Saturday, March 27, 2021

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

African & Asian Area Studies

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 09:20 AM PDT

What might be the best way for one to independently determine which countries, aside from England, host universities offering degrees in African & Asian (or 'Southern Hemisphere') Studies?

Why ‘western Europe,’ not ‘western region of Europe’?

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 08:37 AM PDT

Why 'western Europe,' not 'western region of Europe'? 'western Europe' implies there are four Europes and one of them is western Europe.

Why is this sentence grammatically incorrect?

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 08:23 AM PDT

I have been practicing sample tests for an English Olympiad and came across such a question:

Decide if the sentence is correct or incorrect.

After you make your payment, the products will be sent to your address.

The keys say this sentence is incorrect. But what exactly makes this sentence grammatically wrong?

Thank you in advance.

Is "be parented to" grammatically correct?

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 08:01 AM PDT

When "parent" is used as a transitive verb, it should be grammatically correct to use "be parented by" as in the examples in the following pages:

However, I see some usage of "be parented to" in technical documentation or discussion, such as the following:

There seem to be more pages using this construction, but I'm not sure it's a syntactically proper expression.

Is "be parented to" grammatically correct? If so, could you explain the meaning of it (in comparison to "be parented by")?

Difference between " You Will" and "Will You " [closed]

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 06:47 AM PDT

When a manager always tells a subordinate what to do. As in always saying " You will ....." instead of asking " Will you/could you...." regardless of the lack of choice by the subordinate does it indicate there is no respect for the subordinate ?

When you learn a word and then recognize it [duplicate]

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 07:00 AM PDT

I'm looking for a word that describes when you learn a new word (or phrase or song) and then hear it all over the place.

My daughter did not recognize either the melody or the name of the song The Girl from Ipanema. After playing it once (and watching this Adam Neely video, The Girl From Ipanema is a far weirder song than you thought), she began to recognize it in many novel contexts. Indeed, she couldn't unsee it.

This is different from déjà vu (where you falsely recognize something) and jamais vu (where you don't recognize something familiar).

I'd be happy with either a verb or a noun. Obligatory fill-in-the-blanks:

I learned the word schadenfreude and now I _____ (verb) it everywhere.

Never hearing the song, I saw a documentary on The Girl from Ipanema and now have a sense of ______ (noun).

I had a prof who was fond of saying, "When you build a better hammer, it's surprising how many things start to look like nails." This word should entail the concept of the transition from unrecognized to recognized, unfamiliar to familiar, once looking not-like-nails, now looking-like-nails.

Why the increase in usage of the word "quarantine" between around 1880 and 1930?

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 06:02 AM PDT

I was thinking today that the word "quarantine", since 2020, has probably seen an increase in usage unprecedented since the advent of the printing press. Hastening to Google Ngrams to verify my theory, I discovered to my dismay that this tool requires an end date between 1500 and 2019. Perhaps another year will suffice to confirm my theory; however, in the meantime, another question arose from the graph I did obtain:

enter image description here

Why did the word "quarantine" see such a spike in usage between around 1880 and 1930? Were there any changes in its usage around that time, or any important events in the English-speaking world which might have led to the word's relevance increasing? I thought about the Spanish flu pandemic, but the increase in usage of "quarantine" began decades before that.

Using a dash to replace a repeating verb?

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 05:26 AM PDT

In my language (Bulgarian) you can use a dash to replace a verb that you have already used in the same sentence. For example:

The distance from London to Paris is 500km, from Paris to Munich — 850km, and from Munich to Luxembourg — 530km.

Is this is any way grammatically correct in English, or is there a way to recreate it using different punctuation? I simply want to omit the "to be" verb the second and third time I'm using it in a row in the exact same context.

I am used to work(ing) inpendent(ly)

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 04:50 AM PDT

Which form is correct and why?

  • I am used to work independently.
  • I am used to work independent.
  • I am used to working independently.
  • I am used to work independent.

Regards Martin

Is there a word or fixed phrase / idiom for a vicious circle of obtuseness? [duplicate]

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 05:22 AM PDT

I recently told my father-in-law that I thought he was being obtuse, and he then acted as if he didn't understand the concept of being obtuse. I feel like there's a word for this. What would we call such a situation as this?

What does "Häagen-Dazs" mean? [closed]

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 03:51 AM PDT

A: I'll light the candles. B: I'll get the Häagen-Dazs. A: For what? B: Gotta have something to wear.

A and B are couples. What does "Häagen-Dazs" mean? These conversation is in the old show so I can't find the subtitles.

"He was a considerable cut above the leagers" meaning

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 03:51 AM PDT

What does the boldened part of this sentence mean?:

  • As it turned out this man (a senior Foreign Affairs Advisor) was a considerable cut above the bush leaguers we had been dealing with.

In dialogue, would it make sense to write "'T's" instead of "What's"

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 05:10 AM PDT

I've noticed when starting a sentence with "What's," it's very common for people to skip most of the word and only pronounce the t's. Would it make sense to present the contraction "What's" like "'T's" when writing dialogue, or would that be confusing?

The use of 'where'

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 03:39 AM PDT

I read the following from a book:

A M&S manager talks about the company: 'I work for M&S. In our shops, we have employees — people who work for our company — who have full-time jobs. Full-time employees usually work around 40 hours a week, but they can also do overtime — where they work longer and get more money.'

Why is 'where' instead of other words, such as 'which', used here?

Why is "gymnastics" plural, "swimming" conjugated and "sport" singular? Is this even correct?

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 06:11 AM PDT

If this has been previously asked I'd be delighted to be pointed to that answer but for searching I can't find an explanation.

I'm trying to construct some lexemes to describe sports.

It's bothering me no end that in offical references (eg olympics: https://www.olympic.org/sports) seem grammatically chaotic:

  • sport

    • athetics

    • badminton

    • gymnastics

    • swimming

Surely an "etymologically consistent" listing would look like:

  • sport

    • athetic

    • badminton

    • gymnastic

    • swim

or alternatively

  • sport

    • atheticking

    • badmintoning

    • gymnasticing

    • swimming

(or something)

If someone would be able to explain these inconsistencies it would provide a great deal of relief.

"It's raining", vs. "I tried to make a reservation online, but it says 'no available spots today'."

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 09:09 AM PDT

The it in "it's raining" seems to refer to no clear subjects. But I think "it's raining" and "it's getting warm" are both used.

I used this sentence today in my university gym: "I tried to make a reservation online, but it says I have no active membership."

The sentence seemed to have worked, but is the sentence grammatically correct? And if so, did I let the it play the same grammatical role as the it in "it's raining"?

What the meaning of "The Tell-Tale Brain"? [closed]

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 09:24 AM PDT

I have to translate "The Tell-Tale Brain" to Persian. It's the title of a book.

What I guess:

  • The brain that reveals secrets.
  • The brain that tells the story

If I cannot win, then I will make it impossible for you to win

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 09:17 AM PDT

We have a joke about a foreigner that went to a wet market in zone 1 and saw a farmer selling live frogs in an open basket.

As we all know, frogs jump. Actually, they jump about quite a bit when in a confined space.

When the foreigner pointed that out and asked, "Aren't you worried these frogs will escape?" The farmer replied,

"No, sir. These are Mixcoan frogs, and if one looks like he is going to escape, well the rest pull him back in."

Another example could be seen in traffic.

Few drivers here use the directional signals when changing lanes. Why? Although covered ad nauseam on the Driver's test, it has become a "cultural" thing: basically people here do not like other people getting in front of them. It becomes a competition to see who can occupy that space first, and it turns into a Mario Andretti situation. Too often it ends when neither one can occupy the space and both drivers have actually missed their turn.

From halfway around the world, in Saudi Arabia, another example.

Someone told me about an experience they once had in Jeddah. He was waiting for someone on the main concourse, and positioned himself nicely near one of the columns in order to to protect his right hand. A Saudi local decided he also wanted to occupy that advantageous spot, and walked right up to my friend and tried to do a "face-off". They were pretty much nose-to-nose, and neither one backed down.

The result was they both missed their arriving pick-ups.

"cutting off a nose to spite a face"

...is too broad.

So, is there an expression that means

If I cannot win, then I will make it impossible for you to win?

EDIT

Dog in a manger

was suggested: however that means something else.

Interpreted variously over the centuries, the metaphor is now used to speak of one who spitefully prevents others from having something for which one has no use.

My examples exclude "having something for which one has no use."

All the frogs want to escape. All the drivers want to get ahead. All couriers want to do their pick-up.

It is their overly-competitive attitude towards each other that prevents them from winning.

A shorter term for "Content revision request pending approval" ("pull request")

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 09:05 AM PDT

I need a shorter word (because it will be a menu item in an interface) for the concept of suggestions to revise content, submitted by someone who does not have the authority to change the content, but who can submit these requests which can be reviewed by the moderators to be either approved or rejected.

A programmer would think of this as a "pull request", but I need to use a term that is understood by all people.

The shortest I can think of is "content revision request" or "revision request". But it would be great if a shorter word exists.

Modern synonym for turnstile?

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 08:47 AM PDT

Are there any widely used modern synonyms for turnstile? You know, the gate you need a ticket, badge, or barcode in order to pass through. Nowadays, I don't see any with an actual metal-pole turning mechanism, just a little set of doors that opens and closes when you scan your ID, so using the word turnstile seems kind of antiquated.

Example sentence:

"For our trip tomorrow, let's meet at the station just outside the turnstiles."

Except they're not turnstiles, because it's no longer a "post with a number of short poles sticking out from it that have to be pushed round as each person walks through the entrance" (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/turnstile)

How to use "If you were in my shoes "

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 08:01 AM PDT

I'm confused regarding uses of this idiom as clause For example

If I were in your shoes , I wouldn't have done that .

Well clearly the speaker is talking about something that has already happened and he can do anything about it But Couldn't the if clause be " If I had been you " since they're referring to a past condition

One of the things that I hate is that some people like to spread rumors

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 04:04 AM PDT

"One of the things that I hate is that some people like to spread rumors."

Hi there :), I would like to know if it's okay to not put "that" after "is"

"One of the things that I hate is (that) some people like to spread rumors."

thanks a lot!

Use singular or plural noun after "at least one"?

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 09:49 AM PDT

I am wondering which sentence is correct:

  1. I guess there is at least one apple in the bag.
  2. I guess there are at least one apples in the bag.

It seems to me that the first one sounds better. But I am not sure about it. Because "at least one" can mean 2 or 3...

The meaning and etymology of "cut to the heart"

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 04:07 AM PDT

I came across this sentence in a documentary:

[That] cut to the heart of the larger story I was investigating.

The meaning appears to be "to touch on/get to the crux of the issue." But strangely enough I can't find a dictionary definition of this phrase. Google shows "cut to the heart" also appears in certain versions of the Bible with a different and unrelated meaning, "to be hurt emotionally."

Are there any authoritative sources, such as dictionary entries that explain this phrase? I would also like to know the etymologies of this two meanings, e.g. which translation of the Bible first used "cut to the heart" and did its meaning originate with that translation?

Does " since forever" make sense?

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 05:20 AM PDT

I've heard "since forever" used by many. I can't get my head around the contradiction in terms. Is it correct?

Is there any particular rule for specific colours in adjective order?

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 07:07 AM PDT

I read here that there is a general rule to write an adjective order. But I didn't find any explanation if the rule has a specific order for colours, especially for primary colours.

This may sound stupid but I'm just wondering. I mean is it preferable to say:

red and white flowers

Or:

white and red flowers

Or is there really no grammatical rule to obey?

Preposition in vs. of

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 06:17 AM PDT

Which is correct; "in" poverty or "of" poverty?

The children have survived 10 years of poverty.

or

The children have survived 10 years in poverty.

Thank you!

Why don't Americans refer to Indians (and others from the subcontinent) as Asians?

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 08:19 AM PDT

I know there is a related question here, but I am not seeing an answer to "Why is there a difference?" Merely that an explanation of what is used in each country.

I am a speaker of American English, and I understand why the British refer to people from India as Asians. This is quite sensible given that the Indian subcontinent is located in Asia.

But, we in America use Asian only to refer to people from the Far East. (i.e. China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, etc.) We completely exclude all people from Asia Minor, the Indian Subcontinent, etc.

And, I'm given to understand that the British and many other countries use Orientals to refer to the folks we refer to as Asian. In America, this term is only applied to inanimate objects, and is considered rather offensive to be applied to a person (since the rise of the PC movement in the late 1980s, in any case.)

Historically, Istanbul was considered the Orient (therefore the Orient Express). So, why is this term applied to people of the Far East, instead of the Near East?

Can anyone point out the reason for the divergence in terminology? Or is this yet another case of two nations separated by a common language?

Does the phrase "who's in?" or "I'm in!" exist in (informal) English?

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 05:57 AM PDT

I really think I've heard it in some American sitcom/sitcoms, meaning something like participating in. "I want to play football. Who's in?" — "Great idea, I'm in!" Does it really exist, or am I wrong? I've tried to search for it, without any result.

Word for "requires a crew"

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 05:58 AM PDT

Is there a single word to describe an entity (for example a boat, ship or power station) that requires some crew, staff or manning in order to function?

This is subtly different from using the words manned or crewed to describe an entity that is currently staffed, since this does not mean that it must be staffed to operate.
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