http://www.englishforums.com/search/pro.htm?q=user%3aZerox&o=DateDescendingSearch results for 'user:Zerox'en-USXMOD (Build: 3607.32596)http://www.englishforums.com/English/HomosexualMarriagesAcceptable/lkqdj/post.htm#990789Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:24:32 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:990789zeroxHard to answer anything since I'm not even sure what 'normal' is in this context. 'Bring forth' is a phrasal verb, meaning 'produce' among other meanings. I merely meant that religion shouldn't be forced to nearly every conversation.http://www.englishforums.com/English/HomosexualMarriagesAcceptable/lkqdj/post.htm#990559Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:41:49 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:990559zeroxI don't think you need to be too worried about population growth. There are still going to be plenty and plenty of people regardless of homosexuals. Some even think there are too many of us even now. Moreover, people also have the right to not to start a family and reproduce. Why does someone always has the burning desire to bring forth religion to these controversial issues? As if religions aren't controversial per se.http://www.englishforums.com/English/UseOfIsOrAreWithNeither/lwjmh/post.htm#960892Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:51:15 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:960892zerox'Neither' and 'either' are singular and require singular verbs. However, sometimes, especially in interrogative constructions, 'neither' and 'either' can take a plural verb if followed by 'of'. Are either of you coming to the party?http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatDoesSheSay/lwdcd/post.htm#959767Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:32:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:959767zeroxYeah, I guess you're right. I just had to confirm if someone else hears the word 'Palestinian' as well. I thought it came a bit out of the blue...http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatDoesSheSay/lwdcd/post.htmSun, 01 Nov 2009 14:25:06 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:958939zeroxI'm trying to figure out what the woman in this short excerpt says but there are something like two words I just can't make out and transcribe. It's a really short excerpt and the tricky part starts at 00:03. It starts with something like "he thought that maybe we.." Could someone with a keen ear lend a hand (or ears more likely)? http://rapidshare.com/files/300927008/Sound_1.wav.htmlhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/StereotypesAboutEuropeans/wnbwn/post.htm#901298Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:25:17 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:901298zeroxI don't think that the British example is actually a poke towards the cooks per se, but to the whole British cuisine.http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhyPractice/klrhl/post.htm#901282Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:09:15 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:901282zeroxJust use plural in that case. Apropos, when do you people think that a pronoun which encompasses both sexes unfolds itself? It is bound to happen in some time, I reckon. After all, there have been a few suggestions already which, however, have not exactly met with too cordial a receptionhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatReadingHeritagePupils2015/2/wgkdr/Post.htm#712929Sun, 03 May 2009 10:15:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:712929zeroxAgreed. Shakespeare is a must. As you mentioned, many and many of the phrases are still valid nowadays. All those conspiracy theories, however, are rather futile in my opinion. One should focus on the words, words and words instead. And plagiarism was rather the norm than the exception; many other writers borrowed ideas and phrases as well in that time. I do believe, however, that all genres should be represented if some reading heritage is actually mandatory for pupils.http://www.englishforums.com/English/AssemblyLineOtherManufacturing-Processes/whvgp/post.htmMon, 27 Apr 2009 11:55:02 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:703832zeroxSo, I'm looking for a word which has to do with manufacturing processing. I know what an assembly line is, but I'm looking for its counterpart (Not sure, though, if it really is its counterpart). In other words, what is the process called when a person or persons assemble some relatively simple gadget or something in a particular spot? I guess there's a specific expression for this, but I haven't been able to find it. Below are just guesses that convey the idea, but I'm sure those are not correct. Stationary assemblage? Position assemblage? Thanks!http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatReadingHeritagePupils2015/wgkdr/post.htm#700622Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:42:23 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:700622zeroxAn interesting question. The range of choice is very, very vast. Who knows, perhaps people's blogs gain some heritage and they are the canon of 21st century.http://www.englishforums.com/English/UseOfItalics/wgcmw/post.htmFri, 17 Apr 2009 09:05:24 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:698436zeroxIs there any hard-and-fast rules how italics should be used, especially with foreign words; or is it just a matter of taste? For example, in an academic literary essay, if I desire to use not so common a phrase such as 'faux pas' or something in the similar vein, should it be in italics?http://www.englishforums.com/English/ConvincingNoise/wgrzc/post.htmWed, 15 Apr 2009 08:03:17 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:697733zeroxIn the context of talking about morality and keeping up appearances, what does "convincing noises" and making of the noises mean? Does it just mean lies and other uttering ways of protecting one's facade? Cheers.http://www.englishforums.com/English/StructureOrMishearing/wvmdp/post.htm#691540Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:30:42 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:691540zeroxYes, these kind of things are not really that rare. One makes errors in speech which one would not do in paper. Flow of speech is not something you have really prepared. We non-natives, for example, say 'sheeps' quite often, or at least I have encountered this.http://www.englishforums.com/English/HowDoISayThis/wcdmn/post.htm#679119Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:21:01 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:679119zeroxThat is called 'intrusive r' and it's most notably an RP phenomenon, although not all RP speakers do this. Also, some speakers of American English (mostly in the north-east part of the States), Australian English and New Zealand English do have the 'intrusive r' as well. At least, if your aiming towards a British pronunciation, namely RP, it is up to you if you do it (I don't do it).http://www.englishforums.com/English/PronounceCanCant/wcrgh/post.htm#678435Sun, 22 Feb 2009 14:37:27 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:678435zeroxIf two plosives appear consecutively ( in this case /t/ and /d/), the first plosive is not released with the normal 'explosion'. This may cause the notion that the /t/ is not there.http://www.englishforums.com/English/MyAmericanAccent/2/wrprk/Post.htm#677667Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:35:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:677667zeroxI must second that. It would be amazing to being able to switch between AE and BrE, but I end up over-doing the one I'm not so familiar with. Then again, not even all native speakers are able to do this, so I'm not going be stressed out because of thishttp://www.englishforums.com/English/Phuket/wrvqx/post.htm#671466Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:15:18 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:671466zeroxI find it amusing how people are getting more and more lazy and, at the same time, inventive. To combine a swimming pool and a bar is the work of a genius, although, the good ol' Mitch Buchannon, who also goes by the name of David Hasselhoff, might disagree.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Perfectioning/wrzwq/post.htm#669905Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:12:40 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:669905zeroxAnd to make matters worse, I guess; or interesting (suit yourself): the earliest record of this word comes from the mid 16th century, according to OED, again.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ElisionCouldProvideExamples/hqjcp/post.htm#669028Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:39:22 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:669028zeroxI doubt I'd say 'I' as /ai/ in fast speech. More like just / ə /. That's a good point too, but it's not a schwa in my opinion. For me, it's the first vowel in the diphthong /aɪ/, as in "eye". In other words, "I" becomes a monophthong (I don't even know how to spell it, and don't even know if that word exists, lol). But this doesn't always happen... it's only more common in some structures I think, otherwise if you always use the monophthong you'll sound southern or something. I don't know. Another thing I noticed is the vowel in "travel". I think it should be /æ/ instead of the /ɑ/. And another comment... is that in really fast speech, very weird things can...http://www.englishforums.com/English/PronunciationOfName/hpchn/post.htm#659194Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:26:29 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:659194zeroxMy Cambridge's pronunciation dictionary gives only /ki:n/. Look at this also: http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/1/Keanehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/VowelLengthDistinctionVoiced-Consonants/2/vwmcm/Post.htm#659064Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:02:59 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:659064zeroxUgh, I didn't even notice the date. Well, no harm done, I guess; revision is, after all, the mother of proper learning.http://www.englishforums.com/English/HadBetterAndShouldBetter/hpbdg/post.htm#658846Sat, 31 Jan 2009 12:03:10 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:658846zeroxAlso, many things are said in grammar books which aren't actually synonymous with the real life and usage.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Inversions/hpbhh/post.htm#658824Sat, 31 Jan 2009 11:31:11 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:658824zeroxSure; you can say something like: not only am I handsome, but rich too*. *I'm not describing myselfhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/Inversions/hpbhh/post.htm#658770Sat, 31 Jan 2009 10:15:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:658770zeroxBeginning your sentence with certain words/expressions cause the inversion, that is, that the verb comes before the subject. See below: Not only have I done my homework, but I did the laundry as well. Here, the 'not only' causes that 'have' comes before 'I': ..have I... Never have I been so furious. Again, 'have I' instead of 'I have' because of 'Never' As you can see, the inversion is normally caused by words which are negative or restrictive, providing that you begin the sentence with that exact word.http://www.englishforums.com/English/AudioRecordingsCoachingReceived-Pronunciation/hxqnl/post.htm#658328Fri, 30 Jan 2009 19:55:48 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:658328zeroxBBC offers some good tips in regards to pronunciation: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/sounds/ This site is fairly good since all the sounds are represented. There are also different sites where people of various accents read a certain text with their own accent, RP included: http://accent.gmu.edu/browse_language.php?function=find&language=english and http://web.ku.edu/idea/ Those are the ones I'm most familiar with, although, I'm sure there are more of the same kind. Also, listen to BBC radio every now and then if you aren't doing that already.http://www.englishforums.com/English/VowelLengthDistinctionVoiced-Consonants/vwmcm/post.htm#657927Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:00:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:657927zeroxI think the terms you are looking for are called 'vowel length' and 'vowel duration'. As it has been mentioned, vowels before fortis sounds tend to be shorter because the fortis sound needs more power, that is, it is aspirated. Now, vowel length is a phenomenon in which different vowels are placed in the same phonetic environment (minimal pairs: /pit/ vs. /pi:t/), whereas vowel duration refers to the exact amount of time the same vowel lasts in different environments ( change of a fortis consonant to its lenis counterpart, for example). Obviously, the differences in duration are hard to notice by ear, but they still affect one's pronunciation. These three examples should expound the difference with the vowel sound:...http://www.englishforums.com/English/DifferenceBetweenAmericanBritish-English/6/hwwd/Post.htm#603516Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:01:39 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:603516zeroxI believe s/he means this: UK lever - / 'li:və r / vs. US lever / ˈ le-vər/ So, basically just the difference in pronunciation, although the spelling might be the same in both varieties.http://www.englishforums.com/English/CausativeVerbPassiveForm/hdkvh/post.htm#602548Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:52:16 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:602548zeroxGerund would suggest that someone saw a part of his walking and the walking is still happening, whereas the infinite suggests that someone saw the whole event and the walking is stopped now.http://www.englishforums.com/English/HelsinkiPictures/7/zpcqm/Post.htm#594590Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:36:20 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:594590zeroxI find it somewhat amusing that there is more snow in Helsinki than in Oulu, for now that is. (You need to be a Finn to understand this, or well acquainted with Finland.)http://www.englishforums.com/English/SoundOfH/hrgqp/post.htm#587000Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:52:19 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:587000zeroxTo make things even more complicated, it is possible that in very rapid speech, the schwa sound may be used for: a, are, I, her, of, or and have. But normally the context helps to define the meaning.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SoundOfH/hrgqp/post.htm#586840Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:35:26 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:586840zeroxNot pronouncing the /h/ in words such as him, her, his, himself, has, have isn't wrong at all. By leaving the /h/ out in these words, it is easier for the speaker to keep the rhythm and flow of speech. So, by saying /im/ instead of /him/ is quite normal. Those forms are called weak forms (like /f ə/ instead of /fo:/ for the word 'for'). The initial letter 'h' isn't pronounced in three cases: when the word isn't the first word in a sentence of word group, the word is unstressed and in normal speed or reasonably rapid speech. Thus, the underlined 'h' is pronounced: H e gave her his address. (her:/ ər/ and his: /iz/) Secondly, not pronouncing the 'h' in the word 'home' varies from speaker...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Neurosis/gpbbh/post.htmFri, 10 Oct 2008 12:37:01 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:575134zeroxThis is the context: the boy has decided not to take his upcoming exam. He explains his decision by saying that 'he doesn't want to waste all that neurosis in worrying." What exactly does he mean by it?http://www.englishforums.com/English/NewEnglishTest/gnngw/post.htm#569264Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:25:28 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:569264zeroxIn that case Thomson and Martinet, the authors of 'A practical English grammar', disagree with you.http://www.englishforums.com/English/MerryOrHappy/gmxxv/post.htm#564661Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:49:25 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:564661zeroxI browsed through my last year's notes and found the info I said and there a side note there saying 'obsolete' with three exclamation marks. So, I went to check from the OED the history of 'merry' and, as Clive already mentioned, 'merry' has had a meaning of boisterous joyfulness normally due to alcohol. I'm also inclined to say that my professor, who told this last Christmas, is from the UK and, moreover, he sometimes uses somewhat antiquated English expressions for the sake of both amusing us and showing how the meanings of words change.http://www.englishforums.com/English/MerryOrHappy/gmxxv/post.htm#564630Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:28:21 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:564630zeroxI'm not sure whether this is true or not but I remember hearing that if one uses 'merry' it carries the idea of consuming some alcohol during Christmas. 'Happy' on the other hand, does not carry this insinuation. But as I said, I'm not sure if this really is the case.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SaveFor/glrxc/post.htm#555460Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:59:06 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:555460zeroxYes, it means 'but or except for'. It's a bit old-fashioned, although, it is still used in some formal texts.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PuzzleAboutPronunciationWord-The/gjgxz/post.htm#547870Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:02:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:547870zeroxI wouldn't worry too much about your problem. The more you just use the language, the more you gain confidence and, thus, make fewer of those kinds of mistakes. Once you get a firmer grasp of the language you pronounce 'the' automatically correct in order to maintain the normal flow of speech. What is more, native people will have no trouble understanding you if you make this mistake; they've heard it all, I'd think.http://www.englishforums.com/English/BritishEnglishAlphabetPronounciation/gwqxk/post.htm#545352Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:48:50 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:545352zeroxYou mean something like this? http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/sounds/http://www.englishforums.com/English/EstarPez/4/gvxqv/Post.htm#526315Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:54:43 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:526315zeroxIt seems that American English has the 'got' there, as in 'I haven't got the foggiest idea'. I guess it's more British English to omit the 'got'.http://www.englishforums.com/English/FiveYearPhasePlanEuroenglish/gvkwp/post.htm#524146Sat, 07 Jun 2008 11:10:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:524146zeroxHeh, the last version seems awfully lot like a pidgin English to me. I sure hope we won't go that far.http://www.englishforums.com/English/TurkishLanguageToolWorld-Peace/gvwxv/post.htm#523507Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:04:41 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:523507zeroxHeh, I remember reading somewhere that some linguists claim that Turkey is, at the moment, the most beautiful language. in the world. I sure hope that helps you in your tremendous task.http://www.englishforums.com/English/IOnceReadPostSomeoneSaying/gdwzx/post.htm#518313Sat, 24 May 2008 08:56:21 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:518313zeroxThere is a post called 'Which language is most difficult language for people to learn' in the linguistic section. The post is on the first page (at least at the moment). Could that be the one you are looking for?http://www.englishforums.com/English/TipsOnEuro2008/zgvvg/post.htm#516405Wed, 21 May 2008 08:02:19 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:516405zeroxModern football needs some hard ans fast improvements in rules quickly. My penchant for football has deteriorated within a few year because of players most unusual 'fragility'. I sure hope Euro 2008 does offer some real football.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DoAliensVisitedEarth/2/zzbgv/Post.htm#514851Sat, 17 May 2008 13:13:40 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:514851zeroxThis might wander off a bit from the original idea of the post, but this site does talk to some extent of aliens and their possible visit to the Earth. But the site discusses more of the possible ways in which the Earth will inevitably be destroyed. Some of the possible scenarios are extremely interesting if you ask me. http://www.exitmundi.nl/exitmundi.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/Readed/gcngq/post.htm#514846Sat, 17 May 2008 13:05:06 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:514846zeroxGoogle also gives many hits with words like 'taked' and 'gived', and the horrendous 'its' vs. 'it's'. Irregular verbs and their inflection can be hard especially for foreigner, hence the 'popularity'. Remember that just because something is on the Internet, doesn't necessarily mean that it's correct.http://www.englishforums.com/English/IsEnglishTheNextLatin/gcknb/post.htm#514165Thu, 15 May 2008 19:41:21 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:514165zeroxInteresting article, and the subject as a whole. I believe that the biggest menace to the English language is the English language per se, that is, with its myriad of varieties. I wouldn't be surprised if some day mutual intelligibility is lost, say, between British English and Australian English. But as I said: this subject really whets my appetite.http://www.englishforums.com/English/CouldExplain/gckwg/post.htm#513996Thu, 15 May 2008 12:17:12 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:513996zeroxMy English professor is notorious for using the same phrase everytime when he wants students to give a more elaborate answer. It is 'Could you expand on that?'.http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatIsTheSubjectHere/gcvcr/post.htm#513720Wed, 14 May 2008 20:21:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:513720zeroxHey CB, I vaguely remember reading from Greenbaum's grammar book that if the verb is in the base form and in the imperative, it is a finite verb. Is my memory just playing tricks with me?http://www.englishforums.com/English/AngloSaxonConqueredEnglandFifth-CenturyNormansCame/gczcj/post.htm#512445Sun, 11 May 2008 13:37:27 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:512445zeroxThe Romans left England in 410AD and England was, as a result, left unprotected. Some kind of an independence declaration was carried out by the Britons, although the Roman way of living continued. Britain was seen as a prosperous asset by the Saxons, for example, and so their raids began.http://www.englishforums.com/English/AQuestionAboutStressDistibution/gcdnm/post.htmSat, 10 May 2008 11:16:43 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:512052zeroxWhere would you put the stress on this line. GAS! GAS! Quick, boys! - An ecstasy of fumbling I'm a bit perplexed by the use of punctuation and, thus, I'm not sure at all how to handle this line. I'm quite positive that the first two words, at least, have a clear stress on them. 'GAS! 'GAS! 'Quick, 'boys! - An 'ecstasy of 'fumbling ---- This would be my guess.