English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

Bogdan Lataianu

4:04 PM

you can see the revisions of a question

KitΘδς

@BogdanLataianu Yes.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

So I tried chatting up my penne but I was too nervous

KitΘδς

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Come on, man, grow a pair! You have children, for heaven's sake!

Bogdan Lataianu

4

Q: Way to say that you can understand spoken English?

"I can read English", "I can speak English", or "I can write English" are all correct uses of the word "English". But is "I can listen to English" correct English? Or should I say "I can hear English"? Are there better ways to say that? I want to know how to express that you can understand ...

word-usage

KitΘδς

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Let that penne know that you're in charge.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

4:09 PM

@KitΘδς Plus I don't like talking with my mouth full.

Bogdan Lataianu

The title should be edited back to what was originally "How to express that you can understand english what someone spoke?"

because the new title contains the answer to the question

KitΘδς

@BogdanLataianu I rolled it back to "How to say that you can understand spoken English?"

Bogdan Lataianu

hmm why not the very original?

KitΘδς

@BogdanLataianu It was the first one I came to.

Bogdan Lataianu

this was the original: "How to express that you can understand english what someone spoke?"

KitΘδς

4:12 PM

@BogdanLataianu That's not proper English, though.

What about "How to express that you can understand spoken English?"

Bogdan Lataianu

yes that what I wanted to say

no

"How to express that you can understand the English that someone spoke?

KitΘδς

Or "How to express that you can understand the English that someone speaks?"

@BogdanLataianu OK.

Bogdan Lataianu

yes that is good

KitΘδς

OK. It is done.

Bogdan Lataianu

thanks Kit and I will make a comment to prevent a title edit again

KitΘδς

4:16 PM

Oh, I see. Because the title with "spoken English" means that Nicholas's answer doesn't make sense.

Bogdan Lataianu

yes

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

So, penne with meatballs. We meet again. Twice before you have faced me, and I have mercilessly defeated you. This time you don't even have your hot-pepper defense system! You shall fall beneath the tines of my fork!

Rhŵdri

@MrShinyandNew安宇 That's the spirit!

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Rhŵdri To be honest I wasn't feeling all that inspired about talking to my food. I even googled "witty things to say to food" but that seems to be an under-served segment of Internet knowledge.

KitΘδς

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Is it working?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

4:26 PM

@KitΘδς Well, I vanquished the food with gusto.

KitΘδς

How about "Avast, yon meaty ball! Feel the crushing doom of my incisors as I commit you to the deep!"

@MrShinyandNew安宇 pleased

z7sg Ѫ

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Sorry but using google for that, dude plz... use your own natural creativity!

KitΘδς

So are you a bellicophagist now? Have I converted you?

Matt Ellen Д

Dear Noodles, it has come to light that you have not been paying rent for the last few days. As per the terms of our agreement, if I have not received rent payment in 10 minutes then I shall plunge you into boiling water. Yours, Matt.

z7sg Ѫ

Yep, I think we all are!

I like your tactic there Matt, giving the noodles an ultimatum they cannot possibly satisfy... very cruel indeed!

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

4:31 PM

@z7sgѪ I wasn't feeling it today.

@KitΘδς I'll file that one away for Sept 19th.

KitΘδς

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Wow, that's really coming up, innit? I better start practicing.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

Actually, maybe it's too late for that, but it'd be neat if, as a gag, EL&U had a change in theme or something on Sept 19th

KitΘδς

@Lauren !

Matt Ellen Д

ooo. I need an avatar for sept. 19th

KitΘδς

That's great! Like the unicorn trick!

@Lauren ! Good ideas here!

Matt Ellen Д

4:34 PM

yeah! that'd be wicked :D

KitΘδς

I wonder if they can do a complete site English-to-pirate translation.

Or maybe we can come up with some appropriate topical questions for that day, and see if they multicollider.

Matt Ellen Д

:D

hmmmm

there's got to be one about shivering timbers

KitΘδς

Oh! Yeah! That's great, because lots of people will be looking for pirate-related synonyms and meanings that day, I'm sure.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@MattEllenД We could ask about explanations and etymologies of all kinds of lingo

Like, everything on this page

talklikeapirate.com/howto.html

z7sg Ѫ

@KitΘδς Yeah, let's close all questions that aren't related to piracy. Only needs five of us to be in on it.

KitΘδς

4:38 PM

LOL

z7sg Ѫ

ARRRRRRRR!!!!

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

*This question has been closed as not-pirate-related by KitΘδς, MattEllenД, MrShinyandNew安宇, z7sgѪ, and ...?

6

KitΘδς

> That's quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard!

Love it!

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

What about me?

KitΘδς

Well, this certainly sounds like a German pirate

@ChaosGamerΕΛΥēelū Do you have the rep to close questions?

Matt Ellen Д

4:42 PM

@z7sgѪ mutiny on the good ship EL&U!

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

No.. But I could translate most of the priate sayings.

KitΘδς

@ChaosGamerΕΛΥēelū Awesome. Rep harvesting.

Matt Ellen Д

@MrShinyandNew安宇 alas I can't close questions.

KitΘδς

Arrr! Prepare for ye rep cap to be blown!

Matt Ellen Д

I'm more of a cabin boy

KitΘδς

4:43 PM

@MattEllenД giggle

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

You know, the thing with pirates and planks are myth. they ever used plank to drown their victums.

also parrots. They never had parrots.

this myths was all created through literacy.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@ChaosGamerΕΛΥēelū Avast! We don't need facts, you land lubber! Arr

z7sg Ѫ

@ChaosGamerΕΛΥēelū I'm sure Long John Silver had one. In fact, most peoples' idea of what a pirate is, is basically Silver.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@MattEllenД Ahoy then. Ye can earn the rep in time for the 19th!

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

What! Whata about Black Beard? Atleast he was real!

Matt Ellen Д

4:45 PM

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Hopefully

@ChaosGamerΕΛΥēelū I have a red(ish) beard!

KitΘδς

6 mins ago, by Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

*This question has been closed as not-pirate-related by KitΘδς, MattEllenД, MrShinyandNew安宇, z7sgѪ, and ...?

This is still giving me giggling fits.

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

Right, but we do need to work hard not to let Jasper Loy go into Davy Jones's locker.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitΘδς If only we could add new close reasons when we close stuff.

Matt Ellen Д

@KitΘδς :D

KitΘδς

Did you know that "Avast!" is probably from the Dutch?

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

4:47 PM

Avast means stop or halt

KitΘδς

@MrShinyandNew安宇 He's back, did you see him?

@ChaosGamerΕΛΥēelū Aye, houd vast!

So @Cerberus must use it all the time.

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

I sure could use peices of eight!

KitΘδς

Makes sense what with the Flying Dutchman and all.

Matt Ellen Д

Dear Noodles,
As your landlord, it is my duty to inform you that your tenancy has been ended due to non-payment of rent. I shall now commence devouring you as per the contract between us, to cover administration costs.
Yours,

Matt

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

Whos noodles?

Matt Ellen Д

4:49 PM

my noodles

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@ChaosGamerΕΛΥēelū We talk to our food now before eating it.

Didn't you know? all the cool kids are doing it now.

KitΘδς

2 hours ago, by KitΘδς

Hello, salad. I will be the person to eat you today.

^ Thread starts here ^

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

Dudes, whoever talks to their food is moron. i just devour it moment I see it.

Matt Ellen Д

I'm writing bureaucratic letters

KitΘδς

You, too, can become a bellicophagist.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

4:51 PM

@MattEllenД Your food must be better educated than my food, which is illiterate.

Hm, I ate pasta today, with red sauce and two meatballs. And now I'm talking like a pirate.

KitΘδς

@MattEllenД I'm enjoying the variety of methods.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

Arr! I'm becoming a pastafarian!

KitΘδς

Ramen!

Matt Ellen Д

@MrShinyandNew安宇 I doubt it. I mean, it couldn't even pay its rent on time.

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

@Kit I just ate ramen.

KitΘδς

4:53 PM

@ChaosGamerΕΛΥēelū That's how pastafarians end their prayers.

Matt Ellen Д

@MrShinyandNew安宇 there's something about unicorns in pastafarianism, if I'm not mistaken

KitΘδς

You know, their supplications to the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

@MattEllenД No, no, no. IPU is a wholly different sect.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@MattEllenД I think you're referring to Invisible Pink Unicorns. They're some kind of heretics or pagans or something. EEEEVIL

Actually I'm not sure what the doctrines of the FSM say about the IPU. I'm an accidental convert it seems.

KitΘδς

I'm pretty sure they are mutually agreeable.

Matt Ellen Д

@KitΘδς oh, ok. I'm not too well read on it :D

KitΘδς

4:57 PM

@MattEllenД Well, you do know that global warming is caused by the decline in number of pirates, right?

z7sg Ѫ

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Unicorns evil? You have been drinking the wrong Kool-Aid, amigo.

Matt Ellen Д

@KitΘδς really? I thought that the number of pirates has been pretty much constant since we took to the seas...

KitΘδς

Flying Spaghetti Monster

The Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) is the deity of the parody religion the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster or Pastafarianism. The "Flying Spaghetti Monster" first appeared in a satirical open letter by Bobby Henderson in 2005, written in protest against the decision by the Kansas State Board of Education to permit the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in public school science classes. In the letter, Henderson parodied the concept of intelligent design by professing belief in a supernatural creator that closely resembles spaghetti and meatballs. Henderson...

You living under a rock?

Matt Ellen Д

@KitΘδς sometimes, when it gets too hot

KitΘδς

@MattEllenД I wish that previewed the actual section.

Matt Ellen Д

5:00 PM

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PiratesVsTemp%28en%29.svg

bah, no SVG for us

but I do love how the x-axis is Number of Pirates (Approximate), but has 17 as one of the numbers. 17 doesn't seem very approximate

KitΘδς

@MattEllenД That's one of my favorite parts too.

> I am the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Thou shalt have no other monsters before Me. (Afterwards is OK; just use protection.) The only Monster who deserves capitalization is Me! Other monsters are false monsters, undeserving of capitalization. —Suggestions 1:1

Matt Ellen Д

:D

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@z7sgѪ I dunno why there can't be evil unicorns. They have weapons on their heads. Surely at some point, one of them is going to decide to USE it.

@MattEllenД I love this quote: 'Somalia has "the highest number of pirates and the lowest carbon emissions of any country."'

Matt Ellen Д

@MrShinyandNew安宇 yeah, it made me chortle :D

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

►

Well, gotta run. If anyone sees @lauren, tell her about TLAP!

KitΘδς

5:14 PM

@MrShinyandNew安宇 I think it's a great idea!

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

We should be speaking in pirate!

KitΘδς

5:45 PM

Saucy vending machine! Give me my M&Ms! Damn you!

trg787

how greecs got here?

Rhŵdri

@KitΘδς Ah, the bellicophagist's natural enemy: the vending machine.

Bogdan Lataianu

@trg787 see meta.english.stackexchange.com/questions/1706/…

Lauren Ψ

hey everyone

Rhŵdri

Hi @Lauren

Lauren Ψ

5:56 PM

i saw my name mentioned in here - did someone have some ideas they wanted to share or something?

what is with the unicorns? lol

Rhŵdri

@LaurenΨ Someone had a brilliant idea about Talk Like A Pirate Day. Hang on while I find a link...

Lauren Ψ

ooh its coming up soon isn't it

Rhŵdri

1 hour ago, by Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

Actually, maybe it's too late for that, but it'd be neat if, as a gag, EL&U had a change in theme or something on Sept 19th

The transcript from there on gets a bit piratical :-)

Lauren Ψ

as in the design? or faq?

Rhŵdri

Mr S&N had to leave. I imagine we'll take anything sufficiently silly :-)

KitΘδς

5:59 PM

@LaurenΨ Well, pirate-themed questions, like synonyms and origins.

Lauren Ψ

ah ok

KitΘδς

Also, site-wide English-to-pirate translation, if possible.

Lauren Ψ

I'm investigating how you change language to pirate-talk on google right now

Rhŵdri

There was also this splendidly loopy thought:

1 hour ago, by Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

*This question has been closed as not-pirate-related by KitΘδς, MattEllenД, MrShinyandNew安宇, z7sgѪ, and ...?

Lauren Ψ

looks like you can set the google home page to pirate haha

KitΘδς

6:00 PM

And probably a site skin so people would know that we were playing.

And maybe an avatar shift to pirate themes, like the unicorn gag.

trg787

@bogdan, if someone rename nearby street of Bogdan Khmelnintsky i ll kill him

Bogdan Lataianu

but he was Ukrainean

Lauren Ψ

I don't think we can do a design change, but I can ask about doing something like this google.com/webhp?hl=xx-pirate

not sure if it's possible or not but I will look into it

I agree it would be funny

Bogdan Lataianu

btw Ukrainians pronounce the "g" as "h":Bohdan

KitΘδς

@LaurenΨ And we should have some pirate questions planned. I'm sure it would generate lots of traffic that day.

trg787

6:03 PM

no matter

Lauren Ψ

@Kit like english.stackexchange.com/questions/1216/…

trg787

i pronounce gorod as horod

KitΘδς

@LaurenΨ Yes. Also "What is the origin of shiver me timbers?" or suchlike.

Lauren Ψ

yeah

I'll ask around and see what we can do to be more pirate-themed for that day

if you guys want to come up with fun pirate-talk questions, go for it!

Robusto

@Rhŵdri — I'm kind of tired of the ELU design. It's too self-consciously archaic. The whole parchment thing has been getting on my nerves lately.

Bogdan Lataianu

6:10 PM

@trg787 perhaps "g" is "h in all Slavic languages; the Americans use an unstressed "a" in Bogdan when in fact it should stressed

which help me understand farther how they process the words

trg787

no, i clealry hear that i pronounce h instead of g

Bogdan Lataianu

6:27 PM

yes, trg that's what I say, there is a city Novgorod

as for "a" in the middle of a word I think English is peculiar when it uses a schwa instead of a stressed "a". Other foreigners such as Iranians don't do that. And I correct myself: some Canadians know or ask how to pronounce a foreign name.

Rhŵdri

@BogdanLataianu Would I be right in thinking it's a gutteral "h" (mostly produced at the back of the throat)?

Bogdan Lataianu

let me research

aedia λ

6:46 PM

O carrots, that did grow in the earth; and o sweet chick peas and olives crush'd for my hummus; and o trees felled for my plate; and o dinosaurs whose service on this world I callously waste with my plastic knife; I bid you all a fond farewell.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@aediaλ Good use of the old-fashioned spelling of "oh" :)

aedia λ

@MrShinyandNew安宇 I was trying to think of the proper way to address my carrots and that always makes me think of Alice saying "of a mouse-to a mouse-a mouse- O mouse!"

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

Carrot is divine. You get a dozen for a dime.

Matt Ellen Д

@aediaλ dinosaur? that can't be cheap

simchona

Ok, all caught up with transcript now

Matt Ellen Д

6:54 PM

congrats!

wait. Like all of it?

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

@simchona Eh, whats up, doc?

simchona

@MattEllenД Lol, what happened after I went to sleep

Matt Ellen Д

ah!

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

@simchona Piracy, me matey!

simchona

Oh dear.

Matt Ellen Д

6:56 PM

Prepare ta be boarded! (on Sept. 19th)

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

We are talking like pirates, landlubber!

Matt Ellen Д

yarrr

simchona

@MattEllenД I don't think my boyfriend would like that very much

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

I knew I should have turned left on the alberquerky....

F'x

@KitΘδς oh, and we love traffic so much

Matt Ellen Д

6:58 PM

@simchona Invite him along!

Bogdan Lataianu

@Rhŵdri I give up the research. It's complicated. A Slavic specialist would know better ."Officially, the letter <г> represents both /ɣ/ and /ɡ/, though the latter is only found in borrowings and mimesis. The letter <ґ> is used by some for the latter sound, but it has never belonged to a standard codification of the Belarusian alphabet."

F'x

we should have questions about pirate sex talk, that'll get the multicollider through the roof!

3

aedia λ

@MattEllenД It's no fun to say "thanks, millions of decayed plankton and stuff, and maybe .0000001% dino".

ChaosGamer ΕΛ-Υ ēel-ū

When MJ died, the entire internet traffic rose 11%, compared to 5% rise about swine flu.

Matt Ellen Д

@aediaλ accuracy or fun. It's a tough choice.

aedia λ

6:59 PM

@Fx Oh my goodness. I am covering my mouth to not spray carrots everywhere.