Monday, October 18, 2021

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

Possessive apostrophe with a parenthetical

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 10:46 AM PDT

All Realtor(s), dog(s), and cat(s) transactions are forbidden by this agreement. Where do I place possessive apostrophe(s) in the foregoing sentence?

Comma Between a Conjunction and an Adverb

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 08:41 AM PDT

I would like to ask if a comma is needed before the adverb that succeeds the conjunction "and"?

After finishing our stuff at the police station, we walked out, and surprisingly, we found our parents standing beside their cars on the parking lot.

He has more than one way of doing that

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 05:44 AM PDT

I read this sentence on a well-known chess website, and for some reason it sounds unnatural to me; are there better ways to phrase it?

He has more than one way of doing that.

Each one can present himself/herself OR Each one can present oneself [closed]

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 06:00 AM PDT

I'm writing the following sentence:

Let's go around the table so that each one can present himself/herself.

I hesitate with the following:

Let's go around the table so that each one can present oneself.

For which option would you go for?
If both are incorrect, how would you phrase this sentence?

Connecting two items in the mathematical let expression

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 05:38 AM PDT

In the second of the two sentences

Now we are going to prove by induction that term₁(𝑝,𝑛)=term₂(𝑝,𝑛) for all 𝑝 for all 𝑛∈ℕ₊. To this end, let 𝑛∈ℕ₊ be arbitrary(,) and the statement proven for all positive 𝑚<𝑛.

is the comma before "and"

  1. necessary,

  2. forbidden,

  3. optional with a change in the meaning, or

  4. optional without a change in the meaning?

(To keep things simple, we omit the domain of 𝑝 and don't spell out term₁ and term₂.)

"of (them / these / those)" if superordinate clause contains two plurals?

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 05:31 AM PDT

"Applications depend on libraries. Some of *** are under our control, most are not." - Which demonstrative pronoun *** would clearly refer to "libraries", not to "applications"?

What's the difference between "window of time" and "time window"?

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 05:21 AM PDT

Can I use them interchangeably or are they completely different idioms?

For example:

There is a time window of five minutes for the required task.

Can I substitude it with window of time?

There is a window of time of five minutes for the required task.

Another example:

I've scheduled this program to run automatically every 5pm. If you wish to change the time window, just let me know.

Is that a correct usage of it? In this context, does it simply mean time frame or schedule? It seems like window of time doesn't seem appropriate in this context.

Can a plural noun be treated as an unit in the U.K.? [duplicate]

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 05:20 AM PDT

As I've known, collective nouns can be treated as both individuals and a single unit in the U.K. Then, can plural nouns also be treated as a single unit?

For example:

My friends consist of Adam and Eve.

My friends are taller. Furthermore, it is smarter. (=my family is taller. Furthermore, it is smarter.)

Which part of speech is "as" in each example of mine?

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 06:37 AM PDT

I've come across something that has stumped me a bit.

I think that the following usage of "as" is conjunctive. Am I correct?

He is the same as the dog is.

Is the following usage of "as" prepositional?

He is the same as the dog.

Are the following sentences functionally identical to the previous one? As in, do "just like" and "similar to" retain the structure found in "the same as" from sentence #2?

He is just like the dog.

He is similar to the dog.

I am curious as to what the sentence structure looks like in all of these; I'd love to see syntax trees of these sentences.

Thank y'all!

their younger counterparts

Posted: 17 Oct 2021 10:15 PM PDT

I wrote this sentence:

Elderly employees usually have a lower level of labor productivity than their younger counterparts

I just want to ask that if I use the word "counterparts" correctly? Do you understand that "counterpart" is a replacement for "employee"? Does it sound natural to a native speaker? Thank you for your time.

His hands over his head

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 09:18 AM PDT

Source - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter - 20

Context - Harry finds Sirius at the shore of the lake where he is already turned into a human from a dog.

He was crouched on all fours, his hands over his head.

If the person was crouching on all fours, including the hands, how would the hands be, at the same time, over their head?

Why do the British use the phrase, "different to," rather than "different from?" It simply sounds wrong

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 05:55 AM PDT

The word "different" implies opposition, separation, "otherness," etc. Therefore, juxtaposing it with the word "to" makes no sense. And, in itself, standing alone, it is not a comparative word, so using it with "than" is plainly wrong (except that, perhaps, one could imagine saying "more different than," or "less different than," in some context or another). A thing differs from another thing. One thing is different from another. Nothing else makes sense.

Preposition or Adverb?

Posted: 17 Oct 2021 09:38 PM PDT

There are a couple of places where I get confused on whether a word is an adverb or a preposition (or maybe even both?). For example, a sentence I am confused by is

"Don't throw out the water bottle!"

In this context, some people in my class think that "out" is a preposition, and that "out the water bottle" is the prepositional phrase in the sentence. However, other people think that it is an adverb describing where one is throwing. Similarly, another example is

"Please don't write down my answer!"

Here, is "down" an adverb, or a prepositional phase, and why is it that way? Do these questions have a right/wrong, or is it more like a gray area? Is there a specific logic behind it?

Thanks in advance!

Top down or bottom up for reducing a sentence to all its parts?

Posted: 17 Oct 2021 09:09 PM PDT

I'm still learning grammar. I'm trying to figure out the steps to break down a sentence. My process now is to look at the sentence as a whole first. Then I classify it as either simple, compound, complex, etc. Then I classify it again as either declarative, imperative, etc. Then I work out the subject and predicate and label them by clause type; main, subordinate, adjectival, noun. Then I break the clauses into structures like subject+verb, subject+transverb+direct, etc, etc.

Now I'm trying to identify all the phrases and I'm getting stuck. So I'm moving to a bottom-up approach by looking at words on their own to see if they are nouns, verbs. phrases, whatever. So that I might make phrases out of them. But I'm getting stuck at this point.

Anyway, my question is what is the best way to break down a sentence into all its levels, from the words/parts of speech all the way up to the clauses and sentence?

Should you start with the sentence and begin chopping it into smaller and smaller chunks (clauses, phrases, etc), as I've been trying to do, or should you identify the word types first and then build them up (bottom-up approach)? Is there a formula I can follow like a recipe to accomplish this?

Heavily raining or Raining heavily?

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 08:09 AM PDT

Sentences :

  1. It is/was heavily raining here.

Or

  1. It is/was raining heavily here.

In a conversation with my friend I said that "Oh! Its heavily raining here".But he/she has corrected me as have to use "raining heavily" instead of "heavily raining".He/She corrected me to latter usage due to the common usages from daily chats with the people.So which usage is correct or more correct and why ?

Updated (PS) : I am going to accept the answer.

Gun terminology: is cylinder or chamber correct in this sentence?

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 08:10 AM PDT

We looked at each other like we had each just rolled a chamber in Russian roulette and now had the guns in our mouths.

If the chambers are what's inside of the actual cylinder, which is what you spin, would "like we had each just rolled a cylinder" be more accurate?

'reflect back on' or 'reflect on' some event in the past?

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 09:41 AM PDT

As the title suggests, should I use "reflect back on" or "reflect on" when talking about something in the past?

For example:

I find myself reflecting on the journey that has led me to where I am today.

I find myself reflecting back on the journey that has led me to where I am today.

Getting as set off by it

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 07:07 AM PDT

I'm reading an article about anxiety. The author says that when people feel anxious, they try to make themselves feel better by applying all kinds of coping techniques (e.g. deep breathing). Then it goes on to say:

Those tools have value, but if you get better at simply tolerating your physical anxiety, and not getting as set off by it, then you won't need to use them as much.

I know what "to set off" means, but isn't it used here as an adjective? Couldn't you say that anxiety makes you "set-off"? Or it is instead used as a normal verb?

Thank you

Pattern: adjective/noun + in + ing

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 02:03 AM PDT

everyone. I have a question regarding the usage of "in" in this pattern:

Adjective/noun + in + V-ing

Like in this sentence:

  1. «Light takes such a long time in crossing the enormous distances and getting to us.»

But, I was wondering if it could work without "in":

  1. «Light takes such a long time crossing the enormous distances and getting to us.»

Or, even with infinitive:

  1. «Light takes such a long time to cross the enormous distances and getting to us.»

I would like to know how to use this patten, in what context and what rules I should follow to use it correctly.

I've been searching on the internet, but there is little information about this topic and it's not really helpful. Here are some other examples I found:

  1. This NPO plays a central role in proposing environmental policies.

  2. He's taking a long time in making that pastry

Thanks you in advanced, I'd be really thankful if you help me understand it.

The Middle English infinitive form

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 05:24 AM PDT

Why do the Middle English words, that stay after "to" haven't got the Middle English infinitive ending "n"?

Wycliffe's Bible

Luke.16:3

Studylight:

"And the baili seide with ynne him silf, What schal Y do, for my lord takith awei fro me the baili? delfe mai Y not, I schame to begge."

King James Bible:

"Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed."

The Middle English Infinitive form: beggen

Machine learning

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 04:33 AM PDT

I can understand the term Artificial intelligence and how the meaning is exemplified by the combination of those two words. But...

How is the meaning constructed in the term 'machine learning'? My understanding is that it is the field of study of - machines that learn, or making machines learn.

To put it bluntly, why is it called machine learning instead of learning machine? What are the linguistic constructs works here to manifest the meaning the term does?

I am trying to translate this term into another language, that is why this question rises. Thanks in advance.

Curiosity and curiousness

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 04:59 AM PDT

What is the difference between the words curiosity and curiousness? How and when do you use them?

Cambridge Dictionary has:

curiosity [noun]

B2 [ U ] an eager wish to know or learn about something:

  • to arouse/excite/satisfy someone's curiosity
  • I'm burning with curiosity - you must tell me who won!
  • She decided to call her ex-boyfriend out of curiosity.
  • "Why do you ask?" "Oh, just idle curiosity (= for no particular reason)."

...

curiosity [noun] (STRANGE OBJECT) [C]

something that is interesting because it is rare and unusual:

  • Cars like mine are curiosities nowadays.

but no entry for 'curiousness'. Is the latter a valid word?

What's the term for the left hand side of a comparison operation?

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 05:48 AM PDT

I believe the right hand side of a comparison (i.e. the thing being compared to) can be termed a 'comparand'. Is there a word that can be used for the the left hand side of that equation? I.e. the thing that we're comparing?

Do "Ku" or "Klux" have any historical meaning beyond being associated with the Klan?

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 10:43 AM PDT

I would like to know about how the name of this group was formed. According to Etymonline the terms Ku Kux have a Greek origin, but it does not give more information:

  • 1867, American English, originally Kuklux Klan , a made-up name, supposedly from Greek kuklos, kyklos "circle".

Can anyone provide more information about the origin of the terms "Ku Klux" and how they came to be associated with the well-know Klan?

What's a word for articulating something and making it sound worse?

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 03:33 AM PDT

Sorry for the poor title, but I can describe this better through an example. A few weeks ago, one of my friends had a conversation with her boyfriend, and she said that she wouldn't necessarily marry him because he's "not smart enough". The intention and feeling behind this statement is certainly not that he's stupid. But when articulated, this sounds really mean despite the more moderate intent.

I'm looking for a word that describes this phenomenon: where a thought may really has a rather mild intent/emotion behind it while its in your head, but when articulated, the listeners tend to dramatize the statement and the emotion/intent comes across much stronger.

Another example was a friend was trying to describe his new housemates who are from the East Coast and attend Ivy League schools. They're perfectly wonderful and pleasant people, but they're more willing to spend money on luxuries and fun experiences, and love to just constantly do interesting/crazy things. I feel that when you articulate this, you give off the air that they just ball out of control, when the reality is much more subdued. I'm trying to describe this idea -- that when you express something the emotion and imagery conjured unintentionally exaggerates reality.

How you do you say "What is this word?" in a friendly, indirect and elaborate way?

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 03:14 AM PDT

In French, when you don't know what the hell a word means that's just been mentioned, instead of flat-out asking "What is that?" we have an informal expression "Hmmm, ça se mange?" (Litterally, "can it be eaten?"). It makes obvious the fact that you're missing something. Alternatively, you could also say "À tes souhaits" ("bless you"), trying to pretend you took that uttered word for a sneeze.

Is there anything a similar, common phrase I could use in English?

The word "lad" in the south of the U.S

Posted: 17 Oct 2021 08:03 PM PDT

Is there any possibility that a farmer from the southern part of the U.S. will use the word "lad", or is it completely 'Brit'? the context is naming a pet (a mule) "lad".
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