English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

3:00 PM

@MattЭллен Umm, but in the version I have installed, they refer to stylistic errors. And the red ones refer to spelling errors?

Matt Эллен

@Gigili yes

Cerberus

It is true: I really do like every other video of his.

Matt Эллен

except for the one about Great Britain?

Cerberus

Sorry, it wasn't my cup of tea entirely.

Gigili

@MattЭллен Yes?

Matt Эллен

3:03 PM

@Cerberus what didn't you like about it?

RegDwight АΑA

He did say every other. Fifty percent.

Matt Эллен

@Gigili yes.

Cerberus

@MattЭллен I don't know, I didn't find it very original. Every random English or Dutch comedian would make the same jokes.

Matt Эллен

@Cerberus perhaps. I don't remember the individual jokes. I suppose they can't have been that good.

Cerberus

You are just more sensitive to things British, I guess.

Jez

3:16 PM

just remembered how ugly that thing is

these olympics are a laughing stock, lol

Matt Эллен

thanks for sharing! :Þ

Robusto

@Cerberus 1 + 1 + 1 = 3. But 1 & 1 & 1 = 1. QED.

Matt Эллен

@Jez did you get held up by the torch relay?

Robusto

Worst Olympic uniforms ever. Well, what do you expect when you give the contract to Paul McCartney's daughter? England is still not a meritocracy!

Cerberus

It is a relief to see that you have at least mastered addition. Kind of.

Matt Эллен

3:19 PM

they don't all have the same coloured feet

Jez

@MattЭллен No. It's just that they designed a crappy logo, wasted a ton of money, passed anti-freedom legislation, shut down a bunch of shop displays, buggered up the security, and pissed off North Korea with the South Korea flag.

Cerberus

It is the most corrupt, depraved, and boring affair in the history of humanity.

Matt Эллен

@Robusto we try, but then people confuse talented people with the offspring of talented people.

Robusto

@MattЭллен But talent skips a generation. QED.

Jez

@Robusto do they all have disabilities?

Matt Эллен

3:21 PM

@Jez yeah, I heard about the flag fiasco. So retarded. I got held up by the relay twice, in the same city, on different days.

RegDwight АΑA

As far as the uniforms are concerned, yes.

Robusto

@RegDwightАΑA Beat me to it.

Cerberus

@MattЭллен The relay?

Matt Эллен

@Cerberus to get the torch across the coutry to the opening ceremony

Cerberus

@Robusto Jabusto, Robusper, stop it!

Matt Эллен

3:24 PM

@Cerberus coca cola pay celebrities to run with the torch through villages, towns and cities.

Cerberus

@MattЭллен Oh, along the McDonalds route, right.

Matt Эллен

that's the one

Cerberus

I think they have missed a spot near Oxford.

Matt Эллен

:D

I guess they only ran near me! there're Mcdonalds in all the other parts of the city

I've written code that works somewhere other than my machine!

It's official

Cerberus

Oh?

How did you do that?

And by "work", do you mean you got it to display in a text editor?

Matt Эллен

3:55 PM

byeeeee

simchona

4:05 PM

@FumbleFingers - I make great efforts to improve my English every day. And I have always contributed to elu with great referenced answer. Complexively, my contribute to elu is good, I think. — Carlo_R. 2 hours ago

Robusto

I have no words.

JSBձոգչ

@Robusto try looking at word. you'll find lots there.

simchona

@Robusto Me neither, darling.

cornbread ninja

4:33 PM

howdy

Jez

@JSBձոգչ Word.

Szabolcs

4:57 PM

Hi!

Is the correct usage "assist with", "assist in", or it depends? Context. I decided that I'll try to use correct English on SE :-)

user19161

5:15 PM

@Szabolcs Both can be used.

Szabolcs

@JasperLoy They're exchangeable then?

user19161

@Szabolcs Yes, I can't think of any difference now.

user19161

@Szabolcs Better to use interchangeable instead of exchangeable.

Szabolcs

Thank you. I'm glad when I am corrected, otherwise I will never be able to get rid of these mistakes.

user19161

@Szabolcs You can always post your questions on main too, if you think they are non-trivial.

Szabolcs

5:21 PM

Most of them are quite trivial, like this one. Most of the time I don't even have any questions: I simply make mistakes without realizing it.

I'm way past the level where people regularly correct me, but I'm still far from speaking without mistakes.

But back to work now.

user19161

@simchona Well, at least he is improving.

Mitch

@JasperLoy What? -He- says he's improving, doesn't make it so.

anyway....

3

Q: Is there a more concise term for a long-term girlfriend/boyfriend than "significant other"?

I've been together with my boyfriend for around 9 years now. There are times when I want to communicate that I am referring to someone who plays a major role in my life, like that of a husband, and "boyfriend" does not seem adequate. To me, "boyfriend" seems to signify a newer relationship, one ...

user19161

@Mitch Maybe he just learnt the language a few weeks ago, which makes him very good.

user19161

@Mitch I gave an answer. I doubt any word will fit exactly, so in such cases we do a best approximation.

Mitch

all I want to do and have to hold back from is make snarky comments like:

How does you boyfriend refer to you? 'Oh she's just a friend'?

or ...

user19161

5:30 PM

@Mitch 9 years is very long. They should get married soon. For me, I have always been single. :-)

Mitch

'why don't you get married already?'

or...

'baby daddy' if you got a baby (if it's his)

or...

user19161

@Mitch Best not to say that on main.

Mitch

'really, you should 'settle' already'

or...

well,duh, that's why I'm saying it here...you know an outlet, where

user19161

You are full of ideas today. Did you just have some whisky Mitch?

Mitch

where.. Ican offhandedly be impolite

I've got more...

user19161

5:33 PM

You seem quite affected by this question that I am beginning to wonder if you know OP personally!

Mitch

or...'girl, you should fish or cut bait'.

I dont know anyone in that kind of situation...but i read in the papers and see in the movies all the time.

or...'loser'

user19161

I was tempted to close this as too localized but I guess it is sufficiently interesting.

Mitch

hm..I'mixing up advice and names.

no it's interesting.

user19161

@Mitch Yes, and I sense that you are not your usual self.

Mitch

I just saw yours.

soul mate is a different concept.

user19161

5:38 PM

@Mitch It can apply.

Mitch

you wish for them to be the same, but ...

it's more of a fairy tale.

user19161

It usually refers to a romantic partner you know very well, according to a dictionary, so.

Mitch

It refers to an almost spiritual bond.

user19161

@mitch Pardon me, but it seems to me that you are heartbroken or sth like that.

Mitch

she's talking about living together with someone as though they're married, but without the offical recognition or ceremony.

it sounds to me like you're an Eliza chat bot.

user19161

5:42 PM

@Mitch I assure you I am human, even though I feel I don't really belong to this world.

Mitch

Oh, I know you're human.

we were both going on sounds.

cornbread ninja

@Mitch ?

Mitch

I hear a situation like that, and I want to slap both of them (again all hypothetically of course because I don't actually know anybody who's been in that situation)

@cornbreadninja nlp-addiction.com/eliza

cornbread ninja

@Mitch interesting.

Mitch

a Rogerian psychoanalyst...responds to your statements by either repeating them back to you "I'm depressed'.
'I hear you say that you're depressed. What do you think about that?'

user19161

5:46 PM

@Mitch Now this is getting too personal... Why would you want to do that to them?

Mitch

-or- somethign random like:
'I'm depressed'
'Interesting. Can you tell me about your mother?'

user19161

@Mitch I'm sure I did better than that. A bot would not be able to do what I did.

Mitch

@JasperLoy sorry..you probably don't get the cultural context...slap some -sense- into them.

user19161

@Mitch I know, but why? Elaborate. I don't wanna make too many assumptions.

Mitch

Or 'They should get married'
'Hm...it sounds like you're depressed'

user19161

5:49 PM

Er, OK. I won't say anymore then.

Mitch

elaboration:
The dude doesn't want to commit. He's "getting his milk for free" (look it up). He think he might be able to do better.
She thought living together would be a way to hook him into the inevitability of getting married.

cornbread ninja

"He's my Kurt Russell."

Mitch

That's an extremely abbreviated version.

@cornbreadninja what's that from?

user19161

@cornbreadninja What? Why is everyone saying mysterious things today?

cornbread ninja

She gave him a stable in which to get the milk for free.

Mitch

5:51 PM

That's a metaphor I don't want to explain.

cornbread ninja

@Mitch just a suggestion for that question. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have been in a relationship since 1983.

Mitch

Oh....

and they have kids? Like older kids? Like Kate Hudson or something?

cornbread ninja

"He's mah errythang."

@Mitch yes.

Mitch

Goldie Hawn doesn't have that accent, does she?

cornbread ninja

@Mitch street AAVE?

user19161

5:52 PM

@Mitch Well, anyone can speak like that at times.

cornbread ninja

not that I know of.

Mitch

@JasperLoy well if you say it that way, -anyone- can speak like anything at anytime.

user19161

@Mitch Yeah, I like your -xxx-.

Mitch

yeah. you can use it. it's OK. I invented it. I'm awesome like that.

cornbread ninja

> Hello. My name is Eliza. How may I help you?
* I want to carve linoleum blocks all day.
> Suppose you got to carve linoleum blocks all day?
* my arms would be sore.
> Say, do you have any psychological problems?
* you tell me.
> Oh... tell you?
* yes...
> Are you Sure?
* sigh.
> OK... "I want to carve linoleum blocks all day". Tell me more.
* It's fun and rewarding until I slip and cut myself.
> I see.

user19161

5:56 PM

@cornbreadninja I was clearly superior!

Mitch

exactly

cornbread ninja

@JasperLoy :D

user19161

@Mitch Well, I was just trying to see if you needed a listening ear...

cornbread ninja

Eliza has clearly read How to Talk So Your Kids Will Listen, and Listen So They Will Talk or whatever it's called.

howdy @simchona :)

my name is cornbread ninja, and I'm addicted to block printing.

user19161

Whoa, that question has gotten 4 answers already. It might become the next hottest question soon.

MetaEd

6:08 PM

@JasperLoy Isn't there an ELU lemma that says any question with a sex angle will get a lot of activity?

cornbread ninja

6:20 PM

@MetaEd is that like an axiom or is it a play on dilemma?

@MattЭллен I am looking for block printing ideas and am considering your orc head.

Matt Эллен

block printing? kez ker say?

cornbread ninja

@MattЭллен lolwut

Robusto

0

Q: The Historical Development of Nouns and Adjectives

Historically speaking, were nouns derived from adjectives or were adjectives derived from nouns? That is to say, as verbal communication developed which came first: the noun, or the adjective?

etymology nouns adjectives

Migrate to Linguistics.SE.

cornbread ninja

yes sir

oh wait, Linguistics still isn't in the list.

whistles

@MattЭллен pls explain 'kez ker say' at your earliest convenience

Matt Эллен

@cornbreadninja s'french, innit

FumbleFingers

6:27 PM

@JSBձոգչ thanks for that - I see where you're coming from. I probably agree to, but I must admit I'm not overly sure my off-the-cuff opinions about good/bad tags should be accorded much weight. My rule of thumb is to just agree with RegDwight on that front!

Matt Эллен

@cornbreadninja it means "what is that?"

cornbread ninja

@MattЭллен OIC

Matt Эллен

:D

cornbread ninja

@MattЭллен en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linocut

a variation on wood block printing.

I do this in lieu of the ability and materials needed for creating wood or metal type, but I must branch out to pictures.

Matt Эллен

Oh, nice.

Feel free to do my head :)

This is a large size version

cornbread ninja

6:36 PM

@MattЭллен oooh

@MattЭллен thank you! (had to talk to boss, now have to reissue a bunch of orders)

later. ._.

Matt Эллен

Good luck!

MetaEd

@cornbreadninja An axiom, or law, is what I had in mind.

Matt Эллен

6:52 PM

@Cerberus yes! Why are westerns so popular? They bore the pants off me.

user19161

@FumbleFingers It's quite rare of you to come to chat!

Matt Эллен

►

user19161

@MetaEd That's more like a theorem!

user19161

I see my soul mate answer was not well received.

user19161

Sigh, I was just trying not to repeat what OP has said...

user19161

7:00 PM

@MattЭллен That guy looks like he has no eyes.

Cerberus

@MattЭллен I don't think I have even sat one out.

Perhaps David has watched too many Hollywood films, even though he is probably not really into them.

user19161

@Cerberus So you emailed David?

Gigili

@Cerberus Did you email him?

Wow!

user19161

@Gigili I am awesome like that. I told you I am not human.

Gigili

It is first of all, then?

Second of all?

...

The last one of all?

Matt Эллен

7:11 PM

@Cerberus probably. you know what celebrities are like!

user19161

@Gigili I would just use first/second/lastly for example.

MetaEd

@JasperLoy Probably I should use the word "law" or "axiom".

Robusto

People are stupid. Duh.

Gigili

Excuse me?

Robusto

I'm just making a general observation. Don't mind me.

Just annoyed at something from another forum.

Gigili

7:16 PM

I see. I thought you got lectured about English by someone who doesn't speak it.

MetaEd

20 hours ago, by MetaEd

►

FumbleFingers

@JasperLoy indeed. I only stopped by because I wanted to ask a question of JSBangs, and I didn't want it to clutter up comment space if I couldn't get things straight easily. I shall remain serenely "occasional" here, but I do think I ought to turn up a bit more often than I do!

user19161

@FumbleFingers You running for mod?

Gigili

Oh, FF. Lange nicht gesehen.

user19161

@Gigili Firefox?

Gigili

7:38 PM

What else?

user19161

@meysam So are you still running for mod or not?

user19161

7:52 PM

Hello @rachel.

Meysam

@JasperLoy I am. I will nominate myself on the last day.

user19161

@Meysam Haha, that's what someone did on another site.

Meysam

@JasperLoy It's an old trick that always works

user19161

@Meysam So you won't be questioned?

Rachel

@JasperLoy Hello :)

user19161

8:04 PM

@Rachel What brings you here today?

Meysam

@JasperLoy There won't be enough time to question me. Unless we go to the primary phase

Rachel

@JasperLoy I clicked on the wrong spot :)

user19161

@Meysam I am still considering myself. But I think I prefer to remain an ordinary user/

user19161

@Rachel Oh OK. Life takes strange turns. Sometimes, the wrong places become the right places...

MetaEd

@Meysam Won't we go to primaries if anybody else nominates? We have ten already

user19161

8:08 PM

@MetaEd Yes, one more to have primary.

user19161

@mahnax Boo!

Mahnax

@JasperLoy Terve!

user19161

@Mahnax I must come up with a new greeting for you. Let's make it ... KFC!

Mahnax

@JasperLoy vetoes

Meysam

@JasperLoy Going to primaries is a waste of time! Someone should withdraw after I nominate.

user19161

8:20 PM

@Mahnax KFC!

Jez

8:32 PM

elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/…

ah, the most dysfunctional democracy in the world.

user19161

@Jez I don't think so. There is so much shit in the world.

Jez

yeah, but the shitter ones don't call themselves democracies.

at least they're honest.

user19161

Well, names don't mean anything.

user19161

Always look at the object, not the label of the object.

Mitch

@Jez "At least Mussolini got the trains running on time"

(which turns out was actually not the case)

user19161

8:41 PM

@Mitch That's because he had good pasta.

MetaEd

9:47 PM

0

Q: Is the word "wareful" archaic?

I have a sentence that runs, "My sense of reassurance was wareful." Is this word archaic? Should I use wary instead? Or is the meaning of the sentence just plain ambiguous to begin with?

word-choice

A: No ... it's just not a word at all.

Gigili

encyclo.co.uk/define/Wareful

MetaEd

10:05 PM

Error 503 Service Unavailable. Service Unavailable. Guru Meditation: XID: 175982214.
Varnish cache server.

Gigili

Good that you didn't get fatal error.

MetaEd

10:57 PM

Sssssh.

cornbread ninja

@MattЭллен whoa.

Cerberus

11:31 PM

@Gigili, @Jasper I meant David Mitchell there. But, yes, I have e-mailed David Wallace. He said he needed some time away from chat for undisclosed reasons.

Robusto

Although it is almost irrelevant to mention it, Carlo was not actually referring to my comment (the one you quote and which presents mistakes I've noticed only when re-reading it now), but to Evan Carroll's ("Neither should nor must imply anything about the current condition"), which is however only visible if you upload all the comments. And for @MarkBeadles, Carlo's word complexively is in my opinion an attempt to recreate the Italian adverb which roughly corresponds to the English expression all in all. — Paola 2 mins ago

@Cerberus: ^ Another casualty of the "We don't do comments in order" fallacy. JA, are you listening?

Cerberus

Ugh, yes.

He is supposedly gone, though.

So we should pray to some new Lord.

cornbread ninja

11:58 PM

@Cerberus JS, perhaps.

Mahnax

Good evening, everyone!

cornbread ninja

@Mahnax good evening to you!