English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

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7:01 PM

Q: Are there any pairs of words like "beloved"/"belovèd", "learned"/"learnèd" that maintain a semantic difference to the present day?

When I first read Romeo and Juliet in high school, I remember being intrigued by pairs of words such as, beloved/belovèd and learned/learnèd where there's an accent grave on the 'e' of the last syllable of one of each pair of word. One thing I've always thought is that, strictly in...

Q: Are -èd adjectives still usèd words?

The distinction between the words blessèd (/ˈblɛsəd/) and blessed (/blɛst/) (see Grammarbook) appears to be wearing thin in modern language, possibly due to reduced accent usage and its resultant lack of different pronunciation between the two terms. Wiktionary refers to the word as poeti...

etymology orthography suffixes syllables diacritics

Kit Z. Fox

learn'd/learned, dogg'd/dogged

coughs

Færd

7:17 PM

@RegDwigнt Wow. For major economic breakdowns? You've certainly aged well.

(that was a compliment on your looks, if it wasn't clear)

Yeah. I did disagree with the guy presenting his forecast as absolute and inevitable. Who knows what follows a precipitous inflation hike. You'd have to answer a lot of other questions so that you could perceive any semblance of an outlook.

Questions like: Is the country in question suffering heavy sanctions imposed single-handedly and illegally by the world's super power? Is it facing constant existential threats (in words and action) by said state and its regional allies?

... Is it invloved with proxy wars in the region, for which it doesn't deserve the lion's share of the blame but is nonetheless burdened with it (take Yemen, for example)?

... Could the people of the country in question turn to their government for hope and support in the face these external horrors, or (this one in particular is the most poignant for me) is their government a semi-dictatorship that will/can only make a half-assed effort to answer the nation's real needs and only gets mroe corrupt and radicalized in response to international bullying?

Please don't bother answering these questions. I'm not silly enough to expect everyone around the world to be aware of my circumstances. But these are dire circumstances, and even in the best case scenario featuring no serious military conflicts or civil war, the prospect of the future looks still quite grim.

On the more cheerful side of the news, Ice Age roundworms frozen for 42,000 years, wake up, start eating as if nothing happened.

Kit Z. Fox

7:32 PM

speaking of old

Færd

That's funny.

It would be accurate too if only the lady in the foreground were Woodrow Wilson, not William Taft.

Kit Z. Fox

8:11 PM

Well, it's accurate if you know history.

Since Roosevelt lost the nomination to Taft.

Færd

9:11 PM

Thanks for commending my knowledge of history.

The depiction is not incorrect. But it is inaccurate.

Kit Z. Fox

OK. You can explain it then.

Færd

After Roosevelt left office to Taft, Taft had control of the office, and used that control to not let Roosevelt gain back his popularity within the Republican party.

So Taft is not best depicted as an eye candy stealing the heart of a man already committed to another woman.

Kit Z. Fox

And how would Woodrow Wilson fit that better?

Færd

IMO Wilson would be the girl whom the Republican party looks on in awe and anguish.

Kit Z. Fox

And I disagree with your assessment. Roosevelt was a highly regarded president. The Republican Party loved him. Until they decided they loved Taft's conservative policies more.

And they wouldn't have known about Taft if Roosevelt hadn't introduced them.

Wilson only showed up after Taft. It wouldn't make sense to have Roosevelt and Wilson together.

I do have a Wilson one though.

but really my favorite was ...

I can give you the blank if you want to make your own.

Færd

9:21 PM

I made a mistake (as I often do): "After Roosevelt left office to Taft, Taft had control of the party".

Kit Z. Fox

I understood what you meant.

Færd

So I didn't disagree with you.

Kit Z. Fox

And that's precisely why the meme is clever.

Færd

The picture shows the second time Roosevelt runs. At that time Taft was the sweetheart of the party.

Had been for a while.

Kit Z. Fox

Are you sure that's what the picture shows?

Færd

9:23 PM

I think so.

But I don't feel up to discussing a silly picture anymore.

Kit Z. Fox

let's talk about how much better tintypes are instead

Færd

Good idea.

So I didn't know two words out of three from the last one. I looked them up.

Tintypes look like 3D pictures.

And more nostalgic.

Kit Z. Fox

yes.

Færd

So I guess we've got more agreement on this one.

Kit Z. Fox

they are more durable too, realistically

And now it is time to eat.

For me.

Adieu!

Færd

9:28 PM

And to sleep for me.

Bye.

1 hour later…

Mitch

10:46 PM

Happy #IPAday! In our case, it's the International Phonetic Alphabet. Check out some phone apps in this blog post by @superlinguo, and share which ones you use! https://bit.ly/2AwhEH2