Questions about English used in the United States and Canada, but usually not Mexico.
6
votes
4answers
125 views
Idiom for premonition
I am trying to remember an idiom that is used when someone has a premonition about something, often coincidentally i.e. I am thinking about someone and then they call me. I know there is the ...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
Is generic reference only used for the subject of a sentence? Is generic reference used for besides the subject of a sentence?
(1)A tiger is a dangerous animal.
(2)Tigers are dangerous animals.
The two sentences are interchangeable,so (1)=(2)
(3)Life in a small town could be deadly dull.
(4)People live in small towns and ...
0
votes
0answers
15 views
How can I improve my accent? [migrated]
I can hear that I have some sort of non-native accent, but I just can't identify what's making me sound different. Is it the intonation and word stress? Are there certain words or sounds that I'm not ...
-2
votes
1answer
25 views
Go and come as verbs and the ommitting of and
I have a question relating to the verbs "come" and "go" plus another verb. Why do americans say come sing with us (for example and not come AND sing with us (as is the norm in English English. Like ...
4
votes
2answers
129 views
Is the expression “jam-packed” of American origin?
I came across this expression at random, and when reading its definition and reading it in within context, it struck me as a particularly American thing to say. When trying to confirm my suspicion, I ...
7
votes
2answers
664 views
What are the names of the two phonetic changes in this sentence?
I'm going to be teaching English to French high school students for another year in September, and they all have a hard time with my variety of English (they're used to hearing British English). ...
11
votes
3answers
518 views
The meaning and usage of ‘stiffs’ in “Of Mice and Men”
I would really appreciate it if someone could confirm whether I have interpreted correctly the meaning of “stiffs” in the following excerpt
“I had enough,” he said angrily. “You ain't wanted here. ...
2
votes
3answers
143 views
“The cat that got the cream” - is there any innuendo?
I think this is a British idiom.
The American version would be, "The cat that killed the canary."
I was about to say this to a female friend, intended as a "well done" sort of compliment, ...
-4
votes
1answer
96 views
initialised or initialized which one is correct spelling? [duplicate]
I have often seen initialised in lots of text, but when I want to write it in Microsoft office word, it says it was misspelled and it should be initialized instead of initialised.
so here is my ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
“There is a woman with a snapper.”
So far, I haven't found a clue to this use of the word "snapper" (1851) to describe an energetic, irrepressibly attractive woman at any of the 19th century slang websites so far.
Here is part of the ...
15
votes
5answers
1k views
Do native speakers of major English varieties actually say “a software” or “softwares”?
So I've looked up the word "software" around, and I've learned that -ware words are uncountable, and there's even a claim at the Wiktionary entry for this word that "a software" or "softwares" are a ...
0
votes
1answer
43 views
“How long do you have” — what does it mean?
"How long do you have?" -- What does that mean?
The conversation regards my potential trip to another country to visit someone.
It means how long I want to stay there? Or How many time I (will) ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
“where can I find laundry detergent?” [duplicate]
If I was in a supermarket in the Us or Canada, it would be correct to ask this question for a sales associate?
[Excuse me, where can I find laundry detergent?]
Thanks in advance.
4
votes
1answer
110 views
Accented syllable after a glottal stop in NA English
Does anyone know of any studies on the change in use of accenting after a glottal stop? I am in my late 40s, and first heard this maybe 10 years ago used by an adult. I have a nephew who is 11, and it ...
0
votes
1answer
58 views
Meaning of these phrases
What is the meaning of "long way out" and "long way yet"?
Like in a sentence ::
We are all aware that our country has achieved self sufficiency in food but we have to go a long way _____ in order to ...
3
votes
1answer
145 views
The word Hindu in American English
I, as an Indian, am often surprised when the Americans use the word Hindu, when they actually mean
The country of India
The Indian subcontinent
The Hindi language (possibly)
whereas it should ...
5
votes
2answers
166 views
What is the local pronunciation of 'Chicago'?
What is the local pronunciation of Chicago? (specifically the 'a')
The standard American English pronunciation is
/ʃɪˈkɑ.ɡoʊ/, /ʃɪˈkɔ.ɡoʊ/
or (what I think) is the PALM or LOT lexical sets in ...
1
vote
3answers
285 views
The curious case of “UChi” and its pronunciation
The Free Dictionary tells me that UCHI is the acronym for The University of Chicago. But if that were the case, shouldn't it be TUOC?
I visited the official university website and it says said
Our ...
0
votes
2answers
179 views
When is it OK to start a sentence with “But”? [duplicate]
Is starting a sentence with a "But" still bad? I know some Harvard graduates who are native English speakers and do this when they write. Is it acceptable now?
What are some of the examples where "...
1
vote
1answer
38 views
Is my sentence sounding formal? [closed]
I am having difficulties in describing a situation where there have been two lab tests A and B and where I receive two results without indicating which belongs to A and which to B.
Can I ask: "Could ...
0
votes
1answer
933 views
Is it “what movie did you watch?” Or “ which movie did you watch?” [duplicate]
I’m confused about the right way of saying it. Please tell me the correct answer and why it is correct.
2
votes
2answers
193 views
Origins of “sure” meaning “yes” in American English
I notice that the use of the word "sure" to mean "yes" seems to be much more common in American English than in other dialects. Can anyone point to any evidence as to the origins of this divergence?
0
votes
0answers
23 views
What's it called when one uses “we” for the second person? [duplicate]
Is there a name for the practice of using "we" when referring to "you?" It seems to me to be most common when an adult is talking to one child or a group of children. E.g.
What are we up to?
or
...
0
votes
2answers
271 views
What does the expression “If + subject + was/were + infinitive” mean in American English
I just want to ask you guys about the general meaning of expressions that use the following pattern in colloquial American English:
If + subject + was/were + infinitive, ...
Examples: (Written by ...
1
vote
1answer
68 views
does the /d/ in the [nd] combo tend to be unreleased?
I'm asking about north-American English.
In words like "refund", "band" and "diamond", is the /d/ is fully released (as an un-aspirated /d/), or stopped, like the /nt/ combo? (different can and ...
0
votes
1answer
60 views
Use of the article “the” when referring to an organization or entity
Is there a preferred use of "the" in American English when referring to an organization or entity? For example, on an episode of the "1A" on NPR, guests of the show referred to the U.S. Food & ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Why is “medicine” pronounced differently?
British English drops the unstressed second syllable to make it sound like med-sin /ˈmɛd.sɪn/.
American English keeps it as a 3-syllable word meh-dee-sin /ˈmɛ.dɪ.sɪn/
In Australia I've only ever ...
49
votes
3answers
7k views
The “old switcheroo”: Where did the “-eroo” suffix come from?
The -eroo suffix works as an intensifier of sorts, though it also seems to have other, less well-defined properties.
The online OED has only this to say about it:
-eroo, suffix
...
21
votes
1answer
3k views
The meaning of leaving someone back [ in American English ]
I just watched a great video (a kind of short documentary) about two educators who strive to afford better education for their students in a college in Red Hook (a neighborhood in Brooklyn).
The video ...
3
votes
2answers
130 views
Word for the act of trying to change a new environment to match the one you came from
I heard this word years ago and can't seem to dig it out of my brain or search engines.
Specifically, the conversation was about the type of people who move from the city out to a rural town to ...
50
votes
3answers
7k views
How did “biscuit” come to have a distinct meaning in North American English?
The Oxford Living Dictionary makes a clear distinction between the usage of biscuit in Britain and North America:
British: A small baked unleavened cake, typically crisp, flat, and sweet.
‘a ...
0
votes
0answers
75 views
Where is this artist Clint Cearley's accent from?
So I just subscribed to this artist on YouTube, Clint Cearley. He'd sounded North American enough until he said words ending in -ing (which sounds like "-eeng"), and accurate (which sounds like "...
3
votes
3answers
131 views
What's an equivalent way of saying *friolenta* (from Spanish)?
My aunt is friolenta. She gets cold easily.
But is there a better way to say this, that stays closer to the original construction, by being a simple adjective?
Idle curiosity would make me ...
3
votes
1answer
302 views
metal, meddle, mettle, medal pronounciation in American English
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English has the following phonetic symbols:
meddle
/ ˈmedl; ˋmɛdl/
medal
/ ˈmedl; ˋmɛdl/
mettle
/ ˈmetl; ˋmɛtl/
metal
/ ˈmetl; ˋmɛtl/
...
1
vote
1answer
2k views
What is the meaning of “tag up”?
I am not a native speaker, in a business environment, I saw my American colleagues use this term often in MS-Outlook (setting up meetings) and e-mails. For example, it might appear in a meeting notice'...
1
vote
2answers
106 views
AmE Equivalent for “people usually go to a cinema after going to a restaurant”
I would like to write the equivalent of "people usually go to a cinema after going to a restaurant and they usually choose the closest cinema to the restaurant" in American English. I think the ...
0
votes
1answer
138 views
Is it okay to use past tense when writing about a fictional story?
When talking about a book, or a fictional story we are required to use present tense. The question is:
Can we use past tense if it is a flashback?
Also, can we use past tense like in the sentence ...
0
votes
0answers
43 views
Midwestern, English [duplicate]
Is the word 'anymore' used enough in a positive context, to justify having its usage and definition in the dictionary. Such as "Anymore, it is hot all the time."
0
votes
0answers
4k views
Use of “proceed with something”
Is it normal to use "proceed with something" in American English speaking? Isn't it a little formal? Is there a better alternative? Can we use "do something" instead?
2
votes
0answers
273 views
“Cash me ousside” girl's speech
Danielle Bregoli, a.k.a. the "Cash me ousside" girl, became a meme after she appeared on the Dr. Phil Show. (See also: http://www.tmz.com/person/cash-me-outside-girl/)
Is Bregoli's speech an affected ...
5
votes
1answer
172 views
Blending Two Individual Words Together That Share the Same Consonant Cluster
I've noticed that this phenomenon is common in fast speech. I have searched and searched on the internet for the official name for this, but I cannot seem to find it. Here are some examples:
With ...
3
votes
2answers
3k views
Meaning of “What are your new coordinates”?
I have moved to a new job in a new country. One of my old colleagues send me an email asking "what are you new coordinates?". Does he/she mean what is your new contact information? Or it is an idiom ...
2
votes
1answer
693 views
What is the difference between “catch up with” and “follow up”?
I often hear "I'm going to catch up with him" or "I'm going to follow up with him" but I don't understand the difference.
1
vote
2answers
179 views
Term for reclaiming or restoring pride in social stigmas (“Taking it back”)?
UPDATE: (05/25/17)
One word that was suggested was "own". While not perfect, it is close. Some more examples it made me think of to illustrate what I mean by flipping something negative into a ...
7
votes
2answers
438 views
How did an egg and cheese dish come to be known as “Woodchuck(s)”?
Our family just finished our traditional post-Easter dinner of colorful Woodchucks, and once again I am wondering about the origin of this odd recipe name. Some searching on the internet has turned up ...
6
votes
2answers
3k views
What is the origin of the American expression “s*** fire”?
Ever since I read a fictionalized account of Francis Drake’s adventures in James Michener’s The Caribbean (1989), I have been curious about the nickname of a ship known as the Cacafuego (literally ...
2
votes
1answer
223 views
What is the origin of the adjective “peaked” (pronounced “pea-ked”), meaning “tired” in American English?
I was watching the movie "In the Line of Fire" (1993) with Clint Eastwood and Rene Russo. In one of the scenes, Russo tells Eastwood, "you were looking a little pea-ked out there", meaning tired/...
0
votes
2answers
187 views
Meaning of “lit” seemingly undiscussed as of yet
In the Wikipedia article on the Skull and Bones secret society a quote attributed to Lanny Davis is given like so: "If the society had a good year, this is what the 'ideal' group will consist of: [...]...
2
votes
0answers
546 views
Pronunciation Rule for “nt” in the Middle of Words
Is there a "rule" or pattern for the pronunciation of "nt" in the middle of words, followed by a vowel (or "er" sound)?
Here's what I have so far:
1) "t" is often omitted in words like "wanted," "...
2
votes
1answer
67 views
What does “sidehill garger” mean? (early 20th-century American literature)
I am reading "Wood-Folk Comedies: The Play of Wild-Animal Life on a Natural Stage" written by William J. Long, a naturalist and author, published in 1920.
When I was reading it I had a word that I ...
