English 101 with Trihan sometimes!

Wonkyth · Sat 28/11/2009 09:29:31

I don't think so.
You cant say sensical, but you cant say nonsensible...can you?

Lufia · Sat 28/11/2009 16:29:51

Well, insensible exists but doesn't quite match every meaning of sensible.

Some thing sensible is something that makes sense. Isn't that the same meaning that sensical would have, or am I missing a nuance?

Snarky · Sat 28/11/2009 23:19:14

A classic PG Wodehouse line goes: "I could see that, if not actually disgruntled, he was far from being gruntled."

Sam. · Sun 29/11/2009 00:07:58

Filling your shopping list with anger and bile would be nonsensical.

Trying to do your shopping inside a volcano would not be sensible.

SSH · Mon 30/11/2009 10:06:44

I'm always angry and bilious when I fill my shopping list...

In other new, QI revealed that not only is Stephen Fry not bothered by Grocers' apostrophes but also that there are only 3 apostrophes in the whole of the USA.

Wonkyth · Mon 30/11/2009 10:19:43

lol

Atelier · Mon 30/11/2009 10:57:28

I joined the APS (Apostrophe Protection Society) straight after that broadcast, because Im really scared that one day all the apostrophe's will be used in the wrong place. But oh well.

Ali · Mon 30/11/2009 11:17:33

Quote from: Lufia on Sat 28/11/2009 16:29:51
Well, insensible exists but doesn't quite match every meaning of sensible.

Some thing sensible is something that makes sense. Isn't that the same meaning that sensical would have, or am I missing a nuance?

I'd say that's the main usage of 'sensible'. As you say, 'sensible' and 'insensible' can match, with a slightly archaic sense of 'sensible':

"I was sensible of John's love for Nancy." - that is to say, it was present to my senses.

"John was utterly insensible." - Nancy must be quite something.

Incidentally, my new perfume 'archaic sense of sensible' will be in the stores by Christmas.

Stupot · Mon 30/11/2009 15:57:19

I like this discussion

... to think if we weren't having it we would be having a cussion... how boring would that be.

Andail · Mon 30/11/2009 17:37:02

I don't disagree...
I agree!!!!

no wait

monkey0506 · Mon 30/11/2009 19:37:19

"dis-" is usually a negative prefix as in "disagree", "disabled", "dysfunctional" (yes I know that's not the same spelling

). Clearly the reason "discussion" then has that prefix is indicative of the fact that 99.99% of all "cussions" will, given appropriate stimuli and time, devolve into little more than some sort of political view/religious belief bashing, which is never productive or educational by any standards.

Scarab · Tue 01/12/2009 13:40:46

Quote from: Ali on Mon 30/11/2009 11:17:33
"I was sensible of John's love for Nancy." - that is to say, it was present to my senses.

Really? I would have thought that one would be sensitive to John's love of Nancy, if it was present to their senses. (I like using 'one' because I can pretend I'm ~~the queen~~ royalty...)

I've never heard sensible be used in this fashion before. Only really in reference to common sense (or similar meanings such as 'making sense').

Please correct me if I'm wrong

Ali · Tue 01/12/2009 15:52:57

Chambers includes "cognizant, aware (of)" among the more familiar definitions of 'sensible'.

I'm not a common usage, so I don't blame you for not recognising it, ~~Your Highness~~ Scarab!

TerranRich · Tue 01/12/2009 16:00:15

Sensitive means something enters your senses... i.e. you're taking something into consideration

Sensible means you're using your senses... mainly your wits and rational thinking

Nonsensical means it makes no sense.

Ali · Tue 01/12/2009 16:09:34

Though these words have several definitions with a degree of fluidity, I'd disagree with you Terran Rich.

'Sensitive' usually means capable of sensing, but also tender (and in King of the hill, gay).

'Sensible' usually means level headed and logical. However a person can be sensible of an object, and an object can be sensible. In the first case, 'sensible' means that the person is aware of the object. In the second, it means that the object is present to the senses or able to be sensed.

TerranRich · Tue 01/12/2009 22:47:27

Yeah, I was just trying to match each word to how they related to the base word "sense".

Scarab · Thu 03/12/2009 14:20:16

Quote from: Ali on Tue 01/12/2009 16:09:34
However a person can be sensible of an object,

Gahh! It just can't not sound weird to me $:-\$
Is this a phrase you would use Ali? Or are you saying it is just technically correct?

I mean, for me, in any sentence where it could be used in this fashion, 'aware' or 'knowledgeable' would be much more natural sounding words.

p.s. What's all this about apostrophies? Is there something I'm missing here?

Ali · Sat 05/12/2009 13:42:49

Quote from: Scarab on Thu 03/12/2009 14:20:16
Quote from: Ali on Tue 01/12/2009 16:09:34
However a person can be sensible of an object,

Gahh! It just can't not sound weird to me $:-\$
Is this a phrase you would use Ali? Or are you saying it is just technically correct?

Well, I would use it. But I'd might be talking in a high falutin' old timey way and pretending to puff on a pipe while using it. If someone made a game set in 19th Century England, this usage would help add verisimilitude to the dialogue. For me at least!

RickJ · Sun 13/12/2009 19:56:12

Most words in the title of a book or movie are capitalised except words like a, the. What is the proper way to make this determination? I'm embarrassed to admit that I have been guessing at it all these years without knowing for sure.

Perhaps if someone compiles a more or less complete list of exceptions I will make a string extender function, String.Titlize(), that converts a string to a properly capitalised title.

Calin Leafshade · Sun 13/12/2009 20:00:07

Generally its conjunctions (but, while, and, etc) and articles (the, a) that are not capitalised.

the preposition 'of' is also often not capitalised but most prepositions are.

Edit: for your perusal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Title_case#Headings_and_publication_titles

Edit2: Also i noticed someone said 'dysfunctional' was using the prefix 'dys' as a negation.

This is not true. 'Dys' means 'bad' and not 'not' and is the opposite of 'Eu'

so dysphonious, dysphemism, dystopia.