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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
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Various questions
I have the following questions:
1. If someone calls you at your phone number at the office and you are notat your desk at the moment, I pick the line for you. How should I say in English to the caller to tell him that you are not at your desk at the moment
(note: you are in the office)? Is it proper to say: "He is not at desk at the moment. May I know who's calling?" My query is on the first part of the reply.
2. If I am a smoker, I will say "I smoke a cigarette". If I am not a smokerand a smoker is smoking near me, the nicotine can still enter my body as if I am smoking. What should I say this kind of smoking (from my perspective) in English? Is it correct to say "secondhand smoking" (as a noun) & "I am taking secondhand smoke" (as a verb)?
3. Jane JAY and Michael PYE are a couple. It is correct to say "Mrs JanePye" and so if I want to mention both persons, it is correct to say "Mrs Jane and Mr. Michale Pye". But if Jane's name is unknown, is it ok to say "Mr and Mrs Michael Pye"?
Please advise.
1. If someone calls you at your phone number at the office and you are notat your desk at the moment, I pick the line for you. How should I say in English to the caller to tell him that you are not at your desk at the moment
(note: you are in the office)? Is it proper to say: "He is not at desk at the moment. May I know who's calling?" My query is on the first part of the reply.
2. If I am a smoker, I will say "I smoke a cigarette". If I am not a smokerand a smoker is smoking near me, the nicotine can still enter my body as if I am smoking. What should I say this kind of smoking (from my perspective) in English? Is it correct to say "secondhand smoking" (as a noun) & "I am taking secondhand smoke" (as a verb)?
3. Jane JAY and Michael PYE are a couple. It is correct to say "Mrs JanePye" and so if I want to mention both persons, it is correct to say "Mrs Jane and Mr. Michale Pye". But if Jane's name is unknown, is it ok to say "Mr and Mrs Michael Pye"?
Please advise.
Top answer
[nq:1]1. If someone calls you at your phone number at the office and you are not at your desk at ... at desk at the moment.
- [nq:1]1.
- If someone calls you at your phone number at the office and you are not at your desk at ...
- at desk at the moment.
- [/nq] "Fred's away from his desk at the moment.
- " Dena Jo (Email: Replace TPUBGTH with denajo2)
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62 Answers
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[nq:1]1. If someone calls you at your phone number at the office and you are not at your desk at ... at desk at the moment. May I know who's calling?" My query is on the first part of the reply.[/nq]
"Fred's away from his desk at the moment. Who's calling, please?"
Dena Jo
(Email: Replace TPUBGTH with denajo2)
"Fred's away from his desk at the moment. Who's calling, please?"
Dena Jo
(Email: Replace TPUBGTH with denajo2)
00
on 28 Oct 2003:
[nq:1]I have the following questions: 1. If someone calls you at your phone number at the office and you are ... at desk at the moment. May I know who's calling?" My query is on the first part of the reply.[/nq]
"He's not available right now. Shall I ask him to call you back or may I take a message?"
[nq:1]2. If I am a smoker, I will say "I smoke a cigarette". If I am n
[nq:1]I have the following questions: 1. If someone calls you at your phone number at the office and you are ... at desk at the moment. May I know who's calling?" My query is on the first part of the reply.[/nq]
"He's not available right now. Shall I ask him to call you back or may I take a message?"
[nq:1]2. If I am a smoker, I will say "I smoke a cigarette". If I am n
00
[nq:1]If you don't know Jane Jay's name, then you don't mention it, obviously, and say "Mr and Mrs Michael Pye", if you know that Michael Pye is married.[/nq]
But what if it were the other way round? Would you also say "Mrs and Mr Jane Jay", instead of "Ms Jane Jay and husband" ?
jouni maho
But what if it were the other way round? Would you also say "Mrs and Mr Jane Jay", instead of "Ms Jane Jay and husband" ?
jouni maho
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on 28 Oct 2003:
[nq:2]If you don't know Jane Jay's name, then you don't ... Michael Pye", if you know that Michael Pye is married.[/nq]
[nq:1]But what if it were the other way round? Would you also say "Mrs and Mr Jane Jay", instead of "Ms Jane Jay and husband" ?[/nq]
This is a matter of custom and of who's saying it. If a diehard feminist were saying it at a feminist conference, it wo
[nq:2]If you don't know Jane Jay's name, then you don't ... Michael Pye", if you know that Michael Pye is married.[/nq]
[nq:1]But what if it were the other way round? Would you also say "Mrs and Mr Jane Jay", instead of "Ms Jane Jay and husband" ?[/nq]
This is a matter of custom and of who's saying it. If a diehard feminist were saying it at a feminist conference, it wo
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[nq:1](note: you are in the office)? Is it proper to say: "He is not at desk at the moment. May I know who's calling?" My query is on the first part of the reply.[/nq]
...at his desk...
[nq:1]2. If I am a smoker, I will say "I smoke a cigarette". If I am not asmoker and a ... in English? Is it correct to say "secondhand smoking" (as a noun) & "Iam taking secondhand smoke" (as a verb
...at his desk...
[nq:1]2. If I am a smoker, I will say "I smoke a cigarette". If I am not asmoker and a ... in English? Is it correct to say "secondhand smoking" (as a noun) & "Iam taking secondhand smoke" (as a verb
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[nq:1]Is it proper to say: "He is not at desk at the moment. May I know who's calling?"[/nq]
Probably not when a nonoptional pronoun is missing!
[nq:1]Is it correct to say "secondhand smoking" (as a noun) & "I am taking secondhand smoke" (as a verb)?[/nq]
But isn't a verb!
[nq:1]3. Jane JAY and Michael PYE are a couple. It is correct to say "Mrs Jane Pye"[/nq]
Not always: some
Probably not when a nonoptional pronoun is missing!
[nq:1]Is it correct to say "secondhand smoking" (as a noun) & "I am taking secondhand smoke" (as a verb)?[/nq]
But isn't a verb!
[nq:1]3. Jane JAY and Michael PYE are a couple. It is correct to say "Mrs Jane Pye"[/nq]
Not always: some
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[nq:2]But what if it were the other way round? Would ... Jane Jay", instead of "Ms Jane Jay and husband" ?[/nq]
[nq:1]This is a matter of custom and of who's saying it. If a diehard feminist were saying it at a feminist conference, it would probably come out something like "Jane Jay and husband" or even "Ms and Mr Jane Jay".[/nq]
You can't say Mr. Jane Jay ever because such a person doesn'
[nq:1]This is a matter of custom and of who's saying it. If a diehard feminist were saying it at a feminist conference, it would probably come out something like "Jane Jay and husband" or even "Ms and Mr Jane Jay".[/nq]
You can't say Mr. Jane Jay ever because such a person doesn'
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[nq:2]1. If someone calls you at your phone number at ... My query is on the first part of the reply.[/nq]
[nq:1]"Fred's away from his desk at the moment. Who's calling, please?"[/nq]
Jeez, that's uncanny Deej - Howdja know he was called Fred?!?
John Dean
Oxford
De-frag to reply
[nq:1]"Fred's away from his desk at the moment. Who's calling, please?"[/nq]
Jeez, that's uncanny Deej - Howdja know he was called Fred?!?
John Dean
Oxford
De-frag to reply
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[nq:1]1. You will need to ask. If they are married, Mrs Jane Pye, Ms Jane Pye and Miss Jane Pye are all possible, and there are also people who dismiss all use of titles.[/nq]
I disagree with the above. "Miss" is not available for a married woman. I also feel like "Mrs." is not available for a woman who does not have the same last name as her husband, but this I expect to be more variable than
I disagree with the above. "Miss" is not available for a married woman. I also feel like "Mrs." is not available for a woman who does not have the same last name as her husband, but this I expect to be more variable than
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[nq:1]I have the following questions: 1. If someone calls you at your phone number at the office and you are ... at desk at the moment. May I know who's calling?" My query is on the first part of the reply.[/nq]
"He's not at his desk at the moment" (note "his") implies (to me, at least) that he is either completely unavailable or else that it would take some effort to go find him. He might be
"He's not at his desk at the moment" (note "his") implies (to me, at least) that he is either completely unavailable or else that it would take some effort to go find him. He might be
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