Fanfic Helpdesk: Technical and Scientific Help for Writers

[Eragon]

If your talking about what i think your talking about then its really simple. As someone approaches an entry area (or in the case of stargate the gate) the person guarding the entry point calls out a word or number. The person then trying to get through the entry point must reply with the proper word or number in order to gain access and not get arrested. For example if the sign/countersign of the day is mosquito/torpedo (or 5) then the guard would call out mosquito (or any number less then 5) and the person trying to gain access would call out torpedo (or whatever number when added to the guards adds up to five).

[WraithRichard]

I don't quite get that, but I'm talking about the foundation of linguistics and semiotics overall.

[mathpiglet]

The way I understand it is that the signifier is the actual word used to describe something. The word book for example is merely four letters in a specific order. That's the signifier. What is means is a number of pages bound together. That's the signified.

Does that help?

[Choo1701]

Hey ladies (and killman)

Need some Americanization help.

In Britain we refer to the armed forces sometimes as "our lads" or "our boys" in the field. (Hard at work of course )

Now the Americans use something similar, ("our guys"?? :s ) but right now, i just can't remeber.

If anyone can help, i'd be more than grateful!

[SF_and_Coffee]

Well, one common phrase right now is "the troops" (as in "support the troops").

I've seen "our guys" on occasion...

[Choo1701]

Well, one common phrase right now is "the troops" (as in "support the troops").

I've seen "our guys" on occasion...

Thank SFnC.

I just couldn't get past 'our lads' and that just sounds a tad too British
(We do have tea makers in our Tanks )

[SF_and_Coffee]

Nobody over here says "lads" anyway, LOL. And "boys" kind of phased out as more women have become commonplace in our military.... though some people do use "guys" as a catch-all term regardless of gender.

[WraithRichard]

The way I understand it is that the signifier is the actual word used to describe something. The word book for example is merely four letters in a specific order. That's the signifier. What is means is a number of pages bound together. That's the signified.

Does that help?

Not quite. What is the difference between a signifier and a sign? What do these have to do with implying and inference?

[Whytewytch]

there was a weekly check-in, i presume all letters were sent through digitally in a single data burst

Thanks! That's what I was thinking.

[mathpiglet]

Not quite. What is the difference between a signifier and a sign? What do these have to do with implying and inference?

The sign is the combination of the signifier and the signified. I'm not sure what implication and inference have to do with it other than the receptor of your communication have to understand the sign you use.

[WraithRichard]

The sign is the combination of the signifier and the signified. I'm not sure what implication and inference have to do with it other than the receptor of your communication have to understand the sign you use.

Looks like time to brush up on my structuralism, then. I need to find a new angle in semiotics.

I aim high and tend to crash into walls.

[Skydiver]

we don't use lads, like you suspect

troops or guys is often used because it's gender neutral in a way

[Feast of the Muse]

Here in the Empire State of the South you see stickers and such that say "Support our Troops" or more usually "Bring our Troops Home". I've not seen any other terminology used, but obviously I haven't seen every sticker.

[SF_and_Coffee]

Here in the Empire State of the South you see stickers and such that say "Support our Troops" or more usually "Bring our Troops Home". I've not seen any other terminology used, but obviously I haven't seen every sticker.

We have the same stickers all over the place in the Buckeye State, although I honestly think I've seen far more of the first version than the second... which saddens me, in a way. Seems to me that doing the second is a damn good way of doing the first. But then, I'm jaded...

(I should probably get one of each and slap them both on my car. Goodness knows I have all kinds of other stickers on there.)

[Whytewytch]

Medical help: A man's ankle is wedged in some rocks. A large, heavy object is falling toward his head. It's move or die, but he cannot jump out of the way due to his foot being caught.

1. Can he throw himself backward with enough force to break the ankle? If not, can the object force him down hard enough to break the ankle and perhaps another bone or two?

2. How bad would a break be for him to hear the bone snap or would he even hear it over the sound of screams and shouts and weapons' fire?

3. What would his body's reactions be? I would imagine nausea, light-headedness, blacking out. Anything else?

4. He is a military man, young and strong, if that helps as far as stamina goes. How long could he survive if water were available? There is plenty of food. Would he be able to field dress any of the following: broken ankle, broken arm, dislocated shoulder, broken ribs, broken collarbone?

Thanks in advance for any help!