English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

12:43 AM

@Iplodman Soon, you will see the stupidity, lol.

1:54 AM

@Cerberus I think you're overstating the problem. It's my understanding that Priority mode is meant to allow apps to puncture through the do-not-disturb feature of the phone, and that DND is meant to silence things that are not meant to disturb you. I don't see how it subverts the nature of DND to set an alarm app to have high priority so that it always alarms you. And the DND mode is quite flexible, allowing you to turn it on for a set time or manually when you need it.

I'm also not really sure how serious it is that a phone might vibrate during a service. Is this really a major problem? "Major betrayal of trust"? wow.

@Cerberus Also, how much vibration are you expecting? If the phone is ringing, you can just send the call to voicemail with one swipe.

I mean, yeah, fine, the behaviour changed and it can be annoying to have to learn how to do things the new way. But of all the problems people will have with Android L, I'm sure this is totally insignificant.

skullpatrol

3:18 AM

See ya thursday night @cornbreadninja

:D

Jeremy Miller

5:00 AM

Wow... I troll into here to see what's up in English Language & Usage and find a full page of Greek! I guess that's what Question Askers think of English when they post: It's Greek to them. lol

skullpatrol

troll?

medica

10:09 AM

@MattЭллен - got a few minutes?

Matt Эллен

sure

user4550

10:46 AM

hello

@MattЭллен

Matt Эллен

Hi

user4550

Why is "had" used here?

Matt Эллен

why do you think it's there?

user4550

Is this because of the subjunctive tense of "would hope"?

Matt Эллен

"had outgrown" is past perfect.

you can't remove the had without changing "outgrown" from the participle form into something else

user4550

10:53 AM

You would think he was a musican...was is due to the subjunctive

so...

normally ...college students have outgrown...

but due to the would..have is changed to had

that's my theory

Matt Эллен

yeah, that sound about right

user4550

so my theory is correct? this "had outgrown" is the subjunctive to "have outgrown?"

Matt Эллен

yes

although Americans would say "I would think he were a musician"

user4550

that is how Shakespeare said it

Matt Эллен

but in British English was can be used for subjunctive

user4550

10:56 AM

i thought it was ungrammatical

but in common conversation, it would be, "i would hope they have outgrown..." right?

Matt Эллен

I don't know. that would depend on the person

user4550

i see.

thank you

Matt Эллен

I would probably add a would in "I'd think they'd have outgrown it by now"

they'd -> they would

probably "they'd've"

user4550

That sounds wrong...

the last one...

I've never seen that contraction.

Matt Эллен

11:24 AM

no, it's a speech thing. you probably wouldn't write it unless you're writing out someone's speech

it is a valid contraction, though

Jasper Loy

@MattЭллен Have you heard of Assimil? Boo!

Matt Эллен

no, I have not. Hi

user4550

i see

thanks

Matt Эллен

@JasperLoy another language course you're considering?

@user4550 no probs

Jasper Loy

@MattЭллен Yes. Its name comes from assimilation, in that you try to learn a new language by assimilating it.

Matt Эллен

11:28 AM

well, letting it assimilate you.

Jasper Loy

I will continue to think about which series to get. I don't need to decide until a year more, lol. Next year, I will just study my 12 math books.

Jasper Loy

11:44 AM

Today I sent Assimil an email asking about the different versions of their products. Seems they are undergoing a revision.

user4550

After I passed feces, I had fallen into an euphoric elation.

2

Is this tense correct?

Matt Эллен

use "fell" rather than "had fallen" because "passed" is simple past

and even if it was "had passed" I'd still use fell.

user4550

but this sense of when I thought, i had already fallen...

ive seen this pattern before so...it stuck in my mind

Matt Эллен

you fell after you [had] passed

user4550

I see

thank you

Robusto

12:55 PM

@user4550 What kind of grade did the teacher give you?

I suppose all feces is pass/fail.

Mitch

@Robusto You don't want to fail.

Do you mean stop commenting altogether? — Mitch 13 secs ago

Robusto

@Mitch I would find that passing strange.

skullpatrol

it does seem a bit overly dramatic

Mitch

I would find that essence rare.

skullpatrol

it depends on the size of the load and how long you have been holding it too, i guess

but "euphoric elation"?

NOT!

Blog - Stack Exchange: Stack Overflow: Where We Hate Fun

Jeff Atwood on January 04, 2010

I noticed that the Stack Overflow question Strangest language feature has been closed and reopened several times now. The text of the question is brief:

What is in your opinion the most surprising, weird, strange or really “WTF” language feature you have encountered?

I agree this is not exactly an ideal question for Stack Overflow, per the FAQ:

Avoid asking questions that are subjective, argumentative, or require extended discussion. This is not a discussion board, this is a place for questions that can be answered! …

perhaps this clown will experience "euphoric elation".

Robusto

1:53 PM

I figured out a way to get rid of all these "What's the opposite of ______?" questions. Simply have a canonical question that asks exactly that (including blank line) and then answer it with one sentence: "Simply put ! before the word in question." Then we can delete as dupes all subsequent antonym argle-bargle.

For example, the antonym for metonymy becomes !metonymy. You're welcome.

skullpatrol

or use "un"

Andrew Leach

Or ¬ I suppose. It's available on most keyboards, for some reason. Which must be this reason.

Robusto

Most of the people who come here are programmers, and will understand the not operator.

skullpatrol

but it is a single word request

Robusto

Operators are not words.

Frankly, gents, I'm not seeing the enthusiasm for this idea that I would expect from this community.

skullpatrol

1:57 PM

it is a word if you can look up its definition in the dictionary

Robusto

Oh yeah? Look up blerp. It's a word if it is understood to mean something. Blerp means something.

Look up meh.

define: operator?

@Mitch yes.

In linguistics, a word is the smallest element that may be uttered in isolation with semantic or pragmatic content (with literal or practical meaning). This contrasts with a morpheme, which is the smallest unit of meaning but will not necessarily stand on its own. A word may consist of a single morpheme (for example: oh!, rock, red, quick, run, expect), or several (rocks, redness, quickly, running, unexpected), whereas a morpheme may not be able to stand on its own as a word (in the words just mentioned, these are -s, -ness, -ly, -ing, un-, -ed). A complex word will typically include a root and...

Matt Эллен

the post has enough comments on it. the discussion is over.

skullpatrol

2:11 PM

isn't that why the system creates chat rooms for discussions that get too long?

Matt Эллен

yes, but it's not enabled on meta, because more discussion is meant to happen there. however that particular discussion was not going anywhere

skullpatrol

oh

now i know why my troll friend in the math room left the room to do his bullying on meta threads

bullys are such cowards

it's sorta sad though, because you're sinking to their level :(

terdon

2:32 PM

@MattЭллен Understatement of the century. Talk about a storm in a teacup!

Matt Эллен

yeah

it happens sometimes, I guess.

we'll look back and wonder what all the fuss was about, but it always seems so important at the time

Robusto

@skullpatrol Not if you do it right. If you do it right, they sink to the floor and you're still standing.

skullpatrol

true, but somehow I have been morally reduced

Mitch

@MattЭллен I was messing with you

Matt Эллен

@Mitch I know :)

I still have to suspend you.

Mitch

2:46 PM

dang it! fell for my own trap!

skullpatrol

:O

Matt Эллен

:D

Mitch

@skullpatrol But Puffin! Cute way of stomping bullies!

skullpatrol

we all need to use the "mental ignore" button

don't feed the trolls

Mitch

what?

Sorry, I was listening to something else.

skullpatrol

2:50 PM

np pal :-)

skullpatrol

3:13 PM

SmokeDetector

4:00 PM

[ SmokeDetector ] Offensive title detected: What is the demonym for a citizen of Niger? by user96258 on english.stackexchange.com

Matt Эллен

@SmokeDetector it's OK, that one's safe

Jasper Loy

@matt I have now shortlisted to Living Language X Complete Edition and BBC Talk X Complete. Are you at home now?

Andrew Leach

@MattЭллен Looks like the regex needs its spelling checked. One g is fine.

Matt Эллен

indeed

@JasperLoy no, I'm still at work

Jasper Loy

@MattЭллен It must be a long day then!

Matt Эллен

4:03 PM

not really. it's only 16:00

Jasper Loy

Oh, DST.

It is midnight here.

Matt Эллен

quite late then!

Andrew Leach

Or early.

Jasper Loy

The BBC Talk X Complete series is only sold on amazon.co.uk, not amazon.com. So it is more expensive than usual. But it is still cheap.

I am going to think about some things and then take a nap.

I had fried rice for dinner just now.

Mahnax

4:38 PM

Hola.

Matt Эллен

Buenos días

Mahnax

¿Cómo estás?

Matt Эллен

cansado, pero es casi la hora a ir hogar. ¿Y tú?

hmmm

google translate failed me there

Mahnax

Oh, I'm doing well. I don't think I can carry a conversation in Spanish to be honest.

Matt Эллен

yeah. it was getting to be a struggle :D

Mahnax

4:45 PM

Yeah :^)

Oh, shoot. I didn't realize it was that time already.

I suppose I should get to class, then. Have a nice evening!

Matt Эллен

:D thanks! have a good class!

SmokeDetector

[ SmokeDetector ] Bad keyword in title, Phone number detected: fast प्यारा गूगल +91-9950211818 l o v e problem solution baba by rkbangali401 on english.stackexchange.com

ProgramFOX

5:03 PM

@AndrewLeach This has now been updated, and the new revision is running.

medica

7:17 PM

@KitFox, @MattЭллен - Nohat can say "If we have to discuss words like shit and fuck and cunt by bowdlerizing them that will be my ticket out of here." in meta without bowdlerization. How different is shitstorm?

KitFox

He was describing the use-mention distinction. You were using, not mentioning.

Stack Exchange

7:58 PM

Limerick Machine: The days of my life never end It’s driving me quite round the bend Things happen and...

posted on November 17, 2014 by sgdi

The days of my life never end It’s driving me quite round the bend Things happen and happen They don’t seem to slacken I’ve got nothing left to expend

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

8:16 PM

so @Robusto I finally got my piano

and it turns out that after 17+ years of not playing I have not forgotten everything.

Robusto

Sweet. What'd you get?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

Casio PX-850

According to some reviews and forums I found, it should meet my needs, and I got it severely on sale

So far so good but I'm not crazy about the pedal. It makes a sticking sound, like you're peeling a piece of packing tape off a box, when you press the pedal. I think there's a rubber foot under the pedals that doesn't reach my hardwood floor, and when I press it it flexes down and touches the floor, the pops off when I let go.

skullpatrol

Great, I can't wait for an invitation to your first concert :D

I'll bring the whole raider nation patrol

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

ha. I am not, and never will be, anywhere near good enough to perform

Robusto

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Yeah. That's why you pay more. But just think of the deal you got.

I'm not quite ready to pull the trigger on this one yet: smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003AOULM0/…

Reason is, I just bought me a new bike.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

8:23 PM

@Robusto Yeah I paid half that price

I think I can fix the pedal, I just haven't had a chance to look into what exactly is the problem.

Robusto

8:36 PM

Me new purchase.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

nice

Robusto

Weird. When I click on that image it doesn't show up in a new tab.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

it works fine for me.

skullpatrol

me too

Robusto

I dunno.

Voodoo.

skullpatrol

8:40 PM

gremlins

Robusto

Weird, works fine from my work machine.

Just not my home unit. (I'm both at work and at home right now.)

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Robusto wow me too! But then, I work from home

Robusto

9:03 PM

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I do whenever I can.

skullpatrol

hi @snailboat

Anonymous

Hello!

Anonymous

sails

skullpatrol

:)

Robusto

@snailboat *snails

Anonymous

9:09 PM

snails

Anonymous

I've been listening to this snail-related video a lot the last few days: youtube.com/watch?v=YG_KiMXsrto

skullpatrol

Anonymous

@skullpatrol Hey, that snail's sinistral!

skullpatrol

yep, I call'em "lefty" :D

Anonymous

9:24 PM

@skullpatrol When a species of snails is normally dextral, a sinistral specimen is called a snail king.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

I never wondered about what direction the shell curls, but it turns out to be fascinating.

Anonymous

9:49 PM

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 A question, possibly related: why have sinistral snail species evolved, but no(?) sinistral slug species?

Anonymous

Their speculation could account for it

Anonymous

I'm still not really sure how door snails ended up with the shells they have‌, but I'm reminded by the discussion of sinistral snails

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@snailboat so a sinistral slug would be the same as a dextral slug, but would have the sex parts mirrored?

A quick google search suggests that there are such individuals

Anonymous

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Snails and slugs have a number of internal organs that are not symmetrical. They have one lung, for example, and one opening into that lung (the pneumostome)

Anonymous

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Oh? Give me an example

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

9:52 PM

researchgate.net/publication/…

It's paywalled but they seem to be describing one

Anonymous

Ah, but that's a sinistral specimen, not an entire species

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

senckenberg.de/files/content/forschung/abteilung/zoologie/…

Ah, I see

hm.

Anonymous

Torsion (gastropod)

Torsion is an anatomical event which takes place during the very early part of the life of snails and slugs of all kinds. In other words, torsion is a gastropod synapomorphy which occurs in all gastropods during larval development. Torsion is the rotation of the visceral mass, mantle, and shell 180˚ with respect to the head and foot of the gastropod. This brings the mantle cavity and anus to an anterior position above the head. In some groups of gastropods (Opisthobranchia) there is a degree of secondary detorsion or rotation towards the original position; this may be only partial detorsion or...

Anonymous

The shell is just one aspect. Reproductive organs are another.

Anonymous

Although the body of a snail (ignoring the shell) looks superficially symmetrical, it's anything but

Anonymous

9:55 PM

Slugs are snails who've evolved to have reduced shells

Anonymous

Either shells that are still partially or fully external but aren't big enough to fit into, or partially or fully internal shells, or in a few cases no shell at all

Anonymous

Here you can see a banana slug with its pneumostome open, breathing

Anonymous

It doesn't have a hole like that on its other side

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

so snails with the single-gene mutation that makes them sinistral may have a survival advantage in some cases, but slugs with that mutation would just be oddball individuals that can't mate

> Most (all?) sinistral snail species have shells that are taller than they are wide. Slugs have evolved from snails. Although some slug species have completely lost their shells, many species still have a small external or internal vestigial shell. There are also so-called semi-slugs, snails with shells that are much smaller than their bodies and into which they cannot withdraw. The shells of semi-slugs are always wide, not tall. This suggests that slugs have descended from snails with wide shells.

from here

Anonymous

9:59 PM

Ah, that's a malacologist! :-)

Anonymous

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 If I recall correctly, it's typically a mutation in the snail laying the eggs

Anonymous

So their entire clutch of baby snails can end up facing the other way together :-)

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@snailboat hm, odd. those individuals could mate, then.

Anonymous

Yes, which might make it more possible for this to occur, given how very rare it is to begin with

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

very interesting.

Well, gotta run

cya

Anonymous

10:03 PM

Have a good day!

Anonymous

I've seen tens of thousands of snails, but I've never seen a snail whose shell coiled the opposite way

Anonymous

I've always thought it would be neat :-)

Mitch

11:14 PM

@medica ... And scare quotes don't count. That is, "this is a real shitstorm" is as bad as "this is a real 'shitstorm', if you know what I mean", if you know what I mean.

curiousdannii

11:45 PM

I ran out of downvotes, but there are still so many terrible questions :(

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English Language & Usage: Multi-Layer…