English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

@WillHunting I can only CMOS now

user19161

Wow, Debian can adjust the time in the BIOS using NTP during installation too.

remarkable

I must go! much cycling must be done

user19161

It's also remarkable how many problems can be solved by simply restarting your computer.

Q: Is thanks a countable noun? Many thanks or much thanks?

1

A colleague of mine recently wrote in an email "much thanks for your efforts." Does this usage make sense? How does "much thanks" differ from "many thanks"? This is similar to "Is “Many thanks” a proper usage?"

word-usage

Has anyone ever heard "much thanks"?

Apparently Grammar Girl and WordReference Forums have. I have not.

JSBᾶngs

5:13 PM

i'd definitely flag it as unusual. but not unheard-of

A: Is there any term in English for a person who starts a debate, but once he is presented some valid arguments or facts, he quickly retreats?

Well I haven't heard it once in the last 33 years...

0

I believe the word you're looking for is "politician"

user19161

Well, I have not heard too many instances of either form.

What's with the joke answers as of late?

user19161

@RegDwightѬſ道 For a moment I thought that was spare oom since it is green.

user19161

@RegDwightѬſ道 They see the jokes in the comments and then monkey see monkey do but it goes in the answer instead.

user19161

5:16 PM

So in the FAQ we should include "Jokes may be in the comments but not in the answers". QED

Yeah, and the first sentence of the FAQ should be, "Everybody must read the FAQ". Duh.

user19161

I would only use "thanks" or "thank you" or "thank you very much" myself.

5:33 PM

Commute. Laters.

@RegDwightѬſ道 I think I've heard it.

KitFox

6:33 PM

@RegDwightѬſ道 Less people say much thanks then many thanks.

Eek!

6:57 PM

@RegDwightѬſ道 Immediate disqualification for citing Grammar Girl as an authority.

@Robusto I fail to see how I cited her as an authority.

If anything I did the exact opposite.

Anyway. I'm actually more interested in that crazy fella who spent OVER 9000 bucks trying to defeat us the other night.

4.5k damage, 150 battles.

He spent a nice sum on watching a number on a web page go down by 1.

Q: Should "head teacher" be capitalized, when it's not really anyone's occupation

@RegDwightѬſ道 I'm talking about the question itself. Not your reference to the question.

1

Basically I want to say 'from my head teacher', but his occupation is not really that, should it still be capitalized?

capitalization title

Hmm, what kind of teacher, exactly? And what do you mean it's nobody's real occupation. Do you think professionals learn that stuff on their own?

7:18 PM

head teacher is the teacher that runs the school. However, I don't know what they mean when they say "his occupation is not really that"

well, I suppose I can parse it, but I can't make sense of it. He's not the head? So why are you asking about capitalising head teacher?

Hello. I still cannot get used to this mobile layout.

Hi! I presume you are on an Iphone?

iPod touch.

Close, though.

Ah OK, so you have a data plan with that?

Nah, I have wifi at school.

7:30 PM

Ah!

Nice.

It is rather fleeting, though.

Not on mobile anymore.

What do you mean?

Oh, I have two devices with me.

Class started, so I pulled out my MacBook Pro and switched over.

By the way @MrShinyandNew, didn't you say Iphones weren't more expensive than Android phones if you look at similar hardware?

@Mahnax Ah, haha.

Can you pay attention to your teacher at the same time?

@Cerberus The iPod is handy for walking around and chatting, or chatting while in class.

@Cerberus This is a module-based option class, no teaching.

Just a bunch of people doing their own things.

Teacher is available to provide assistance when necessary.

7:37 PM

Ah I see.

Right now I'm doing the crappy intro-to-everything module.

After that, Web Design.

Oh, your school offers such things as part of subjects?

Or is it something on the side that you won't be graded on?

I am graded, but it's an option class.

Essentially, unless I plan to take up this class in university, my marks don't matter.

Oh I see...

So you can graduate with hat class on your list even if you got an F?

Yes. This is called Communications Technology, which encompasses graphic design, web design, print media, etc.

@Cerberus Yep.

7:39 PM

OK.

Cool.

Well, as long as I get enough credits elsewhere (already achieved).

Good.

I imagine that I will do fairly well in this class.

I plan to do four modules: the intro, Web Design 1, Web Design 2, and Typing.

If I finish those four before the end of the year, I get a spare.

This is one of the projects that I did for the intro module.

It doesn't really resemble a lemon as much as it resembles a splash of yellow.

Oh, nice!

Merci.

7:44 PM

mmm zesty

I made that using a very simple program, the Mac equivalent of Paint.

There is no equivalent!

Nothing is as basic as Paint.

It basically hasn't changed since Win 3.1.

it's actually been improved in Win7

At least in XP.

I was surprised to find

7:47 PM

Hmm yes.

But it is no fun if you improve it!

@MattЭллен Le gasp.

@Mahnax I know!

@MattЭллен Vous savez, n'est-ce pas?

oui, c'est vrai

Aha!

7:50 PM

@Cerberus hehe, yeah. Where's the challenge?

Exactly!

you get all these shapes for free:

Where?

in paint

Sorry, I just had to interrupt.

I knew where.

7:53 PM

thanks, I appreciate it :D

Anytime.

@MattЭллен "Which one of these shapes does not belong?"

@MattЭллен That's cheating!

the one that looks a bit like mountains

vows never to use the new Paint

7:54 PM

because that's the polygon tool, not an actual shape

@Cerberus stay strong!

@Robusto has the sesame street song in his head

the spray can effect is as crappy as ever though :)

@MattЭллен The spray can is supposed to be crappy.

@Cerberus Do you still use winfiles?

I probably would if I knew what they were...

Wow!

I like it.

7:58 PM

@Cerberus Not "they" ... it.

brydon.net/winfile

@Cerberus thanks! It's an original Mellen.

Sorry, I meant "winfile" and not "winfiles".

It doesn't explain what Winfile actually does...

File Manager (Windows)

:The "File Manager" is also a development API for the Mac OS File Manager is a file manager program bundled with releases of Microsoft Windows between 1990 and 1999. It was a single-instance graphical interface, replacing the command-line interface of MS-DOS, to manage files (copy, move, open, delete, search, etc.). No program closely similar to File Manager was included in Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 and later versions; instead the more general Windows Explorer was introduced, with file management via a 2-pane view different from File Manager's, and a single-pane view obtained by cl...

8:01 PM

@MattЭллен I could get Gimp with Macports.

Oh, nice.

@Mahnax I recommend it, if you're willing to learn how it works. the interface isn't the most intuitive thing I've come across

I liked Gimp.

But I like PS better.

@MattЭллен I've used it before, a little.

Photoshop is pretty good.

8:04 PM

I've not used PS much. not for years, I think

from what I hear, PS is better than GIMP (as you'd hope, with that price tag)

@Robusto By the way, I like Win 7's basic Explorer better than XP's.

I've added some Win 7 features to my XP Explorer, like Breadcrumbs.

@MattЭллен It is indeed.

@MattЭллен Certainly.

More polished and tested, more functions, more detailed settings, etc.

Alright, I'm out of here for a while.

Bye!

8:09 PM

cya @Mahnax

were you running earlier, @Cerberus?

Yup.

How was it?

And bought tea on the way, so I had to get going before the shop closed.

And filter thingies.

filter thingies?

It was OK. I just hate running.

8:15 PM

like for a water filter?

are you doing it for keeping fit?

Lose fat, mainly.

is that a reusable tea bag?

what do you filter with it?

It is in theory reusable, but it's thin paper, so...

I put tea in it and use it as a tea bag.

8:17 PM

ah

It is a bag, actually.

It's hard to find a metal or plastic tea filter that fits in a thermos and is large enough.

I see. you take tea on your run?

And throwing bags in the bin is less work than emptying a metal filter.

@MattЭллен I run with cup and saucer in my hand.

lol :D excellent. The Queen would approve

Otherwise I would have to do without tea for half an hour or more.

Yay!

8:19 PM

a friend of my brother's does marathons. he runs for hours. I assume he has to forgo tea the entire way!

I presume there are tea pit stops along the route.

Oh, yes, that would be handy

Where you can pick up a cup of tea running.

honestly, facebook, why would I care that someone I used to know "liked" a picture of a washing machine?

5

user19161

@MattЭллен That's why I don't join FB!

user19161

8:32 PM

@Cerberus They must be aliens having cupcakes in a flying saucer.

Hello!

user19161

I think we should really set up EFL SE. It would be very popular and useful for many.

user19161

@Mahnax Boo!

user19161

EFL will then overtake ELU in a few months.

@WillHunting Ollo!

@WillHunting What is EFL?

user19161

8:36 PM

@Mahnax English as a foreign language

@WillHunting It's more common to say ESL, English as a Second Language.

user19161

@Mahnax Yes but I hated second because it could be third.

@WillHunting Oh, pah.

user19161

@Cerberus But you don't look fat!

@WillHunting you're thousands of miles apart - that's just perspective

Q: Can you retype the handwritten queations for me?

8:43 PM

Well, I'm off again. English time.

Bye!

user19161

-1

My prof has given me some notes and questions but her hand writing is hard for me to read. Be cause it is hand written. Could you please retype at least one question for me so I can start with my homework? Link

writing writing-style reading

cya @Mahnax :)

user19161

@MattЭллен You are so funny.

I know - it comes with the beard

user19161

I think the question above is off-topic.

user19161

8:44 PM

I kind of chuckled when I saw it.

@WillHunting I agree

user19161

Ah closed!

user19161

@gigili New photo I see!

user19161

But topic aside, I think he should just ask his prof about the handwriting. I think he has a sufficient grasp of English. In any case it is a matter of handwriting analysis!

@WillHunting I'm not fat.

user19161

8:53 PM

And I think the prof should not be so lazy. He should at least type out the question or write more legibly. I hate these profs.

Gigili

@WillHunting Good.

user19161

I had some profs who were not even sure what they were lecturing on. They just took another lecturer's notes, came to class, and pretended to follow the material.

user19161

I think this type is overpaid and underworked.

@Cerberus from what you showed me, you just need a strict regime of blinking, and you'll be looking good all the time ;)

user19161

@MattЭллен Oh I must have missed something!

8:58 PM

@WillHunting I think you're taking that questino -way- too seriously. It is totally crazy.

How could they possibly have mistaken ELU for a personal assistant site?

user19161

@Mitch But even then I think this is not a matter he should ask on any forum. He should just ask the writer himself.

(to answer my own question, by not paying attention to anything at all)

@Mitch I think you mean queation ;)

user19161

@MattЭллен At first I thought he meant equation.

oh yeah!

9:00 PM

@MattЭллен No, I meant questino. It's a really small question.

it could be that too

user19161

Oh nohat deleted it.

a queation is a question that makes you sick to your stomach.

Dammit, I was going to answer it.

user19161

@Mahnax Tell your class about this awesome site!

9:25 PM

@MattЭллен Heh, I'm afraid that doesn't use up as many calories...

Sonic The Hedgehog

youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZIGzpi9lCck

@Cerberus but all the weight was on your eyelids :p

trying to picture situation

@SonicTheHedgehog remove the feature=embedded_player

Feb 12 at 0:59, by Cerberus

Like someone knocked me unconscious just a hundred ms before the picture.

Oh haha!

Yes.

Always happens.

9:50 PM

I am envious

►

good night!

Good day.

We are reading Jane Eyre. sigh

10:35 PM

This new indicator of the number of questions with new activity is kind of annoying.

Also, grey.

Clashes with our nice design.

looks around frantically

Where is it?

I don't see it, but maybe that's 'cause I'm not big and strong enough.

Same here.

Or perhaps because we are in essence land animals.

I'm still mad about the ugly bright red "Share on g+" thing on questions.

10:37 PM

Well I've spent the last half an hour clicking it away, but now that I need it, the site is dead as disco.

Go edit something or post an answer, I dunno.

Hmm yes, the G+ thing looks too much like the new-message icon, but I've learned to ignore it.

It is needless clutter, absolutely.

So where is this new indicator?

At the very top of the question list.

And in the tab title, before the site name, there's a number, just like in chat.

You'll know it when you see it.

It's in your face.

@RegDwightѬſ道 I really don't see it.

Looking at various questions.

I even edited something and I've not been hit in the face yet.

10:43 PM

Not various questions.

Question list.

Maybe it doesn't do it if it's your own.

And now it's up to 2.

Aha!

Oh, but I still don't actually see it on the site.

Maybe it's just there to annoy @Reg.

Don't keep loading the site, honies.

If you go back and forth, you keep loading it anew.

Open the front page in a forsaken tab and let it rot there for a minute or five.

@RegDwightѬſ道 Huh, I really don't have that.

10:46 PM

Well of course it could be a mod-only feature but I fail to see how that wouldn't be totally backwards.

It appears to be just that. Unless it is only for Germans.

Well their nationality detector needs calibrated, then.

CDN.

Gesundheit.

Content Distribution Network.

10:47 PM

No way!

I would of never guessed that!

Then why were you gesundheiting me?

Well I can be krankheiting you instead if you so choose.

Hmm.

Your idea has merit, but no thanks.

Wow, this is weird.

Funny things you get by searching this room for "CDN".

I'm getting spam advertising "replica Rolexes".

10:50 PM

How's that weird?

I think you misspole "normal".

Meanwhile the number is up to 3.

Ah just all kinds of pictures on CDNs...

I don't see any CDNs in those pictures.

@RegDwightѬſ道 Well, if I wanted to buy a fake Rolex, I would click the messages saying "100 % Geniun ROLEX!!!!".

That's you.

So what are these for?

10:52 PM

Who?

The ones advertising fake Rolexes.

@RegDwightѬſ道 I made another edit, but I see no ugly gray thing. I think you're making this up.

@Cerberus For people too cheap to buy regular fake Rolexes.

An April-1 drill?

@Cerberus For people who know that they'll be getting crap, but don't want to be ripped off and pay the full price as if they were genuine.

@aediaλ Ohh...so...fake fake Rolexes are...what, then?

Do they become real again?

10:54 PM

Genuinely fake Rolexes that you need to pay the right price for.

@RegDwightѬſ道 But they will no doubt be paying the same price!

This is all very confusing.

@Cerberus no they won't.

Haven't you ever had a Chinese colleague lecture you about how to bargain should you ever take a trip to China?

user19161

Rolexes are ugly because they are gold.

@RegDwightѬſ道 My condolences.

user19161

10:55 PM

@aediaλ That sounds like how my mum bargains!

@aediaλ Eh I don't know any Chinese people, but I would be interested.

How?

user19161

@Cerberus Shamelessly. :-)

Hmm.

user19161

Just keep reducing the price and threaten not to buy.

Look, you either sell crap pretending that it's just a ginormous discount, or you are honest and admit that it's a fake and just ask for a couple dollars. People appreciate that kind of honesty, and your profit margin is still huge cause those rolexae's cost you like 5 cent to produce

10:56 PM

@WillHunting Yes, that's what my colleague was telling us.

user19161

@aedia Work over?

Nah but I didn't have time to chat all day so I'm taking a small break.

I just ask for the price, then say in a disappointed voice, "oh, thank you". Then I either grab a much cheaper object or start to walk away. If they start to haggle, I say, "oh, no, thank you, I don't really want it".

Trying to figure out what else I might accomplish before I head out.

user19161

@aediaλ Well, you should get some kit kat and coffee!

10:58 PM

I just had some tea and cookies :)