Sunday, May 30, 2021

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

Is this correct usage of perfect infinitive?

Posted: 30 May 2021 09:41 AM PDT

My question comes from this Present perfect VS infinitive verb, where they explained that the sentence

He became the first 16 year old to have scored a goal for his country

is grammatically incorrect and you should use

He became the first 16 year old to score a goal for his country

instead. But lately I came across this article https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Shaw_(strongman), which included this sentence:

In 2011, he became the first man to have won the Arnold Strongman Classic and the World's Strongest Man contest in the same calendar year

I guess it might be correct, because I consider this site as a respectful source with very low chance of grammar mistakes. What's the difference between two "have" usages and why the first case is not correct, while the second (at a great chance) is?

What is the difference between they and it? [closed]

Posted: 30 May 2021 09:24 AM PDT

I've heard that 'they' is used as a word to refer to people who are non-binary. Since English is not my first language, I'm not sure what the difference is between 'they' and 'it' in these usages.

Of course, I know that 'it' is mainly used for things rather than people. But I've simply thought 'it' is more neutral than 'they'. In this context, is it possible to write 'it' to a person? Could this be a rude act? Or is it because 'it' is often not used as a personal pronoun, so it's confusing?

Understanding R L STEVENSON'S TREASURE ISLAND [closed]

Posted: 30 May 2021 08:51 AM PDT

In the the chapter "Cruise of the coracle" Jim sails northward (due to northward current) from Haulbowline Head past the the Cape of the Woods and that is when he beholds Hispaniola. After this there is a sentence "the current was bearing coracle and schooner southward at equal rate". How could the current bear southward as it was earlier mentioned northward??

Please help I am stuck :(

Having trouble with t-d, t-d, d-t and d-d clusters [migrated]

Posted: 30 May 2021 08:37 AM PDT

Consider the words:

  1. Practice twice and practiced twice (t-t)
  2. Dance down and danced down (t-d)
  3. Play down and played down (d-d)
  4. Increase double and increased double (d-d)

I can transcribe these into IPA into problem but I have a problem distinguishing between the normal form and the -ed form in each case. In casual speech, most native speakers of American English don't release that final -ed sound (like in songs and all) and it gets merged in some weird way and I have no clue if it's a glottal stop or an unrelease stop or if it changes a vowel quality in any way. How would a native speaker distinguish between these minimal pairs? Thanks

For some reason though I can kind of tell the difference between play down and played down. Probably because of the fact that "play" end in a vowel so the boundaries are clearly heard

What does "mutual curiosity" mean in the context below? [closed]

Posted: 30 May 2021 06:48 AM PDT

In the street there was a dusty summer wind, a morning not quite hot enough. If they walked shoulder to shoulder, if they sat side by side, it was in order to become the world's audience instead of being obliged to perform their personalities for each other. They bought tickets, they travelled. Their mutual curiosity was intense, but oblique. They watched one another witnessing the world: how two fat businessmen examined as merchandise the girl who pouted and pretended to read the paper in the cafe window with her skirt up round her thighs; how the waitress in Myer's mural hall crossed the vast room with both arms high above her head and a dirty tablecloth hanging from each hand;

mutual feelings are feelings that two or more people have for each other for example mutual respect/trust/understanding but as a non-native "mutual curiosity" in this context made me confused to know what its meaning is.
Does it mean:

  1. they both were very curious to know each other?

  2. They both were very curious about the people around them?

Source: The Children's Bach by Helen Garner.

Is there an adjective that applies to things that have to do with the sky, but is not related to heaven or outer space?

Posted: 30 May 2021 06:31 AM PDT

In astronomy, there is a concept called the celestial sphere, which is an abstract notion of a sphere, centered on Earth, on which wander the stars and planets and whatnot. I would like a word that means "of or relating to the celestial sphere" or "of or relating to the sky as viewed from Earth". However, all of the words I have found (e.g. celestial, supernal, empyreal) can also carry the connotation of relating to heaven, the heavens, or outer space. Is there an adjective that indicates that the noun it modifies has to do with the sky or the celestial sphere, but can not also be interpreted to mean that the noun it modifies has to do with heaven or outer space?

I know that the distinction between "the celestial sphere" and "outer space" seems a bit strange, but it has specific implications. For example, one might note that the Leonid meteor shower comes out of the constellation Leo. However, this is only true when viewed from Earth. The Leonids are relatively close to Earth, and we are able to see them because they interact with our atmosphere. The stars in the constellation Leo, however, range from under 8 light years away to over 6 thousand light years away, and there are other objects in the constellation that are as far as 25 million light years away. To say that these objects are "close" to one another, or that the Leonids "come from there", clearly indicates that you are speaking about the direction in which you are looking and not the actual location. They all lie in the same region of the celestial sphere, but in radically different places in outer space.

Can I say 'right up' as a request to have a ship righted?

Posted: 30 May 2021 06:46 AM PDT

According to Merriam Webster, the word 'right' can be used as a verb meaning "to make a ship upright".

Could it be combined with the word 'up' to make it more clear?

Like:

Sailor: The barge has capsized. Should we do something about it?

Captain: Yes, right up!

Would this be considered idiomatic english, or would the word 'up' be omitted? Also, do we need 'it' between 'right' and 'up', or could that be omitted in terse speak when giving an order?

Which one is correct and sounds better? "is/are to be imposed" "be imposed" "the imposition of" "to impose" [closed]

Posted: 30 May 2021 05:45 AM PDT

Are the following sentences grammatically correct, what are the differences (the first two in particular) and which one sounds better?

  • It is demanded and alleged on behalf of the public that the security measures are to be imposed on him.

  • It is demanded and alleged on behalf of the public that the security measures be imposed on him.

  • The imposition of security measures is demanded and claimed on behalf of the public.

  • It is demanded and alleged on behalf of the public to impose security measures on him.

What is 'the housing queue'? [closed]

Posted: 30 May 2021 05:21 AM PDT

I'm having trouble understanding this sentence. Or more precisely the 'subheading' part. What is 'the housing queue' in this context?

Think about a headline in the Daily Express like 'Migrants Take ALL New Jobs in Britain' with a further subheading 'And they go to the front of the housing queue'.

How to understand "in comparison to which" [migrated]

Posted: 30 May 2021 04:38 AM PDT

The space travels described in science fiction stories always used to be epic adventures, in comparison to which current journeys in space seem quite mundane.

I think that the correct order is that "in comparison to that the space travels described in science fiction stories always used to be epic adventures, current journeys in space seem quite mundane."

What is the function of the "which" in the original sentence? Could you give me some other examples like that?

If "wanted to" is considered as "should have wanted", is it wrong? [closed]

Posted: 30 May 2021 04:28 AM PDT

Test scores are not a measure of self­worth; however, we often associate our sense of worthiness with our performance on an exam. Thoughts such as "If I don't pass this test, I'm a failure" are mental traps not rooted in truth. Failing a test is failing a test, nothing more. It is in no way descriptive of your value as a person. Believing that test performance is a reflection of your virtue places unreasonable pressure on your performance. Not passing the certification test only means that your certification status has been delayed. Maintaining a positive attitude is therefore important. If you have studied hard, reaffirm this mentally and believe that you will do well. If, on the other hand, you did not study as hard as you should have or wanted to, accept that as beyond your control for now and attend to the task of doing the best you can. If things do not go well this time, you know what needs to be done in preparation for the next exam. Talk to yourself in positive terms. Avoid rationalizing past or future test performance by placing the blame on secondary variables. Thoughts such as, "I didn't have enough time," or "I should have ...," compound the stress of test­taking. Take control by affirming your value, self­worth, and dedication to meeting the test challenge head on. Repeat to yourself "I can and I will pass this exam."

Q. If "wanted to" is considered as "should have wanted", is it wrong? (I think simple past tense is good for this context but, just experimental thing...)

Omitting a comma before "aka" and then using a serial comma in the end of a series

Posted: 30 May 2021 04:53 AM PDT

When we use also known as as aka, we don't precede it with a comma.

John Smith aka Big Nose was a famous <...>

But what about the case where aka is followed by items in a series?

  • Given name aka first name, forename, or christian name is a <...> (notice the serial comma)
  • Given name aka first name, forename or christian name is a <...>

Omitting a comma before aka and at the same time using a serial comma (which I love; we don't have it in Russian) at the end of a series looks somewhat imbalanced in my opinion.

Is there a good solution for this case? What does respectable style guides say about it?

IELTS Listening [closed]

Posted: 30 May 2021 04:36 AM PDT

I'm an advanced EFL student aiming to take a academic IELTS next year. I have a problem with IELTS listening although English is an inseparable part of my life, I can transcribe easily and also can distinguish different words and connectors. I just get distracted and lose control. Can you give me some helpful tips and techniques to sharpen my knowledge in this category?

Comma before "and" between two dependent clauses [closed]

Posted: 30 May 2021 04:01 AM PDT

Should there be a comma before "and" between two dependent clauses with different subjects after a subordinating conjunction? For example:

We can see that this form of entertainment is not new and people are no longer interested in such performances.

complicated usage of "as something as"

Posted: 30 May 2021 07:58 AM PDT

Once, of course, our satisfactions were provided by our parents, or the people who looked after us when we were young. And it is clearly a very significant moment, or series of moments, in a child's life when he begins to notice that there are satisfactions outside the family.This can feel to the child like a murder of the parents, like an act of outrageous and frightening ruthlessness. Or, as the philospher Annette Baier writes (in Reflections on How We Live) in a new twist on the perennial theme, 'Parental love, paternal or maternal, is as dangerous a central concept for ethics as is expert wisdom'; because it leads to the perversion of authority called authoritarianism, morality as moralism.

I cannot deconstruct the phrase "is as dangerous a central concept for ethics as is expert wisdom."

Usually the as ... as is used to say something like "something is as good as other thing".

How can I rewrite that phrase ? is this a correct rephrasing?

the parental love is dangerous like a central concept for ethics, and dangerous like expert wisdom.

Sentence adverbs and the user's attitude

Posted: 30 May 2021 03:08 AM PDT

According to Disjunct_(linguistics) sentence adverbs convey the mood, attitude or sentiments of the speaker. Yet,

Sentence adverbs form a completely standard aspect of English grammar, but there are a few, for example, hopefully, that give rise to widespread criticism as they express the user's attitude to the sentence content rather than modify the sentence as a whole. Others that may incur criticism in the same way are mercifully, thankfully, and truthfully. https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=hopefully

Both excerpts are contradictory, which one is correct?

Is the word "adjectival" used in this context? [closed]

Posted: 30 May 2021 01:16 AM PDT

My English Fundamentals professor keeps using the word "adjectival" as in "adjectival clause" but I can't find it being used anywhere else but his class notes. I know that the word exists but is it used in this context or in similar situations?

What is the proper term for a moderate-size artificial stone-clad elevation?

Posted: 30 May 2021 03:46 AM PDT

In Paris, as you walk along the Quai Francois Mitterrand, one option is to go down the steps to the paved riverside pedestrian path (where cars are allowed only in movies).

It is a quaint little space between the two bridges (the Pont Neuf and the Pont de Beaux Arts).

You can continue along the edge or you could opt for climbing the stone-clad elevation with the sloping sides (alternatively, you can walk along the bottom of the elevation and run up those steps in the middle), and sit on the bench in the shadow of the tree. In the photo, there are two red arrows pointing at the elevation.

Is there a proper term for this kind of ... structure, or whatever it is? Something like an "urban hillock" or some such? Or something more architectural-sounding? enter image description here

"If it were not for" and "if it had not been for": Which is more traditional?

Posted: 30 May 2021 01:41 AM PDT

Some use "if it were not for" to mean both the present and the past events, while others use "if it had not been for" for the past. For the former, see Oxford and be (verb) in OALD. For example, OALD's definition says "used to say that somebody/something stopped somebody/something from happening", i.e. it explicitly says it's the past event. See also this question in ell.stackexchange.

My first impression was that the former is more recent, but I now suspect the opposite may be the case. Has the usage changed over time (or over decades/centuries)?

BTW many sites say "If it were not for hopes, the heart would break." is the word of Thomas Fuller (1608-1661) but I cannot verify it.

Are there any words or terms when 'a small daughter dancing with her dad with her feet on top of his'?

Posted: 30 May 2021 05:55 AM PDT

barefoot girl's feet on her father's shoes

I'm writing my story and I had the idea to have both the characters to dance with one of them standing on the other's feet. But whenever I tried to search the word or term nothing showed up. The only thing that helped the description are stock photos but even the names don't have anything. So does anybody here know it?

Looking for a smart adjective

Posted: 30 May 2021 12:07 AM PDT

I am looking for a short adjective or adjective phrase to convey the following description:

"When we borrow a solution from another domain to solve a problem that is not relevant but we have no choice.

This solution is ... (adjective or adjective phrase)

Any suggestions for how to fill this blank space with a smart substitute. Thank you

What are these? These are / they are penguins [migrated]

Posted: 30 May 2021 12:10 AM PDT

So, imagine that someone points at some penguins that are close to us and asks me : "What are these?". Should I answer with a "These are penguins" Or "They are penguins". I feel like I should say "They are penguins". But now imagin that that person is pointing at some computers, in that case I feel like I should say "These are computers" instead of "They are computers" because computers are objects and penguins are living creatures. Am I right on making that assumption? And I guess I have the same question with questions using "those".

What is it called when people, e.g. computer programmers, pronounce, say, 65,536 as 'sixty-five, five, thirty-six' i.e. omitting 'thousands' etc?

Posted: 30 May 2021 05:44 AM PDT

I heard on ELU that computer programmers often pronounce long numbers like that. What is that method of saying the numbers called? How common is it? What is the point of it? What are the pros and cons of it?

65,536 was pronounced 'sixty-five, five, thirty-six'.

Source: "In computing contexts, we frequently read out large numbers with the "units" omitted. For example, 65,536 is read as "sixty-five, five, thirty-six", which is an abbreviation of "sixty-five thousand" five hundred thirty-six". – Canadian Yankee Apr 1 at 18:19"

Here: How do I say whether or not a number was pronounced like a telephone number (or zip code). Are there words for this?

Here's corroboration: "I find it really hard to imagine anyone saying "two-five-six-K" to me in speech, and if anyone did, I'm sure I would give them a mildly alarmed look. "Two-fifty-six-K" is very different, because that's a common alternative to "two hundred and fifty-six" (and I should have noted that in my first comment!) – Yee-Lum Dec 14 '15 at 17:22"

Here:Saying a number digit by digit

What would I call a program that was developed specifically for a company?

Posted: 30 May 2021 05:53 AM PDT

I am looking for a word that can describe a program I developed for a company, as opposed to a program I would create for a school assignment or for fun. I've written "paid programming task" and "practical program", but it doesn't sound so good and the latter is quite ambiguous.

What does "it" represent in the following sentence?

Posted: 30 May 2021 08:05 AM PDT

I read the following sentence on the leading corporation in a corruption-infested country.

Its path to the top was strewn with secret deals, price fixing, bribery, tax evasion and more, all of it overseen by an ultrasecretive, ultrarich family ready to use every means at its disposal to stay in command.

What does the pronoun "it" refer to?

Given the pronoun "it" represents a singular noun, logically, "it" in the sentence apparently refers to "its path to the top." But the phrase "all of it" somehow sounds plural.

"He would have done anything you [would ask/would have asked/had asked] him to"

Posted: 30 May 2021 09:07 AM PDT

I want to say "He'll do anything you ask him to" but in the past tense, as that was the case 10 years ago, but he's not like that anymore. Which of the following should I use?

  1. He would have done anything you would ask him to!
  2. He would have done anything you would have asked him to!
  3. He would have done anything you had asked him to!

Which is correct or otherwise preferable?

What is the term that means to add an extra syllable to a word?

Posted: 30 May 2021 01:49 AM PDT

This situation is most noticeable when a singer adds a syllable to a word like "Fuh-ree" instead of "free" or "Buh-rave" instead of "brave". It's not Melisma, which is intentional by the writer.

Is "If it had been for you" grammatical?

Posted: 30 May 2021 01:20 AM PDT

I came across the following sentence:

  • "I acted as if it had been for you." (V. Hugo)

Since "if it had been for you/we/they" don't have results after searching on Google Search (site:.us), can someone clarify if it is grammatical?

Could we rewrite the sentence as follow without change in meaning?

  • "I acted as if I had been you."
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