Questions tagged [list-request]
Requests for lists of words, phrases, or other information. Note, though, that these questions are off-topic. See the Help or the expanded tag info for more details.
18
questions
-3
votes
1
answer
240
views
Compound words/phrases that still make sense when their order is swapped [closed]
Thinking of compound words or phrases where the order of the words can be swapped around and still make sense:
Examples: Lighthouse - House Light Birdhouse - House BirdRacetrack - Track Race
So far ...
- 3
2
votes
2
answers
371
views
Spanish-derived words in English
I recently found out that "mustang" is a Hispanicism word of Spanish origin: it is adapted from "mostrengo" or "mestreño", which roughly mean "without rooting"; ...
- 131
22
votes
5
answers
3k
views
What loanwords from the languages of India appear in cricket's vocabulary?
One of the things I find surprising is that India seems to have had little influence on the vocabulary of cricket. Notwithstanding India long being such a great cricketing nation, I can't immediately ...
- 64.8k
4
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Are there other words with the same weird spelling / pronunciation combo as "victual"?
I've always thought that "victual" was a funny word because its spelling and pronunciation are so alien to anything else I know of in the English language. The free dictionary explains the origin of ...
- 389
10
votes
7
answers
73k
views
What are some slang words for "police" in countries besides the US?
In the US we have a number of slang terms that are commonly used to refer to the police:
cops
pigs
five-O
fuzz
buzzkill (referring to their presence messing up the enjoyment of drugs)
I am curious ...
24
votes
5
answers
7k
views
Does America have its Versions of U- and Non-U English?
In Britain and most of Europe, some form of U-speak exists: old-money language has certain features that distinguish it from other language. In Dutch, it doesn't really have a name, but it is still ...
7
votes
12
answers
19k
views
Words with different meanings in American and British English
This is similar to this question, but not quite the same. There are quite a few words which have totally different meanings in American and British English and which are likely to cause confusion ...
12
votes
5
answers
19k
views
"Unicorn": what other words have this "cornus" etymology?
"Unicorn" comes from the French and late Latin, with the "cornus" part meaning "horn". I am wondering what other English words share this root. I could think of "rhinoceros". Can you think of ...
- 38.9k
13
votes
7
answers
3k
views
Are there commonly used words to denote different gradations of friendship in English?
In English there is only one word for grade of friendship: friends. All of you agree that friends are different: with some of them you just drank beer few times, other you know for many years and you ...
- 391
18
votes
20
answers
175k
views
Hardest tongue twister seen
What is the hardest tongue twister you have ever seen? Humorous ones are also welcome.
8
votes
4
answers
10k
views
Where can I find a list of English paronyms?
Can anyone point me to a (more or less) complete list of English paronyms (affect/effect, farther/further, alternately/alternatively, interested/interesting, corrupted/corrupt, adopt/adapt, continuous/...
- 97.5k
58
votes
8
answers
12k
views
What’s purportedly wrong with Strunk & White’s “The Elements of Style”?
I was reading the comments on this answer where several users claimed that Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style was “misinformed, hypocritical, and wrong” and “flat-out wrong or totally misleading”...
- 1,427
3
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Examples of different roots (and different meanings) coming to be spelled the same
Apparently the two opposite meanings of to cleave have different roots: the to adhere meaning comes from one old English root (clifian) and the to cut meaning comes from a different old English word (...
29
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Can anyone provide me with a list of English words that are their own antonyms? [closed]
I am looking for a list of all English words that are their own antonyms. Off the top of my head, I can only think of "either", "fast", "to dust" and "to lease", but there must be dozens more. Can you ...
- 97.5k
94
votes
124
answers
74k
views
What words are commonly mispronounced by literate people who read them before they heard them?
Quite a few words are mispronounced by under-educated people, or people learning English as a second language. Some words are often mispronounced by quite educated people who read, and began reading ...