Talk:able to get a word in edgewise

RFD discussion: August–September 2017

The following information has failed Wiktionary's deletion process (permalink).

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able to get a word in edgewise

We have get a word in edgewise, which can also be used without able to. I just copied over the usage notes from able to get a word in edgewise to get a word in edgewise, I think the able-to variant can be deleted or reduced to a redirect. W3ird N3rd (talk) 22:32, 10 August 2017 (UTC)

On closer inspection, able-to is an adjective and get a word in edgewise is a verb.. I don't know our policy on this kind of thing. W3ird N3rd (talk) 22:39, 10 August 2017 (UTC)

Redirect. You could add many different modifiers to the phrase: I couldn't get a word in edgewise, try to get a word in edgewise, capable of getting a word in edgewise. DTLHS (talk) 23:01, 10 August 2017 (UTC)

Practice is to try to stick close to the grammar for heading and make sure that we have the core of any idiom. Sometimes we have the most common extended forms as full entries, sometimes as redirects, often omitted. I disfavor full entries for the extended forms. We can make the redirects go to specific definitions using {{senseid}}.

Able is an adjective; to introduces an infinitive; able-to? There are quite a few adjectives that can be followed by infinitives, eg, easy, hard, ready, eager, willing, anxious, happy, sad, uncomfortable, sorry. DCDuring (talk) 23:03, 10 August 2017 (UTC)

I'm not sure if you're thinking I think able-to is an adjective, but just to clarify: able-to was just a reference to the variant that includes "able to", that's why I connected able and to. I guess this was left open to interpretation: "On closer inspection, able-to[our entry for able to get a word in edgewise] is an adjective[Wiktionary lists this entry as an adjective] and get a word in edgewise is a verb[according to the Wiktionary entry].." W3ird N3rd (talk) 23:24, 10 August 2017 (UTC)

I didn't know what "able-to" was. Able, the adjective, can be used with an infinitive complement and, of course, an infinitive is one of the forms of a verb. So I didn't see why there should be a problem with the different PoS headings. DCDuring (talk) 23:33, 10 August 2017 (UTC)

Btw DCDuring, you created both of these entries (many years ago) so you should know. :-) W3ird N3rd (talk) 23:29, 10 August 2017 (UTC)

I have no knowledge, recollection, or even recognition. For all I know, someone could have hijacked my account. DCDuring (talk) 23:33, 10 August 2017 (UTC)

I see that whoever hijacked my then-new account put in the longer entry in 2008 and that in 2009 I put in the shorter form. DCDuring (talk) 23:39, 10 August 2017 (UTC)

@DCDuring I assume you have checked any edits you have made during the time your account was hijacked, or should others go over this? W3ird N3rd (talk) 02:29, 11 August 2017 (UTC)

I'll never learn. DCDuring (talk) 07:38, 11 August 2017 (UTC)

@DCDuring Your account was never hijacked and you jokingly referred to a younger clueless version of yourself this way? Or your account may get hijacked at any time because someone else has access to your computer/tablet/phone? Or you regret admitting your account was hijacked? I'm sorry, I can't see the look on your face so I just don't know what this means. W3ird N3rd (talk) 08:12, 11 August 2017 (UTC)

At least you realized that I was trying to joke. I was claiming to have been hijacked to deny inconsistency and responsibility for the 2008 contribution, which is not consistent with my present preferences. DCDuring (talk) 16:59, 11 August 2017 (UTC)

@DCDuring Sorry, but this is the internet. I can't see the look on your face, you didn't use any emoticons (a ;-) would have made your intentions clear), I haven't known you for years and accounts do get hijacked on the internet. Maybe you had a roommate who had access to your computer at the time. So please, tell me how I was supposed to know you were joking. It's not a bad joke by the way, the only issue is I have no idea how it could be told apart from you being serious. I guess you might have been more upset if you really would have found out you had been hijacked, but considering it's so long ago you possibly wouldn't consider it much of a biggy. W3ird N3rd (talk) 20:51, 11 August 2017 (UTC)

DTLHS, that's what I was thinking. This is still the right place, right? Or should this go to requests for moves/mergers/splits? I think there's nothing left to merge. W3ird N3rd (talk) 23:24, 10 August 2017 (UTC)

• I'm neutral. I use get a word in edgeways. Much more British. DonnanZ (talk) 23:40, 10 August 2017 (UTC)
• Delete Even a redirect seems silly, since get a word in edgewise will be at or near the top of any failed-search page. DCDuring (talk) 23:42, 10 August 2017 (UTC)
• Delete or redirect. Either one is fine, but it seems highly unlikely that anyone will search for able to get a word in edgewise and not want get a word in edgewise if it's the only existing variation. bd2412 T 23:54, 10 August 2017 (UTC)
• delete - same argument as was presented against "piece of furniture" above: this is quite a normal English construction, i.e. "able to + verb". --Hekaheka (talk) 01:02, 15 August 2017 (UTC)
• delete, get a word in edgewise is enough. --Barytonesis (talk) 16:40, 12 September 2017 (UTC)

Deleted. bd2412 T 18:44, 22 September 2017 (UTC)