bicultural dithematic names

Dithematic names exist in most branches of IE. Are there any recorded names formed from two branches, like Vladoric or Fredeslav (Slavic+Germanic)? —Antonissimo (talk) 02:31, 21 October 2026 (UTC)

Which "IE" are you referring to? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:48, 21 October 2026 (UTC)

Indo-European languages I expect. ~2026-55120-59 (talk) 09:35, 21 October 2026 (UTC)

The name Christabel, popularised by Coleridge's poem, "seems to be a compound of Christus and Latin bella" according to E. G. Withycombe, so both elements come directly from Latin, but Christus, of course, is itself from Greek. Withycombe compares it to the Old German names Cristemia, Cristehildis and Cristemberga, which also seem to fit the bill. --Antiquary (talk) 10:22, 21 October 2026 (UTC)

For a ref desk that wasn't much of a ref. To improve it: Withycombe, E. G. (1977). The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 64. ISBN 0192812130.. --Antiquary (talk) 10:44, 21 October 2026 (UTC)

Another IMO equally plausible etymology for Christabel is a blend of (Latin) Christus (from Greek) and Spanish Isabel or Old Occitan Elisabel (from Hebrew, not even IE). This would explain the a, otherwise an unexpected interfix.  ​‑‑Lambiam 21:54, 21 October 2026 (UTC)

Or even a mutation of Cristóbal ? Nah. —Antonissimo (talk) 03:43, 22 October 2026 (UTC)

Mariana (Mary Ann). It works in Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese maybe? •PINK RENEGADE RAIDER• (Can we just talk, figure out where we're going?) 22:01, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

I think both parts of that name derive from Hebrew. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:04, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

Words ending with -slop

Why are there so many new words, that surged in 2020s, always ended with -slop? That usually happens, after the term, "AI slop" gained in popularity and went mainstream? ~2026-56457-42 (talk) 06:49, 22 October 2026 (UTC)

Probably for the same reason as for -athon signifying an "event or activity lasting a long time or involving a great deal of something"; or -gate for a scandal. See Libfix for a detailed, if rather heavy, explanation. Bazza 7 (talk) 09:15, 22 October 2026 (UTC)

A picture is worth a thousand words. 惑乱 Wakuran (talk) 12:51, 22 October 2026 (UTC)

Hello new phone wallpaper... •PINK RENEGADE RAIDER• (Can we just talk, figure out where we're going?) 22:04, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

The use of slop in the sense of content that is worthless, or produced and consumed mindlessly, is attested in Wiktionary by a citation from 1994:

In a night spent surfing the television “datasphere” (to use another Cyberia buzzword), you can watch slop like Knight Rider 2010 (where virtual reality is a weekly plot point) ..."

So this is not new. What is new is the emergence in Internet slang of -slop as a suffix. This may be related to the increase in volume of worthless content on the Internet.  ​‑‑Lambiam 16:17, 23 October 2026 (UTC)

Slop is a very old word, with many meanings, almost always negative, apparently with roots going back to PIE, where it seems to have meant something like 'slip' or 'slide'. Mirriam-Webster made it a 'word of the year' in 2025. AndyTheGrump (talk) 10:35, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

Is -slop the new brainrot? I lost track with the new internet trends since "OK Boomer" was a thing. •PINK RENEGADE RAIDER• (Can we just talk, figure out where we're going?) 22:23, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

Please help friend, she want REAL AMERICAN ENGLISH help

Hello, I ask of you, where can somebody who speak Finnish learn real American English, online and personal? I have good friend who is going to USA very soon. But she want to know real good and real American. Is not for me but I need to :) Google translate no help, it is not all American. The Finnish wiki-article no help to, it not say slang and is very very short. She want to say things like «y'all» and «very» and «gonna wanna» but no exist guide or website in Finnish at all. She want real American. Please help. Thank you.

I lucky becuse I speak Spanish and I live in California. Lots of way to improve for me. But if you are in Finland and you want American yourself? You say... fugedaboutit!

Sianliha (talk) 06:39, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

You might ask User:40bus. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 07:05, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

Yes I hear of him. He don't know probably. I can ask Pinkrenegaderaider too, she knows American English and she says «y'all» all the time. But I really need is a way for friend to learn it, the real American way. Sianliha (talk) 12:13, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

I believe that was a joke. 40bus makes frequent mistakes and produces non-standard phrases constantly. "Y'all" is Southern American English rather than General American English, by the way. 惑乱 Wakuran (talk) 12:23, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

I only brought up 40bus because he knows Finnish. Whether he could help the OP is admittedly questionable. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:41, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

«Y'all» is also AAVE and rap-slang to, I know because I know that. Sianliha (talk) 12:28, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

There seems to be significant overlap between SAE and AAVE, I have understood. 惑乱 Wakuran (talk) 21:09, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

Guess who was reading this whole thread the whole time hmmm? ;) •PINK RENEGADE RAIDER• (Can we just talk, figure out where we're going?) 21:55, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

The real American way is to be raised here. —Antonissimo (talk) 03:28, 29 October 2026 (UTC)

I see alot of Finnish users here on WP and a good majority of them use British slang like "bloody" and "bollocks" as well as phrases and references only British people would know. And I know alot of Finnish people who could pass for British because they mastered the accent so well. I think OP wants to do what they do but American. Her saying y'all and very like she said is a good start. •PINK RENEGADE RAIDER• (Can we just talk, figure out where we're going?) 16:01, 29 October 2026 (UTC)

If your friend knows British English, the guide or website does not have to be in Finnish. If she doesn't know any variety of English, no way is she going to be fluent in English very soon, and then no one will care if she peppers her broken English with "y'all" – which many American speakers don't use either.

Which region she'll go to can make a considerable difference for the colloquial language spoken there. If she speaks British English, the major give-away of not being a true-blood Murican will be her pronunciation. Your friend can listen to American sitcoms and try to mimic the casual way the actors speak.

Wikipedia has articles on Comparison of American and British English, American English regional vocabulary and North American English regional phonology.  ​‑‑Lambiam 07:51, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

Well she does not know at all. Not British or American. But problem is that all things for help in Finland are in British and not American!!! She need American, real true American. She want to say «y'all» and «very» like I do. I live in California. Lots of people there say «y'all» there. Do you want friend to be true American or do you want her to say «bloody hell in the Queen's arse» in Finland? The choice is clear for her. She watch too many American TV shows and listen to rap but that is no help. The guides is no help. We want TRUE American for her, she want to know the accent of Texas, how to use American slang, how to use «very» and «really» like an American, she want more than just «color» vs. «colour» and all that. And she prefer if she can have real American guide in Finnish. I would love in Spanish for me to. This is hard!!!! Sianliha (talk) 12:20, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

What you are asking for seems impossible. If your friend knows no English, she isn't going to learn enough of the basics of grammar and vocabulary 'very soon', never mind the subtleties of different dialects. Learning spoken language takes immersion, and time, it isn't something you can pick up by reading a website. AndyTheGrump (talk) 13:20, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

For foreigners wanting to speak like an average midwestern American, I suggest listening to and singing along to country music. While I find country "music" physically revolting, it is slow enough to understand and the words tend to be actual words you would use in everyday conversations. I've found that it greatly helped Chinese and Japanese students trying to learn better English. I was told that helped tour guides in Norway learn American English as well (but they called it Hollywood English). I suggested it to a Nigerian and he liked it a little, but couldn't handle the music. ~2026-46630-01 (talk) 13:30, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

Okay thank you. It sounds like a great idea. However my friend like rap alot. She like the AAVE and ebonic style the most in American English. That is why she ask about «y'all» and «very» the most. Does rap help? Sianliha (talk) 14:25, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

It you want to be a joke like Malibu's Most Wanted, then rap is a great choice. ~2026-46630-01 (talk) 14:39, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

The OP lapsed into proper English for a moment: "It sounds like a great idea." I wonder how that happened? :) ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:42, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

HahaHAAAA very funny 😒 Sianliha (talk) 21:45, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

Kyllä!. :) ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:54, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

Yo bro don't dunk on my homegirl. How would you like it if you were in her shoes? Once upon a time in Dollywood I was. Swear to Jolene. •PINK RENEGADE RAIDER• (Can we just talk, figure out where we're going?) 21:56, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

At least she didn't say K-Pop. Yuck. •PINK RENEGADE RAIDER• (Can we just talk, figure out where we're going?) 21:58, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

If the OP's friend is a foreigner, they'd be well advised to stay out of the American South. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:00, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

Especially if she looks brown or can pass for Latina. Anyyyway. Tell her to be careful but never stop chasing her dreams. •PINK RENEGADE RAIDER• (Can we just talk, figure out where we're going?) 22:16, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

Are there Black Finns like the Black Irish? —Antonissimo (talk) 03:26, 29 October 2026 (UTC)

The term Finn is ambiguous; it can refer to ethnicity or to nationality; these do not always coincide. In particular, many Finns are ethnically Sámi, who may not look like your typical paleface European.  ​‑‑Lambiam 08:05, 29 October 2026 (UTC)

Yep. A couple of the rappers are. Turisti and Kerza come to my mind first. •PINK RENEGADE RAIDER• (Can we just talk, figure out where we're going?) 15:58, 29 October 2026 (UTC)

Exactly as there are certainly no foreigners allowed in the American South, except all those people from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti... but those are "American" countries. There sure ain't none of them Asians except the millions from China, India, Vietnam... but a few million of them ain't hardly noticeable when there ain't none no Africans except all those from Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa... Iceland. There ain't many people from Iceland in the American South. If someone's from Iceland, they need to stay out or they will surely stand out as a foreigner. ~2026-46630-01 (talk) 16:15, 29 October 2026 (UTC)

Meanwhile, there are more Finnish immigrants nowadays in the UK, Scotland, and Canada than in the US, when a century ago, they all came to Minnesota and Michigan. Weird huh? •PINK RENEGADE RAIDER• (Can we just talk, figure out where we're going?) 16:49, 29 October 2026 (UTC)

Y'all talking to much... but we not find anything??? She need help. I try everything. I give up. Very sad. 😭 Sianliha (talk) 17:12, 29 October 2026 (UTC)

There are various YouTube guides and such, but it sounds that the task would take a lot more time than she has realized... 惑乱 Wakuran (talk) 19:42, 29 October 2026 (UTC)

Possibly coincidence, but didn't someone ask a similar question a few months ago? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 20:39, 29 October 2026 (UTC)

"In/At (the) college/university" in American English

If I wish to speak American English, how do I refer to a school where one can study for a degree (e.g. bachelor's or master's degree) and which is not in the US?

My first thought was "college", but the Britannica Dictionary says that colleges are "in the U.S.": https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/college

If so, the only other word I can think of is "university", but I'm not sure whether it's "at university" or "at the univeristy" or "in univeristy" or "in the university" in American English.

Many thanks in advance. ~2026-57812-48 (talk) 22:59, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

A correction re British English, you've missed one of the Britannica Dictionary's definitions: "a separate part of a large British university where students live and take courses" On can certainly take a course for a degree at say Balliol College, part of the University of Oxford. And 'at' is generally the accepted form. AndyTheGrump (talk) 23:09, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

It's not really a correction, and it's not helpful whatsover. As the very first sentence of my post says I'm looking for a word for "a school ..." not for "a separate part of a large British university ..." ~2026-57453-78 (talk) 23:20, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

It should also perhaps be noted that London has both University College, London and Imperial College, which are essentially universities in their own right (now merged to some extent), each of which has BA/BScd & MA/MSC degree-level teaching departments (+postgrad). The terminology gets confusing, but regardless, one would study say 'history at UCL' and earn 'a Ba in history from UCL'. AndyTheGrump (talk) 23:17, 28 October 2026 (UTC)

For studying (or teaching, or doing research) at/in a specific university, you use "at the ...", where "the ..." is a noun phrase determining the university. For example, "Ulrike attended various universities and then landed at the University of Munster in 1957 on a scholarship for orphans." (Other determiners than "the" can also be used, e.g. as in "Daisy thought no other rural students were at her university)

For being in the segment of one's educational trajectory where one takes university courses, use "in university", without determiner. For example, "While in university, Ingeborg met another woman, Renate Riemeck." This means the same as "while attending university".

The quoted passages are from books by American authors.  ​‑‑Lambiam 07:46, 29 October 2026 (UTC)

"In the U.S."??? So, what are we Canadians? Chopped liver? Clarityfiend (talk) 08:00, 29 October 2026 (UTC)

I use the term "higher education institution" to avoid confusion when talking to my friends across the pond. In both AmE and BrE, a distinction can be made between colleges and universities, but the degree of those distinctions differs (pun not intended, but perfectly descriptive). ~ oklopfer (💬︎) 08:12, 29 October 2026 (UTC)

Baorisa hieroglyphica

What is this moth called in the languages (besides English) of the parts of the world where it is native? -sche (talk) 02:04, 30 October 2026 (UTC)

This is a primarily nocturnal moth, rarely spotted, whose habitat preference is high up mountain sides. Here and here the moth is called ngengat Picasso in Indonesian, which is a calque of Picasso moth. I would not expect it to have folk names in local vernaculars.

The "artwork" does not remind me of Picasso; Kandinsky moth would have been a better match.  ​‑‑Lambiam 07:59, 30 October 2026 (UTC)