English questions

[Travis B.]

Okay, it's not unusual for me to misunderstand an English passage, which Linguoboy can proveconfirm. And your explanation is indeed very helpful. XD. (Or I'llI'd feel a bit guilty, too, forbecause I'm the one who initiated the discussion. But honestly I personally prefer a harmonic relationship to a very precise language knowledge.)

The conjunction "for" is rather literary; using it in an informal discussion sounds stilted. Using the phrase "for I am the one" sounds very stilted.

Seconded.

[azhong]

A simple question: Is there any subtle differences between 1.1 "that is" and 1.2 "that means"? Thank you.

My mother has got six children.
1.1 That is, I have three sisters and two brothers.
1.2 That means I have three sisters and two brothers.

[Raphael]

Unrelated question: is there an English word, term, or expression that means, basically, "the opposite of relaxed"? Sure, there's "tense", but that's not quite what I'm thinking of. "Tense" usually seems to describe a temporary state, and I'm thinking of something that describes someone who, as a person, is generally "the opposite of relaxed".

[bradrn]

Unrelated question: is there an English word, term, or expression that means, basically, "the opposite of relaxed"? Sure, there's "tense", but that's not quite what I'm thinking of. "Tense" usually seems to describe a temporary state, and I'm thinking of something that describes someone who, as a person, is generally "the opposite of relaxed".

I’d say that ‘relaxed’ can describe a temporary state just as easily as ‘tense’. Likewise, I see no problem in calling someone ‘a tense person’ if they’re generally tense.

[zompist]

Unrelated question: is there an English word, term, or expression that means, basically, "the opposite of relaxed"? Sure, there's "tense", but that's not quite what I'm thinking of. "Tense" usually seems to describe a temporary state, and I'm thinking of something that describes someone who, as a person, is generally "the opposite of relaxed".

Uptight.

[zyxw59]

A simple question: Is there any subtle differences between 1.1 "that is" and 1.2 "that means"? Thank you.

My mother has got six children.
1.1 That is, I have three sisters and two brothers.
1.2 That means I have three sisters and two brothers.

"that is" is more of a clarification, whereas "that means" suggests a direct causal link.

[Travis B.]

Unrelated question: is there an English word, term, or expression that means, basically, "the opposite of relaxed"? Sure, there's "tense", but that's not quite what I'm thinking of. "Tense" usually seems to describe a temporary state, and I'm thinking of something that describes someone who, as a person, is generally "the opposite of relaxed".

Uptight.

I would go with uptight as well.

[Linguoboy]

A simple question: Is there any subtle differences between 1.1 "that is" and 1.2 "that means"? Thank you.

My mother has got six children.
1.1 That is, I have three sisters and two brothers.
1.2 That means I have three sisters and two brothers.

"that is" is more of a clarification, whereas "that means" suggests a direct causal link.

Agreed, which makes 1.2 a bit of an odd thing to say, as there's no causal link between the number of siblings and sex. "That means I have five siblings", sure. But they could be any mix of sisters and brothers.

[Raphael]

Uptight.

That's it! Thank you!

EDIT: I was mainly wondering about an English equivalent of German "verbissen".

[Linguoboy]

EDIT: I was mainly wondering about an English equivalent of German "verbissen".

"Verbissen" I think of as being closer in meaning to "earnest". But I don't really think I'd use it outside of the expression "zu verbissen sehen".

[Raphael]

"Verbissen" I think of as being closer in meaning to "earnest".

Isn't "earnest" more of a value-neutral term? I for one see "verbissen" as a negative term.

But I don't really think I'd use it outside of the expression "zu verbissen sehen".

Oh, I occasionally use the word to describe the attitude of all too many people in Germany who, in my opinion, like to take themselves way too seriously.

[Linguoboy]

"Verbissen" I think of as being closer in meaning to "earnest".

Isn't "earnest" more of a value-neutral term? I for one see "verbissen" as a negative term.

That's fair. Maybe "overearnest"?

Oh, I occasionally use the word to describe the attitude of all too many people in Germany who, in my opinion, like to take themselves way too seriously.

But taking oneself too seriously and being uptight are not the same thing. You can have one without the other.

[Richard W]

The conjunction "for" is rather literary; using it in an informal discussion sounds stilted. Using the phrase "for I am the one" sounds very stilted.

Whereas it sounds perfectly natural to me!

[Richard W]

Can anyone recall an authority that said that the numbers 21 to 99 (other than multiples of 10) are better not hyphenated when spelled out? I'm sure I read such a ruling, but my efforts to track it down have failed. Instead, I'm finding the converse ruling.

[Rounin Ryuuji]

I was always told to hyphenate them.

[Linguoboy]

The conjunction "for" is rather literary; using it in an informal discussion sounds stilted. Using the phrase "for I am the one" sounds very stilted.

Whereas it sounds perfectly natural to me!

"Tell me you went to public school without telling me you went to public school."

[Kuchigakatai]

The conjunction "for" is rather literary; using it in an informal discussion sounds stilted. Using the phrase "for I am the one" sounds very stilted.

Whereas it sounds perfectly natural to me!

This august forum aside, do you spend your time reading mostly 19th and early 20th century literature?

I pretty much never come across the conjunction "for" except in Latin textbooks and old Loeb Classical Library translations, where it's used to literally translate the Latin conjunctions nam and enim... Maybe on occasion someone might use it jokingly in order to sound "epic". It seems so obsolete to me.

[Richard W]

The conjunction "for" is rather literary; using it in an informal discussion sounds stilted. Using the phrase "for I am the one" sounds very stilted.

Whereas it sounds perfectly natural to me!

"Tell me you went to public school without telling me you went to public school."

That sounds like a riddle. My education was state-funded, at least for the recurring costs, but there had been benefactors. I did study Latin, if that is relevant.

[Richard W]

This august forum aside, do you spend your time reading mostly 19th and early 20th century literature?

I pretty much never come across the conjunction "for" except in Latin textbooks and old Loeb Classical Library translations, where it's used to literally translate the Latin conjunctions nam and enim... Maybe on occasion someone might use it jokingly in order to sound "epic". It seems so obsolete to me.

The opening phrase ""I must apologize, for I" gets 74,600 raw Google hits, so I'm surprised you find the conjunction so rare. In my formative years, the only 18th century literature I remember enjoying is Gulliver's Travels. I think I was using the conjunction in my own writing before I left school.

[Linguoboy]

The opening phrase ""I must apologize, for I" gets 74,600 raw Google hits, so I'm surprised you find the conjunction so rare.

My first page is filled with irrelevant results. In order I have:

1. "i must apologize for i a comment i made in ..."
2. "I Must Apologize For I Am Just Too Beautiful"
3. "I must apologize for I am a huge johnrezi fan"
4. " i must apologize for i must appear i must appease i must ask" (x2)
5. "I must apologize, for I am just too beautiful " (links to same pic as #2)
6. "I must apologize, for I am just too beautiful " (links to same pic as #2)
7. "I must apologize, for I have no time to speak. My child, Relara, is deathly ill!" (quoting WoW dialogue)
8. "I must apologize, for i'm still not able to recover the deleted gmail address."
9. "I must apologize, for I am afraid that I have gone too fast."
10. "I must apologize for… I apologize for… I'd like to apologize for… I am … "

So of the first ten, I find only four unique examples of what appears to be spontaneous contemporary usage. You might want to refine that search of yours.