Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2014 January 24

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January 24

Language-related news (spelling reforms etc.)

I work in the localization/translation industry. In my job, I need to stay on top of the latest language-related news (e.g. spelling reforms around the globe). Any idea on how I can get notified/alerted in real-time about the latest language-related news?

I suppose it depends on the language. English has no standard except for common usage, but French has the Académie française that regulates. Check here and follow the links. Mingmingla (talk) 01:14, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Thanks for the link. I am coordinating several languages per project; the objective is to be informed about the latest linguistic trends and plan for prompt deployment.

In some languages, if you implement "reforms" too early, you will upset a lot of people who don't recognise the reforms. Our sister project Wiktionary might be a source of leading-edge changes in English, but a good printed dictionary such as the Oxford English Dictionary or the American Heritage Dictionary will not include changes until they have been in use for sufficient time to become generally acceptable. (See also the editions of Webster's Dictionary.) Dbfirs 09:54, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Starting with Wikipedia's list, your best course of action would be to require your translators or language specialists to monitor the websites of language regulators for languages they cover or to do regular web searches or searches in news sources containing the regulator's name. The audience for global news on language is probably too small to sustain a news source on that topic, since very few people would be interested in language-related news for languages other than their own. As others have said, English lacks a language regulator. As a professional editor working in English, I can only advise you to do what we do: Pick a standard source for lexical questions (such as a dictionary) and for style questions (such as The Chicago Manual of Style for American English or Hart's Rules for British English). Then make sure that you always have the latest edition of your chosen dictionary or style guide and let them be your authority. The only news you will have to monitor is whether a new edition has been released. Marco polo (talk) 16:11, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Language Log is a good place to start: it's only from one group of scholars, and I'm sure there's lots you're interested in that they don't cover, but they are quite alert to linguistics news, especially in the English and Chinese spheres. --ColinFine (talk) 17:17, 26 January 2014 (UTC)

Is there a name for this kind of tense?

It's something like the subjunctive,but where the if bit actually makes no difference, for example 'It'll be a nice sunny day tomorrow if you're thinking of going to the beach'-the day will be sunny regardless of whether you go to the beach or not. Is it just bad English or is there a name for it -- 04:43, 24 January 2014‎ 82.32.213.216

It could be considered bad logic, but not bad grammar. What it really means is "Here's something that may be relevant in case you're thinking of going to the beach: it will be a nice sunny day tomorrow". In other words, the "if" is more of a circumstantial "if" than a strict logical "if"...AnonMoos (talk) 07:53, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

In your sentence, if is used to suggest that the listener should consider the content of the other clause in the sentence before doing the action in the if-clause rather than to make the sentence's other clause dependent on the condition in the if-clause. This usage of if is common in colloquial English but not in formal, written English. Marco polo (talk) 15:56, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

AnonMoos has it, the meaning of "if" isn't always a material conditional. However, this usage does give us logical-thinkers opportunities for confusion and humor. For instance:

“ I went into a clothes store and a lady came up to me and said "if you need anything, I'm Jill". -- I've never met anyone with a conditional identity before. ”

from Demetri Martin. Obviously, if you don't need anything, her name is Jane ;) SemanticMantis (talk) 17:28, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

If only shop assistants would say something like that to me. I tend to get "Are you right there?" (as if I've just unwittingly stumbled onto the grounds of Bletchley Park and my mere presence is compromising their important secret code-breaking work for the government, or something; I usually reply "The customer is always right. But no, I have not yet been served, thank you") or "Can I help you with anything, or are you just browsing?" (which offends me, since browsing is a high and noble art, of which I am a master practitioner, but one who's always looking for new horizons in browsing to impart to my mentees). -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 22:01, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

The apple is so sweet that it takes only one bite to soften up one's body.

"The apple is so sweet that it takes only one bite to soften up one's body." Is the sentence idiomatic in English? Are there alternative expressions that can describe how sweet something is by using hyperbole? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 221.221.149.69 (talk) 07:49, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

I have no idea what "softening up the body" is supposed to mean, but otherwise it seems to be an ordinary acceptable sentence... AnonMoos (talk) 08:00, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

I agree, "...soften up one's body" doesn't make sense in this context. I'm guessing it is supposed to mean something like "...make you feel better" ? And even if it's an expression with some figurative meaning, the literal meaning still should make sense, too. StuRat (talk) 17:58, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

"Perhaps the intricacies of politics are beyond you, my Lord," she suggested with saccharine sweetness, forcibly hiding her annoyance. Jennifer Fallon TREASON KEEP (2001) 196.214.78.114 (talk) 09:34, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Song of Solomon 4:11 - "Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb" http://biblehub.com/songs/4-11.htm 196.214.78.114 (talk) 09:34, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

... so sweet it makes dentists happy? (Or at least one out of five, the renegade.) Clarityfiend (talk) 17:38, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

I believe what we're looking for is an English idomatic phrase to complete the following: "[This thing] is so sweet that ..."    —(but nothing comes to this decrepid brain). ~:71.20.250.51 (talk) 20:33, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Doesn't say or imply so, but okay: so sweet that dentists celebrate. No sweet sweat. Clarityfiend (talk) 21:29, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Four out of five dentists agree with that; the fifth dentist is an idiot.  ;)  ~:71.20.250.51 (talk) 21:37, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Doesn't it mean that the body becomes relaxed, the external physical manifestation of feeling better? When one is feeling uncomfortable or in pain or stressed or anxious, one tends not to be physically relaxed. This magic apple apparently fixes all that. Makes sense to me. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 21:43, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

But is "soften up the body" idiomatic in English? To me the image that comes to mind is a dead body in a tank filled with a broth of enzymes and acids. Maybe I watch too much TV... -- NorwegianBlue ^talk 22:14, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Either that or thugs working on a hapless victim. We do have "toughen up one's body", but not "soften". Clarityfiend (talk) 00:00, 25 January 2014 (UTC)

• Where is this phrase coming from? Is it possible that what is meant is softening up the apple's flesh? I.e., it is so ripe it takes only one bite to soften the apple's flesh? μηδείς (talk) 00:19, 25 January 2014 (UTC)

The IP of the OP geolocates to China. The phrase in question has almost certainly lost something in translation to English. In its present form, it isn't a common English idiom.--Jeffro77 (talk) 05:37, 26 January 2014 (UTC)

The liquor is agreeable, but the meat is rotten. μηδείς (talk) 05:49, 26 January 2014 (UTC)

The original is not faithful to the translation. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 18:29, 26 January 2014 (UTC) (Apologies to Jorge Luis Borges. Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 19:59, 29 January 2014 (UTC) )

classes preparing those who failed this year's College Entrance Exam for next year's

In China, there are classes preparing the high-school graduates who failed this year's College Entrance Examination for next year's. What can this kind of classes be called in English? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 221.221.149.69 (talk) 07:56, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Exam prep or "test cramming". Perhaps add "remedial" to indicate instruction for those who previously failed... AnonMoos (talk) 08:04, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Bridging courses? http://www.uts.edu.au/future-students/science/essential-information/bridging-courses 196.214.78.114 (talk) 09:10, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

In the British English, taking (or "sitting") an exam for a second time is called a "resit" or "resitting".[1] I found some results for "resit course" and "retake course"[2], also "revision course".[3] Alansplodge (talk) 11:03, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

folk belief or folk beliefs

According to folk belief or according to folk beliefs? Should the noun "belief" be singular or plural? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 221.221.149.69 (talk) 09:05, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

I would use the word folklore. 196.214.78.114 (talk) 09:25, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

(edit conflict) 'Folk belief' is analogous to folklore. It is not necessary to pluralise belief when referring to it in a general way. However, if referring to more than one specific instance of such stories, it would be correct to refer to folk beliefs.--Jeffro77 (talk) 09:28, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

"Folk belief", unless you're stating that something shows up in different cultures, in which case "folk beliefs" would be correct. Clarityfiend (talk) 17:36, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

I think we may be in the jargon zone here. Psychologists and philosophers sometimes use the term "folk" to mean the way that ordinary people think about something, as opposed to academic specialists -- for example, "folk psychology" or "folk physics". If that's the context, then I would probably say "according to folk belief". But of course if the reference is to folklore, then it should be called folklore. Looie496 (talk) 18:51, 25 January 2014 (UTC)

"Contracting" as a job description

"I can't believe you're contracting for a living." I fail to understand: What kind of job & activity does "contracting" refer to here exactly? --KnightMove (talk) 12:26, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

I believe in the context of that cartoon it means working as an independent contractor rather than as a regular employee. Aɴɢʀ (talk) 12:33, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Yes, "contracting" is not a job description, but a category of employment. An almost-synonym might be self employment. Dbfirs 12:56, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

In the cartoon's context of the programmer, "contract work" is what one does "between jobs". ~:71.20.250.51 (talk) 21:15, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Another word that's used to mean virtually the same thing is "consultant". Often not a compliment. HiLo48 (talk) 22:08, 24 January 2014 (UTC)