Conversation started Feb 17, 2017 at 19:06.
Skooba
Skooba
Feb 17, 2017 19:06
Hello! I was wondering if someone could answer a question about the scope of of this site, specifically song lyrics?
I read this meta post meta.english.stackexchange.com/questions/995/…
but it is an older post, and it seems the sentiment of the community may have changed over time...
I ask because on the Literature Beta we are discussing the same topic meta.literature.stackexchange.com/q/67/56
and I found the ELU meta post to be helpful
MetaEd
MetaEd
@Skooba I can try.
Skooba
Skooba
@MetaEd It seems like they have become an area of heated debate, at least judging by some of the comments I have seen on newer questions here.
MetaEd
MetaEd
@Skooba I'm not aware of a heated debate, but I think yes there are multiple opinions about what should be closed or left open.
Færd
Færd
Can you say that something (like tap dancing, miniature painting, etc) is an art? Ie, can art be countable in this sense?
Matt E. Эллен
Matt E. Эллен
@Færd yes
Færd
Færd
Feb 17, 2017 19:15
Thanks!
MetaEd
MetaEd
@Færd Yes, and sometimes we talk about the arts (plural) and the sciences (plural) too.
Færd
Færd
Thanks!
Yes, ODO lists the plural arts, but not art (in the sense of 'a branch of art') as a countable noun. Made me wonder.
Matt E. Эллен
Matt E. Эллен
e.g. the saying "It's more of an art than a science"
Færd
Færd
Yes.
Skooba
Skooba
Feb 17, 2017 19:28
@MetaEd Maybe, camp fire heated rather than raging inferno :P
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because...lyrics — Drew Feb 11 at 2:46
not picking on any user, just an example of what I've seen
Matt E. Эллен
Matt E. Эллен
Here's my opinion
It depends on the question, but usually questions about song lyrics are about interpretation, so there isn't a correct answer, and the answers aren't related to English, but to the psychology of the lyricist.
Skooba
Skooba
I see, I hadn't thought of it like that. Which in relation to this Stack's scope would usually mean "too-broad" or "Opinion Based"?
Matt E. Эллен
Matt E. Эллен
yes. usually opinion based, I'd say
MetaEd
MetaEd
@Skooba There are a few low bars any question has to get over, and sometimes lyrics questions don't make it. Is there an actual problem to be solved? Is it actually answerable, or just a matter of opinion? And will the solution help future visitors?
Skooba
Skooba
Would you consider this meta answer to be outdated then? meta.english.stackexchange.com/a/997/148459
I hail from SFF, the king of, "What problem does this solve?"
Matt E. Эллен
Matt E. Эллен
Feb 17, 2017 19:37
@Skooba I think that's basically how we still feel about it.
Skooba
Skooba
Okay, good. I used an excerpt of that answer on an answer I provided on the Literature Meta.
Matt E. Эллен
Matt E. Эллен
cool :D
Skooba
Skooba
Thanks for the responses. You have been most helpful and kind.
Matt E. Эллен
Matt E. Эллен
no probs :)
MetaEd
MetaEd
@Skooba It's less clear than I'd like. As the majority answer says, basically it depends. But it's a bit thin about what it depends on.
@Skooba I'd like to learn more about what y'all do with "what problem does this solve".
Skooba
Skooba
Feb 17, 2017 19:51
@MetaEd Well, I am still relatively new to the SE network as a whole, but I hear that Jeff Atwood was hard on SFF because "It did not solve real problems". But it doesn't really matter because it still fits the SE Q&A model, and there are certainly "experts" there.
Jasper Loy
Jasper Loy
I just got home after walking three hours at my favourite mall @Matt.
MetaEd
MetaEd
@Skooba We get our share of questions that don't solve real problems. Is the paragraph I read on this web page grammatically correct, that sort of thing.
Matt E. Эллен
Matt E. Эллен
@JasperLoy well done
MetaEd
MetaEd
@skooba What can I^h^h^h^h^hwould one call a total asshat who insulted my^h^hsomeone's girlfriend?
Skooba
Skooba
@MetaEd Yeah, I am sure moderating this site can be, uh... unique... at times
 
Conversation ended Feb 17, 2017 at 20:03.