Questions tagged [terminology]
This tag is for questions seeking or discussing a term (or terms) belonging or peculiar to a science, art, or specialized subject (e.g. linguistics, mathematics, physics, biology, finance, theatre, music, philosophy, astronomy, medical, nautical etc.). Consider adding [single-word-requests] and [phrase-requests] tags also if relevant.
3,498
questions
1
vote
0
answers
32
views
Terms for "stuff" preceeding and following an item in a sequence [closed]
I need insight from a native speaker of any variety of English on what to call items in a sequence that proceeds or follows a certain item.
In a sequence "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11", I want ...
- 111
1
vote
2
answers
260
views
What does ‘capture by employees’ mean in 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕 in the context of being a ‘vice’ of speculative activity in investment banking?
What is ‘capture by employees’?
In this past week’s January 26th issue of The Economist, the phrase capture by employees appears in a leading article* titled “The Humbling of Goldman Sachs” in this ...
- 347
2
votes
3
answers
83
views
The word to describe "clever" style of TV episode' s title
In our country we have long TV series (maybe seventy episodes in one series) without unique titles. They are just simply marked as episode 01, episode 02, etc. It is hard to find the specific one in ...
- 151
0
votes
2
answers
488
views
What is an English term for "an event that triggers a chain of events, ultimately to downfall"? [duplicate]
I'm trying to incorporate more technical literary terms into my Macbeth revision for my upcoming exam. I've discovered terms such as Hamartia, Catharsis, Peripeteia, etc.
What would be a good word to ...
- 3
0
votes
1
answer
40
views
Constructing an active verb out of a passive word [closed]
Consider the following words:
capture:
to take captive, to gain control of especially by force; to gain or win especially through effort
captive:
taken and held as or as if a prisoner of war; kept ...
- 964
0
votes
1
answer
53
views
"The water filled the container" [duplicate]
I have a question regarding terminology.
In English, we can say "I filled the container with water", in which the subject is an agent. But you may also say "The water filled the ...
12
votes
3
answers
2k
views
WW and OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
From the article "Elon Musk's Appetite for Destruction" (archived version for posterity), published January 17, 2023 on the web and slated for publication in the January 22 issue of the New ...
- 18.2k
-1
votes
1
answer
50
views
Does this wording (Charge accepted) contain the minimum parts of speech necessary to be considered a sentence?
I know that sentences can be short. "He ran", "I run", etc. are the first examples that come to mind. However, verbal responses to questions like "Yes" are often written ...
- 101
6
votes
1
answer
504
views
"Ink" as a term for coffee?
I've stumbled upon a thesaurus entry for the word "ink" that connects it to various words to describe coffee or caffeine, none of which I have -ever- heard in my life! I'm a coffee-drinker, ...
- 69
1
vote
3
answers
127
views
What word can express a (fictional) transformation of a physical object into its artistic representation?
I am looking for a word similar to, or perhaps a generalization of, petrification/petrify. Whereas petrification involves a transformation of a physical object into a statue, the idea I have in mind ...
- 115
3
votes
1
answer
128
views
What is the term or word used to describe a name such as 'N.S Ennis' where the initials 'N.S' sound the same as the surname 'Ennis'?
My name, 'N.S Ennis', was called out in a waiting room some years ago and I was told there was an actual term for this occurrence where the initials 'NS' sound the same as the surname 'Ennis'. I am ...
- 39
6
votes
4
answers
1k
views
"Sketching" a graph
While this is in the context of a math problem, the question refers to the connotations and meaning of the word "sketch", so I imagine it fits this site, at least somewhat.
If one asks ...
- 123
0
votes
2
answers
52
views
What role does "eager to be true partners in a struggle for social justice" play in the sentence?
Excerpt from
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander:
African Americans throughout the South responded with great hope and enthusiasm, eager to be true partners in a struggle for social justice.
What ...
0
votes
5
answers
88
views
Do you call this a device diagnostic or device diagnosis? [closed]
Let's say a technician is checking what is wrong about an electronic device (for example a smartphone), list the problems, in order to repair it afterwards.
Would you call this process (using a noun) ...
- 11
-2
votes
2
answers
68
views
What do you call the parameter of a crossfader?
A crossfade or crossfader or crossfading control is a control (physical or virtual) that allows someone to smoothly vary an output from one extreme to another. For example, a disc jockey might use a ...
- 489
0
votes
1
answer
66
views
Can I use the word "miscegenation" or "crossbreeding" to describe intelligent interspecies mating?
I am writing a science-fiction novel where characters of one intelligent species can have sexual or romantic relationships with other intelligent species. Would it be appropriate to use the word ...
- 119
0
votes
0
answers
45
views
Do you click, tap, tab to or select a link in 2023? [duplicate]
Considering the many ways in which people can interact with web or app content – and especially wanting to include alternative accessibility tools, such as screen readers and more – is there a "...
8
votes
2
answers
443
views
What is the meaning of the equestrian term “Undermounted”?
In a literary research effort to study the written testimonial of British Cavalry officer Louis Edward Nolan (1818-1854), we have difficulties in translating into Swedish a single word, as he in 1852 ...
- 81
1
vote
1
answer
36
views
What do you call the act of increasing the balance on a gift card?
When the credit on a gift card is decreased, we usually call it "redeeming" the gift-card. Even if that leaves the gift card with a positive balance after the transaction.
But what do we ...
- 115
0
votes
2
answers
149
views
What's an adjective or noun that means "about the meaning of life and purpose"?
What's an adjective or noun that means "about the meaning of life and purpose"?
Nihilism is the belief that life is meaningless, so we shouldn't have to burden ourselves with purpose.
...
- 3,350
0
votes
2
answers
184
views
What is a "stone core"?
In a book I'm reading, I found this:
Of course, even the most primitive tools of Home erectus (flaked stone cores called 'hand-axes') are far more sophisticaed than anything used by chimpanzees, […]
...
- 159
13
votes
3
answers
2k
views
What is the meaning of the word "fermison"?
What could "fermison" mean in this sentence?:
In 1370 Ralph Basset, who held lands in wardship of the heir of John Mowbray of Axholme, was ordered to allow the proctor in England of the ...
1
vote
2
answers
71
views
An expression for a specific "run" of a university course
Suppose we have courses such as
Math 101
Advanced physics
and so on.
Each course is taught twice a year
Math 101 during Spring 2022
Math 101 during Fall 2022
Advanced physics during Spring 2022
...
- 366
2
votes
1
answer
40
views
Term for resonance between Author and Title
Often books will have title that is a pun on the author's name or in anonymous works a euonymous nom-de-plume. Sometimes in scholarly works the title unironically reflects an author's aptronymic ...
- 51
1
vote
3
answers
140
views
The definition of "active" as in "active voice"
The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar (2 ed.) by Bas Aarts defines "active" as follows:
active (adj.) Of a verb, clause, construction, etc.: designating an exponent of the grammatical ...
- 6,491
3
votes
1
answer
83
views
Term for a longer word formed by the pronunciation of an acronym
What's the term for a longer word formed by the pronunciation of an abbreviation/initialism?
Examples:
The name of the company ESSELTE comes from SLT (Likely a pronunciation in Swedish in this case, ...
- 133
14
votes
3
answers
512
views
Why does a draw mean a game/match/contest that ends with no winner?
A draw is a match/game/contest that ends with no outright winner, or both teams or players having the same score. The more usual term in North America is a tie, whereas a draw is usual elsewhere. A ...
- 62.6k
-1
votes
1
answer
53
views
-normative word for practices and institutions that privilege or value being a parent?
Is there a -normative word like heteronormative or mononormative for practices and institutions that privilege or value being a parent as fundamental or 'normal' within society? I suggest ...
- 1
7
votes
1
answer
886
views
What type of verb is EAT:FEED, KNOW:INFORM
We have verbs like :
EAT > FEED
KNOW > INFORM
My question is what kind of verbs are they? What are they called in grammar (e.g. causative, factitive etc)? I knew the name a long ago but forgot ...
- 272
0
votes
2
answers
45
views
Which is the main clause and which the subclause in "as ... so ..." sentences?
In
As their wares moved eastwards along their trade routes, so did their culture.
Is the main clause:
so did their culture
as their wares moved eastwards along their trade routes
their wares moved ...
- 3,350
0
votes
1
answer
63
views
what it is the opposite of comment?
In programming commenting: To disable a section of source code by converting it into a comment. If you do not want to run this line of code, just comment it out!
But my question what is the opposite ...
0
votes
3
answers
68
views
Are there alternative words or phrases to "net worth" that don't imply it determines a person's value?
I've never liked the term "net worth"; it seems to imply that a wealthier person is more valuable or important. Are there alternative words or phrases which do not have this problem?
Bill ...
- 758
21
votes
6
answers
7k
views
What is a word equivalent to 'oceanic' but specific to a lake?
What is a word equivalent to 'oceanic' but specific to a lake?
It'd be the blank in this analogy:
oceanic : ocean :: _____ : lake
(oceanic is to ocean as _____ is to lake)
The context in which I'm ...
- 8,440
2
votes
1
answer
64
views
What does the term "antisemitic" mean and how did it arrive at it's modern definition? [closed]
I ask this question for two reasons. One, it's being used a lot currently in western media and online spaces such as twitter, so maybe if I could fully grasp it's definition I could understand why it'...
- 21
1
vote
4
answers
125
views
What word compares to empathy for someone who easily recognizes what others are thinking?
empathy is (n.) modeled on German Einfühlung (from ein "in" + Fühlung "feeling"), which was coined 1858 by German philosopher Rudolf Lotze (1817-1881) as a translation of Greek ...
- 185
0
votes
1
answer
75
views
Term for a function whose derivative is decreasing
A "decreasing function" is one that gets smaller as its input gets larger. For example, f(x) = -x, f(x) = 1/x {x > 0}.
What can functions like sqrt(x), ln(x) be called? They are always ...
- 3,350
1
vote
2
answers
38
views
Is this Metonymy? - using 'it' or 'this' to replace a word
What is the correct term to use when referring to the act of replacing a word with 'it' or 'this' e.g instead of 'death is going to happen' 'it is going to happen'.
Also what term would you use for ...
- 11
0
votes
2
answers
121
views
Is there a term for a word that is written in a way that it looks like a word from another language?
I can't find it now but I remember seeing an English word written by a graphic designer in a way that made it look like a Russian word. I don't recall if the meaning of the Russian word was the same (...
0
votes
1
answer
66
views
Term for an English language course for technical jargon in a specific field
What is the proper term for the English language course in which technical and specific terminology related to a particular field of study (Engineering, Medical sciences, Applied sciences etc.) is ...
- 135
-1
votes
2
answers
89
views
Is there a word for a role that can only be held by one person in a group at a time?
I'm looking for a word that describes a role that can only be held by one person within a network or group at any one time.
For example, with a role like 'king' - there can only be one king of a ...
- 1
1
vote
3
answers
127
views
What do you call part of a conference or summit for free time [closed]
WHat are some elegant ways to describe the ending of a summit or conference where participants can engage the time however they wish. They can go elsewhere, network, leave... etc. but in the program a ...
0
votes
0
answers
26
views
What’s the difference between blubbering and sobbing? [duplicate]
I see these words used interchangeably, but it seems there’s a difference. Is there a significant difference between these 2 words?
- 39
0
votes
1
answer
52
views
A term for the person for which something is booked
In the words of Phil Karlton: There are only two hard things in Computer Science: cache invalidation and naming things:
[Context: Software, terminology for a database schema]
If I book something for ...
- 157
3
votes
2
answers
180
views
What is the English equivalent of the French word "consigne" in English (in the classroom context)?
What is the English equivalent of the French word "consigne"? I am referring here to the classroom context, so in phrases such as "consigne de l'exercice". See also the picture at ...
- 215
0
votes
2
answers
75
views
Verb for "swapping" non-commuting operations and modifying them appropriately (commute?)
In mathematics, computer science, physics or any other field that has the concept of commutative operations (or operators), is there a verb to describe the action of taking a sequence AB of two non-...
- 208
2
votes
2
answers
140
views
Name for a flat version of a grappling hook?
I was working with a group of students yesterday in a writing class.
One of them wrote a story involving a hero, a damsel, and a tower (a riff on the Rapunzel theme).
To get up to the top of the tower,...
- 3,900
3
votes
4
answers
2k
views
What do you call a person who cannot learn to use computers?
What do you call a person who cannot learn to use computers?
I have been trying to learn them for over 15 years and just cannot. I have been doing an online course to try and teach myself but I just ...
- 31
0
votes
2
answers
66
views
"I do, don't I?" What is this type of phrase called, and what is its function within speech?
This kind of saying something then asking if it isnt so, seems on the surface, wasteful and pointless.
"I do (X), don't I?"
"I (do) (X)."
"Do I (X)?"
"Don't I (X)?&...
- 596
1
vote
4
answers
261
views
What term describes something "alive" with a "brain"?
What term describes something "alive" with a "brain"?
Plants are considered 'living' but without a brain, so alive or life don't work.
Fish have brains, jellyfish don't.
For my ...
- 128
1
vote
2
answers
91
views
Is there a term for when people speak words with sounds connected together?
For example, "I must take control like Kevin" can be said like "I mus-tay-control-I-Kevin" in some dialects because it flows significantly more easily than if you enunciate every ...
- 113