Language desk
< May 10	<< Apr \| May \| Jun >>	May 12 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Language Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

May 11[edit]

I'm looking for a phrase in English[edit]

I'm looking for a phrase that said that some manuscript or account that written in an ostensibly punditry manner, but when that manuscript reads in-depth you realize that it actually said nothing and superficial. Do you know what I'm mean? 93.172.119.192 (talk) 07:11, 11 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

In Texas, people sometimes say, "All hat, no cattle." Cullen³²⁸ Let's discuss it 07:16, 11 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, but that's not the phrase I'm looking for. 93.172.119.192 (talk) 07:24, 11 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

I didn't revise for my chemistry exam so wrote about something different rather than answering the question. The teacher initially graded my paper "pass" before revising it to "fail" and noting this, using the word "waffle". 2A00:23C1:D100:1400:FD7A:3A10:5BB:4713 (talk) 11:22, 11 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

"waffle definition: 1. to talk or write a lot without giving any useful information or any clear answers"; Cambridge Dictionary. Alansplodge (talk) 16:36, 11 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

There's "All bark and no bite". Jmar67 (talk) 11:50, 11 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

The question reminded me of the Sokal affair, which led me to Fashionable Nonsense, which might be what the OP was thinking of. Another colloquial expression is all mouth and no trousers, but like the others mentioned above it doesn't usually refer to academic-type contexts. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 13:26, 11 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Vacuous Bus stop (talk) 18:29, 11 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Bafflegab? Clarityfiend (talk) 19:05, 11 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Gobbledygook, bollocks, and pablum. Bus stop (talk) 19:42, 11 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Some unknown words in Arabic[edit]

According to this book (also this book), the meaning of the word بسم is an interval between the little and ring fingers. And the word عتب is the interval between the ring and middle fingers, and the word رتب is the interval between the middle and and fore, and the word رتب is an interval between any two fingers. I couldn't find any reference for that. Do you know an (old) Arabic reference that support these names?185.65.206.170 (talk) 12:17, 11 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Those aren't in the Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic (as far as I can tell). The first place to go looking for older Arabic words is usually Lane's Lexicon... AnonMoos (talk) 13:28, 12 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]