Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2016 May 14

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May 14

What word describes this relationship between words?

We have a "common" or well-known phrase or statement. Specifically, "Heaven Can Wait". The title of a new TV show is "playing on words" with that and is called Kevin Can Wait. What word describes this relationship? We would say that "Kevin Can Wait" is a _____ of "Heaven Can Wait". Thanks. Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 01:00, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

See "Snowclone".—Wavelength (talk) 01:28, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

Or, for those wary of deliberately manufactured neologisms, try allusion, as in, the title "Kevin Can Wait" alludes to the more familiar "Heaven Can Wait" . --Tagishsimon (talk) 01:36, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

Wordplay. Then the sentence would read, "Kevin Can Wait" is a wordplay on "Heaven Can Wait". Akld guy (talk) 01:40, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

A type of pun? -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 05:46, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

Thanks, all. Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 17:27, 15 May 2016 (UTC)

"Pelt a bluff"

There is an expression which appears to be used in Trinidadian and Guyanan English: "to pelt a bluff". Examples of usage:

"... the vast majority of is in Trinidad not prepared to take it to court so they pelt a bluff and we accept" [1]

"But watch them, they pelt a bluff the government waited until they filed judicial relief ..." [2]

"Several studies have demonstrated that those who begin their conversation with 'I have/ I am' are quite narcissistic by nature. Next time you try to pelt a bluff, try to leave out the capital 'I'". [3]

"Well it was tough, rough/ I really had to pelt a bluff" (song lyric) [4]

What does this mean? --Metropolitan90 (talk) 02:16, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

It may mean "to strike".[5] ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:28, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

"pelt a bluff". Bus stop (talk) 02:49, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

Judging by the way it is used, it seems to mean "present an argument". Bus stop (talk) 02:55, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

Looking at the context of those examples, I think it's simpler than that: just "to bluff". The second example also has the interesting "skin up the bluff", which in my theory would then be to call a bluff. Henry^Flower 05:38, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

Thanks to Henry for his suggestion, and thanks to Bugs and Bus stop as well. --Metropolitan90 (talk) 05:47, 17 May 2016 (UTC)

sanskrit

45.115.53.30 (talk) 08:08, 14 May 2016 (UTC)how to read wikipedia in sanskrit?-

See sa:. This of course, assumes you already know Sanskrit. Intelligentsium 08:37, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

See Category:Sanskrit and http://www.learnsanskrit.org and http://learnsanskritonline.com

and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1kiiX5e9_o (14:33)

and http://www.ukindia.com/zip/zsan01.htm and http://www.americansanskrit.com

and http://www.dmoz.org/Science/Social_Sciences/Linguistics/Languages/Natural/Indo-European/Indo-Iranian/Indo-Aryan/Sanskrit/.

—Wavelength (talk) 15:14, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

If you mean the word "Wikipedia", see विकिपीडिया (Vikipīḍiyā). —Stephen (talk) 22:50, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

Maktoum tree, translate from Arabic

Could someone translate the little boxes, giving the contents of each one in a systematic manner so that I know what's what? Someone requested an English version at the Graphics Lab, but that obviously requires English text first. Nothing is specified about the language, but the uploader, Commons:User:Producer, was a resident of the UAE and a contributer to ar:wp, according to his Commons userpage. Nyttend (talk) 23:17, 14 May 2016 (UTC)

It is the pedigree of Emirs of Dubai. This wiki page (Emirs_of_Dubai) should help you. Notice the dates of rule in the referred pages. Let me know if you need more help. Omidinist (talk) 04:16, 15 May 2016 (UTC)