Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2014 March 21

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March 21

stir oneself

A question about "stir oneself". Is it right to say "It's time to wash the dishes, but none of us would stir ourselves." ? Thank you! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 1.202.187.153 (talk) 00:52, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Yes, that's a commonly-used idiom. Dbfirs 00:55, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

The tenses didn't match ("it was time"), but yes, it's fine. You can of course change the meaning entirely by adding "a drink" at the end. — kwami (talk) 01:32, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

In my US English case, using "stir" that way is uncommon, but still understood. I would be more likely to say "nobody would move", or "nobody would lift a finger", if I really wanted to make them all sound lazy. StuRat (talk) 04:22, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

While still a bit rare, "bestir" is a better word choice, at least IMO. Clarityfiend (talk) 10:18, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Figuratively speaking

Somewhere else on Wikipedia I recently challenged an absolute statement by another editor, suggesting that his claim could not be accurate because of its absoluteness. He responded by telling me that I could see he was speaking figuratively. Well, I couldn't, mainly because I'm not sure what it means. So, what does it mean when one says one is speaking figuratively? (Yes, I have sought clarification via Google, and have become totally confused.) HiLo48 (talk) 01:09, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Figuratively speaking means "as a figure of speech", or not to be taken literally. Sometimes it refers to an obvious exaggeration or hyperbole; meant to be sarcastic or humorous. In other words "don't take this seriously". Of course, sometimes one uses "figuratively speaking" as an excuse for being rude or inarticulate.  —71.20.250.51 (talk) 01:35, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Yes. Sometimes = metaphorically. — kwami (talk) 01:58, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Like when someone says something like, "I have literally been working on this forever", they are speaking figuratively. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 04:14, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Like whatever, dood; that answer is as useful as a screen door on a submarine.  — Preceding rude and inarticulate example added by 71.20.250.51 (talk) 05:15, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Actually it's a really good example of figurative speech. --TammyMoet (talk) 10:17, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Japanese for "sub-chassis"

In electronic equipment utilising vacuum tubes, the various parts were usually mounted on a bent-up sheet metal dish, which had holes punched in it as required for bolts and parts. This was termed a chassis. In some cases, a complete sub-assembly, a sub-chassis, would be installed in the chassis along with other parts or sub-chassis. What are the Japanese terms for chassis and sub-chassis in electronics? I tried puzzling it out with GoogleTranslate, but putting likely English words and phrases in, getting the Japanese equivalent, and translating that back to English always led to something that indicates the machine translation was probably not right. 143.238.217.204 (talk) 07:02, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Do you mean a 治具 (jig)? KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (Chin Wag) 10:03, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Chassis is シャーシ or シャーシー in ja. I think "sub-chassis" is サブ・シャーシ. Oda Mari (talk) 10:10, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Jig, which means a tool that guides or assists, doesn't seem right. A chassis is not a tool, it's a permanent structural part of the equipment (radio, TV, whatever). シャーシ and サブ is of course "chassis" and "sub" spelt out phonetically in Katakana - it may or may not mean anything to a Japanese, and there may be Kanji for whatever the Japanese call a chassis. Perhaps 副 (auxiliary attached) is what Japanese would use for "sub-"?? 143.238.217.204 (talk) 10:39, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

No, Mari is correct. There are lots of foreign words in Japanese, and many of them do not have kanji at all. For example, コーヒー ('coffee') is usually written in katakana, but it does also have kanji => 珈琲, usually only found on the signs of coffee shops. パソコン ('computer') however, does not have kanji. 'サブ' is perfectly fine here, and does not need a kanji. It is perfectly understandable to anyone who needs to read about chassis and sub-chassis. KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (Chin Wag) 10:56, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

As far as I know, there's no kanji for them. See [1], [2], [3], and [4]. They use サブシャーシ. Oda Mari (talk) 11:00, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Ok - thanks given to both of you. The websites prove Oda correct. 143.238.217.204 (talk) 11:06, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

'Oda' is her family name... :) KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (Chin Wag) 11:16, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

So? —Tamfang (talk) 21:06, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

If you had an acquaintance - especially one on the internet, that you have never met before in person - and you called her by her family name of 'Smith', or 'Gibson', or 'Taylor', would you consider that correct, especially when her given name is written for you (in this case 'Mari')? Maybe you have misunderstood the reason for my comment - her name is Mari. KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (Chin Wag) 00:02, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

‹shrug› Perhaps the OP is of a culture in which it would be rude not to use the family name, particularly without first offering a name of his or her own. Though I wouldn't bet on it. —Tamfang (talk) 21:10, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

I discovered this via spelling a word wrong in GoogleTranslate: 副筺体 (sub-housing). Wouldn't this mean "sub-chassis" to a Japanese? 143.238.217.204 (talk) 03:17, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

I don't think so. 筐体/kyōtai means "outer case" or "box-shaped container". The kanji you used "筺" is similar, but wrong. It should be 筐. The difference is 王 or 玉 in the 匚 and 王 is the correct one. Oda Mari (talk) 07:07, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

Arabic question: File:Graffiti_in_tunis.JPG

What is the Arabic in File:Graffiti_in_tunis.JPG and what does it mean?

Thanks WhisperToMe (talk) 16:43, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

"Media, revive, stimulation". KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (Chin Wag) 23:00, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Thank you. Is it alright if the Arabic text is posted so I can put it in the image description? WhisperToMe (talk) 01:11, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

I have asked my Arabic translator to type it for you, but it's 4:14am where he is now, so we may need to wait a while. KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (Chin Wag) 01:16, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

إعلامیة مراجعة تنشیط . Omidinist (talk) 03:16, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

"I couldn't disagree more"

The sentence construction, "I couldn't disagree more," seems to suggest: "I could agree more." Let's say Lucy makes a claim. Her friend Stephen hears and retorts that he can't disagree more. What does that mean? Does Stephen agree or disagree with Lucy's claim? Maybe it's placing Agree and Disagree on a scale, with Agree on one end and Disagree on the other end, and Stephen means that Lucy has made a claim that makes him reach the end of the Disagree, until he can't disagree any more. In other words, he's reached the limit of Disagreement, if that makes sense. 140.254.227.92 (talk) 16:57, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

I disagree so much that to increase my level of disagreement is impossible. On a scale of 1 to 10, my level of disagreement is 10. —Nelson Ricardo (talk) 17:17, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

In the same way, we have "I couldn't agree more". This doesn't mean "I have stopped agreeing and from now on will disagree instead." It means, "I agree with you 100%." KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (Chin Wag) 17:39, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Oh, no. I like that. Next time I disagree with someone I am going to tell them "I couldn't agree more. By which I mean I am going to stop agreeing, and from now on only disagree." That's brilliant. μηδείς (talk) 18:11, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

... and, just to clarify further ... the idiom "I couldn't ...... more" cannot be one half of a double negative because it is used only for emphasis, meaning something similar to "extremely", or "as much as is possible". Think of the (commonly-expressed?) sentence: "I couldn't love you more". Dbfirs 21:37, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Then, just to de-clarify, bear in mind that speakers of English - and esp. UK English (ɥsılƃuǝ uɐılɐɹʇsnɐ puɐ) tend to say the opposite of what we mean, for even more emphasis, so Medeis' comment above actually makes sense. KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (Chin Wag) 22:00, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Thanks, but, yes, I've become accustomed to Medeis' sense of humour now, and I wasn't replying to her, though I agree that my use of "..." obscured that fact. I was intending to clarify the use of the basic idiom for the benefit of 140.254 who thought that there was a double negative there (note the link). You are, of course, correct about the use of irony on both sides of the pond, and I read Medeis' comment in that way. I occasionally make verbal comments myself in this style, but my tone of voice makes the meaning clear. On a reference desk, shouldn't such comments go between small tags? Dbfirs 07:13, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

I was serious that I thought that would be a funny thing to say, if I ever get the opportunity in conversation. "I couldn't agree with you more, so I am going to stop from now on." μηδείς (talk) 18:01, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

Why do so many people keep referring to Medeis as female? KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (Chin Wag) 17:19, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

Have you evidence to the contrary? —Tamfang (talk) 21:18, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

He/She once made that claim, but who knows? (S)he has made other claims that are logically or genetically impossible. Dbfirs 22:43, 23 March 2014 (UTC)

But I'm a Cheerleader! μηδείς (talk) 03:45, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

Frankly, "I Couldn't Care Less".  —71.20.250.51 (talk) 06:32, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

Not sure how this became about my (?) penis. Little Boots sings Wild Thing Katastrophe, The Life. μηδείς (talk) 19:24, 24 March 2014 (UTC)

lovey-dovey to describe a man?

Can "lovey-dovey" be used to describe a man? For example, is it right to say "He was a lovey-dovey husband. He would drink with his wife in his arms."? Or should "romantic" be used instead? Thank you vey much! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 1.202.187.153 (talk) 23:39, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

"Lovey-dovey" is perfectly fine for this Br.Eng. speaker (not that the English are famous for being romantic) KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (Chin Wag) 23:57, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

It is more than a bit slangy and cutesy; but if that's the kind of relationship the two have, then use it, unless the context is fairly formal or solemn. --Orange Mike | Talk 00:06, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

It's ooey gooey, but otherwise okey dokey. Clarityfiend (talk) 00:12, 22 March 2014 (UTC)

• See the lyrics to The Joker (song). μηδείς (talk) 01:00, 22 March 2014 (UTC)
  • Or even Otis Redding - [5] But I think this was (mainly) a man talking about a woman. 109.151.244.111 (talk) 08:55, 22 March 2014 (UTC)