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Latest post Mon, Jan 28 2008 1:48 PM by Anonymous. 7 replies.
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Anonymous  +  412121 Fri, 31 Aug 07 02:30 PM

Hello!

  Please, help me with the following:

1) "Ms.Kate, a friend of her mother's...." (what is the meaning of her mother's here. Shouldn't it be "a friend of her mother or her mother's friend" ?);

2) What's the meaning of 'ever since' ? E.g.: Ever since he was in the army, he has studied hard; 

3) "He lives at 341 Bourboun street apartment 23" (in addresses must the word street be translated from a foreign language into English ? E.g.: In Spain street is 'calle'. In this case when I have to say my address in English do I translate the word 'calle' or not ? E.g.:

4)  I live at 201 Cervantes calle apartment 101 (or) I live at 201 Cervantes street apartment 101 ? ;

5)  What do we call a organized group of soccer fans that goes to a stadium to watch a soccer/football match ? Is it called organized claque or organized supporters ?

6) People who stay outside a stadium trying to sell tickets at a higher price than at a ticket office, are they called street peddler of tickets ?  

7) A special service in which the employees' service is to listen (by phone) to citizens general complaints, for instance, about the bad services offered at a stadium, is it called Ombusdman office ?

Thanks,

Muriel

Grammar Geek  +  412134 Fri, 31 Aug 07 03:01 PM

Hello Muriel,

1) "Ms.Kate, a friend of her mother's...." (what is the meaning of her mother's here. Shouldn't it be "a friend of her mother or her mother's friend" ?)

This "double genative" is commonly used with people, and particularly in the construction in your example. "her mother's friend" is also fine.

2) What's the meaning of 'ever since' ? E.g.: Ever since he was in the army, he has studied hard; 

From the time that... Dating back to the time when...

3) "He lives at 341 Bourboun street apartment 23" (in addresses must the word street be translated from a foreign language into English ? E.g.: In Spain street is 'calle'. In this case when I have to say my address in English do I translate the word 'calle' or not ? E.g.:

4)  I live at 201 Cervantes calle apartment 101 (or) I live at 201 Cervantes street apartment 101 ? ;

Street should be capitalized -- it's the proper name of the street. I would leave it exactly as is. If someone lived at 221 Rue Charlemagne, I would not write it as "Charlemagne Street." As with any proper nouns, leave them as is, unless the entire phrase has its one translation, e.g., The United States = Les Etats Unis. Leave Street (capital S) as Street and calle as calle.

5)  What do we call a organized group of soccer fans that goes to a stadium to watch a soccer/football match ? Is it called organized claque or organized supporters ?

I'm not familiar with this. Organized supporters sounds okay. For a rock band, they are called groupies, but I don't know what soccer fans are called.

6) People who stay outside a stadium trying to sell tickets at a higher price than at a ticket office, are they called street peddler of tickets ?  

Scalpers. I don't have a ticket. That's okay - as long as you're willing to pay, I'm sure you'll find a scalper who can sell you one. 

7) A special service in which the employees' service is to listen (by phone) to citizens general complaints, for instance, about the bad services offered at a stadium, is it called Ombusdman office ?

Ombudsman is indeed the name for such a service, but it's more commonly found (in my experience) in an organization paid for/supported by the patrons/clients, and not in private industry. The government student loan program has an ombudsman; your local bank has customer service. Also, a company can have an ombudsman to hear issues about ethics, etc., from employees. Still, a company can have an ombudsman for the general public if desired.

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006
Veteran Member 19,666
Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random!
Anonymous, 2 yr 85 days ago

Hello, Grammar Geek!

Thank you very much for all explanations.

Best wishes,

Muriel.

Yoong Liat  +  412284 Fri, 31 Aug 07 06:52 PM
 Grammar Geek wrote:

5)  What do we call a organized group of soccer fans that goes to a stadium to watch a soccer/football match ? Is it called organized claque or organized supporters ?

Shouldn't it be 'organized clique'? (A typo, I believe.)

Joined on Mon, Sep 4 2006
Veteran Member 6,757
Tanit  +  412303 Fri, 31 Aug 07 07:11 PM
Shouldn't it be 'organized clique'? (A typo, I believe.)


"Claque" comes from French. It's used also in my language Smile [:)]

Claque:
1
: a group hired to applaud at a performance
2 : a group of sycophants
(from Merriam Webster online)
Joined on Mon, Jul 31 2006
Senior Member 3,034
There is no greater pain than to remember a happy time when one is in misery. (Dante)
Yoong Liat  +  412316 Fri, 31 Aug 07 07:24 PM

 Tanit wrote:
Shouldn't it be 'organized clique'? (A typo, I believe.)


"Claque" comes from French. It's used also in my language Smile [:)]

Claque:
1
: a group hired to applaud at a performance
2 : a group of sycophants
(from Merriam Webster online)

Thanks, Tanit.

My apologies, Barbara.

Grammar Geek  +  412406 Fri, 31 Aug 07 10:03 PM

No apologies necessary for me. I just cut-and-pasted the original and said "Don't know what this is." A clique that claps is a claque Smile [:)]

But now that I know this word, I might have to find a chance to use it! I like that "group of sycophants" bit!

Anonymous, 1 yr 300 days ago
to question (3) the word street must be used as there cuold be a bourbon road,or avenue
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