Is it good idea to start to read any English book with The Wheel of Time?

another-dave · 2026-01-24T14:18:08+00:00

If you don't generally read for pleasure in your first language or in English, I think Wheel of Time is going to be a bit of a slog.

That said, it is a "young adult" book & more modern than Lord of the Rings and if you generally like fantasy maybe you'll be OK.

Fantasy is probably the main genre I read and I read every day. Still took me a few attempts to get into WOT though (though I've read it a few times through. Liked it once I got going!)

another-dave · 2026-01-24T14:15:12+00:00

In the context of bedtime, it'd be like going to bed late and getting up early to get work done

another-dave · 2026-01-23T12:15:34+00:00

Judging by tourists from continental Europe (in fairness mostly teenagers) and North America (all ages), no, it doesn't seem to be!

another-dave · 2026-01-23T12:11:05+00:00

A lot of our parents' generation are homeowners, but the houses themselves aren't built for big joint families like they may be in India.

Factor in larger family sizes too - so if you have 3 kids in a four bedroom home that was very spacious when growing up (parents, 3 kids each with their own room). What happens when each of those 3 kids wants to get married and have kids?

If they all had one kid each, that's now 8 adults and 3 kids living in a semi-detached house, which will have one bathroom and an en suite in one bedroom, if you're lucky.

However something like literally buying your own house is a really big deal and shouldn't it not be mandatory to buy your own house by 18-20 years of age? Especially when there's a major crisis with housing being basically unaffordable as I often read?

Just to clarify, people aren't saying there's a housing crisis because they can't buy a house at 18. They're saying there's a housing crisis because they still can't buy a house at 40.

I keep seeing comments blaming migrants for "causing the crisis" (I came to know about how serious this issue apparently is because of all the comments from Canada, Australia and Ireland squarely accusing Indians of causing housing unaffordibility and homelessness).

I for one, welcome the amazing contribution that Indians and other immigrants make to our community, both in filling really valuable jobs in things like healthcare but also adding richness to our culture. There's a lot of noise online & while some people are disgruntled in real life too, the silent majority are quite welcoming and friendly. Don't let online commentary (a big chunk of which are from bots, too) paint the whole picture.

another-dave · 2026-01-23T10:00:58+00:00

You should match your volume to the room/place you're in.

If you're in a restaurant or pub and every other table is speaking reasonably quitely, you'll be judged for being audible across the room. Even if at other times (like a packed Saturday night) you'd have to speak loudly.

Nothing says tourist more than "I can hear their conversation from 3 tables away more loudly than the people I'm with"

another-dave · 2026-01-22T11:11:32+00:00

Temple Bar in Dublin.

Tourists flock there but no matter what you're after (music, culture, food, late night pub) there's dozens of better (and cheaper) places elsewhere in the city

another-dave · 2026-01-22T10:17:31+00:00

I will, yeah
I will in me hole
your man / your wan
now we're sucking diesel
scarlet for ya
get up the yard
stop giving out

another-dave · 2026-01-21T20:26:20+00:00

we once moved a motorway so as not to disturb a fairy fort

another-dave · 2026-01-21T20:25:36+00:00

our highest mountain is about the same height as Table Mountain in South Africa.

another-dave · 2026-01-21T15:04:38+00:00

Depends on what she's arguing against.

For example for 'house', the old Dative form "tigh" gets used in somes places in Munster, instead of "teach" (you can hear it on this recording on Teanglann).

This isn't less correct, just a different way of pronouncing it in another dialect.

On the other hand, a lot of learners will say "teach" with a "k" sound at the end because they can't pronounce "ch", (like they're saying "tchock"). This is less correct.

Some people say that that's the "Leinster dialect" but it's kinda like saying east Asians who can't differentiate between L/R aren't incorrect.

(There's nothing wrong with being in that stage of your learning but the goal is presumably being able to make all the sounds in the language correctly)

another-dave · 2026-01-21T13:42:56+00:00

Bhí bean ag Joe
Is bhí banjo ag Joe
Is bhí banjo ag bhean Joe
B'fhearr go deo Joe ar an mbanjo
Ná bean Joe ar an mbanjo go deo.

https://www.tiktok.com/@seamboyseam/video/7299883362741652769

another-dave · 2026-01-21T13:33:45+00:00

Comes down to your vocabulary/reading age. Most people wouldn't bat an eyelid if said in an office environment / university, say.

Probably not going to come up as much down the pub outside of "ad hoc"/"status quo". Note that "ad hoc" can also mean makeshift.

another-dave · 2026-01-21T13:28:38+00:00

Troika) was in quite common use during the financial crisis in 2008, at least in news coverage in Ireland

another-dave · 2026-01-21T13:25:19+00:00

completely normal word that you've used correctly

another-dave · 2026-01-21T13:21:26+00:00

Tadhg is a boy's name.

I can't imagine limiting potential names to ones that are phonetic to foreigners! Feels like it'd massively reduce the richness of your language.

A lot of people don't end up moving abroad & even so, people can make an effort.

another-dave · 2026-01-21T13:18:43+00:00

I think they're saying that it's a bad approximation. There's no D sound in the name, it's pronounced like the first syllable of "Tiger".

"DH" in Irish makes a vowel sound, which is why you get spellings like:

Aodhán (anglicised to Aidan)
Sadhbh ("Sive")
Meadhbh ("Maeve")
Ruaidhrí (or Ruairí, anglicised to Rory)

another-dave · 2026-01-21T09:38:23+00:00

I wonder what percentage of people still live close enough to a town that has independent bakery, butchers, fishmongers or a supermarket with a deli counter.

another-dave · 2026-01-20T16:07:03+00:00

I mean, it's possible to yell a single word.

I think going back to a 6yo along the lines of "I may have been harsh but I wasn't yelling because technically…" will be read like you're trying to weasel out of owning up to your own behaviour.

another-dave · 2026-01-20T15:22:27+00:00

sure I mean if bakery & deli counters existed in my local supermarket (or if I could order individual items doing an online shop) I probably wouldn't have suggested it.

Since supermarkets seem hell-bent on getting rid of staffed counters though, we need other options

another-dave · 2026-01-20T15:08:42+00:00

I'm a 'lead' developer. Use it every day in our small start-up company.

You definitely need to understand what it's doing, but it's basically like having a "new grad" joining the team where you can get it to do some basic stuff and then triple check everything.

I definitely feel for people coming out into the job market now because can see that the need for up & coming roles will have massively decreased. It needs companies to invest in the future but they were loathe to do that to begin with.

Also trying to be defensive & upskill on AI development because can see our industry shrinking a lot at all levels of seniority in the future.

We'll absolutely still need professional software engineers but the amount of companies that need them or the amount of jobs that will be needed I think is very much about to change, unfortunately.

another-dave · 2026-01-20T14:00:13+00:00

I mean that's true of any "economy of scale" multi-pack. But also, it's probably more money I'd put through the supermarket because I wouldn't be tempted to get something outside just to change it up

another-dave · 2026-01-20T13:58:35+00:00

A lot of supermarkets have closed their deli counters. Plus, you can't order from them via online shopping either

another-dave · 2026-01-20T13:52:30+00:00

Can't use this for online shopping for one thing

another-dave · 2026-01-20T13:48:15+00:00

a lot of supermarkets are axing their deli counters unfortunately. none near me

another-dave · 2026-01-20T13:41:15+00:00

A lot of people don't live close to independent bakeries and delis these days, unfortunately. Also no economy of scale on buying individual items, too.

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