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• 1 month ago

  The world's first historical thesaurus, based on the OED: who find this news exciting and thrilling?

  I think it’s awesome, but I wouldn’t buy it. I’d prefer an online version, so it can be easily updated.
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• 2 months ago

  Old school Dr. Who fans, your opinion of the new series?

  I don’t see how zapping something with the sonic screwdriver is worse than opening some panels and muttering technobabble. They’re both magic, and the first way is less boring. I’m an old school fan and I love how the new show is faster paced and more full of emotion and spectacle.
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• 2 months ago

  Is there an absolute correct English language, or is it ever-changing?

  @Zen No. There are two “un-” prefixes in English. One expresses negation, as in “uncompleted”, and the other expresses reversal or deprivation, as in “untie”. The prefix “in/il/ir/im” is from Latin. There are two of them as well. One meant “in, into, within” and its sound assimilated with the word it attached to, as in “irradiate”. The other expressed negation or privation, and it also underwent assimilation, as in “irregular”. The assimilation happened in Latin, not English.
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• 2 months ago

  When showing possession of a word that ends in "s", is it correct to add " 's " or just the apostrophe?

  Some usage books say the first, some say the second, some say either. The first is more common.
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• 3 months ago

  Why is it called a "watch"?

  I favour an etymology slightly different from @pdworkin. According to the OED, the word first appeared not as “wristwatch” but as just “watch” meaning “alarm clock” in 1542. Then it developed to “dial or clock face”, then “small time-piece”. Perhaps it developed from the verb “watch” meaning “to be or remain awake”.
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