Sunday, July 18, 2021

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

Why the "wedded" in "wedded wife"?

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 09:48 AM PDT

Typical wedding vows, per e.g. https://www.weddedyourway.com/traditional-i-do-vows.html, often have phrasing like this (emphasis mine):

[Groom's name], do you take [Bride's name] to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her, for as long as you both shall live?

The vows for the woman often likewise use the phrase "wedded husband". Per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_vows, this phrasing dates back at least as far as the 1500s.

This seems redundant and silly - surely any wife is necessarily a "wedded wife" by definition? Wouldn't it be cleaner to replace "wedded wife" with just "wife"?

What's the origin of this curious phrasing? Was it the case that at the time it was first used, the common definition of a "wife" didn't require that a wedding ceremony had taken place, and there was thus some meaningful distinction between a plain old wife and a "wedded wife"? Or is it perhaps the case that it's always been redundant, but that these redundancies were more common and seemed less silly to people at the time that the wording was first introduced?

Are the words “Engrossing” and “preoccupying”and “consuming” synonymous? [closed]

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 09:05 AM PDT

I just wanted to know because I am curious

What verb can be used transitively with the noun "bridge"?

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 10:10 AM PDT

Imagine an insurpassable abyss between you and some kind of other side. And although you know you can't possibly make it, you still jump with a mad hope to make it to the safety of that other side. When you think you will sink into this abyss some kind of force makes a bridge and rescues you. I am looking for a metaphor, simile or just an acceptable expression containing the noun bridge as the direct object of a verb.

My sentence:

When we think that we fall into the abyss, it [the force] will [____ us (with if needed ) the bridge] of its power.

Is there a verb that can be used transitively here? I thought of throw or extend or stretch something that unfolds like a bridge, but I am not sure of any of these.

"Sufficient(ly)": quantitative vs qualitative

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 08:46 AM PDT

Garner's reads

Though both words were originally used in reference to quantity, adequate now tends toward the qualitative and sufficient toward the quantitative.

However, Fowler says

As an adjective (or modifier), enough will normally serve, but sufficient is more idiomatic when a more qualitative point is being made

Which is correct?

God's existing vs God's existence [duplicate]

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 08:53 AM PDT

Can we say something like "I am thankful for God's existing" rather than "...thankful for God's existence?"

Why do we never hear this?

I am thinking along the lines of: "She doesn't approve of me going out" vs. "She doesn't approve of my going out"

Can there be gerund(?) sentences that have nothing after them - like "existing" or "She doesn't approve of my knowing"?

What does this bit of Cockney mean? [duplicate]

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 08:24 AM PDT

In a compilation of episodes of Woud I Lie To You?, a fragment is shown from an old episode of The Six O'Clock Show. With someone purporting to be a former Teddy Boy, saying the following:

"1955, Saturday night, off to Tottenham Royal. So it was: crash, bash, sausage an' mash, two kips(?) and a bonbon(?), little dab will do you. Really so, on the Barnet. And the combination was, Old Spice, on the German, little bit of Old Spice, tiddly-winky-woo, with the Brylcreem, bee's knees."

It's at the 6:33 mark.

Since they talk about a Cockney Bible afterwards, I assume this to be Cockney. And a rather contrived bit at that. And while I think I'm getting the general drift of what he's saying, I'm sorry I haven't a clue what he's actually saying.

From what I gather, in preparation to go out to the Mecca Dance Hall in Tottenham on a Saturday night, he ate (sausage and mashed potatoes), then put on some Brylcreem (of which "a little dab will do you" was the advertising slogan) on the sides of his hair and Old Spice on his face, after which he fancied he looked good. But I'm probably missing half of it.

What is he saying?

A comment pointed me to another question about the same fragment, that focused on a couple of phrases from that monologue. I'm interested in the meaning of the entire bit. For instance, "on the German" is not explained there.

What is meant by "birthday was lit"? [closed]

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 09:24 AM PDT

I read someone's birthday post on social media that the "birthday was lit".

What is the meaning of this ?

Is it correct?

Which pronoun is used for Spirit or Ghost and is there a rule that says we must use certain pronoun for the Spirit? Is it a common gender noun?

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 08:02 AM PDT

The controversy pertains to the evolution of English Bible translations, started using "He" for the Holy Spirit. I know in Greek, the word for spirit pneuma is neuter. The underlying assumption given by the modern as well as the old English translators is that in order to maintain the personhood of the Spirit, we must change the neuter pronoun to masculine.

I am under the impression that Spirit or Ghost is always a person or personal. My spirit is not a separate person than myself, however it is not an inanimate power. If my ghost leaves the body, I should use "it" to describe it, not "he".

I want to know the basis of this popular assumption among the translators that in English, a personal noun has to have a gendered pronoun? Is their assumption linguistically accurate? Do we have historical references of pronouns used for the Spirit or Ghost? I know of the common gender nouns which have the neuter pronoun, and Spirit or Ghost should count under it.

Examples of personal common gender are – baby, doctor, player, neighbor, friend, parent, anchor, pupil, teacher, cousin, reporter, etc.

Which words can I use for "describing a woman who wears complete cloth"? [closed]

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 06:15 AM PDT

I searched and found "decent" but couldn't find any synonymous word for it, I don't mean someone who wears a hijab, I mean someone who wears modestly and decently in general.

For useing in such a sentence:

Those who wear decently are less prone to be sexually abused.

I'm looking for an adjective for woman like modest, I'm looking for an adjective for these kinds of cloth.

Does "as my cynicism ran rife" make any sense? [closed]

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 04:45 AM PDT

I want it to seem like the cynicism spread throughout me (not to anyone else though). I was cynical about things with me.

What is a good word for scheduled activities which are ready to be performed, and also those that aren't yet ready?

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 07:46 AM PDT

Let's say there's a number of scheduled activities. Some are due to be performed tomorrow, some next week, and some were even due yesterday but haven't been done yet.

Is there a good word to describe the division between items that are scheduled in the future vs scheduled now (also including the past)?

The best I've come up with is that the items that should be performed now are "due", while the others are "pending". But to me, "pending" somehow also signals something that is ready to be done (now!) but haven't yet been done, and that's the opposite of what I'm after. However, I'm not a native English speaker so I may be catching nuances in these words that aren't really there. Is there a better pair of words to describe "ready to be done" vs "scheduled for later"?

(BTW, this question comes from a software context, where activities are scheduled and triggered to be performed via timers, but I think the situation applies also to describe everyday things.)

The simple present tense form of Willing to do [migrated]

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 08:06 AM PDT

We use the phrase be willing to do in everyday English. But my problem is how to use it in its simple present tense form with -ing.

For example, what is the simple present tense form of this sentence?

He is not willing to give any information.

Are “very interesting”and “all-consuming” synonymous? [closed]

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 02:58 AM PDT

Are the phrases "very interesting"and "all-consuming" synonymous? I just wanted to know because I am confused.

What is 0.54 to be rounded to 0.55 as called as? [closed]

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 03:00 AM PDT

In MS excel we call

  1. 2.5 to be rounded to 3 as rounding up to the Nearest Whole Number
  2. 11.45/11.75 to be rounded to 11.5/11.8 as rounding up to Nearest 10th

What is

  1. 0.23 to be rounded to 0.25 (instead of 0.3) as rounding up to the ??? called
  2. 0.54 to be rounded to 0.55 as rounding up to the ??? called
  3. 1.61 to be rounded to 1.65 as rounding up to the ??? called

Where the digits after decimal is always in form of 0.25, 0.35, 0.45, 0.55, 0.65 or 0.75 and so on

Background: I am trying to find online tutorial to use the MS excel's round up, round down, mround, ceiling, floor function but I cannot find desired search results unless I put the right question.(usually the above functions return rounded numbers (0.30 or 1.70, etc) or sometimes random 0.x5 numbers without any consistency)

Sentence structure of hoax and dupe

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 08:18 AM PDT

Is this sentence structure available for the two verbs?

hoax somebody out of something

dupe somebody out of something

can Where/Whereas be used interchangeably in the following examples?

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 02:54 AM PDT

"Whereas there were once as many as fifteen thousand divers on the island, there are now only about five thousand."

"Where there were once as many as fifteen thousand divers on the island, there are now only about five thousand."

I know that "whereas" is supposed to be used when contrasting, but when I switched it with "where" in this example it still made sense. So my question is ..... are these two sentences grammatically correct?

Another word for "From the very beginning"

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 03:02 AM PDT

How the rephrase "From the very beginning" in a sentence in a more direct way?

For example, the sentence is

From the very beginning of the notion normed linear spaces, a considerable effort has been made to carry forward various concepts of Euclidean Geometry to the framework of normed linear spaces.

Word for the thing that moves back and forth in a watch mechanism

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 08:14 AM PDT

The reason I'm asking is because it is a singular word in Swedish "oro". It is a fitting technical term that translates roughly to "concern, fidgeting".

I find it curious English not having a singular word for this.

I have found "balance wheel", "watch movement" I suppose watch is redundant in context. I've also seen "watch calibre", same caveat.

Is calibre the word I'm looking for?

As a reaction to the helpful answer by Ricky. I'd like to find a word that is not as ambiguous or context dependent. I don't mind an exotic word.

Is there an alternative term for "boyfriend" when talking about an elderly man?

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 03:43 AM PDT

An acquaintance of mine referred to her mother, aged 95, as having a "boyfriend", aged 104, in their assisted living facility. I find this word in this context inappropriate.

I don't know what age an adult has to be before calling him/her a boy or girl outside their own immediate circle becomes inappropriate, but surely it is before they hit 100.

What is an age-appropriate term for boyfriend (girlfriend) for adults, especially adults of an advanced age?

There must be a word or phrase (borrowed from the French ?) to describe this lady's companion. Cher ami is not found even in the OED, although the feminine form cherie amie is, with the definition "mistress". (Same link.) In any case, cher ami is too obscure for most people.

Companion may be the best word, but I'm hoping that the perfect word or short phrase exists, that conveys the romantic nature of the companionship, without calling an adult a boy.

Companion, according to Merriam Webster is

one that accompanies another : COMRADE, ASSOCIATE traveling companions also : one that keeps company with another his longtime companion

The OED has a definition that encompasses lover or partner, which is, I suppose, a vote for companion. See Definition I.3.a.

Why this is not a Duplicate: @Mitch pointed out that my question may possibly be a duplicate of this question. The two are on the same topic, but approach it from opposite directions. I am looking for an age-appropriate substitute for boyfriend (or girlfriend). The other question wants to validate girlfriend for a woman in her sixties. Another similar question has many answers (along the lines of sweetie, significant other), of which only beau is a candidate IMO, that is, not there yet.

It predicates of [closed]

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 06:59 AM PDT

The construction "it predicates of NP that ..." can easily become awkward to interpret. It typically introduces some definition and if it is but a little unusual I cannot be sure what it says.

For example:

Their thesis is that zero is simply an ordinary numeral, no different from three, but that it predicates of a plurality that it has zero members. That would account for why it seems to be parallel to ordinary numerals in most respects, but it entails a bold ontological commitment: that there are pluralities with no members.

I know that it wants to say:

it predicates that out of all pluralities there is one that has zero members

Can you help me to make an equivalent statement that is as clear as sun?

From this:

it predicates of A that B it is C

to what? In as plane English as possible.

It is not about the example above. It is about the structure.

Like

It predicates of the state of John across the square being characterized as a state of running.

What!?!?!?

Similar:

More specifically, it predicates of the rule that it is in effect.

What!?!?!?

I can understand what it means, probably, but it is killing me that it is not a fluent sentence, that I have to go back to it couple of times to be sure.

Is there a simple version of this annoying and rare structure?

What is an idiom for loneliness and unnoticed?

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 10:08 AM PDT

It is for a poem that is about loneliness and how nobody really sees you or notices you, somewhat like if you are an invisible "thing" and I don't know what I can use to describe it.

Is there a word for the phenomenon of knowing a compromise will happen and intentionally overbending the truth so the conclusion is more truthful?

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 05:56 AM PDT

Is there a word that describes the phenomenon of compromise where side A is telling the truth, side B is outright lying, but because both sides don't want the arbiter to pick dead in the middle, rather closer to their side, they exaggerate their case so that the concluded middle ground is actually favorable to them?

It comes up in politics, arguments, design, budget, etc. Would be great if there were a word to describe it.

It's a gaming of the arbiter's strategy "the truth is in the middle"

I wasn't successful in looking it up through any reverse dictionaries since it requires a situation and perspective of a situation to understand, and I don't have the English skill to explain it without an example. But I hope there's a word for it! (I would think there's definitely a word for it in Chinese. Chinese seems to always have very terse words for complex situational phenomenons. But I don't know the word in Chinese either.)

As old as he looks

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 07:06 AM PDT

There is a sentence: "John isn't as old as he looks", what does it mean:

  1. He is young, but he looks like an old man
  2. He is old, but he looks/acts like a young man

What is a term for crop/livestock, something raised for indirect value?

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 06:03 AM PDT

What is a term for crop/livestock, something raised for indirect value?

How to choose between "where" and "when" after the expression "There hasn't been a moment...."? [duplicate]

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 09:01 AM PDT

There hasn't been a moment where/when science has ceased to amaze me. What do I choose? I have also seen use of "that" in some cases: There hasn't been a time that I haven't loved you.

A word for words that are both the same and opposite [duplicate]

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 07:54 AM PDT

I just had a conversation where the sentence 'The system is broken because it's fixed!' was correctly spoken under the pretense where fixed means that it's rigged. Assuming that context of rigged matches as a weak synonym for broken, the question came up - what's the word for a pair of words that are simultaneously synonyms and antonyms?

I am not asking about autoantonyms. I am not even looking for a single word. I am trying to find a term to describe the relationship of two different words, where one is an autoantonym and where one of its definitions is synonymous with the second word, causing the two words to be synonyms and antonyms at the same time.

In my example:

  • fixed = rigged: fixed and rigged are synonyms
  • fixed = repaired: fixed and rigged are antonyms

What is the label given to the relationship between fixed and rigged?

Why is Saturday "day of Saturn"?

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 03:30 AM PDT

Apparently all other days of the week were named after Germanic words and deities. So why was Saturday, which was named after the Roman god Saturnus, the only exception? Why wasn't it called "day of Frey" or something, since Frey is a god of fertility just like Saturnus?

Is she speaking proper Cockney (or whatever it is she's imitating)?

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 07:20 AM PDT

Marlene Dietrich

At one point in Witness for the Prosecution, Marlene Dietrich's character is at some pains impersonating a guttersnipe. I've been told that the actress spent quite some time working on her accent for this scene. The acting part is well-nigh impeccable (as usual with Dietrich). It's the accent I'm not so sure about. It does sound like a plausible imitation, but is it a little off? And if so, how? Please enlighten me.

This clip contains the scene. Dietrich she starts talking at the 2:27 mark:

https://youtu.be/sjkWibjhpIo&t=2m27s

Using Nouns or Gerunds [duplicate]

Posted: 18 Jul 2021 08:51 AM PDT

Could anyone explain when to use a noun or a gerund?

Are these sentences correct? What is the difference between usage of gerund and noun there?

  1. I worked on the improvement of the article.
  2. I worked on the article improving.
  3. I worked on the improving of the article.
  1. The investment idea was published.
  2. Investing idea was published.
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