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Civil or civilian

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irmamar
February 15, 2011, 04:42 AM
When both terms are adjectives, are they interchangeable?

Civil/civilian population.

Thanks. :)

Perikles
February 15, 2011, 05:12 AM
When both terms are adjectives, are they interchangeable?

Civil/civilian population.

Thanks. :)No, they are not. Civilain is in fact a noun, so civilian population means a population of civilians.

Civil is an adjective and does mean pertaining to the population, but more commonly relating to polite behaviour. A "civil population" would be understood as a population of people who are polite to each other. :eek: (England for example, not Spain :D)

When posting on a forum, we are required to be civil to each other. :)

irmamar
February 15, 2011, 05:31 AM
No, they are not. Civilain is in fact a noun, so civilian population means a population of civilians.

Civil is an adjective and does mean pertaining to the population, but more commonly relating to polite behaviour. A "civil population" would be understood as a population of people who are polite to each other. :eek: (England for example, not Spain :D)

When posting on a forum, we are required to be civil to each other. :)

A Civil War is a "polite war"? :p

Perikles
February 15, 2011, 05:39 AM
A Civil War is a "polite war"? :p:lol: It could hardly be a civilian war could it?

In English language, there is an exception to every statement except this one.

Sometimes it is hard to remain civil here. :p :D

irmamar
February 15, 2011, 05:45 AM
Thank you. :kiss:

pjt33
February 15, 2011, 02:51 PM
A Civil War is a "polite war"? :p
A ver qué interpretación pones en "civil engineer" ;)

hermit
February 15, 2011, 03:01 PM
A civil engineer is one specializing in "public works" - like roads, harbors,
wharves, etc.

pjt33
February 15, 2011, 04:23 PM
A civil engineer is one specializing in "public works" - like roads, harbors,
wharves, etc.
Spoilsport.

ROBINDESBOIS
February 15, 2011, 04:41 PM
Ingeniero de caminos y carreteras, jaajjaja

AngelicaDeAlquezar
February 15, 2011, 05:09 PM
Spoilsport.
:D

Can "spoilsport" be always used as "aguafiestas"?

poli
February 15, 2011, 06:18 PM
:D

Can "spoilsport" be always used as "aguafiestas"?
The meanings are similar but not identical. I think aguafiestas
is partypooper in English. A spoilsport may be a partypooper
but they can be other things as well--a sore loser.
I think the character Scrooge is a spoil sport.

Rusty
February 15, 2011, 07:16 PM
Look up killjoy, wet blanket, party pooper, grinch, stick-in-the-mud, fuddy-duddy, sourpuss, and spoilsport. They are all synonyms.

AngelicaDeAlquezar
February 15, 2011, 08:24 PM
Thank you both... There are quite a few words for it. :D