Search results for 'translation translate dictionary'

Re: fruit are?

Yoong Liat — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:52:55 GMT

fruit is singular: Fruit is good for you; The tree bears fruit (not fruits).

The plural fruits is used in talking about different types of fruit: oranges, mangoes and other fruits.

(Times-Chambers Junior Dictionary)

Re: A question about tense usage in "since clause"

Mr Wordy — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:08:34 GMT

Viceidol
"It's a long time since he lived there." suggests "He does not live there now.(He lived there.)",

Roughly correct, but omits to say that he left a long time ago (I suppose they take that as being obvious).

Viceidol
"It's a long time since he has lived there." suggests "He still lives here now. (He has lived there for a long time.)"

Nonsense. If your book really does say this then I recommend you throw it away and get a different one.

(But I notice you say "I didn't translate it very well". So, the explanation is not written in English? Is it possible that you're still mistranslating it?)

American Slang

Belly — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:46:39 GMT

I've heard the word Doc many times on TV, but when I looked up in Dictionary they told me that Doc is " A physician, dentist, or veterinarian.". However, I think Doc is something like Dude. So what is your take?

Re: A question about tense usage in "since clause"

Viceidol — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:26:02 GMT

Mr Wordy

Viceidol
It's a long time since he lived there. (It suggests "He does not live there for a long time.")
It's a long time since he has lived there. (It suggests "He lives there for a long time.")
Are you sure that you copied those right-hand sentences correctly? Neither of them is good English, except, unusually, in the context of a present-tense narrative, which I can't imagine is the intention here (and in any case would not lead to correct interpretations of the sentences in italics).

I'm sorry that I didn't translate it very well, but the book says: "It's a long time since he lived there." suggests "He does not live there now.(He lived there.)", and "It's a long time since he has lived there." suggests "He still lives here now. (He has lived there for a long time.)"

Affectionate

Pucca — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:31:54 GMT

How do you call someone who needs/wants lots of cuddles?
I looked it up in the dictionary and seems that "affectionate" is the word but, is there any other adjetive?

Thanks in advance

Re: 1) What is the difference between reverential and reverent?

Clive — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:21:18 GMT

Hi,

1) What is the difference between reverential and reverent? Not much, except what a dictionary will show.

I'd say 'reverent' would be more often used for a person, and 'reverential' for a thing, eg, a book.

2)John~~lied~~ lay recumbent and unconcious or recumbently and unconciously? These are adjectives that describe John.

3) As after all I was not a bad little boy but I was shy and covered it up by bravado

Why do we have As here? Dunno, seems wrong. What's the context?

Best wishes, Clive

brilliantly simple

changeling — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:50:59 GMT

Hi everybody!

In Russia, we have an idiom that literary goes It is simple as the work of a genius. I'm sure it doesn't make sense in English. It implies that good ideas are simple and self-evident. I failed to find translation in dictionaries, but I believe "brilliantly simple" has a very close meaning.

Thanks in advance

Re: Alternately vs. Alternatively

Cool Breeze — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:13:40 GMT

Mr Wordy
Different people have different opinions on this, so you pays your money and you takes your choice I guess. Here are a few (randomly Googled) definitions that agree with my position:

Yes, of course. I wasn't even saying you were wrong. I just found a definition in a dictionary that is fairly descriptive in its views and consequently it records actual usage, unlike prescriptive usage experts. Personally, I have no strong opinions either way. The fact remains, though, that 'alternate' is very often used to mean 'alternative'.

My liberal and descriptive attitude towards grammar and usage may have something to do with my studying the history of the English language. The only unchanging thing about it has been change. The grammar has changed, the vocabulary has changed, the pronunciation has changed and the meanings of words have changed - and will keep changing. Nice derives from Latin nescius, which means 'ignorant' but very few people object to its modern meanings even though every one of them was grossly incorrect when first used. Once a word has been used incorrectly for long enough by enough people, it becomes standard English.

People usually have nothing against changes that have happened before they were born but many object vehemently to changes that are taking place in their lifetime. That is human nature. It happens in all languages. It is a common belief that changes that are happening right now somehow seem to be spoiling the language.

Re: the weeping willow

Marius Hancu — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:49:06 GMT

think about a weeping woman, with long, loose, dishevelled hair

A species called the weeping willow, has long and slender branches which droop and hang downward, the Salix Babylonica.

Definition from Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828.

Re: 'Crushing' ?

akdom — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:47:07 GMT

..appreciate you help...

and what does that crutch mean?   "it was a much-condemned conjunctive-disjunctive crutch of sloppy thinkers"

I couldn't get the context of the word. and various explanations in the dictionary threw me off.

1. means walking aid?     It was a walking aid of sloppy thinkers. (means these sloopy thinkers were crippled, inaccurate, unhealthy thinkers?)
2. means same as crotch?   It was kind of like an embarrasing mistakes of sloppy thinkers. (mean to be an insult?) I might be way off.