In French, the singular of eye is "oiel" and the plural is "yeux." Are there any nouns in English that have completely different spellings of the singular and plural like this?
posted on Sep 26, 2008 - 27 answers

Grammar Filter: what is the English equivalent to the "Double Future Tense"? [more inside]
posted on Jul 9, 2008 - 10 answers

What is the difference between "no more than" and "not more than"? [more inside]
posted on Jul 3, 2008 - 15 answers

How do you pronounce the word 'read' when used in the following context? -- 'John is dry (read: boring).' /rɛd/ or /rid/ Thanks!
posted on May 29, 2008 - 121 answers

How can I best learn the French language, grammar, and pronunciation? [more inside]
posted on May 26, 2008 - 16 answers

On a recent trip to Kenya, we visited a school who is in need of simple French language instruction booklets for elementary-age children. [more inside]
posted on May 23, 2008 - 3 answers

Foreign language "bibles" (superlative, comprehensive language resources) for language-learning lovers? [more inside]
posted on Apr 3, 2008 - 10 answers

Please hope me! Or why hope for help? [more inside]
posted on Mar 27, 2008 - 23 answers

Are there any languages that do not contain gender-specific pronouns? (no he's or she's, just 'it')
posted on Mar 4, 2008 - 19 answers

What are some other examples of using 'an' in front of a non-vowel like some do with 'an historic...'? [more inside]
posted on Feb 22, 2008 - 40 answers

A) "At the next stage in the process, the tea leaves ARE blended". B) "At the next stage in the process, the tea leaves WERE blended". Is A correct from a formal grammar standpoint? If so, which tense is it using, and how is it using the past tense of "blend"? If not, why not?
posted on Jan 11, 2008 - 19 answers

Grammar Question: Is or Isn't? [more inside]
posted on Dec 8, 2007 - 57 answers

I need . . . adjectives! Is there a *scannable* online dictionary or some way in which I can search through giant lists just for the adjectives? [more inside]
posted on Oct 18, 2007 - 9 answers

Explain tenses to me? Past/present/future, continuous/simple/perfect, and so on, in English. I can use them with fluency, but I need to be able to explain them (when each is used, how to form them). I've tried Fowler's, Chicago Manual of Style, and a number of other resources, but they seem to subtly contradict one another. Is there a simple, go-to reference for this?
posted on Sep 28, 2007 - 16 answers

In a sentence which begins, "I expect that the answer lay/lays/lie/lies not in the answers provided, but . . . ," which is the correct verb choice? [more inside]
posted on Jul 29, 2007 - 28 answers

Is there a term for mangling two words to create a new word or term? [more inside]
posted on Jul 17, 2007 - 28 answers

What are some essential differences between UK and American English Grammar? [more inside]
posted on Jul 8, 2007 - 71 answers

"Most all" - it is wrong. Right? [more inside]
posted on Jul 2, 2007 - 45 answers

I'm looking for a mac word processor with French language support (spelling and grammar) to replace Microsoft Word 2004. [more inside]
posted on Mar 2, 2007 - 8 answers

Help me find evidence contrary to this analysis that claims the internet causes language to be "dumbed down". As Hemingway said: "Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words?"
posted on Jan 14, 2007 - 23 answers

English grammar: 'could be Xing' versus 'can be Xing' -- how can we explain why one is correct and one isn't? [more inside]
posted on Dec 12, 2006 - 23 answers

Hawaiian has only eight consonants. Pirahã purportedly has even fewer phonemes and no numerals. What other languages have properties which would be considered unusual by Indo-European language speakers?
posted on Nov 16, 2006 - 33 answers

How do I learn what goes on "under the hood" of programming languages? [more inside]
posted on Aug 14, 2006 - 34 answers

Is there are any software that can perform a decent grammar check? [more inside]
posted on Jul 17, 2006 - 4 answers

Usage and Grammar: What is considered the usage and style manual? [more inside]
posted on Feb 26, 2006 - 26 answers

[GrammarFilter] "the show was broadcast live" or "the show was broadcasted live"? [more inside]
posted on Sep 7, 2005 - 9 answers

Spanish hyphenation rules/exceptions? Due to some new responsibilities, i need to improve my more-than-basic-but-less-than-fluent Spanish. Are there any online or purchasable cheatsheets/books outlining when/how to break words? (it's a general Latin-American Spanish and not pure Castilian) [more inside]
posted on Aug 20, 2005 - 12 answers

When Americans talk about things like bands and sports teams they use the singular but when people in the UK/Ireland do so they use the plural. Who's right? [more inside]
posted on Aug 11, 2005 - 22 answers

Which statement is correct? Does either of you recognize this person? Do either of you recognize this person? [more inside]
posted on Mar 19, 2005 - 19 answers

I know I'm being a bit of a hypertext pedant, but are there any grammatical rules for linktext? Any stylistic rules for linktext? Linktext is the stuff that goes in between <a> and </a>. I know to never use "click here" as linktext but I'm interested in other rules about syntax and style. (more inside)
posted on Feb 9, 2005 - 24 answers

[Language(hat)Filter] In the famous line from the Aeneid "Quidquid id est, timeo danaos et dona ferentis", why is ferentis in the genitive? [plus intus]
posted on Jan 7, 2005 - 10 answers

What is the plural of "presence?"
posted on Dec 8, 2004 - 15 answers

[Grammar] Is there a preferred time to use "nobody" versus "no one?"
posted on Nov 22, 2004 - 15 answers

"One is not amused..." Personal pronoun, or third person generalisation? [MI]
posted on Nov 6, 2004 - 10 answers

Where does the American construction doesn't know from come from? How is it used? [More Inside.]
posted on Sep 21, 2004 - 20 answers

UK versus American English usage question: In a recent post, the one on Chinese singing, I noticed that English speakers from England seem to use 'to' where most Americans would use 'from' or 'than.'
Example: "So 'bang' with a rising tone is different to 'bang' with a falling tone is different to 'bang' with a rising then falling tone."
Why is this, and how did this difference in usage originate?
posted on Sep 5, 2004 - 19 answers

Is it ever OK in prose to start a sentence with "and"? The general situation I'm thinking of is when you want to insert a sort of dramatic pause into the middle of a narrative sentence that has "and" (or any conjunction in it).
posted on Sep 3, 2004 - 36 answers

Grammar/StyleFilter: What is the accepted adjective form to describe something written in the style of Hemingway? Hemingway-esque? Hemingway-ian? Something else altogether? With a hyphen or without? And moving from the specific to the general, is there a hard and fast rule for when we use one of these particular endings (-ian, -ean, -esque, etc.) to turn a proper noun into an adjective, or is the style dictated simply by what seems to sound right?
posted on Jul 17, 2004 - 14 answers

What does "normative" mean? Is it a useful word? I only ever see it used in obscure, academic writing, which makes me suspect it's worthless. How is it different from "normal"? My dictionary says it means, "Of, relating to, or prescribing a norm or standard: normative grammar." That sounds like "normal" to me, so why not just say "normal"? Can someone give me some clear sentences that use the word -- sentences that are not written in post-modern, complit speak? Can one use "normative" meaningfully in a sentence about real-world things, like butter, eggs or bricks?
posted on May 21, 2004 - 24 answers

People in my company often use a period instead of a question mark at the end of an interrogative sentence. I pointed this out to an old boss as I was proofing one of his e-mails, and he told me this is standard custom now in business communication. Is this so? What the hell?
posted on Mar 25, 2004 - 45 answers

I've been studying Japanese at a college level for three years now and I think I have an intermediate knowledge of the language, sentence pattern and grammar wise, and an OK vocabulary, considering I don't speak it everyday. Aside from actually living in Japan, which isn't an option right now due to college and work commitments, what is the best way to learn Japanese, especially reading and writing Kanji?
posted on Dec 11, 2003 - 16 answers