LinuxQuestions.org
Page 13 of 82 « First 31112 13 14152363 Last »
Show 50 post(s) from this thread on one page

LinuxQuestions.org (/questions/)
-   General (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/general-10/)
-   -   Problems with English? Questions? Vocabulary, grammar... Post here :) (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/general-10/problems-with-english-questions-vocabulary-grammar-post-here-654375/)

XavierP 08-10-2010 08:07 PM
Yes, something like that. /me looks around shiftily.

MrCode 08-10-2010 10:06 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by XavierP
Although hereby, whomsoever and so on are correct, they are deemed to be outdated in anything apart form official documents (such as contracts) and rarely get used.
Actually, I don't think those words are considered "outdated", they're just "formal". Examples of "outdated" English words would be things like "thee" "thou" "wouldst", "forsooth", etc. :D

Aquarius_Girl 08-10-2010 10:08 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by brianL (Post 4061795)
brainL has escaped! The police think he might be on his way to India. Don't panic, Anisha!!!
Is brainL still single ? Tell him I don't mind the age gap ;)

brianL 08-11-2010 02:50 AM
Yes, brainL is single at the moment. He ate his last wife a couple of weeks ago.

XavierP 08-11-2010 03:30 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrCode (Post 4062531)
Actually, I don't think those words are considered "outdated", they're just "formal". Examples of "outdated" English words would be things like "thee" "thou" "wouldst", "forsooth", etc. :D
They are outdated, because I say so!! "thee", at least, is still in use in some dialects, though the rest are indeed old. Anyone who is not a lawyer and uses "hereby" in normal speech will likely be invited to step outside to discuss the matter further with a representative of the shaven headed classes. At least they will at my local!

Aquarius_Girl 08-11-2010 10:43 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by brianL (Post 4062673)
He ate his last wife a couple of weeks ago.
Wow, till now I thought I was the only cannibal in this forum !!

brianL 08-11-2010 10:56 AM
The police caught brainL at the airport before he could board the 'plane to India, so you're out of luck. He should be released in about 40 years time, if he behaves. If you can wait that long?

Aquarius_Girl 08-11-2010 11:02 AM
Now that is a disappointing news ! and I was expecting brainL to be a cuddly and huggable cannibal.

XavierP 08-11-2010 01:05 PM
What's nice, looking to the future, is that BrainL likes kids. He couldn't eat a whole one....

brianL 08-11-2010 02:19 PM
...with fava beans and a nice chianti...did I ever mention that Thomas Harris based Hannibal Lecter on brainL?

XavierP 08-11-2010 05:16 PM
Did you know that "Hannibal Lecter" is an anagram of "BrainL Chat n Eel"? Makes you think.

Aquarius_Girl 08-11-2010 11:57 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by XavierP (Post 3506542)
Quote:
Originally Posted by frenchn00b View Post
we say :
"this is an useful ... "
or
"this is a useful"
?
The second one is correct.
But AFAIR we have been taught that an is to be used before every vowel. u is a vowel here, so why do you say second one is correct ?

linuxlover.chaitanya 08-12-2010 12:02 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by anishakaul (Post 4063691)
But AFAIR we have been taught that an is to be used before every vowel. u is a vowel here, so why do you say second one is correct ?
Like you, I am not native english speaker. But I would guess that "a" or "an" will depend on which noun it is supporting. Hence "a useful thing". Here "a" is not used for "useful" but "thing". This is my assumption.

MrCode 08-12-2010 12:12 AM
With the a/an thing, I've always gone by the pronunciation of the word, rather than its spelling. For example, "useful" might start with a vowel, but it isn't pronounced "oosful", it's "yoosful", and since the pronunciation is unusual (long "yoo" as opposed to short "oo" or "uh"), you would use "a" instead of "an".

Just IMO. ;)

Aquarius_Girl 08-12-2010 12:15 AM
Is there some guide which can be followed to determine when to use/avoid "an" w.r.t a word starting with a vowel ?

and now I can't even call brainL for help since his evil brother has put him behind the bars :banghead:


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:35 PM.
Page 13 of 82 « First 31112 13 14152363 Last »
Show 50 post(s) from this thread on one page