Saturday, February 19, 2022

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

When and where to use 'sanguine' in the most appropriate way?

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 01:12 PM PST

I received an email from a client that he was 'sanguine' with the offer made. I understand he felt positive about the prospects of the offer. But not sure whether the word usage conveyed the correct message at the first glance.

Abstract nouns vs concrete nouns [closed]

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 10:06 AM PST

I don't understand abstract nouns. For instance, bravery. To me, it seems like you could see bravery if someone does something brave. Isn't that seeing bravery? I also hear phrases like this all the time, "I could see the sadness on her face." Aren't you seeing sadness here too? Someone explain please, thanks.

Company approved or company-approved? [closed]

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 09:33 AM PST

Should I write company approved or company-approved?

Managers can log in to the app and download assets that are company approved for their marketing objectives.

AP Style if it matters.

Should I use a phrasal verb here or just a verb?

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 09:07 AM PST

Is there any rule for when to use and when not to use phrasal verbs?

E.g.,

A1) Humans tend to pass information to others.
A2) Humans tend to pass on information to others.

B1) He drank the glass of juice.
B2) He drank up the glass of juice.

Syntactic Features of Subject [closed]

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 07:04 AM PST

Please help explaining and giving illustrations

I don't understand the different between those / that / this / these [closed]

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 06:52 AM PST

Q1: She brought [those] flowers. (the flowers are close to you)

I don't understand why don't we use these flowers because the flowers are close to us. Why this sentence will be using those flowers?

Q2: She likes [that] t-shirt. (you're holding the t-shirt)

Again, may I ask could I use this instead of that? because I'm holding the t-shirt, the t-shirt is near me, as my understanding, this is refers closer things.

Q3: I bought [these] bananas today. (I'm close to the bananas)

I don't understand why we couldn't use those here if the Question 1 sentence is correct.

I hope someone could answer my enquiries as it is quite confusing. Thanks a lot.

Why is "You survived" past simple?

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 11:56 AM PST

Great, Tom! You survived this jump!

Why do we use past simple and not the present perfect there? We can see the result of surviving in the present, but still use past tense.

Words to describe an item of food or beverage that was eating by someone by touching that item to mouth lips or tongue [duplicate]

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 05:29 AM PST

In some cultures, where someone has touched the food to their lips, tongue or teeth, the food is considered defiled, as in it should not be eaten by someone else. I want to know if there are english words that describe an item of food and beverage that has already been eaten or drunk by someone by directly licking, biting or sipping.

How to ask for errors in the console? [closed]

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 03:24 AM PST

What is the proper way to ask someone if they are getting any errors in the console?

I was thinking about the following options, but I am not sure.

Do you see any error messages in the console?

Are you getting any error messages in the console?

Adjective for an item with an implied function that can't easily/readily be used for that function?

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 09:37 AM PST

I watched somebody open a gift box with a custom made, massive pin badge, the sort that you would attach to clothing with a design on the front. They even said it looked like the sort of thing that you'd put on a desk, not wear, despite having the right parts to attach to clothing so it can be worn.

It made me wonder if there is an adjective for this sort of thing?

I know the word skeuomorph for when the form of an item is imitated even when not needed for it's function (like a light bulb that looks like a candle), but this is something that was the function but is not intended to be used. Like candles not intended to be lit (but could be), or a handbag that's not designed to hold items (impractically small volume), it's just an accessory. Maybe even a car that works but is not intended to be driven, just looked at.

I'm not inclined towards the words display as the pin in my first example could be displayed while attached. The handbag might be held, not just displayed in a room. I'd expect a display candle to not be lightable.

Is there a word for these sort of items?

As for example sentences, I have made these ones up to cover my purpose:

Please don't light the candle, it's a <word> candle.

I can't take you to the harbour in the car, it's a <word> car

I didn't wear the pin ze sent me; however I put it on my desk as a <word> pin

Sorry bro, can't put that in my <word> handbag. It's got a zip but there's no space inside.

The queen never wore this into battle, it was a <word> set of armour.

After writing those, I'd be tempted to say 'show' but neither Merriam-Webster nor wiktionary list it as an adjective. I'm sort of taking it from show car but that seems to have a lot of other connotations that don't map over to the other examples.

What's a metaphor/idiom for when someone asks for help with a problem that you also have?

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 08:39 AM PST

To elaborate, the implication is that you can't help them, because if you knew how to, you wouldn't be in the situation yourself.

I could've sworn I heard there was already an established phrase for this, something about a drowning man?

If not, anyone have any ideas?

Best single word description for something compact but powerful? [closed]

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 05:07 AM PST

There are plenty of ways to describe this in phrases, but I'm looking for a single word that contains both meanings at the same time to describe an object or person.

It will be used to describe a product that in essence is small but contains a huge power.

Is a given name made up of two names separated by a hyphen called a double-barrelled given name?

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 11:35 AM PST

Such given names are quite common in certain cultures. For instance, in France, you might find people having the first name Charles-Édouard or Xavier-Luc.

Surnames in that form are referred to as double-barrelled surnames. Yet, the corresponding term for given names cannot be found on the Wikipedia article for given names.

So, what is the term for it?

What is a common idiom meaning, 'that a recovering patient's medical situation is likely to change all of a sudden without notice or reason'?

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 09:33 AM PST

The situation to which I refer involves a person who has had an accident and their recovery was going well then not and it keeps changing. I am trying to warn someone caring for them that the situation can change quickly without notice and I can't think of the idiom to describe the speed and unpredictability of that potential change so that they will take nothing for granted.

Implicit "that/which is/are" in nonrestrictive relative clause

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 08:04 AM PST

Is it grammatically correct to leave off "that is" or "which is" in a nonrestrictive relative clause? Is there a term for this? Is this actually a different phenomenon? It (sometimes?) seems to apply to the whole sentence, not any individual noun. For example:

Today I [verb], (which is) [comparative adjective] than [gerund].

I have [object], (which is) [comparative adjective] than [object].

I have [object], (which is) [comparative adjective] than [subject].

What does "Puller Prush Person" mean? [closed]

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 05:36 AM PST

I was reading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

The following paragraphs are this book:

They went up the path to the house, Meg reluctant, eager to get on into the town. "Let's hurry," she begged, "Please! Don't you want to find Father?"

"Yes," Charles Wallace said, "but not Blindly. How can we help him if we don't know what we're up against? And it's obvious we've been brought here to help him, not just to find him." He walked briskly up the steps and knocked at the door. They waited. Nothing happened. Then Charles Wallace saw a bell, and this he rang. They could hear the bell buzzing in the house, and the sound of it echoed down the street. After a moment the mother figure opened the door. All up and down the street other doors opened, but only a crack, and eyes peered toward the three children and the woman looking fearfully out the door at them.

"What do you want?" she asked. "It isn't paper time yet; we've had milk time; we've had this month's Puller Prush Person; and I've given my Decency Donations regularly. All my papers are in order."

"I think your little boy dropped his ball," Charles Wallace said, holding it out.

What does "Puller Prush Person" mean?

Thanks a lot!

How alive is the distinction between 'not any more' and 'not any longer'?

Posted: 19 Feb 2022 07:40 AM PST

Does

I don't love you any more.

mean that my love dwindled till there was not any more of it left, focus(s)ing on the process, whereas

I don't love you any longer.

would mean that there came a day when I had to admit my love had ceased to be, focus(s)ing on that day's more or less sudden realisation rather than on the process which led (had led?) to that day?

How alive is the distinction between 'not any more / no more' and 'not any longer / no longer'?
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