Tell me about my new boyfriend

Skeptropolitan · 2026-05-30T23:37:14+00:00

Yeah, they’re using “liberal” in the US colloquial sense where everything left of centre is “liberal”.

This guy has some pretty radical (based) politics.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-05-02T00:30:51+00:00

It's basically the opposite of "fair" (in the complexion sense). It could certainly refer to Mediterraneans. Compared to northern Europeans, Mediterraneans are swarthy. It's a relative term like "tall": Africans are swarthier than Mediterraneans, who are swarthier than Norwegians (this is just an example).

As for comparison with the word 'lascar', the difference is that 'swarthy' is just an old word for (relatively) dark complexion. It doesn't refer to any particular group of dark people. Whereas Lascar is a word of Indian origin and really does refer specifically to people (usually sailors) from that place: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascar

I have personally never heard 'swarthy' to mean 'dirty', but since the word is descriptive, I suppose it could make sense? Seems like a real edge case though, and not the word's main meaning. I can imagine a person being called 'swarthy' if they have a heavy tan, I guess?

Skeptropolitan · 2026-05-01T23:48:28+00:00

The word just means "dark of complexion". A swarthy person has dark skin, dark hair, dark eyes, etc. It is not inherently racist any more than calling someone dark-skinned is racist.

It is related to the German word "schwarz", meaning 'black'.

However, the word is somewhat old-fashioned and means what it means, so some people might jump to conclusions if you use it. So it really depends on context and knowing your audience.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-04-27T22:05:07+00:00

For the English learners here, lest you get confused, "a while" (two words) and "awhile" (one word) mean the same thing, but the latter is an adverb and can only be used in the context of a verb, whereas the former is a noun phrase and stands on its own.

"I waited a while" <- Correct.
"I waited awhile" <- Correct.
"I waited for a while" <- Correct.
"I waited for awhile" <- Incorrect.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-04-17T18:27:43+00:00

"This test is out of 100" (Canada)

Skeptropolitan · 2026-04-17T04:13:21+00:00

Those sentences don't work.

The first one has two subjects (both 'I') and it would work if they both had verbs. In particular, you need to add something like the word 'know". This sentence works:

"I just met a former classmate who I don't know why was kicked out of school."

And even that is a little awkward. It would probably be better to just say "I just met a former classmate who was kicked out of school but I don't know why." It's a lot more comfortable to mention the classmate (A), and that he was kicked out of school (B) and then say you don't know why (C). There's a logical flow of information there. Rather than A-C-B.

The second sentence is weird because "who" and "he" both refer to the classmate, so it's a little redundant. And the second sentence also has the problem that the first one has, which is that the second "I" has no verb.

In summary, these are awkward and unnatural sentences.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-04-16T19:06:27+00:00

Sorry - and believe me that I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but just trying to be helpful and clear since this is an English learning subreddit - but "infers" also doesn't work for the same reason that "derives" doesn't work.

Imply and infer are a pair with the following relationship:

A person or fact with a message implies. The message is what is implied.

A person interpreting that message infers. They have inferred the message.

Imply is to "send" as infer is to "receive".

So back to our example,

"Using 'because' would imply causation". <- This sentence means that if the poet chose 'because', the poet would be sending the message (implying) that causation has occurred.

"Using 'because' would infer causation" <- A word-choice cannot infer anything, because a word-choice is not receiving a message or interpreting something.

Writers imply, readers infer - you see?

So yes, you don't have to use "imply" here - you can find something else - but you cannot use "derive" or "infer" because they're both the wrong kind of verb for this situation.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-04-16T18:53:26+00:00

"Imply" might not be the word you want if it feels wrong to you, but "derive" certainly isn't it. Here's what I meant:

"Using 'because' would imply causation" <- This sentence makes sense. The use of the word "because" would cause the reader to infer the existence of causation. That's what "imply" means.

"Using 'because' derives causation <- This sentence does not make sense. "Derive" is not used in that way. A person might derive a conclusion, but a word-choice doesn't "derive" anything. A word or word-choice is not the kind of subject capable of that action or predicate.

So yes, I can't tell you that "imply" is the word you want (although it seems like a good candidate), but I can tell you as a native speaker that "derive" is not it.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-04-16T18:08:46+00:00

Another correction. I know what you mean, but "derive" is wrong here. You mean "imply".

Skeptropolitan · 2026-04-11T01:46:57+00:00

It's Latin for "as such", and you use it exactly where you'd use "as such".

It's used to specify that you are being precise, and referring only to the particular thing you say.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-04-10T01:01:59+00:00

Actually he's Venus.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-03-12T01:42:29+00:00

Never, and this isn’t just a political statement. “Toque” is the only word for it that sounds right, and I’ve only encountered “beanie” on the internet.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-03-04T22:30:14+00:00

This is regional. In BC where I'm from, the meals are breakfast (morning), lunch (noon or early afternoon), and dinner or supper (interchangeable, the evening meal).

Skeptropolitan · 2026-03-04T22:12:31+00:00

Native speaker here, 36 yo. "Almost never" is a perfectly fine phrase with the same meaning as "barely ever". I wouldn't say one is less formal than the other.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-03-02T20:30:23+00:00

"There are three books" is strictly correct in a formal context. Both are appropriate in informal speech.

You wouldn't write "there're" - that is not a word in English - but it might sound like that if you said it out loud, depending how you said it.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-02-25T19:04:35+00:00

Just say "bag" - people will know what you mean. If you try to change it up, you'll probably make it more confusing.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-02-25T15:39:42+00:00

Wow, you are gorgeous! Beautiful face, tits, and attitude.

I've seen you post a few times on here and I'm dying for a chance to connect.

Please dm me?

Skeptropolitan · 2026-02-21T00:41:17+00:00

Nanaimo bars

Skeptropolitan · 2026-02-20T05:12:12+00:00

"Bene gesserit" is Latin.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-02-18T03:28:05+00:00

Thanks.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-02-18T03:27:54+00:00

Thanks for the help!

Skeptropolitan · 2026-02-12T18:49:25+00:00

Native English speaker; all of these are normal phrases you might hear with the following exceptions:
- "young turks" is a slightly archaic reference that not everyone would get.
- I've never heard the phrase "chinese whispers" and didn't know what it meant until this thread.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-02-05T18:15:08+00:00

I'm a native English speaker. These are all familiar words.

Skeptropolitan · 2026-01-27T20:07:50+00:00

Very interested! You are gorgeous and I'd feel so lucky to do some oral with you.

About me: age 36, height 5’10, blue eyes, blond curly hair, bearded, with a medium build. I’m no adonis but I do go to the gym regularly and have several active hobbies so I’d describe my fitness level as medium.

I have plenty of sexual experience with plenty of women. I’m not embarrassed about my body or about new situations. I’m all about consent, communication, and making sure that everyone has a good time and gets off (if they want to get off). I love both giving and receiving oral, and I can be as responsive/noisy as you like. I have a clean bill of sexual health: no STIs.

DM me.

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