The Very-Many-Questions-Not-Worth-Their-Own-Thread Thread XLI

[Robo-Star]

So you only had to warm to your theme - or can't that be used for analogous breakthroughs in thinking?

"Warm to his theme" - and likewise, "get up a head of steam" - suggests a continuous increase, rather than a sudden shift; instead of a breakthrough in thinking, maybe a mind-melting?

 

[GinandTonic]

Stylistically differentiate between the showrunners and the character by having several terms to describe them so the isn't a repetition in a sentence.

There are lots of terms for you plural but most of them are gendered - you guys/ chaps/ fellas/ boys/ girls/ ladies. "You lot" is informal and even slightly insulting, at least denoting an inferior status.

When I was a kid my mates Swedish mum used "you guys" regardless of gender so frequently we teased him about it.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

When I was a kid my mates Swedish mum used "you guys" regardless of gender so frequently we teased him about it.

Never, ever refer to a group of older women as "you guys" or call them "dude". You will be verbally eviscerated. It's gotten to the point where I also find it annoying, but I've never had a public meltdown like some I've witnessed (though some here have been on the receiving end of my annoyance when they've referred to me by incorrect pronouns or called me "bro" or "dude").

It's the women one generation older than me to whom I'm referring. I've sat in restaurants with my mother or a female friend, and the young teenage/early-20s waitress comes and says something like "What can I get for you guys?"

Whereupon my mother or my friend promptly gave her a dressing down and berated her for addressing us as though we were male: "Do we look male? Do you think we're men?"

Usually at that point the waitress got a confused look on her face: "But what should I call you?"



Ever hear of the word "ladies"? It's really not a forbidden, dirty word. It's respectful and appropriate.

 

[GinandTonic]

Never, ever refer to a group of older women as "you guys" or call them "dude". You will be verbally eviscerated.

As I said, it was a woman who said this. She came out just fine.

Never ever is a very strong standard, I don't feel it's applicable here. Swedish woman in London was fine - "you guys" and all.

 

[warpus]

Strawberries are not berries. They are nice dried though.

I've given up on humans being able to name things properly a long time ago. Strawberries aren't berries, peanuts aren't nuts, pumpkin spice has no pumpkin in it.. Next you'll tell me that the Holy Roman Empire wasnt Holy or Roman or an Empire

 

[Valka D'Ur]

As I said, it was a woman who said this. She came out just fine.

Never ever is a very strong standard, I don't feel it's applicable here. Swedish woman in London was fine - "you guys" and all.

I used the word "waitress" in my post, and the person you mentioned did not use the expression in a coffee shop in Innisfail (a town 20 minutes south of here). Different situation, different cultural standards.

I've given up on humans being able to name things properly a long time ago. Strawberries aren't berries, peanuts aren't nuts, pumpkin spice has no pumpkin in it.. Next you'll tell me that the Holy Roman Empire wasnt Holy or Roman or an Empire

Well, it wasn't. It did have pretentions of grandeur, though.

I'm currently re-reading Philippa Gregory's historical novel The Constant Princess. It's about Katherine of Aragon, and most of it takes place before she marries Henry VIII. There are a couple of places where she's prattling on about the Holy Roman Empire and I've been rolling my eyes at this, because even the Byzantine part of the Roman Empire was conquered in 1453 and this book takes place in the first decade of the 1500s.

 

[EnglishEdward]

There are a couple of places where she's prattling on about the Holy Roman Empire and I've been rolling my eyes at this, because even the Byzantine part of the Roman Empire was conquered in 1453 and this book takes place in the first decade of the 1500s.

The important thing to remember about the Holy Roman Empire is that it was NEITHER Holy, Roman or an Empire.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

The important thing to remember about the Holy Roman Empire is that it was NEITHER Holy, Roman or an Empire.

Yes, I just said that in the paragraph above the one you quoted.

 

[Gori the Grey]

So you only had to warm to your theme - or can't that be used for analogous breakthroughs in thinking?

No, it cannot. In fact, most people who "warm to their theme," actually start spouting ideas and phrases that they've long ago worked out on the matter in question.

English does have a phrase for finally remembering a phrase that was on the tip of your tongue: to finally remember that frickin' thing that's been bugging me.

Do other languages have an equivalent for "on the tip of my tongue," by the way?

 

[Birdjaguar]

English does have a phrase for finally remembering a phrase that was on the tip of your tongue: to finally remember that frickin' thing that's been bugging me.

Now I remember!

 

[Sofista]

Do other languages have an equivalent for "on the tip of my tongue," by the way?

Surely there are many. Here's my own.

 

[warpus]

I have been playing Empire Deluxe online, but it's web based and clunky. Is there a better way to do this?

I found a remake of this game on steam here, but I've read that the AI and map generation are a bit funky and not as good as in the original, so I haven't picked it up yet.. but I might eventually.

Any tips or experiences w/ the steam version, send them my way! I love this game

 

[Takhisis]

Do other languages have an equivalent for "on the tip of my tongue," by the way?

‘En la punta de la lengua’.

 

[warpus]

Pretty sure the Polish version is a literal translation of that (tip of tongue)

 

[The_J]

In German we say "It's lying on my tongue".

 

[Birdjaguar]

In German we say "It's lying on my tongue".

I see, a Trump reference....

 

[Kyriakos]

Can't say I like the expression
Mostly because I don't like how words are presented as something fixed, which already journeyed to the tip of the tongue and now may venture outside.

The tongue, on the other hand, is a barrier (not only if you have speech impediments ). A nice ancient greek saying about it (staying silent) is "an ox is seated on the tongue" (supposedly making it so heavy it simply can't be moved). It is nice that an informal modern greek term for being mute is (apparently) directly lifted from that expression.

 

[GinandTonic]

How international are cryptic crosswords? How do they differ in countries with far fewer words than English?

 

[Valka D'Ur]

How international are cryptic crosswords? How do they differ in countries with far fewer words than English?

I should think they're annoying in any language. I've still got a stack of crossword puzzle magazines from the late '70s (I used to take one with me to school to relax with between classes). Most of the cryptic ones remain unfinished.

 

[GinandTonic]

Even in English crosswords require a bit of French, Italian, German with a smidge of Latin and Greek. I guess perhaps more of that sort of thing.