English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

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Mitch

00:24

@MetaEd quit your scheming

@englishstudent there's a history of idiocy

MetaEd

01:03

@Mitch You can be rplacd

Mitch

01:59

@MetaEd defunitely

Færd

02:23

@tchrist For me the most poignant part is that of all sexual matters, I know I am and will be incapable of intense, engrossing romantic love. Deep affection, yes, but such as to tame the totality of my mind and heart into one unity, no, not anymore.

Though I hold the memories dear, I’m not sad about the fact; I might even say I’m glad about it. Am I starting to sound like Plato now.

tchrist

I don't know. Time is long.

Færd

For some it's a once-in-a-lifetime fall.

tchrist

Sometimes even widows find solace.

Life can surprise us. Sometimes.

Færd

I can't say it's impossible.

But you have to forget so much to be able to fall again.

The conscious awareness must be overcome for that to happen.

tchrist

Grief is like that.

Færd

02:31

In that it overtakes all of you?

tchrist

Utterly.

Færd

And can only happen once, virtually.

I understand that.

tchrist

No, once at least partway healed, grief can consume you anew.

I'm not fit to counsel on this. Sorry.

Færd

That's OK. This is not that kind of conversation.

I'd like to think of my life story as one in which I can only love once (romantically) and grieve once. I'm not completely sure that I'm that kind, but if I were it would say something about me.

Færd

03:23

Can we call an SE sites a forum?

> forum
1 A meeting or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged.
‘we hope these pages act as a forum for debate’

1.1 A website or web page where users can post comments about a particular issue or topic and reply to other users' postings.

Tonepoet

193

A: Are Stack Exchange sites forums?

Stack Overflow is not a forum. Forums are largely discussion-based and tend to follow less strict rules about what posts can be like. On Stack Overflow (and Stack Exchange in general), we require every new thread to be started with a question and every response to that question to be an attempt ...

Færd

Thanks.

Tonepoet

Also, welcome to the website. Grab yourself something to eat, make yourself comfortable, take the tour and remember to not let the door hit you on the way out. =P

"This site is all about getting answers. It's not a discussion forum. There's no chit-chat."

Færd

03:39

But technically it still is a forum, isn't it? Despite the fact that some people want to think the site above that.

Tonepoet

We also hate people who say please and thank you.

Cerberus

@Færd You could say that.

Færd

@Tonepoet I know. Some of you do.

Cerberus

Users discuss things.

Færd

Right.

Cerberus

03:41

But at least it is an atypical Internet forum.

Since one cannot reply and discuss ad libitum.

Færd

It's not a free-discussion forum.

Cerberus

Indeed not.

Tonepoet

@Færd If I may raise one more objection, that definition of forum is overly broad. It could describe youtube, facebook and twitter which are websites people do not usually consider forums, as well as blogs which are different enough in style as to have their own distinct word.

Færd

In YouTube one person has the podium to him/herself.

Tonepoet

Not in the comments.

Cerberus

03:45

But you could say all of those sites are or include, to some extent, fora.

Tonepoet

Then what about this chatroom?

Færd

But I understand the internet conventions that make one reluctant to call an SE site a forum.

@Tonepoet Isn't it the most forum-like part of the site?

Tonepoet

It's closer to Internet Relay Chat. It's a considerable improvement over that system actually though.

Færd

Doesn't contradict my statement.

Anyway, I think with the aid of context you may be able to use forum for these sites and be understood. But you should also be aware of the conventions and not break them on sheer technical basis.

Tonepoet

Hmm, if I was drafting up a definition of forum, as it pertained to the internet's usage of the word, it would probably describe the style of software like phpbb, invision powerboard and maybe to a lesser extent the various imageboard softwares, where various users make discussion subjects for responses. That's the type of software that are most often actually called forums.

Færd

03:55

You'd have to make sure most of the users of those sites do draw those sharp borderlines.

Well, maybe you are. I don't know.

Such a pity there's no entry for this meaning in Noah Webster's dictionary.

Shift+Enter prevents other features like Italics and boldface.

Tonepoet

Yeah, I know that.

Færd

I said "on sheer technical basis". That's wrong.

On a sheer technical basis, maybe? Better.

Tonepoet

It'd usually be "On a sheerly technical basis." I think

Færd

I was just typing on sheerly technical bases. Is sheerly a word?

Apparently yes.

Very uncommon though. Right?

Tonepoet

Hmm, I'm not sure how uncommon it is, generally speaking.

Færd

04:11

Tonepoet

The reason I prefer it here though is that I think you want it to modify the adjective technical, rather than directly modify the noun basis though. That calls for an adverb, rather than an adjective. The -ly suffix changes adjectives into adverbs.

Færd

Yes. That made me confused as to choose which over which, the uncommon sheerly or the infelicitous sheer.

One can always rephrase.

Later.

Tonepoet

@Færd Not after two minutes. ;-) Bye Færd.

3 hours later…

SmokeDetector

07:21

[ SmokeDetector | MS ] Bad keyword in body, bad keyword in title, blacklisted website in body: cheap radley bags Whether you prefer teal radley bag by radlelgl on english.SE

4 hours later…

englishstudent

11:49

@Tonepoet haha good one. But "remember to not let the door hit you on the way out." should be "remember to not let the snide comments hit you on the way out." I reckon. Because SE networks are well known for snide comments on main sites. Not that I don't love the sites, I love them, but just saying.

@Mitch That's mostly you!. xp

Tonepoet

@englishstudent Oh phew, at least somebody found it funny. I was starting to think maybe I had acted in poor taste there...

englishstudent

Not at all. Your sense of humour is pretty good.

6 hours later…

SmokeDetector

18:09

[ SmokeDetector | MS ] Bad keyword in title: Is talking without moving facial muscles or lips a type of dialect or a physiological problem? by Anne on english.SE

3 hours later…

Sir Cumference

21:19

Just now wondering

Why do typesetters capitalize the first few words of a new chapter?

tchrist

21:55

@SirCumference Would you really like to know?

Sir Cumference

@tchrist Sure

tchrist

> Elevated caps are easier to set well from a keyboard, but drop caps have closer links with the scribal and letterpress tradition. And the tooling and fitting of drop caps is something typographers do for fun, to test their skill and visual intuition. It is common practice to set the first word or phrase after the versal in caps, small caps, or boldface, as a bridge between versal and normal text.

From Bringhurst.

It's because that's how you do it between a giant versal en route to normal text.

A: Where should drop cap be suitable?

Fifteen Centuries of Versals There are many ways to indicate the beginning (or resumption) of a section of text, including paragraph indents, blank lines, changing the weight or style of the opening part of the text, ornamentation like fleurons — and versals, a category that includes drop caps. ...