And that's very nearly the limit of my Latin, such as it is. Is Latin really a supremely clear and precise language? [more inside]
posted by bryon at at 9:57 PM - 21 answers

Looking for a lost word (Torontonian/Canadian dialect): There is a word that my husband and I both remember from our childhood, but cannot spell, and we can't find anyone else who knows this word. It sounds like "coal-liss" or "coal-lass", and it was used in Etobicoke, Ontario in the 1980s to mean the asphalt part of a schoolyard. Did we just collectively dream this word? Or did (does) it exist, and how is it spelled, and where is it used? [more inside]
posted by jb at at 6:56 PM - 11 answers

Help a chinese student: I am teaching elementary statistic to a young chinese , but I have an hard time explaining him words such as : average, mean, median, mode, quotient, ratio, standard deviation etc. I am looking for a list of math/science words english<>chine, a mini vocabulary (doc/pdf/whatever) as I don't trust online translation programs too much.
posted by elpapacito at at 2:58 PM - 3 answers

Do you know any good sites in Spanish about literature, preferably with an emphasis on classic books or writers? Sites about both international and Spanish/Latin American literature are welcome. [more inside]
posted by ersatz at at 7:52 PM - 7 answers

What is this? It's in Russian. Inside is a clear gel.
posted by summit at at 3:10 PM - 9 answers

Please help me expand my base of quaint southern expressions, aphorisms and witticisms. [more inside]
posted by willie11 at at 7:14 AM - 101 answers

I'm looking for quotes or a short poem for my sister, whose expecting her first child in the next several days. Any ideas?
posted by phr4gmonk3y at at 9:20 PM - 10 answers

I'm looking for recommendations of Croatian authors whose works are available in English. [more inside]
posted by anonymous78 at at 3:09 PM - 9 answers

Can someone provide an Ancient Greek translation for "love of style?" [more inside]
posted by oddman at at 2:32 PM - 6 answers

What's the plural of "print out," as in, "hey John, if you're going near the printer could you get me that print out?" What would we say to John if we wanted him to get us more than one?
posted by ChasFile at at 1:56 PM - 48 answers

What one book will allow others to gain the truest insight into the soul of each city or region [more inside]
posted by reenum at at 10:21 PM - 16 answers

SpanishFilter: How can I politely say "I've had enough" or "I'm full" in Spanish? [more inside]
posted by cabingirl at at 8:53 AM - 14 answers

When was the past better than the present? I'd like to know the word or phrase that describes the romanticism people have of the past, e.g. "In those days, children respected their elders!". I was watching the documentary Born Rich and Cody Franchetti mentions that the encyclopedia was better in the early 20th century. Why? This feeling that "old ways are better" is not exactly nostalgia, because often people expressing this sentiment didn't actually grow up in this utopian past. But their feelings toward this time are exactly like nostalgia. [more inside]
posted by Monochrome at at 1:06 AM - 16 answers

I'd like a few book recommendations to learn about the early history of my fine city. [more inside]
posted by squishy at at 3:25 PM - 10 answers

Reading yesterday’s Tales of the City post, I got to wondering: are there any books set in Southeast Asian locations that “sell” their settings the way Tales of the City does for San Francisco, or The Number One Ladies Detective Agency does for Botswana? [more inside]
posted by micketymoc at at 6:08 PM - 7 answers

I'd never put only "question" here. I don't call my dog "Dog" or write out a check "for money Dollars". When I call 911 and request a firetruck, they don't call me back and speak the words "a firetruck" and hang up. Why is it normal to congratulate someone by saying "congratulations"? [more inside]
posted by cmiller at at 6:34 AM - 23 answers

I need help with interpretation and understanding of The Divan of the Lover. A friend of mine claims to have figured out the meaning, and I'm drawing a blank aside from the most obvious. [more inside]
posted by sandraregina at at 3:40 PM - 9 answers

What other words out there lack elegant opposites? [more inside]
posted by rooftop secrets at at 12:24 PM - 47 answers

Pippa as a baby name. Does it really mean "blow job" in Greek slang? [more inside]
posted by Stewriffic at at 11:25 AM - 25 answers

When you say a word over and over ("Temple temple temple temple...") it stops sounding like an actual word and starts seeming like a bunch of gibberish-sounds. Why?
posted by Tomorrowful at at 8:23 AM - 20 answers

How do you say "Happy Maharashtra Day!" in Marathi? [more inside]
posted by mattbucher at at 8:00 AM - 3 answers

Can anyone translate the Asian characters (I think they are Japanese) on this image?
posted by oblique red at at 6:43 AM - 3 answers

Is there a word that describes a limited world view that originates from North America and Western Europe? [more inside]
posted by roofus at at 6:26 AM - 20 answers

Are some languages objectively harder than others? If so, which ones? [more inside]
posted by greytape at at 4:27 AM - 48 answers

What's another word for the feeling you get after an all-nighter? It's not euphoria, giddiness, silliness, or simply high.. [more inside]
posted by hobbes at at 10:16 PM - 26 answers

GrammarFilter: True/False -- The following sentence can be grammatically correct. There's rockets. [more inside]
posted by Quarter Pincher at at 8:34 PM - 53 answers

Question about obscure science fiction short story, "Allegory," by William T. Powers, which was reprinted in Groff Conklin's 13 GREAT STORIES OF SCIENCE FICTION. The question is: what is this story an allegory of? To put it another way, is there some real-world or historical event that this story is a comment on? [more inside]
posted by Mr. Justice at at 5:56 PM - 8 answers

Castillano vs. Espanol? Which is appropriate in the US? In Mexico? Elsewhere? [more inside]
posted by zhivota at at 9:27 AM - 26 answers

The title of the novel also appears in the book as a chapter title. Apparently, there's a name for it. What's it called?
posted by mordecai at at 4:49 AM - 4 answers

Recommendations for a good, verbose online thesaurus for wandering through words? thesaurus.com seems to have changed how they serve search results and my working style is screwed. [more inside]
posted by Gucky at at 12:03 AM - 11 answers

What is the term for the sentence construction used in this quotation: "time and her aunt moved slowly"? [more inside]
posted by sciapod at at 8:38 PM - 8 answers

Is there a word or a phrase, other than the too-broad "understand," for when a listener understands what someone else is trying to convey even when the speaker doesn't express it clearly and/or correctly? [more inside]
posted by amyms at at 9:23 AM - 31 answers

EpigramFilter: What's the converse of "Don't kill the messenger"? [more inside]
posted by Araucaria at at 9:10 AM - 21 answers

What is the original origin and exact wording of the quote that goes to the effect: "If you have to eat a bullfrog, don't look at it for too long. If you have to eat two bullfrogs, eat the biggest/ugliest one first"? [more inside]
posted by internet!Hannah at at 12:28 PM - 3 answers

What is the literary or legal term for a second will that suddenly appears after someone has died, in addition to one that had been taken to be the real one?
posted by cogneuro at at 4:31 AM - 8 answers

I read an article in a women's magazine quite a few years ago where the singer kd Lang was being interviewed. In the article she mentions a state of mind where you embrace change (in general) and look for new experiences ... or something close to that. Not sure I have it completely right. I have searched the entire Internet, it seems, and can't find any reference. [more inside]
posted by robinrs at at 9:13 PM - 7 answers

I've had tremendous luck polling all tens of thousands of you MeFites about literature, so here goes again. The Catcher in the Rye: Can anyone recommend any short stories, poems, or essays that would complement the themes of alienation, coming of age, general phoniness of us adults, etc.? Thanks!
posted by John of Michigan at at 12:21 PM - 28 answers

What's the French-language equivalent, dialogue-wise, of The West Wing? Witty, erudite, and fun dialogue is the only requirement. The series/movie being any good would also be nice. Either TV or movies would be fine.
posted by flibbertigibbet at at 7:45 AM - 6 answers

MajorDomesticDebateFilter : What is up? She says jig. I say gig. Google is undecided. [more inside]
posted by vizsla at at 5:39 PM - 37 answers

What is the etymology of the word "cockpunch"? [more inside]
posted by Tube at at 10:16 PM - 15 answers

LogosFilter: Could a blog entry that contains two words and their definitions be consistent with the definition of a dictionary? [more inside]
posted by vanoakenfold at at 1:59 PM - 8 answers

Can you identify a short story I read in grade school? [more inside]
posted by timsteil at at 9:14 PM - 4 answers

What are some interesting, uncommon "vocabulary" words that you use regularly or semi-regularly? [more inside]
posted by Metroid Baby at at 1:24 PM - 90 answers

I have a Wacom graphics tablet. Is there a (preferably free or at least cheap) kanji handwriting recognition program for WinXP that would let me write kanji by hand without knowing the correct stroke order, and produce a translation and/or Unicode characters that I can cut and paste? [more inside]
posted by martinrebas at at 11:39 AM - 5 answers

Looking for examples of fiction where: a.) someone uncovers an unsettling/surprising/shocking truth about a major "historical" (for that setting) figure or event, b.) the story itself is in the form of a journal or diary that gives the unsettling/surprising/shocking perspective. [more inside]
posted by adamdschneider at at 8:39 AM - 27 answers

Copy editors or grammar natzi's: I am pre-copy editing a manuscript for my friend. Is it acceptable to start a sentence with the word "but"? I am leaning towards no but I can't remember. Also what are the rules about mentioning name brands in novels? such as "Hilton" or "Boston Red Sox" or "Boston Globe"? Thank you so much!
posted by meeshell at at 12:33 PM - 22 answers

What epic fantasy/sci-fi series (think Wheel of Time, Song of Ice and Fire) are only just starting out? [more inside]
posted by TheOtherGuy at at 7:22 AM - 14 answers

I need a name for my X-files themed blog. [more inside]
posted by Secretariat at at 12:25 PM - 32 answers

Help me remember the name of this Japanese language learning magazine/CD combo. [more inside]
posted by Meagan at at 9:18 AM - 5 answers

So I wanna write a horror novel. God knows where I start. How can I make it scary, as opposed to a soppy middle of the road thriller?
posted by bobbyone at at 6:38 PM - 30 answers