English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

Noah

11:08 AM

Hello

@RegDwighт How are you?

Robusto

11:34 AM

@RegDwighт I like the part where he says "use of this all word." Which "all" word? C'mon, speak up!

RegDwighт

0

A: So, are non-native speakers not welcome any more?

I have a specific example of this that I would like to put forward. Check out this question in ELU, found HERE: I need to write a short story of 2000 words for a writing contest but I'm unfortunately bounded with given themes or what they call topics. These topics are The Meaning of Me, ...

> I understood exactly what he was asking, even if he was somewhat awkward with the question. I don't believe that those who dumped on the question couldn't have edited it to be more clear, as opposed to downvoting and putting on Hold.

Said someone who's been registered for 14 months and has all of three edits going for him.

I do not understand people.

@Robusto Use–mention. He means "Use of this all word". Kind of like "Press this any button". Or something.

Robusto

Press any key to continue. "Which one is the any key?"

RegDwighт

Yes, yes, see, you understand.

Robusto

Because I'm quick like that.

Jez

> People do not need evidence to prove how they feel. I agree with the sentiment. As a former ESL teacher, I'm used to the differences between learners' questions and natives' cluelessness. But others aren't, I think. And there is this passion for eradicating duplication, which strikes me as totally bizarre on a language site; repetition is the best thing in the world for language learning. – John Lawler Jun 19 at 22:05

does John understand the concept of a Q&A site?

RegDwighт

11:45 AM

Well someone said just that a bit further down.

To which he responded yet again.

hunter2

138 6

Do you also see your password there in plain text?

Jez

no, I just see *******

RegDwighт

Phew.

Matt Эллен

@RegDwighт although that would require two other people to understand it as well, to approve his edits.

Robusto

Too much drama.

Matt Эллен

12:00 PM

If I had a llama for each drama I would start a woollen empire

RegDwighт

@MattЭллен Presumably the whole point of his edits would be to improve the post to the point of others understanding it, no?

Matt Эллен

@RegDwighт but how can you know you understand the original post if you only understand the edit? Maybe the herbalist is wrong

RegDwighт

Then the OP can roll it back.

Matt Эллен

true, true

Robusto

Maybe herbal therapy will fix our issues.

People do not need evidence to prove how they feel. I agree with the sentiment. As a former ESL teacher, I'm used to the differences between learners' questions and natives' cluelessness. But others aren't, I think. And there is this passion for eradicating duplication, which strikes me as totally bizarre on a language site; repetition is the best thing in the world for language learning. — John Lawler Jun 19 at 22:05

How about that point?

Matt Эллен

12:11 PM

I'll quote it a third time

26 mins ago, by Jez

> People do not need evidence to prove how they feel. I agree with the sentiment. As a former ESL teacher, I'm used to the differences between learners' questions and natives' cluelessness. But others aren't, I think. And there is this passion for eradicating duplication, which strikes me as totally bizarre on a language site; repetition is the best thing in the world for language learning. – John Lawler Jun 19 at 22:05

see. we don't care about duplication, at all.

Robusto

Ha, I didn't read the transcript. Sue me.

Repetition is the best thing in the world for language learning.

Repetition is the best thing in the world for language learning.
Repetition is the best thing in the world for language learning.
Repetition is the best thing in the world for language learning.
Repetition is the best thing in the world for language learning.
Repetition is the best thing in the world for language learning.
Repetition is the best thing in the world for language learning.

tchrist

12:31 PM

Yea verily the Asymptote approacheth.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Robusto

1:04 PM

> I also suspect this "energy" is driven by male testosterones.

Jez

dang, i'm so close to getting this program to work, and yet so far

Noah

Hi

Matt Эллен

mmmm. I do like some spam with my suggested edits

Noah

Is two month ago a valid expression?

Matt Эллен

yes

sort of

months is preferable.

Noah

1:09 PM

How's it different from two months ago?

Matt Эллен

2 month ago is a colloquial, informal way of saying the same thing

Noah

Okay.

Robusto

@MattЭллен I would call it dialectical.

Noah

@Robusto And which dialect would that be?

Robusto

In America, rural and Southern, mostly.

Matt Эллен

1:15 PM

@Robusto maybe. I guess it's more likely to be heard in Yorkshire than else where in the UK.

Robusto

I would suspect that certain regional dialects in the UK use it as well.

Noah

@Robusto Talking of Mac, can I install it on VM Ware?

Robusto

@MattЭллен I was going to say North Country in England.

@Noah No. You can install Windows on a Mac with VMWare Fusion.

Anyway, you hear it with measurements as well: "It was forty mile to the nearest post office," etc.

Matt Эллен

I think that happens in all non-U speech in the UK

Robusto

There's an EL&U question somewhere that goes into depth about that particular thing.

Matt Эллен

1:18 PM

do I mean non-U? I mean working class

Robusto

Yeah.

In America it's somewhat class-based, but still regional. You don't hear tradesmen in New England talk about "15 foot of pipe" — or do you? I guess it depends.

There are many different regions in New England, but some are rural. So ...

RegDwighт

I liked the suggested edits on @Rob's shit.

english.stackexchange.com/review/suggested-edits/30709

Sadly I misclicked and they got disapproved.

I hope he submits more.

Matt Эллен

:D

12 mins ago, by Matt Эллен

mmmm. I do like some spam with my suggested edits

Robusto

@RegDwighт Wow. That was random.

RegDwighт

Well, to his defense, your very young indeed.

Robusto

1:22 PM

I blush to think of what this could mean to me.

Next question: Are we ever going to grow beyond this endless soul-searching about how rude we are to people who can't speak English well enough to ask a simple question?

Matt Эллен

I think it would be rude to the people who like complaining for us to move on.

Robusto

Let them whinge all they want on ELL. That's what it's for, innit?

KitFox

I am feeling smug this morning.

Ah! Shark!

Robusto

Do go on.

RegDwighт

Well if I weren't a mod I would of course all too quickly point out that we are not here to be nice. Being nice is not the purpose of this site.

KitFox

1:27 PM

@Reg Hi!

Matt Эллен

@KitFox good, good :D for why be ye Smaug?

Robusto

Smaug is afraid of a little plastic shark? Pfft.

RegDwighт

The purpose of this site is to answer on-topic questions. That is all.

In fact they actually said just that in the most recent official blog post.

Robusto

Can we speak English without using air?

RegDwighт

I was kind of happy to read it.

@KitFox Wo?

Blog - Stack Exchange: The War of the Closes

Jay Hanlon on June 25, 2013

It pains me when I hear people say that our sites are unfriendly, or that we chase new users away. But it’s a hard problem, because our highest priority has always been the quality of content on our sites. And it still is. We can’t lower our standards. We won’t.

But we have been working hard to make our sites more welcoming, reminding users that feedback can be clear and nice, and helping new users learn the ropes before they get frustrated. And, as of today, we’ve completely overhauled closing. …

KitFox

1:29 PM

So my MiL's boyfriend, who I will refer to as the ARC (animated rotting carcass), has had two strokes. He was complaining of headaches daily for over a month or so. I suggested to my MiL that he ought to have a doctor check that out. She said he kept cancelling the appointments.

RegDwighт

> we don’t care as much about nice as we do about quality

KitFox

@RegDwighт Dich!

Well, he finally had an MRI this morning and they sent him to the ER because he's having brain bleeds.

RegDwighт

@KitFox Donauschiffahrtskapitänsmützenständerbeiseiteschieberinnenagenturvorsteher!

Robusto

@RegDwighт Yes. Because euphemisms are always better than the unvarnished truth, ne?

Matt Эллен

@Robusto on the internet they score you almost as many points as unsubstantiate opinion promoted as truth

Robusto

1:31 PM

We should bring back "Nuked From Orbit" instead of closed. Fuck this "on hold" mealy-mouthed bullshit.

@MattЭллен What is this internet you speak of? Is it a game?

KitFox

I think we ought to have a "Haz u tryed jQuery?" close option.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox blood escaping through the barrier?

Robusto

27 mins ago, by Robusto

> I also suspect this "energy" is driven by male testosterones.

Hellz yeah, baby! Roid rage rules!

KitFox

@MattЭллен I don't think so. I imagine the headaches are because of increased intracranial pressure.

Matt Эллен

@Robusto it's like if real life only had emotional consequences

RegDwighт

1:32 PM

So every time people complain how a downvote means "I hate you go away and kill yourself", we keep telling them "nonono, that's not what it means", but what we actually should be telling them is "that's not what it means, but it wouldn't matter even if it did".

Robusto

@RegDwighт I would settle for them going away and administering themselves a severe beating. No killing necessary. See? Kinder and gentler ...

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitFox ouch.

KitFox

So I was hoping that he would just keep putting it off until it killed him, but really the ARC comes from a family of nasty people who can survive anything in the most unpleasant and inconvenient way possible.

But at least my MiL can pop him in a facility when he's a vegetable.

RegDwighт

That's how it works, though. The heaviest smokers live the longest. And the people who keep complaining how they are about to die any second go on to outlive everyone, and everyone's children.

KitFox

Funny you should say that, since he is a heavy smoker.

RegDwighт

1:36 PM

Well. That's like QED or something.

KitFox

Hey, our incompetent financials person just made the decision to move to a new position on campus, a "wonderful opportunity [that] has recently become available" for her.

RegDwighт

waiting for the punchline

Matt Эллен

no more incompetent finances?

or simply noöne to do them?

RegDwighт

There's always someone to do incompetent finances.

Matt Эллен

@RegDwighт Danube Cruise captain's hat stand aside agency head slide inside

RegDwighт

1:40 PM

Just the head.

Wait, what?

KitFox

I just think it's funny. Like sending your old dog to a nice farm in the country.

Matt Эллен

yes. "wait, what?" exactly

RegDwighт

I did make it up as I went along, but I didn't make up that.

Matt Эллен

:D

KitFox

And the ARC reminds me of the blind and deaf rickety terrier that you never really liked anyway, that smells funky and can't hold its bowels and pees in random places and constantly shivers.

RegDwighт

1:42 PM

@MattЭллен Boss of the agency for women who push aside the hat racks for Danube Cruise captain's hats.

Matt Эллен

oh! of course.

RegDwighт

Roughly.

Doesn't need to be boss. Could be CFO.

KitFox

@RegDwighт Could be they created that wonderful new opportunity solely to move the incompetent financials person into it.

It looks like your shark is trying to eat my vole.

Robusto

Mostly sharks don't eat people. They just want a taste.

KitFox

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

1:47 PM

@Cerb if you find your phone too small you could always go with the fonepad

RegDwighт

Mmmmh. Tasty vole.

KitFox

Maybe I should get a tablet with a headset...

@RegDwighт Oi! That's my lunch!

RegDwighт

The next logical step in the evolution of the tablet is to drop the T at the end and add an I at the front.

Robusto

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 That's not a fonepad. That is a normal Samsung Galaxy S. The person using it, however, happens to be very tiny.

RegDwighт

He's a smurf.

KitFox

1:50 PM

I was thinking of getting an S3. Is it worth it? I mean, considering it would be free.

Robusto

No. Not worth free.

RegDwighт

There's no such thing as free breakfast. You get what you pay for. [Truism of your choice here.]

Robusto

A stitch in time saves nine.

KitFox

Free lunch.

Robusto

A penny saved is a penny earned.

Matt Эллен

1:51 PM

I get a free breakfast if I pay for it?

KitFox

sighs

Robusto

All cats are black in the dark.

RegDwighт

Measured hundred feet and penny pound.

A Lilo in time saves Stitch.

KitFox

22 hours ago, by KitFox

I've been thinking about getting a new phone, since my Desire is pretty broken.

RegDwighт

Wait if it's pretty when broken, why get a new one?

Matt Эллен

1:52 PM

because pretty things that don't work are not desired

KitFox

Yes, that.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitFox The galaxy S3 is a decent phone. do you plan to do anything crazy with it? If not, you will probably enjoy it.

KitFox

@Matt knows where it's at.

Robusto

►

RegDwighт

@MattЭллен you don't know women.

Matt Эллен

1:53 PM

:O

RegDwighт

@KitFox you don't know women.

Robusto

Nobody knows women. Not even women.

KitFox

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 No crazy. Phone, pics, calendar.

RegDwighт

I guess you've never heard of a woman buying shoes that she couldn't physically put on.

KitFox

Because she might lose weight!

RegDwighт

1:54 PM

Yeah. She could lose half a foot!

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitFox Personally, I prefer the Nexus phones because Google keeps them up to date more. But I recommended the GS3 to my parents.

RegDwighт

Everyone knows that when you lose weight, it's not your ass or boobs that are getting smaller. It's the feet.

KitFox

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Well, free or cheap is important, and I really don't use my phone for much. My husband is the technophile.

Robusto

Hey, my new car's iPod interface allows gapless playback! I am so excited.

KitFox

@RegDwighт Exactly.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

1:54 PM

If you want to get a top of the line phone, and you care about the latest updates, Google sells the GS4 in the Play store with pure stock Android, no Samsung add-ons. I'd prefer that over a regular GS4, myself.

RegDwighт

Technophiles are so 1990. It's Bieberphiles now.

KitFox

My husband has the S4. He likes it.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitFox Ah. Well, then, if the GS3 is free, I'd say go for it. It's a year old, but it's still quite good a phone.

KitFox

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Sounds like a good enough for me phone.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

Is it "free with 3 year contract"?

RegDwighт

1:56 PM

@Robusto What's next? Banana-republic-free playback?

Robusto

@RegDwighт One can only hope.

RegDwighт

Not in the US.

KitFox

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 US Cellular. Free with earned points or whatever the fuck.

Robusto

I'd settle for Old Navy-free playback.

RegDwighт

Then Piperlime and Athleta.

Matt Эллен

1:57 PM

@Robusto that's the god of the gaps. with one hand she gives and with the other she takes away

RegDwighт

I don't understand this god-of-the-gap thing.

Robusto

New sugar-coated close reason:

We regret to have to state
Your question's simply second-rate
The way your contribution reads
Could scarcely fit our present needs

RegDwighт

I don't understand Matt's starred shit, either.

KitFox

Shark!

Robusto

Matt has starred shit? What, has he been eating sprinkles again?

RegDwighт

1:58 PM

He's been eating hello kitties.

Robusto

Them's yummy.

Matt Эллен

I... no. I don't think so anyway

RegDwighт

Flavor du jour.

Robusto

Oh, I love flavor du jour.

KitFox

Speaking of shit, I miss that Jasper.

I should email him.

RegDwighт

1:59 PM

That was unexpected.

KitFox

And tell him we were talking about poop.

Robusto

@KitFox We could all pitch in and throw in some non sequiturs. Look, you just did!

Matt Эллен

@RegDwighт when science doens't provide an answer, god did it. It fills any holes in your undrstanding of the universe, and between songs on the iPod

RegDwighт

Presented by M. Night Shmuck or whatever his name's spolen.

KitFox

@Robusto Hey, I stuck down countertop last night. I'm probably still high.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

2:00 PM

@MattЭллен And it fills in holes in Rob's new countertop, or spaces between it and the wall.

Robusto

I doubt it. Sticking-down-countertop highs don't last too long.

RegDwighт

♪ She was gonna email Jasper, but then she got high... ♪

Matt Эллен

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 yes, exactly

RegDwighт

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Rob's top is pretty filled, counter or otherwise, new or otherwise.

KitFox

Rob tops?

Robusto

2:02 PM

From the bottom.

KitFox

Oh, that always bugs me.

Backseat drivers.

Robusto

You love having your backseat driven. Admit it.

RegDwighт

Jun 15 '11 at 12:55, by Robusto

KitFox

@Robusto Alas, I can only wish that were true.

Robusto

If you wish hard enough, it might come true.

KitFox

2:04 PM

That's what the books all keep saying.

Robusto

Jun 15 '11 at 12:42, by RegDwight

Behind every great man there's a greater man.

KitFox

Doesn't seem to do any good though.

RegDwighт

@Robusto Or a greater building, as in this case.

Robusto

Jun 15 '11 at 12:42, by RegDwight

RegDwighт

Peekaboo!

Robusto

2:05 PM

So what is Putin's next career move?

Matt Эллен

with the right angle you could take them both at once

RegDwighт

No moves necessary. He's beat the final boss.

KitFox

OK, so how is it that 5+2+1+1+1 = 5?

Matt Эллен

it doesn't

RegDwighт

Yesterday I watched that Community episode where they're all in that jump'n'run. With Gus Fring. It was the awesomest juice ever.

Matt Эллен

2:07 PM

unless you round every number less than 5 to 0

RegDwighт

It was so well done, not all games are that well done.

You could even tell sprites from the background. Stuff like that. I dunno how they did it, but they did.

Matt Эллен

special effects

Robusto

They are awesome.

RegDwighт

The attention to detail was staggering.

Robusto

So is Giancarlo Esposito, btw. He is an amazing actor, quite apart from his stellar Breaking Bad performance.

Speaking of which, are you up to speed yet on BB, @Reg?

RegDwighт

2:10 PM

Oh I wish. It looks like the old lady tossed Season 5 into the ocean.

Robusto

Which old lady? Merkel?

RegDwighт

Wiki sez, her name is Gloria Stuart.

But that can't be true.

Robusto

Who she? Why she do that?

RegDwighт

I mean this lady, obviously.

Anyway. Season 5 has yet to wash up these shores.

Robusto

Oh, that old lady.

RegDwighт

2:12 PM

Yes. That old lady.

Robusto

Speaking of funny shows, though, has anyone seen Ricky Gervais's early opus, called Extras? It is hilarious.

RegDwighт

Though it's not like we can't discuss Season 2, say. You always keep asking about full speed, but it's not clear to me to what end, since we never actually discuss anything.

Robusto

How many seasons have you completed?

RegDwighт

Two through four.

Matt Эллен

@Robusto I'm not a fan of the office, but I do like Extras. Especially the Patrick Stewart one

Robusto

2:13 PM

@RegDwighт You haven't watched Season One?

RegDwighт

I am about to do that, since they won't bring out Five.

Robusto

@MattЭллен Which version of The Office? The American one had a few very good years.

@RegDwighт After you do that, please write a blog about how not to watch Breaking Bad.

Matt Эллен

@Robusto The UK version. For some reason I like the American one.

RegDwighт

@Robusto I might write one about how my way is the only correct one since it makes you appreciate the series more and not less.

Robusto

@MattЭллен The UK one is funny, but it's way too painful. Plus Steve Carell has some kind of magic.

@RegDwighт Pfft, sez you.

RegDwighт

2:15 PM

Exactly. Because you don't know that.

Matt Эллен

@Robusto Yes. Too painful. That's how I find it.

RegDwighт

But anyway, see how you keep distracting and deviating and making up excuses again.

We could have put this time to good use to discuss a particular scene in a particular episode. Instead we wasted it.

And now I gotta go do some Human Release Testing.

Robusto

It takes two to waste time not discussing something.

RegDwighт

Actually in the case of Human Release Testing it takes one.

Matt Эллен

lol

RegDwighт

2:18 PM

@Robusto I'm just saying. I was under the impression that you were bursting with desire to discuss things, especially ever since your best buddy left with whom you would normally do that. But fast forward month after month after month, and you keep postponing any and all discussion. You're either masochistic or afraid.

Robusto

@RegDwighт OK, let's schedule a time to talk.

KitFox

@RegDwighт Maybe he just doesn't want to get hurt again.

RegDwighт

I am available on Fridays, GMT.

KitFox

Freitagmorgen?

RegDwighт

That's Thursdays in English.

Jinx.

Matt Эллен

2:19 PM

That's because we're currently running on BST

Robusto

Freitag ist nicht frei.

RegDwighт

Freitag macht frei.

Robusto

Wer macht frei?

Oder Wehrmacht frei?

Wehrmacht Fries!

KitFox

I didn't eat them.

RegDwighт

Frispellingbee.

Robusto

2:21 PM

Wehrmacht Fries put the offel in Kartoffeln.

RegDwighт

Kart off.

Robusto

I thought you had to test some humans or something.

I think he just did.

Minions!

What else is new?

2:24 PM

Tweened.

Eep! Want!

Oh that is sweet. I know what I'm building tonight.

Except I don't have that many magnifying glasses.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

I don't have those hollow 1x1 round plates

RegDwighт

Right. I remember.

Get Shave the Sheep.

It has like 8999.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

2:26 PM

from here

RegDwighт

That's some interesting SNOT. I'm not quite sure at which point the switch happens.

Robusto

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 LEGO RPG?

RegDwighт

That, um, belt buckle or whatever, is still upside up. But the blue layer below it is already upside-down.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Robusto anything's possible. the smoke trail is lego ice-cream.

KitFox

A plate with a single ... must have those lantern looking pieces in the middle.

RegDwighт

2:29 PM

No room.

If I understand you correctly.

You're not quite using the official terminology!

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 yeah that one's old. The rest of the build is more exciting.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

what if they used something like an axle to hold the two halves together?

KitFox

Speaking of hurting brains, apparently the ARC's brain is still bleeding, so they are going to do a CT scan. I have to go get my boys from daycare in a little bit.

RegDwighт

For example, that single-glass glasses. What part is that? I hope he didn't just break or cut a bar or a hose.

KitFox

@RegDwighт I know. I'm such a n00b.

RegDwighт

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 that's what I'm thinking. Well, I am thinking cheese slopes, but there's no room for that either.

In any case, illegal building techniques. Sadly.

Robusto

2:31 PM

@RegDwighт Verboten?

RegDwighт

@Robusto Sehr viel so!

Robusto

Weh!

RegDwighт

Why did my message go out @Kit? I specifically said Mr Shiny.

Stupid chat is stupid at times.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@RegDwighт I read somewear that cutting hose is not considered verboten

RegDwighт

Only people who cut hose say that.

Jez

2:33 PM

@KitFox what's ARC?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

yeah. I'm with you on that one.

@Jez Autoerotic Random Caterpillar.

KitFox

@Jez Animated Rotting Corpse.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

I do think the one-eyed minion uses cut hose

Jez

huh??

did i miss something?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Jez yes. it's in the transcript for today.

Matt Эллен

2:36 PM

Like in H P Lovecraft's "Herbert West — Reanimator" stories

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Reg in the pic with the RPG you can see that the minion's left monocle strap is a bit of hose.

Also he used cut hose to make the pupils for the eyes too

Jez

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 well im not seeing it

RegDwighт

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Precisely. Thanks for confirming. I wasn't sure I was seeing it right.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Jez chat.stackexchange.com/…

Jez

oh i see it

Matt Эллен

2:38 PM

@Jez chat.stackexchange.com/…

RegDwighт

@Jez zombo.com

Jez

what the feck?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@RegDwighт The most welcoming site on the internet.

KitFox

Anything is possible. Anything at all.

Jez

@KitFox god you're nice

KitFox

2:40 PM

I know it.

Because personally, I would kill him rather than put him in a facility.

RegDwighт

You could put him in a killing facility. Just a suggestion.

Matt Эллен

which would facilitate his being put in a dead body facility

KitFox

See? This is why I love you guys.

Jez

what happened to the hangman bot? :-(

KitFox

I don't know. Zirak's looking into it.

KitFox

2:56 PM

I can't believe I never thought to set this up this way. I can remove dozens of lines of code. And I can't finish writing this little code snippet until tomorrow. sighs Poor me.

Matt Эллен

tomorrow doesn't mind waiting

Robusto

►

Matt Эллен

Yeah, tomorrow's an ignorant waster

Robusto

*wanker.

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