Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[missdaredevil]

1. Most puzzlers, penciling in these letters, felt nothing more than mild satisfaction. But a small number knew enough to be outraged.

So they are mildy satisfied or not?

2.Even in the staid linguistic world of the Times, the puzzle has remained an oasis of *particular calm.*

Why is *calm* used as a noun in that case?

3. Can *English major* be a person whose major is English?

Thanks to you all for reading this post

[CP]

1. I am guessing that the few who knew enough to be outraged recognized that the puzzle was too easy or somehow flawed. Most people didn't recognize that, and they were mildly satisfied at finishing the puzzle, or something like that.

2. Not sure. But it is good English. "Calmness" wouldn't work; that refers more to a person's state of mind. "Tranquility" would have been all right, too.

3. That is what an English major is, a person whose major subject is or was English. We also use "major" as a verb: "Ask Joe. He majored in philosophy."
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