Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2007 May 14

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[edit] May 14

[edit] Template

Has something been done to the template for this page? I seem to have lost everything that used to run down the right side of the page at the top, like, for example, the lists of the other Reference Desks. Does anyone else have this problem? Bielle 00:24, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

RefDeskBot munged up the page. I think I've fixed it. Corvus cornix 00:56, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

It looks fixed to me now. Thank you, Corvus Cornix. I had no idea what to do. Bielle 01:00, 14 May 2007 (UTC)
I just went through the history of the page to find the last good one, then saw what edit made the error, then fixed it. Thanks for reporting this. Corvus cornix 01:03, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Russian Etymology - QUESTION re resources

I am seeking pleasant reading about the correlations of Russian to other IndoEur languages. One occassionally catches a glimpse, but true etymological dictionaries have not worked for me. My best hope is that some linguists have magazine articles.

Case and verb endings, pronouns, & half the prepositions ring of Latin, so I supect Kyrill & Mefodius decided to stay with that part of Slavic already spoken.

I am not interested in the tremendous borrowing from French or other clearly identified words, but the true Slavic structure, and how much is borrowed from Latin or Greek, and how much is just parallel protoEuro.

I don't have any journal articles for you, but from my own knowledge I can say this much: Cyrill and Methodius only devised a writing system, they didn't do any restructuring of the language. And while Russian certainly has some Latin and Greek (and English, French, and German) loanwords, probably the largest source of loanwords in Russian is Old Church Slavonic. —Angr 06:00, 14 May 2007 (UTC)
It is not fully clear to me what you are interested in, when you say "correlations". Etymological correspondences, such as that of Latin edere, Greek edo, Gothic etan with Russian jest "to eat", exist because all derive from the Proto Indo-European base *ed-. Likewise, grammatical correspondences with Latin, Greek, Gothic, or Sanskrit, go back to a shared correspondence with their common ancestor language. None of these languages borrowed it from any other of these languages; each inherited it from their parent language. Are you only and specifically interested in Russian, or the more general correlations of Slavic languages to other branches of the Indo-European language family? In that case, have a look at our article on Proto-Slavic. Maybe you can find the book The Dawn of Slavic (ISBN 978-0300058468) referenced there in a library; it is a pleasant read.  --LambiamTalk 10:24, 14 May 2007 (UTC)
I suggest you should check this page for a start. Russian grammar is rather archaic, retaining some fundamental features of PIE. It has seven to eight cases and three genders, for instance. Now you may compare that to English. I once asked sci.lang regulars which Slavic language is the most archaic as concerns grammar, and most replied that Russian is. --Ghirla-трёп- 20:58, 17 May 2007 (UTC)
Russian has only six cases. Still too many :-) Jotel 17:49, 18 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Publishing a fantasy novel

Hi, I have just finished the first book of my fantasy trilogy and would like to know if anyone has some first-hand experience at getting their book(s) published? I know, there are plenty of pointers and content on the web, and I have read some. I am just interested if anyone has some personal tips or suggestions to share. I am particularly concerned about someone stealing the book and publishing it (not caring about legal consequences), or even worse - leaking a copy on the internet. Thanks. Sandman30s 13:32, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

if you're worried about it being stolen, mail yourself a copy of the book and do not open it. just keep it, with the date stamp on it, in case anyone steals it. that way, it proves that you were the original author. this is what a lot of composers do with their music that they don't want stolen and if they don't want to spend the money to get it copyrighted. as far as publishing....just send it to a bunch of publishers. look up their addresses online or get one of the handy 'how to publish 2007' guides. expect rejection. most of the time it doesn't have to do with the quality of your work (well, yeah, it could). but usually a publisher will look for a certain topic ortype of fantasy novel to publish that year. maybe it's more appropriate for next year or the year after. do NOT take it personally. it's not you, it's them...as long as you wrote something halfway decent. :) i'm sure you did. when you get it published, let us all know. i'd love to read it! Coolsnak3 21:04, 14 May 2007 (UTC)
Holly Lisle's web page offers a lot of good, practical advice to writers of fantasy and science fiction (and fiction writers in general). I found it really useful, when I was writing my great unpublished novel. -FisherQueen (Talk) 23:10, 14 May 2007 (UTC)
Thank you. Sandman30s 12:56, 15 May 2007 (UTC)
Not advice from a published author, but some thoughts anyway. (1) Copyright is automatic, it does not have to be registered or applied for. (2) The people who might be interested in the novel don't need to be sent a copy of the whole thing. Send the first chapter and an outline of the story (another one page). This also may help with concerns about theft. (3) Don't try to typeset the book; lay it out in an approved manuscript style. (4) Many people say not to approach publishers directly, but to approach agents. Especially agents say this. Certainly a good agent will get you a much better deal than you could negotiate and should cover their own costs; but read the agent's contract very closely (e.g. consider what would happen if you don't get on with them; do you still have to pay them 15% on top of the new agent you do get on with? Contracts are binding, and often have unfair terms you need to strike out) (5) Know your market. For example, if the style this year is for 420 page fantasy novels, you don't be able to sell a 200 page novel. Notinasnaid 09:08, 16 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] FOULINDECHEROUS

I became a Chief Petty Officer in the Unites States Navy in 1978.

At that time I received a plaque that had portions of the Navy Chief Petty Officer Creed. Not the actual Chief Petty Officer Creed which is different.

In the particular creed, there was a word mentioned that I am unable to find. The word was defined in the creed that I received. The word was "FOULINDECHEROUS", that probably is not the correct spelling. Phonetically it would be Four in Dech Er ous.

The meaning of FOULINDECHEROUS is a person that is adept at untangling fouled ropes or in other words a person that can take a bad situation and correct it.

The Fouled Anchor is the symbol of the Navy Chief Petty Officer. Again it is an Anchor with rope Foulded around it.

I am interested in finding the correct spelling and definintion of "FOULINDECHEROUS"

Thank you in advance. —Preceding unsigned comment added by NaughtyCharlie (talk • contribs)

The text of the creed found here (html) or here (PDF searching within document required) does not seem to contain any such word like "FOULINDECHEROUS". Perhaps the word refered to some other saying? -Czmtzc 16:21, 14 May 2007 (UTC)
Decherous might be dexterous, but searching for fouling dexterous, foulingdexterous, foulindexterous and so forth yielded nothing useful either. ---Sluzzelin talk 20:53, 14 May 2007 (UTC)
Could there be a relationship to one of the ships named USS Dextrous?  --LambiamTalk 22:02, 14 May 2007 (UTC)
Here is an image of a plaque containing the creed. Again, no such word. Tugbug 22:36, 14 May 2007 (UTC)
Can you give us the sentence containing the alleged word? Until you said what (you think) it means I guessed it was foul indecorous, which might well describe conduct that you pledge to abhor. —Tamfang 07:40, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] List of English letters/phonetics

Can someone give me a list of all the proununciable symbols in English? Like "a in about", "o in over", etc.? I can't find one, and I need one. Thanks. - 2-16 17:47, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

Awesome, thanks. - 2-16 18:03, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Origin of the Slang word Grand

What is the origin of the slang word grand? Example: "My car is worth 5 grand." -- 12.146.20.10 17:56, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

The Online Etymology Dictionary says it originated in American English in "underworld slang" circa 1915, based on the adjective sense of "large" or "great." --LarryMac | Talk 20:21, 14 May 2007 (UTC)
Note also that "large" itself, like "grand", is used by some people to mean $1,000. --Anon, May 14, 21:21 (UTC).
So it "big ones". Black Carrot 06:14, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] translation for talk page

Could someone please answer the questions here regarding this URL: http://ranobe.com/up/src/up189355.jpg —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Tuesday42 (talk • contribs) 20:16, 14 May 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Prestidigitation

What are some words that rhyme with and have the same number of syllables as "prestidigitation"? [Mac Δαvιs] ❖ 23:38, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

Does it have to be a single word? Lots of phrases could rhyme - "pulled up to the station", "going on vacation", "vowed to God and nation" . . . . --LarryMac | Talk 23:46, 14 May 2007 (UTC)
intercommunication though it be a barbarous utterance. meltBanana 03:23, 15 May 2007 (UTC)
And has 1 too many syllables. Polymorphisation, anti-reformation? JackofOz 03:29, 15 May 2007 (UTC)
Sexualization. JackofOz 05:26, 15 May 2007 (UTC)
Revandalisation. JackofOz 05:37, 15 May 2007 (UTC)
Californication? Severe inebriation, via scandalous libation? Evangelization? Ex-expatriation? Black Carrot 06:09, 15 May 2007 (UTC)
Polynomial integration. Black Carrot 06:11, 15 May 2007 (UTC)
If you're doing a poem about magic, how about "vapid explication" as a euphemism for patter? Black Carrot 06:12, 15 May 2007 (UTC)
Grand gesticulation. Black Carrot 06:27, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

Artful levitation!--killing sparrows (chirp!) 06:57, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

Transubstantiation fits appropriately (oo flamebait!). —Tamfang 07:37, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

Desertification, reillumination and pre-ejaculation. Oh, and for Tamfang, Eternal Damnation. ;) Azi Like a Fox 10:05, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

Differentiation, excommunication (for Tamfang again), experimentation, naturalization, overpopulation, reconciliation, and rehabilitation. ---Sluzzelin talk 14:10, 15 May 2007 (UTC)
Puff the Magic Dragon? -- Azi Like a Fox 00:26, 16 May 2007 (UTC)
Peter, Paul and Mary? -- JackofOz 00:43, 16 May 2007 (UTC)