Silly questions you've always wanted to ask, but never have! - Page 2

hadaso · 29 Nov 2005, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chipper
Why -- MCA?

y naught?

DrStrabismus · 30 Nov 2005, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rmns2bseen
Why do those in the UK and elsewhere in the Commonwealth use the spelling "criticise" etc, but not the spelling "sise" for "size"?

This is not entirely correct; the unconditional use of 'ise' is common British English, but the preferred spelling in the OED is roughly in line with American English (at least it was).

It comes originally from the Greek, where it's spelt with a zeta, the equivalent of z. The other spelling is from the same source, but via French. In either case it is used in English to create a verb from another word. Probably the reason why the ise form became so popular is that it is more consistent. There are a number of verbs that appear to fit the pattern, that are only spelled with an "s", e.g. advertise.

Size is, of course, a red-herring, although it can be a verb it's clearly not formed from s+ize.

IIRC the old wordprocessor AmiPro had a tickbox that allowed the UK dictionary to be switched to 'ize'. AFAIK that kind of fine-grained control hasn't been taken-up by other spell-checkers. It's ironic that 'ize' will probably be forced out of British English by Microsoft.

rmns2bseen · 1 Dec 2005, 08:45 AM

Sounds reasonable enough. I looked into my own question as well after I posted it and found this in the askoxford.com FAQ:

"British spelling has always recognized the existence of variant spellings using the suffix -ize/-ise. When American spelling was standardized during the 19th century (mainly through the efforts of the great American lexicographer Noah Webster), the consistent use of -ize was one of the conventions that became established. However, since then, the -ise spellings have become more popular in Britain (and in other English-speaking countries such as Australia), perhaps partly as a reaction against the American custom."

euroman · 6 Dec 2005, 07:30 PM

How are microscope cover slips produced? They're so thin and consisent in thickness? I can just imagine factories in china or wherever with myriads of workers wearing white gloves tediously packing them into the small boxes....

hadaso · 7 Dec 2005, 05:32 AM

I saw a glass-blowing show. The guy blowed a big baloon of glass. It was so thin that it felt like cellophane paper - perhaps even thiner, but it was glass, and much thiner than microscope cover slips.

The Storm · 11 Dec 2005, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hadaso
I saw a glass-blowing show. The guy blowed a big baloon of glass. It was so thin that it felt like cellophane paper - perhaps even thiner, but it was glass, and much thiner than microscope cover slips.

Actually its really interesting how they do that! I saw it on tv one time. I'm amazed the bubble doesn't burst, and kinda wonder what would happen if it did - would it shatter or explode etc.

Chipper · 16 Dec 2005, 11:12 PM

Here's a silly question I've always wanted to ask, but never have: Why do people ask me silly questions? For example, they are trying to link into the main office of the company, but we had a power outage so the central computer is down:

User: My computer's down.
Me: It's because of the thunderstorms -- the power's down.
User: But I really need to get online. When will the computers be back up?
Me: I'm not sure, as soon as Pepco restores power.
User: So you can't tell me when the computers will be up again?

sterdeus · 17 Dec 2005, 05:31 AM

wow I'm late, but from the initial question about (sic) I think it stands for "said in context"

Adrian Bell · 17 Dec 2005, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sterdeus
wow I'm late, but from the initial question about (sic) I think it stands for "said in context"

That makes sense.

By the way what is custard made from, also blancmange?

DrStrabismus · 17 Dec 2005, 08:56 PM

Sic is latin for so.

rmns2bseen · 3 Jan 2006, 01:19 PM

Has anyone ever felt a tiny bit squeamish at posting the 13th comment in a thread?

I have to admit I notice it, although my birthday is on the 13th (not this month though)

kchess79 · 3 Jan 2006, 02:13 PM

I'm a complete and utter triskaidekaphobe ! I'll go back and post a fourteeth comment on my LiveJournal if it stops at thirteen. Silly, yeah?

The Storm · 4 Jan 2006, 01:01 PM

Well heres a completely pointless silly question for you all

(I'm very good at asking them I should add

)

Ok so I'm stuck at the traffic lights in town today, and I notice somthing weird. The older traffic lights seem to have one light bulb, wheras the new lights seem to have like 50 tiny lights in a circle. Any idea why that is?

btn · 4 Jan 2006, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Storm
Ok so I'm stuck at the traffic lights in town today, and I notice somthing weird. The older traffic lights seem to have one light bulb, wheras the new lights seem to have like 50 tiny lights in a circle. Any idea why that is?

Those tiny lights are LEDs, which last longer and use less power than a single large light bulb.

Chipper · 5 Jan 2006, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kchess79
I'm a complete and utter triskaidekaphobe ! I'll go back and post a fourteeth comment on my LiveJournal if it stops at thirteen. Silly, yeah?

In a somewhat related vein, I'm trying to remember what I did when my post count reached 666. I can't recally if I posted twice just to get to 667 or if I deliberately kept it at 666 just to see what people might say.

1 Dec 2005, 08:45 AM	#18
rmns2bseen Master of the @ Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,426	Sounds reasonable enough. I looked into my own question as well after I posted it and found this in the askoxford.com FAQ: "British spelling has always recognized the existence of variant spellings using the suffix -ize/-ise. When American spelling was standardized during the 19th century (mainly through the efforts of the great American lexicographer Noah Webster), the consistent use of -ize was one of the conventions that became established. However, since then, the -ise spellings have become more popular in Britain (and in other English-speaking countries such as Australia), perhaps partly as a reaction against the American custom."

6 Dec 2005, 07:30 PM	#19
euroman Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 136	How are microscope cover slips produced? They're so thin and consisent in thickness? I can just imagine factories in china or wherever with myriads of workers wearing white gloves tediously packing them into the small boxes....

7 Dec 2005, 05:32 AM	#20
hadaso The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Holon, Israel. Posts: 4,837	I saw a glass-blowing show. The guy blowed a big baloon of glass. It was so thin that it felt like cellophane paper - perhaps even thiner, but it was glass, and much thiner than microscope cover slips.

16 Dec 2005, 11:12 PM	#22
Chipper Master of the @ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Greenbelt, MD (USA) Posts: 1,278	Here's a silly question I've always wanted to ask, but never have: Why do people ask me silly questions? For example, they are trying to link into the main office of the company, but we had a power outage so the central computer is down: User: My computer's down. Me: It's because of the thunderstorms -- the power's down. User: But I really need to get online. When will the computers be back up? Me: I'm not sure, as soon as Pepco restores power. User: So you can't tell me when the computers will be up again?

17 Dec 2005, 05:31 AM	#23
sterdeus Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 182	wow I'm late, but from the initial question about (sic) I think it stands for "said in context"

17 Dec 2005, 08:56 PM	#25
DrStrabismus The "e" in e-mail Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 2,804	Sic is latin for so.

3 Jan 2006, 01:19 PM	#26
rmns2bseen Master of the @ Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,426	Has anyone ever felt a tiny bit squeamish at posting the 13th comment in a thread? I have to admit I notice it, although my birthday is on the 13th (not this month though)

3 Jan 2006, 02:13 PM	#27
kchess79 Master of the @ Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chicagoland Posts: 1,142	I'm a complete and utter triskaidekaphobe ! I'll go back and post a fourteeth comment on my LiveJournal if it stops at thirteen. Silly, yeah?

4 Jan 2006, 01:01 PM	#28
The Storm Essential Contributor Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: SE Queensland, Australia Posts: 314	Well heres a completely pointless silly question for you all (I'm very good at asking them I should add ) Ok so I'm stuck at the traffic lights in town today, and I notice somthing weird. The older traffic lights seem to have one light bulb, wheras the new lights seem to have like 50 tiny lights in a circle. Any idea why that is?