Language Overflow

Eddie Kal

00:00

Dang you still got more than me

AIQ

I got 12

Eddie Kal

Oh in that case I got one more

AIQ

:D

I have 2 hats for 3 types ... So it's kinda like 15 :P but it shows 12

Eddie Kal

Today in a comment I was going to say to BillJ "... isn't the most grammatical place". It was going to be pain to explain why that's the case, so I rephrased it. But then I remembered your joke here the other day

the most grammatical person

AIQ

00:19

Haha Yes, grammar is actually a very difficult thing to explain. Sometimes I barely understand answers written by Colin Fine, Jason Bassford, John Lawyer, tchrist, etc.

I basically grew up watching movies and cartoons in English. That is where I learnt English from. And comics, of course.

So I never actually got to learn the "grammar side of English", if that is what it is called

Eddie Kal

I believe it's John Lawler :P

@AIQ That is the fun part for all of us here: learning from the greats

AIQ

Oh yes sorry, it's lawler

Eddie Kal

There have been some really knowledgeable users on ELL and ELU. Some are no longer active.Gosh I wish they were still around

But one thing is they are not always right

AIQ

Yes, sometimes they seem to disagree with each other (I like reading the comments)

What pisses me off is when the maestros cross over into "logical argument" territory! I am always willing to take a back seat when it comes to English because I know very little. But when it comes to sensible, logical arguments ..., well that is no longer about English!

But that's very rare

Eddie Kal

00:38

lol look who's talking

didn't you make a compelling argument about logic in your Meta post?

AIQ

wait which one

I thought I did, did I not?

Eddie Kal

Typo

I meant to say "didn't you"

I thought that post was very helpful for future discussions

AIQ

Yes, thanks!

My English Literature teachers really disliked me. And so I started hating them, and then I started hating books. We had these creative classes where we had to write stories/poems. I was heavy into reading comics and playing computer games that time. I used to watch a lot of movies. So my stories were always filled with blood and gore, action, missions, stealth combat, super powers, etc. My teacher didn't like those things and called me out in front of the class.

But it was personal. My teacher's son was my classmate. Me and this guy liked the same girl. And she was my best friend.

lol

Eddie Kal

That was in middle school? High school?

I think children should be encouraged to write creatively more

AIQ

I remember she was a senior teacher so she had other English teachers under her spell. lol So none of them really liked me. So, I started working on my English on my own. When we all sat for O'level exams, I came out with an A. And some of the "best" students got a B or a C

Her son got a C.

Eddie Kal

00:47

Nice

I am not familiar with O'level. Is it a national level exam?

AIQ

It's under the UK board.

Eddie Kal

I know one thing or two about the A Level

How is it different from the A Level?

AIQ

British Council

Eddie Kal

Oh administered by two different agencies?

Didn't know that

AIQ

Oh so O'Levels is the final exams we have to sit for after we complete grade 10

no no. Both are under British Council.

Eddie Kal

00:49

I see

AIQ

And A'Levels is the final exams after completing grade 12

These exams are a way to test that we are on par with students who are in UK/Australia/US etc.

Eddie Kal

I know some high schools in the U.S. offer IB

I always took IB and A Level as similar to the SATs

AIQ

Oh, They are quite different. In A' Levels we have to take subjects like Maths, Bio, Accounting, Econ, Phy, Chem and everything else.

Eddie Kal

Oh so the IB doesn't have subject tests?

AIQ

I am not sure about IB

Eddie Kal

00:56

So the SATs are called the SATs because there is the SAT test and there is the SAT subject tests

The subject tests used to be called SAT II (not sure if that's still the name)

There is also math, bio, econ, physics, etc. in the SAT II tests

Students pick their own subjects, as many as they would like to take

AIQ

Yes, but it only has science and maths

Eddie Kal

No, you are talking about SAT I. SAT II has various subjects

Together they are called the SAT__s__

Formatting doesn't work in chat? Interesting

SAT Subject Tests

SAT Subject Tests are 20 multiple-choice standardized tests given by the College Board on individual subjects. They are typically taken to improve a student's credentials for admission to colleges in the United States. Many colleges use the SAT Subject Tests for admission, course placement, and to advise students about course selection. Some colleges specify the SAT Subject Tests that they require for admission or placement; others allow applicants to choose which tests to take. Students typically choose which tests to take depending upon college entrance requirements for the schools to which they...

AIQ

I see

Wait, it doesn't show the business subjects

Eddie Kal

There is no business subject test

Ohh, I did say economics, didn't I

My mistake

AIQ

I meant Econ, Acc, and Commerce

Eddie Kal

01:03

Econ is an AP subject, not SAT

A lot of high schoolers take AP courses and then AP exams so they can get college credits

Advanced Placement exams

Advanced Placement examinations are exams offered by the College Board and are taken each May by students. The tests are the culmination of year-long Advanced Placement (AP) courses. AP exams (with few exceptions) have a multiple-choice section and a free-response section. AP Studio Art requires students to submit a portfolio for review. AP Computer Science Principles requires students to complete the Create and Explore tasks, which are part of the AP grade for the class. == History == The AP exams grew out of programs initiated in 1951. Part of the rationale for advanced placement given in 1952...

I don't know about accounting and commerce, but I am pretty sure economics is in there

AIQ

quora.com/What-is-harder-A-levels-or-SAT

Eddie Kal

Unfortunately the top answer in that Quora thread is incorrect

"SATs are university entrance exams that universities in the USA require on top of you high school curriculum so on top of APs"

Not really, AP classes are much harder than SAT II subjects

students do not have to take any AP exams even if their school offers AP classes

AIQ

I think it's saying students have to take SATs even if they have taken AP classes

Eddie Kal

Oh my mistake

That sounds right

AIQ

So, basically we have to prepare for these A'Level exams for two years straight

Eddie Kal

01:12

But still AP classes and AP exams are separate

Not everybody does the APs

AIQ

And study anywhere from 2 to 5 subjects in depth

Eddie Kal

I see

AIQ

If I had applied for undergrad

in US or elsewhere

I would have needed to sit for SAT

but I didn't. It was too expensive.

Eddie Kal

Do Canadian schools also ask for SAT scores as part of their undergraduate admission?

AIQ

Oh yes

Especially for international students

Eddie Kal

01:14

I know. The SATs, the GRE, all of them. Too expensive. Unreasonably expensive.

AIQ

I don't know about those who grew up here

I took GRE though for gradschool

Eddie Kal

It is a terrible thing that College Board doesn't have a fee waiver policy for international students

I think Canadians may qualify for fee waivers, but that's it

All these organizations claim to be nonprofit, but they are making money off of students

AIQ

Yes. Even if one is able to manage tuition fees, living expenses are quite high (because of the exchange rate haha)

Eddie Kal

Universities in the U.S. have been giving out generous tuition waivers and financial aid to foreign students

I don't know much about Canadian schools, but U.S. schools are doing something commendable in this regard

American students most likely get a package that is a mix of student loans, federal aid, and merit scholarships

AIQ

01:31

I am cooking something special tonight!

Eddie Kal

what are you cooking?

AIQ

It's called Nihari.

It will look like that when it's done.

It's a very spicy dish. All kinds of beef tendons and bones with bone marrow go in it. And then beef too.

Eddie Kal

Wow I just had my culinary horizons busted wide by your picture

Is it considered a curry?

Found a recipe. I am gonna cook it next week

AIQ

01:47

well, if I were to label it, it would fall under "soup"

because it's eaten with paratha (circular bread) and not rice

It's super high in calories, though.

Eddie Kal

Lol in that case my girlfriend is probably not gonna eat it. I am on my own.

AIQ

Oh. I am going to prepare for it by going an additional few rounds of shadowboxing

If you really want to get the best out of it, look into "aloo paratha".

Eddie Kal

Thanks!!

AIQ

Alright, time to go, see you later Eddie Kal :)

Eddie Kal

Enjoy the holidays!

CowperKettle

10:48

Word of the day: burhsittend

Example of use: American burhsittendship.

CowperKettle

11:17

userr2684291

12:46

I wonder how many people will recognize that.

I mean, people under, say, 25.

I just learned that it's anchors aweigh, instead of its more popular homophone.

@M.A.R.!

M.A.R.

@userr!

userr2684291

Huh, the word username has uniform height throughout.

Amazing.

M.A.R.

nice

Oh, stupid "i"

userr2684291

Ikr.

Let me check something.

The longest three such words: curvaceousnesses, nonerroneousness, and overnumerousness. This took me an embarrassingly long time.

I forgot the Perl... thing to extract all the words.

M.A.R.

13:09

The phrase you're looking for is "dark rune"

userr2684291

Dark rune? It's an incantation.

Anonymous

13:36

@userr2684291 Let’s pluralize! nonerroneousnesses

Anonymous

Yay.

userr2684291

13:47

Yes, I was thinking about that but didn't want to push it because I thought I was already pushing it!

@snailcar What do you think about this comment by BillJ?

It's because "that someone else take that case" is a subjunctive clause. It's perfectly normal, though the less formal simple past "took" is also possible. — BillJ 6 hours ago

Why does the "less formal" version sound so wrong to me? Haha.

It's that old story with the covert subjunctive, right, but somehow the "more formal" version sounds completely fine to me, and the other grates on my ears.

Looking at COCA, it's difficult to filter out the results, but all I'm really getting are instances of "reported actions", i.e. he suggested (that) they were going....

There are barely 2 results in COCA, which suggests, in my opinion, that it's just not common. A lot more for a non-preterit form.

Anonymous

15:22

@userr2684291 I agree it's possible but I don't really like it as much.

CowperKettle

Anonymous

@CowperKettle I appreciate you and your dedication to bringing humor into this room. :-)

CowperKettle

15:46

I appreciate your appreciation ))

New Meta Question

17:11

0

Q: Why On Earth do "somebody" show the link to Monica issue?

On the front page of the ELL, (Q&A), I see a link to the recent update on Monica issue J.R and CollenV expressed their resignation, am I correct? Then why don't other moderators or any kind of hidden pro-monica members show us the next moderators election? And what for the link to the above men...

discussion

userr2684291

17:25

This guy.

@FumbleFingersReinstateMonica I am sorry to say I stated the rule of "Four Square". The origin of the idiom is Back to square one. Now, before you make mine ambiguity or some sort, then would you kindly provide me with the link how this game is played exactly in detail or the link to it? To be honest, I am kindly would like to reject any answer from the members of Monica Reinstate party. Thanks. — Kentaro Donates For Monica 1 hour ago

I don't want to / know how to handle that stuff.

I'll flag it just in case.

ColleenV parted ways

18:30

@AIQ I didn’t resign because I wanted to pressure the company to reinstate Monica; I resigned because I don’t want to be associated with a company where a person who acts the way Ms. Chipps acts is in a position of power. So while I’m happy Monica settled her dispute, it doesn’t change anything for me.

2

If anything, that post only reinforces my feeling that I made the right decision.

CowperKettle

I like the way Americans are so active.

In Russia, people just say "nothing will change anyway".

It's like a refrain. No activity will change anything, you will only lose your personal time and money, so it's better not to take part in any "political" activity.

CowperKettle

19:17

Britishism of the day: lashings of [something]

AIQ

20:28

@userr2684291 Wth was that?! It's really hard to explain something to them. They are extremely belligerent!

They don't understand anything you say!

@ColleenVpartedways I am sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. Yes, that "apology" or update sounds very insincere.

M.A.R.

21:53

@userr2684291 Do you really need a DO NOT FEED sign?

@AIQ Oh I think they perfectly do.

AIQ

22:05

@M.A.R. It doesn't appear that way one bit from their Meta questions and comments.

Howssssss your Christmas goin so far @M.A.R.

M.A.R.

@AIQ I gave them the benefit of the doubt for so long and now it's just obvious to me they're trolling.

And have for the past 10 downvoted meta questions or so.

@AIQ Everyday is Christmas for me, in a way!

But it's exam month, and less Christmas-y :|

AIQ

Lol oh yes that is a possibility for sure.

What really? Everyday? Oh, damn, I don't know how to interpret that actually

haha

M.A.R.

@AIQ it's just that I've been taught to appreciate life more

I have my down moments like everyone else, but I have quite a few memories of a worse time, and I can easily compare how much farther I have come

AIQ

I would like to meet you someday and get some of that positivity.

This little kid came up to me at Starbucks yesterday and asked me if I had any games on my laptop. I said yes I got Chess. And he said "Ewwww" and walked to the next person with a laptop.

M.A.R.

However we feel about life at this very moment is mere triviality compared to how we feel about our life in general, which in itself is a triviality to the vast melancholy of the world, so sometimes we should just stop trying to mend the world around us

@AIQ What's that generation called?

Zombies? Are we there yet?

Or was that my generation? I dunno

AIQ

22:16

lol, definitely not yours!

Wow I admire userr's restraint in Meta

M.A.R.

I admire @userr in general but don't tell him

userr2684291

23:04

Thanks, guys. I had to make an exception given that it's Christmas and all, haha.

ColleenV parted ways

23:29

@AIQ Oh I am not upset, I’m sorry I gave you that impression

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