English Language & Usage

Questions tagged [list-request]

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Requests for lists of words, phrases, or other information. Note, though, that these questions are off-topic. See the Help or the expanded tag info for more details.

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1answer
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What are the most common english words to start a sentence?

Backstory (You can skip): I am programming a word parser that will do things like detect acronymns and abbreviations, which will commonly have periods appended to them. The goal is to determine ...
0
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1answer
2k views

May I have a list of all verbs that cause “exceptional case-marking”? [closed]

I am looking for list of verbs which cause exceptional case-marking (ECM) such as believe, judge, prove, want, let, etc.
0
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1answer
640 views

Where can we find a list of English words classified by frequency of use? [closed]

I need at least the first 10 000 most commonly used words, but more would be better. It’s not a problem if the list is a little imprecise.
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8answers
52k views

How to define someone who does not like/want to get a job or do anything in life?

In Portuguese, my natural language, we have a lot of words to define this kind of people, like mandrião, calaceiro, calaça, indolente, malandro, etc. We have also lighter words like preguiçoso that is ...
5
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3answers
4k views

What is a word called that consists of a repetition of one word?

What is a word called that consists of a repetition of one word? I came across the word polypoly in one of the other question asked on the site, and it got me thinking whether there are other ...
0
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2answers
341 views

Idioms to mean “becoming a teacher/pastor/etc”? [closed]

Are there common idioms to mean "becoming a teacher/pastor/'insert profession here' ", used in a figurative way?
0
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1answer
306 views

Best word for…different types of physical constructs

I have a triple request but they're related. Word for a solid filled object in a given shape (ie triangle made out of steel sheet) Word for object in a given shape with only the outline (ie. A set ...
0
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1answer
2k views

verbs not followed by that clauses

Where can I find a list of verbs like 'to want', which must be followed by an infinitive (other verbs by a gerund), but cannot be followed by a that-clause? I got from your website that there are ...
4
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7answers
853 views

Word that means “one out of a series must be true”?

I am trying to come up with a word or phrase that means "one out of a series must be true". Example #1: I have a list of roles that a user can belong to. What is a word that describes a list of ...
2
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8answers
4k views

“Deus Ex Machina” for Misfortune

I'm looking for a word or phrase like "deus ex machina," but to describe misfortune rather than resolution. It needs to communicate that the situation "came from out of nowhere," and/or feels "tacked-...
3
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4answers
20k views

Words that can be repeated and still make sense [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Are there other repeated single word sentences like the Buffalo sentence? Are there words in English like had that can be repeated while still making sense? For example, ...
7
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7answers
25k views

City names with articles [closed]

Typically we don't use articles with city names, e.g. "Seattle" and not "the Seattle." I know at least one exception though which is The Hague. Are there any other city names which we use with the ...
10
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7answers
70k views

What are some slang words for “police” in countries besides the US?

In the US we have a number of slang terms that are commonly used to refer to the police: cops pigs five-O fuzz buzzkill (referring to their presence messing up the enjoyment of drugs) I am curious ...
22
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5answers
5k views

Does America have its Versions of U- and Non-U English?

In Britain and most of Europe, some form of U-speak exists: old-money language has certain features that distinguish it from other language. In Dutch, it doesn't really have a name, but it is still ...
7
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12answers
19k views

Words with different meanings in American and British English

This is similar to this question, but not quite the same. There are quite a few words which have totally different meanings in American and British English and which are likely to cause confusion ...
11
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5answers
17k views

“Unicorn”: what other words have this “cornus” etymology?

"Unicorn" comes from the French and late Latin, with the "cornus" part meaning "horn". I am wondering what other English words share this root. I could think of "rhinoceros". Can you think of ...
13
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7answers
2k views

Are there commonly used words to denote different gradations of friendship in English?

In English there is only one word for grade of friendship: friends. All of you agree that friends are different: with some of them you just drank beer few times, other you know for many years and you ...
0
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2answers
17k views

Common interjections / exclamations in English [closed]

What are the interjections / exclamations commonly used in English (e.g. aha, wow, eh, etc.)? I'd appreciate if you can provide me with a full list with the meaning of each term.
18
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20answers
163k views

Hardest tongue twister seen

What is the hardest tongue twister you have ever seen? Humorous ones are also welcome.
6
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6answers
3k views

What are some uncommon but valid portmanteau words that people use?

What are some uncommon but valid portmanteau words that people use? Example: Turducken is a portmanteau of turkey, duck, and chicken or hen. People outside US are not familiar with this.
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4answers
9k views

Where can I find a list of English paronyms?

Can anyone point me to a (more or less) complete list of English paronyms (affect/effect, farther/further, alternately/alternatively, interested/interesting, corrupted/corrupt, adopt/adapt, continuous/...
5
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1answer
3k views

Where can I get the list of diminutive forms of first names? [closed]

As the title suggests, where can I get the list of diminutive forms of people's first names? Like Mike for Michael and Dave for David.
52
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8answers
9k views

What’s purportedly wrong with Strunk & White’s “The Elements of Style”?

I was reading the comments on this answer where several users claimed that Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style was “misinformed, hypocritical, and wrong” and “flat-out wrong or totally misleading”...
3
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1answer
2k views

Examples of different roots (and different meanings) coming to be spelled the same

Apparently the two opposite meanings of to cleave have different roots: the to adhere meaning comes from one old English root (clifian) and the to cut meaning comes from a different old English word (...
29
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3answers
4k views

Can anyone provide me with a list of English words that are their own antonyms? [closed]

I am looking for a list of all English words that are their own antonyms. Off the top of my head, I can only think of "either", "fast", "to dust" and "to lease", but there must be dozens more. Can you ...
95
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124answers
65k views

What words are commonly mispronounced by literate people who read them before they heard them?

Quite a few words are mispronounced by under-educated people, or people learning English as a second language. Some words are often mispronounced by quite educated people who read, and began reading ...
17
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7answers
21k views

Words for meat differ from the words for the corresponding animal

In English we have: "beef" for "cow", "cattle" "veal" for "calf" "pork" for "pig" "mutton" for "sheep" I'm not aware of this separation for "fish", "goat" or "chicken" (Spanish has "pollo" and "...
93
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20answers
560k views

Which expressions can be used to close an email? [closed]

At the end of written communication like emails and letters, it is customary to use a closing valediction or "complementary close". Which formal and informal expressions can be used to end emails?
15
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24answers
3k views

Favourite untranslatables [closed]

What are your favourite words and idioms in other languages that don't have good, succinct equivalents in English? (The issue of whether there is, or could be, a sentence on one language whose ...