Please help me pronounce this formula related to projectile motion as it would be spoken out loud: L = v0^2 sin2θ / g
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posted by misozaki
on Apr 30, 2013 -
15 answers
I first came across this about 20 years ago in a Calvin & Hobbes strip where Hobbes taunts his friend: "Calvin and Susie, sitting in a tree. Kay-Eye-Ess-Ess-Eye-En-Gee!" I never understood why Hobbes was making "words" out of letters; I assumed it was something unique to comics (or tigers). Then today, a
poem linked to in
this FPP reminded me of that old comic strip and got me thinking: Why is there an
entire parallel alphabet to spell out the letters of the alphabet?
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posted by andromache
on Apr 14, 2013 -
29 answers
Hello, I'm a French student preparing for English interviews and in my last mock session my interviewer talked about my accent that could put me at a disadvantage. I can't afford and don't have the time to see a speech therapist so I'm looking for books with audio tracks that are aimed at mastering the standard American accent. Do you know or know somebody that had had great results with a particular book?
Thank you!
posted by lite
on Mar 27, 2013 -
19 answers
Eastern-language experts: what does
this ring say? I don't know the language or even if I've got it right-side-up. I photographed the characters in order, picking one at random to start with. If it's written in Fake Words For Honkies and doesn't actually mean anything, that's fine; if it will summon a Nazgul, that's even better!
posted by cmyk
on Mar 6, 2013 -
5 answers
I have just started using Google Japanese Input on Windows 7. It works fine, but I would like to be able to switch input modes (i.e. between direct input, hiragana, katakana etc) using a shortcut key. Currently I have to click on the language bar to switch, which is a pain. I looked in the properties and can't see an option for shortcuts. I tried googling but can't seem to find an answer either.
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posted by theyexpectresults
on Feb 5, 2013 -
4 answers
My mom has
a bar of soap that I probably gave her as a gift several years ago. We're trying to figure out what language, if any, the logo/brandname are in and what it means. It could be mirrored or upside down but it still doesn't look like any character set I recognize. The soap was probably purchased at a fair trade store so it could be from anywhere.
posted by ChrisHartley
on Jan 14, 2013 -
7 answers
I'm giving a talk tomorrow where I will be covering the work of typographer Eiichi Kono. So my question is pretty simple: how does one best pronounce his name?
posted by garius
on Jan 9, 2013 -
7 answers
I'm looking for any examples of two-letter acronyms that are pronounced as words in English (IT wouldn't count because it is pronounced as two individual letters). Due to the fact that the word "acronym" is widely used to refer to any abbreviation based on initial letters this seems to be quite difficult to search for. Any suggestions?
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posted by tomcooke
on Jan 7, 2013 -
25 answers
Are grammatical genders, as a rule, consistent across the Indo-European languages which use them?
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posted by obloquy
on Dec 4, 2012 -
30 answers
As a reader, how do you feel about invented language versus familiar words in imaginary worlds?
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posted by batmonkey
on Nov 21, 2012 -
67 answers
Stamp collecting is philately. Coin collecting falls under numismatics (perhaps as a subdivision). Rock collecting is not really geology in the same way as the above terms are used. Is there a similar term for rock collecting?
posted by Jahaza
on Nov 3, 2012 -
7 answers
What is a good resource for understanding art theory - book recommendations, websites, things of that nature. I keep finding myself realizing that there's uses of language in art that doesn't match up with what I think it should be.
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posted by mephron
on Oct 11, 2012 -
5 answers
Tell me a little bit about this recording I made in a taxi in the UAE. I think it's in Urdu.
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posted by mykescipark
on Sep 28, 2012 -
9 answers
I'm trying to revive my rather rusty Spanish. One of the green's favourite tips for language learning seems to be to immerse yourself in TV programmes/films/music in the target language. So I want to start listening to Spanish-language music, and I need some recommendations.
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posted by badmoonrising
on Sep 24, 2012 -
13 answers
What are some phrases in Italian that convey "goodbye" in a not-so-casual, but rather sentimental if not hopeful way?
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posted by chloe.gelsomino
on Sep 20, 2012 -
5 answers
I'm looking for a song I heard on the radio a couple of times about 6 or 7 years ago. The music was interspersed with a Spanish language lesson in it that started out seeming normal and got kinkier as it went on. Ring any bells?
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posted by ninazer0
on Sep 11, 2012 -
2 answers
WTH? Message in a bottle, secret admirer, or random gibberish?
A friend's mom took her car to the shop (SW US) and left a whiteboard (which she uses to communicate) inside. After she picked the car up she noticed the following written on it. Any ideas as to what language it is or what it says? Thanks in advance.
Mysterious message here
posted by subajestad
on Sep 5, 2012 -
11 answers
Can anyone figure out the language/writing on the
bottom of this teapot? If it helps, it was probably purchased in the NYC area between 1940 - 1970.
posted by mikepop
on Aug 27, 2012 -
8 answers
Somewhere earlier this year? there was a link to a language learning site which started you off on basic vocabulary. On answering questions a plant grew or shrivelled accordingly. I need to find that site again.
Obrigado.
posted by adamvasco
on Aug 9, 2012 -
4 answers
Can anyone recommend blogs about cooking, crafting written in French or German?
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posted by peacrow
on Jul 31, 2012 -
5 answers
Is there a word or term for not being able to understand a word of a language, but still being able to correctly
recognize it if you hear it? For example, if I hear someone speaking German, Italian, Portuguese, French, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, or Mongolian, I can probably correctly identify that they’re speaking said language they’re speaking EVEN THOUGH I can’t understand a thing they’re saying. Has this been studied before?
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posted by huxham
on Jul 19, 2012 -
12 answers
Is there a term for, or linguistic function fulfilled by, the phrases "no yeah" and/or "yeah no" when used for the purpose of agreeing?
posted by CitrusFreak12
on Jul 18, 2012 -
12 answers
I was taught French through to Grade 10; however, have been far removed from it since then. I am too shy to try to converse in French with others; but would like to build the confidence to be able to. What are some good strategies for relearning a language and becoming more confident conversing in it at the same time?
posted by jamincan
on Jun 18, 2012 -
5 answers
I have several identical Bonds written entirely in ?Cyrillic/Russian and would much appreciate their headings translated for me. (No need for a full translation!)
Here is a picture.
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posted by lungtaworld
on Jun 16, 2012 -
3 answers
Do you know of any story based language instruction books? I have a vague memory from when I was a kid (late 70's/early 80's) of reading book that was the story of an american boy going to visit france. The book starts out in english, and adds french words to the story as the boy in the story encounters them. If I remember correctly, the last chapter is entirely in french.
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posted by billyfleetwood
on May 20, 2012 -
8 answers
I am female. I have a unisex name. My male partners have always had unmistakably male names. Why, then, have new acquaintances continually called my male partners by my name?!
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posted by thrasher
on May 18, 2012 -
34 answers
Do you know any good videos for young children to learn a little Russian?
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posted by spbmp
on May 17, 2012 -
11 answers
I'm looking for lyrics (in Russian/Cyrillic) to
this song. I'm not familiar enough with russian to do more than pick out a few words. I don't want the English lyrics, I would like to figure that part out myself. :) Any help at all would be appreciated.
posted by subarctic_guy
on May 11, 2012 -
2 answers
Do we cry over spilt milk or spilled milk? My spell checker says the latter but I remember the former.
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posted by patheral
on May 9, 2012 -
31 answers
"That's retarded." Offensive, or not offensive?
Also, if offensive, help me come up with an alternative to my life/work philosophy, which is "Don't Be Retarded."
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posted by eleyna
on Apr 25, 2012 -
85 answers
I got a summer job interview over Skype! Tell me what to expect. The twist: it's in American Sign Language.
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posted by Conspire
on Apr 24, 2012 -
7 answers
English language friends: Why do we use the word “different” when it doesn’t appear to be necessary?
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posted by bryon
on Apr 17, 2012 -
18 answers
Question about French election 2012 slogan: Prendre le pouvoir! (Hollande) Does it mean We can take it? Or Take it, we can! ???
posted by sparkle55
on Apr 17, 2012 -
14 answers
Found myself head-over-heels in love with my friend. Our interactions have gotten exceedingly flirtatious. Is she in love, too? What's your opinion? Details after the jump.
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posted by thatgirl1985
on Apr 3, 2012 -
39 answers
