Questions tagged [shibboleth]
The shibboleth tag has no usage guidance.
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3answers
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What is an appropriate replacement for the term “oriental” when used as an ethnicity? [duplicate]
When I was a child I remember frequently hearing references to "oriental" people. Of course "oriental" now has a pejorative connotation, and generally "asian" is preferred.
However, I can't help but ...
20
votes
5answers
139k views
“Please advise” — why is this a common turn of phrase for foreign speakers of English?
I was just browsing through StackOverflow just now, and randomly hit on this question, where the question-asker signed off his request with a "please advise." Certain I'd heard this turn of phrase ...
7
votes
3answers
575 views
Is “If I would have X” an Indian shibboleth?
As I was reading a deleted question that asks whether
If I would have sweet dreams, they would be about you. If my dreams ever come true, it will be with you.
is correct, I noticed that the ...
29
votes
8answers
4k views
Are there shibboleths specific to native Russian speakers?
I am doing these days a lot of collaborative writing with a colleague born and raised in Russia, and now working in the US. He has a very good English and yet, as we circulated various texts, I ...
9
votes
1answer
830 views
Australian regional shibboleths
I have been living in Australia for 7 years now, and still haven't been able to pin down the local regional accents. I can tell a "Town" from a "Country" accent, but I can't reliably tell which state ...
