English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

RegDwigнt

8:57 AM

@Cerberus I don't have sound here, but last I checked there were no umlauts in Russian to begin with.

@skillpatrol people say the exact same thing about God. Now what.

Anonymous

Can the way most Indian people talk be considered as a form of code-switching?

Anonymous

Code-switching

In linguistics, code-switching occurs when a speaker alternates between two or more languages, or language varieties, in the context of a single conversation. Multilinguals—speakers of more than one language—sometimes use elements of multiple languages when conversing with each other. Thus, code-switching is the use of more than one linguistic variety in a manner consistent with the syntax and phonology of each variety. Code-switching is distinct from other language contact phenomena, such as borrowing, pidgins and creoles, loan translation (calques), and language transfer (language interference...

Anonymous

i.e mixing English and Indian words ..

RegDwigнt

I will refrain from forming an opinion since I have not heard most Indian people talk. And I can say that with confidence even though it's not clear which Indians we're talking about.

SmokeDetector

10:13 AM

[ SmokeDetector ] Offensive body detected, offensive title detected: Adjective help- Is there a word out there to describe a charismatic asshole? Someone that is an asshole, but charming and you love them nonetheless by Grant Hicklebottom on english.stackexchange.com

RegDwigнt

10:39 AM

Unbelievable.

But really true.

"Не мой" would indeed mean "not my" or "not mine". However, "немой" means "mute". As in an adjective. Incapable of speaking.

Robusto

10:58 AM

@RegDwigнt All of which proves that Spock was an alien. QED

RegDwigнt

Minor correction: Spock will be an alien.

Robusto

Is, was, will be—what's the difference?

RegDwigнt

Simple mnemonic: Hitler = past, Spock = future.

That is called progress.

Robusto

I should ask that on ELU.

RegDwigнt

That and many other things.

At least three more things.

Wait. You actually did ask that.

91

Q: How do the tenses and aspects in English correspond temporally to one another?

Non-native speakers often get confused about what the various tenses and aspects mean in English. With input from some of the folk here I've put together a diagram that I hope will provide some clarity on the matter. I offer it as the first answer to this question. Consider it a living document....

Robusto

11:01 AM

Is, was, will be, had been, has been, maybe could be. Which is correct?

RegDwigнt

Were you not satisfied with the answers? Then I suggest a bounty.

Robusto

That is how to ask it on ELU.

RegDwigнt

Well. You can still click the "edit" link.

Robusto

Or simply "Which is correct?"

RegDwigнt

Hah, that won't work anymore, sadly. That one was taken just this morning.

Robusto

11:02 AM

It never gets old.

RegDwigнt

"Is this worded properly?" was another gem from earlier today.

Also you can post an audio recording of yourself and let people guess where from Glasgow you are.

You are guaranteed to get classy answers. Including, but not limited to

0

A: What does my accent sound like to you?

Your English has an American accent, but the "base layer" seems kind of Spanish and kind of Slavic to me... so really I have no idea XD

0

A: What does my accent sound like to you?

Very much like American accent with some German flavor. Yet I'm not sure.

> It sounds like an Asian version of a North American accent to me. Maybe you are from China? But then Elias Schmitt doesn't sound like a Chinese name!

How about north China?

Robusto

How about "Who gives a fuck?"

RegDwigнt

That was my answer.

Riddles are off-topic here. This is a question-and-answer site. And you know the answer to this question full well. What are you hoping to learn from the fact that xX_JamieDufus_78_Xx thinks you are Mongolian? Other than that xX_JamieDufus_78_Xx is someone with too much time yet no education in phonoanything? — RegDwigнt ♦ 42 mins ago

Robusto

Plus one.

It sounds like a camel having a hernia while two stoats go at it in an old catcher's mitt.

RegDwigнt

Excellent. I will soon have enough oneses to run against Donald Trump.

@Robusto wait, that is Donald Trump.

Robusto

11:08 AM

@RegDwigнt No, that's what his hairpiece looks like.

RegDwigнt

Well. His hairpiece is an integral part of him.

Robusto

So he wants you to believe.

RegDwigнt

I believe in Trump, he's all we got
Trump has no boundaries, no borders to cross
Trump is simple, hate breeds
Those who think difference is the child of disease.

Robusto

0

Q: How could i say," They are judging my sentence" without including english usage?

Okay, so I am having trouble to find a word that someone is judging my sentence, but not based on English usage( such as grammar and punctuation) ;but on what it is saying. Do you get me? If not, then I would try to be more clear.

single-word-requests

And Andrew says: "Yes, make it clearer."

RegDwigнt

What the

Robusto

11:11 AM

Next!

RegDwigнt

Okay.

Okay okay.

Let me ask you something.

How do you include english usage?

Like. Where do I even get english usage to include?

Robusto

Your guess is as good as mine.

RegDwigнt

Thank you. That means a lot to me.

Robusto

It's just an expression. I don't really mean your guess is as good as mine.

RegDwigнt

I didn't say you really meant anything. I said it meant a lot.

There's a subtle difference. It's subtle.

Robusto

11:13 AM

0

Q: Newcomer Question

I just thought I'd introduce myself to everyone on this site. My name is Suhayl, and I'm an aspiring poetry writer. Being a poetry writer, I, naturally have an infatuation with the English language, it's many intricacies, synonyms, and just the overall beauty of the language. Being that it is not...

discussion questions

RegDwigнt

> it's

Robusto

Everyone wants to be a "poetry writer."

What better place to learn those skills than ELU!

RegDwigнt

There are probably about three writers in the world right now. Four, tops. The rest are authors.

There's an unsubtle difference. It's unsubtle.

Robusto

I think we need a better noob filter.

Like, 1,500 rep before you can do anything at all.

RegDwigнt

Yeah. Like, 1500 reps before you can create an account.

Robusto

11:15 AM

That's even better.

Or maybe account creation becomes an IQ test. Lots of puzzles designed to test your English, some trap doors that shoot you out to the start page, that sort of thing.

RegDwigнt

@Robusto to be fair, I only just wrote Trump poetry three minutes ago. And I don't think I learned that skill on Skeptics or Photography.

I could be wrong though. Several field experiments still in order. Collecting more data.

Robusto

If we determine you don't have what it takes to be on ELU, eventually it shunts you to ELL.

RegDwigнt

And then, one day, you finally qualify for SO.

Much to unlearn you still have, young padawan.

Robusto

You could start by learning that what you call a "poetry writer" already has a name in English. — Robusto 11 secs ago

A pineapple who aspires to become a poet in English is like a mouse crawling up an elephant's leg with rape on its mind.

RegDwigнt

Reminds me of a Russian joke about an elephant and an ant crawling into his trunk and out of his ass.

Robusto

11:22 AM

Sounds like they played that one on Hitler.

Well, unless your intention was to get a job at a greeting-card company. — Robusto 9 secs ago

I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's not really about English. Answering a question by rejecting the premise of the question is available in any language. — Robusto 7 secs ago

RegDwigнt

@Robusto Hm. Not quite sure that's exactly what happened to Hitler. But you be the judge. Basically the elephant wants to stomp the ant, but the ant says: do you know what "trip out" means? If you don't stomp me, I'll show you. So he crawls into his trunk and all the way out of his ass. And the elephant trips out big time.

Then I'm not sure what exactly happens, but somehow the elephant convinces the ant to repeat the procedure. So the ant gets into the trunk, and then the punch line is that the elephant then puts his trunk to his ass and goes like "yeah baby, perpetual trip".

Robusto

Wow, that's a whole lot weirder than I suspected.

RegDwigнt

Inorite. So few words that mean "vodka" or "cunt". Very Unrussian.

Robusto

Meanwhile, you could prolly close the Kentucky question as OT.

RegDwigнt

Kentucky schreit ficken.

Robusto

11:29 AM

That's SF, not OT.

RegDwigнt

Science Fiction, double feature.

Robusto

Hop onto your Leichteschreitfickenwagen and see.

RegDwigнt

Walter Scheel - Hoch auf dem gelben Wagen 1974

►

That's the fourth German President, just so you know.

Robusto

What does that have to do with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

RegDwigнt

It has the same price when expressed in china.

Robusto

11:32 AM

RegDwigнt

See, for starters, the color is yellow in both cases.

Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination.

Robusto

Pure? Well . . .

RegDwigнt

Traces of nuts are possible.

Robusto

On ELU they're too bloody likely.

RegDwigнt

To be or nut to be.

Robusto

11:42 AM

Pine nuts.

RegDwigнt

Oh boy so many possibilities.

"Pine bolts"? "Did you know that apples are nuts"? Other, all of the above? Choices, choices.

Robusto

Pine or nut or bureau. Which is correct?

RegDwigнt

I think you are looking for Dyatlov Pass Incident.

That, or Kafka.

Robusto

Kafka or Kartoffeln. Which is correct?

RegDwigнt

That's Automobiltoffeln to you.

Robusto

11:55 AM

Automobiltoffeln ist falsch.

RegDwigнt

Robusto

> Even the llama / Should stick to mama

RegDwigнt

KAAAAAHHRL?!

Robusto

> In 1973, Csonka was voted Super Athlete of the Year by the Professional Football Writers Association.[1] That season, the Dolphins won a second straight title and "Zonk", as he was known, was the Super Bowl VIII MVP. Exploiting brilliant blocking by his offensive line, he rushed 33 times for two touchdowns and a then-record 145 yards.

RegDwigнt

Do you know how that reads to me? Like it would read to you if I posted a paragraph on the lapta championships of 1973.

Robusto

12:02 PM

And I give a shit because?

The clue is in the "Zonk" . . .

Hey, you brought up the subject.

RegDwigнt

Wait, you give a shit? I did not know that.

@Robusto yeah that was the only word I understood.

@Robusto do not treat Zonks like subjects. And get the fuck out of my beach community.

Robusto

Besides, you're the one who's always posting tangential shit that veers away from sane discourse. I guess you can dish it out but can't take it.

RegDwigнt

Lolwut.

Robusto

See?

RegDwigнt

No. I refuse to see. Because seeing is believing.

Can't I have a quiet atheist hour for a change.

Robusto

12:06 PM

STH STH STH STH STH — tchrist 4 mins ago

RegDwigнt

So. You were saying. I was posting tangential shit.

Robusto

That is your modus operandi, yes.

> This is not a debate. I'm not going to debate you, Jerry.

RegDwigнt

We should have a filter that automatically migrates questions starting with "I want to say a sentence like this".

Robusto

That's a start.

skull patrol

Where to?

Robusto

12:10 PM

ELL.

skull patrol

:-)

RegDwigнt

Justin Bieber's inbox.

Robusto

You can go straight to ELL.

RegDwigнt

I think Justin Bieber's inbox is better. Or worse. Or the exact same thing.

skull patrol

Or none of the above.

RegDwigнt

12:11 PM

You're none of the above.

Robusto

Eat some NOUtella and STFU.

skull patrol

I'm just a skull

Robusto

You don't look like Cthulhu.

RegDwigнt

@Robusto TL;DR

Robusto

Damn, I'm having a hard time getting the wheels turning today.

skull patrol

12:14 PM

What's a Cthulhu? @Robusto

RegDwigнt

You should visit a gas station.

Robusto

Cthulhu

Cthulhu is a deity created by writer H. P. Lovecraft and first introduced in the short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1928. Considered a Great Old One within the pantheon of Lovecraftian cosmic entities, the creature has since been featured in numerous popular culture references. Lovecraft depicts Cthulhu as a gigantic entity worshiped by cultists. Cthulhu's anatomy is described as part octopus, part man, and part dragon. == Etymology, spelling and pronunciation == Though invented by Lovecraft in 1926 the name Cthulhu is probably derived from the word...

RegDwigнt

@skullpatrol the correct question is "Hu is Cthulhu?"

And now we know for a fact that skull patrol does not watch South Park, or anything at all ever.

Robusto

See? Doesn't look a bit like you.

skull patrol

I see, thanks.

RegDwigнt

12:16 PM

So. In the spirit of not posting tangential shit that veers away from sane discourse: what is it about Cthulhu that people seem to be so frickin horrified of him?

Like, I literally keep reading and hearing accounts of people shitting their pants. Like he's the worst monster ever invented and shit.

And to me it's just another comic book character.

skull patrol

Look at those eyes.

Robusto

@RegDwigнt You say that now, but this was pretty heady stuff in 1928.

RegDwigнt

@skullpatrol That's artist's impression. He does not have these exact eyes. He has any eyes you give him.

@Robusto yes yes, but the accounts I'm hearing are not from 1928, they are from 2015.

Robusto

We should get @tchrist in here to weigh in on Cthulhu.

skull patrol

SOO...evil

Robusto

12:19 PM

@RegDwigнt OK, Master Chief.

RegDwigнt

Yeah see, I'm way more scared of Master Chief.

And that's a fact.

Robusto

Wait, Master Chief is like so 2011.

RegDwigнt

Make that 1999.

skull patrol

What did you @RegDwigнt think of the mod room idea?

Robusto

@RegDwigнt Last current in 2011.

RegDwigнt

12:21 PM

@skullpatrol I thought nothing of it because I did not know about it. I still think nothing of it because I do not know about it.

What mod room idea.

Is this not a mod room?

Everyone in here is either a mod or an owner. Or skull patrol.

skull patrol

chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/26515/english-mods

RegDwigнt

Um.

How is that new?

I mean, I'm seeing the room is new, but that's my question: we had a mod-only room forever, where's that one gone to?

Robusto

English -> shingle -> Helsing

Direct link from English to van Helsing. Who knew?

RegDwigнt

That is not very direct.

skull patrol

in English mods, 16 hours ago, by skill patrol

I tried this with mathoverflow...

...and got down voted.

RegDwigнt

12:24 PM

Mathoverflow is a thing?

Yup

But. Why?

Dunno

Very mathy answer. Worth of a physicist, actually.

skull patrol

Thanks pal :D

So adding the mods to the list of owners didn't ping you? @RegDwigнt

RegDwigнt

12:28 PM

I don't think it did.

skull patrol

Interesting.

RegDwigнt

But I get like 200 pings a day, so what do I know.

"I did not see it" is at any rate a most accurate description of the events.

hi

hi

Huzzah.

12:29 PM

i think i was supposed to have >=20 reputation

Robusto

I gotta work from home more. Especially on Mondays. The ladies have OMG SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT!!! concerning the weekend &c.

AND THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IN MASSACHUSETTS CAN HEAR ABOUT IT!!!

skull patrol

@scummy you have 36 rep combined

scummy

oh, yeah, sorry

RegDwigнt

@Robusto why don't they just spend their weekends together.

Serious question.

Lots of room for optimization.

skull patrol

Np pal :-) @scummy

Robusto

12:34 PM

@RegDwigнt Putin won't allow it.

skull patrol

Look everybody I have a pal named scummy :D

RegDwigнt

@Robusto gee, he annexed Massachussetts, too?

This guy's unstoppable.

skull patrol

Scummy and skull

scummy

@skullpatrol hehe

Robusto

@RegDwigнt Only a matter of time.

scummy

12:35 PM

@skullpatrol sounds like a hip hom song

RegDwigнt

@Robusto On the plus side, I think you'll get to keep Georgia. Both of them.

scummy

hop*

RegDwigнt

Use the up arrow to fix typos.

skull patrol

Yep @scummy kinda rap like too imo

Robusto

@RegDwigнt I bet we have more ethnic Russians working in software dev here than in all of Ukraine. So I am sure Putin must have his sights set on Massachusetts as the next logical step.

skull patrol

12:37 PM

Not too hardcore though :-)

RegDwigнt

@Robusto I think you are literally the first person to accuse Putin of logic.

scummy

@RegDwigнt yeah, sorry, i'm pretty new here

RegDwigнt

Which is why we're sharing the tricks. Nothing to apologize for.

Robusto

Still new enough to apologize in chat, apparently not realizing that that is a sign of weakness.

skull patrol

Be nice guys.

RegDwigнt

12:40 PM

Gotta give him some plus points for a strong name.

scummy

so nice

skull patrol

They like to play the good cop, bad cop.

Robusto

@skullpatrol Saying "Be nice guys" is a sign of weakness.

skull patrol

See^

Robusto

You will be assimilated.

skull patrol

12:42 PM

Yes sir.

Robusto

There is nothing good cop or bad cop about it. We're just joking around. Lighten the fuck up or we'll have to beat you or something.

skull patrol

-__-

scummy

actually

what's this room for?

Robusto

This is weird, I just got a popup over an n like you get on a smart phone, offering ñ and another character.

But I can't reproduce it.

RegDwigнt

@scummy free brezeln.

And other cooked dishes.

Plus pineapples.

Use the room description for best results.

skull patrol

12:45 PM

And beatings

RegDwigнt

As long as they are in a dough mantle, sure.

skull patrol

Or beat downs

scummy

anybody good at math here?

no? no? :'(

Robusto

You're in the wrong room.

scummy

just asking

RegDwigнt

12:46 PM

We are better at math than the math room.

Robusto

What part of "cooked dishes" sounds like math to you?

just asking dude

The dish?

The di∫h.

Dish = results

12:48 PM

I have to go guys

bye

skull patrol

Later pal

RegDwigнt

Too bad.

There was I offering my math skills.

scummy

@skullpatrol Scummy and skull forever

skull patrol

:D

scummy

@RegDwigнt I'm listening

RegDwigнt

12:49 PM

I thought you had to go.

Also, what the hell are you listening to. I am the one listening waiting for your question.

Unless your question was "anybody good at math here?" and that's it.

scummy

I can stay 2 more minutes

Robusto

@RegDwigнt You're in the wrong room.

RegDwigнt

I can't count till 2.

scummy

@RegDwigнt that's sad

who knows math jokes?

RegDwigнt

@scummy no, that proves that I'm a true mathematician.

scummy

12:50 PM

heh

skull patrol

$Mathematics$ Mathematics

Associated with Math.SE; for both general discussion & math qu...

12

24

RegDwigнt

@Robusto I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave.

Robusto

Feb 23 '12 at 15:30, by Robusto

Well, you can't argue with a mathematician.

scummy

@Robusto yeah that's true

RegDwigнt

@skullpatrol right on, that's the room for math jokes. This here room is for serious math.

skull patrol

12:52 PM

Homotopy Theory

A room for anyone interested in homotopy theory, or any nearby...

scummy

"3 out of 2 people have trouble with fractions"

skull patrol

This^ is the room for serious math

RegDwigнt

What if I'm not really interested in homotopy, just a little bitopy curious?

Robusto

Jan 20 '12 at 15:06, by Robusto

Besides, which math do you prefer: math that gets you the result you want, or math that doesn't? The answer is clear enough even for a mathematician to understand.

RegDwigнt

I prefer math that makes Justin Bieber not exist.

And so far no amount of Riemann integrals did the job.

Matt E. Эллен

12:54 PM

but maybe the next one!

skull patrol

Hi pal

Matt E. Эллен

Hi

scummy

"Math : the only place where people buy 60 watermelons and no one wonders why"

RegDwigнt

Matt E. Эллен

be > Marlboro? mission accomplished

RegDwigнt

12:55 PM

To be or marlboro? That's the question.

Robusto

That's "Mayboro" I think.

@scummy See? You could be a regular here once you get over your initial reluctance to embrace confusion.

Mitch

@samaYo Code switching means speaking one register to one person then another register to another person. e.g. slang to your brother but formally to your boss. It is more of a sociological phenomenon. It does not mean mixing words from two languages in a narrative. Note that the intro in that wiki page is inconsistent with the body and I am describing what's in the body.

Robusto

R.E.M. - Perfect Circle

►

Mitch

Indians may use a lot of English borrowed terms when they speak; I would not call that code-switching.

Robusto

@Mitch I thought code switching is what bluetooth does.

scummy

12:59 PM

"MATH - Mental Abuse To Humans"

RegDwigнt

Yay! Monday meeting time! Hooray!

Robusto

Be still your heart.

Mitch

@Robusto Oh. Breakfast special #5.

@Robusto No. You're wrong.

Robusto

OK, spread-spectrum frequency hopping is what I meant by code switching.

So I'm right after all.

Mitch

@scummy "MATH - I Might Get A Job"

@Robusto haha, like I have a clue.

I thought it was just the power level that matters because they all have some kind of weird transfer mechanism

scummy

1:03 PM

did anyone watch breaking bad?

Mitch

@scummy anyone?

Bueller? .... Bueller?

Robusto

Jun 24 at 11:53, by Robusto

Anyone I want to count as a friend must love Breaking Bad and The Big Lebowski. We can negotiate other stuff, but those two are firm.

Mitch

@scummy I've heard that people have watched it.

skull patrol

Not everything that can be counted counts.

Mitch

@Robusto and a really good friend to help move a body, an accident while reminiscing about season 4, episode 6. you know what I'm talking about.

@skullpatrol Except a discount.

and coupons. wait... past the expiration date goddamit

Robusto

1:06 PM

Oct 2 '13 at 0:08, by Robusto

@RegDwighт Now, there's nothing wrong with The Wire. It's real, real good shit. But Breaking Bad is a madman.

skull patrol

True @Mitch

Robusto

Gawd, has it been two years already since the end of Breaking Bad?

Mitch

"monetary exchange value - 1/20 of a cent" they're just making it more of a challenge

@Robusto time flies when you're a bystander to crack fumes

Robusto

BB fans should listen to Marc Maron interview Vince Gilligan on Maron's podcast.

wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_620_-_vince_gilligan1

skull patrol

Thanks for the link pal

Robusto

1:10 PM

Oct 28 '13 at 21:20, by Robusto

Breaking Bad is like a magician who does card tricks with all the cards face up on the table—and he still fools you.

Robusto

1:22 PM

0

Q: Word for "the state of having eaten spicy food"

How do I say that my mouth is feeling very hot from the spicy food that I ate? What word should I say? Edit : Removed the I am ____ed constriction. I'm looking for a general term but not necessarily would fit in that format.

single-word-requests

I dunno, New Mexico?

Mitch

What's the capital of having eaten spicy food?

Robusto

Albuquerque.

Mitch

Gesundheit

RegDwigнt

1:40 PM

In related news, here's the effect of a wasp on a female skipper:

Robusto

@RegDwigнt Is that a picture of a mudskipper?

Mudskipper

Mudskippers are fish of the subfamily Oxudercinae (tribe Periophthalmini), within the family Gobiidae (gobies). The subfamily includes about 41 species. They are completely amphibious fish that can use their pectoral fins to walk on land. Being amphibious, they are uniquely adapted to intertidal habitats, unlike most fish in such habitats which survive the retreat of the tide by hiding under wet seaweed or in tidal pools. Mudskippers are quite active when out of water, feeding and interacting with one another, for example, to defend their territories. They are found in tropical, subtropical, and...

They don't look the same. Which is correct?

RegDwigнt

Yes yes, Schlammspringer.

@Robusto when in doubt, wiki is wrong. When not in doubt, you are wrong.

Robusto

2:29 PM

@RegDwigнt What if I'm not certain I'm in doubt?

RegDwigнt

Well. Bad news, then. You shouldn't have moved to a city where people say "vaginer".

That will open a whole new can of doubts, no doubt.

Robusto

2:45 PM

A whole new can of Vienna sausage?

Matt E. Эллен

If I new it was a can of worms, I wouldn't open it.

Robusto

Yeah, but you're in software so you have no choice.

Matt E. Эллен

why?!?!?!

RegDwigнt

You can buy a worm detector off zombo.com. Only $3000.

Robusto

@MattE.Эллен Hey, I don't make the rules. How would I know?

Wow, I commented on one of Fumble's comments almost twenty minutes ago and he hasn't responded yet.

I hope he's not sick.

RegDwigнt

2:47 PM

0

Q: A Word Single For Blind Fighting Or Some Kind Of Handicap Training?

I'm looking for a single word that can be used to describe blind fighting(as in martial art), or training thereof, or even modern impaired/handicap training in sports.

single-word-requests

A word single.

Someone's French.

Matt E. Эллен

Someone has to be

Robusto

What is a "word single"? — Robusto 6 secs ago

Haha, cross-tab jinx.

RegDwigнt

Google result for "haha jinx".

Robusto

Could be American.

"Pasteurized prepared cheese product"—they can't even call it cheese.

Not a single word, but maybe "The blind beating the blind"? — Robusto 8 secs ago

@Robusto: I certainly wouldn't forget that! I just made much the same point in respect of another question (on ELL) citing Mark Twain. Many such usages are still "valid", but often they were never exactly "standard". — FumbleFingers 1 min ago

Whew. Took him almost half an hour. He must be sick.