English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

user19161

2:00 AM

@Cerberus Ah yes. Some flooding happened recently due to rains, not other things. Just inadequacy of drainage that's all.

Kit

@FallenAngelEyes He's really grand. He's 78 years old, but still loves learning new things.

FallenAngelEyes

@Kit I hope that when I get to that age, I'm still as inquisitive as he is.

Cerberus

What if one of these should erupt?

No, not close enough to the sea, probably.

user19161

@Cerberus We will just get the haze, from Indonesia as well.

Spare Oom

'Night folks.

user19161

2:02 AM

@SpareOom Guten nacht!

Spare Oom

Danke.

Cerberus

@JasperLoy OK good.

@SpareOom Bonne nuit!

simchona

Side note, why is this open?

1

Q: What is the difference between syntax and semantics?

As a computer scientist and a writing hobbyist, I really ought to know these terms' meanings for memory. Can anyone clarify the difference between syntax and semantics, and provide some examples? For example, where does punctuation fall? Spelling? What about sentence (or code) structure?

Spare Oom

Merci. lol

FallenAngelEyes

G'nite @Spare!

user19161

2:03 AM

@simchona Not enough 3k users?

simchona

I told you I'm working on it ><

user19161

@simchona Another strange smiley...

FallenAngelEyes

@JasperLoy It's 2 eyes, clenched closed in frustration/anger.

simchona

That is a Japanese one which is like...

FallenAngelEyes

>_< is an alternative

if you want the mouth in there

simchona

2:04 AM

@Fallen yes, thanks. I was trying to put it into words

I use ^^ a lot too

user19161

Girls have more smileys than boys.

FallenAngelEyes

@simchona Same. Though mostly only with other people who use those too.

simchona

@Fallen Bad habit. I use 'em everywhere

FallenAngelEyes

@simchona Japanese emoticons are the best. They're hilariously complex sometimes.

simchona

I could never type them all. I just stick to the eyes

-.-

FallenAngelEyes

2:06 AM

@simchona I try to limit myself to using them among audiences where they're not understood because otherwise I spend more time explaining the emoticon than it would take me to verbally express my meaning.

Kit

@simchona I thought it might be a dupe. Otherwise, it's on topic.

simchona

@Kit It seems general reference, though. It took a single Google search per term to get an answer

Kit

@simchona Did the Google search compare and contrast the definitions?

simchona

No, but stackoverflow.com/questions/209979/…

Kit

@simchona Not sure of the policy on off site SE answers as "dupes."

FallenAngelEyes

2:11 AM

I'm going to attempt to sleep. Have a good night, everyone, and thanks for the kind words, they helped. :)

Kit

@JasperLoy Aren't you Christian?

user19161

@FallenAngelEyes Buona sera!

Kit

@FallenAngelEyes Good night!

user19161

@Kit I'm not. I was, but stopped believing. And like I mentioned I have a very serious problem now. It's more psychological than physical, to shed a bit more light.

Kit

@JasperLoy Oh, I'm sorry. I don't remember you mentioning that you have a very serious problem.

user19161

2:14 AM

@Kit I mentioned first to Matt, then Cerb and Aedia, then trg and Reg. It's all in the transcript, but no details of course!

Kit

@JasperLoy Social anxiety?

user19161

@Kit That is not serious. It's shit you cannot even imagine Kit, which is why I omitted the details. Pray for me.

Kit

@JasperLoy I thought you weren't Christian anymore.

user19161

@Kit I mean atheist prayers, like Cerb mentioned. And hey, I'm not Christian but others are! Hehe.

Kit

But social anxiety can be crippling, just for the record.

And well, I was a neuroscientist. And I have a pretty good imagination.

user19161

2:18 AM

@Kit Yes I know. I know a lot about this kind of stuff because of the shit I have gone through. But I'm just saying that the shit I have now is really, really bad. To the point where I would rather die, if there was a painless way.

Kit

So are you a delusional stalker who has turned into a serial killer?

user19161

@Kit No delusions involved. More of OCD, PTSD, being abused, etc.

user19161

Oops, I said a bit too much. Sorry guys.

Kit

@JasperLoy Oh well, in that case, here's a big ((hug)).

Are you in a support group?

simchona

Wow...

Cerberus

2:23 AM

@JasperLoy hugs Jasper

Yes, a support group and a professional to talk to.

Listen to Kit, she knows stuff.

user19161

OK thanks everyone! That was just a summary, but that will do.

Kit

@Cerberus Well, I don't know about that, but I did get through PTSD and a major depressive episode several years ago with the help of an exceptional therapist and a good support group.

Cerberus

Exactly.

Kit

And I'm very glad that I did not die then, even though I really, really wanted to, because my life is filled with joy today.

user19161

@Kit I am happy for you.

Kit

2:31 AM

@JasperLoy Your life will be full of love someday too. I am sure of it.

And I'm not even Christian.

Cerberus

So am I! And nor am I!

Kit

That'll be my atheist prayer for you.

Cerberus

Time heals all wounds, well, not so much heals, as makes bearable. It takes time, and lost of talking with professionals and a support group sure helps. Even though perhaps you cannot see that now.

ChaosGamer

2:52 AM

What are you guys discussing?

simchona

@Chaos Don't worry about it.

ChaosGamer

...k.

So what do we talk about?

Kit

@ChaosGamer You're back!

ChaosGamer

Yep

simchona

You don't need to force conversation. If the room is quiet, the room is quiet.

ChaosGamer

2:55 AM

just finished my game.

Kit

What are you playing?

simchona

By the way, Cerberus did discuss the debt crisis after you left. if you want to start up a chat room with him, you can ask him

ChaosGamer

@simchona I was only tring to strick a conversation. Thats all.

Kit

Chaos?

simchona

What is strick?

ChaosGamer

2:56 AM

@Kit oh, I'm playing Spiral Knights.

@simchona oops. Ment to say strike.

Kit

@ChaosGamer I haven't heard of it. Tell me about it?

ChaosGamer

@Kit well, it is a recent game that was created by SEGA and Three Rings.

simchona

What is recnet?

I'm not super well-informed about games, so I'm sorry if it's kind of basic

Kit

@simchona recent

ChaosGamer

Sorry

simchona

2:58 AM

@Kit Oh. I... Oh.

I thought it was some new type of network I'd missed out on

Kit

Chaos is known for his typos. It adds an element of chaos.

Mana

heh

simchona

Oh, there you are @mana

ChaosGamer

@Kit ...yes. Thanks for that.

Kit

@simchona I saw "recent" and thought "maybe recnet is something new" when you asked.

Mana

2:58 AM

Here I am.

ChaosGamer

Imagine. Recnet. Hahahaha....

simchona

Recreational Network...it could work

Kit

Totally makes sense.

ChaosGamer

I should coin that term. Do you think it will be popular?

simchona

Well, if you coin it without context it wouldn't take off

Kit

3:00 AM

I like it. Recnet, the fun part of the Internet!

simchona

But at least it rolls off the tongue

In my head, it sounds like WreckNet

ChaosGamer

@simchona context?

Rec-Net.

Kit

Reminds me of Minipax for some reason.

ChaosGamer

yep. It sounds like Wreck-Net. LOL

simchona

@Chaos If you create a term, it won't take off or be popular if there's no real use for it. Thus, context

I would take out the hyphen ... I'm not a fan of it (like e-mail0

Kit

3:01 AM

@ChaosGamer If you coin it without context, it will have no meaning.

simchona

@Kit Jinx. Sort of

ChaosGamer

@simchona ...hmm...

Kit

@simchona Nah, I read yours before I wrote mine.

ChaosGamer

Is there even any recreational Network?

Kit

Probably.

simchona

3:02 AM

Sort of ?

google.com/…

ChaosGamer

like fiesta?

Idk

simchona

What's like fiesta?

ChaosGamer

Nvm

...awfully quite in here...

Mana

Yup.

simchona

@Chaos Well, you kind of didn't answer a question so...

ChaosGamer

3:08 AM

...I said Never mind...

Mana

Well, this is awkward!

ChaosGamer

guess that was not enough. anyhow... Who here likes Michael Jackson?

simchona

Not me.

I have a problem with his...life choices

ChaosGamer

No matter how fast I type, I never misspell Michael Jackson :)

@simchona for example??

simchona

That's interesting

@Chaos Excessive plastic surgery. Little children. Neverland Ranch.

Kit

3:09 AM

@ChaosGamer Got a macro for that one, eh?

@simchona Don't forget the pills! And the little children.

Did we mention the children?

Mana

Also the little children.

simchona

@Kit! Yes. And little children.

Kit

Skin bleach.

ChaosGamer

@simchona those things were never proven as true.

Mana

And little children.

ChaosGamer

3:10 AM

Dudes, he had Skin Disease.

simchona

@Chaos You believe all of that?

Kit

@ChaosGamer Riiight. And I have "glaucoma."

Mana

I have cancer.

simchona

@Mana I hope you mean "cancer"

ChaosGamer

@simchona I try to understand a person then to hear the facts from other sources. Is that a problem?

Just give him a chance.

Mana

3:12 AM

shhh @simchona, I was trying to be the guy who awkwardly doesn't recognize the sarcasm and reveals something deeply personal

simchona

@Chaos Give him a chance? The dude's dead.

I think the rest of us have a bit of a "grain of salt" mentality

ChaosGamer

before MJ died, I was like you guys. However, after looking into his carreer, I decided that he does not act on those allegations.

Kit

Given what he went through during his childhood, I don't characterize him as a monster.

Mana

@ChaosGamer Ironically, none of the people making allegations about Michael Jackson here are male.

ChaosGamer

...lol.

simchona

3:14 AM

@Kit I think his past created a horrible adulthood for him.

That being said, children.

Mana

Also I claim Alanis Morisette before someone inevitably calls me out on how I suck at irony.

ChaosGamer

You guys don't know about the world view on eccentric and ppl different from rest of us, Don't you?

Kit

Damn it. That was funny the other way around.

@ChaosGamer What?

simchona

@Chaos Huh?

@Kit Damn, missed whatever you said

ChaosGamer

I experienced those kinds of things too, just because I was different from THEM.

simchona

3:16 AM

@Chaos What kinds of things? What are you talking about?

This is turning into a trg conversation

ChaosGamer

Hmmm... lets just say avoidence, leaving someone out of group, ect, the list is long.

..trg?

simchona

@Chaos you are not MJ.

Kit

@simchona High school trauma.

Mana

Like Michael Jackson, I, too, was accused of little children.

ChaosGamer

I did not say I was.

simchona

3:17 AM

@Chaos I went through HS trauma too. But your sentence earlier doesn't quite make sense

ChaosGamer

All I'm saying, is that World does not take kindly to those who are different from them.

simchona

@Chaos There's a difference between being different, and being accused of molesting little children

Kit

Right, well, you all have fun now, y'hear? And don't break anything while I'm gone. Night!

ChaosGamer

Can;t you guys see? just because he was different from them, he is accused of thing he might have or did not do!

simchona

@Chaos I'm not sure that's the right cause and effect

Let's move on

ChaosGamer

3:19 AM

we may never know. Its not up to us weather he did those things.

change of subjest...

simchona

@Chaos it's up to us to protect our children

ChaosGamer

@simchona you don't understand, do you?

Mana

Hey, speaking of children, let's talk about Michael Jackson.

ChaosGamer

we cannot judge him by the things that was not proven!

Innocent untill proven guilty!

simchona

@Chaos Don't tell me whether or not I understand. I understand that MJ was in part judged because he was seen to be a monster. That being said, being proved "not guilty" in a court of law does not mean innocent

ChaosGamer

3:22 AM

@simchona I understand your point, because I once was like you about MJ.

simchona

@Chaos Don't be so patronizing.

Mana

I think we all need to just chill a bit.

simchona

Kittens. I like kittens.

ChaosGamer

but lets not go all pointing fingers at him because of the allegations. He was a great musician, and thats a fact. I admire him by at.

Mana

It's clear that this is an argument that neither side can win and so it's just like two bulls slamming into each other until they both run out of energy and die.

simchona

3:24 AM

@Mana Yes. Exactly. Trg argument.

ChaosGamer

you are only staying on his faults. Its not fair.

delwelling on his past mistakes or allegations.

lets not do that.

simchona

@Chaos Drop it.

Cerberus

I like some of his music.

That's all I'm saying.

Mana

@Chaos Arguments aren't fair, and Michael Jackson isn't a good subject. You are inevitably going to clash with people.

ChaosGamer

sigh

Mana

3:26 AM

Don't worry so much about it man.

simchona

@Chaos Agree to disagree. Don't tell me what I don't understand, I won't tell you what you don't understand.

Mana

People have strong opinions and you can't change them. Just stick with your own.

ChaosGamer

Its a mad mad mad mad mad world....

did I say something?

simchona

@ChaosGamer Huh?

ChaosGamer

nvm

simchona

3:28 AM

Now I know why my mom gets upset when I do that

God, I'm turning into my mother

ChaosGamer

do what?

simchona

@Chaos Say "nvm" every time someone asks for clarification

ChaosGamer

... My mom shares the same opinion of MJ with you. Lol.

simchona

I'm often guilty of it. My mom hates it.

@Chaos MJ is currently off limits. Taboo. No go.

ChaosGamer

ok, ok...

Mana

3:30 AM

heh

this place is ridiculous at night haha

ChaosGamer

especialy with no high standerd ppl to control..

Mana

Sorry, that was a rude thing to say. But to clarify everything just seems to become so much more tense in the evening.

simchona

@Chaos What do you mean by high standard people?

@Cerberus is sitting right there

Mana

I think he meant moderators.

simchona

I think you're right.

@Mana Are you at uni?

Mana

3:35 AM

I get the feeling like you knew that though and pointed out Cerberus as a joke

simchona

Well, I apparently don't have high standerds...

Mana

Yeah, I'm just going into second year next month.

simchona

Oh cool. I'm going into my third year soon

Cerberus

@simchona Hi! Yes I am.

Mana

Oh, come on, don't take it so personally haha. We're all pretty confused atm.

simchona

3:36 AM

@Cerb I saw you sittin' there, sayin' nothing.

@Mana I'm not, lol. But I love having a new phrase to describe these arguments

Cerberus

I was browsing other tabs and browsers... was I called for?

simchona

I'm pointing you out as being a "high standerd" person

Cerberus

What, whom? looks back

Mana

Fair enough.

simchona

I can never get a feel for how old people are, here. Well, not in most cases.

Mana

3:41 AM

@Chaos Hej, are you in/going into university?

@simchona Ohh, I say I tend to show my age quite a bit.

simchona

@Mana I thought you were older. And possibly female.

The pic threw me off

Mana

I think it's the name.

There are a lot of people online who think I'm a girl for whatever reason.

simchona

@Mana Maybe that too. I think it's the picture of a...devil girl though

Mana

heh

It's not, but don't worry about it.

simchona

Sorry ^^;

Mana

3:43 AM

It's from a webcomic.

simchona

Ohhh, I see. Which one?

Mana

It's called Homestuck

simchona

Oh, cool

Mana

been running for about three years now, notable in that it doesn't really follow the standard webcomic format(more kind of like a web story) and also in that it is currently the "biggest" webcomic in spite of its age

simchona

Oh! This explains your EL&U avatar too

Chaos disappeared

@Mana Do you get the "trg argument" thing? I think you heard some of them

Mana

3:48 AM

Yeah, I've seen trg around a bunch.

simchona

You don't hang out on the main EL&U page, do you

Mana

Naw. I tend to enjoy the social aspect of these sites more than anything

simchona

That's cool

I see @Fallen is back

Mana

@Fallen No luck sleeping, huh? :(

Or, uhm, perhaps not back.

simchona

guess not

FallenAngelEyes

4:05 AM

Hey, sorry, speakers weren't on. And yeah, can't sleep.

Mana

Sorry to hear that.

FallenAngelEyes

What's a trg argument?

Yeah, thanks. I hate not being able to sleep.

So did I miss anything interesting while tossing and turning?

simchona

5:00 AM

@Fallen a trg argument is an argument in which two people argue, argue, argue without getting anywhere

It's not really accepted, I just made it up

FallenAngelEyes

Why's it called a trg argument? O_o

simchona

After a user

With whom I argued about a woman's place

He held to misogyny, I held to liberalism

we came to an impasse and stopped arguing

FallenAngelEyes

Ah. I was just curious, as those letters make up my real name's initials, so they drew my eye.

simchona

Unless you're moonlighting as another user with questionable cohesion of thought, it's not you

Mana

Technically it should be a simchona argument since you've been involved in two such arguments with two different people ;)

simchona

5:04 AM

@mana True. But I'd like to picture myself as a blameless debater of omniscience

Mana

don't we all

simchona

@Mana and users who witnessed the other argument kind of know what happened with that

I don't remember if you were there

Mana

heh

I don't think I was.

Oh well.

simchona

Yup. You definitely missed out.

FallenAngelEyes

5:46 AM

I think I know what you mean. We have a few people at Gaming who also like to argue for the sake of arguing, hear themselves talk, and/or carry on hours long debates where neither party will budge (luckily that hasn't happened in a while)

simchona

I guess I tend to walk into arguments. But I also like to stop them once it's clear that, well, nothing's changing.

FallenAngelEyes

Yeah. Some people like to keep on talking even when that's clear.

simchona

I can take a mod or another user's advice to step back

I can't always see it on my own, though

FallenAngelEyes

7:27 AM

Ok gonna attempt to sleep again.

Matt Ellen

10:25 AM

@JasperLoy Nah. Well maybe there was some residue from the night before. It always write its self, as in the self that belongs to it. I was never sure if itself is a word! My typos are not normally down to me being drunk - it's just how I type ;-)

Grace Note

Was there a new argument with trg?

Matt Ellen

I don't think so

there was a brief spat about MJ, that got characterised as a trg arument

Grace Note

So the discussion about blind debates was just spontaneous.

Matt Ellen

yes, I think so

@GraceNote how goes your search for a suitable avatar for English? Or are you settled on your current one?

Grace Note

@MattEllen I decided to pick a post girl, for you see, she deals with letters

Matt Ellen

10:32 AM

@GraceNote Hahaha, good pun :D

Kit

0

Q: "I and others" or "me and others"

Could you please explain more in an answer, so that I and other developers would use benefit. Could you please explain more in an answer, so that me and other developers would use benefit. Which one is correct? Why?

grammar

Any voters here?

TTFN!

@GraceNote Oh, but thwack.

Grace Note

Worth it!

Matt Ellen

:D

@GraceNote What anime is your avatar from? If you don't mind me asking.

Grace Note

@MattEllen None

Matt Ellen

oh!

Where is it from?

Grace Note

10:37 AM

A video game. As is the case for all of my gravatars

Matt Ellen

I didn't realise. Although, given you standing in the gaming SE, I should have guessed

Grace Note

This particular one you see here comes from a Fire Emblem game. My new English Gravatar hails from the Rune Factory series.

If I weren't particularly lazy today for a morning person, I'd have fixed that image to have transparency rather than a flat white background, though

Matt Ellen

The post-girl is cute. Very nice.

Heehee

cuter.

10:51 AM

cannot have female buttock on my screen at work!

or male for that matter!

Kit

11:08 AM

0

Q: Is there a consensus on how many English words are in the average adult's vocabulary?

This question may be a little off-topic for this community, but I thought I'd ask it here. If it's deemed too far off course I'll happily delete it. Is there any consensus as to how many words are in the average adult's vocabulary? Over the years, I've come across various factoids and blurbs onl...