Discussion Groups / British English / October 2005

First of all please accept my apology for posting this message on this
forum. I am aware that it is not exactly topic related but I need to
reach as many English native speakers as possible.
I am a student of English in Poland and I could use some help

I've noticed over the last year or two that presenters on the various BBC
news programs now use the phrase 'good morning to you' more regularly than
simply 'good morning'. This is not reciprocated in the evening and I have
yet to hear, or notice, the use of 'good evening to you'.

From the Chigago Times today (concerning Harriet Miers)
"I don't think it was a lifelong ambition that she had harbored for many
years," Durbin said.
Doesn't 'lifelong' mean throughout one's life? Apparently not in

I can't seem to find this information on the web, or an appropriate group
to post to, so please accept my apologies for this off-topic post (no
doubt there are fans of Bennett's on uk.culture.language.english).
The South Bank Show profiled Alan Bennett last weekend and I'd like to ...

a friend told me that in earlier times, the English Language had the
Letter "ß", in Germany called "sz". I've googled around but haven't
found further information. Is here someone, who knows more about this?
I hope I've chosen the subject well, I only guess that the German

'Again, it is not possible to define all acts that could be classified as
gross misconduct, as the disciplinary action taken by the company will
ultimately be determined by the circumstances of the incident.'
Should company be capitalised?

I'm translating a novel, based on a true story during US Civil War,
about a woman who, rather than let someone plow over the field where
they had been buried, decided to bury more than 1,000 soldiers in her
own backyard. She's also sheltering dozen of orphans and one, in

I'm a native German speaker, but like to express myself in English.
Since a while I've been wondering what the difference between
"therefore", "hence", and "thus" is. Can anybody explain it to be, and
point out some examples how to use them appropriately?

What does the expression "Time on his hand and himself on his mind" mean?

A right answer, but in my view a wrong explanation, tonight on "Test the
Nation" - it was correct that the way to refer to the Palace of St James
is "St James's" rather than "St James'" - but the explanation they gave
was that this was the format for "a possessive on any noun ...

http://www.us-english.org/inc/news/preleases/viewRelease.asp?ID=161
Americans favor making English the official language of the "U.S."
English
Recognise

What is that? I read it in "The Talisman" by Stephen King.
Pawe³ from Warsaw, Poland

Hello to everyone,
I'd really appreicate it if someone could tell me what is the one
english word to describe the agricultural land owned by the church, and
surrounding it, in medieval Europe. However, I do not mean the

Hello, everybody!
I'm new here, but I would like to ask you a question. Right now I'm
reading a book where the word <<jagger>> is used as an adjective for a
man. Can anybody tell me what it means, exactly? Thank you very much.

Hi I would like to invite you to visit www.artplateau.com art gallery.
You will be able to see artworks from Montreal's, Quebec, Canada artists
creating from the Plateau Mont-Royal Area.
Morno