All Questions
129,916
questions
-1
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2
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100
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What is a word meaning something you do only as a required action to meet a formal requirement?
What is a word meaning something you do with a minimal effort and with no other intention than to satisfy a formal requirement?
For example, if someone named Jurgen had to buy property in Bulgaria in ...
- 1,059
-1
votes
0
answers
18
views
- Dad, John doesn't want to go to school today! / - He shall! [migrated]
How idiomatic is this dialogue?
-- Dad, John doesn't want to go to school today!
-- He shall! (whether he likes it or not, and I will make sure he does!)
0
votes
0
answers
23
views
Is 'bold' used correctly here? "This aspect of this issue seems bolder than the rest." [migrated]
I've been having a little bit of a debate with one of my friends about the correct use of a word. I hope the native English speakers can help me put an end to this :)
I know the word "bold" ...
- 1
-3
votes
1
answer
51
views
John goes to the cinema with Kate and (with) Ann
What's the difference between general public's interpretations of these:
John goes to the cinema with Kate and Ann.
John goes to the cinema with Kate and with Ann.
- 71
0
votes
2
answers
85
views
Can you qualify the phrase “is attributed to” by saying “is most likely attributed to?”
A co-worker frequently uses the phrase “X is most likely attributed to Y” and it feels wrong to me. I think you have to say “X is attributed to Y” and can’t qualify it with “most likely” or anything ...
-1
votes
1
answer
40
views
Is there a good adjectival form of the prefix "meta-"? [closed]
I find the word "meta" to have a unique meaning. People have begun using it as a standalone word, as in, "That movie was so meta." However, I think this is colloquial, and it often ...
- 300
-2
votes
3
answers
115
views
There is a brand of ale in the United Kingdom called Farmers Ale, with no apostrophe on farmers. Is this correct? [duplicate]
There is a brand of ale called Farmers Ale. Should there be an apostrophe on farmers? Or is farmers acting as an adjective like "sports" cars?
- 97
5
votes
1
answer
156
views
Is "wheat skin color" a thing in any dialect of English or just a bad translation from Chinese?
While shopping for action figures, I came across various sellers offering "wheat skin" colored figures, for example here and probably more notably Walmart.
That color seems to be what I'd ...
- 291
-1
votes
1
answer
82
views
Is Wikipedia's example of parallelism incorrect?
As of this writing, Wikipedia's article about parallelism in grammar includes these examples:
Lacking parallelism:
The dog ran across the yard, jumped over the fence, and sprinted away.
Parallel:
...
- 1,316
0
votes
1
answer
60
views
"Ay me" origins and usage?
I have been recently reading Romeo and Juliet, and towards the beginning of the balcony scene, Juliet says
Ay me.
What does this phrase mean and when was it first created/used?
- 103
-2
votes
0
answers
57
views
At weekends they prefer to stay home and visit some friends [migrated]
I am wondering how this sentence is to be paraphrased:
At weekends they prefer to stay home and visit some friends.
I am not sure which ones are close to the original:
They like to remain in their ...
0
votes
1
answer
84
views
What does "gadget" really mean?
In finding this article, I questioned my understanding of the word 'gadget'.
My current understanding is the word is (and please let me know in your answer if I'm right or wrong on this one) ...
- 103
0
votes
0
answers
41
views
Correct usage of 'nostalgia' [migrated]
How do I use the word nostalgia correctly?
For example, say I saw an old doll of mine and it reminded me of when I was a kid; what would be the correct expression to describe that?
I got nostalgia ...
1
vote
0
answers
58
views
The vaccine has shown VS The vaccine has been shown [migrated]
I'm writing a report with the sentence:
The vaccine has been shown to reduce diarrhea in an in vivo model.
Colleagues use a sentence starting with
The vaccine has shown to reduce...
In my opinion, ...
- 11
2
votes
1
answer
79
views
Context-specific hyphenation
Are there any heteronyms in English with different hyphenation patterns for line breaking? That is, is there any sequence of letters which can be interpreted as two different words with different ...
- 123
0
votes
0
answers
48
views
Which is more common, "self-responsibility" or "personal responsibility"? (in the workplace)
I'm trying to figure out what the best translation is for the German word "Eigenverantwortung" in a workplace context. A literal translation would be self-responsibility but I've also seen ...
- 41
1
vote
1
answer
85
views
How to describe how a cat looks when groomed?
What is a word to describe how a cat looks when it's groomed?
My husband described it as nappy, which I don't think would be the correct word. To give an image of what I am trying to describe, think ...
- 21
0
votes
0
answers
33
views
Neither of us "Work" or "Works" which one is correct? [duplicate]
Which one is correct?
Neither of us work there
Or
Neither of us workS there
0
votes
1
answer
79
views
Is there a term for a button or feature that does not actually do anything, other than giving the user a sense of control?
I was wondering if there was a one-word term for this. I suppose a classic example might be the "Door Close" button on an elevator. Essentially, a working feature that apparently does ...
1
vote
2
answers
42
views
Can 'to wilt' be something positive? [closed]
I came across (a pretty sad) poem by Meggie Royer.
She writes:
I stood by as strangers stroked her muzzle and she wilted beneath their touch like she did once for mine.
For context: she writes about ...
- 111
0
votes
0
answers
30
views
"He promised" [...] "that he will" or "that he would"? [duplicate]
He promised that he will help me with my homework.
He promised [that] he would help me with my homework.
Which sentence is grammatically correct? I saw this debate and I genuinely don't know the ...
- 1
0
votes
0
answers
25
views
Punctuation when completing a quotation yet not concluding the sentence [duplicate]
I recently encountered a quirky situation.
A student wrote a sentence, and it was much more technical than this example (actually for a literature review on microbiology), but this examples ...
- 11
-1
votes
0
answers
75
views
What is the English term for this type of high-crowned military cap (pictured)?
I am using AI image generators and I want to make some pics.
How do you call this headgear?
In Russian it is called "фуражка с высокой тульей" and Google search returns exactly this.
But if ...
- 2,828
1
vote
0
answers
63
views
What is nucleus of head syntactic function? [closed]
He is an honest person.
Here is there any nucleus of syntactic function?
I found it in Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_relation
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
35
views
Using "then" in sentence which is in response to context [closed]
For example:
Should the free market then only capture that which is beyond necessity?
I'm not sure if "then" is accomplishing anything, or if it is even correct in this sentence. Perhaps ...
- 157
-1
votes
4
answers
159
views
What's the word for statements like “Stay with me or I'm breaking your car” (Not blackmail) [closed]
What's the word for statements like “Stay with me or I'm breaking your car” It's not blackmail, exactly, so what is the word to describe this type of 'if you do this, I'll do that' scenario/statement?
- 9
-4
votes
1
answer
70
views
Is there a word for people you like but are a pain in the ass?
Is there a word for people you like but are a pain in the ass? Nothing too vulgar. I am not looking to call someone it, but affectionately think about them "that person is a complete [word]"....
- 1
0
votes
2
answers
113
views
What meaning of "off" is used in "bedrooms off the hallway"?
I've read some description of certain house design as below:
Living and dining rooms are towards the front with kitchens to the rear, with bedrooms either off the hallway or upstairs if it's a two-...
- 119
0
votes
0
answers
10
views
Possessive word order "English's accommodation spending on holiday reached 55% in 2012" [migrated]
Is this sentence correct to describe a chart? Sometimes I get confused between using x of x versus x's.
I want to say that the British spent 55% on accommodation on weekend holidays in 2022. Does this ...
- 1
-2
votes
0
answers
45
views
"Old new face" or "new old face"?
David Cameron, the previous Prime Minister that has been away from politics for many years, has just come back as the Foreign Secretary. The BBC refers to him as the "old new face".
Politics ...
- 688
1
vote
2
answers
100
views
Correct use of 'of which'
So, I happened to be reading a grammar book in which I came across this weird looking sentence.
This is the car of which parts are not available now.
I think it should have been something like this:
...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
71
views
The "editorial we" - pronouns and number agreement
I am wondering if the esteemed members of this forum can help me with these questions, which have bothered me for a long time and are what have brought me to this forum.
One thing I struggle to ...
23
votes
2
answers
4k
views
“I am fourteen past”
"My name is Helena, and I am fourteen past."
I found the line in My New Home by Mrs. Molesworth. I don't know what it means, and why it ends with past.
I know time expressions like “Half ...
0
votes
2
answers
78
views
Is there a word for a kinetic ability magic user like how '-mancy' magic users have '-mancer'?
I'm looking for a good noun to describe a character who can use Comakinesis, which is hair manipulation, but "Comakinesis-user" isn't good enough. Also, I can't find a word to describe hair ...
17
votes
2
answers
4k
views
What triggered the slang term "epic fail"?
Epic fail is defined as a spectacularly embarrassing or humorous mistake, humiliating situation, etc., that is subject to ridicule and given a greatly exaggerated importance.(Dictionary.com)
The ...
- 3,831
1
vote
0
answers
38
views
Should I use "nor" or "or" in this specific sentence? [duplicate]
I am writing a manuscript. There is a sentence my advisor and I keep editing.
The sentence:
We did not detect significant effects of lineage, initial length, nor status on individual growth rate.
...
- 11
1
vote
2
answers
269
views
Is it grammatical to say "... is both popular and has presented ...'
This particular example comes from a peer-reviewed publication with authors who seem to be native speakers:
This trend is both popular and has presented a variety of challenges
I wonder if this is ...
- 1,316
0
votes
0
answers
44
views
A synonym for "with the condition that", that makes clear my conditional statement
I would like an alternative way to write the following statement
I accept that my brother is a terrorist and condemn his actions with the condition that you accept that your father is a war criminal ...
- 135
1
vote
0
answers
42
views
Prefixing a road name or number with "the" -- geographical preference or proper English? [duplicate]
In reading about the LA Freeway Fire this week, it struck me (from the East Coast) as very awkward when they consistently refer to roads by prefixing them with "the". i.e., "The I-10&...
- 111
0
votes
0
answers
65
views
A term or word to express "someone or something itself"
I seem to remember it's a two-word-term (not totally sure) like "____ self".
We all know that only when a subject has occurred before can we use reflexive pronouns like "itself". ...
0
votes
1
answer
42
views
have+past participlet+that+Subject+IS or WAS
Examples
I have always thought he is/was a good guy.
I have always thought a boat doesn't/didn't float.
I have always thought the sun rises/rose in the east.
What are the DIFFERENCES? Is there an ...
- 1
-1
votes
1
answer
86
views
Why do people pronounce old as ooooooold sometimes?
I was watching Taskmaster UK, and I noticed that Greg or Alex often say "ooooold ."
For example, in Taskmaster UK Season 8 Episode 1 at 07:04, Greg says "ooooold poo roll", and he ...
- 109
-1
votes
2
answers
81
views
Is there a word for the ability to communicate in a manner that makes it easy to be empathised?
To "empathize" with someone means to
"understand and share the feelings of another" (Oxford dictionary).
In science fiction, an "empath" is
"a person with the ...
- 139
1
vote
0
answers
49
views
How do little kids ask for stories in English? [closed]
How would little, native English speaking kids say "Tell me a story about the bear!"? In my language, they might say something like "Tell me the bear!". Does "Tell me the ...
- 127
-2
votes
1
answer
57
views
Origin of "turn the other cheek" [closed]
I’m wondering about the origin of “turn the other cheek”. I have heard it all my life.
- 5
0
votes
0
answers
48
views
Idioms with prepositions and CMS Capitalization
I am finding the CMS instructions confusing on whether one should capitalize the word under in a title when it is used as an idiom. For example,
A Park under Threat.
- 1
0
votes
1
answer
22
views
Verb tense in academic writing [closed]
Consider this sentence.
X studied fault structure using method A. Y studied fault structure
using method B. However, the geometrical complexity of a fault
remained poorly understood.
Do I have to ...
- 15
6
votes
1
answer
248
views
Is there such a thing as a new adage?
I was brought up to understand that a proverb that is described as an adage is, by virtue of its longevity, old. Take, for exapmle, the Old Testament book of Proverbs, some of which date back ...
- 1,023
2
votes
2
answers
523
views
What Is 'Given' Information according to the 'Given-before-New' Principle?
In Steven Pinker's book The Sense of Style, he talks about the 'given-before-new' principle (most notably on pages 131–138). He states, '... people learn by integrating new information into their ...
- 341
0
votes
0
answers
27
views
Is there any situation in spoken English where it is acceptable to commence a sentence with "So"? [duplicate]
I've been listening to television news broadcasts for more years than I care to admit to, but over the past 12 months, have observed that it has become common-place for interviewees to answer a ...
- 1,023