Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

Recent Questions - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

Do you use the past tense when talking about hypothetical situations?

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 04:10 AM PST

Do you use the past tense when using the subjunctive mood to talk about hypothetical situations?

So if I were to write the following sentences, which wordings should I choose?

"If the car were to break down, that would be all I need/needed."

"If I were accepted for the role, I would make sure everything I wrote was/write is valuable to the audience."

What kind of construction is "much-feared" or "oft-quoted"?

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 03:58 AM PST

When I'm checking a dictionary this kind of usage is not documented. It seems that "much" and "oft" are used adverbially here to amplify the meaning of an adjective and the whole construction is fused into one adjective. Is this a hyphenated compound modifier? It's weird that this usage is not documented in any dictionary.

Which type of adverb is straightaway? [closed]

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 03:37 AM PST

Which category of adverb is "straightaway"?

Example,

He straightaway went to his father.

Simple Past or Past Continuous

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 03:52 AM PST

Which sentence is correct?

1. While you were playing the piano I wrote a letter. (past continuous + past simple)

or

2. While you were playing the piano I was writing a letter. (past continuous + past continuous)

Since both actions seem to happen simultaneously, I prefer the 2nd version. My native English speaking student used version 1, though. Maybe you can use both but with a slightly different aspect of meaning?

Thanks!

a frantic 24 hours [duplicate]

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 02:56 AM PST

"It follows a frantic 24 hours of talks between ambassadors, officials and foreign ministers."

Why is the indefinite article used before the word frantic when 24 hours are undoubtedly plural?

Do we use article for social media or not, and why?

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 01:38 AM PST

When we consider social media as a singular word, why we don't use article for it? As far as I know in new dictionaries we consider it as 'singular'.

Ponderosa suddenly out of the prime rib in the middle of the buffet line [closed]

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 01:22 AM PST

In this article about a news anchor's nearly dying of covid, he described the experience as very scare with this phrase:

Ponderosa suddenly out of the prime rib in the middle of the buffet line scary.

I am probably missing some cultural references here, because I don't understand this sentence at all.

Where do people say ‘I need to take my rest’?

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 02:05 AM PST

Where would someone pretending to be an American say 'I need to take my rest'? Where does not need to be a a specific country, it doesn't matter really. Anywhere close or possible totally works. I'm asking because I am an American and that simply is not what we are taught in school or even what we learn being taught at home. For more than 1 reason I know he's not an American… just trying to mail down a potential place.

Does "paradoxical" acceptably describe this sentence, or is there a more suitable descriptor?

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 03:55 AM PST

  • "We are all making assumptions, as none of us except ____ were present..."

In such context wherein the italicized portion of the sentence has not actually been validated by the speaker, thus immediately qualifying the latter part of the sentence itself as an assumption.

I'm hesitant to call it "paradoxical", and I'm not sure "hypocritical" is much better either. I can't put a finger on it, but what would be a more suitable descriptor (not constrained to single-word or expression) that references the contradictory nature elicited from the statement in context?

What does the phrase "flamingo spring" connote/mean [closed]

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 08:32 PM PST

I'm using it (i.e. Flamingo Spring) as the working title for a screenplay and I'm curious to see if without context it connotes the feeling I want to get across. Please comment what you think it means or what feeling it connotes or just a genre prediction.

A Constraint <VERB> a Certain Value

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 04:32 AM PST

In the context of software programming, I am looking for a verb which expresses a certain relation. Using Merriam Webster online, I have not been able to find what I am looking for, due to lack of a search functionality that matches my needs. I have browsed the verbs and nouns mentioned below with their synonyms and antonyms, but I still haven't found what I'm looking for. 🎵

I am looking for a verb that describes the relation between a condition, a check or a constraint on the one hand and a certain value on the other hand. This relation can be expressed saying that

the value passes the check
the value fulfills the condition
the value complies with the constraint

The relation would not be given if

the value violates the condition

I am looking for a verb that describes the relation in the opposite direction. If you say that to pass, to fulfill, to comply with express the relation of the value to the constraint, I am looking for verbs which express the relation of the constraint to the value. In other words, I want to say this in a sentence having the constraint as subject and the value as object.

I had the following ideas:

the constraint rules the value
the constraint governs the value
the constraint curbs the value
the constraint restricts the value
the constraint confines the value
the constraint validates the value
the constraint includes the value
the constraint accepts the value

But I don't know whether these verbs appropriately express what I mean. I have the feeling none of these options is a good fit. For to rule, to curb, to govern, to restrict and to confine, I have the feeling that all these verbs imply that "the constraint actively does something to the value", that they imply that the constraint is "changing" or at least "holding back" the value. But I would like to precisely avoid this implication. Speaking in conceptual metaphors, the constraint IS a GATEKEEPER and the value is PASSING the GATE. But that process does not interact with the value. The constraint IS a RIVERBED and the value FLOWS inside it. The constraint is not a DIKE and the value is not TRYING TO OVERFLOW it. The value does not have an innate "tension" or "energy" and hence does not need "to be held back", it is conceptualized as passive.

For to include I do not have this feeling. to include correctly expresses that the constraint is describing a certain extension, and the value is to be found within the boundaries of that extension. But I am not sure whether it sounds weird in English to say a constraint includes a value. I would rather expect that this expresses a relation of sub-constraints:

The constraint of being a modern human includes an existentialist lack of meaning.

When it comes to to validate, I think that this verb would denote "the process of running the check", and is not limited to the scenario where the value is found to pass the condition.

Personally, to accept feels like my best guess, but I don't know if this is an idiomatic way of speaking. I haven't found example sentences in Merriam Webster for this construction.

I am looking for idiomatic ways to express this relation.

Word choice: before or when

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 08:04 PM PST

With respect to the following sentence, can the word "before" be used in place of "when":

We had been climbing the mountain for 10 hours when we reached the top.

Thanks

Looking for a word for a sadist with a lack of compassion for their partner

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 05:34 PM PST

What would be the best word be to describe someone that is a sadist in the context of BDSM that has a lack of compassion or sense of care for their masochist counterpart.

Specifically when someone is engaging in pain play and they don't care if the masochist is getting anything from the play they're involved in.

I was previously looking into the word schadenfreude but it doesn't seem quite the right meaning.

Where does the comma go? [closed]

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 02:22 PM PST

India's living route bridges actually get more durable with age unlike their nonliving counterparts.

What's a word that means "thing that is held or worn during battle to protect oneself from injury and/or to inflict injury on others"?

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 04:56 PM PST

What's a word that means "thing that is held or worn during battle to protect oneself from injury and/or to inflict injury on others"?

To better explain this question, allow me to give an analogy. Foxes, squirrels, whales, and kangaroos are all mammals. The word "mammal" is the classification that contains with it those previously mentioned four animals.

What would the word be that includes swords, daggers, breastplate, shields, helmets, etc.?

The way I want to use this word is in the following sentence:

"Today, we will be studying medieval French ___, starting first with swords and other handheld weapons, continuing to shields and other handheld items used for defense, and finishing up with armor that is worn for defense, such as helms and breastplates."

Can "your" be omitted from "Majesty"? [closed]

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 07:28 PM PST

We call various people by an associated title, like "Your Majesty", "Your Lordship" etc. I recently stumbled on a fiction case where someone just calls "Eminence". I should maybe highlight that the "dialogue" was like this:

"Prosecutor."
"Eminence."

and their underlying meaning was:

"Prosecutor, please do what you must."
"Your Eminence, agreed."

Does the dialogue "shortcut" mode, something which seems formal (I've mostly seen it in high society circles movies), justify the omission of "Your"?

Elegant English term for performing a "fausse manoeuvre"

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 05:53 AM PST

I'm looking for a descriptive, elegant English term or phrase for fausse manoeuvre, which is when a technical operator (a human) performs a "bad" operation or sequence of actions.

For example, "The electrician performed a fausse manoeuvre when he rewired the machine, leading to a short circuit."

I am leaning towards "maloperation", but that often describes an automatic component malfunctioning rather than human error. What would be the best English term?

What determines when to use "have" or "has" when you list differing items? [closed]

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 09:44 PM PST

Example A:

Many eggs, baskets and basic food have been lost in the storm.

Example B:

Many eggs, baskets and basic food has been lost in the storm.

Basically, I'm wondering what determines when you are supposed to use "has" or "have" when all the "items" listed prior to it are not of the same, um, "pluralis/singularis" form.

I'm not asking how to re-structure the sentence.

it is not inappropriate that risks be taken

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 08:05 PM PST

Many outdoor experiences involve risk but that does not mean it is inappropriate that risks be taken, the report says.

(Source: Stuff, a New Zealand news media website)

I'm curious about the use of be here. Why use the subjunctive here? Is this a regional thing (down under) or something more universal?

up by 6% over ANY previous year?

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 03:45 AM PST

What does this "up by 6% over any previous year"?

Since 2019, Clarksville-Montgomery County has added over 6,000 new jobs and, even with the decline in travel from the pandemic, in the last 12 months hotel revenue is up by 6% over any previous year. https://clarksvillenow.com/local/clarksville-montgomery-county-small-town-feel-with-big-potential/

I posted the same question at another bulletin board, but I still don't get it, so let me post it here again and ask for other people's opinions, please.

Does this mean "6% higher than the previous highest year"?

I found the same sentence structure in another news site.

Milholland said last year all three markets brought in a total of $1.3 million in sales, an increase of 11 percent over any previous year. https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/port-townsend-saturday-market-to-open-for-the-season/

Thank you.

Need a word or idiom or ecological term that describes vicious competition between humans or animals. Something like "reservoir dogs"

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 01:38 PM PST

I need a phrase that describes an environmental condition or species' behavior that results in struggle for survival amongst groups or individuals. Or just a good idiom for competition. Basically just need a synonym of "reservoir dogs".

I want to use it to describe the struggle/competition between the many early hominins 45,000 years ago

What does sartorial connote?

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 03:36 AM PST

What does "sartorial" connote? Looking it up, sartorial means relating to tailored clothing, possibly "high fashion".

Just how old fashioned is it? Is it used more often for men than women? Was it originally used one way and now connotes something different?

Word Choice/Phrase: Alternate Term for “Little Opportunity”

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 09:38 PM PST

I'm looking to use another word in place of "little opportunity," but can't seem to think of one. Any suggestions?

They left the country to escape the little opportunity.

Hoping to learn the distinctions between aggress and assert

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 02:03 AM PST

Based on all of the definitions I can find:

I understand aggressing is always offensive, whereas asserting can be offensive and defensive. I understand aggressing attempts to take or overtake something, while asserting only offers something. I understand aggressing can be physical or communicative, while asserting is only communicative.

Do you concur? Do you recognize a significant distinction I've missed? It seems to me that someone can be physically assertive, someone can aggressively defend themselves, and aggression can be done the beginning, middle and end, unlike all of the definitions that claim it only happens at the beginning. it's pretty muddy for me...hoping you can make it much clearer.

Have difficulty/difficulties (in) doing something

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 05:06 PM PST

What is syntactically the -ing-phrase in both the versions with and without the preposition? For example in He has trouble [in] keeping things in perspective right now.

Secondly, does the latter derive form the former?

Will and would modal verbs

Posted: 23 Feb 2022 01:00 AM PST

Which of the following sentences is correct? If both are correct, what is the difference in meaning between these two sentences?

  1. A majority of voters approved changes to Russia's Constitution that would allow president Vladimir Putin to hold power until 2036.

  2. A majority of voters approved changes to Russia's Constitution that will allow president Vladimir Putin to hold power until 2036.

I know that because the sentence is in the past tense, we should use would.

But considering that the Constitution is still allowing this, and will allow it for some time in the future, can't we use will?

Is it CoViD? Or COVID? Covid? How should the word be spelled?

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 01:33 PM PST

I have seen it spelled COVID-19, but I have also seen Covid-19. In addition, I believe I have seen CoViD-19, capitalising only the first letter of each word from which it was abbreviated (for it isn't an initialism). Which type of capitalisation is to be preferred, and which is acceptable?

There is also DDoS, Distributed Denial of Service, which also keeps the case of each letter in the original (thought it is somewhat different from our abbreviation).

Is it correct to say "I associate my ringtone with a headache"

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 09:00 PM PST

The idea is that it is very annoying and I'm tired to hear the same tune over and over again. Please see the full sentence where the phrase is used.

Aren't you tired of your old boring ringtone that you almost associate with a headache?

What is another phrase for one stop shop?

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 05:10 PM PST

I am writing a small description and need a phrase to highlight a range of services. Is there another phrase for "one stop shop" which is both catchy and apt?
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