English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

Cerberus

06:49

@RegDwigнt I think machines will be able to translate human language once they fully understand human culture, which will happen only once they become intelligent—and not just any intelligent, but intelligent the human way. Like humans themselves.

Kanth

08:51

Hey everyone!

user174558

09:32

Hi @Kanth.

user174558

Hi @DamkerngT. What you doin here?

Kanth

12:01

@Jasper How are you doing?

Justyna Nogala

13:12

Which word collocates with "horsepower"?Iin terms of providing power.

My car does reach over 120hp. Is it correct?

skill patrol

13:23

I would say "My car has over 120 hp."

Horsepower

Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power (the rate at which work is done). There are many different standards and types of horsepower. The term was adopted in the late 18th century by Scottish engineer James Watt to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses. It was later expanded to include the output power of other types of piston engines, as well as turbines, electric motors and other machinery. The definition of the unit varied between geographical regions. Most countries now use the SI unit watt for measurement of power. With the implementation of the E...

Justyna Nogala

hmmm I don't think it would work in the following sentence "engineers have redesigned a jet engine so that it has over 600 hp at the peak of it power"

I mean that I want to use a word which says that an engine has 120 hp but it can do more than that

it has 120 hp but it attains up to 150 for instance

"attain" would be the best

Robusto

13:50

@JustynaNogala You should use reach in that context; attain is also possible, but a little more than you need.

When discussing muscular things like power, the shorter and more Anglo-Saxon you can go the better.

Justyna Nogala

do you mean it's better to use words that come from Anglo-Saxon period than french borrowings or what?

Robusto

@JustynaNogala I mean shorter, more powerful-sounding words. In that respect, reach is way ahead of the more laid-back attain.

RegDwigнt

@Cerberus wait, humans are intelligent????

Robusto

@JustynaNogala This is a style issue, not a grammar one, so suit yourself. But if you think my advice is worth anything, you would do well to heed it.

Justyna Nogala

I've heard that saying courage instead of bravery is more posh

RegDwigнt

13:56

@skillpatrol horsepowers are the biggest scam since democracy.

Justyna Nogala

because it comes from French

RegDwigнt

Your lawnmower probably has 15 hp, yet it can be easily pulled into the opposite direction by a single stillborn pony.

Robusto

@JustynaNogala Well, if your audience is non-native speakers, do whatever floats your boat.

Justyna Nogala

Sure I will

RegDwigнt

@JustynaNogala Dubya said currage every ten seconds in every single speech. OMG how posh he was.

skill patrol

13:58

@RegDwigнt life is full of scams

RegDwigнt

And now imagine Dubya saying "bravery". How is it working for you? Nobody at all ever says "bravery" except Brits with monocles up their arse.

Justyna Nogala

You mean "currach

?

Robusto

But just between you and me, using courage instead of bravery just because of some notion that one is French and the other isn't, is a position for ignoramuses. Both words come from French.

Justyna Nogala

bravery comes from old English

correct me if I'm wrong

Robusto

I just did.

RegDwigнt

14:00

With bravour.

(Except that that's not the one it came from, before you ask.)

((That one was braverie.))

Robusto

> 1540s, "daring, defiance, boasting," from French braverie, from braver "to brave"

RegDwigнt

See, a single dumb French in the 1540s misspells beaver, and all the English jumps on the bandwagon.

HURR IMA LANGUAGGGGGGE

Robusto

So you see, we are Poles apart in our understanding.

RegDwigнt

The English language does not even have a word for language.

Robusto

Or English.

RegDwigнt

14:02

Or penis.

Robusto

But the Eskimos have OVER 9000 words for "potato chip."

Justyna Nogala

and snow

Robusto

Except they have no word for "Eskimo" . . .

RegDwigнt

That's because the Eskimos are traditionally chipskates.

Making it not very easy to sell a fridge to them.

@Robusto Russian stole it from them.

Russian has the word "Eskimo". Which means "ice cream".

Robusto

@JustynaNogala BTW, in case you think that's true, the idea that Eskimos have n words for snow has been thoroughly debunked.

@RegDwigнt Also Putin.

RegDwigнt

14:04

I love eating eskimos.

Robusto

All Russian words mean Putin in one way or another.

RegDwigнt

As a child, I ate an eskimo a day.

Robusto

Putin or Vodka.

RegDwigнt

Or? Or?

Robusto

OK, Putin and/or vodka.

RegDwigнt

14:04

Robusto

Gay vodka?

RegDwigнt

It's totally gay. It's also totally not too bad.

At least the original was. The counterfeit is shit.

So anyway. Putin is for the adults. Children are happy with Eskimos.

Robusto

Eskimos are stealing your children.

RegDwigнt

@Robusto not so much debunked as corrected to show that every language has n words for snow, and English even has n + 13.

Robusto

My point is, the folk wisdom is merely folk, not wisdom.

RegDwigнt

14:07

No that is my point. Quit stealing Eskimos from my language.

Robusto

You stole it from French, and you had no right. The French were trying to give it to us. So in effect, you stole it from us too.

RegDwigнt

I will consider that retort, but first I need to know whether you have quat stealing Eskimos from my language yet.

Robusto

We have liberated certain Eskimos from your horrible country. We stole nothing.

RegDwigнt

French Sexy Talking - [The Big Lebowski]

►

Robusto

@RegDwigнt Mark it zero, Dude.

That was totally over the line.

RegDwigнt

14:14

OVER THE LINE!!!

Jinx.

Robusto

jinx

Fucker.

RegDwigнt

Metajinx.

Robusto

RegDwigнt

@Robusto yeah you "liberated" them for $25k. From us.

Robusto

There is your over-the-line coke.

RegDwigнt

14:15

No wait. I am very confused right now who paid whom what.

Robusto

@RegDwigнt What do you mean, they paid us.

RegDwigнt

But anyway, the bottom line is you got Sarah Palin.

You can liberate all the Palins to your heart's content.

You can have all the Putins, too, while you're at it.

Robusto

Sarah Palin is watching you from her porch in Alaska. Behave accordingly.

RegDwigнt

@Robusto no, they paid the us. Pay attention to grammer.

@Robusto I'm a maverick.

Robusto

You're a Goose, not a Maverick.

RegDwigнt

14:17

She's a Dick, not a Sarah.

So I'll call it quits.

I will also declare victory and withdraw. Right after cashing your $25k check.

Robusto

0

Q: My mom told me I **WAS/AM** a good cook

I don't fully comprehend the use of past tense. Well, it is used when you are explaining something that occurs in the past but let's say if I say 1)It took me ages to notice that the guy WAS/IS from the walking dead (which clearly shows it is still happening) and 2) My mom told me I WAS/AM a good...

Dupe of a dupe of a dupe.

Anybody got the canonical?

RegDwigнt

Closed already.

It's very easy, really. Every time you see shit, think of New Jersey.

Robusto

o noes you dident say that

RegDwigнt

I didn't.

I did write it, however.

Robusto

Go eat an eskimo.

RegDwigнt

14:23

What am I, a child?

Wandering into the middle of a movie?

Robusto

you're out of your eskimo

RegDwigнt

I don't roll on shish kebab.

Robusto

8-year-olds, Dude.

RegDwigнt

Jesus.

Robusto

Cómo ser un agente de seguros independiente y trabajar desde casa — Oh, I'm sorry, I fell asleep before trying to translate that. What were you saying again?

Why do people post shit like that for translation?

RegDwigнt

14:29

What is there to translate?

Robusto

Oh, maybe because they are in the "paid" section? Hmm.

RegDwigнt

I am not fluent in Spanish by any stretch of imaginacion, yet ever single word is crystal clear to me.

Also, where's my accent gone. I put an accent there. Imaginación. Where is it now?

Robusto

That's the title of an article. Not the entire translation exercise.

My point is zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

RegDwigнt

I see.

Well here's hoping that the rest of the article, then, is much more interesting and challenging.

rolls eyes, burritos

Robusto

Hugo, girl.

RegDwigнt

14:32

Don't call me Shirley.

I know you didn't, and that is good. Just for future reference: that is good.

RegDwigнt

14:44

"I need a word or two that mean exactly what I am saying right now using a word or two. Are there such words that express what I'm expressing? Is it possible to say what I have just said?"

Robusto

Nein, das ist nicht möglich auf Englisch.

RegDwigнt

Aber ist es möglich unter Englisch?

Mr_Green

Hi, I need help with Grammar

RegDwigнt

Oder vielleicht dazwischen.

Robusto

@RegDwigнt Man kann nicht sagen.

Mr_Green

14:54

"Thanks for your kind words XYZ. I sincerely appreciate your consistent support."

RegDwigнt

Perfectly grammatical.

Mr_Green

^is this ok?

thank you very much :)

RegDwigнt

Not only is it okay, it is perfectly impeccable. Grammatically speaking.

Robusto

@Mr_Green Put a comma after "words" and you are good to go.

"Thanks for your kind words, XYZ."

Mr_Green

sure thanks

RegDwigнt

14:55

Whether it's also punctuated correctly, worded fine, or makes any sense at all, is a different question.

Thankfully Robusto answers all the questions.

Mr_Green

another sentence if you guys don't mind

RegDwigнt

Why are you proofreading an email?

Mr_Green

"@xyz and his great team, Thanks for all your support. "

Robusto

We only serve concurrent sentences here, not consecutive ones.

Mr_Green

honestly, I suck in English

RegDwigнt

14:56

It's an email. Send it off. It will be forgotten by everyone including yourself in no more than two minutes.

Robusto

@Mr_Green No, you suck at English.

Mr_Green

still learning things and that client is from foreign

RegDwigнt

@Mr_Green why do you call him "you" and "he" all at once?

Robusto

Well, you might also suck in English, but that is different.

RegDwigнt

Pick one.

Mr_Green

14:57

ohh ok

Robusto

What is your native language?

RegDwigнt

@Robusto which brings me back to my original question: what about sucking under English?

Mr_Green

"@xyz and his great team, Thanks for all the support. "

Hindi

Robusto

Then you are at a permanent disadvantage, sorry.

RegDwigнt

Well, this is right up your alley Rob.

Robusto

14:58

. . .

RegDwigнt

I can only help with people only so far East of me. Not with people who are so far East of me they are West of you.

Mr_Green

is that sentence ok? please as it is urgent :|

I am requesting..

Robusto

36 mins ago, by Robusto

Go eat an eskimo.

RegDwigнt

It does not matter. It's a tweet. Send it off and forget about it.

Also yes it's fine.

Mr_Green

ok thanks :)

RegDwigнt

15:00

Learn to differentiate between proofreading a King's speech to the nation and a tweet to twats.

Robusto

Yeah, don't worry about it. Sooner or later people are going to find out you're from India and make all the necessary allowances. Hopefully you have other skills besides English, and that's what they'll be interested in.

RegDwigнt

The difference is subtle, but it's there. The former must be proofread. The latter must not be proofread.

Also, nothing in this world is urgent.

What would you do if we shut up? Or if the room were empty?

Suddenly you'd have all the time in the world to wait.

Mr_Green

thank god you are here. I don't think that far :)

Robusto

I wouldn't want to hang from a rope until @RegDwigнt shuts up, mind you.

RegDwigнt

@Robusto oh Bill, don't make me cry. You'll hang from a rope in a Bangkok closet soon enough. Promise.

Mr_Green

15:03

I forgot to say "xyz" is my client.

"Thanks for your kind words, xyz. I sincerely appreciate your consistent support."

RegDwigнt

Oh, that changes everything.

Robusto

That's OK, it doesn't matter.

Mr_Green

I hope this makes sense?

Robusto

Haha, looks like @Reg and I agree, as always.

RegDwigнt

I thought it was urgent? Three minutes ago? What are you still doing here? Why is this still not sent off?

Mr_Green

15:04

I sent it :(

RegDwigнt

@Robusto it's such a travesty with you, man.

Robusto

OH NO!!!!

RegDwigнt

FFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUU

Now the skyfall, it will crumbole.

Mr_Green

shit!!

really guys is it that bad?

Robusto

Well, you can't take it back now. You will just have to face the consequences of having tried to thank your client in a language you don't speak.

RegDwigнt

15:05

Yeah I think it should be no more than 13 lashes.

Maybe 15.

40 at most.

Mr_Green

please I am really nervous here

Robusto

@Mr_Green Don't sweat it. If your client likes your work, they won't care. And what you said sounds fine to me. At least that one sentence.

RegDwigнt

Why are you nervous now? It is too late.

Your fate is set.

Robusto

@Mr_Green Have you done work for your client that did not involve English translation?

Mr_Green

I somewhere heard this "consistent" word and thought to go with that

RegDwigнt

15:06

If your client complains, tell them to complain in Hindi.

Problem solved.

Mr_Green

@Robusto yes, she is actually a client + manager

RegDwigнt

Consistent is okay. You can also go with continued, ongoing, or steady. Or incessant if you want to send a subtle message. But forget about that. Consistent is okay.

Robusto

Then don't worry about it. You made the effort to thank her, and that is enough. If you've had other communications with her, I'm sure she's been able to assess your English skills and hasn't fired you for them yet.

Mr_Green

this "consistent support" should actually be used by her to me, but not me

Robusto

Now, if you are trying to put the moves on her, this is probably not the best way to go about it.

Mr_Green

15:09

moves?

RegDwigнt

Oh, behave.

Robusto

@Mr_Green I wouldn't mention that. It would make you seem ungrateful.

@Mr_Green Trying to get involved with her sexually.

RegDwigнt

@Robusto Like in any other language.

Mr_Green

yes, ok guys. thanks.

RegDwigнt

So can we please go back to the original point now.

Mr_Green

15:10

@Robusto I suck in that as well

Robusto

47 mins ago, by Robusto

Go eat an eskimo.

RegDwigнt

16 mins ago, by RegDwigнt

Aber ist es möglich unter Englisch?

@Robusto I've ated hundreds in my life. I'm stuffed.

Mr_Green

*ate.. right?

Robusto

@Mr_Green Well, failing at English is not as embarrassing as failing at love. So you should be fine.

RegDwigнt

@Mr_Green eaten.

Or in your case, at.

Mitch

15:11

Robusto

@Mr_Green No, "eat" is the imperative form.

Mitch

late to the convo but necessary

Mr_Green

hmm

RegDwigнt

Also, caveat emptor: "eat shit" is English, but "shit eat" for some reason ain't.

Robusto

Eats, shits, and leaves.

RegDwigнt

15:13

Why don't you make like a tree and richard round?

Robusto

Wow, mantequilla de maní is Spanish for peanut butter. That's quite a mouthful.

RegDwigнt

Au jour d'hui.

Hui being Russian for throbbing prick. We discussed.

Robusto

I thought you were a throbbing Russian prick. Am I wrong?

RegDwigнt

You're not wrong, you're just an asshole.

Robusto

What the fuck does anything have to do with Vietnam?

RegDwigнt

15:16

Just you wait till you see what happens if you meet a stranger in the Alps.

Alpenhorn - a short Swiss concert

►

Robusto

Take me to your lederhosen.

RegDwigнt

Just in case you ever wondered, which you didn't, what an alphorn sounds like that hasn't been tuned yet:

Bis ein Ton erklingt, ein Alphorn entsteht_2011

►

Hilarious shit's hilarious. Also, shit.

Hence the German word for nightmare, alpdream.

Robusto

I don't think anyone has needed an Alpenhorn since Wagner put them in Tristan und Isolde.

RegDwigнt

I don't think anyone has needed Wagner since alpenhorn. Or before. Or instead.

Charlotte Nilsson eurovision 1999 Take me to your heaven

►

Robusto

Harry Nilsson ~ The Moombeam Song ~ Nilsson Schmilsson

►

RegDwigнt

15:25

Pffft. Nilsson Schmilsson.

Mitch

@RegDwigнt Is that one of the missing ABBA songs?

RegDwigнt

One of the many that have kept winning the Eurovision contest ever since ABBA disbanded, yes.

Sweden is traditionally in the top 3. UK is traditionally in the bottom 3.

Mitch

No doubt but that sounded like they were sampling ABBA songs

RegDwigнt

They are from Sweden. What do you expect.

Even people from non-Sweden occasionally sample ABBA songs.

Mitch

@RegDwigнt That's OK. England beats Sweden in the cuisine department

RegDwigнt

15:34

@Mitch haha no way their rotten sardines are still tastier than rotten newspaper soaked in vinegar.

Mitch

@RegDwigнt No, I mean it sounded like they were taking melodies and chord changes directly form... oh forget it. Eurovision is ABBAvision.

@RegDwigнt Exactly!

RegDwigнt

Lordi - Hard Rock Hallelujah (Finland) 2006 Eurovision Song Contest Winner

►

@Mitch you must be new to Eurovision.

Europe has Lordi. The rest of the world only gets Lorde.

And don't make me take out my conchita wurst.

Mitch

@RegDwigнt "they just kept their make-up on after they came off a set from Lord of the RIngs"

RegDwigнt

@Mitch that's very easy to explain. When five people want to found a band in Munich, or London, or Chicago, they just found a band. But when five people want to found a band in Finland, they have to found five bands because they are separated by 3000 miles of tundra from one another.

user174558

If I cannot found a band, I will find a band.

RegDwigнt

15:49

Thank you for that clarification.

Mitch

Seems reasonable. So everybody in south-Saharan Africa is in one huge heavy metal band

RegDwigнt

Yes. And they only use the only true metal, Kalashnikovs.

user174558

I listen to a band, and I use a rubber band.

Mitch

YOu can make your own music

RegDwigнt

No. I can make your own music. You can't.

user174558

15:51

Make music, and make love.

RegDwigнt

Okay Jasper that should be enough nonwordplays for one day.

Nobody makes a new pun until they have read all of Robusto's existing puns and learned from the best.

Mitch

Make like a panda and eat, shit, and love

Robusto

16:25

1 hour ago, by Robusto

Eats, shits, and leaves.

You're encroaching on my territory, as usual.

RegDwigнt

16:36

Meh. Your territory is the worst tory of all.

Even aquatory was better.

His lantern burned out long before his legend ever did.

But I must be off to mute underage turtle ninjas.

Robusto

@RegDwigнt Negatory, batman.

user174558

18:08

@RegDwigнt That looks like you.

user174558

20:14

This chat is dead.

Mitch

21:36

@Jasper This cat is dead

0

Q: I really don't see why ignorant idiots should be allowed to edit my posts

My question Here's one for the Brits I guess was edited five times, beginning with the title. It is now unrecognizable; a whole different question. Not my question; not anymore. I asked whether "blag" was the British equivalent of "chutzpa," because I remembered reading something to that e...

discussion

I think this is a request to add the feature that those with the ignorant idiot badge should be prevented from editing. The badge is a reward for those who have seen a lot of crap and should be given the privilege of not having to any more.

Cerberus

22:11

@Mitch That roughly matches GDP per capita. Or per hour.

skull petrol

Cerberus

22:21

Hah.

I'm sure I have the math gene, but it's just not fully activated epigenetically.

I got an 8 for math B (the more difficult variant) and a 9 for physics on my exam.

tchrist

22:42

@Mitch Magic Eight Ball sees storm clouds on the horizon.

Andrew Leach

23:08

@Mitch I wish!

MετάEd

23:42

Can anyone think of any remnant in modern English of the Old English instrumental case?

Anyone? @tchrist? Bueller?

tchrist

Erro?

Hard enough finding datives.

I remember finding a few remnants of datives, or thinking I had, and I could easily have confused those two.

Mazura

FYI, this question is getting about one answer every hour (or less).

tchrist

books.google.com/…

@AndrewLeach If you're still around, if you think that question should be protected, would you mind doing so? I still think ELU should have its auto-protect threshold changed from 5 to 3 to match ELL's.

I mean that one Mazura just mentioned.

Transcript for

English Language & Usage: Multi-Layer…