English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

7:00 PM

@MetaEd won't that depend on how long they run the test?

Cerberus

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Sure, but it can't be 50 W, or my food would take ages to warm up, which it doesn't.

MetaEd

Hence it will be less than the energy used by the appliance, which includes energy to drive the controls and display, the timer, the turntable, and energy lost in heat within the radio transmitter.

Kitḫ

> Please join me in participating in the [company name]'s wellness program this year to primarily improve your health and contribute to the [company name]'s financial sustainability.

Cerberus

@MetaEd That's exactly what I thought.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Cerberus try measuring the output of a lightbulb and see what your meter says.

what kind of meter is it

@Kitḫ heheh

Cerberus

7:01 PM

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Yeah I should try that. It says my computer uses up 120 watt doing nothing in particular, screen off.

MetaEd

26 mins ago, by MetaEd

Like this? http://www.cresta.nl/index.php?Itemid=2&option=com_zoo&view=item&category_id=44&‌item_id=473&lang=en

Cerberus

My laptop uses much less, maybe 10 or so; I think both figures would be in the right range at least.

MetaEd

What does the meter give for amperage?

Kitḫ

Amperage. shudders

Cerberus

Meter says 10W for my 10W lamp.

So that is correct.

@MetaEd Oh, I've taken it out already.

MetaEd

7:07 PM

I mean specifically what does it give for amperage when running the microwave oven at full power?

Cerberus

Ah OK.

Let me try that.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Cerberus remember that wattage is power, not energy. it's an instantaneous measurement.

Cerberus

Is it a bad idea to run it at full power empty?

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Yes, but what does that imply here?

MetaEd

@Cerberus redirect to Skeptics XD

Cerberus

Heh.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

7:09 PM

@Cerberus It means that if the "wattage" of the microwave is determined by doing a certain amount of work in a certain amount of time, the instantaneous measurement of that power will be the average

So, essentially, the 900W in your microwave's rating is not telling you how much electricity it draws on a constant basis.

unlike for a lightbulb, where it IS telling you that.

Cerberus

@MetaEd 46 A.

223 V, at 50 Hz.

46A???

Uhuh.

@Cerberus no way

It would seem high, wouldn't it?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

7:12 PM

4.6A is probably what it really is

no wait

MetaEd

I would reset the thing to start with. There is supposed to be a red reset button.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

.46

Cerberus

Let's see, A = c/s, V = j/c, so A*V = W?

@MetaEd I've already reset it several times.

MetaEd

Roughly speaking, W = VA.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

is this for full power?

MetaEd

7:13 PM

But there is a power factor.

Cerberus

Right, W.

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Yes, at 900W.

@MetaEd Oh shit, that might have to do with it.

I keep forgetting what that power factor does.

MetaEd

900A at 223V is 4W.

Cerberus

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Right, I understand that. But looking at the meter I should see all kinds of values that average at the avarage wattage, right? But I kept seeing low values. And the kWh was way off too.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@MetaEd did you get your As and Ws right there?

Cerberus

I think not.

You mean 4A*223V=900W.

MetaEd

7:17 PM

223 × 4 = 892, no?

right.

Cerberus

You said 900A.

MetaEd

Let me just fix that.

hmm. Apparently let me not fix that. * grumble *

user19161

OMG you guys are still at it.

MetaEd

900W at 223V is 4A.

Matt Эллен

> Don't let poets lie to you

good advice, but from a poet...

Cerberus

7:19 PM

In any case, I thought the power factor was just the current watt divided by maximum watt.

MetaEd

Any chance the microwave is being "smart"? Dialing the actual power output down?

JSBᾶngs

bah. let poets lie to you.

a poet's lies are likely to be better than most other forms of truth

Matt Эллен

:D

Cerberus

@MetaEd By that much?

So could this power factor have anything to do with it?

Kitḫ

OMG these wellness "activities" are absurd.

JSBᾶngs

7:24 PM

@Kit do tell

Matt Эллен

do you get a free in-chair back massage?

those are amazing

Kitḫ

I filled out the little questionnaire, now I have a list of videos to watch.

Cerberus

@Kitḫ What the hell are you doing?

Kitḫ

The first one was a doctor telling me that even though I am a social drinker, I am not immune to drinking and driving.

user19161

@Kitḫ Common sense.

Matt Эллен

7:26 PM

I didn't fill out the questionnaire and now I'm eating a marshmallow shaped as a small icecream cone

Kitḫ

The second was the same (overweight) doctor telling me how I should look for little ways to increase my daily activity.

Cerberus

Is "wellness" the same thing it means here, some silly thing about saunas and massage for girls?

user19161

@Kitḫ Common sense.

Kitḫ

@Cerberus What? That sounds great!

Cerberus

I rest my case.

Kitḫ

7:27 PM

Now I can't get the stupid window to close so I can check it off.

Cerberus

Have you tried wiggling your little toe?

MetaEd

I wouldn't expect the power factor to be less than 0.5, probably closer to 0.8 or 0.9.

Kitḫ

> You’ve told us about how much you eat at a meal as well as your snack habits and how you feel about eating.

Uh, no I didn't.

Matt Эллен

> OK, honestly, we've been watching you

MetaEd

But what could be happening is that your microwave is generating harmonics back through the meter and causing it to misregister.

Cerberus

7:30 PM

@MetaEd I think it says 0.01 a lot of the time.

MetaEd

Power factor of .01?

Cerberus

Yeah.

I have noticed that with other things as well.

user19161

@MattЭллен Sounds like Soviet Russia.

Matt Эллен

Well, that's what doctors are all about.

MetaEd

Ok. So the meter could be bad, or it's equally possible that the microwave power supply is putting noise on the power line which confuses the meter.

Cerberus

7:31 PM

Hmmm...

But I think the power factor is that low with other appliances too.

For my lamp it says PF 0.64.

Matt Эллен

Bjork channelling a cockney

►

Cerberus

When I turn on the microwave at 900 W, while the meter is at the same place as when I used it to measure the microwave, but now measuring the lamp, the PF stays around 0.64–0.66.

Kitḫ

> Failed to convert parameter value from a String to a Int32.

Frsck!

Matt Эллен

from your wellness questionnaire?

Kitḫ

No. Stack trace from an error report.

Matt Эллен

7:37 PM

oh

Kitḫ

How often do you eat red meat? Never, monthly, weekly, daily.

sigh

Matt Эллен

never monthly

almost daily

Kitḫ

Sometimes daily, then not for a couple of weeks.

I don't know really.

Matt Эллен

sounds like never to me!

Kitḫ

picks randomly

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

7:39 PM

yeah, leftovers, right?

and does "eating red meat" mean "There were a couple meatballs in my spaghetti" or "I ate a plate full of steak"

Kitḫ

Does it mean "ate less than 3 ounces per serving which is really perfectly healthy"?

Matt Эллен

where is the "I'm eating some right now" option?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

And your answers will be put into your secret employee file where they will determine how to curb your pay raises due to your unhealthy lifestyle

Kitḫ

And the "I'm bathing in the blood of a freshly butchered bull" option?

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Oh don't get me started.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Kitḫ but are you EATING it

user19161

7:42 PM

0

Q: Question form of "Should have"

What is the correct way of making the question form of a sentence containing "should have"? Considering the following example: I should have told him. Which question form would be correct? Should I have told him? Should have I told him? Did I have to tell him?

grammar

user19161

GR?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

►

Kitḫ

I remember one company I worked for, I got dinged because I gasp leave my butter on the counter if a covered dish.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Kitḫ are you serious?

Kitḫ

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Oh yeah. I remember that one.

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Yep.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

7:43 PM

@WillHunting This just ain't funny anymore.

We are a site for linguists, etymologists, and serious language enthusiasts.

We are not a free ESL course.

user19161

@RegDwightѬſ道 I commented and closed and downvoted.

user19161

@RegDwightѬſ道 Perhaps we can see it another way. It is starting to become funny!

user19161

OK owner deleted.

JSBᾶngs

bah. my internet connection is being funny and i can't see ELU right now

but chat works fine

user19161

@JSBᾶngs Maybe they're doing the wikipedia blackout thing to you.

Kitḫ

7:46 PM

@RegDwightѬſ道 And for people who scored in the 99th percentile on their English GMATs.

Matt Эллен

is that a Graduate Management Admission Test?

Kitḫ

cough

RegDwight Ѭſ道

@Kitḫ Nah, those come first, not fourth.

But they are implied.

Matt Эллен

or is it related to tiamat?

Kitḫ

@RegDwightѬſ道 Mea culpa.

Matt Эллен

7:49 PM

honestly, I don't know

user19161

@MattЭллен What is tiamat?

Matt Эллен

tiamat is a dragon

ok, I found it on google

user19161

Ubuntu will not fit onto a CD anymore. 12.04 requires a DVD.

Matt Эллен

yay! I can use google

Kitḫ

@MattЭллен Goddess?

Matt Эллен

7:50 PM

I always think of the kids cartoon "dungeons and dragons" where Tiamat is a fire breathing hydra

Kitḫ

@MattЭллен Oh yeah. I remember her. @Cerb, remember that time when we were boozing it up around the Decapolis, and Tiamat was at that gladiator fight pre-game show in um, was it Damascus?

user19161

@RegDwightѬſ道 Maybe EL&U will shut down in 2012.

user19161

-3

Q: Word for "both positive and negative"

Text mining both postive and negative press articles on companies in an effort to assess the performance of their stock price

single-word-requests

Cerberus

@Kitḫ Of course!

user19161

Such a number does not exist!

Cerberus

7:53 PM

I fondly cherish the memory.

Kitḫ

It might have been Scythopolis...

Cerberus

I think you said that last time too.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

You can't think that.

You don't even remember last time.

Kitḫ

He just did.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

Nah, he said he would.

I can say: I jump.

user19161

7:54 PM

He typed.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

Okay. I can type: I jump.

Doesn't make me jump.

user19161

Unless you are hearing voices.

user19161

0

Q: with this and this "thing" or "things"?

I tend to say "I don't feel comfortable with this and this point" where both 'this' refer to points. Should I instead say "I don't feel comfortable with this and this point*s*"?

definite-article

user19161

HB!

RegDwight Ѭſ道

Jinx.

user19161

7:56 PM

I am really laughing now.

Matt Эллен

definite-article

yes

user19161

This is getting SO funny.

Kitḫ

That's what I was going to say, @Matt.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

@MattЭллен Well, whaddaya want, it sure as hell ain't indefinite-article.

Matt Эллен

You do have a point

JSBᾶngs

7:57 PM

at least it's not tagged grammar sentence usage word

RegDwight Ѭſ道

I have a point***s***.

@JSBᾶngs I can fix that.

@JSBᾶngs example

doubt-of-english

question

Nah that one's blacklisted.

Kitḫ

7:58 PM

99th-percentile

JSBᾶngs

questions is actually a perfectly cromulent tag

Matt Эллен

ah

user19161

Actually it was not about the tag but the question itself.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

gmat-score-over-9000

JSBᾶngs

the question is gen ref

Matt Эллен

7:59 PM

@WillHunting yeah, it's very GR

hmmm, I have a comment for that

user19161

@MattЭллен No, to me it's more like NARQ!

JSBᾶngs

ok, peeplez, the yetis are coming out here. i'm leaving early so they don't eat me on the way home

have fun

Matt Эллен

cya @JSBngs

Kitḫ

Bye, @JSB!

user19161

Who says this and this point in the first place?

Matt Эллен

8:00 PM

when talking about a list of items, probably

user19161

@MattЭллен Even then, it is too informal and does not mean anything.

Kitḫ

"These points" OP: "Whhhaaattt? 'These'? What's that?"

RegDwight Ѭſ道

"These" is like "cheese", except it's past voice.

Matt Эллен

"Those" is like "hos", but without any sexual relations

Kitḫ

Oh. I see.

user19161

8:03 PM

This and this point can only mean this and another object which is a point.

Matt Эллен

nah, it can mean two points

Kitḫ

It's an ellipsis.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

I am still not quite sure which part of the question is a verbatim quote and which ain't.

Kitḫ

Right?

user19161

Well, informally, we can say WHATEVER we want.

Matt Эллен

8:05 PM

@Kitḫ yeah

I'd say so

user19161

I love Mrs Hiny CAPS.

user19161

We can say anything in 9000 ways.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@WillHunting That's right, I invented the mode of emphasis using capital letters.

Matt Эллен

say it in enough chat rooms and it becomes historical fact

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

also: looks like the web protests are actually working: nytimes.com/2012/01/19/technology/…

Kitḫ

8:06 PM

Does the Session End Event trigger when the session times out?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@MattЭллен brb

Matt Эллен

:D

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Kitḫ Does the pope eat cornflakes on tuesdays?

Matt Эллен

@Kitḫ I would expect it to

Kitḫ

frowns

user19161

8:08 PM

@MattЭллен becomes

user19161

As you can see, the answer given circumvents the issue by using these points.

user19161

That is how to answer an unreal question - giving an unreal answer.

user19161

But this is just IMAO.

Kitḫ

> The Session_End event is raised only when the sessionstate mode is set to InProc in the Web.config file.

I just...sometimes I hate being a programmer.

user19161

In Soviet Russia, the programs program you!

MetaEd

8:14 PM

@RegDwightѬſ道 "We are a site for linguists, etymologists, and serious language enthusiasts." Maybe retitle the site with that in mind? "English For Cunning Linguists?"

Kitḫ

Too obvious.

And we all know how big I am on subtlety.

MetaEd

@WillHunting In Soviet Russia, the pogroms program you! (ftfy)

RegDwight Ѭſ道

Jan 4 at 13:53, by RegDwight Ѭſ道

user19161

@MrShinyandNew安宇 And Mahnax invented Mrs Hiny.

user19161

But I must say Tourette's syndrome is hard to live with.

Kitḫ

8:18 PM

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Yay!

12 minutes...what shall I do now?

user19161

@Kitḫ Have a Kit Kat!

Kitḫ

I don't have one.

user19161

You are one.

Kitḫ

Oh.

user19161

@matt I see you have been doing a lot of edits like the other Matt.

Matt Эллен

8:26 PM

@Kitḫ well of course, I mean who wouldn't think of that! o_0

Kitḫ

@MattЭллен Well, I couldn't find it, so I decided I would just try something easy and see if the event triggered. But I didn't bother to change the session timeout length because where's the fun in that?

I mean, because I want it to be as close to the user experience as possible.

Robusto

@Kitḫ Your gravatar reminds me of LoT for some reason.

Kitḫ

raises eyebrow

Robusto

@WillHunting Fuckin' A.

Kitḫ

It's a little fox. How does that look like LoT?

MetaEd

8:28 PM

omg vulcans!!!!!

Kitḫ

Fascinating.

user19161

@Kitḫ Considering the number of times you raise eyebrows, you probably have muscle cramps already.

Matt Эллен

@Kitḫ best choice really :D

Kitḫ

@WillHunting Well conditioned eyebrows. No cramps.

Robusto

@Kitḫ Bats, foxes ... same thing, really. Except for the flying.

user19161

8:30 PM

@Kitḫ Sometimes when I brush teeth I open my mouth so big that my jaw muscles cramp.

Kitḫ

Augh. Project lead's wife: "Hey, let's hang out for lunch sometime next week."

<—pulls out authentic smile. "Sure, that would be great."

bangs head on keyboard until evil spirits leave

user19161

@Kitḫ That does sound nice.

user19161

Having said that, people who sound too nice are often not really that nice.

Robusto

In other news, @Reg refuses to deny that KILL KILL is carrying his baby.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

How so?

I didn't not undeny that!

You must see an ornitologist or something.

Kitḫ

8:35 PM

You're taking them on as our pimp, yeah?

RegDwight Ѭſ道

Better them than someone at rank 175.

And hey, I have a positive net score against them, every, single, time.

Kitḫ

Yeah, but your ass hurts more than mine, I bet.

giggle

user19161

@RegDwightѬſ道 Too many commas there.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

No giggling at own — um, jokes? I guess — in this chat.

Robusto

Gah, I meant KILL KING, not KILL KILL.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

8:37 PM

@WillHunting That's to make up for the too little commas in your sentence.

user19161

@RegDwightѬſ道 too few

Robusto

@RegDwightѬſ道 Two little commas? Where?

Kitḫ

@RegDwightѬſ道 Is it a joke? I hope it's a joke, but I'd still respect you if you were doing it for real.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

23 hours ago, by RegDwight Ѭſ道

You are so predictible.

@Robusto Yeah of course you have to ask that, you perv.

user19161

23 hours ago, by Will Hunting

@RegDwightѬſ道 predictable

Robusto

8:39 PM

@RegDwightѬſ道 Methinks thou dost protest too much.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

23 hours ago, by RegDwight Ѭſ道

Q.Effing.D.

@Robusto if you think that counts as protest, no wonder your country is going down.

Robusto

@RegDwightѬſ道 — Now, now ... let's not be bitter.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

Hey, it's not my country that doesn't have the resources to kick off two wars at a time anymore.

MetaEd

Trepanning

Trepanning, also known as trephination, trephining or making a burr hole, is a surgical intervention in which a hole is drilled or scraped into the human skull, exposing the dura mater in order to treat health problems related to intracranial diseases. It may also refer to any "burr" hole created through other body surfaces, including nail beds. It is often used to relieve pressure beneath a surface. A trephine is an instrument used for cutting out a round piece of skull bone. Evidence of trepanation has been found in prehistoric human remains from Neolithic times onward. Cave paintin...

RegDwight Ѭſ道

What's next? Zero wars?

Kitḫ

8:41 PM

Damn session states.

Robusto

@RegDwightѬſ道 No, we put paid to that.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

You misspelled plaid.

@Kitḫ Yeah, especially Florida.

Robusto

You misspelled "secession" by proxy.

Kitḫ

@MetaEd I happen to be quite good at trepanning. It's just hard to do on one's own head.

Robusto

BTW, there oughta be a law that I shouldn't have to face Pathdalia five freakin' times in a row.

Kitḫ

8:43 PM

Try a protection from abuse order.

It worked for me.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

@Robusto And then some lawyer will interpret it such that you have to face it 6+ times in a row.

Robusto

@RegDwightѬſ道 Nae doot.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

You misspelled... well, congrats! You actually misspelled everything! There ain't nothing left to misspell no more!

Robusto

@RegDwightѬſ道 What, you don't recognize Scottish transliteration?

RegDwight Ѭſ道

No true Scotsman.

Robusto

8:47 PM

Yawn. I will just add at this point that I defeated Alduin in Skyrim.

Kitḫ

yawns and shrugs

Robusto

Couldn't put it off any longer.

Kitḫ

I haven't fought any dragons yet.

Robusto

@Kitḫ What level are you? You have to fight dragons at some point.

Kitḫ

Level 35, I think.

At some point. But not today.

Robusto

8:48 PM

@MetaEd Does the article cover trepanning for gold?

@Kitḫ Well, you can't be level 35 without fighting dragons. They find you from early on.

What, do you run away every time you see one?

Kitḫ

They don't "find" you unless you do the Bleak Falls Barrow mission.

Otherwise, you can skip gaily through all the other stuff without being harassed by dragons.

It is much easier to get the shouts that way.

Robusto

I dunno, what's the point if you're not gonna fight dragons?

Kitḫ

Oh, I'll get to it eventually.

MetaEd

@Robusto I suppose, if you go through the cheek.

Or the other cheek.

Robusto

@MetaEd Cheeky remark. Harrumph.

Kitḫ

8:51 PM

After I have my fire and frost proof armor.

MetaEd

But ...

Robusto

@Kitḫ That's like saying, "No tenderloin or lobster for me. I'll just have the broccoli and brussels sprouts."

Anyway, gotta run. Laterz.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Robusto lobster: the bugs of the ocean.

Kitḫ

I like broccoli and brussels sprouts, and I am allergic to lobster.

MetaEd

I live with a vegetarian. I will just have the broccoli and brussels sprouts.

Kitḫ

8:52 PM

And I like to save the best part for last.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

Honestly I don't know why people are ok with eating lobster, but not, say, locusts.

Kitḫ

Or spiders.

MetaEd

@Kitḫ Which is to say lobs.

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Why are people ok with eating pigs but not dogs? We all have our tabu.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

Well on this cheerful note I'll call it a day.

CU tomorrow, you slackers.

Kitḫ

Bye, Reg, love you!

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

8:58 PM

@MetaEd yeah but dogs are cuter than pigs and people live with them and so form irrational attachments.

RegDwight Ѭſ道

Waves and yawns. And shrugs.

Poufff.

Kitḫ

Come on, session state. Time out, damn you, time out!

drums fingers

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

9:12 PM

and laying his lego-claw-hand aside of his painted-on nose, giving a nod, up the brick-built-chimney he rose...

Kitḫ

punches session

I'm going home.

Matt Эллен

have a safe trip @kit

MetaEd

I lhoavtee fonts.

Matt Эллен

9:56 PM

bard tome, gad nought

MetaEd

10:12 PM

@MattЭллен Irritable vowel syndrome?

@MrShinyandNew安宇 People who form irrational attachments to dogs think they are cuter.

Cerberus

@MetaEd What is this? That sounds hardly irrational.

MetaEd

@Cerberus I am sensing speciesm

Cerberus

Positive speciesm.

I only protect my brothers.

MetaEd

10:58 PM

Pigs get a bad rap. Look at "Angry Birds".

Cerberus

Are there pigs in the bird game? Then what's the point?

Mahnax

The pigs are the enemies that you must defeat.

Cerberus

Oh, no!

And you're good or evil depending on whether you side with the pigs or the birds?

It is like Birds all over.

Mahnax

No, you must be the birds.

Cerberus

Aww.

MetaEd

11:07 PM

It's subtly anti-carnivorous. The pigs are starving, so they're stealing birds eggs. They should probably just eat grass, or something.

Cerberus

How racist.

I prefer calling anything racist, whether it is actually about races or not—just so you know.

Like discriminating against women or gays.

Mahnax

I see.

Cerberus

And sexism I call being over-sexed. At least that would be a fun way of mocking the uneducated here, who call anything with "too much sex" sexist.

Mahnax

Heh.

Cerberus

And I believe I have already mentioned that I call anyone who could possibly be discriminated a "minority", and "challenged".

Mahnax

11:11 PM

I had my Social Studies written final today. I think I did okay, except for the last paragraph of my essay.

It was filled with subjective nonsense, but I couldn't think of anything else to put in it.

Cerberus

Hahaha.

Well, at least you recognize it yourself.

Mahnax

Yup. I reckon it's good enough for an 80.

Cerberus

Good!

Then again, some papers in the social sciences are filled with subjective nonsense...

In case you didn't know this one:

elsewhere.org/pomo

Don't forget to refresh and reread.

MetaEd

11:32 PM

@Cerberus meta.english.stackexchange.com/a/2377/14073

Cerberus

@MetaEd Commented.

33

Q: Basic questions are not so basic

It has come up in other threads that we have a lot of "basic" or "lowest common denominator" questions. However, a few myths about this need to be put to rest. First, we do have a general reference close reason, and we do use it. Questions which really are as basic as they seem can be closed, an...

discussion close-reasons

This site is starting to look like philosophy.se: of the first 8 questions on the main page, 6 are closed.

MetaEd

11:49 PM

Are they interesting questions or can they be made interesting?

One problem that I suppose can come up for any Q&A site is that a lot of the commonly asked interesting questions get answered. So you might expect to get fewer interesting questions, while the baseline of uninteresting questions would not change. Hence you would start to see more questions closed as uninteresting.

This makes me think of the old saw about twelve step groups. After awhile it becomes hard for them to find enough drunks, and the leadership all falls off the wagon.

So is this type of site self-sustaining, or is it self-limiting?

Cerberus

@MetaEd True: but those questions should already be closed as duplicates (I'm assuming users wanting to ask a question has already been answered, if they find it, will not ask a random uninteresting question instead).

So I think your problem exists, but I'm not sure it manifests itself in questions that are too basic.

MetaEd

I think there will always be a lot of questions about basic vocabulary, word endings, and so on, say from ESL perspective, which will be uninteresting but not duplicates.

Questions that really are better answered by taking an English class than by asking a cunning linguist.

Cerberus

Unless the linguist can add more information than the asker asks for if taken literally.

MetaEd

... because the person is not really looking for the interesting answer, just for the "correct" answer.

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English Language & Usage: Multi-Layer…