emphasize her ability to communicate effectively in professional contexts. I am nominating her for a position that requires professional and academic excellence, not charm or even charisma. Think of qualities that would be admired in a great leader (of any gender).


texts: Why does “lactic” have an "-ic", while "unique" have an "-ique"?

texts:
Lactic:

"pertaining to milk," 1790 (in lactic acid; so called because it was obtained from sour milk), from Fr. lactique, from L. lactis, gen. of lac "milk" (see lactation) + Fr. -ique.

Unique:

c.1600, "single, solitary," from Fr. unique, from L. unicus "single, sole," from unus "one" (see one). Meaning "forming the only one of its kind" is attested from 1610s; erroneous sense of "remarkable, uncommon" is attested from mid-19c.

Obviously, "-ic" is the cognate of F. "-ique"，I don't know why these two words have been composed by two different suffixes, or is there any difference between these forms?


texts: Is there a word for a person who has no influence?

texts:
Is there one sole word for a person who has no influence in the world outside or make any valuable or notable contributions?

Example: "Most people are not addicted to their smartphones, they simply don't want to feel lonely or [being in that described state or being that kind of person]"


texts:
I would like to start a sentence with "But nothing compares to..." and it seems like I should place a comma between "but" and "nothing."

But when I say it aloud, there's no pause there at all, and it all seems to be one phrase. In fact, adding the comma seems to change the meaning.

"But nothing compares to your beauty." - I've seen some beautiful things, but you're the most beautiful.

"But, nothing compares to your beauty." - You've got some faults, but at least you're beautiful.

Should there be a comma there, or not?


texts: How do I use the words "board" and "lodging" independently?

texts:
I have never seen any examples of people using "board" or "lodging", other than the phrase "board and lodging".

Like, imagine my aunt lives in Antarctica, and my friend decides to go there, I tell him he can stay at my aunts place, and my friend asks: "Will your aunt provide board?". That sentence sounds weird to me. So, how do I use these words?

Shouldn't I just be able to replace the word "food" with "board" and "a place to stay" with "lodging" and sound natural?


texts:
Is there a word - not 'anachronistic' - that means 'impossibly futuristic for the historical period'?

Like a movie made in the 2010s, set in the 1920s where someone is driving a 1950s car.


texts: How did 'wieldy', the positive form of 'unwieldy', come to be a non-existent word?

texts:
I.e., is there a known reason behind why the negative form of the word 'wieldy', 'unwieldy', is so vastly used, whereas the positive form is essentially a non-existent word — MacMillan Dictionary doesn't even have an entry for it and the spell checker of my current browser is giving me a red squiggly line underneath that word?

The various on-line dictionaries I've consulted say 'wieldy' means 'easily controlled or handled', 'capable of being wielded easily' (e.g., wieldy weapon, wieldy car, ...), and, as such, I expected that word to be common among native British or American speakers, but Google Books shows (only) 20,600 hits for it and 1,500,000 hits for 'unwieldy'.


texts:
I've grown up in the UK and always considered that it is a United Kingdom of four countries: the three countries on the island of Great Britain and the country/province1 of Northern Ireland. Everything I've ever read supports it.

But then an Irishman the other day said to me that he thinks of it as a United Kingdom of three countries, plus Northern Ireland. He was quite adamant, though this seems like a very strange way to form the name of a sovereign state, especially since the constitutional monarchy presides over all four constituent states.

So, which is it? And can you prove it?

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  [^^^^^^^^^^^^^  +  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^]

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  +  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

1 Sources disagree on how NI should be officially described.
† I suppose this is geography or history in a sense, but I think we can also call this an etymology question.


texts:
Is "forest" countable or not?

Having checked it in dictionary, it is still unclear to me. I'm considering to the following context.

  Our company owns 20 locations (or places) of forest across the country.


texts: what is the meaning of "revealed values" ?

texts:
i know obviously the meaning of "Value" and "reveale" but i could not understand
their meaning together in this quote below :

  “Studies of blood flow and oxygen consumption in the brains of
  food-deprived obese human subjects revealed values that were well
  below the normal levels for adult human brains...


texts: Word similar to "Extracurricular" related to a career instead of school

texts:
The definition of "Extracurricular":

  not falling within the scope of a regular curriculum; specifically: of or relating to officially or semiofficially approved and usually organized student activities (as athletics) connected with school and usually carrying no academic credit

The word I'm looking for might have this definition:

  not falling within the scope of a regular work life; specifically: of or relating to organized activities unassociated with the company one works for

Essentially, non-work hobbies that one has during the period of life when a person holds a job and is no longer in school. I understand that "extracurricular" can be used outside of a curricular context, but it seems to be a stretch of the word.

A Google search reveals a single forced usage of the hyphenated word "extra-career". This is more or less what I'm going for.

Example sentence:

  Thomas, you need to get involved in some [non-work related] activities if you want to meet people.


texts:
Which of these two is more correct and why?

The sun shines on my little tree.
The sun shines upon my little tree.

From what I've read in dictionaries both are acceptable, however I would like to know if there are subtleties that might arise due to, for example, the context.


texts: Why is imperialism not spelled empirialism?

texts: If the goal of imperialism is to create an empire, why is the word not spelled "empirialism"?


texts:
What's the difference between receptacle and outlet to cal the device in a wall you put a plug into in order to provide electricity for a lamp, television, etc.?

  outlet

  (also receptacle, socket) (both North American English) (British English power point) a device in a wall that you put a plug into in order to connect electrical equipment to the power supply of a building

  OLD

  US : a device in a wall into which an electric cord can be plugged in order to provide electricity for a lamp, television, etc.

  electrical outlets; a wall outlet

  — called also socket, (British) point, (British) power point

  MWLD

  receptacle

  US : a device into which an electric cord can be plugged in order to provide electricity for a lamp, television, etc.
  an electrical receptacle [=outlet]

  MWLD


texts: "Aeroplane" or "Airplane" - Which are people more familiar with?

texts:
I'm considering creating an application which has the word "Aeroplane" in the title. However, I have noticed in Google the following trend:

Aeroplane: 16,700,000 results

Airplane: 119,000,000 results

I'm British and would never think to use the term "Airplane", it seems juvenile to me. However, the search results speak for themselves, so I'm wondering if this is an Americanism and if people on the other side of the Atlantic would be equally unfamiliar with the world "aeroplane".

Natually, I want my app to be available to a global market, I also want to make sure it is easily accessibly via searches. Would it therefore be most prudent to go with "airplane" rather than "aeroplane"?


texts: "Chocolate- and vanilla-flavored cookies" » Using a hyphenated compound adjective in a list of only two items (as opposed to three)

texts:
This is what distinction I'm trying to draw by applying a hyphenated compound adjectives list of two, as opposed to the usual three.

1. "The vanilla and chocolate flavored cookies."
There are vanilla-only cookies and chocolate-only cookies.

2. "The vanilla- and chocolate-flavored cookies."
There are cookies which contain both vanilla and chocolate.

What is this type of hyphen usage called?
EDIT I: I believe the structure is a type of Hyphenated Compound Adjectives List. Englishgrammar101.com (I make no claims as to its reliability) claims,

Definition: A compound adjective is made up of two or more words put together. Some adjectives are compound. Some are written as one word (closed) and some are hyphenated. Few are written as two words (open).
Hyphenated compounds usually occur when the writer wants to be clear that the first adjective is modifying the second, not that both adjectives are modifying the noun. If the sentence is written with the adjectives as predicate adjectives, they are often not hyphenated.

and later,

Hyphenated adjectives in a list
If you use two or more hyphenated adjectives in a list, you can suspend the hyphen. For example:

I like vanilla-, strawberry-, and chocolate-flavored ice cream.

Edit II: DM_with_secrets is correct. My updated example didn't make sense with the existing apple comparison. I've updated the example.


texts:
By way of introduction, he said that when he was younger he had worked for a construction company.

Hello,

In this sentence, I would like to know why past perfect tense is used for "he had worked".

Is it because of "he said"? I learned past perfect tense is used for marking two events are related, and the previous event uses the past perfect tense.

But in this sentence, I am not sure why it is used.
Could you please help me?
Thank you.


texts:
I just read that a physicist Paul Dirac was called 'the Edwardian geek' by his biographer [See the quote below from Wiki]. What does this phrase mean (Who was that particular Edward)?

  An anecdote recounted in a review of the 2009 biography tells of Werner
  Heisenberg and Dirac sailing on a cruise ship to a conference in Japan in
  August 1929. "Both still in their twenties, and unmarried,
  they made an odd couple. Heisenberg was a ladies' man who constantly
  flirted and danced, while Dirac—'an Edwardian geek', as biographer
  Graham Farmelo puts it—suffered agonies if forced into any kind of
  socialising or small talk. 'Why do you dance?' Dirac asked his
  companion. 'When there are nice girls, it is a pleasure,' Heisenberg
  replied. Dirac pondered this notion, then blurted out: 'But,
  Heisenberg, how do you know beforehand that the girls are nice?'"


texts: Word for "already know but may not know the terminology"

texts:
I want to say a sentence like: "The notion of physical phases is a concept everyone knows but many may not be aware of the terminology "phase". Phase just means solid, liquid or gas."

Is there a word that captures the meaning of the italics?


texts:
My teacher gave me an error identification question, which is :
"An itch resulting when a nerve that can carry pain is only slightly stimulated".
I have a feeling the word "resulting" is a fault but don't know how to use it properly or if it needs change. Please help me.


texts: I am filling in a CV and I have to choose my "level of education". I am on the third year of university education (junior), and I wonder if "level of education" means the education I have already got (high school diploma in my case), or the education I am getting now (Bachelor's degree in my case).


texts: What would be the opposite of delighted?

texts:
On a scale/axis that represents emotional response with regard to satisfaction, what would be the opposite of "delighted"?

delighted
satisfied
neutral
dissatisfied
???

If it helps, a paper on measuring satisfaction in banking says this about "delight":

Traditionally, delight has been thought of a blend of joy and surprise (Kumar, Olshavsky, & King, 2001). However, a recent study suggested that customer can be delighted without being surprised (Kumar et al., 2001). Although joy remains an important element of delight, the study explained that a greater number of people are exhilarated, thrilled and to a lesser extent exuberant (Kumar et al).
Satisfied customers are purely at ease. Delighted customers on the other hand have greater admiration for the firm and its services. Paul (2000, p. 34) stated ‘Unfortunately, people don’t talk about adequate service. Instead, they tell anyone who will listen about really bad or really delightful services’.

There are of course many antonyms in the dictionary to choose from – what I'm after is the most appropriate/apt choice given the context.
I am of course looking for a single word and not a phrase as I'll be using it as a marker on the axis/scale (and all the other points are single-words).
There's a survey instrument that collects data which can then be plotted on a graph, with one axis of "a scale/axis that represents emotional response with regard to satisfaction". So, the broader context is in commerce/marketing/product-design (vs. say literature).


texts: When to use apostrophe to show possession and when not to?

texts:
Can you tell me what is the difference between these , and which one is correct:

girl problems.
girls' problems.

Microsoft products
Microsoft's products


texts: Opposite of subsequent (non-chronological/logical)

texts:
Just wondering, there is a related question regarding the subsequent in the context of logic (which can also be used in the context of chronology), but what if we're talking about an abstract sequence. For example it is possible to say:

  Subsequent files, however, can not be parsed.

But how would you say the opposite:

  The files which came earlier in sequence than the file in question, however, could not be parsed.

As far as I am aware

  Antecedent (or precedent) files, however, can not be parsed.

is invalid english (though I might be mistaken).


texts: Punctuate the following sentence. The distance between St George and and and and and dragon is not equal.   (That's right, there are five consecutive 'ands'. I promise it is possible. But you may need to know the story behind it.)


texts:
I run a web service where customers submit an image with a description what needs to be edited, and editors compete with prices to get that editing job.

I want to put the following sentence in an web ad:

  Our editors compete to get your job.

Just wondering whether it sounds like they want to take over the customer's proper job.


texts:
In the sentence:

  I understand the difficulty of remaining objective.

Should it be as is, or should it be like this:

  I understand the difficulty in remaining objective.


texts:
I need to know which of these options is the correct one and why:

  The Spanish cooking makes it easy to have a nice meal.
  The Spanish cooking makes easy to have a nice meal.

I don't know if I need the pronoun it or not. By the way, is "a nice meal" correct, or should I use any other adjective, such as "good"?


texts: Word for responding to criticism by beating one's self up, forcing a switch from criticizing to comforting

texts: Suppose that person A expresses a criticism of person B, and person B responds by beating themselves up and spiraling downwards, which forces person A to drop their criticism and instead try to comfort person B to help them feel better. Is there a name for this type of behavior by person B?


texts: Word for an interjection made when drinking

texts:
Is there a word to describe a traditional interjection (in any language) made before drinking?

Examples include:

Cheers! (English)
¡Salud! (Spanish)
Prost! (German)
!לחיים (Hebrew)

A close fit is toast, but this can also be used to describe any form of speech which is made before drinking, including long-winded soliloquies. I'm looking for a word that's more specific to traditional one- or two-word interjections.


texts:
What is the difference between the following two sentences?

  Each apple is red.

  Every apple is red.


texts: What does it mean to be "worth someone's keep"?

texts:
“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your
belts
no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff,
for the worker is worth his keep.

What does it mean to be "worth someone's keep" ?


texts:
I'm building a site with two main categories.

One side is portfolio work, the other is written work.
Among the written work, there will be personal blogs, tutorials, more in-depth articles, etc. I'm looking for a short, preferably single-word name for all of my written work.

I thought about using 'writings', but it feels a bit like bad choice because it's so close to the verb to write. Does anyone have opinions on this option or suggestion for a single word?


texts: Use of commas and or in "either"/"any of" lists of things

texts:
Which of the following is "more" correct?

Either one, two, or three?
Either one, or two, or three?
Any of one, two, or three?
Any of one, or two, or three?

What I am interested in, is the use of "or" within the list of options: should there be more than one?


texts: the verb 'declare' without a person who declares

texts:
Someone declares that the changes are aimed at combating untimeliness and incompleteness in [name of tax] tax assessment and withholding by tax agents.

How would you express the said idea without mentioning those who declare that? There is no precise information on authorities or officials who stated the purposes of these changes.

I am not sure whether the 'declare' in the passive voice works here?

  The changes are declared to be aimed at [...].


texts:
There is the following sentence in Tina Fey’s “Bossypants":

  ”Don Fay dresses well. He has an artist’s eye for mixing colors and
  prints. He wears tweedy jackets over sweater vests in the winter and
  seersucker suits in the summer. His great college ring shows off his
  well-groomed hands. He can still rock a hat. - P43.”

I don’t understand what “He can still rock a hat” means.” Neither of CED or OED carries “rock a hat” as an idiom. Nor GoogleNgram does.

What does it mean? Is this phrase Tina Fey’s coinage?


texts: Can we use “eat / bite” metaphorically in place of “accuse / slam”?

texts:
Time magazine (May 27) reported that Mrs. Obama accused House Republicans of their weakening school nutritional standards at White House meeting with school leaders and experts.
I was drawn to the difference of headlines of the same article in Time homepage, where it reads:
“Michelle Obama eats health critics for lunch,”
and the text page where it reads:
“Michelle Obama bites back at critics of her healthy school lunch standards,” followed by the lead copy;

"In one of the most political speeches she’s given, Michelle Obama
accused House Republicans of “playing politics” with “our children’s
future”,

then goes on;

The First Lady slammed Republicans on Tuesday for trying to weaken
school nutritional standards, one of her key policy achievements. She
called it "unacceptable to me not just as First Lady but also as a
mother" http://time.com/120611/michelle-obama-school-lunches/

I was also intrigued to know that “eat” and “bite back” are used to mean “slam,” “accuse,” or “counterattack,” then questions arose:

Is it normal to use “eat” and “bite” as a metaphoric alternative to “slam / accuse/ criticize”? Is it a cute figure of speech?

Why did Time change the wording of the headline from “Michelle Obama eats health critics” in its home page to “Michelle Obama bites back at critics” in the text page? – though this could be answered only by the article writer.
Could you provide me an answer?

Addendum:
By posting this question, I was alert to the usage of “eat / bite” and found the following examples this week.

“What eats at me the most is the 80 dead people I had in my command over my three tours, that eats at me a hell of a lot. –Daniel Bolger, ex-Army lieutenant general.” - Time magazine. - May 22, 2014

“Capitalism Eating Its Children”－NYT Op-ed columnist, Roger Cohen. NYT May 29 2014.

Though these may sound quite commonplace to native English speakers as indicated by low view on this question, it's amusing for me to find a variety of the usage of ‘eat / bite.”


texts: Is there a comma needed before quotation?

texts:
Sam developed an annual sweepstakes promotion entitled “The Free Gas Punt Return Game”.

Do I need a comma after entitled or not?


texts: What is the proper adjective for keep looking for long time?

texts:
What is the proper adjective that best describe the way a person keeps looking at any other person or object so that as if his eye is about to get out.

As an example, when a man keeps looking at a beautiful lady for a long time without even twitching. Sometimes it might be considered an envious look or sometimes it might be due to profound admiration