Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2013 February 20

= February 20 =

Spanish help
Hi, I wonder if someone fluent in Spanish might be able to glance over the document at http://www.scribd.com/doc/97475201/Documento-Posicionamiento-Reloj-Solar, which is cited in the article Equator against the claim:


 * Quitsato Sundial, at Mitad del Mundo, Ecuador. It's one of the most accurate places in the world in determining Equator position by using modern GPS and GNSS equipment.

The article has been tagged with the question "Why?" (i.e "Why is the determination of the position of the Equator more accurate here than elsewhere?") Does the cited document shed any light on why that might be so, or even claim that it is so? 86.160.222.18 (talk) 12:55, 20 February 2013 (UTC)
 * I don't consider myself "fluent", but I can tell you that this is a detailed technical explanation of how the Ecuadorian government determined the position of the equator with high precision, using the GPS system. I didn't notice anything claiming that it's the most accurate in the world, or even "one of" the most accurate, to use the wikipedia editor's wording. That conclusion is implicit, and not well-stated in the wikipedia article, either. It would be better to say something like what I said, which the linked article supports: that it was measured with high precision by using a GPS system. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 14:27, 20 February 2013 (UTC)
 * As a fluent speaker, I consider Bugs' explanation completely accurate and his suggestion precise.-- MarshalN20 | T al k 03:49, 21 February 2013 (UTC)
 * Thanks, I removed that claim from the article. 86.160.212.72 (talk) 12:20, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

Euphemisms for "fried"
People seem to have figured out that fried food is unhealthy. Many restaurants, rather than stop frying food in response to consumer demand, have instead disguised the fact that their food is fried. For example, Kentucky Fried Chicken has changed their name to "KFC", so people don't think about most of their food being fried (they also introduced grilled chicken, but it's so bad I have to think they are intentionally trying to steer people back to higher profit fried foods).

Now for my Q. The current euphemisms for fried I'm aware of are "battered", "breaded", and "crispy". Are there any others I should be aware of, so I don't get surprised by a greasy, fried mess on my plate ? StuRat (talk) 16:29, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * Of course there are traditional Asian cooking styles that involve deep-frying, such as tempura in Japan or "salt-and-pepper" in China (typically used for seafood). I don't think these labels are euphemistic, since they predate modern health concerns.  Also, "fish and chips" is generally deep-fried, without "fried" being part of the dish's name.  Marco polo (talk) 16:57, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * Beware broasting, which is another form of frying. Kentucky Fried Chicken is technically broasted, though the process antedates the name.  The "broasting" name for "pressure frying" arrives from an independent invention of the same process that Harland Sanders came up with when he invented Kentucky Fried Chicken; there are likely other similar methods of pressure frying that have been invented or adapted at various other times in history.  For trademark purposes, it isn't called "broasting", but compare the process described at KFC with that described at broasting.  It's the same thing, broadly speaking.  -- Jayron  32  17:38, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * Wow; hot pressurized oil ? I'm surprised that doesn't kill as many people from burns as die from eating it. StuRat (talk) 23:25, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * Devices typically have safety features to prevent the possibility of opening while under pressure. I'm not going to say no one has ever been hurt by a failed pressure fryer, but the ubiquitousness of KFC restaurants, and the relatively low skill level of their employees lends to evidence that it isn't markedly less safe than other cookery.  You can cause serious damage with any cooking method; and lots of stuff out there on the web specifically recommends against home pressure frying.  The wikipedia article on the subject specifically notes that such techniques are limited to commercial kitchens almost exclusively.  -- Jayron  32  02:51, 21 February 2013 (UTC)


 * Yes, electrical home deep fryers seem to be especially dangerous, as kids will pull the cord and the hot oil will spill on them, causing severe burns or death. This model, on the other hand, seem to be specifically designed to spill oil on the father: . StuRat (talk) 05:58, 21 February 2013 (UTC)


 * Breaded can also mean "coated in breadcrumbs and cooked in the oven". It's not as nice IMHO as fried in breadcrumbs, but seems to be appearing in more and more places. In the UK "pan-fried" often means cooked in a frying pan in a minimal amount of oil. (Pan-fried? What else do you fry in?) To directly answer Stu's Q, look out for "saute" especially saute potatoes. --TammyMoet (talk) 19:41, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * I thought "pan-fried" contrasted with "deep-fried"? 86.160.222.18 (talk) 19:50, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * For linking purposes: deep frying and Pan frying. -- Jayron  32  20:19, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * ...and sautéing. Looie496 (talk) 21:48, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * I've also heard of oven frying (although apparently Wikipedia has not). But Google has: . StuRat (talk) 23:27, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * Oven fries redirects to French fries. --   Jack of Oz   [Talk]  05:10, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

Thanks, all. StuRat (talk) 03:42, 25 February 2013 (UTC)

Daryl Katz
How does Daryl Katz pronounce his name, cats or kets? The image in his article isn't the best and since he lives near me I was going to knock on his door with my camera and see if he wants a better one. I want to pronounce his name correctly so I don't sound foolish.--Canoe1967 (talk) 19:53, 20 February 2013 (UTC)
 * Everyone I have known with this surname pronounces it to rhyme with cats. Lesgles (talk) 20:40, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * Don't you think, perhaps, that even if you make it to this billionaire's door without being stopped by security people, the response to a knock may be "Release the hounds"? Deor (talk) 20:47, 20 February 2013 (UTC)
 * Not in Edmonton. We don't have many security and violence issues here. He probably has a gate and intercom like the movies. Should I go with 'rhymes with cats' then?--Canoe1967 (talk) 21:24, 20 February 2013 (UTC)
 * Found it. 'Kate's rhyming with Gates it seems.--Canoe1967 (talk) 22:26, 20 February 2013 (UTC)

Pronunciation of oxymoron
Years ago my highschool English teacher insisted that "oxymoron" is pronounced /ˈɑkˌsimɔɹɑn/ because it "has nothing to do with morons". Back then I didn't realize it, but in hindsight this was clearly a hypercorrection for the sake of political correctness.

Are there any records of this alternate pronunciation? Are there people who actually use this pronunciation (other than the teacher in question)? I checked the major dictionaries and nothing turned up.Dncsky (talk) 21:26, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * Not in Kenyon & Knott or Jones & Gimson; they also go with the familiar ˌ••ˈ•• stress pattern. The only variation is the quality of the vowels. But high school English teachers are not immune from mistake; mine insisted that viscount was pronounced to rhyme with discount and flatly refused to believe 15-year-old me when I pronounced it [ˈvaɪkaʊnt]. Angr (talk) 21:48, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * I'm afraid it is connected with "moron" etymologically.... AnonMoos (talk) 22:05, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * I know, but apparently he didn't. In his defense, neither does most people. Dncsky (talk) 22:20, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * Maybe the teacher was trying to avoid disruption by children trying to call each other oxymorons in class. Itsmejudith (talk) 23:04, 20 February 2013 (UTC)


 * Oxymoron: n. Someone who has suffered permanent brain damage due to excessive use of the medication, OxyContin. :-) StuRat (talk) 23:19, 20 February 2013 (UTC)
 * I employ other people to make my mistakes, and then they become a proxymoron.  KägeTorä - (影虎)  ( TALK )  07:33, 21 February 2013 (UTC)
 * Students at rival colleges refer to the students of Occidental College as "Occie Morons". Angr (talk) 10:05, 21 February 2013 (UTC)
 * If it helps, the weirdly normal OED gives two pronunciations thus: "Brit. /ˌɒksɪˈmɔːrɒn/, U.S. /ˌɑksəˈmɔrˌɑn/" from  whilst the normally weird Merriam-Webster prefers "\ˌäk-sē-ˈmȯr-ˌän\" from Merriam-Webster online:oxymoron --  Senra (talk) 11:42, 21 February 2013 (UTC)


 * When I first saw that idiosyncratic pronunciation guide in M-W, I was filled with indignation. However, attempting to pronounce it as written clearly produces a bad-American-accent version of 'oxymoron' in my British mouth, so clearly it works. 86.163.209.18 (talk) 11:31, 22 February 2013 (UTC)