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What is the origin of the phrase "I am pants at (X)" meaning "I am bad at (X)"? 138.192.86.254 01:35, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
The question in question is: What is the part of speech of the word "rather" in the above heading? -- JackofOz 02:27, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
Do resolutions passed by the United Nations use British or American spelling in English?-- Sicilian-American 02:36, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
I was doing some work in an archive today and among a bunch of regular writing I found this:
The author was an old-school American scientist (—I am pretty sure it is shorthand? But I wasn't able to really figure out what the heck it meant, and I've never really done anything with shorthand before. Note that this is my re-copying of the original (as best I could!) so there might be little errors in it that are imperceptible to me.
If anyone had any suggestions as to what it might say, I'd be very interested. I'm intrigued that it's the only thing in these archival papers that was written like this (everything else is just in English) and I'm pretty curious as to what it says. Thanks a ton. -- Panoptik 07:03, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
Our results provide evidence that two mechanisms are attributable to the induction of tolerance by transplantation; or Our results provide evidence that the induction of tolerance by transplantation is attributable to two mechanisms. -- Seans Potato Business 15:34, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
Will someone translate this to Latin, please? It's meant to be the title of a scholarly 17th century treatise.
"Botanical Prodigies of the Middle and Lower Heavens"
Thank you very much.
Adambrowne666 19:42, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
I love you guys. Adambrowne666 ( talk) 18:52, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
Thanks - so if it begins De Prodigiis Botanicis Corporum Caelestium ..." can I ask what the rest of it would be, with your tweaks? - sorry, bit confused now. Adambrowne666 ( talk) 11:15, 8 December 2007 (UTC)
Ah, wonderful! Adambrowne666 ( talk) 21:59, 9 December 2007 (UTC)
Inspired by this page, and its mention of an Inverted Jenny, I was wondering, what's the most dirty sounding, but in fact completely innocent phrase you can think of?
I don't mean euphamism, just something that sounds like some kind of perverted sexual act, but is in fact something completely different, such a a technical term.
Some candidates that spring to mind are:
I know this is really childish, but hey, I'm easily amused. Sorry ;) -- Monorail Cat ( talk) 22:51, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
You can also play the alternative game of using little-known words that actually have a genital/sexual connotation but the listener isn't aware of that and thinks they mean something else. For example, after meeting your old teacher, a Catholic nun, in the street and exchanging pleasantries with her, you could depart with "A merkin for your quim, sister. Good day". :) JackofOz ( talk) 01:01, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
Not to mention the old playground favorite, "Your epidermis is showing!" — An gr If you've written a quality article... 05:08, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
Captain, Your coxswain is stuck on the poop deck! Well, get him unstuck and then have some seamen thoroughly swab that deck. hurrr Azi Like a Fox ( talk) 14:59, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
I've always thought her name sounded like some sort of sexual perversion, Pippa Funnell - X201 ( talk) 15:40, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
Tittle, which is the proper name for the dot on a lowercase i or j. Natalie ( talk) 18:30, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
Formication gives me a gentle tickling sensation. Adambrowne666 ( talk) 18:55, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
Anything said by Jules and Sandy.. hotclaws 03:27, 7 December 2007 (UTC)
Attempting to translate a term like bilabial plosive could lead to trouble. Matt Deres ( talk) 02:42, 8 December 2007 (UTC)
There's a joke that goes like this: John, a teenage boy is sitting on the couch at his girlfriend's house, waiting for her to come downstairs for their date. Her parents are also sitting in the room with him. The girlfriend's mother speaks up and says, "We have been wanting to tell you something important about our daughter, John. She has acute angina." "Well!" says John, "That's a relief! I've seen her breasts, and they ain't nothin' to brag about!" Saukkomies 05:04, 8 December 2007 (UTC)
Language desk | ||
---|---|---|
< December 3 | << Nov | December | Jan >> | December 5 > |
Welcome to the Wikipedia Language Reference Desk Archives |
---|
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages. |
What is the origin of the phrase "I am pants at (X)" meaning "I am bad at (X)"? 138.192.86.254 01:35, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
The question in question is: What is the part of speech of the word "rather" in the above heading? -- JackofOz 02:27, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
Do resolutions passed by the United Nations use British or American spelling in English?-- Sicilian-American 02:36, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
I was doing some work in an archive today and among a bunch of regular writing I found this:
The author was an old-school American scientist (—I am pretty sure it is shorthand? But I wasn't able to really figure out what the heck it meant, and I've never really done anything with shorthand before. Note that this is my re-copying of the original (as best I could!) so there might be little errors in it that are imperceptible to me.
If anyone had any suggestions as to what it might say, I'd be very interested. I'm intrigued that it's the only thing in these archival papers that was written like this (everything else is just in English) and I'm pretty curious as to what it says. Thanks a ton. -- Panoptik 07:03, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
Our results provide evidence that two mechanisms are attributable to the induction of tolerance by transplantation; or Our results provide evidence that the induction of tolerance by transplantation is attributable to two mechanisms. -- Seans Potato Business 15:34, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
Will someone translate this to Latin, please? It's meant to be the title of a scholarly 17th century treatise.
"Botanical Prodigies of the Middle and Lower Heavens"
Thank you very much.
Adambrowne666 19:42, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
I love you guys. Adambrowne666 ( talk) 18:52, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
Thanks - so if it begins De Prodigiis Botanicis Corporum Caelestium ..." can I ask what the rest of it would be, with your tweaks? - sorry, bit confused now. Adambrowne666 ( talk) 11:15, 8 December 2007 (UTC)
Ah, wonderful! Adambrowne666 ( talk) 21:59, 9 December 2007 (UTC)
Inspired by this page, and its mention of an Inverted Jenny, I was wondering, what's the most dirty sounding, but in fact completely innocent phrase you can think of?
I don't mean euphamism, just something that sounds like some kind of perverted sexual act, but is in fact something completely different, such a a technical term.
Some candidates that spring to mind are:
I know this is really childish, but hey, I'm easily amused. Sorry ;) -- Monorail Cat ( talk) 22:51, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
You can also play the alternative game of using little-known words that actually have a genital/sexual connotation but the listener isn't aware of that and thinks they mean something else. For example, after meeting your old teacher, a Catholic nun, in the street and exchanging pleasantries with her, you could depart with "A merkin for your quim, sister. Good day". :) JackofOz ( talk) 01:01, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
Not to mention the old playground favorite, "Your epidermis is showing!" — An gr If you've written a quality article... 05:08, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
Captain, Your coxswain is stuck on the poop deck! Well, get him unstuck and then have some seamen thoroughly swab that deck. hurrr Azi Like a Fox ( talk) 14:59, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
I've always thought her name sounded like some sort of sexual perversion, Pippa Funnell - X201 ( talk) 15:40, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
Tittle, which is the proper name for the dot on a lowercase i or j. Natalie ( talk) 18:30, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
Formication gives me a gentle tickling sensation. Adambrowne666 ( talk) 18:55, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
Anything said by Jules and Sandy.. hotclaws 03:27, 7 December 2007 (UTC)
Attempting to translate a term like bilabial plosive could lead to trouble. Matt Deres ( talk) 02:42, 8 December 2007 (UTC)
There's a joke that goes like this: John, a teenage boy is sitting on the couch at his girlfriend's house, waiting for her to come downstairs for their date. Her parents are also sitting in the room with him. The girlfriend's mother speaks up and says, "We have been wanting to tell you something important about our daughter, John. She has acute angina." "Well!" says John, "That's a relief! I've seen her breasts, and they ain't nothin' to brag about!" Saukkomies 05:04, 8 December 2007 (UTC)