Random Questions Thread

You sit down next to them, look off into space, and say nothing. Wait. Eventually they will relax. Then say "You look upset, what's wrong?"

Is "Jasna Wojcik" an accurate name for a female Pole?

I suppose so. You can check name sites like Behind The Name.

...And it just occured to me that my last name is terribly Polish as it's a lot like your suggestion.

edited 11th Nov '15 7:24:26 AM by electronic-tragedy

Thanks

@HallowHawk: Not sure if you're still asking about your (presumably) Polish character's name, and you probably did come across it before, but here's some pretty good general advice on Polish names courtesy of Wikipedia:

Polish name

edited 11th Nov '15 5:10:50 PM by peasant

thank you both!

How is "Technical Sergeant" translated in German?

That rank exists only in English speaking militaries, apparently. Feldwebel and Oberfeldwebel are the corresponding ranks in the Bundeswehr.

I know that, but if the rank name were to be translated into German, what would it be?

I just Google translated it and got "Oberfeldwebel".

Technical Sergeant seems to be the equivalent of a "grade 2" sergeant ranking. Found that, which can probably give you a more in-depth description of what you're looking for position-specific-wise here.

edited 13th Nov '15 3:44:04 PM by Coujagkin

Thanks

What would be a better-sounding way to refer to a man who's both a duke and a retired general? "Your grace, general", "Your grace, sir" or something completely different? The character speaking is from military, but different branch than said general and duke.

Oh, and HallowHawk, sorry if I'm about to be obnoxious, but regarding the name Jasna Wojcik, as a Pole I feel compelled to add - Wojcik (actually Wójcik, read Vuytsick - sorry if you know that already) is actually a fairly popular Polish surname (there's also clothing brand called Wójcik and a comedian duo of two Wójcik not-brothers), but Jasna (read Yasnah) is a very rare and old-fashioned name. Just so you know.

From what I've seen of past cases, it's generally just "Your Grace" or perhaps "My Lord", as duke supersedes general. It would vary from time and place, though—I would suspect that when Prince Harry was serving in Afghanistan as a cornet in the Blues and Royals, he was addressed as any other officer.

re: "Jasna": that struck me as a possible diminutive, perhaps? Or would it still be uncommon?

@Kakai: I'd say it would depend on context. For instance, is it in modern times and/or is it in a military environment? Certainly, if it's a yes to both, then "sir" or "general" would be more appropriate but if it's in medieval times or in a non-military setting, then "my lord" or "your grace" would be more appropriate. Basically, one will supercede the other and using both at once is just plain awkward.

, Thanks. It's 19th-century-esque, so I guess I'll roll with "your grace", with the ex-general in question maybe suggesting "sir".

As for Jasna, it's not a diminutive, it's regular name. It's literally word for "bright", which could be why it's rarely used.

How do you say "send him my regards" in a casual way. (Non native english speaker here)

"Tell him I said hi."

thanks!

Two gun-related questions. Please note that my story takes place in rural Britain:

1. What kind of guns would a veterinarian keep for when s/he gets called out to put down a farm animal?

2. How common are lever-action rifles used in Britain for (deer) hunting?

Thanks ahead.

1. Just any pump/break action shotgun will do; mostly because they are dirt cheap (in relative terms, of course).

2. Can't imagine it being hard to come by, although obviously not as much as US.

Thanks for the quick response.

Though regarding lever-actions, I meant in terms of how common they are relative to bolt-action rifles. Are they common enough that it wouldn't be unusual for someone to use a lever-action rifle instead of a bolt-action or would there need to be further elaboration on why that's the case (i.e.g introduce a special significance to the weapon)?

We have a Gun Thread right here, you know. You would have a lot better chances of getting well-informed answers there than here.

British gun laws are extremely strict. As I understand they boil down to "forget about it".

@peasant: Captive bolt weapon. Uses a blank charge to propel a "captive" (i.e. it's fitted to the inside of the barrel so it can only extend, not leave it) spike. Place against target and pull trigger; fires the bolt into the animal's brainstem, killing instantly. That's the closest thing to a gun likely to be in a vet's kit.

Nobody in the UK is going deerhunting, and nobody would have a rifle. Pretty much only shotguns and pretty much only those grandfathered in, and it's been literally decades so there aren't many left.

edited 20th Nov '15 4:03:54 AM by Night

Shit, I was completely misinformed. I thought it was not nearly as lax as in US, but not completely forbidden either.

Sorry peasant, for the wrong info. DX