Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004

BrE speakers pronounce the 'L' in "solder."
AmE speakers pronounce the word "sodder."
Sound file here:
http://www.bartleby.com/61/54/S0545400.html

For an article I'm writing, does anybody know who coined these expressions?
A)pre-emptive self-defense
B)weapons of mass deception

A book informs me that a 'nifkin' is the area between a guy's balls
and his a.s. A friend informs me that Turkish delight is really a
Greek invention, the Turks just took the credit. I don't quite believe
either of them.

What was that all about?
What was all that about?
Quelle difference?

Occasionally situations arise where I know the use is incorrect, but I
find it difficult to explain why.
"Sorry, I can't stay with you because I got another girlfriend."
It is clear what correction is required, but any suggestions to help me

Sign seen on an ATM in the Chicago Loop:
 "Due to the extreme cold this ATM machine is out of service".

Yesterday i came across this Multiple Choice question on my english
examination. Can someone give me some ideas which one is the right
answer?
She felt ------  when she heard the news.

Anybody elsewhere heard the word 'sprag'?
It means 'to inform on', 'to grass'.
As in:
'I sprag on my mate.'

A commercial for some drug refers to "acid reflux disease".
Since it isn't caused by a germ (or other things I haven't thought
of), it seems more like a syndrome than a disease.
And since it only has one symptom, afaik, it doesn't sound like a

Over the weekend there was a football (AmE soccer) commentary in which
a ball kicked from one end of the pitch to the other (a ‘long ball')
was said to be
‘hanging'

Does anyone know the origin of this expression? It's the
punch line at the end of today's 'Wizard of Id' cartoon,
which I've uploaded to: http://tinyurl.com/hhi0
I looked up the expression at:

James is not around here at the moment, but I thought I'd share this
from the BBC7 newsletter (brought to us this week in monochrome as
they seem to have run out of html):
7TH DIMENSION In the 7th Dimension we have two marvellous James

Could you comment on this form:
-----
Take-charge princess who she is, Brandy Alexander never DOES ask my
real name.

We need a word for the phrase "my baby's daddy."
Among black women I have almost never heard "my husband" when they are refering
to their "man".
Can't we just invent a new word for "my babies daddy"?

When not at work I remembered last Friday, when I was at work.
Or is it? Comma dubious, btw.
R.