What is the generic term for a thing that is being 'replied to'?
When I 'reply' to something (a person, an email, etc.), the thing I produce through the action is a 'reply' (or a 'response'). Is there a generic term (noun) for the thing that the reply/response is replying to?
For some more context, I'm trying to choose a word for a database column for the 'parent' of a comment which is a reply to another comment (ie the next in the comment thread). This also implies a chain of comments rather than a bunch of comments all referring to a single 'conversation root'.
An example (that has a very obvious non-generic answer) would be: As you navigate through the conversation tree of comments, click the 'back' link to view the ___________ to which that particular reply was in response.
Some examples that I'm not (entirely) happy with:
- original_comment
- parent
- reply_to
single-word-requests
asked 2 days ago
jbeckjbeck
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When I 'reply' to something (a person, an email, etc.), the thing I produce through the action is a 'reply' (or a 'response'). Is there a generic term (noun) for the thing that the reply/response is replying to?
For some more context, I'm trying to choose a word for a database column for the 'parent' of a comment which is a reply to another comment (ie the next in the comment thread). This also implies a chain of comments rather than a bunch of comments all referring to a single 'conversation root'.
An example (that has a very obvious non-generic answer) would be: As you navigate through the conversation tree of comments, click the 'back' link to view the ___________ to which that particular reply was in response.
Some examples that I'm not (entirely) happy with:
- original_comment
- parent
- reply_to
single-word-requests
asked 2 days ago
jbeckjbeck
1062
New contributor
jbeck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Welcome to EL&U! A good question! [single-word-requests] require a sample sentence, e.g. "When I poke a jelly and it moves after a wavy fashion, it is _____.", to which the answer might be "wobbling". Please edit your question to include such a phrase.
– A Lambent Eye
2 days ago
add a comment |
When I 'reply' to something (a person, an email, etc.), the thing I produce through the action is a 'reply' (or a 'response'). Is there a generic term (noun) for the thing that the reply/response is replying to?
For some more context, I'm trying to choose a word for a database column for the 'parent' of a comment which is a reply to another comment (ie the next in the comment thread). This also implies a chain of comments rather than a bunch of comments all referring to a single 'conversation root'.
An example (that has a very obvious non-generic answer) would be: As you navigate through the conversation tree of comments, click the 'back' link to view the ___________ to which that particular reply was in response.
Some examples that I'm not (entirely) happy with:
- original_comment
- parent
- reply_to
single-word-requests
asked 2 days ago
jbeckjbeck
1062
New contributor
jbeck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
When I 'reply' to something (a person, an email, etc.), the thing I produce through the action is a 'reply' (or a 'response'). Is there a generic term (noun) for the thing that the reply/response is replying to?
For some more context, I'm trying to choose a word for a database column for the 'parent' of a comment which is a reply to another comment (ie the next in the comment thread). This also implies a chain of comments rather than a bunch of comments all referring to a single 'conversation root'.
An example (that has a very obvious non-generic answer) would be: As you navigate through the conversation tree of comments, click the 'back' link to view the ___________ to which that particular reply was in response.
Some examples that I'm not (entirely) happy with:
- original_comment
- parent
- reply_to
single-word-requests
single-word-requests
asked 2 days ago
jbeckjbeck
1062
New contributor
jbeck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
jbeckjbeck
1062
New contributor
jbeck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 2 days ago
jbeck
asked 2 days ago
jbeckjbeck
1062
New contributor
jbeck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
jbeckjbeck
1062
asked 2 days ago
jbeckjbeck
1062
1062
New contributor
jbeck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
jbeck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
jbeck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Welcome to EL&U! A good question! [single-word-requests] require a sample sentence, e.g. "When I poke a jelly and it moves after a wavy fashion, it is _____.", to which the answer might be "wobbling". Please edit your question to include such a phrase.
– A Lambent Eye
2 days ago
add a comment |
Welcome to EL&U! A good question! [single-word-requests] require a sample sentence, e.g. "When I poke a jelly and it moves after a wavy fashion, it is _____.", to which the answer might be "wobbling". Please edit your question to include such a phrase.
– A Lambent Eye
2 days ago
Welcome to EL&U! A good question! [single-word-requests] require a sample sentence, e.g. "When I poke a jelly and it moves after a wavy fashion, it is _____.", to which the answer might be "wobbling". Please edit your question to include such a phrase.
– A Lambent Eye
2 days ago
Welcome to EL&U! A good question! [single-word-requests] require a sample sentence, e.g. "When I poke a jelly and it moves after a wavy fashion, it is _____.", to which the answer might be "wobbling". Please edit your question to include such a phrase.
– A Lambent Eye
2 days ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
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I have two synonyms to consider, both of which strongly suggest the idea that the item comes before the reply.
Antecedent
Any thing that precedes another thing, especially the cause of the second thing.
An ancestor.
"Antecedent" also has several specific uses in math, logic, and grammar. Personally, I would find that interference about as distracting as the word "parent."
For that reason I prefer precursor.
That which precurses: a forerunner, predecessor, or indicator of approaching events.
So an initial comment may be the precursor or antecedent of a reply.
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,017216
add a comment |
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I have two synonyms to consider, both of which strongly suggest the idea that the item comes before the reply.
Antecedent
Any thing that precedes another thing, especially the cause of the second thing.
An ancestor.
"Antecedent" also has several specific uses in math, logic, and grammar. Personally, I would find that interference about as distracting as the word "parent."
For that reason I prefer precursor.
That which precurses: a forerunner, predecessor, or indicator of approaching events.
So an initial comment may be the precursor or antecedent of a reply.
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,017216
add a comment |
I have two synonyms to consider, both of which strongly suggest the idea that the item comes before the reply.
Antecedent
Any thing that precedes another thing, especially the cause of the second thing.
An ancestor.
"Antecedent" also has several specific uses in math, logic, and grammar. Personally, I would find that interference about as distracting as the word "parent."
For that reason I prefer precursor.
That which precurses: a forerunner, predecessor, or indicator of approaching events.
So an initial comment may be the precursor or antecedent of a reply.
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,017216
add a comment |
I have two synonyms to consider, both of which strongly suggest the idea that the item comes before the reply.
Antecedent
Any thing that precedes another thing, especially the cause of the second thing.
An ancestor.
"Antecedent" also has several specific uses in math, logic, and grammar. Personally, I would find that interference about as distracting as the word "parent."
For that reason I prefer precursor.
That which precurses: a forerunner, predecessor, or indicator of approaching events.
So an initial comment may be the precursor or antecedent of a reply.
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,017216
I have two synonyms to consider, both of which strongly suggest the idea that the item comes before the reply.
Antecedent
Any thing that precedes another thing, especially the cause of the second thing.
An ancestor.
"Antecedent" also has several specific uses in math, logic, and grammar. Personally, I would find that interference about as distracting as the word "parent."
For that reason I prefer precursor.
That which precurses: a forerunner, predecessor, or indicator of approaching events.
So an initial comment may be the precursor or antecedent of a reply.
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,017216
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,017216
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,017216
answered 2 days ago
TaliesinMerlinTaliesinMerlin
2,017216
2,017216
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Welcome to EL&U! A good question! [single-word-requests] require a sample sentence, e.g. "When I poke a jelly and it moves after a wavy fashion, it is _____.", to which the answer might be "wobbling". Please edit your question to include such a phrase.
– A Lambent Eye
2 days ago