Language Overflow

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userr2684291

00:03

Antiquated vocabulary and constructions aside, I don't really mind it, and I assume the events mentioned in that sentence are already well-known to the reader that the sentence doesn't look as involved as it does at first blush.

But I have no idea why anyone would recommend this book to a learner of English... Questions about old-fashioned English shouldn't be asked on ELL.

Anonymous

@AIQ Style has changed a lot over time. Modern style favors short, to-the-point sentences. Turn the clock back a couple hundred years, though, and sentences get a lot longer.

Anonymous

Of course people are all different, and they all write differently, but there's been a clear trend toward shorter and shorter sentences over time.

AIQ

@userr2684291 Yes, I second that ...

@snailcar True, ... but I wonder why learners continue to read such books ... does it help develop their writing? I don't know ... Maybe because I was never into books in the first place, I don't quite understand the fascination with reading difficult writing ...

Anonymous

@AIQ They might enjoy them.

Jasper

00:51

@snailcar I saw a joke about the coronavirus. They said that in 2020 we would have flying cars, but in 2020, even the planes cannot fly. Just thought of it since I see that you are now a car and have been a plane.

Anonymous

01:08

@Jasper The pandemic has been especially hard on the Flat Earth Society. They fear that the social distancing measures could push people over the edge.

CowperKettle

03:48

Word of the day: ophthalmoplegia

Cardinal

04:11

@AIQ They might read the book not just for the sake of English, but for appreciation of art or maybe to follow the story line.

M.A.R.

@NewMetaQuestion OK, if that's heartfelt, it's your best meta so far

2 hours later…

CowperKettle

06:12

Word of the minute: ring avulsion

1 hour later…

Decapitated Soul

07:16

Word of the second: Breviloquent: (of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words; concise.

Word of the second second: Apricate: (intransitive) to sunbathe or bask in the sun. 2. ( transitive) to expose to sunlight.

Featured Questions

07:50

Q: What is the meaning of "to follow fashion"?

I heard the phrase "follow fashion" at some place, but I'm not sure whether it means "to keen on the news of fashion trends" or "Having the habit of choosing your clothes based on the latest fashion"? I cannot find it in dictionaries except in Cambridge: "He refused to follow fashion." but it i...

1 hour later…

M.A.R.

09:13

@DecapitatedSoul I can totally imagine the random jock declaring on the beach "At the risk of losing breviloquence, ma'am, if you'd be so kind as to relocate your spine so I may apricate in the blazing bless of the noon"

AIQ

Observation: From the last month or so, Cardinal, Decapitated Soul, Daniil, and Jasper have started frequenting ELL chat. This is great ...

M.A.R.

Observation: If you're having Tuna sandwich, always add the fried eggs at the last moment

user435118

@AIQ It's one of my starred rooms, so whenever I click join favourite rooms, I join this chat automatically :)

user435118

@M.A.R. ...

M.A.R.

@Daniil .. .. ..

._ ._ .._

According to the chart, that morse says AAU

I'm encoding life

Or just asparagine

Decapitated Soul

09:30

@M.A.R. Noixe mate

CowperKettle

10:23

Word of the hour: pinyon jay

M.A.R.

@CowperKettle Didn't SE have an employee called Joe Punyon

CowperKettle

That's the matter of O'Pinyon

2 hours later…

userr2684291

12:24

@AIQ Try reading Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow.

Anonymous