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1500 questions
40
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15 answers
A word for a joke so poorly told and so unfunny that one cannot help but laugh
There is a word for this in Indonesian language: jayus.
(Maybe, it is used in Filipino and Malaysian language also.)
It is a joke that is so bad, it's funny. It is often mentioned as untranslatable. I wonder if there is any English equivalent…
ermanen
- 62,797
40
votes
2 answers
When to use "rather than" versus "instead of"?
I never really gave a deep thought about this, but recently a teacher talked about language and there was an implicit question in it. Something like,
There is a difference between "rather than" and "instead of" in usage. Do you know it?
Please…
vickyace
- 14,859
40
votes
3 answers
Why are not "infamous" and "inflammable" the opposite of "famous" and "flammable"?
Why are not infamous and inflammable the opposite of famous and flammable, like incomplete, inactivity, inappropriate and so on?
user733
- 503
40
votes
5 answers
What is the origin of the word "goodbye"?
I've heard that goodbye comes from God be with you. Is that true? If so how did it become good? Did goodbye always have the same meaning it has now?
jjclarkson
- 1,143
40
votes
4 answers
"It isn't" vs. "it's not"
Is one stronger than the other? More correct? Just curious, one of the many abstract things to pop into my head on the drive home today...
jakeva
- 525
40
votes
3 answers
Meaning of "native speaker of English"
Who is considered a native speaker of English? I am a little confused by the various answers found online.
user2683
40
votes
7 answers
Opened vs open?
Is there are rule when to use opened vs open? I always get confused even though I've been speaking English as the dominant language for more than half my life.
E.g.
Is the door open(ed)?
Which file do you have open(ed) in your editor?
amphibient
- 2,890
40
votes
17 answers
What do you call hypothetical inhabitants living on the Moon?
I'm writing a fiction where inhabitants live on the Moon, so I want a name for them. I know that 'venusian' means 'of or relating to the planet Venus', 'martian' means 'of or relating to the planet Mars or its hypothetical inhabitants' and so…
user51029
40
votes
17 answers
One word for someone who doesn't care about anything
A pessimist is someone who always considers negative outcomes of a situation, whereas an optimist always considers the positive outcomes. Is there a word for someone who, in any given situation, doesn't care about the outcome at all?
SoWhat
- 713
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- 15
40
votes
8 answers
Reason for different pronunciations of "lieutenant"
While Americans (and possibly others) pronounce this as "loo-tenant", folks from the UK pronounce it as "lef-tenant".
Why?
Justin Morgan
- 681
40
votes
5 answers
Should I capitalize the starting sentence after a greeting that ends in a comma (e.g. "Hello,")?
Should I open the starting sentence after comma in adressing "Hi," ("Hello,") with capital letter?
Hi, Xxxl, Dear Xxx L,
let me ...
vs.
Dear Xxx L,
Let me ...
In Russian it is not though it is more than frequently being goofed. …
40
votes
5 answers
What is the plural of "scenario"?
What is the plural of "scenario"? I have always used "scenarios", but have recently come across "scenaria" and "scenarii". Should I be treating it as an Italian or Latin word?
Finbar Good
- 503
40
votes
5 answers
"Neither Michael nor Albert is correct" or "Neither Michael nor Albert are correct"?
What is the correct sentence?
Neither Michael nor Albert is correct.
Neither Michael nor Albert are correct.
apaderno
- 59,185
39
votes
7 answers
Why is the "ph" pronounced like a "v" in "Stephen"? Is this the only word like that?
While I know how my name is pronounced, I've run into many non-native english speakers who have stumbled over this unique exception to English. Even in the female name, "Stephanie", the ph is pronounced as f.
What is the etymology of "Stephen" and…
Stephen Furlani
- 1,197
39
votes
3 answers
"Outside" or "outside of"?
The word rarely turns up outside that context.
and
The word rarely turns up outside of that context.
Which one is correct and why?
Anderson Silva
- 11,259