The Frying Pan

Should a list of items be introduced with is or with are? Does the verb agree with a singular list or with multiple items in the list? Next in the row is/are Khorasan-e-‎Razavi, Esfahan, Khuzestan, Fars and East ‎‎Azarbayejan provinces with 5.3, 4.6, 3.9, 3.6 and 2.8 million persons respectiv...

Look the mod's comment to my answer

I am so tempted to just reply 'Fuck you'

If he can do better, why doesn't he put it as answer rather than making a snide remark?

Jolenealaska

It seems to me that you are breaking the question down to something that is answerable.

ElendilTheTall

My point is, you use 'are' to introduce multiple things

there, I have replied

It irks me that even mods seem to forget that this is a site where you can downvote things you disagree with

Jolenealaska

And you used an understandable way to explain that.

The question itself is a bit headshaking, but after looking at it for a few minutes, I agree with your answer, and why.

ElendilTheTall

Sometimes you'll get a question that makes you think "well, why is it that way?"

Non-native speakers forget that English is a mish-mash of at least 4 languages and has been evolving for 5000 years - sometimes it's just fucked up

Jolenealaska

Exactly. Otherwise, what's the point? Presumably everyone posting there speaks English.

ElendilTheTall

9:46 AM

Quite often, the OP will know more about the structure of the language - tense and participles and whatnot - than I will

I get it, you have to know the rules before you can learn the language

but that's the problem - there are very few rules in English that don't have exceptions or 'buts...' at some point

Jolenealaska

I wouldn't know a split participle if it bit me in the ass.

I can barely define gerund.

ElendilTheTall

I hadn't even heard of a gerund until last week on ELU

Jolenealaska

I don't need to.

ElendilTheTall

prexactly

^ that's a portmanteau btw ;)

oh, btw, I won our work World Cup sweepstake

by virtue of having both teams in the final :D

I have already ordered a Raspberry Pi with the winnings

Jolenealaska

I tried to reach the ESLs on ELL with that. "Feel it, don't define it", that didn't work.

ElendilTheTall

9:54 AM

@Jolenealaska I recall reading in a book somewhere, I think The Blue Eyed Salaryman of a guy who taught English in Japan

Jolenealaska

Raspberry Pi? Yum.

ElendilTheTall

he was driven mad because the students would create grammatically correct sentences that made no actual sense

'What flavour is your emotion?' and so on

but they couldn't see past the fact that it could be grammatically correct but not actually correct

'Hey, it's <preposition> <adjective> <conjunctive> <subject> <noun>, it's correct'

they would flat out refuse to accept otherwise

Jolenealaska

I encouraged learners to go to chat rooms outside of ELL and ELU. Look at that! He understood and didn't think I was stupid, even though my language was decidedly casual.

Damndest thing.

ElendilTheTall

quite

Jolenealaska

Here is the pedantic crap I stress to kids and other learners of the language: There, they're, their, its and it"s.

Screw that up, you look like an idiot.

You can pretty much get away with anything else.

ElendilTheTall

10:10 AM

I've never seen it"s before, is that an Alaskan thing? ;P

Jolenealaska

BTW, I looked at my (few) posts on ELU today. It made me smile to see you comment on one. I think it was before I knew you by name.

Oh for krissake

ElendilTheTall

oh lordy

I hope it wasn't terrible

Jolenealaska

Nope,

I think I can find it, with all of 650 rep I don't think it will be hard.

ElendilTheTall

1

Q: Raise and Rise revisited - But what if it's a noun?

I come to you again from the cooking site. I see this: What is the difference between "raise" and "rise"? and it comes close to answering my question, but not quite. In my world of the cooking obsession, the words in question (or at least one of them) can also be a noun, as in "the bread's second...

differences confusables

Jolenealaska

Well!

That's it.

And I'm still not clear...

ElendilTheTall

10:24 AM

There are no rules

say what you like

be foot-loose and fancy free!

Jolenealaska

To a point I agree with that.

ElendilTheTall

I also hate the attitude displayed on some SE sites (English and Stack Overflow) that basically says "I'm not going to help you unless you prove to me that you've thought about it yourself first" - oh fuck off you pompous wankers

0

Q: 'Little' and 'small' in British vs American English

Is the preference for 'little' over 'small' one of the things that differentiates British from American English?

american-english british-english

It's like "I only help those who help themselves"

I like answering questions on here because I have been in similar situations myself, basically, I just want to fix this

Jolenealaska

I do not hesitate to end a sentence with a preposition or to begin one with a conjunction.

Interesting...

That looks a lot like...

1

Q: Comparative and Superlative for little?

What is the comparative and superlative for little?

comparative superlative

ElendilTheTall

Apart from anything else, how does John Q. McAwkward-Bastard know that I haven't given any thought to it? For all he knows I might just lack any understanding. I might be a complete idiot who just needs help to get going

Jolenealaska

Hmm,my comment is the only thing on the thread that got any upvotes.

Well,then you're on the wrong site. Don't you know that ELU is for people who already know it all?

ElendilTheTall

10:31 AM

Ha!

Jolenealaska

I go there most often because a sentence I'm writing seems awkward. I'm just waiting for someone to tell me to take it to ELU.

ElendilTheTall

heck, bypass those dickheads and come straight to me! :P

Jolenealaska

Of late, I have :)

ElendilTheTall

Think of me as your English butler ;)

Jolenealaska

You know what I meant...ELL

ElendilTheTall

10:40 AM

yes, madam

Jolenealaska

I don't know how Stoney does it. He has my admiration.

He explains things at a high college level, but makes himself understandable.

ElendilTheTall

alright, jeez, get a room :P

Jolenealaska

When he pointed out "still-lifes" vs "still-lives" it struck me the same way as when you played "simian".

ElendilTheTall

you knew it, but you didn't know you knew it :)

Jolenealaska

Like, holy crap, I knew that, but it would not have occurred to me.

I'm accustomed to being the smartest person in every room I enter. I'm intrigued when that assumption is challenged.

ElendilTheTall

10:52 AM

@Jolenealaska and the most modest? ;)

Jolenealaska

Always

That stems from my childhood.

There was a short time that I was diverted into "she's sweet but not real bright" classes.

I was a mess at the time.

My parents were splitting (again), I had no social skills, I didn't "get" what was happening.

ElendilTheTall

poor jojo

Jolenealaska

Some teacher decided to test me, with ever increasing levels of grade proficiency exams.

When I was done, they knew they had been handling me incorrectly.

So everything changed.

Overnight

ElendilTheTall

good

it's a shame that it takes someone willing to go against the grain to get things done

Jolenealaska

That teacher still means a lot to me.

ElendilTheTall

11:07 AM

I'll bet

>.<

just had an internet wince

Jolenealaska

Beyond here?

ElendilTheTall

The EU has recently struck down a law requiring phone and internet records to be held by the relevant companies

The British Government is rushing through a new law to allow it again in this country 'for security'

Jolenealaska

What is meant by "internet records"?

ElendilTheTall

the BBC news site allows comments on some articles, this one included. It is as full of morons and nutjobs as any other comment section anywhere

here is a great example

> The UK government is letting down the people it was set up to serve. They would declare Marshall Law if they hadn't made most of the army redundant. Jokers.

Marshall Law?

Who is this Marshall chap?

Jolenealaska

Oh yeah, you know of Marshal law.

Me too, for that matter.

ElendilTheTall

11:14 AM

@Jolenealaska sites you've visited, emails, people you've skyped etc

i'd be upset about it if I thought there was the slightest thing I could do

but the fact is if they want to do it, they will do it, no matter how many times I write to my MP

Jolenealaska

That's a sticky wicket. Not unlike our NSA.

ElendilTheTall

precisely the same I would say

our security services and yours and fine bedfellows

I'm not so paranoid to suggest that at present they have reasonably good intentions

my objections are A) what if a mistake is made and B) what about the future

Jolenealaska

If I knew the answer I'd run for something.

ElendilTheTall

'the hills' is probably best

Jolenealaska

:)

After the Boston Marathon bombing, a kind of Marshial law was declared for hours. Christ. You would think that every family had Stormtroopers in their living room.

IMDb was fit to be tiied.

DUDES! Let's worry about that AFTER we catch the bombers, OK?

ElendilTheTall

11:29 AM

indeed

that was crazy

Jolenealaska

I'm sympathetic to the other side too. Especially every time I have flown in the past 4 years (metal hips). I am appalled that some dude in Maryland knows things he doesn't need to know about me. I appalled that Amazon seems to know my shoe size even though I have never ordered shoes there.

I dunno.

ElendilTheTall

¯\ _(ツ)_/¯

keep on keeping on

Jolenealaska

The alternative, frankly, sucks.

ElendilTheTall

quite

All you can do is keep your head down, nose clean, upper lip stiff, fire in your eye, and gravel in your guts

Jolenealaska

And stale truisms at the ready.

ElendilTheTall

11:44 AM

yup!

also, keep buying stuff

Jolenealaska

Bush said that after 911.

He was prompted.

ElendilTheTall

ah, now there was a king among Morons

'now watch this drive' >.<

Jolenealaska

Got time for one game?

ElendilTheTall

No :(

Jolenealaska

a quick one?

Aaah

ElendilTheTall

11:47 AM

I have been Alt-tabbing between this and work as it is

Jolenealaska

OK

ElendilTheTall

soooooorrrryyyyy

Jolenealaska

not at all....Scrabble is what it is.

You have a family.

ElendilTheTall

I do?

crap, I forgot about them. Boy do I have some explaining to do...

Jolenealaska

Last I checked!

:)

Goodnight sweetie, I'm going to watch Chopped and go to bed. G'night! I'll try again tomorrow for a game.

ElendilTheTall

11:55 AM

@Jolenealaska g'night

mind the grizzly bears don't bite

or wolves

or rabid moose

Gigili

12:38 PM

Hello people

This recipe calls for 150 ML ice-cold water

I saw two different measurements on the internet

One said 1 tsp is 5 ML and the other said 1 tbsp is 15 ML

Jolenealaska

Both are true. A teaspoon is 5 ml, a tablespoon is 15 ml.

Gigili

Umm, Why my questions so simple? I thought it was a very difficult one!

Thank you.

Then for 150 ML I need 10 tbsp of water, great.

Jolenealaska

You're welcome. I'm more interested in what you think now of Paul Hollywood's puff pastry method.

Oh, you're gone. Story of my life.

My goodness! Don't measure that with a spoon!

AArrgghh.

Gigili

12:56 PM

@Jolenealaska No no, I'm here again!

Jolenealaska

Good

Gigili

@Jolenealaska Do you recommend a better method?

Jolenealaska

Do what Mr Hollywood says. Really

Gigili

Actually I am making my puff pastry dough using Paul Hollywood's method this time.

Jolenealaska

Brilliant method.

Good

Carry on

Gigili

12:58 PM

But for the dough, before adding butter, I don't know how much flour and water must be used

That's the problem

Jolenealaska

He does it a bit by feel

If you're not comfortable with that

Morph it

Make the dough with a recipe you trust

Gigili

He says nothing about measurements, or does he?

There's no such a recipe

Jolenealaska

Use Mr Hollywood's method to incorporate the butter

Gigili

The other one you recommended was not as exact as I expected, too little water for too much flour

Jolenealaska

Do you have a scale?

Gigili

1:01 PM

@Jolenealaska I do

Jolenealaska

digital?

Gigili

@Jolenealaska That's exactly what I am about to do, only that I couldn't find a good recipe

Yes

Jolenealaska

Stop right there

I'll find you a recipe

really

Then use Mr Hollywood's method to incorporate the flour

Gigili

I'd be grateful

Jolenealaska

brb

Gigili

1:03 PM

Yeah, OK. I will do that.

Thanks

Jolenealaska

Here's one by weight whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/puff-pastry, but don't do it like that. Do it like Mr Hollywood says.

I meant to say incorporate butter, not flour, but you knew that.

I don't know that I trust that.

I think you're better off going by feel.

Either by the buddy of Julia Child,

Or by Paul Hollywood.

As long as the butter is in the freezer, you've got time to figure out the dough.

Before you add butter (solid cold, of course) your dough should feel lovely.

Silky, kneadable

Gigili

1:23 PM

Uhum, OK.

I am on it!

Hopefully I'll be here in a few hours again.

Thanks again.

Jolenealaska

Do it by feel! Keep the butter (grated....shit.she's gone again

Hi @Cerberus

Cerberus

Jo!

Jolenealaska

Hey Sweetie!

Cerberus

Has the perpetrator of those stars been apprehended yet?

Jolenealaska

No, I think it gets to remain a mystery.

That's alright, just star willy nilly.

It'll be gone in no time.

Cerberus

1:28 PM

At least it was you who received the honour.

Jolenealaska

Gee, really, really bad poetry,

Cerberus

Heh.

I'm sure you have said more memorable things since.

Jolenealaska

Ah! There are already a couple there! Cool!

Cerberus

1:52 PM

I must run and scamper, adieu!

Jolenealaska

Bubhye!

Cerberus

10:35 PM

Hi again.

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