1
vote
1answer
18 views
Does “Paraphernalia” have a negative connotation?
I know that, by definition, it doesn't portray either negative or positive emotions. However, in everyday usage, does it?
In my particular case, I am making a website about programming. I have a ...
1
vote
1answer
15 views
When the subject of a sentence is the same as the object of the previous sentence
What is it called when the subject of a sentence is the same as the object of the previous sentence?
Example: I'm going to Freddy's house. Freddy lives down the block. The block is paved with gravel. ...
0
votes
2answers
19 views
Is ‘anything in a skirt” a popular idiom? Does it have a special nuance?
I came across the words, ‘anything in a skirt” in the following sentence of Jeffery Archer’s “The Fourth Estate”:- Page 202.
“(Captain Armstrong is entitled to a car and driver) if the brigadier
...
1
vote
1answer
14 views
Just About, Barely
In 4:54-5:00 of this video, the sports commentator says:
Wladimir Klitschko all over the place, just about clambered to his feet.
I understand "clambered to his feet" to mean get back up ...
1
vote
2answers
21 views
What are the differences between amalgam, hodgepodge/hedgepodge?
What are the differences between amalgam, hodgepodge/hedgepodge? I see people using them in their sentences, which seems to mean mixture of many things, are they subtly different?
2
votes
2answers
41 views
Word for the longest time in spent in a group
A friend and I were discussing what would be an appropriate word to describe the person that has been in a group for the longest. I suggested the word elder, but that seems to apply the age of the ...
0
votes
0answers
29 views
Where should the apostrophe be for the singular and plural possessive forms of user? [closed]
My understanding of apostrophe usage for possessive forms of the word "user" is this:
Referring to a single user - user's.
Referring to multiple users - users'.
Is this correct? If not, what is? ...
0
votes
0answers
29 views
“All that is needing” vs. “all that is needed”
I've read the following quote from Game of Thrones:
Opening your eyes is all that is needing. The heart lies and the head plays tricks with us, but the eyes see true.
English is not my mother ...
0
votes
0answers
20 views
Present or past tense in writing a paper [duplicate]
I have a list to explain about it in my paper. Do I need to use present or past tense for this case? If I have to use present or past tense, why is that? Are there any rules on tense when writing ...
0
votes
2answers
36 views
There is/are for multiple subjects [duplicate]
Which one is correct?
There is an apple and an orange..
or
There are an apple and an orange?"
-1
votes
0answers
17 views
Try something by video? [closed]
There is a video of a dance and I want to say: I am going to try it in practice (preposition) the video? Would "by" work here?
0
votes
1answer
32 views
“Negative ideas without any reason”
I'd like to know the single word which can be used instead of "Negative ideas without any reason" ?
Thanks,
mj
0
votes
1answer
41 views
Negative question; what's the affirmative answer here? [duplicate]
My wife and I communicate in English. She's Japanese, I'm Norwegian and we're both language enthusiasts; this makes for a lot of interesting language discussions.
This is something that surfaced ...
3
votes
5answers
76 views
“To flow or cause to spread every part of the body”?
What is a single word which means "To flow or cause to spread every part of the body"?
1
vote
3answers
31 views
One word for limited or piecemeal benefit
I'm writing a paper on data strategy for large corporates. In this paper I define 4 levels of maturity on the path to a Google-like nirvana state where corporate, client, user, and other data is ...
1
vote
1answer
33 views
usage of “Made for”
eg. I would've made for a bad lawyer.
conveying the meaning that if I had been a lawyed, I would have been a bad one.
is it correct usage?
1
vote
3answers
30 views
An expression for very tightly secured/mounted/fastened
I am trying to find a way describe a product feature, this would be that once the product is mounted, it cannot be easily un-mounted by shock, movement.
The expression in German Hält Bombenfest which ...
1
vote
0answers
27 views
What are the short answers in sad situations? [closed]
I'm not a native English speaker, but I have many English friends. So in conversations I always short of quick but formal answers or exclamations in a sad situation. Like;
Yesterday a strong tornado ...
1
vote
1answer
28 views
What is the meaning of the line “Upon a homely object Love can wink” in this context
What's the meaning of the last line of this extract from Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona?
Valentine. This is the gentleman I told your ladyship
Had come along with me, but that his ...
1
vote
0answers
21 views
“A question in a question” [duplicate]
I've got two questions for you.
Number one: I've always been confused about what I call "a question in a question" (maybe there is a technical term for that but I don't know it). What I mean is... ...
2
votes
2answers
35 views
Suit Yourself origins?
The young daughter of a friend of mine said, "I think 'suit yourself' comes from a lazy tailor," which cracked us up. It also got me wondering.
I did the obligatory google search and came up with ...
1
vote
1answer
27 views
Attributive or Possessive noun
In the following is it better to use a possessive noun with an apostrophe or an attributive noun without an apostrophe?
The following list details the assumptions that have been made in
...
1
vote
0answers
38 views
Macho for women [closed]
Is there a negative term to define women who are "overly" feminine, in the same way that "macho" is often applied negatively to certain male behavior?
2
votes
1answer
89 views
Does the word “simpleness” actually exist?
I always thought the word "simpleness" didn't exist and this was even confirmed by some American friends of mine. However, I tried to look it up on some online dictionaries and I was surprised to find ...
1
vote
4answers
100 views
Would it be correct to say that negative five is less than positive two? [closed]
I often have trouble speaking good English when negative numbers are involved. Would it be correct to say that negative five is less than positive two? If not, what expression is most appropriate?
...
6
votes
2answers
91 views
Imperative followed by “rather than”?
Have in mind what you want to take a picture of beforehand - shoot a
single shot rather than taking many random pictures.
I came across this sentence and I'm confused about the verb following ...
0
votes
2answers
41 views
“Concision” vs. “conciseness”
Is there any difference in the meaning between concision and conciseness? Is one preferred over the other?
My friend claims that concision is more correct.
0
votes
3answers
50 views
Does “an accordingly big army” sound awkward?
Is it just me or does this sound weird?
To protect such a big empire with wide borders, an accordingly big army is required
When I wrote it initially it seemed a bit off, but I read it again ...
2
votes
1answer
61 views
Singular/plural possessive form of fish? [closed]
The singular form of fish is fish. The plural form of fish is also fish. What are their possessive forms?
1
vote
1answer
45 views
Does this sentence call for an additional “for”?
I'm confronted with two compelling options:
I want to be at least partially responsible for getting them to think differently, or inspiring them to earnestly investigate new topics.
I want to ...
0
votes
0answers
27 views
How do I read this format of poem the way the author intended? [closed]
us+shake+the+rattle+to+call+back%22&source=bl&ots=knd6A5_8Bm&sig=dubeTQtHEPk7vc3Ut0byZJbiZ78&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Z5aaUZGgGeSqyAHBwoHwCQ&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=true
...
-1
votes
0answers
41 views
since that I have left your home [closed]
This is an excerpt from a song called "Welcome To Paradise" by Green Day:
Dear mother,
Can you hear me whining?
It's been three whole weeks
Since that I have left your home
This sudden ...
1
vote
3answers
91 views
Word for a quote that was never actually said
Many well-known quotes such as "Elementary, my dear Watson" were never actually said by the person they are attributed to.
Is there a specific word that means this kind of quote? If not, is there a ...
-1
votes
1answer
37 views
Which of these is longest? Eternal - Ever - Forever - Infinite -?
I'm guessing they all pretty much mean the same thing, but is there a word for the longest amount of time?
2
votes
1answer
63 views
What is a baby ling called?
Here is a ling. I was wondering what a baby ling would be called, as a a baby cod is called a cod-ling.
3
votes
2answers
48 views
The proper usage of “putative”?
I'm trying to write the sentence,
Lower-grade soldiers made up two-thirds of the putative high quality army.
My original sentence was:
Lower-grade soldiers made up two-thirds of what was ...
-2
votes
1answer
46 views
Word meaning “to actively demonstrate knowledge”
I'm looking for a word meaning "to actively demonstrate knowledge or skill".
I think that "To flaunt" can have negative interpretation, where as a more neutral act such as "to showcase" may not ...
1
vote
1answer
51 views
“Da-” and “wo-” compounds of German
Whereof, thereof, hereof
whither, thither, hither
wherefrom, therefrom, herefrom
wherewith, therewith, herewith.
Are these related to German da- and wo- compounds?
0
votes
0answers
36 views
is this sentence ok? “range from…to” [closed]
"13 of 71 units are grinding plants, in which clinker is purchased and combined with gypsum and other additives in order to manufacture portland cement. The other factories are complete industrial ...
0
votes
0answers
58 views
Omitting article “the” in front of plural nouns
I'm helping someone learn English (second language), and I'm having trouble explaining when to use the and when not to. For example:
Students learn better when teachers are passionate about ...
1
vote
0answers
26 views
Possessive Question [duplicate]
Would a hypothetical sentence be marked with it?
For example, as opposed to: "It's your beating me in chess that angered me." a sentence such as: "It's like you beating me in chess: it'll never ...
2
votes
4answers
85 views
If the rule is “such (a) + adj. + noun”, why is “such fun” correct?
According to my Cambridge Grammar of English, 'such (a)' is used in noun phrases with attributive adjectives.
She's such a quiet girl. (such a + adjective + singular countable noun)
They're ...
2
votes
0answers
39 views
Punctuating a Question Ending with an Exclamatory Quotation in American Style
I've done quite a bit of looking for some definitive advice on this scenario to no avail, so I turn to you. What is the proper way to punctuate a question ending with an exclamatory quotation, such as ...
-1
votes
0answers
24 views
Meaning of “there to” in this sentence [closed]
Sentence:
Johnson said he expects tremendous Asian buying on dips and demand by
central banks there to more than offset fast-money-type selling by
Western financial institutions.
I'm ...
9
votes
3answers
113 views
Make/take a photograph?
In English we say "take a photograph" whereas in some other languages one would say "make a photograph".
The French say "take" even though they "make" far more often than we do in English, and ...
3
votes
0answers
53 views
Is “who did what” grammatically correct?
Sometimes I wish to know what each person in a group of people did, or where each person went, or which book goes where. Is it correct to say,
Who went where?
Who did what?
Who told whom?
...
0
votes
0answers
49 views
Why can't I understand even a word of the song In The Bleak Midwinter? [closed]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0aL9rKJPr4
It is incomprehensible to me. I keep losing track of the song even with lyrics.
2
votes
1answer
40 views
Is 'quantitate' a synonym for 'quantify' or just a misnomer?
I have always used quantify, but have been encountering quantitate more and more in scientific literature. Is quantitate a "valid" verb and a synonym for quantify? Otherwise is there a subtle ...
1
vote
1answer
125 views
What is swag? And where does it come from?
I'd just like to know where it comes from. This is a word that I've heard all my life but it has always been a special kind of curtain. I was baffled when kids started calling each other curtains so I ...
1
vote
0answers
34 views
articles in English [duplicate]
Most of the time I understand how to use articles, but when it comes to certain sentences I start to lose confidence.
Could anyone please consider the following uses? In each case I am trying to ...
