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Kookaburric? Kookaburrical?
Ta Adambrowne666 ( talk) 04:30, 4 December 2010 (UTC)
It would depend on context, tone, and the nature of the comparison: whether it's visual, behavioral, auditory, or whatever. In a scientific paper, an adjective derived from the binomial nomenclature would be fine, especially if its meaning were also suggested by context. Addressing a more general audience, you'd definitely want an adjective derived from the English name of the creature. For a visual comparison, I'd just use "kookaburra-like", hyphenated. For a more playful comparison, one might attempt a more playful adjective: " Stephen Harper nodded his kookaburrious head..." If you're making an auditory or behavioral comparison, then you might use "kookaburresque": "When Bruce chundered all over the malonga gilderchuck, a gale of kookaburresque laughter erupted from the sheilas." Of course, "kookaburra" itself could be used as an attributive: "Kookaburra laughter" would be fine. LANTZY TALK 16:07, 4 December 2010 (UTC)
I know that Adam is Man in Hebrew, and I am wondering how you would go about saying Man-like in Hebrew, would it be possible to do this while keeping the Adam part of the word intact? Failing that are there any words that could contain Adam that could be linked to something warrior-like? It's for a character name and I don't want to use just Adam. I don't really speak a word of Hebrew so answers using this alphabet and not the Hebrew one please. 82.18.201.77 ( talk) 16:47, 4 December 2010 (UTC)
As a Hebrew speaker, who is also a linguist, I can promise that Hebrew has no word, other than Adam, which contains the root Adam. This is the most exact (though disappointing) answer the OP can achieve. HOOTmag ( talk) 01:53, 5 December 2010 (UTC)
What about "Enosh"? -- Dweller ( talk) 11:33, 5 December 2010 (UTC)
I'm the op, I forgot to sign in. Would like to thank everyone for the help, even though nothing really positive came of it. One of the earlier posters suggested Adamant and we've gone with that despite the wordplay not being in a consistent language. Gunrun ( talk) 09:24, 9 December 2010 (UTC)
I am not content with the following sentence. Context.
I think Redis should be possessive, perhaps
Or perhaps used as an adjective (but would that change the meaning?),
What should it be?
-- Mortense ( talk) 20:10, 4 December 2010 (UTC)
Consider the following sentence: The new dorm will be built in 2020. The verb in that sentence is future tense. What is the tense of the verb if we change the sentence to the following? The new dorm is being built in 2020. This sentence refers to a future event, yet is seems to do so with a present tense verb. What is the tense of this verb? Is there a special type of name for this type of situation? If the verb is indeed present tense, how can a present tense verb refer to a future event? Thank you for any insights. ( Joseph A. Spadaro ( talk) 22:46, 4 December 2010 (UTC))
English, German, and I think maybe other Germanic languages, have only two simple tenses, i.e. tenses expressed by only a single word. But I think I'd call some more complcated forms tenses as well. Michael Hardy ( talk) 01:46, 5 December 2010 (UTC)
Thanks for all the replies ... they were very helpful. Thank you! ( Joseph A. Spadaro ( talk) 22:55, 11 December 2010 (UTC))
I believe I can throw some light on this.
First, it is of only limited value trying to make a coherent taxonomy of English verbs. Some of our idioms have characteristics that remind us of tense-like, mood-like, or aspect-like features in other languages, but we're better off sometimes forgetting all of that, keeping it simple, and noting the more exotic expressions along with a commentary about their role in natural language.
What is wrong with "The new dorm is being built next year" compared with "The new dorm is being opened next Friday"? I would suggest the following. This type of structure is used when we describe a future event that arises from a process that has some origins in or relationship with the present. The first of the two example sentences sounds slightly dubious because its structure puts us in mind of an ongoing process with its roots in place now — but its realisation is too remote, involves too many contingencies along the way, and is a whole process in itself rather than a completion or closure — for that impression to be taken seriously. On the other hand, the second sentence suggests to the English ear a process which is in place now, and which will proceed in a linear way towards a destination in the future. The opening of the dorm is the consummation, presumably, of things which are already happening now.
A (slight) analogy is in British English sentences like "I've fallen over!" This structure carries the understanding that while the accident happened before the present moment, indeed before the speaker uttered his lament, that accident has exerted its influence up to the present time. "I've fallen over" always suggests something like "and that's why I'm lying here on the floor" or "get me an ambulance!" On the other hand, in British English, "I fell over" can be said with a grin as part of an anecdote or an insurance claim by a person who currently stands erect. Phil Karasinsky ( talk) 06:04, 3 January 2011 (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. |
Kookaburric? Kookaburrical?
Ta Adambrowne666 ( talk) 04:30, 4 December 2010 (UTC)
It would depend on context, tone, and the nature of the comparison: whether it's visual, behavioral, auditory, or whatever. In a scientific paper, an adjective derived from the binomial nomenclature would be fine, especially if its meaning were also suggested by context. Addressing a more general audience, you'd definitely want an adjective derived from the English name of the creature. For a visual comparison, I'd just use "kookaburra-like", hyphenated. For a more playful comparison, one might attempt a more playful adjective: " Stephen Harper nodded his kookaburrious head..." If you're making an auditory or behavioral comparison, then you might use "kookaburresque": "When Bruce chundered all over the malonga gilderchuck, a gale of kookaburresque laughter erupted from the sheilas." Of course, "kookaburra" itself could be used as an attributive: "Kookaburra laughter" would be fine. LANTZY TALK 16:07, 4 December 2010 (UTC)
I know that Adam is Man in Hebrew, and I am wondering how you would go about saying Man-like in Hebrew, would it be possible to do this while keeping the Adam part of the word intact? Failing that are there any words that could contain Adam that could be linked to something warrior-like? It's for a character name and I don't want to use just Adam. I don't really speak a word of Hebrew so answers using this alphabet and not the Hebrew one please. 82.18.201.77 ( talk) 16:47, 4 December 2010 (UTC)
As a Hebrew speaker, who is also a linguist, I can promise that Hebrew has no word, other than Adam, which contains the root Adam. This is the most exact (though disappointing) answer the OP can achieve. HOOTmag ( talk) 01:53, 5 December 2010 (UTC)
What about "Enosh"? -- Dweller ( talk) 11:33, 5 December 2010 (UTC)
I'm the op, I forgot to sign in. Would like to thank everyone for the help, even though nothing really positive came of it. One of the earlier posters suggested Adamant and we've gone with that despite the wordplay not being in a consistent language. Gunrun ( talk) 09:24, 9 December 2010 (UTC)
I am not content with the following sentence. Context.
I think Redis should be possessive, perhaps
Or perhaps used as an adjective (but would that change the meaning?),
What should it be?
-- Mortense ( talk) 20:10, 4 December 2010 (UTC)
Consider the following sentence: The new dorm will be built in 2020. The verb in that sentence is future tense. What is the tense of the verb if we change the sentence to the following? The new dorm is being built in 2020. This sentence refers to a future event, yet is seems to do so with a present tense verb. What is the tense of this verb? Is there a special type of name for this type of situation? If the verb is indeed present tense, how can a present tense verb refer to a future event? Thank you for any insights. ( Joseph A. Spadaro ( talk) 22:46, 4 December 2010 (UTC))
English, German, and I think maybe other Germanic languages, have only two simple tenses, i.e. tenses expressed by only a single word. But I think I'd call some more complcated forms tenses as well. Michael Hardy ( talk) 01:46, 5 December 2010 (UTC)
Thanks for all the replies ... they were very helpful. Thank you! ( Joseph A. Spadaro ( talk) 22:55, 11 December 2010 (UTC))
I believe I can throw some light on this.
First, it is of only limited value trying to make a coherent taxonomy of English verbs. Some of our idioms have characteristics that remind us of tense-like, mood-like, or aspect-like features in other languages, but we're better off sometimes forgetting all of that, keeping it simple, and noting the more exotic expressions along with a commentary about their role in natural language.
What is wrong with "The new dorm is being built next year" compared with "The new dorm is being opened next Friday"? I would suggest the following. This type of structure is used when we describe a future event that arises from a process that has some origins in or relationship with the present. The first of the two example sentences sounds slightly dubious because its structure puts us in mind of an ongoing process with its roots in place now — but its realisation is too remote, involves too many contingencies along the way, and is a whole process in itself rather than a completion or closure — for that impression to be taken seriously. On the other hand, the second sentence suggests to the English ear a process which is in place now, and which will proceed in a linear way towards a destination in the future. The opening of the dorm is the consummation, presumably, of things which are already happening now.
A (slight) analogy is in British English sentences like "I've fallen over!" This structure carries the understanding that while the accident happened before the present moment, indeed before the speaker uttered his lament, that accident has exerted its influence up to the present time. "I've fallen over" always suggests something like "and that's why I'm lying here on the floor" or "get me an ambulance!" On the other hand, in British English, "I fell over" can be said with a grin as part of an anecdote or an insurance claim by a person who currently stands erect. Phil Karasinsky ( talk) 06:04, 3 January 2011 (UTC)