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  3. Is there a linguist in the house?

Is there a linguist in the house?

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  • L Lost User

    What is the difference between filling out and filling in a questionnaire? It is "ingevuld", "filled in".

    Sander Rossel wrote:

    I think both are correct even though 'in' and 'out' are each others opposites...

    As you already said yourself, 'fill out on details' is a no go - spoken language is not coherently logical.

    Sander Rossel wrote:

    In or out?

    Throw 'filled out' into GTrans and have your answer.

    Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^][](X-Clacks-Overhead: GNU Terry Pratchett)

    Sander RosselS Offline
    Sander RosselS Offline
    Sander Rossel
    wrote on last edited by
    #24

    Eddy Vluggen wrote:

    Throw 'filled out' into GTrans and have your answer.

    Now do the same with "filled in" :laugh:

    Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

    Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

    Regards, Sander

    L 1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • R RedDk

      "Fill in" really means "put down so there's nothing wanting". So there's a great amount of leeway left to chance in the directive. This is not a lecture but you shouldn't let your mind wander in this way. Concentrate.

      Sander RosselS Offline
      Sander RosselS Offline
      Sander Rossel
      wrote on last edited by
      #25

      RedDk wrote:

      This is not a lecture but you shouldn't let your mind wander in this way. Concentrate.

      I was concentrating on my writing. So much even that I started to wonder what would be better, in or out? And then I set off to find out about it. Or did I find it in? Now that's dedicated writing! :laugh:

      Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

      Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

      Regards, Sander

      1 Reply Last reply
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      • Sander RosselS Sander Rossel

        Yvan Rodrigues wrote:

        Please complete this questionnaire.

        I've already completed it. All I need is for the user to fill it in/out :)

        Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

        Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

        Regards, Sander

        Y Offline
        Y Offline
        Yvan Rodrigues
        wrote on last edited by
        #26

        LOL. As someone who writes **a lot**, English is definitely a quirky language.

        Yvan Rodrigues, C.Tech. Red Cell Innovation Inc.

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        • Sander RosselS Sander Rossel

          Marc Clifton wrote:

          to remove the "B" and the "R"

          In-N-Out uge :confused:

          Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

          Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

          Regards, Sander

          M Offline
          M Offline
          Marc Clifton
          wrote on last edited by
          #27

          Sander Rossel wrote:

          In-N-Out uge

          See? This is what happens when the customer does not provide sufficiently detailed specs. Marc

          Imperative to Functional Programming Succinctly Contributors Wanted for Higher Order Programming Project!

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          • Sander RosselS Sander Rossel

            Eddy Vluggen wrote:

            Throw 'filled out' into GTrans and have your answer.

            Now do the same with "filled in" :laugh:

            Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

            Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

            Regards, Sander

            L Offline
            L Offline
            Lost User
            wrote on last edited by
            #28

            :-\ Still, as a Dutch person I prefer to "fill in the gaps on a form", opposed to "filling it out".

            1 Reply Last reply
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            • Sander RosselS Sander Rossel

              So whenever I'm writing I often wonder about all kinds of small and silly language details. I just wondered what the (more?) correct translation of the Dutch word 'ingevuld' is. My first thought was 'fill out' (as in "can you fill out this questionnaire?"). Then I though 'fill in' (as in "can you fill in this questionnaire?"). Google Translate just gives me 'fill' when I give it 'invullen'. I think both are correct even though 'in' and 'out' are each others opposites... Of course 'fill in' can also be used in the following sentence: "Can you fill me in on the details?", where 'fill out' would be a no-go: "Can you fill me out on the details?". Any ideas on what I should use? In or out?

              Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

              Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

              Regards, Sander

              L Offline
              L Offline
              Lost User
              wrote on last edited by
              #29

              This is a question of preference by location. Yanks tend to use Fill Out Poms tend to use Fill In I would suggest that "Fill In" is strictly more correct as "fill out" is just nonsense. Best definition I cold find of Fill Out was "to extend or enlarge to the desired limit; to make complete" (Websters) Which explains its use as in "Sean fills out the dress" and you can see how it could be used to suggest extending the contents of a form to complete it. Fill In on the other hand, is "to enrich with detail" Which is why you can "fill someone in" on the results of the enquiry.

              PooperPig - Coming Soon

              1 Reply Last reply
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              • Sander RosselS Sander Rossel

                So whenever I'm writing I often wonder about all kinds of small and silly language details. I just wondered what the (more?) correct translation of the Dutch word 'ingevuld' is. My first thought was 'fill out' (as in "can you fill out this questionnaire?"). Then I though 'fill in' (as in "can you fill in this questionnaire?"). Google Translate just gives me 'fill' when I give it 'invullen'. I think both are correct even though 'in' and 'out' are each others opposites... Of course 'fill in' can also be used in the following sentence: "Can you fill me in on the details?", where 'fill out' would be a no-go: "Can you fill me out on the details?". Any ideas on what I should use? In or out?

                Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

                Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

                Regards, Sander

                S Offline
                S Offline
                Shuqian Ying
                wrote on last edited by
                #30

                A coder tends to use "fill in" but a manager want it to be "fill out"ed ...?

                Find more in vertical search portal[^]. Email searcher Email Aggregation Manager[^].

                B 1 Reply Last reply
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                • S Shuqian Ying

                  A coder tends to use "fill in" but a manager want it to be "fill out"ed ...?

                  Find more in vertical search portal[^]. Email searcher Email Aggregation Manager[^].

                  B Offline
                  B Offline
                  BobbyStrain
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #31

                  When in doubt, use "complete". The reader can then make her own interpretation. Bobby

                  1 Reply Last reply
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                  • Richard DeemingR Richard Deeming

                    Now try "ox boll". ;P


                    "These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined." - Homer

                    W Offline
                    W Offline
                    Wastedtalent
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #32

                    fuzzy duck?

                    D 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • Sander RosselS Sander Rossel

                      So whenever I'm writing I often wonder about all kinds of small and silly language details. I just wondered what the (more?) correct translation of the Dutch word 'ingevuld' is. My first thought was 'fill out' (as in "can you fill out this questionnaire?"). Then I though 'fill in' (as in "can you fill in this questionnaire?"). Google Translate just gives me 'fill' when I give it 'invullen'. I think both are correct even though 'in' and 'out' are each others opposites... Of course 'fill in' can also be used in the following sentence: "Can you fill me in on the details?", where 'fill out' would be a no-go: "Can you fill me out on the details?". Any ideas on what I should use? In or out?

                      Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

                      Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

                      Regards, Sander

                      E Offline
                      E Offline
                      EbenRoux
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #33

                      Hi Sander, In Afrikaans we also use "invul". But the more correct Afrikaans would be "voltooi" for a form of some sort. So I would go with "complete" for a questionnaire. So it is probably going to depend on the context :) Regards, Eben

                      F 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • E EbenRoux

                        Hi Sander, In Afrikaans we also use "invul". But the more correct Afrikaans would be "voltooi" for a form of some sort. So I would go with "complete" for a questionnaire. So it is probably going to depend on the context :) Regards, Eben

                        F Offline
                        F Offline
                        Freak30
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #34

                        In German we use "ausfüllen" for forms, which in principle means close the gaps so that it's completely filled in the end.

                        The good thing about pessimism is, that you are always either right or pleasently surprised.

                        1 Reply Last reply
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                        • Sander RosselS Sander Rossel

                          I won't be complete until I know the difference between fill in and fill out and why two opposites are used for the same thing :D

                          Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

                          Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

                          Regards, Sander

                          G Offline
                          G Offline
                          Gary R Wheeler
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #35

                          The phrases "fill in" and "fill out" are idiomatic in English. The word idiomatic is the linguistic weasel term for "beats the crap out of us why it's this way".

                          Software Zen: delete this;

                          Sander RosselS 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • G Gary R Wheeler

                            The phrases "fill in" and "fill out" are idiomatic in English. The word idiomatic is the linguistic weasel term for "beats the crap out of us why it's this way".

                            Software Zen: delete this;

                            Sander RosselS Offline
                            Sander RosselS Offline
                            Sander Rossel
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #36

                            Gary R. Wheeler wrote:

                            The word idiomatic is the linguistic weasel term for "beats the crap out of us why it's this way".

                            :laugh: :thumbsup:

                            Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

                            Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

                            Regards, Sander

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • W Wastedtalent

                              fuzzy duck?

                              D Offline
                              D Offline
                              dave sellers
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #37

                              Highlighting the importance of the comma: Peter helped his uncle Jack off a horse

                              Dave

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • Sander RosselS Sander Rossel

                                So whenever I'm writing I often wonder about all kinds of small and silly language details. I just wondered what the (more?) correct translation of the Dutch word 'ingevuld' is. My first thought was 'fill out' (as in "can you fill out this questionnaire?"). Then I though 'fill in' (as in "can you fill in this questionnaire?"). Google Translate just gives me 'fill' when I give it 'invullen'. I think both are correct even though 'in' and 'out' are each others opposites... Of course 'fill in' can also be used in the following sentence: "Can you fill me in on the details?", where 'fill out' would be a no-go: "Can you fill me out on the details?". Any ideas on what I should use? In or out?

                                Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

                                Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

                                Regards, Sander

                                A Offline
                                A Offline
                                agolddog
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #38

                                I think these are idiomatic phrases; there's no particular sense to the meaning of the specific words as an entity; native speakers have developed this phrase over time which people just understand the meaning. So, there's not a way to take phrase 1 from Dutch and translate it word-for-word; it's more about figuring out the context and replacing the entire phrase. I was told by a Dutchie a couple years ago about 'kip' and playing cards like a chicken, but it didn't mean afraid like English would take chicken. I can't remember exactly, but it was more like being nonsensical.

                                Sander RosselS 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • A agolddog

                                  I think these are idiomatic phrases; there's no particular sense to the meaning of the specific words as an entity; native speakers have developed this phrase over time which people just understand the meaning. So, there's not a way to take phrase 1 from Dutch and translate it word-for-word; it's more about figuring out the context and replacing the entire phrase. I was told by a Dutchie a couple years ago about 'kip' and playing cards like a chicken, but it didn't mean afraid like English would take chicken. I can't remember exactly, but it was more like being nonsensical.

                                  Sander RosselS Offline
                                  Sander RosselS Offline
                                  Sander Rossel
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #39

                                  Playing cards like a chicken? Never heard of that one before :laugh: I'm not about translating word for word, I understand the English language well enough not to do that :) But still, 'fill in' and 'fill out' makes no sense at all. We have stuff like that in Dutch too though! One of my favorite phrases to literally translate is "that shall be me a sausage!", which is what the Dutch say when they really don't care about something :laugh: Sounds so stupid in English, yet makes perfect sense in the Netherlands ;)

                                  Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

                                  Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

                                  Regards, Sander

                                  9 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • Sander RosselS Sander Rossel

                                    Playing cards like a chicken? Never heard of that one before :laugh: I'm not about translating word for word, I understand the English language well enough not to do that :) But still, 'fill in' and 'fill out' makes no sense at all. We have stuff like that in Dutch too though! One of my favorite phrases to literally translate is "that shall be me a sausage!", which is what the Dutch say when they really don't care about something :laugh: Sounds so stupid in English, yet makes perfect sense in the Netherlands ;)

                                    Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

                                    Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

                                    Regards, Sander

                                    9 Offline
                                    9 Offline
                                    9082365
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #40

                                    Sander Rossel wrote:

                                    "that shall be me a sausage!", which is what the Dutch say when they really don't care about something

                                    Do the Dutch have a particular disregard for sausages then? Clearly this would not go down well in Britain where we use 'water off a duck's back' for the same meaning. English is full of totally contradictory expressions which actually mean the same thing and make the choice of 'in' and 'out' a very minor matter indeed. Puzzle instead how 'slim chance' and 'fat chance' can possibly both mean something isn't going to happen in a million years or 'flammable' and 'inflammable' both warn you to keep something away from the fire! Then you can really mess your brain up with how steep upward slopes in this green and pleasant land came to be called 'downs' and 'head over heels' came to be the standard expression for lifting your heels over your head!

                                    Sander RosselS 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • 9 9082365

                                      Sander Rossel wrote:

                                      "that shall be me a sausage!", which is what the Dutch say when they really don't care about something

                                      Do the Dutch have a particular disregard for sausages then? Clearly this would not go down well in Britain where we use 'water off a duck's back' for the same meaning. English is full of totally contradictory expressions which actually mean the same thing and make the choice of 'in' and 'out' a very minor matter indeed. Puzzle instead how 'slim chance' and 'fat chance' can possibly both mean something isn't going to happen in a million years or 'flammable' and 'inflammable' both warn you to keep something away from the fire! Then you can really mess your brain up with how steep upward slopes in this green and pleasant land came to be called 'downs' and 'head over heels' came to be the standard expression for lifting your heels over your head!

                                      Sander RosselS Offline
                                      Sander RosselS Offline
                                      Sander Rossel
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #41

                                      :laugh: I'm always amazed by ordinary and extraordinary. Ordinary is just something common, in the Netherlands it even has a negative feel to it. If someone is ordinary he or she has no class or style. Now if you are EXTRA ordinary you're everything but ordinary! How did that happen? :D And we use the words in Dutch too (spelled a little different), but with the same meaning: common and amazing :laugh:

                                      Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

                                      Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

                                      Regards, Sander

                                      9 1 Reply Last reply
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                                      • Y Yvan Rodrigues

                                        I dare you to quickly repeat that 10 times.

                                        Yvan Rodrigues, C.Tech. Red Cell Innovation Inc.

                                        I Offline
                                        I Offline
                                        inch
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #42

                                        I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's mate, I'm only plucking pheasants because the pheasant pluckers late!

                                        1 Reply Last reply
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                                        • Sander RosselS Sander Rossel

                                          :laugh: I'm always amazed by ordinary and extraordinary. Ordinary is just something common, in the Netherlands it even has a negative feel to it. If someone is ordinary he or she has no class or style. Now if you are EXTRA ordinary you're everything but ordinary! How did that happen? :D And we use the words in Dutch too (spelled a little different), but with the same meaning: common and amazing :laugh:

                                          Visit my blog at Sander's bits - Writing the code you need. Or read my articles at my CodeProject profile.

                                          Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. — Edsger W. Dijkstra

                                          Regards, Sander

                                          9 Offline
                                          9 Offline
                                          9082365
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #43

                                          'Extra' in that case doesn't mean 'more' but 'outside' as in extra-terrestrial, extraneous etc. It's actually the meaning of 'extra' as a separate word that's extraordinary. Used as a prefix it always means, 'out', 'beyond' etc.

                                          Sander RosselS 1 Reply Last reply
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