English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

6:00 PM

@KitZ.Fox I often like to read a book and then watch the movie. This was especially pleasant when watching Doctor Zhivago.

Kit Z. Fox

I prefer to read and don't often watch the movie.

I have not read Doctor Zhivago though.

And sometimes, the book doesn't seem worthwhile so I'll watch the movie so I understand the cultural references.

ktm5124

I think it only works when the movie is well done.

For example, I felt really moved and awed by the Doctor Zhivago film. But I didn't feel the same way about the recent Great Gatsby adaptation.

caub

@Tonepoet ok, thanks

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

Can we get more close votes here: english.stackexchange.com/questions/343104/…

like why is that still open

Tonepoet

@caub No problem. Also keep in mind though, that due to the way conjunction reduction works, Nor is usually optional.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

6:04 PM

If only I were a mod, I could just close it. When is the next election?

Tonepoet

You would usually reserve it for emphatic effect.

Kit Z. Fox

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Why that dupe?

There's one specifically about C. I can't find it though.

Tonepoet

You missed your shot to be nominated this time. Also who knows? Elections depend on when we need more staff, right?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitZ.Fox because it answers the question, i.e. that spelling is historic.

the other dupe you posted above, ppl can use that one if they want

I linked it at the bottom

either way it should be closed

Kit Z. Fox

No, not that one.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

6:10 PM

@Tonepoet I know, it was a joke

Jez

Hey all, what's the difference between normal and normative?

Kit Z. Fox

There was one that had an answer from nohat or Kosmo or someone that said "you need C for ch".

Tonepoet

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 That's a gross oversimplification of English Orthography.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Jez normative establishes the norm

Jez

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 perhaps, but not always: "of or relating to a norm"

Tonepoet

6:12 PM

Esp. in the case of Skeptic vs. Sceptic which is largely influenced by Noah Webster's spelling reform.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Tonepoet Sure, but every question about why English spelling is the way it is boils down to "we've always done it this way, and the reasons we had when we first did it may not make sense now, but that's not a good enough reason to change"

Tonepoet

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 The same thing could be said about etymology questions. It's the details which make it interesting, rather than the gist of the sentiment though. I think we're a little too quick to close sometimes.

I think this question is a better candidate for a dupe:

18

Q: Why did "sceptical" become "skeptical" in the US?

Compare the following two Google Ngram Viewer charts for sceptical vs. skeptical in American English and British English: British English American English My interpretation of these charts is that: Before the 1910-1920's, sceptical was used in both American English and British English m...

Kit Z. Fox

5

Q: Why did Old English use C while other Germanic languages used K?

During most the first millennium CE, North and West Germanic languages were written in runic alphabets. Gradually, each language shifted from the runic alphabet to the Latin alphabet. The people who adapted the Latin alphabet for use with a new language chose which letters to align with which sou...

old-english alphabet germanic-languages

I can't find the one I'm thinking of.

Reg would know it.

Jez

ugh, morons using CE instead of AD

it's the year of our lord, for god's sake. around whose birth we base the numbering system.

Kit Z. Fox

ugh, morons commenting on the secularization of our calendar.

Jez

6:22 PM

but it's not secularized. it's still based on Christ's birth.

therefore changing the terminology is idiotic

Kit Z. Fox

Not my lord.

Jez

he's your lord in the sense that it's the claim made

not that everyone accepts it

Kit Z. Fox

He's not my lord in any sense.

Jez

well i just told you how he is :-)

Kit Z. Fox

I agree to call this year 2016, just like everyone else, hence "common era" is a better descriptor.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

6:25 PM

@Tonepoet It's still worth closing even if you find a better dupe than mine. I never said it shouldn't be answered, just that it's already been answered.

Jez

@KitZ.Fox so you agree to base your yearly offset on the reported year of Christ's birth?

Kit Z. Fox

I agree to base my yearly offset on the commonly accepted yearly offset.

It makes communication simpler.

Jez

i rest my case

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Jez People disagree on which year Christ was born in. So no, I don't agree that Christ was born in 1 AD or 1 CE.

Also, some people disagree that he even existed at all, so, no, I don't agree that Christ was born in any particular year.

Jez

i didn't say that, i said the reported year.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

6:29 PM

Except that many people report that he was born in a different year.

Kit Z. Fox

And also not my lord.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

When you refactor code, do you insist on keeping function names and variable names the same as they were, because of tradition?

MετάEd

@Jez Using CE instead of AD is no different than using "that is" instead of "id est".

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English Language & Usage: Multi-Layer…