The English Language

A section to discuss matters not related to Chess in particular.
MartinCarpenter
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Re: The English Language

Post by MartinCarpenter » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:46 am

In that specific context focus. More generally orientation is navigating.

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Michael Farthing
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Re: The English Language

Post by Michael Farthing » Fri Oct 27, 2017 3:19 pm

In origin, orientate meant "turn to the East" and is still used for lining up a map with the lie of the land (even though we now use North as the main direction for maps - East used to be used because that was the direction of Jerusalem from Europe - very approximately).

So "orientate their imagination in a definite direction" actually refers very accurately to the original use of the word.

soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: The English Language

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Tue Oct 31, 2017 11:32 am

What is the linguistic difference between an Instructor and a trainer?

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IM Jack Rudd
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Re: The English Language

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Tue Oct 31, 2017 12:22 pm

Heavily contextual, and I'd need to see whether they are specialist titles or just descriptions.

Outside a specialist context, I'd say there's an implication with trainers that they are working on skills you already have, whereas instructors might be teaching you new stuff.

Ian Thompson
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Re: The English Language

Post by Ian Thompson » Tue Oct 31, 2017 7:42 pm

soheil_hooshdaran wrote:
Tue Oct 31, 2017 11:32 am
What is the linguistic difference between an Instructor and a trainer?
I'd say that training implies actually doing the activity, whilst instructing just means teaching someone, without necessarily doing the activity.

According to the BBC:

Instructor

In British English, an instructor teaches you on how to learn or improve in a particular skill or sport:
  • If you want to learn how to drive, you will need a driving instructor.
    If you want to learn how to fly, you will require a flying instructor.
    If you intend to ski this winter on the higher slopes, you'll need a ski instructor.
Trainer

A trainer can be someone who trains people for a particular job or profession or who trains someone in certain varieties of sport.
  • In-service teacher trainers are in very great demand here as there is no pre-service training for teachers.
    If you can get Kevin as your personal fitness trainer, you'll work on a wide range of strategies and techniques.

soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: The English Language

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Fri Nov 10, 2017 11:54 am

What do you call the memorial that takes place 40 days from the death of someone? What about the one that takes place after 1 weak or year?

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IM Jack Rudd
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Re: The English Language

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:36 pm

I think you may be asking about something specific to Iranian culture that doesn't translate well to English culture.

Colin Purdon
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Re: The English Language

Post by Colin Purdon » Sat Nov 11, 2017 7:43 am

These memorials are observed by some Christian communities, as I know from Orthodox friends. I have only heard them described by the time period, for example "40 day service (or memorial)". If there is a technical word in English, l haven't heard it .

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Re: The English Language

Post by Clive Blackburn » Sat Nov 11, 2017 9:52 am


Brian Towers
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Re: The English Language

Post by Brian Towers » Sat Nov 11, 2017 10:52 am

soheil_hooshdaran wrote:
Fri Nov 10, 2017 11:54 am
What do you call the memorial that takes place 40 days from the death of someone? What about the one that takes place after 1 weak or year?
These are specific to different religions.

For instance, in Judaism the one year anniversary of someone's death is marked by the "Yahrzeit". This involves lighting a candle and reciting the kaddish, a prayer for the dead, and is usually performed by close relatives.
Ah, but I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now.

soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: The English Language

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Sun Dec 10, 2017 6:50 pm

What does spend out mean?
You see how quickly White's attack has spent itself out?

Roger de Coverly
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Re: The English Language

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sun Dec 10, 2017 8:40 pm

soheil_hooshdaran wrote:
Sun Dec 10, 2017 6:50 pm
What does spend out mean?
You see how quickly White's attack has spent itself out?
It's yet another English idiom/metaphor. Same sort of meaning as exhausted, fizzled out, ran out of steam.

Comes from spending all your money. You cannot buy any more once you've run out. (The expression would pre-date the invention of credit cards)

soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: The English Language

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Mon Dec 11, 2017 3:23 am

But how can attack spend itself out?

Ian Thompson
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Re: The English Language

Post by Ian Thompson » Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:28 am

soheil_hooshdaran wrote:
Mon Dec 11, 2017 3:23 am
But how can attack spend itself out?
As well as the alternatives given by Roger, other ways of saying the same thing would be "You see how quickly White's attack has petered out" or "You see how quickly White's attack has come to an end".

I'm not totally convinced by Roger's explanation that "spent out" refers to money. It could come from the military term "spent ammunition", meaning used ammunition. When you've spent all your ammunition there is no more to continue the battle with.

E Michael White
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Re: The English Language

Post by E Michael White » Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:40 am

Ian Thompson wrote:
Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:28 am
I'm not totally convinced by Roger's explanation that "spent out" refers to money. It could come from the military term "spent ammunition", meaning used ammunition. When you've spent all your ammunition there is no more to continue the battle with.
Oh I'm convinced. Both meanings are derived from the Latin word "pendere" which means to weigh, to pay and to hang. The connection between weighing, hanging and paying is that coinage was often weighed in hand held balance scales. Any word such as pendulum, pension, pendant, stipend or penthouse is likely to come from this root. Spent means it's used up and can't be used again. "Maxed out" is the phrase used for credit cards to mean spent up ! But to say Black's king side attack has maxed out would be less than clear in meaning.