16
Words / Re: word suggestion: covid
« on: January 13, 2021, 01:30:58 PM »
Normally seen it as all caps and/or with the -19 attached. I tried it too but not surprised it didn't work.
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17
Whatever / Re: Shocking
« on: January 10, 2021, 12:21:32 PM »
For my overseas friends: The strong weight of opinion is the Trump cannot pardon himself. God knows what other pardons to his family he will issue before he leaves office, but he cannot pardon State level crimes, only Federal.
Also, God help us if he looses nuclear weapons. There really aren't many checks and balances on that behavior. Its always been assumed you would have a sane President or he would be removed quickly by invoking the 25th amendment, but that latter requires a unanimous vote by his cabinet and that is just not going to happen. Best hope is that the military won't accept the putative "legal" order to nuke Iran (e.g.).
But what is even more shocking to me than the storming of the Capitol (which was even predicted by a number of people) is the number of Republicans who continue to serve their master. I find that unforgivable. It is prima facia seditious behavior, IMO.
There is a lot more I would say, but this isn't really the proper forum for it.
Also, God help us if he looses nuclear weapons. There really aren't many checks and balances on that behavior. Its always been assumed you would have a sane President or he would be removed quickly by invoking the 25th amendment, but that latter requires a unanimous vote by his cabinet and that is just not going to happen. Best hope is that the military won't accept the putative "legal" order to nuke Iran (e.g.).
But what is even more shocking to me than the storming of the Capitol (which was even predicted by a number of people) is the number of Republicans who continue to serve their master. I find that unforgivable. It is prima facia seditious behavior, IMO.
There is a lot more I would say, but this isn't really the proper forum for it.
18
Whatever / Re: Cracker jokes
« on: December 24, 2020, 12:13:42 PM »
In the States, uneducated white southern males, notably in the Appalachian region, are known as "crackers" so naturally when I started reading this thread..... Learn something new every day.
19
Words / Re: Dec 4 Standard
« on: December 05, 2020, 01:04:23 PM »
I think pico should be allowed, but it is different from mega or micro. Both of those are attached to many words to make big or small. E,g, I have heard of a microscope, but not a picoscope.
20
Words / Re: Prevalence of words in US and UK
« on: December 01, 2020, 01:23:20 PM »
As an American I know the word chaffinch, but I have never seen one. Very pretty.
21
Words / plurals question
« on: November 20, 2020, 01:50:45 PM »
I'm curious about rules for plurals (which I think I basically understand). I did try to search the forum, but the results with all the "......." parts just sort of confused me. Anyway, take these three words: Live, Life, Lives. Lives is the plural of life and is not made by adding an s to life. Live, meaning not dead, living, or in real time does not seem to have a plural for those meanings. If that is correct, is lives disallowed because there is a word (live) and this different meaning (lives) just because of the adding s rule? Somehow that doesn't seem right to me.
Any thoughts anyone?
Any thoughts anyone?
22
Words / Re: common v. uncommon - a moot point
« on: November 15, 2020, 04:00:11 PM »
Thank you, Alan.
23
Words / common v. uncommon - a moot point
« on: November 08, 2020, 12:10:35 PM »
I don't know why I bother - I never win these arguments. For that matter, I do not know/understand the criteria that Alan uses to determine the commonality of word usage. Anyway, a few days ago, Moot was a common word. I agree. But in the process of flailing around I stuck in Mooting and it was a common word. My jaw nearly hit the floor. Mooting is the process of arguing in Moot Court in law school. I have a very hard time believing anyone not in the legal profession (at least in this country - maybe across the pond?) would know that word. It was a miracle I got it, but I think it was unfair. IMO mooting should be a rare word.
24
Words / Re: Prevalence of words in US and UK
« on: October 18, 2020, 01:48:27 PM »
I (an American) knew all the words (except Angolan currency) - big surprise. But Mkenuk asked about Kwanza, the Angolan currency. I'm pretty sure very few Americans know what kwanza is, but a lot of us know kwanzaa. That is an African-American cultural celebration Dec 26-Jan 1. I have to ask Alan if he meant kwanza or kwanzaa for his common words list. If you google kwanza, it looks up kwanzaa and you cannot even get it to kwanza unless you google kwanza currency. Still, given the state of prejudice and bigotry we have, I wonder if kwanzaa is really a common word.
25
Words / Re: gulag?
« on: October 04, 2020, 11:21:48 AM »
There is such a thing as a gulag. No reason for it to be rejected.
26
Word Games / Who picks these words?
« on: August 03, 2020, 01:14:25 PM »
The most common letter in the English language is E. Once again, a word with no e's. I feel like the shark attacking manikins after a ship wreck who turns to a companion and says "What is this? Some kind of cruel hoax?" [Farside cartoon] C'mon, guys - I need some e's to work with!
27
Words / Re: Twee not common?
« on: June 08, 2020, 01:01:48 PM »
I know the word, but twee is not common to me nor to Americans in general.
28
Words / Nuts to Alan (hopefully)
« on: April 28, 2020, 10:39:32 AM »
So I am going to try again to get "nuts" approved for Chi. What brings this up is yesterday's 9 letter puzzle: "Guts" is not only allowed but a common word. Lets compare Nuts to Guts: From Collins dictionary:
Definition of 'nuts'
Word Frequency
nuts in British English
(nʌts ) slang
adjective
1. offensive
insane
2. sometimes humorous
eccentric or foolish in behaviour
3. (foll by about or on)
extremely fond (of) or enthusiastic (about)
exclamation
4. an expression of disappointment, contempt, refusal, or defiance
Now look at guts from the same source
in British English
(ɡʌts)
plural noun
1. the bowels or entrails, esp of an animal
The entire carcass - hide, guts, and bones - was devoured.
By the time they finish, the crewmen are standing ankle-deep in fish guts.
2. informal
courage, willpower, or daring; forcefulness
It takes guts to stand up to her.
The new Chancellor has the guts to push through unpopular tax increases.
It takes more guts than I've usually got to go and see him.
3. informal
the essential part
the guts of the problem
She has a reputation for getting at the guts of a subject and never pulling her punches.
The guts of the reactor have to be hauled out of the pressure vessel.
To allow Guts but not Nuts is inconsistent! Both should be allowed. QED
Definition of 'nuts'
Word Frequency
nuts in British English
(nʌts ) slang
adjective
1. offensive
insane
2. sometimes humorous
eccentric or foolish in behaviour
3. (foll by about or on)
extremely fond (of) or enthusiastic (about)
exclamation
4. an expression of disappointment, contempt, refusal, or defiance
Now look at guts from the same source
in British English
(ɡʌts)
plural noun
1. the bowels or entrails, esp of an animal
The entire carcass - hide, guts, and bones - was devoured.
By the time they finish, the crewmen are standing ankle-deep in fish guts.
2. informal
courage, willpower, or daring; forcefulness
It takes guts to stand up to her.
The new Chancellor has the guts to push through unpopular tax increases.
It takes more guts than I've usually got to go and see him.
3. informal
the essential part
the guts of the problem
She has a reputation for getting at the guts of a subject and never pulling her punches.
The guts of the reactor have to be hauled out of the pressure vessel.
To allow Guts but not Nuts is inconsistent! Both should be allowed. QED
29
Whatever / Re: Quota of tricky words
« on: February 20, 2020, 01:56:26 PM »
Bummer, Jackie. But YOU know what you did even if the game gave you 98% and you should feel proud. As to the rest, when I get to LWS I get a little frantic, and most of the time its not a tricky word but a blatently ordinary word that 1) I was sure I had played but it didn't "take" or 2) ARMB - Age Related Mind Blindness.