Discussion Groups / English Usage / July 2010

I'm a bit surprised by the presence of "us"
in
"Lewis came to us before I had a chance."
To me:

1-The Snake-woman wants children form Heracles, not to destroy him.
Can't this sentence mean two things:
1a-The Snake-woman doeswant  not to destroy Heracles, she wants
children form him.

1-He was three times a champion.
2-He was a three-fold champion,
Can't this sentence mean two things:
a-He was a champion three times.

I have searched through internet, but I could not find the meaning of
"fish water"
During a conversation, someone told another person said "You always
like to fish water". The conversation is not about go fishing or

There's a "rule" that "since" should not be used to mean "because" and
that "since" should only be used in a reference to time.
That would make "Since I don't have my own key, I have to wait until
he arrives to get in" to be incorrect English usage.

This conflict is 99% racial ; a small difference in religion cannot
cause such a long & hateful conflict. Catholics can live in peace
with baptist / methodist / mormon etc. in many parts of the world
, i.e. no reason to clash with protestants because of religion.

"ever"
does it mean here
"finally," said with exasperation?
----

Does
"The water glassed out"
mean here
"The water became frothy-white, hidden by some white vapor above it"

"running a creek/river":
is the closest equivalence
"navigating it?"
----

"The land to the left broke away"
does it mean
"the land to the left suddenly became more remote, separated from us?"
----

"The shaft would come"
does it mean
"The shafted was to come out, in the end"
or

Can one say:
1-We must answer the questions of how it was done and of who did it.
instead of:
We must answer the questions of how it was done and the question of

Can one say:
1-We must answer the questions of how it was done and of who did it.
instead of:
We must answer the question of how it was done and the question of

I wonder if anyone on this newsgroup knows the origin of the phrase
"that all men may know that you are my brother"
--
Alasdair.

Among the students I'm tutoring this summer is a young woman who was
born in Germany of German parents (but has lived in America long
enough to forget most of her German and speak slightly eccentric
native English).