Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

how do you spell gorjeus [closed]

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 10:33 AM PST

I want to know how to spell it.

What's the correct structure of this sentence

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 09:50 AM PST

I have a list of programs that are installed. What's the correct way to say this?

"The number of programs installed" or "The number of installed programs"?

What's the correct structure? And why is that?

Utilize the active voice in sentences when an actor is undefined

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 09:51 AM PST

I am writing the technical documentation that describes some actions to be done.

For example:

The new sewer water line may be connected to the old one in room A546 or to the new one in room A549.

I know the English language prefers active voice to passive, but how should I address all the actions if the actor is undefined?

What is the natural usage of "quelle horreur" in English? (Is it different from the French?)

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 08:32 AM PST

I have a vague recollection that if I read an English-language piece that contained "Quelle horreur!" it would imply a sarcastic feigning of disgust for something trivial, likely to be used in a literary, highbrow context. For example, imagine some Vanity Fair or Esquire piece about Internet delays with an anecdote "My son tells me that because of Amazon S3 delays, he now has to wait 30 minutes after his final exams are done to access his grade. Quelle horreur!"

Is this the primary meaning when used in English? Is that different from its normal meaning in French? (Wikipedia says "can be used sarcastically", but not that this would be the dominant meaning)

Is this sentence make any differences if I take off "without"? [closed]

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 07:56 AM PST

the definition of the phrase "if it had not been for" is in the absence of (something or someone). And it comes with an example, without If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't be where I am today.

I'm bit confused by this sentence, if I replace the phrase, it will become: without in the absence of him (which means if not he's absent), I wouldn't be where I am today. (he wants the guy to be absent) but I think what it suppose to mean is: if in the absence of him, I wouldn't be where I am today. (he doesn't want the guy to be absent)

so what is the point of the word "without" here? It seems to give the sentence an opposite meaning.

Is 'being' omitted in certain participle clauses and absolute constructions?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 10:49 AM PST

In literature (particularly fiction), there will often be examples of supplementary adjectives and absolute constructions in which a participle isn't present. My question boils down to how we analyse such passages. My instinct tells me that the present participle 'being' has been omitted; however, it has been difficult to find sufficient evidence that supports my assumption.

These are some examples I have invented:

His face [being] bloody, he entered the room.

[Being] Bloody and sore, he entered the room.

For real-life literary examples, please see the following two extracts (from Red Seas under Red Skies and a Dishonored novel):

... shouted Locke, [being] unable to disguise his mirth, ....

Her body, [being] lithe and athletic, ....

present simple/present continuous

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 07:22 AM PST

I'm wondering if my sentences are correct in terms of the tenses used. In particular, I'm curious about the parts in bold. Thanks for any comments.

  1. When a person talks to another person and the assumptions are being passed further, stereotypes are being created.

  2. By joking, the person that is spreading misinformation does not come off as ignorant.

As for (1) I thought that if the first part is in the present simple and stresses certain regularity, the second part should also be in the same tense to also show repeatitiveness of the situation. Does the continuous aspect imply that whenever one talks, assumptions are in the process of being passed, and stereotypes are in the process of being created?

As for (2) I thought that if the two actions are simultaneous, that is, while spreading misinformation, the person is also coming off as ignorant, then the present continuous is better in the second part.

Describe the life of a musician or a performer you admire [closed]

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 06:43 AM PST

I admire the Vietnamese singer, song-writer and actor Wanbi Tuan Anh because his music helped the Vietnam music industry to become well-known around the World. Tuan Anh was born in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, in 1987. When he was twelve, he joined in the theatre group in just three months. On his high schooler, he studied at Trung Vuong high school. At that time, he got the opportunity to be paragraphed for magazine and did a alot of commercials, and beacuse of that, he became a hot boy in school. In 2006, he participated in a compitition called "Your video clip" that was organized by Ho Chi Minh City Television Station. He impressed the viewers through his two songs written by him. The song "Cho em" was rapidly became a hit after he had posted on his blog and the phrase "professional singer" was appeared in his mind. In 2008, he began his first "professional singer" life through a minishow. He then combined with Toc Tien, a female singer, to write and sing a song called "Kem dau tinh yeu". The song had became a favourite for young teens and it had entered many music charts. At the same time, the name " Wanbi" spread in the music community. In 2009, his album "Wanbi 0901" was awarded for the "Favourite album" in June. In that late year, he achieved success after being awarded for the " Trien vong Lan Song Xanh" prize. He also joined in the movie industry with a guest role. In 2012, Wanbi Tuan Anh announced that he had to a break because he got a rare disease back in 2008. A lot of people and some celebrities heard that and wanted to help him by donating money for his surgery. But sadly, in 2013, he passed away in sadness and tears of fan and people accross the nation. Although Wanbi Tuan Anh has gone for almost eight years, his music still lives on to these days

Do I place a comma when omitting "that," in this sentence?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 04:40 AM PST

For some reason, I feel like this sentence doesn't look right without a comma when I omit "that"

Original sentence: He stopped so abruptly that red dust kicked up.

To: He stopped so abruptly red dust kicked up.

Or? He stopped so abruptly, red dust kicked up.

As far as I know, it should be written without the comma, but it's driving me crazy because I feel like it only reads correctly with the comma. Someone tell me I'm wrong here.

Which word is preferable: sacrifice or forgo? [closed]

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 04:38 AM PST

I am proofreading and editing an online training course. One of the decision trees involves asking the participant (role playing as a manager in the business) to decide if they would authorise overtime for an employee or not. One of the choices available reads as follows:

(D) Refuse Ming's request.

Ming can't force his team to work on a holiday, nor is it good for him to sacrifice his free time in this way."

My inclination is that forgo is a better option?

Which one is correct grammatically? [closed]

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 04:34 AM PST

I am wondering which one the below ones are correct?

  1. Truly for Christ
  2. Truly with Christ
  3. Truly in Christ

How do you properly write a question that contains follow-up questions? [closed]

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 04:41 AM PST

For example if you were to write a question like: "Is this something that you would be interested in, and if so: when are you be available?"

How do you structure the sentence with regards to question marks and punctuation?

Why arithmetic does not end up with s? [duplicate]

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 08:56 AM PST

Usually disciplines end up with s: mathematics, ballistics, genetics, gymnastics, linguistics, logistics, optics, politics, semantics, statistics, etc.

A simple question: why did arithmetic not end up with s?

Can the word 'undress' be used to describe breaking down a situation?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 09:02 AM PST

I'm trying to come up with a campaign around a disease and the patients' wanting to live a normal life i.e. going topless at the beach, swimming with friends, etc.

My thinking is "[Disease name] Undressed" - meaning we break down everything you need to know about the disease and give you all the information you need to take your disease into your own hands through various resources etc. etc.

I'm sure I've heard "let's undress the situation" before, but cannot seem to find anything online!

Thanks in advance!

How can I punctuate these sentences correctly? [closed]

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 01:14 AM PST

I am perplexed as to whether I should insert a comma, semi-colon, colon or a full stop in the following sentences.

  1. She regards the items as proof of identity; an identity threatened by alienation.

  2. It was a very popular item; one that is seen everywhere.

  3. She was able to convey her suffering to the audience; a feat that garnered her empathy.

I am happy for and slightly envious of someone who is the same place I used to be in because I was unhappy when I was there

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 12:31 AM PST

I'm a trans woman... but I met a guy who is a lot like how I was. This person is who I tried to be while identifying as a male. He simply is that way and perfectly happy the way he is. When I was trying to be someone like that I was absolutely miserable. I'm really happy they found joy in a place I could not and just a mild amount of envious. That could never have been me. I was something very close to what they are but never found any joy in it. It's like a double reverse epicaricacy. I feel very strongly that this needs to be a word. Having been there and been unhappy while occupying that space I am experiencing a sense of euphoria in seeing someone else enjoy their time in the same place. Simultaneously I feel bit of jealousy towards their happiness but not to a point of negative feelings. There has to be some way on conveying that with some brevity. 'cause it's a really complex set of emotions and I suspect not too uncommon now in the age of Instagram and TikTok.

Edit: The community bot has asked me to clarify. I think that's the issue. It's a really cloudy set of emotions and that sort of unique mix that defies definition. Let me try one more time. I need a word that demonstrates how you feel joy for someone who got to where you were and is happy to be there when you were very unhappy in the same position. I was miserable as a man and only found joy when I no longer qualified as one. Meanwhile I'm happy for someone else who is a figurative carbon copy of who I tried to be specifically because they are happy to be there. They merrily exist in a place where I only found misery and I am happy for them but a tad bit envious I never got to experience that when I was there. I really can't paint any clearer of a picture. I literally do not have the vocabulary to do it. Which is why I'm asking.

A vast majority, is it single or plural when used without a noun?

Posted: 11 Jan 2022 11:45 PM PST

In the following sentence:

  1. However, there is still a vast majority who is reluctant to curtsey before the Queen.

Is it singular or plural? Would the number change if we use 'the':

  1. However, the vast majority is reluctant to curtsey before the Queen.

Thank you

Exact meaning behind the phrase: 'I'm not here to...'

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 10:27 AM PST

Could someone please explain the exact meaning of 'I'm not here to'? I've found info that it might possibly show some sort of disapproval of the speaker and that they don't want to make effort to do something or don't have time to do something as their focus is elsewhere.

I've read it might be similar to 'I've no time for this'.

The exact words were:

I'm not here to reassure you. I'm not here to say I love you.

It was said in an argument, the background is that one side was busy and preoccupied but pushed to say they love someone.

Does this mean this person doesn't ever want to reassure the other or say thay love them, it's just not something they believe they should ever do (similar like in: it's not my job/role to...) or were they just angry or fed up with this request, or maybe had no time or nental space to say these at this moment? Or anything else? Thank you.

Fusty connotation

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 10:35 AM PST

New here so not sure whether the question is suitable for this site.

Based on Google search, the word fusty has two meanings. The second one is 'old-fashioned in attitude or style'.

I stumbled upon this from a recent Economist article:

But a closer listen reveals a conservative streak that will do fusty financial planners proud.

My doubt is that is often refering to old-fashioned is not necessary with negative connotation. Given the word fusty also means 'stale', first impression is that it's use, even with second meaning, should have negative connotation. But does it?

Can you correct this “old English” quote?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 04:40 AM PST

There's an "influencer" that came across my page who posted a quote (attributed to themselves) and I know it's wrong but I'm not informed enough to know how wrong it is. I'm not going to do anything with the corrections but I gotta know!

When thee thinketh thee are done, thee have just begun

Is it proper to say, "I concluded the revolt"?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 01:54 AM PST

According to this website, The definition of "conclude" means to bring an end to something. Is it proper to say, "I concluded the revolt"? It just sounds very odd to me. I have a hard time trying to fit words into my sentences.

Is there any idiom for something that is typical of England or of English people?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 02:47 AM PST

There is this idiom that says "x is as American as apple pie", which means it is very or typically American. I wonder if there is any similar idiom for something that is typical of England or of English people.

Who are "bully boys" in sea shanties?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 07:15 AM PST

In various sea shanties the term "bully boys" comes up now and again. Here for example in The Wellerman, first verse:

There once was a ship that put to sea
The name of the ship was the Billy of Tea
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down
Oh blow, my bully boys, blow (huh)

Or in the title and text of Blow, my bully boys, blow, for which I have trouble finding the lyrics currently, but there is a record of it in the Library of Congress from 1908.

Then there is Bully Boys, here in a version by Alan Doyle. I'm not actually sure if this is an older shanty or a newer creation, but if the latter it seems at least to be created in the style of shanties from the nineteenth century.

And it's Row Me Bully Boys
We're in a hurry boys
We got a long way to go
We'll sing and we'll dance and bid Farewell to France
And it's Row me Bully Boys Row

Now, I assume that the meaning of the word in the time where those sea shanties were created (e.g. ca. 1860 for the Wellerman) was different to what it is today (i.e. the ruffian/thug/violence meaning).

Is the meaning the same as mentioned in the answers to this question Meaning of "bully" in the 1800s - i.e. Capital, first-rate, 'crack'? Or is there another meaning, e.g. from the nautical/navy context as to what exactly is meant by "bully boys"?

Can a Noun Idiomatically applying to more than one thing remain in the singular when it represents a quality or thing possessed by a defined group?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 04:05 AM PST

Basic education consists of more than 1 Grade. Therefore a group of grades forms basic education.

"Grades 1 to 6 are basic education" Which is true because we are not implying any one grade forms all the basic education for kids. (Any and all of the grades teach basic education).

However if we group the Grades does this not now change? If we use "Grades 1 to 6" or "Grade 1 to 6" to denote a part in the educational system. Then they would actually become the name of the group were are describing?

If we renamed the group to First Stage then we would write "The first Stage is basic education".

So, which of the following would be correct? I would suggest all three. The first two are groups and we make a statement about Basic education (it takes place in Grade 1 to 6), but the last is a reference to what the individual grades do.

  1. Grades 1 to 6 "is basic education for kids"
  2. Grade 1 to 6 "is basic education for kids"
  3. Grades 1 to 6 "are basic education for kids"

To me the use of "is" sounds natural as well as correct, however this maybe some colloquial influence. I have failed to find any reference to the Noun Idiomatically applying to more than one thing remain in the singular for anything unless it relates to a person

Theodore Bernstein, in "Dos, Don'ts and Maybes of English Usage", says that

Idiomatically the noun applying to more than one person remains in the singular when (a) it represents a quality or thing possessed in common ("The audience's curiosity was aroused"); or (b) it is an abstraction ("The judges applied their reason to the problem"), or (c) it is a figurative word ("All ten children had a sweet tooth") (203).

Ref: Guide to Grammar and Writing

What does "be in like manner" in this sentence mean?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 07:56 AM PST

Should the people of America divide themselves into 3 or 4 nations, would not the same thing happen? Would not similar jealousies arise, and be in like manner cherished?

What does be in like manner mean?

What's an exact word for someone who's unhappy when others do well?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 01:01 AM PST

I'm watching a baseball game and a home run is hit and the crowd goes nuts.

The camera cuts to the home dugout, and the most famous big-hitter on the team (who you'd think would have the corresponding biggest ego) is seen smiling and raising his arms and cheering; whereas a rookie, who had a home run earlier in the night, is seen in the same shot scowling and looking downwards, clearly unhappy that someone else had done well, even though it's on his own team and the extra run won them the game.

What's the word for that guy?

Not "schadenfreude", but kind of the inversion of that. And NOT just "envious", or "jealous". He wasn't those things as much as _________?

I'm thinking there is an exact word for this. (Or perhaps a poignant idiom?) "Nebbish" was the first word that came to mind (not that I've ever used that once in my life) but as I look it up, it's not the meaning I thought.

(..Dodgers: Alexander Guerrero.)

What is the name of the tactic that politicians use to bury people with torrent of words?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 05:47 AM PST

Some people write bloated books and long essays with skilful use of hooks, e.g. Jared Diamond; some others speak in long-drawn sentences with torrents of words, e.g. Noam Chomsky. It reminds me of a tactic politicians use in public discourse to waste people's time. I came across this word before but I can't retrieve it from either memory or the internet.

How can I say last last month? [closed]

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 04:19 AM PST

How can I say last last month?

the previous month of last month?

the prior month of the last month?

For example, What was the number of people visited stackoverflow.com in the previous month of last month?

2 months ago is not the answer I am looking for.

Is "Most of the world does not distinguish captions from subtitles" true?

Posted: 12 Jan 2022 10:53 AM PST

In the wikipedia article about closed captioning one reads

Most of the world does not distinguish captions from subtitles. In the United States and Canada, these terms do have different meanings, however: "subtitles" assume the viewer can hear but cannot understand the language or accent, or the speech is not entirely clear, so they only transcribe dialogue and some on-screen text. "Captions" aim to describe to the deaf and hard of hearing all significant audio content [including] music or sound effects ...
The United Kingdom, Ireland, and most other countries do not distinguish between subtitles and closed captions, and use "subtitles" as the general term—the equivalent of "captioning" is usually referred to as "Subtitles for the hard of hearing".

Questions: Are these assertions about the respective meanings in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, and "most other countries" correct? If so, on what authority? If not, what meanings are correct?
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