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Well, I've read the German translations, though.Ibix said:And Paisley is a pattern, not a uniform red.
Well, I've read the German translations, though.Ibix said:And Paisley is a pattern, not a uniform red.
My towel is at hand ...OmCheeto said:I was called "Arthur Dent" this morning, on Twitter.
hmmmmm...
I recently went through part of the school archives with some high school students. I had to explain to them what the photographic negatives were.Ibix said:How quickly things change fascinates me. ...
Wait until you find a slide rule!Fewmet said:I recently went through part of the school archives with some high school students. I had to explain to them what the photographic negatives were.
You're welcome...dlgoff said:Thanks for sharing.
It is a good a good tune...Mark44 said:Great tune!
Psinter said:Um... Is calling a random person you just met: "baby", normal for English speakers?
It's been happening too frequently. It hasn't bothered me at all. But, how odd. I am beginning to think it is actually pretty normal. Like saying 'bro'.
Only if it's a wiener dog.fresh_42 said:It is not allowed to send sausages (wrong word, but you don't have a better one) to the US. But here's my question: Would a dog searching for drugs bark at such a package by: "Forget the damn cocaine, open that package, I want the sausage!"
I'd go much further. Acceptable informal address varies by region, social class, age and sex of both parties, and time, and probably a host of other things. That said, I've still not heard "baby" used outside of couples and actual babies.pinball1970 said:I would say that is a city/working class thing.
You can usually drop the "mate" (or whatever) without a problem. "Excuse me mate, do you have the time?" or "thanks mate" work equally well without. Actually avoiding pronouns is clumsy, yes. I ended up having to do it at work when I had to advise someone to contact Ashley. Ashley and I had exchanged email a lot but had never actually spoken or met, and I realized mid-email that I had no clue whether to use him or her. Turned out to be a she in the end. The Ashley I work with at the moment is a bloke - I was careful to enquire before emailing.WWGD said:Or you can do some verbal gymnastics and avoid pronouns or other references. Kind of awkward, but doable.
EDITWhatever happened to "Dear he/she/it or whatever the #$% you are:" (And why was I put in the corner cubicle so far away from everyone else?)Ibix said:You can usually drop the "mate" (or whatever) without a problem. "Excuse me mate, do you have the time?" or "thanks mate" work equally well without. Actually avoiding pronouns is clumsy, yes. I ended up having to do it at work when I had to advise someone to contact Ashley. Ashley and I had exchanged email a lot but had never actually spoken or met, and I realized mid-email that I had no clue whether to use him or her. Turned out to be a she in the end. The Ashley I work with at the moment is a bloke - I was careful to enquire before emailing.
A gender-neutral pronoun that isn't horribly contrived (like using "they" feels to me) would be very useful. I mean, does it really matter whether she's a he or a she? Given the existence of gendered pronouns it seems rude to use the wrong one, but you're going to want to talk to the topic expert, and it wasn't a topic where what's between anyone's legs was relevant to anyone.WWGD said:Whatever happened to "Dear he/she/it or whatever the #$% you are:"
But is there a singular (non-plural) version? S/he may work in writing but I don't know any spoken version.Ibix said:A gender-neutral pronoun that isn't horribly contrived (like using "they" feels to me) would be very useful. I mean, does it really matter whether she's a he or a she? Given the existence of gendered pronouns it seems rude to use the wrong one, but you're going to want to talk to the topic expert, and it wasn't a topic where what's between anyone's legs was relevant to anyone.
Ibix said:A gender-neutral pronoun that isn't horribly contrived (like using "they" feels to me) would be very useful.
It.WWGD said:But is there a singular (non-plural) version? S/he may work in writing but I don't know any spoken version.
I thought so, to, but after many years of horrible confusion (even while working in it), I found out it stands for " Information Technology"fresh_42 said:It.![]()
I've seen various attempts at engineering one (xhe for he/she, for example), but they don't seem to catch on. In my opinion, because made-up words sound made-up. I suspect that if it ever happens it'll be that he/she goes the way of "thou" and "they" becomes singular as well, as "you" has done.WWGD said:But is there a singular (non-plural) version? S/he may work in writing but I don't know any spoken version.
Perilously close to "politically incorrect" for the area of NA located between Canada and Mexico.Ibix said:(xhe for he/she, for example), but they don't seem to catch on.
That's the exit strategy if it feels offended.WWGD said:I thought so, to, but after many years of horrible confusion (even while working in it), I found out it stands for " Information Technology"
We have a gender even on roles, aka professions, similar to the appendix "-ess" in English, but everywhere. The doctor-he-she jokes don't work in German, as it would be Arzt/Ärztin, Chirurg/Chirurgin, Doktor/Doktorin. To solve this gender dilemma, especially in job offer announcements, people write Chirurg(in) or ChirurgIn or Chirurg/-in, all of which are straight away ugly. Especially the capital "I" spelling looks odd. I haven't seen any satisfactory solution, yet. And "they" in English is equally strange.Ibix said:I've seen various attempts at engineering one (xhe for he/she, for example), but they don't seem to catch on. In my opinion, because made-up words sound made-up. I suspect that if it ever happens it'll be that he/she goes the way of "thou" and "they" becomes singular as well, as "you" has done.
I don't think it's a bad idea. The circumstances under which I care what sex you are are fairly limited, so the effort needed to find out what sex you are solely so I can pick a pronoun seems disproportionate. I just don't like "xhe" for some reason.Bystander said:Perilously close to "politically incorrect" for the area of NA located between Canada and Mexico.
I think that by " The arIbix said:I don't think it's a bad idea. The circumstances under which I care what sex you are are fairly limited, so the effort needed to find out what sex you are solely so I can pick a pronoun seems disproportionate. I just don't like "xhe" for some reason.
One distinguishing feature of good fantasy/SF is that the names roll off the tongue even when they're made up names for members of an imaginary species or ethnic group. Some people seem to have a knack for it - they need to get someone with the knack to make up their new pronouns IMO.
Is " The area of NA between Canada and Mexico" slang for what is between someone's legs? I am not hip to your slang ;).Bystander said:Perilously close to "politically incorrect" for the area of NA located between Canada and Mexico.
There's a similar issue in Spanish (doctor/doctora, usually solved by writing doctor/a, which I agree is ugly). Oddly, although there's a distinction between he/she/it there's no distinction between him/her/it.fresh_42 said:We have a gender even on roles, aka professions, similar to the appendix "-ess" in English, but everywhere. The doctor-he-she jokes don't work in German, as it would be Arzt/Ärztin, Chirurg/Chirurgin, Doktor/Doktorin. To solve this gender dilemma, especially in job offer announcements, people write Chirurg(in) or ChirurgIn or Chirurg/-in, all of which are straight away ugly. Especially the capital "I" spelling looks odd. I haven't seen any satisfactory solution, yet. And "they" in English is equally strange.
You are not hip to slang about what's slung from your hips?WWGD said:Is " The area of NA between Canada and Mexico" slang for what is between someone's legs? I am not hip to your slang ;).
Also, I think you may just have implied that the USA is a [slang term of your choice for sexual organ of your choice]. Don't know if you meant to do that...WWGD said:Is " The area of NA between Canada and Mexico" slang for what is between someone's legs? I am not hip to your slang ;).
Well, it is represented by an orange one depicted often in London recently...Ibix said:Also, I think you may just have implied that the USA is a [slang term of your choice for sexual organ of your choice]. Don't know if you meant to do that...