English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

Cerberus

01:48

@tchrist See? And those measurements are probably from the Renaissance or even later: in the Middle Ages, they differed on an even smaller geographical scale.

Robusto

02:12

TIL that the habañero pepper, weighing in at a mere 100,000 to 300,000 Scoville units, is not the hottest pepper in the world. Nor is the ghost pepper (bhut jolokia, ~465,000 Scoville). The so-called Carolina Reaper tips the scales at 2 million. What's that like? One brave soul said the sensation of ingesting a clove-sized fragment as being "face-fucked by Satan."

*was like being

EnglishMaster

08:12

If you get a job at Google, don't you think you won't get a chance to work on any serious engineering but removing Youtube comments and answering calls?

Avner Shahar-Kashtan

08:50

@EnglishMaster I got lost in your double-negatives. "don't you think that you won't get a chance" - what are you asking?

EnglishMaster

12:22

NVM sorry

Sato was the featured speaker at last month's international convention on economic policy.

Guys, does "last month" act as a definite article in that sentence?

Or do you need to put a definite article there

Matt Эллен

There is only one definite article

the

The sentence already has it

last month's acts as an adjective

user58869

every day's a school day

Matt Эллен

it's also a noun phrase that takes possession of the international conference

lunch!

EnglishMaster

kthxbye

Matt Эллен

12:44

It's not really an adjective, now that I think about it.

just a noun phrase

Cerberus

It functions like an adjective, adjectivally or attributively.

Matt Эллен

oh, well, in that case I take back my taking back

Cerberus

It might also be called a determiner.

EnglishMaster

attributively

exactly

Cerberus

@MattЭллен Good.

Pennf0lio

13:01

Guys, is there a word to describe "lack of feature",

eg. Buggy, slow, ugly and lack of feature payment system

I want it it to be parallel with some of the words to describe the system. I also don't feel buggy sounds right.

Matt Эллен

feature-poor

as opposed to feature-rich

EnglishMaster

featureless

Pennf0lio

i see. thank you :)

EnglishMaster

Oh, thanks to word family feature of English, the word "featureless" actually exist.

English is a feature-rich language

KitFox

Morning.

Robusto

13:06

Mornin'.

Matt Эллен

Ah. Low

KitFox

Well, they've already started contacting my references.

Matt Эллен

I see, so you've set up the same system of fake phone numbers that I have...

KitFox

It would work out great if got a job offer in the next day or two, because then I could give a month's notice.

Otherwise, things are going to get funky.

Matt Эллен

? because you can't give a month's notice after a day or two?

KitFox

13:11

My general rule of thumb is that you ought to give a pay period's notice, so in my case one month.

Matt Эллен

oh. I see. I don't have that thumb

KitFox

But terminating employment halfway through a pay period is always a bit weird, plus, that puts me pretty close to the Christmas holidays.

Matt Эллен

true

KitFox

Then again, I could take some time off before I start, and begin there Jan 1.

Hmm...

Matt Эллен

sounds like a good option

KitFox

13:17

Sounds like I'm counting my chickens.

Matt Эллен

maybe a little bit, but companies don't usually check refs of people they're not interested in

KitFox

And my refs seemed enthusiastic to recommend me.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox how was that meeting the other day, when you thought you'd be assigned the ex-project lead's wife's project?

KitFox

Oh right. Yeah, they took turns discussing how they weren't retaliating against the project lead by forcing his wife out, and just so we could understand what was going on, they detailed the entire situation.

Matt Эллен

were they getting back at the project lead, by forcing his wife out?

KitFox

13:30

No, no, of course not. She just wanted to have an early schedule, where she'd come in early and leave early, which wasn't acceptable, and she wouldn't agree to any of the alternatives.

Then she had the nerve to continue doing it anyway.

Matt Эллен

I see. What a terrible person

KitFox

But she found a position that was better suited to her finishing her dissertation and taking care of her family anyway.

Matt Эллен

well, that's good

KitFox

So she's also a jerk for not staying.

Matt Эллен

ah, of course

KitFox

13:32

They are so full of contradictions.

Matt Эллен

sounds like management

KitFox

Well, not really. Because the way you make all their hufflepuff conherent is to start with the assumption that they control everyone.

Sorry, that part went with the other thing I said.

You're right, it sounds like management.

Matt Эллен

:D

@KitFox yeah, exactly

KitFox

I was getting worked up about it again this morning.

I was thinking about why they think it is a good idea to nickpick about my schedule, and the only thing I can think of is that they really honestly think they have some sort of hold over me.

That they can force me to do what they think should be done.

Whether I like it or not.

And I just really do not work that way.

Matt Эллен

indeed

KitFox

13:35

I am way too feisty for that management style.

Matt Эллен

It's like they think that management's job is to constrain someone's day, and not motivate someone to produce good quality work

Robusto

@KitFox That means they want you.

@MattЭллен That seems to be the way of the world, managerially speaking.

KitFox

No, it's more than that. He's doing it because he is claiming territory. He wants to have his people cover the entire third floor.

He said in the meeting that it's important because people notice.

Matt Эллен

lol

KitFox

So when I come in, I keep my door closed and the lights off to the extent possible.

He also said "It helps us justify our space, and then people don't end up sharing offices. Nobody wants to share an office."

To which I replied, "I don't mind sharing an office."

Matt Эллен

13:38

so rebellious!

KitFox

Then he told me to be quiet because I was ruining his argument.

Matt Эллен

@Robusto yeah, it's a really frustrating mindset

KitFox

That's the thing though. You can see his mindset. I want to work from home. I don't care if I share an office if I'm not in it.

And most of my colleagues want the same thing.

The 'butts-in-seats' mentality is outdated.

But all he thinks about is his empire.

Matt Эллен

yeah

Robusto

So is the "open plan" seating. What a productivity sink that is.

KitFox

13:41

You know, he said they buy out his teaching time so they can have some control over our positions.

Matt Эллен

I don't get how that works

KitFox

And the other boss was in a snit the other day because the college wanted my supervisor to help with something and she said "They can't touch him. He's mine. They have to ask me for his time."

@MattЭллен They pay the college through some mechanism (probably grants), so they don't have to teach classes, and that money is supposedly used to fund our positions.

Matt Эллен

I see

KitFox

No sense in getting worked up over it though, because I am not going to be working here much longer. And then I will have an entirely different political tapestry to navigate.

Oh! Hey! Our rep just announced that's he's gay! (Which everyone knew anyway, but he's never said so.)

He's running for governor, and the other side had started a whisper/smear campaign about it, so he just outed himself.

Matt Эллен

your union rep?

KitFox

13:45

No, Congressman.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox ha! cool :D

KitFox

House Representative.

I'm very proud of him. He's a great guy.

He's been an excellent rep and he'll be a good governor too.

Robusto

out

KitFox

Out?

Matt Эллен

shake it all about

KitFox

13:48

What was I doing this morning? I feel so buoyant.

Oh yes, trying to track down this one:

> Conversion from string "" to type 'Double' is not valid.

Matt Эллен

ah, an empty string that isn't a double.

KitFox

It must be a date.

I think.

Matt Эллен

you convert dates into doubles?

KitFox

So I must have left a date validator off somewhere.

Dates are doubles.

Matt Эллен

hmmm

KitFox

13:51

Well, then again...this page doesn't seem to have dates on it.

wtf?

I would much rather be writing right now.

Matt Эллен

me too

I'm not entirely sure what's about to happen in the story, beause the protagonist got kidnapped and rescued before I was expecting. It's left things a bit disordered.

KitFox

Maybe it wasn't a real rescue.

An out of the frying pan into the fire type situation.

Something is up this morning. The boss is in earlier than usual and is nervously waiting to meet with the dean.

Matt Эллен

14:07

Yes. He's very confused about the whole situation. It was a real rescue, though. Otherwise the rest of the story won't work :D

KitFox

Maybe it has something to do with Russians.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox oh dear

KitFox

@Robusto But who doesn't, really?

Matt Эллен

14:24

0

Q: Non-essential clause

These alternatives provide a safer, although more costly and less reliable, means to meet our energy needs. Is the non-essential clause used appropriately in this instance? Context: alternatives to nuclear technology as a means of energy

how can something be both safer and less reliable?

that doesn't make sense to me

KitFox

Safer as in it is less likely to kill you.

Less reliable in the sense that it doesn't always work.

So...wind power, I guess. Doesn't always generate enough power, but won't meltdown and give you horrible cancer.

Matt Эллен

I suppose

KitFox

I mean, yes, let's build camaraderie by finding a mutual target.

Sometimes I forget what I'm doing.

Matt Эллен

I'm so tired. I think it must have been cold last night, so I didn't sleep well or something

might be time for the winter duvet

KitFox

My MiL dry cleaned our duvet. I thought that was very nice of her.

Matt Эллен

14:33

indeed

KitFox

It's still bagged in the closet though.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox I do that all the time. In fact I was doing it to my self just after I posted that complaint

KitFox

I wish I had some kind of wrist reinforcers today.

Or ibuprofen or something.

Matt Эллен

I suppose a gun that doesn't work everytime is safer for the person it's pointed at, statistically

KitFox

Oh wish granted.

Matt Эллен

14:35

yay!

Mitch

@Cerberus I can see my house from here.

KitFox

And chocolate.

Still no wrist guards though.

Mitch

safer = it won't make you cough or get cancer
reliable - you may not always have the lights on.

KitFox

@Mitch I like the cut of the jacket in the painting.

Matt Эллен

make some out of hair bands and rulers

KitFox

14:36

Good idea.

Mitch

@KitFox I like the trim of your sail, if you know what I mean.

Matt Эллен

or socks and rulers. socks are probably softer

KitFox

Now my hair is in my face.

Just kidding. That does help some.

Matt Эллен

:D

KitFox

I'm getting a terrific ache in my right wrist.

Matt Эллен

14:38

unless you have those sweatbands for wrists

@KitFox oh dear. not enough support?

KitFox

I crisscrossed the hair band and the pressure helps a little.

Mitch

@KitFox Isn't it annoying when people do nice things? It's all weird in a nice way that you didn't want. Like the duvet is all puffier than usual.

KitFox

@MattЭллен I'm not sure. Usually I do OK, but today it's acting up and I don't have my equipment.

I moved a bunch of it home.

Matt Эллен

ah

KitFox

@Mitch Hahaha. Not in this case, but I know what you mean.

Matt Эллен

14:39

the wrist rests on my desk are company owned

KitFox

Mine are too, but I have splints and handwraps.

Sexy, no?

Matt Эллен

ah

yeah :D

KitFox

Shit. This is suddenly really starting to hurt.

Matt Эллен

at home I have wrist weights

Mitch

@KitFox wait...I hope this is at your soon-to-be old job.

KitFox

14:40

@Mitch Yes.

Mitch

So you're being contrarian because you can?

KitFox

I am generally contrarian.

Like a librarian.

Matt Эллен

a contrarian libraraian who's hairy then a fairy and bavarian

KitFox

I took ibuprofen. What else is good? I tried some stretches, by that seems to be making it worse.

Matt Эллен

more stretches

KitFox

14:43

whinges

Matt Эллен

what helps me is clehnching my fist then stretching my hand out to a star, repeatedly

Mitch

Oh, I thought you meant hurdler's splits for stretching. You mean for you wristss?

Would it help to articulate from the shoulder, like you're drawing on a whiteboard?

KitFox

Mayb ewrapping m scarf arond it with hekop

sighs

I can't fiugure out what's set it off this morning.

Matt Эллен

termites?

KitFox

You think I'm wooden?

Matt Эллен

14:54

maybe you've got wooden wrists

like an artist's manequin

KitFox

narrows eyes

Matt Эллен

although they probably have metal wrists

maybe it's rust then?

KitFox

I did very well on my Voigt Kampffs.

Better than my GREs, actually.

Matt Эллен

:D

Mitch

@KitFox Tell me about you mother.

KitFox

14:58

My mother?

Sure, I'll tell you about my mother.

flips over chat room and wastes @Mitch

Mitch

@KitFox "it's not a better-or-worse score, it doesn't judge."

@KitFox Who was the actor who played the interrogator?

KitFox

Damn it. All I can think about is how well he smoked that damn cigarette.

Matt Эллен

Hairy son, Ford?

KitFox

No.

Silly.

Decker lived through the whole movie.

Matt Эллен

oh, the old doctor guy

Mitch

15:00

Wait, are Voigt and Kampf real people with a real test named after them?

Tyrell? no.

The interviewer was an 'agent' like Decker.

Decker gave the interview to ... what's her name Sean Penn or whatever.\

Matt Эллен

Harvey Milk?

EnglishMaster

GUys

Ian forgot _______ sufficient notice about his resignation to his employers.

Is the answer giving or to give

I'm sure it's to give

Matt Эллен

good

EnglishMaster

you mean I am right?

KitFox

Yes.

He balanced the ashes on the end of his cigarette like a seasoned pro.

Matt Эллен

15:10

I mean that I'm glad you're sure of yourself. it's good to be confident in your decisions

EnglishMaster

18. A video cell-phone enabling 2 people to talk to and watching each ______ recently became available in the market.

KitFox

It's Deckard. Funny, I always thought it was Decker.

EnglishMaster

That's "others" right?

KitFox

No, just 'other.'

EnglishMaster

I am just competing with someone

KitFox

15:13

Holden was the character's name, played by Morgan Paull who died just last year.

!!wiki Morgan Paull

KitSox

Morgan Paull

Morgan Paull (December 15, 1944 – July 17, 2012) was an American actor probably most notable for playing Holden in the Ridley Scott film Blade Runner. Biography Career He made his acting debut in the 1970 film Patton playing Captain Richard N. Jenson. He is also known for playing the scheming Philip Wendell in the 1978 American television miniseries Centennial and a greedy businessman in the 1984 comedy Surf II. Morgan also appeared in the 1989 film Out Cold. Personal life Paull was born in New York City, New York. Until his death he resided in Lake Arrowhead in the mountains n...

Matt Эллен

I see

EnglishMaster

Guys

The car owner denied _____ the insurance reimbursement for repairs.

I think the answer is "you requesting"

am I right?

KitFox

your request for

Otherwise, he's saying you never made a request.

Matt Эллен

"you requesting" could be right, if he is denying that it happened.

KitFox

15:17

I think this is neat.

►

Matt Эллен

but I suppose that would be "you requested"

EnglishMaster

Some guy is arguing the answer is "your requesting"

Gosh, I hate this guy

he's dumb

And he's currently going to a top college in Korea

Matt Эллен

well, requesting can be a gerund, so your is fine, too

of course, the sentence makes sense if the blank is left blank

Andrew Leach

And arguably, that's the best sentence.

KitFox

It doesn't convey all the information though.

Andrew Leach

15:23

But there is no context to determine that.

KitFox

True.

MετάEd

@KitFox Oh, not the mathematician then.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox I just imagined the entire universe poured into a pen

KitFox

Are you OK?

MετάEd

Physicist, really. But aren't all theoretical physicists just mathematicians?

Matt Эллен

15:24

I'm very tired.

KitFox

I ended my writing last night with my protagonist freaking out with panic. I really want to rescue her right now.

I'm pleased I ended up not raping her.

Matt Эллен

yay!

Andrew Leach

She's probably pleased too.

KitFox

Maybe. I think she would have enjoyed killing him though.

EnglishMaster

Economy policy makers insist that the current measures taken by the goverment to activate the stock market ______ replaced under the thoughtful considerations.

How about this one

i think are

wait no

KitFox

15:32

be

EnglishMaster

be

Andrew Leach

be in American English. are is ok in British English.

Matt Эллен

oh, good, I thought I was going mad

KitFox

I don't know how you can suffer 'are' in that context.

JSBձոգչ

it's insufferable

KitFox

15:36

The scarf appears to be helping my wrist.

Hi @JSB. How's NaNo?

JSBձոգչ

@KitFox really good!

KitFox

Yay!

JSBձոգչ

i've got over 6K already

but i'm not going for all 50K

KitFox

You must not have updated your word count?

JSBձոգչ

i'm keeping it secret

KitFox

15:37

Ah. Like last time?

JSBձոգչ

i'm taking part of an anonymous contest on the Codex writing forums, and i don't want to give myself away with my wordcount

KitFox

Ah, OK.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox If I was you I wouldn't like this sentence either.

Andrew Leach

If I were Kit, or even if I were me, I would prefer this usage. But insist rarely needs what may conveniently be called the subjunctive mood.

Matt Эллен

aye

KitFox

15:47

I would not say such things if I were you.

But then again, I can't find a good clip from the Princess Bride to demonstrate my superiority. You'll just have to imagine it.

EnglishMaster

Guys does this sentence even make sense

_____ have I seen such an eager and enthusicastic recruit with so much experience in the workforce.
A. Even B. Although C. Seldom D. Ever

My answer is C

KitFox

Yes, C.

Or 'Never'.

Andrew Leach

Yes. It's the have I seen inversion which nails it. It needs an NPI.

Matt Эллен

Or "Tuesday"

KitFox

Jacob have I loved.

Matt Эллен

15:49

Oh, in that case, I meant "Thursday"

KitFox

Esau, on the other hand, is a rat bastard.

Matt Эллен

and bestiality is just not cricket

Andrew Leach

@KitFox Inversion can be used for emphasis too.

But you knew that.

Matt Эллен

I had a ________ that my beard had been shaved off and replaced with a soul patch. A. nightmare. B. nightmare. C. nightmare.

KitFox

suddenly feels like being a judgmental and capricious deity

@MattЭллен OH god, say it was just a dream.

Matt Эллен

15:52

it was just a nightmare

a very weird nightmare

KitFox

You are a closeted hippie.

JSBձոգչ

@KitFox this is a very good translation of the original hebrew

@KitFox soul patches are a hippie thing?

KitFox

@MattЭллен Or maybe you subconsciously feel your cunning linguist skills are underappreciated.

JSBձոգչ

i had a soul patch in college. i'm pretty sure i was not a hippie

KitFox

Artsy? Crunchy granola?

Matt Эллен

15:54

I have nothing against soul patches, I just don't want one and I want my beard

KitFox

My husband had a soul patch when I met him.

He's got a full beard now.

It's like I grew on him.

Matt Эллен

lol

you're your husbands beard?

KitFox

I don't mind them either. I was just teasing.

@MattЭллен Wait, no. That's. No.

Matt Эллен

:D

I thought you didn't mean that

JSBձոգչ

KitFox

15:56

I should have had some sex last night.

JSBձոգչ

somewhere on the internet there's a picture of me in college with green hair and a soul patch

but i can't find it now

Matt Эллен

@KitFox But you had to rescue a kitten from a burning building?

KitFox

We went to bed early instead.

Matt Эллен

awww, dang

KitFox

Because of the time change.

Matt Эллен

15:57

but you get more time

KitFox

Maybe tonight, after I've been titillated by the new girl.

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English Language & Usage: Multi-Layer…