Discussion Groups / English Usage / August 2010

handbag
Adidas handbag   armani handbag      balenciaga handbag   Bally
handbag   boss handbag   burberry handbag   cartier handbag   Chanel
handbag  chloe handbag   christian audigier handbag   coach handbag

I note that is reported that county names are no longer to be required
on British addresses. I have wondered for  a long time why people
thought them useful apart from sentiment. For example, PA34 5TG would
get to the vicinity of what was my parents' address if not the actual

Is there a traditional [home] computer now?  How long does it take to
make a tradition?  Or isn't really not how long but whether the notion
has been given over to the next generation?  How many children of
parents with a computer have to own their own computer before the

At my local shopping centre this evening, I heard a woman saying to her
child "I'm just putting the messages in the car". The accent was either
southern English or north-shore Sydney.
From my childhood I recognise "messages" as meaning what I now call

The main, as well as the least obvious, achievement of the Middle Ages
was the creation of the experimental spirit and this was primarily due
to the Muslims down to the 12th century.
I don't understand what he means by 'down to the 12th century'. What

I read about doctor and social worker and psychiatrist etc but when
people are quoted (eg in a letter) should it be:
yours sincelrely
Joe Bloggs

How do you all weigh in on using "A is a prerequisite to B" versus "A is a
prerequisite for B".
Or how about, ""There are several prerequisites to/for B"?

In many countries, at schools and especially at schoolyards, you have
adults that watch over the kids (especially at elementary schools) so
that they don't misbehave, get into trouble, do dangerous things etc.
What is the name for a person who does that work?

I'm making bets with myself that Leftpondians will get this faster than
Rightpondians:
 http://content.comicskingdom.net/Bizarro/Bizarro.20100811_large.gif
....r

What is your favorite pun used in a corporate ad?
My favorite is  Hebrew National Hot Dogs
No ands, ifs, or butts

A pull quote in the ChriSci Monster:
 To survive in the Digital Age, journalism has to be fact-paced
 _and_ substantive.
In context, "fact-paced" has to be "fast-paced", but it is not hard to

The main, as well as the least obvious, achievement of the Middle Ages
was the creation of the experimental spirit and this was primarily due
to the Muslims down to the 12th century.
I don't really understand this sentence. What does the writer mean by

Does
" the disease took over him"
work?
Differences?

Does
"I readied to go"
really work, without "myself?"
----

Did you get my email about the phoney email?