@RegDwigнt Philistine or Babbitt? Wow, I do not understand the bag that holds both of those things. Crude lout or pettifogger? Neanderthal or insurance man?

So if Trump ever does go to jail does he get to take his Secret Service detail with him?

@RegDwigнt My memory wants to suggest that the word ends in -knecht but I don't see how that works, nor do I have a convincing front half of the word. Hmm ... maybe -kerl but not Sheißkerl ... fuck, I don't know. Why did I even start trying to remember this?

Which is better: in the earth, in the ground, or in earth?

Is the phrase "such a tree" okay? Doesn't it sound a bit disparaging?

@CowperKettle Earth, as a mass noun (in earth) means just soil. Could be buried deeply, or just lightly covered. In the ground means much the same, but is perhaps a more modern usage. In the earth should perhaps be In the Earth: you're thinking of the planet, which suggests (to me) something deeply buried, properly within the planet.

@CowperKettle Such a X can be disparaging. Not necessarily. Depends on the context. What are you trying to convey, here?

@CowperKettle In that context it's not at all disparaging. "I planted such a tree in my back yard the other day." The word is really only disparaging if used ironically: "You drove drunk and killed two children. Such a fine specimen of humanity you are."

Note that the literal meaning of the latter sentence is that the person is a fine specimen of humanity. And if that exact sentence follows a different sentence, it could be interpreted that way: "You risked your life to rescue two children from a burning house. Such a fine specimen of humanity you are."

Context is everything.

@CowperKettle Hmm can't they build the church somewhere else?

At least it isn't going to be some ugly building of glass and steel.

@Robusto precisely. The bag holds both.

@Robusto I can't think of anything with -knecht, and -kerl is just too generic in meaning and too unfitting in register.

And also gender-specific.

@RegDwigнt Tru dat.

Meh. I would blame my forgetfulness on getting older, but the real culprit is Google.

Google is the memory crutch that causes your memory muscles to atrophy.

[ SmokeDetector | MS ] Offensive answer detected (79): What is the opposite of BAU? by illudiumpew36 on english.SE

[ SmokeDetector | MS ] Offensive answer detected, toxic answer detected (160): What is the opposite of BAU? by illudiumpew36 on english.SE