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
2
votes
2
answers
372
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"; ...
- 8,620
-3
votes
1
answer
256
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 ...
- 41.2k
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 ...
- 8,620
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 ...
- 84.9k
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 ...
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”...
- 47.6k
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 ...
- 28.6k
96
votes
20
answers
580k
views
Which expressions can be used to close an email? [closed]
At the end of written communication like emails and letters, it is customary to use a closing valediction or "complementary close". Which formal and informal expressions can be used to end emails?
- 357
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/...
CommunityBot
- 1
15
votes
24
answers
3k
views
Favourite untranslatables [closed]
What are your favourite words and idioms in other languages that don't have good, succinct equivalents in English?
(The issue of whether there is, or could be, a sentence on one language whose meaning ...
CommunityBot
- 1
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 ...
- 43.4k
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 ...
CommunityBot
- 1
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 ...
- 1,466
18
votes
7
answers
24k
views
Words for meat differ from the words for the corresponding animal
In English we have:
"beef" for "cow", "cattle"
"veal" for "calf"
"pork" for "pig"
"mutton" for "sheep"
I'm not aware of this separation for "fish", "goat" or "chicken" (Spanish has "pollo" and "...
- 97.5k
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 ...
CommunityBot
- 1