Questions tagged [specific-question]
The specific-question tag has no usage guidance.
56
questions
5
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1answer
119 views
Why was this question about a single word's pronunciation (“whinge”) closed as off-topic?
I noticed that How is "whinge" pronounced? was closed as being off-topic.
I once noticed somebody spelled "whine" as "whinge" and thought it was an egregious and ...
1
vote
1answer
102 views
Why is the question off-topic?
I can see that users are voting to close the question Where does Martian meaning inhabitant of Mars come from? as off-topic.
What’s the problem with the above question? or is it just a question of ...
4
votes
0answers
100 views
How can I edit this question and start the reopening process to make additional answers possible?
dog-leg, dogleg, or dog leg? has one well-received and currently accepted answer but was quickly closed for lack of research. It was only my second question here, over three years ago now.
I'd ...
-10
votes
2answers
193 views
Voting abuse - why is a perfectly good question being down-voted?
I asked a question on EL&U which was taken upon negatively. It is linked here: “Is "tell advice" not idiomatic over "give advice"?”
Let's look up the definition of "idiomatic" from the OED:
(...
-4
votes
1answer
108 views
Is it really true that those who down / up vote and/or close a question do not have to provide any reason why? [duplicate]
I have a question about my English Language & Usage Stack Exchange post: Seeking clarification on the use of “They/Them/Their” as a personal gender pronoun
The title is the total question. I ...
-4
votes
2answers
251 views
Please reopen the question about the meaning of 'wong'
I think the following question recently posted by a new user should be reopened:
Why is "wong" a bad word?
The meaning the OP is looking for is not present in any available online ...
8
votes
2answers
198 views
Inappropriate replacement of question?
Please see this question on dialect and (specifically) its edit history. While I can’t say that I approve of the original question’s choice of example, I think that the “revision&...
1
vote
1answer
87 views
How did this question ever get so much attention?
There is a question of mine that sometimes makes me chuckle. A trivial, very non-urgent question with little to no practical value. A question on why names starting with "J" are more common than words ...
1
vote
1answer
45 views
Is this a translation question?
This question about the phrase no stinkin' way has the translation tag.
Here is the tag description for translation:
Determining English equivalents for words or phrases in other languages (that ...
3
votes
4answers
305 views
Vote to reopen 'gradations of beautiful' question
A question was asked about ranking the strength of the synonyms of 'beautiful'.
It was closed very quickly as 'Primarily Opinion Based'.
I think this is misguided. Questions about nuances of words ...
4
votes
0answers
125 views
Why is my question closed as “unclear”?
What's the correct word to refer to a believer of scientism?
I don't understand what's unclear with this question.
The comment says:
Wait... what is scientism exactly? It sounds like a very ...
1
vote
2answers
85 views
How to change a closure from “proofreading” to “duplicate”?
Ed Chu's question Is “I was having a walk” correct? has been closed (with just one vote plus mod) for supposed "proofreading". I think the proofreading flag was inappropriate here, as the question is ...
asked Dec 22 '18 at 3:28
Chappo Hasn't Forgotten Monica
3,3881 gold badge9 silver badges19 bronze badges
4
votes
0answers
236 views
Determiner question
The question below seems to be very simple at first glance and swifty got closed:
Are articles pronouns?
However, the answer is not as clear as it seems at first glance. For those of us well ...
1
vote
0answers
93 views
Improper merger
The recent question about the early usage of optics meaning “point of view” has been improperly merged into an older similar question.
Can you please restore the new original question?
Thanks.
5
votes
2answers
132 views
Please help me improve my babel answer?
I have authored an answer to a SWR. While I believe my suggestion provides a near precise answer to the asked question, it seems to be rather unliked.
I understand the word may be rare, but an ...
2
votes
2answers
131 views
Why was my question downvoted?
I recently asked a question on English Language & Usage, and it was received poorly. Now, I have nothing against criticism, but I just wonder why. Here's the question.
What should I use when ...
7
votes
1answer
167 views
What is wrong with my question and how could I have done it better?
I was reading the meta post on coping with downvotes in which ColleenV made an excellent point about how receiving multiple downvotes warrants a closer look at the post in question.
Earlier today I ...
7
votes
3answers
156 views
Closing on-topic questions as duplicates of questions closed as off-topic
Regarding this question, I believe duping it to a question that was closed as off-topic is a bit disingenuous. I believe there was general consensus the question itself was on-topic. Is this really ...
5
votes
4answers
230 views
Is it offensive to use someone's comment as a basis of another question on its own?
I'm surprised. I did this without any intention to be offensive. Yet I was told I was deeply offensive.
Long story short: @RobbieGoodwin posted an anecdotal comment under my question, saying that he ...
5
votes
1answer
222 views
Re-open request: “Stick vs aerosol” question
A question on "What does "you like stick and I like aerosol" mean?
has been closed as "Primarily Opinion Based".
It's not opinion-based. There is a clear meaning to those who know that deodorant ...
6
votes
0answers
116 views
Please consider reopening my question
My question is closed as off-topic.
First, my question is not so elementary. It is not about the usual use of past perfect as in
When I came up with the idea of climbing all the statues taller than ...
1
vote
2answers
158 views
Is this question still off-topic?
The question What's a word for a 'thing that makes one sleepy'? has attracted a good number of upvotes and a series of interesting answers IMO, but users appear to think that it is still ...
6
votes
3answers
187 views
On the recently-migrated question “Need help with understanding the sentence”
... which is now on ELL : https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/122505/need-help-with-understanding-the-sentence
After the following comment by the OP:
I personally agree with the second option (...
3
votes
0answers
114 views
Can we change the linked-to question here, folks?
This question here was rightly closed as a duplicate:
Which is grammatically correct: "There is tea and juice" or "There are tea and juice"?
It has currently been linked to the ...
5
votes
1answer
193 views
Could anyone please provide me a feedback on my effort to improve my question?
I have a question about my English Language & Usage Stack Exchange post: When do I use each word? Notes, notices, updates, status, releases, announcements?
I asked this question, and it got ...
-2
votes
2answers
229 views
Should the following question have a proper answer?
I am re-editing this post hoping to convey the sense of my request:
This recent question has been closed as a duplicate but IMO the issue appears to be still open and needs a more definitive answer....
5
votes
0answers
318 views
Can we reopen this question please? [Now re-CLOSED]
Edit note 2:
The patient and long-suffering OP has now re-asked aspects of this question in three separate posts. So, there's now probably no harm in leaving this one closed.
This useful question on ...
1
vote
1answer
80 views
Should we migrate this game terminology question here?
Subject question: https://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/256801/whats-the-difference-between-bug-and-glitch
Should this question be migrated from Arqade to English Language & Usage, ...
5
votes
1answer
362 views
What is wrong with my question?
Is it correct that my question: Idiom request for wasting time or money was put aside as not respectful of the site rules. I have a short experience here but I think it was clear and it actually ...
3
votes
2answers
159 views
Why was my flag declined, and can we close this question?
I flagged this question as unclear, expecting it would be a pretty cut and dry case.
Every answer expresses uncertainty regarding what the asker is asking. There are multiple comments asking for ...
5
votes
3answers
374 views
Why is the question about “the name of a small unluxurious restaurant” so attractive?
What is the name of a small unluxurious restaurant?
42 votes? Nearly 10k views? 20 answers? In only one week? I can't believe it. I even had thought about skipping this question with a thought: "Nah, ...
2
votes
1answer
108 views
Wording of question caused confusion; how to correct it?
I asked this question:
I _____ a work of fiction. (Fill in the blank.)
By "work of fiction", I meant "fictional story", or "fictional narrative", or "product of imagination that relates a series of ...
-2
votes
1answer
93 views
What should I do about the comments on this answer?
What would you prefer I do about the comment that's repeatedly being applied to this answer?
People keep making the same comment, I object to the comment and/or warn against using the phrase being ...
6
votes
2answers
255 views
Question feedback - Did I do anything wrong here?
I'm not a native English speaker, but I usually do try my best in interacting with the Stack Exchange-sites. I haven't been using this site much so maybe there is something culturally I have missed ...
-8
votes
2answers
141 views
Why was this question asking for examples of singular they referring to a specific person put on hold?
Why was this question put on hold as unclear what you're asking by tchrist, Mysti Sinha, Hellion, medica, Barmar?
I think it's pretty clear what it's asking.
Examples of singular they referring to a ...
2
votes
2answers
89 views
I need a better answer for why my question was closed, so that I can become a better user
I am not unused to having to use the meta of an SE in order to figure out what I did wrong in asking a question, and what I can do better next time. This post is similar.
Here's the question I had ...
-8
votes
1answer
189 views
Why was this question voted to be put on hold as being POB by a user while his question is far from being objective?
Why was this question(https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/225083/on-referring-to-a-specific-definite-person-whose-gender-is-known-as-they)
voted to be put on hold as being POB by a user while ...
-5
votes
2answers
152 views
Why was this question asking how we should refer to the Christian God migrated to the Christianity site?
Why was this question asking how we should refer to the Christian God migrated to the Christianity site?
https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/36254/how-should-we-refer-to-the-christian-...
1
vote
3answers
104 views
Curious about my question being closed as off topic when I see other similar ones well received
I was just reading this question:
Why is it "behead" and not "dehead"?
And it reminded me of a question I asked a while back:
Why does the word delight have positive connotations?
I'm not sure why ...
2
votes
0answers
80 views
Why was my question closed as 'off-topic'?
I recently asked this question on ELU: Should there be a comma in "You again?"?
The answer to this question may be obvious to some of you, but for me, it isn't. I tried searching on ELU and ...
-5
votes
2answers
292 views
Why do people think this question(Like Niobe, all tears) is proofreading?
This question(Is "Like Niobe, all tears" an apposition?) was put on hold as proofreading.
Why do people think it is proofreading?
The question is not about an English composition.
4
votes
1answer
149 views
How can I improve my question?
I asked a question on the distinction between hypocorism and diminutive when referring to the form of a word. I cam back this morning to find that it had been downvoted.
Now, as a user of several ...
5
votes
1answer
373 views
Why was this question closed as “not clear what you're asking”?
I am a native speaker of English (not a pineapple), who classes himself as a "serious enthusiast" of the language. This site, as has been discussed elsewhere (most notably here), takes some ...
10
votes
2answers
216 views
Why was this grammar question closed as general reference?
The question What does “would not have been possible had I remained” mean? was closed as general reference.
It's a grammar question. Of course any grammar question can be looked up in a grammar ...
7
votes
2answers
364 views
Is asking a question on English usage which is obvious for native English speakers but not so for English language learners off-topic?
I asked this question and it was closed as off-topic.
Is asking a question on English usage which is obvious for native English speakers but not so for English language learners off-topic in this site?...
1
vote
2answers
93 views
Request to undo comment up-vote and flag
I upvoted a comment (under highly contentious "All-American" answer) in an attempt to be ironic/funny.
I actually find this answer incredibly offensive. Somebody has their
act together, and has ...
4
votes
1answer
82 views
Redundant duplicates obviated by general references
The question, What's a word for “to eliminate the need for”?, has been voted as a duplicate of Is there a word that means “make someone (or something) redundant”? which is itself closed as a general ...
-3
votes
1answer
137 views
“Do lunch” vs. “have lunch”: question closure
I realise there's a lot of this lately, and I'm about to add to it, but here goes:
Difference between "I am doing lunch" and "I am having lunch"
A perfectly valid question. The ...
12
votes
1answer
238 views
Why was the amber/yellow lights question closed as general reference?
My question Amber or yellow lights was closed as general reference. I do not understand why: what general reference?
The one reference that was cited in a comment is the Wikipedia article about the ...
2
votes
0answers
81 views
Request to reopen “Is 'deuce' (tennis) a corruption of the French phrase 'à deux de jeu'?” [closed]
This is a request to reopen the question, "Is 'deuce' (tennis) a corruption of the French phrase 'à deux de jeu'?", as per the reasons stated in the question's comments.
