Use of refer to

[hhtt21]

Context: I try to ask a question using the word refer to but I am not sure if I use correct word if it is refer to. Refer to will mean: to denote indirectly.

"What can an open system refer to?" I intended this sentence to mean that "what can people understand when they come up with an open system."?

Thank you.

 

[emsr2d2]

Context: I [STRIKE]try[/STRIKE] have tried to ask a question using the words "refer to" but I am not sure if I have used them correctly. [STRIKE]word if it is refer to.[/STRIKE] I want "refer to" [STRIKE]will[/STRIKE] to mean "to denote indirectly".

"What can an open system refer to?"

I intended this sentence to mean that "What can people understand when they come up with an open system?"

Thank you.

Note my corrections above.

I wouldn't say that "What can XXX refer to?" means "What can people understand by XXX". If something refers to something else, it means that the reader/listener is directed to consider that "something else" specifically by the use of XXX.

 

[jutfrank]

We usually use refer to when talking about the relationships of words (signs) to their referents (things in the world).

To give a rather mundane example, the phrase 'your computer screen' refers to the bright thing with words on which you are looking at right now.

 

[hhtt21]

Well, then how can I ask the question: What can a open system ..."?, waiting to learn about fundamental information about open systems and especially their examples and kinds? The three dots should be a word or words.

Thank you.

 

[jutfrank]

I don't understand what you want to say. Could you elaborate on the situation?

 

[emsr2d2]

If you want to know fundamental information you can say "Please tell me [all] about open systems".
For examples and kinds, you'll have to say something like "Please give me some examples of open systems".

 

[Tdol]

There are different kinds of open systems, so your example seems too vague. You could say something like What does open system refer to in physics?

 

[hhtt21]

Note my corrections above.

I wouldn't say that "What can XXX refer to?" means "What can people understand by XXX". If something refers to something else, it means that the reader/listener is directed to consider that "something else" specifically by the use of XXX.

I do not understand the "underlined part" especially the "something else specifically by the of XXX." Would you please re-explain it? It's like "is" is missing after "something else".

Thank you.

 

[hhtt21]

I don't understand what you want to say. Could you elaborate on the situation?

If you ask this on #4 then how can we ask or form or write down a question asking about what a open system is. In #1 I thought that we can ask such a question with this: what does an open system refer to." but it was incorrect.

Thank you.

 

[jutfrank]

I still don't understand what you're asking.

What is an open system?
What is meant by 'open system'?
How is an open system defined?

 

[hhtt21]

Note my corrections above.

I wouldn't say that "What can XXX refer to?" means "What can people understand by XXX". If something refers to something else, it means that the reader/listener is directed to consider that "something else" specifically by the use of XXX.

But does not "What can XXX refer to?" make people consider that what will think for XXX? "it means that the reader/listener is directed to consider that "something else" specifically by the use of XXX." Is this not actually what I claim? Does not XXX direct people to "What" in the question "What can XXX refer to"? Here is a real life example.

"The mesh or model is a representation of the physics behind the real part that the model or mesh is referring to"

https://www.quora.com/Why-do-we-mec...meshing-in-ANSYS-and-whats-the-use-of-meshing

Thank you.

 

[GoesStation]

If an idea were a person, you could rephrase What does XXX refer to as What is XXX talking about?

 

[hhtt21]

If an idea were a person, you could rephrase What does XXX refer to as What is XXX talking about?

Is this example exactly correct: The mesh or model is a representation of the physics behind the real part that the model or mesh is referring to?

Thank you.

 

[hhtt21]

Context: I try have tried to ask a question using the words "refer to" but I am not sure if I have used them correctly. word if it is refer to. I want "refer to" will to mean "to denote indirectly".

"What can an open system refer to?"

I intended this sentence to mean that "What can people understand when they come up with an open system?"

Thank you..

Would you explain why simple present is wrong but present perfect is correct?

Thank you.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Because 'we often use the present perfect to talk about something that happened in the recent past'──quoted from http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-perfect-use.html
The simple present does not refer to the recent past.