Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

what is the difference between positive and negative questions?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 03:19 PM PDT

1 a. Do you trust them? b. Don't you trust them?

2 a. Has anyone told you what to say? b. Has someone told you what to say?

3 a. She is quite clever. b. She is quite clever, isn't she?

Need help parsing two sentences

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 02:32 PM PDT

For work, I need to pass a parsing test, but I'm very confused.

Here are the examples I was given of how to do it:

We / have searched / far and wide / for / real-world / video content.

Selecting / a / part of speech / can / be / tricky.

So, how would you parse these two sentences?

Though the video was reposted and grabbed tons of eyeballs over the past week, it turns out to be a more low-resolution version of a video that previously went viral earlier this year.

One of the pleasures of these videos is that they reverse the more common scenario of young people befuddling the old with their newfangled technology—for once, the old people get to be the in-the-know party here.

Generic, Inclusive Term for HMI (Human Machine Interface) Feedback to User

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 01:41 PM PDT

I'm looking for a noun in a military setting whose meaning would capture all the feedback a user gets from a digital dashboard/controller (the HMI mentioned in the title).

For example, much like the interface of a smartphone or a dashboard on a vehicle, the user can use the HMI to send commands, check the status of things (like a speedometer or tachometer), and more. Some feedback the user gets is like a text message. No intervention is required. It's simply information. Other feedback is like the "Windows Update" notifications on a computer that ask "Would you like to update now?" It requires a decision and an action before the notification goes away.

I'm looking for a term that would describe both the passive notifications and the "active" notifications (for lack of a better term). I've thought of "readout," "instrument," and "feedback." However, none of them seem to quite capture the spirit I'm looking for.

Note - I apologize if I've tagged the question incorrectly. This StackExchange has some pretty cool, complex rules for what gets sorted where, and I did my best!

A newer adadge than " A little learning is a dangerous thing"

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 04:24 PM PDT

Most people know of a saying...

"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing"

However, the actual quote from Pope is:

A little learning is a dangerous thing
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again.

Recently, many people are saying;

"Follow the science."

...in spite of the fact they have have no actual background in science.

For example, there are some who have little background in social issues who call on the saying to support trans-phobic comments, despite recent scientific and social data that says otherwise.

Other people cite questionable data from dodgy sources to support anti-vaxing.

Is there a more contemporary phrase or expression that would describe:

a little learning/knowledge is a dangerous thing?

Maybe I heard something like this from somebody from the Beat generation? Possibly I heard Allen Ginsberg mention it in a lecture in the early 1970s at Columbia or maybe later at SUNY in the early 1980s.

Is this sentence construction wrong, where "going home" has other implied meaning, the origin and span of which isn't known?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 11:37 AM PDT

I stumbled upon this article about the origins of some unusual idioms and phrases, as I have heard many of them being used popularly.

But I was bit shocked and frustrated when I read this sentence which seems to be constructed wrongly(even though it is only created to exemplify a different phrase).

Pixie should never have gone home in that Dance-Off. She wiped the floor with Simon.

Was there any separate, short-lived, short-spanned phrase "going home" where it means any style of dance like "free style" or "original style" / "ethnic style" which could represent a knowledge of unique moves which his/her dance(or any activity) competitor doesn't know of ?

Because I have never heard of(or stumbled upon while researching) any sentence where "going home" means anything other than just going home

what is happening to the planet [closed]

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 09:17 AM PDT

If big foot has been spotted is he part of our evolution? if so people are spotting skin walkers are they becoming something new to our human evolution today? people say skin walkers are paranormal or aliens. I say its our new generation. As the ice collapses in the arctic are there new cells and bacteria in the ice creating new species?

Is this sentence correct? Her performance is commendable and was outstanding

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 09:34 AM PDT

Is this sentence correct?

"Her performance is commendable and was outstanding".

Sarah was a member of our volunteer group. She is no more in the team. Further, as a performer, "Sarah's performance is commendable and was outstanding"(as her supervisors observed). It means to say that while she was working in the organization her performance was outstanding and as a performer in the relevant field (even for the present or future performances in the work field )she could do well.

Has the meaning of "sarcasm" changed?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 02:20 PM PDT

In every modern usage I've seen, "sarcasm" refers to a type of communication where the literal meaning is the opposite of the intended meaning.

However, I looked up the definition of "sarcasm" earlier, and some of the definitions agreed with this usage, such as the first definition in Collins:

Sarcasm is speech or writing which actually means the opposite of what it seems to say. Sarcasm is usually intended to mock or insult someone.

but about half the dictionaries I checked had definitions focusing on harshness, derision, and the infliction of pain. For example, Merriam-Webster defines it as

  1. a sharp and often satirical or ironic utterance designed to cut or give pain

  2. a. a mode of satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often ironic language that is usually directed against an individual

    b. the use or language of sarcasm

This definition considers irony optional, as if a plain statement like "you suck!" would qualify as sarcasm.

Etymologically, "sarcasm" appears to originate from words referring to mockery rather than irony. This, combined with the definitions I found, makes me wonder if the meaning of the word has shifted over time. Was the word "sarcasm" originally used differently, perhaps focused on harshness over irony? If so, when did it change? If not, why do the definitions contradict so hard?

(I've seen the question What are the similarities and differences between "irony" and "sarcasm"?, but it doesn't address the issue of definition drift or provide any insight into why the definitions are so contradictory. The answers assert various definitions for "sarcasm" and "irony", mostly unsourced, but don't explain what's up with the different definitions.)

What is the meaning of "do a pass"?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 06:51 AM PDT

"I'll review your works in a moment. In the meantime, I suggest Vincent does a pass as well."

What is the meaning of "do a pass" in this context?

Can I say "Regardless of this fact, there are more and more people tend to believe that..."

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 06:21 AM PDT

I want to say that there're more and more people have a tendency to believe sth. Is 'there are more and more people tend' correct?

Thanks

Avoidance of the possessive of “it”: “of it”, “$noun’s”… or other replacements?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 10:44 AM PDT

Surely I know what does standard English prescribe for decades (although not always), but last several years show acceptance of "it's" for the possessive form in everyday Internet speech. Reversal ("its" for it is) is also not an uncommon sight. IMHO it would be wise (for literates) to abandon both shortcuts in reason of the resulting downgrading, nowadays.

For the verb construction, one can definitely disassociate from semi-literates by typing "it is", avoiding contractions. Workarounds for the possessive of "it" include "of it" and "noun's". Which is advisable and in which context? What other solutions can be recommended?

Is "Blitzkrieg" a word that average native speaker would understand?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 02:50 PM PDT

The word "Blitzkrieg" (German: "lightning war") comes from a method of warfare used during World War II.

  1. Can the word "Blitzkrieg" be used in other contexts as well? For example: "Blitzkrieg approach for gettings things code".
  2. Would the meaning described in (1) be understandable for an average native speaker?

Redundant “necessarily”?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 03:59 PM PDT

I just heard this on BBC Radio 4: "We could not necessarily have predicted the pandemic". Am I right in thinking that "necessarily" is meaningless in this context?

Which is correct - you or your in this context?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 02:33 PM PDT

Your staring won't make me walk faster

You staring won't make me walk faster

Which is correct?

A word for "when someone does something for your benefit while you are active on something else"?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 02:46 PM PDT

For example, if your mom cleans your room while you are busy outside she is -word- cleaning your room.

The word "proactively" is stuck on my mind but it's not directly related and it's not what I'm looking for.

What do we call something that assigns a weight to each case study which shows the importance of that case?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 02:56 PM PDT

I am writing a scientific paper.

I have a neural network (assume it as a black box) which takes a case study (a patient, or any other type of data) as input and provides a weight for the input case study that shows its importance between the other cases.

I am wondering what I should call this black-box. I first called it a weighing network, but my friend said that weighing means measuring weight. In our case, the network is not measuring something which already exists, but it provides an appropriate weight for it.

My other candidates are "weight-provider" and "weight-giver". Which one is more appropriate in this case? Any other suggestion is really welcome.

What type of phrase is "at 9 pm"?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 02:08 PM PDT

He sleeps at 9 pm.

What type of phrase is "at 9 pm"— adverbial or prepositional?? What are the parts of speech of "9", "pm" respectively?

Where to put commas in a long sentence with multiple ands

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 09:03 AM PDT

I am having a lot of trouble figuring out where to place commas in my long sentences and was hoping to get some guidance for this particular sentence so I can use it for reference.

  1. Specifically, our architecture takes as input the giver and receiver pose that we denote together as Pi, and the object label O in the form of a GloVe embedding, and forecasts both their poses Ph and the orientation of the object Or centered on the giver's grasping hand at handover

vs.

  1. Specifically, our architecture takes as input the giver and receiver pose that we denote together as Pi, and the object label O in the form of a GloVe embedding and, forecasts both their poses Ph and the orientation of the object Or centered on the giver's grasping hand at handover

Are the commas needed?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 06:01 AM PDT

Today I listened to a song, Penny Lane.

Today I listened to a Beatles song, Penny Lane.

Past tense and present tense in a same sentense. Tense consistent or logically correct?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 04:03 PM PDT

I am trying to tell a thing that happened in the past. But that thing has a fact that is still true in the present. Could you tell me which one of the following is true?

  1. I had a lesson with a tutor yesterday, and she is a mom of 3 daughters. (Yesterday, I had a lesson with a tutor who is a mom of 3 daughters)
  2. I had a lesson with a tutor yesterday, and she was a mom of 3 daughters. (Yesterday, I had a lesson with a tutor who was a mom of 3 daughters)

My confusion comes from the conflict between tense consistency and a fact. The first pair of sentences make sense to me as the tutor is still a mon of 3 daughters now. The second pair of sentences keep consistent between "had a lesson" and "she was". But I feel it is a bit wrong to use "She was" as it indicates "She is not a mom of 3 daughters now", which is opposed to the fact.

What kind of literacy device is "“Amen” stuck in my throat."?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 12:36 PM PDT

So what kind of literacy device is ""Amen" stuck in my throat"? This quote is found in Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Macbeth says:

But wherefore could not I pronounce "Amen"? I had most need of blessing, and "Amen" Stuck in my throat.

He is treating a word as an object and as if it stuck on this throat. What could this be?

Is “using” a gerund in this sentence?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 01:03 PM PDT

"He was saved using advanced medical technology."

I think "using" would be a gerund if you said "He was saved by using advanced medical technology," where the gerund is the object of the preposition "by." Does anything change grammatically when the "by" is omitted?

Is there a single word for “login/logout”? [closed]

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 07:41 AM PDT

Is there a single word that means both logging in and logging out?

I have a single file which I currently have named as Login. But it does more than logging in, it also logs out. I'm looking for a word that encompasses both login and logout.

Connection between the words Apollo, Apollyon, and Apologise

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 01:47 PM PDT

I've tried researching this topic before, in re Apollo, the Greek god son of Leto and Zeus and twin brother of Artemis, and its possible connection with the "angel of the bottomless pit" as referenced in Revelation 9:11.

Some sources seem to agree that there is some connection with the god apollo, if nothing more than an orthographic one, (pardon my Greek but,) Apollyon apparently means "destruction, or destructor", if and to what extent, Apollo means the same thing, I still have not received a satisfactory answer. (The coincidence seems too strong to me to brush over completely).

Does anyone know what if anything, the Greek suffix (if it even is a suffix) -ion or -yon mean? My gut feeling is they are indeed related, but having nothing more than my "gut feeling" to go by, I have let this inquiry drop for now, up until a couple of days ago I came across this passage from Herodotus Book 1, chapter CXXXIX:

their names, which agree with the nature of their persons and their nobility, all end in the same letter, that which the Dorians call san, and the lonians sigma ; you shall find, if you search, that not some but all Persian names alike end in this letter.

and a little bit latter in chapter CXLI:

  1. As soon as the Lydians had been subdued by the Persians, the lonians and Aeolians sent messengers to Cyrus, offering to be his subjects on the same terms as those which they had under Croesus, Having heard what they proposed, Cyrus told them a story. Once, he said, there was a flute-player who saw fishes in the sea and played upon his flute, thinking that so they would come out on to the land. Being disappointed of his hope, he took a net and gathered in and drew out a great multitude of the fishes; and seeing them leaping, "You had best," said he, " cease from your dancing now ; you would not come out and dance then, when I played to you." The reason why Cyrus told the story to the lonians and Aeolians was that the lonians, who were ready to obey him when the victory was won, had before refused when he sent a message asking them to revolt from Croesus. So he answered them in his anger.

it should be noted, that in the translation I was reading it used the word apology instead of story

Does anyone know if the original greek uses apologia? or was that an interpolation of the translator?

It does seem to make sense, if you construe that an apology, if taken by its archaic meaning, "an argument in defence of a position", acts like a destroyer of sorts, destroying the possibility of future alliances, and may fit in to other possible themes of culture shock when comparing customs and habits of the various Greek and Persian city states, especially in a context of an ambassador's audience with a King and its expected protocols etc.

I am well aware that in many instances Greek mythology uses personifications (as well as their parthenon of gods), treated as gods, they are nevertheless called by a simple word like for example: the gods "Sleep", and "Dischord".

Please, Please, Please! Can someone (with a firm understanding of ancient Greek) tell me what exactly does the WORD Apollo actually mean?

How did "issue" come to mean "problem"?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 08:39 AM PDT

The etymology of the word "issue" seems to be :

Middle English (in the sense 'outflowing'): from Old French, based on Latin exitus, past participle of exire 'go out'.

The many usages of "issue" are in keeping with this root. Supplying or distributing, magazine and similar periodicals, outcome of an action, children (archaic?), etc. But I really don't understand how it came to mean a problem.

What do you call the phenomenon where you suddenly feel that a word's spelling is wrong?

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 06:03 AM PDT

First of all, does this actually happen to others? Hopefully it does.

In my case at least, the most commonplace words suddenly seem to be spelled wrong.

The most common examples are why, while, when etc. I develop this sudden feeling that the word why is in fact spelled wrong.

Is this a thing? Please point out if the question is off topic though.

Etymology: 'as regards' and 'as concerns'

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 10:05 AM PDT

as regards = concerning; in respect of

2. regard [with object] {archaic} = (Of a thing) relate to; concern

As per the above, because regard = concern, this question also applies to 'as concerns'.

I am guessing that as operates as a conjunction here, and regards a conjugated verb, but how did as + regards combine to mean the above?

Please help me dig deeper than the definition, which I already understand and so ask NOT about. I heed the Etymological Fallacy, but what are some right ways of interpreting the combination of the 2 bolded words, to make it feel reasonable and intuitive?
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