# My General Questions \[consolidated thread for questions on English usage\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 3, 2010, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390 "2010-07-03T03:23:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/161 "2010-07-27T18:54:28Z")
[QUOTE=themajestic;12732924 How government put restrictions ?does the govt circular says that each legal service advertisement have to \*\*mention \*\*hourly fee/contingency fee/flat fee / up front ? is it the kind of restriction govt impose ?[/QUOTE] Attorneys are bound by the Ethical rules of the state that licenses them. Here is an example of the Advertising rules in New York State: > **[Joint Appellate Rules Governing Attorneys - Amendments | NYCOURTS.GOV](https://ww2.nycourts.gov/rules/jointappellate/attorney_ads_amendments.shtml)** > > Amendments to Rules Governing Lawyer Advertising Effective as of February 1st, 2007 1200-1, (redline) In New York, the disclosure of fee arrangements, before legal representation begins or shortly thereafter, is a requirement of Rule 1.5 of the Rules of Professional Conduct. [http://www.courts.state.ny.us/rules/jointappellate/NY%20Rules%20of%20Prof%20Conduct\_09.pdf](http://www.courts.state.ny.us/rules/jointappellate/NY%20Rules%20of%20Prof%20Conduct_09.pdf) You cannot be sent to jail for breaking ethical rules (unless what you did is also considered legal fraud or some other crime), but you can lose your license to practice law permanently. ---
**Author:** ![themajestic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@themajestic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themajestic)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/162 "2010-07-28T02:18:15Z")
That makes sense. Please look at this English text … **People in isolated rain-forest communities tend to live on a largely vegetarian diet** \>\>\>isolated rain-forest communities what is this communities ? I know , rain-forest = forest where heavy rain falls I know ,communities = society I know , isolated = detached does isolated rain-forest communities = societies who are away from rain-forest ? is it like this or something else ? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/163 "2010-07-28T03:43:27Z")
> [@themajestic](#): > > That makes sense. > > Please look at this English text … > > **People in isolated rain-forest communities tend to live on a largely vegetarian diet** > > \>\>\>isolated rain-forest communities > > what is this communities ? > > I know , rain-forest = forest where heavy rain falls > I know ,communities = society > I know , isolated = detached > > does isolated rain-forest communities = societies who are away from rain-forest ? > > is it like this or something else ? It means societies who are isolated from normal civilization because they live in rain forests. Rain forests are so difficult to move through that contact with societies on the outside, or even societies in other parts of the rain forest, is extremely difficult. This isolates each individual society within the rain forest. ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/164 "2010-07-28T05:00:31Z")
_People in isolated rain-forest communities tend to live on a largely vegetarian diet_ Defining a community is difficult, but you can look at it like this: Some rats live in sewers, but others live in fields. Both live in communities. Field rats tend to be agrarian and tend to eat as vegetarians, depending on the food supply. Sewer rats live on what falls down the drain and could be considered omnivores, depending on the food supply. The rat community – or the society it lives in – makes the rat what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/165 "2010-07-28T14:11:40Z")
Note that “isolated” and “rain-forest” are both adjectives modifying “communities” in this sentence, even though you usually think of “rain-forest” as a noun. Perhaps that is part of the confusion. The lack of a preposition – which would set up the relationship between nouns – in this sentence signals that rainforest is an adjective here. Compare these two: Isolated rain-forest community (“rain-forest” is an adjective) community isolated **from** the rain-forest (“rain-forest” is a noun) ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/166 "2010-07-28T22:37:56Z")
> [@themajestic](#): > > \>\>\>isolated rain-forest communities > > what is this communities ? > > I know , rain-forest = forest where heavy rain falls > I know ,communities = society > I know , isolated = detached > > does isolated rain-forest communities = societies who are away from rain-forest ? It’s not unusual to have a string of adjectives that all modify the same noun. For example: I own a large blue rubber ball. This indicates that a) the ball is large, b) the ball is blue, and c) the ball is rubber. As in your example, one of the adjectives (rubber) is actually a noun, but “rubber ball” indicates a type of ball: one that is _made from_ rubber. Similarly, in your example, “rain-forest communities” indicate a type of community: ones that are _located in_ a rain forest. Also (if this is the source of confusion) “isolated” means “set apart from others,” so “isolated communities” are understood to be communities that are set apart from _other_ communities. ---
**Author:** ![themajestic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@themajestic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themajestic)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/167 "2010-07-29T17:47:38Z")
Please look at this English text… **People in isolated rain-forest communities tend to live on a largely vegetarian diet, and they eat little salt. Few of them suffer from high blood pressure, and their blood pressure does not tend to increase with age, as is common in industrialized countries. [COLOR=“Red”]Such people often do develop high blood pressure when they move to cities and adopt high-salt diets. Though suggestive, these facts do not establish salt as the culprit in high blood pressure, however, because it is possible to have a low-salt diet while living in a city in an industrialized country[/COLOR]** Such people = industrialized people OR People in isolated rain-forest communities ? this part is confusing . how do you check it ? \>\>because it is possible to have a low-salt diet while living in a city in an industrialized country does this means low-salt diet can also produce high blood pressure ? ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/168 "2010-07-29T18:26:19Z")
“Such people” here means “People who used to live in rain-forest communities but moved to big cities.” ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/169 "2010-07-29T18:31:36Z")
> [@themajestic](#): > > Such people = industrialized people OR People in isolated rain-forest communities ? this part is confusing . how do you check it ? People in isolated rain-forest communities. I know that because the author does not explicitly refer to _people_ in undustrialized countries, he only refers to industrialized countries themselves. Thus, “such people” must refer to the only people actually mentioned in the paragraph, which are “people in isolated rain-forest communities.” > [@themajestic](#): > > \>\>because it is possible to have a low-salt diet while living in a city in an industrialized country > > does this means low-salt diet can also produce high blood pressure ? I’m actually not sure, because I find this sentence confusing. I _think_ the author means that, although 1) high blood pressure is common in industrialized countries, and 2) people in isolated rain-forest communities develop high blood pressure when they adopt high-salt diets, it has not been proven that there is a link between high blood pressure and salt in people who are NOT from rain-forest communities (because not everyone living in a city in an industrialized country has a high-salt diet). ---
**Author:** ![themajestic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@themajestic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themajestic)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/170 "2010-07-30T15:39:31Z")
Thanks …that makes sense. Please look at this English text **Neither a rising standard of living nor balanced trade, by itself, establishes a country’s ability to compete in the international marketplace. Both are required simultaneously [COLOR=“Red”]since standards of living can rise because of growing trade deficits and trade can be balanced by means of a decline in a country’s standard of living.[/COLOR]** since standards of living can rise because of growing trade deficits …I don’t concurr here . I think its the opposite. what is trade deficit here ? If I say our country has lost business of 100 trillion $ this year …that clearly impacts the tandards of living to be **down** …but not rise. Could you please explain the red part. I think I’m lost in the word “trade deficit” and impact on standard of living. If you could provide me an example that will be just wonderful to understand. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/171 "2010-07-30T15:45:25Z")
A trade deficit means that a country imports more than it exports. That sounds paradoxical, until you realise that it means that the country is spending more on imports than it receives for its exports, so there’s a deficit in money terms. However, the excess in imported goods can contribute to an improved standard of living – though at the cost of increased debt. ---
**Author:** ![themajestic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@themajestic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themajestic)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/172 "2010-07-30T16:46:35Z")
\>\>\>A trade deficit means that a country imports more than it exports. is it the definition ? I thought less import , more export can \*\*also \*\*be termed as _trade deficit_ . alternatively, when import and export are NOT in balance then its called _trade deficit_ . **is it the definition that _trade deficit_ = more import , less export ?** ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/173 "2010-07-30T17:25:30Z")
> [@themajestic](#): > > **is it the definition that _trade deficit_ = more import , less export ?** Yes. A “deficit” means a “deficiency,” but it can more specifically mean a deficiency of _money_: less money coming in than out. So the “trade deficit” really means “receiving less money from trade than you spend.” The opposite condition, having more exports than imports (earning more money than you spend) is a “trade surplus.” ---
**Author:** ![themajestic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@themajestic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themajestic)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/174 "2010-07-30T17:50:35Z")
> [@zut](#): > > > [@themajestic](#): > > > > **is it the definition that _trade deficit_ = more import , less export ?** > > Yes. > > A “deficit” means a “deficiency,” but it can more specifically mean a deficiency of _money_: less money coming in than out. So the “trade deficit” really means “receiving less money from trade than you spend.” > > The opposite condition, having more exports than imports (earning more money than you spend) is a “trade surplus.” nice explanation . its meaningful. ---
**Author:** ![themajestic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@themajestic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themajestic)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/175 "2010-07-30T17:54:59Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > A trade deficit means that a country imports more than it exports. That sounds paradoxical, until you realise that it means that the country is spending more on imports than it receives for its exports, so there’s a deficit in money terms. However, the excess in imported goods can contribute to an improved standard of living – though at the cost of increased debt. yup …makes sense now …got it. ---
**Author:** ![themajestic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@themajestic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themajestic)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/176 "2010-08-03T02:13:57Z")
please look at this english text _If the needle on an industrial sewing machine becomes badly worn, the article being sewn can be ruined. In traditional apparel factories, the people who operate the sewing machines monitor the needles and replace those that begin to wear out. Industrial sewing operations are becoming increasingly automated, however, and it would be inefficient for a factory to hire people for the sole purpose of monitoring needles. Therefore a sophisticated new acoustic device that detects wear in sewing machine needles is expected to become standard equipment in the automated apparel factories of the future._ I never worked in sewing machine. I am not clear how the needles wear out …could you please show me a picture how they look like …badly worn . ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/177 "2010-08-03T02:16:49Z")
Not sure that I could find a picture of a overly-worn sewing-machine needle. But, in general, a sewing-machine needle would have the same basic shape as a “normal” needle – very slender, with an extremely sharp point. I would imagine that a worn-out needle would get blunt – if so, rather than neatly pushing a hole between the fibers of the material being sewn, it’d possibly tear or otherwise damage the material as it was being pushed through. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/178 "2010-08-03T14:20:14Z")
A Sewing machine needle is much thicker than a hand-sewing needle. As noted if the point wears down it gets blunt and either can’t pass through the fabric or leaves holes that are too large However, some types of machine needles are supposed to be blunt, for use with certain types of fabric. These too can get worn. Any type of needle can get bent and become useless, for example; any type of needle can have the metal lose its smothness and “catch” on the fabric, causing tears. This link is WAY more than you probably wanted to know about sewing machine needles [http://www.superiorthreads.com/education/needles/needles-using-the-right-needle](http://www.superiorthreads.com/education/needles/needles-using-the-right-needle) (includes a picture of a “standard” or topstitch, needle) ---
**Author:** ![themajestic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@themajestic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themajestic)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/179 "2010-08-03T16:21:25Z")
Thanks . That was very much informative. that helped. Could you please look at this … \*\*\*A prominent investor who holds a large stake in the Burton Tool Company has recently claimed that the company is mismanaged, citing as evidence the company’s failure to slow production in response to a recent rise in its inventory of finished products. * * * I don’t understand recent “_ **rise in its inventory of finished products.** _” more specifically , “ **inventory of finished products** ” …what is this ? what could be the possible finished products here ? how it is connected to the slow production in response to a recent rise in its inventory of finished products ? This is confusing part . I don’t understand . What could be the possible reasons ? Could you please shed some light to understand it better way. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390/180 "2010-08-03T17:14:22Z")
They have an increase in inventory of their products (the number of them that they have on hand, waiting to be sold). This means they aren’t selling as well as they used to. A company should normally make new items at about the same rate as the old ones sell. This means that since they weren’t selling as well, the correct response should have been to stop making as many, slowing down or stopping the production of new units until the extras have been sold. The problem is that the company didn’t do that, so the investor is worrying that the managers of the company don’t know what they’re doing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-general-questions-consolidated-thread-for-questions-on-english-usage/545390.md?page=10)