2008_know You English

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January 2008

Know Your English

Whats the matter with you? Why do you look so sad?

My friend isnt willing to listen to any of my suggestions.

You have suggestions? Is this regarding the surprise party youve planned forAruna?

Thats right! Ive some interesting...

Well, you know what they say. He who pays the piper calls the tune.

The piper? What are you talking about?

The idiom means that the person who provides the money for something has theright to decide how things should be done. The man who pays can call the shots.

In other words, since my friend is hosting the party, and he is paying foreverything, he has the right to make all the decisions.

Thats right! Heres an example. I dont agree with Jai at all, but hes funding theproject. He who pays the piper calls the tune.

How about this example? The owner has the right to decide who will play in thenext match. He who pays the piper calls the tune.

Thats a good example. So, what do you plan on...

Before we change the subject, tell me about the origin of this idiom.

Id be happy to. In the old days, it was the job of the piper to provide music atthe various ceremonies. Normally, he...

He played whatever people wanted him to.

Not always. The kind of music depended on who was paying him.

I see. So, if I were paying him, he would play my kind of music.

Yes, thats right!

That makes sense. Please the guy with the money.

Exactly! Now tell me, are you sad because...

Im pretty upset because Federer lost in the semi finals of the Australian Open.

Oh come on! The rest of the country is happy because our cricket team is doingso well in Australia. You, on the other hand, are...

You know I prefer tennis than cricket.


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To cricket.

What?

You prefer something to something. Not than something.

I see. How about this example? The children prefer ice cream to biscuits.

They always do, dont they? The stress in prefer is on the second syllable. Notthe first.

I see. So its pronounced preFER?

Thats right. My mother prefers music to books.

I prefer his old movies to his new ones.

Who are you talking about?

No one in particular. Tell me, how do you pronounce a..c..a..d..e..m..i..c?

The first a is like the a in ants, pants, and hands; the second is like the ain china. The e like the e in set, bet, and pet, and the final ic is like...

Its probably like the ick in pick, click, and stick.

Exactly! The stress is on the third syllable dem. The word is pronouncedakeDEMik.

Most people I know put the stress on the second syllable.

I know. Do you want to be an academic when you grow up?

You know Im allergic to books. Id prefer to be a tennis player.

Its too late for that now.

I know.

I have opinions of my own strong opinions but I dont always agree with them. George Bush

What is the difference between flammable, inflammable and non

flammable?

(T. Sandeep, Raipur)

There is no difference between flammable and inflammable; inflammable is notthe opposite of flammable as some people think. When you say that somethingis flammable or inflammable, what you mean is that it is something that caneasily catch fire.

*I understand that the chemicals stored in the factory are highly

flammable/inflammable.


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When you say that something is non flammable, what you mean is that it issomething which doesnt catch fire easily. Another word which has more or lessthe same meaning is non inflammable. One might say that these two words arethe opposite of flammable and inflammable.

*If you are planning to walk through fire, wear this. I understand it is non

flammable.

What is the meaning and origin of take a leaf out of someones book?

(R. Venkat, Salem)

When you take a leaf out of someones book, what you are doing is copying orimitating the individual. You are using him as a model and are following hisexample hoping that you will gain something by this.

*I took a leaf out of Surendrans book and started submitting my assignments ontime.

The word leaf here refers to a page from a book. Therefore, when you take a leaffrom someones book, you are copying what the individual has written. Theoriginal meaning of this idiom was therefore to plagiarise. Nowadays, theexpression has lost its negative connotation and is used only in a positive sense:to imitate someone.

What is the meaning of yore?

(James George, Bhilai)

When it comes to pronunciation, yore and your are pronounced the same way.But there the similarity ends. While your is used in almost all contexts, yore isconsidered to be rather old fashioned and literary, and is therefore restricted in itsuse. It is mostly used in certain fixed expressions like of yore. It means longago.

*The old women spent their time talking about the days of yore.

*This huge building was used as a stable in days of yore.

What is the difference between immoral and amoral?

(G. Janaki, Thrissur)

When you say that someone is immoral what you mean is that the person does alot of things that are not morally acceptable; he does things that are positivelywrong. When the word is used with people, it is always used to show disapproval.Perhaps the individual swindles people, has extramarital affairs, etc.

*What you are doing would be considered to be immoral by most people.

A person who is amoral does not know the difference between right and wrong,and he doesnt really care whether what he does is morally right or wrong. He isnot concerned with morals; he is outside the sphere of morality. Unlike the word

immoral, amoral is not always used to show disapproval.


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*According to the critic, the hero had an amoral attitude towards murder.

Do you know the difference between a beautiful woman and a charming one? A beauty is a woman

you notice, a charmer is one who notices you. Adlai Stevenson

Know your English

Hi! You look very happy. Whats the reason?

I have every reason to be happy. I finally managed to dispose my old bicycle.

Dispose of.

What?

You dont dispose something. You dispose of something.

I see. How about this example? My mother wants to dispose of the old furniture.

Sounds good!

When do you plan to dispose of your fathers old car?

Never! I love that car. Im not going to dispose of it.

I dont see why you like that car so much. Tell me, what did you do during thebreak?

Nothing much, actually. I spent most of it at home puttering around...

Puttering around? You mean you played golf at home?

No! No! The word putter can be used as a verb as well. When you say that youputtered around, what you mean is that you spent your time doing little thingswhich werent really important. But the thing...

In other words, you didnt do anything useful.

I guess you could say that. When you putter around, you work in a leisurely

fashion. The important thing is, you really enjoy yourself.

I see. How about this example? I wanted to prepare for the exams during theholidays. But I ended up puttering around the garden.

Its also possible to say putter about. For example, the children puttered aboutthe garden all day.

Do you think...

The expression putter about is mostly used in American English. The British, onthe other hand, say potter about. They both mean the same thing.


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I see. My grandmother gets up at 4 A.M, and potters about till 6:00. She has herbath then.

How would you know whether she potters around or not? You usually get up at 7:00!

Thats what I normally do. But last week, I got up early because of the testmatch. Some of the umpiring decisions made me so angry that I nearly broke theTV.

The only thing that people talked about last week was cricket. There were lots ofpeople on TV baying for Buckners blood.

Baying for Buckners blood? What does it mean?

When you say that someone is baying for something, what you mean is that he isscreaming for or demanding for something angrily. He usually wants someone tobe punished.

The baying cricket fans in India wanted Buckner to be removed.

Yes, now that he has been removed, everyone is delighted.

Yes, everyone is crowing about it.

Crowing about it? Does it mean talking about it happily?

Not really. The expression is mostly used to show disapproval. When someonecrows about something, he talks very proudly about something that he has done.He is rather vain about it, and you find it very annoying.

A politician is always crowing about his/her achievements.

Its also possible to say crow over. For example, some of the Australiannewspapers didnt crow over their teams achievement.

When the media ask him (George W. Bush) a question, he answers, Can I use a lifeline? Robin

Williams

What is the meaning of jejune?

(M. V. Pattabhiraman, Secunderabad)

First, lets deal with the pronunciation. The e in the first syllable is like the i inbit, fit and kit, and the following syllable is pronounced like the word June.The stress is on the second syllable. The word is mostly used in formal contexts toshow disapproval. When you say that someone is jejune, what you mean is thatthe person is rather childish or unsophisticated. When used with things, the wordmeans uninteresting.

*Ive been listening to jejune lectures all day.

The word comes from the Latin jejunus meaning fasting or hungry. When it was

first used in English, jejune meant going without food.


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What is the difference between collaborate and corroborate?

(B. Nandini, Chennai)

The word collaborate comes from the Latin collaborare meaning to labour

together. Therefore, when you collaborate with someone, you work with thatindividual for a purpose for example, you could collaborate with someone on aproject.

*We will be collaborating with an American company to develop the product.

When you corroborate something, you provide proof or evidence that supportswhat you or someone else has said. The word is frequently used in legal contexts.

*Some of the research findings seem to corroborate my fathers theory.

Does the word w00t exist?

(Krishnamurthy, New Delhi)

The internet has given us many new words, and w00t is one them. I understandthat the word originated in competitive online gaming. It was an acronym usedby players for we owned the other team. In other words, you were much betterthan the other team and you beat them easily. The word has acquired a generalmeaning, and is now frequently used in everyday conversation as an expressionof joy and excitement. The 00 is pronounced like the oo in cool, pool, andschool.

*Believe it or not, the bank has decided to give us the loan wed asked for. W00t!

The word can also be spelt woot, and it was included in the list of Merriam-Websters Words of the Year for 2007.

Some people are scared of taking injections. Is there a word for it?

(P. Pandey, Pune)

Needle phobia is an expression that is commonly used by a lot of people.Doctors, on the other hand, have another name for this fear. They refer to theextreme and irrational fear of injections as trypanophobia. The y in the firstsyllable is like the i in bit, hit, and sit, and the following syllable ispronounced like the word pan. It is also possible to pronounce the a in thesecond syllable like the a in china. The o is like the o in go, so and no, andthe final syllables are pronounced like the word phobia. The main stress is onpho. These are just two of the ways of pronouncing the word.

Is it okay to say Write me?

(L. Devaki, Chennai)

Careful users of the language would argue its wrong. They would maintain that itshould be write to me. But the fact of the matter is that native speakers ofEnglish do say Write me. It is used very frequently in American English.


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Heres another sign that the economy isnt doing well: plastic surgeries down 12 per cent this year.

Thats what they mean when they say the economy could get ugly. Jay Leno

Know your English

A box of sweets early in the morning. What a nice little surprise!

Happy New Year!

Thank you. The same to you. So, what are you going to do today? What are yourplans?

My plans? You mean our plans, dont you? Were supposed to be spending theday together. Dont you remember?

Oh, yes! Thats right. I seem...

So, what do you want to do? See a movie, go to a restaurant, visit...

Anything. Whatever floats your boat.

Whatever floats my boat? What are you talking about? You know I dont own aboat.

I know that. When someone says something and you respond by saying,Whatever floats your boat, what you mean is, Whatever pleases you.

In other words, you are telling the person, Ill do whatever makes you happy.

Thats right! This is just one of the meanings of the expression. Lets see amovie, and then maybe later, we can go to a restaurant.

Sounds like a good idea. Which movie do you want to go to?

Whatever floats your boat.

How about Billa? I hear its an entertaining movie.

Then Billa, it is. Which show do you...

Ill ring up Arjun and find out if hes interested in coming with us. He wantedto...

Arjun! No way! The guy is cuckoo.

Cuckoo? Isnt cuckoo a bird?

Yes, thats right. But when you say someone is cuckoo, what you mean is thatthe person is slightly crazy or silly. The word is mostly used in informal contexts.

I see. How about this example? Being a teacher nowadays can drive a person

cuckoo.


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It certainly can. If there are 60 or 70 students like you sitting in one class, justimagine...

Good grief! Even my mother would go cuckoo.

Thats right! How did I get involved in a cuckoo scheme like this?

Which scheme are you talking about?

That was just an example.

I see. In that case, how about this example? Taking care of the twins has madeSavithri slightly cuckoo.

Sounds good! Looking after two babies can be very stressful, I guess. Its to beexpected. Its par for the course.

Par for the course? What are you talking about?

When you say something is par for the course, what you mean is that it is usualand acceptable for the given situation.

In other words, your experience tells you that what is happening is normal.

Exactly! The expression comes from the world of golf. Heres an example.

The government is planning to increase its budget for education. Thats par forthe course.

Good example. Manaswini threw up several times during the long drive.

Given the fact, she gets sick whenever she travels, I guess its par for thecourse.

Thats a very good example.

Wow! A compliment! And that too from you! I guess the coming year is going tobe a great one after all!

Adults are always asking little kids what they want to be when they grow up because theyre looking

for ideas. Paula Poundstone

February 2008

What is the meaning of the expression `on the fly'?(G. Swaminathan, Coimbatore)

This is an informal expression that is mostly used in American English. When youdo something `on the fly', you do it very quickly, without spending too much timethinking about it.

This is a serious matter. I don't think you should be taking decisions on the fly.The expression has another meaning as well. It means the ability to perform atask while you are on the move.


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Padma's new cell phone enables her to check her email on the fly.

How is the word ètiquette' pronounced?

(Sudhesh Kumar Rajpal, Palampur)

The è' in the first syllable and the ùe' in the third are pronounced like the è' in`set', `bet', and `pet'. The ì' is like the ì' in `kit', `hit', and `pit', and the following`q' is like the `k' in `king', `kiss', and `kill'. The final è' is silent; the word ispronounced ètiket' with the stress on the first syllable. This is one way ofpronouncing the word.

Every society has its own rules and conventions which determine polite behaviourin a given social situation. Etiquette refers to the formal rules which govern`socially acceptable behaviour'. These are the rules we observe in our social andprofessional life.

There was a time when etiquette was considered important in our country.

What is the meaning of the expression `the proof of the pudding is in

the eating'?(S. Sowmya, Chennai)

This is an expression that has been around for several centuries. When you tellsomeone that the `proof of the pudding is in the eating', what you mean is that inorder to determine the value of something, one needs to test or try it. You aretelling the individual not to pass judgment on something without examining thefacts or evidence. You will come to know if the pudding is good or bad, only aftertasting it. The expression is often reduced to `the proof of the pudding', and it has

the same meaning as `don't judge a book by its cover'.

On paper, your suggestions look great. But you know what they say, the proof ofthe pudding is in the eating.

What's the difference between `work for someone' and `work with

someone'?(Prashant Chaturvedi, Gwalior)

When you `work for' someone, you are his employee; you have been hired by himto do a job. This doesn't necessarily mean that this individual knows youpersonally; and chances are you may not be working along with him. Lots ofpeople work for the Prime Minister; it doesn't mean that Dr. Manmohan Singhknows everyone personally.

How would you like to work for Ambani? When you `work with' someone, you workalong with the person. He may or may not be your boss. In this case, since thetwo of you work side by side, you see him on a regular basis and know himpersonally.

For my PhD, I would like to work with Prof. Nagalakshmi.

What is the difference between àlumni', and àlumnae'?

(G. Shanthi, Bangalore)


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The àlumni' of a university are the students who have graduated from it; theword is used to refer to both male and female students. Àlumnae' are the femalegraduates of a university or college. The final àe' in àlumnae' is pronounced likethe èe' in `fees', `bees', and `trees'.

"I think God invented rain to give dead people something to complain about." -

David Brenner

How is the word aficionado pronounced?

(G. S. Moorthy, Nellore)

The a in the first syllable and the o in the third are like the a in china; the iin the second syllable sounds like the i in sit, pit, and hit. The c is like the sin sip, set, and sat and the i is pronounced like the y in yes and yell. Thea in the fourth syllable is like the a in bath and path, while the final o is likethe o in so, no, and go. The word is pronounced afisyenaado, with the stresson the fourth syllable na. This is one way of pronouncing the word. When you saythat someone is an aficionado of something, what you mean is that the person isa great fan of it; he is very interested in a particular subject, and knows a greatdeal about it.

*My boss says that his wife is an aficionado of Thai food.

What is the response to How do you do?

(Namrata, New Delhi)

It depends on which side of the Atlantic you are from. In British English, the

standard response to How do you do? is How do you do? In India, whensomeone says namaste, we respond by saying namaste. The same is the casewith How do you do? This is an expression that is normally used when you areintroduced to someone; once you have been introduced, you never use theexpression with that individual again. The British make a distinction between Howdo you do? and How are you? The Americans, on the other hand, do not alwaysmaintain this distinction. It is common for Americans to say, Fine, thank you inresponse to How do you do? In India, you will be better off doing what the Britishdo.

What is the difference between misogynist and misogamist?

(P. Yogesh, Bangalore)

First, lets deal with the pronunciation. The first syllable in both words ispronounced like the word miss. The following o sounds like the o in hot, pot,and got, and the g is like the j in jam and juice. The y in misogynist is likethe i in pit and hit, while the a in misogamist is like the a in china. Thefinal syllable in both words rhymes with list and gist, and the main stress is onthe second syllable so.

A misogynist is a man who hates women. This individual feels that men aresuperior to women. A misogamist, on the other hand, is someone who hatesmarriage. This word is not found in all dictionaries.

What is the meaning and origin of more sinned against than sinning?


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(S. Swaminathan, Mysore)

This is an expression made popular by Shakespeare. In movies, we sometimesfind the hero taking the law into his own hands when the legal system fails him.The villain kills his family members, but the police and the court fail to put theman behind bars. The hero then decides to take matters into his own hands, and

goes around killing all those close to the villain. By doing this, he is committing awrong, but he feels that he has the right to do what he is doing because a greaterwrong has been done to him. He feels that he is the victim. When you say thatsomeone is more sinned against than sinning, what you mean is that theindividual is less guilty than those who have wronged him.

Its true she shot the politician in cold blood. But when you hear the entire story,youll feel she was more sinned against than sinning.

By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks hes

wrong. Charles Wadsworth

How is the word extempore pronounced?

(K. Hariharan, Kozhikode)

The word consists of four syllables and not three. The first syllable ex sounds likethe ex in expect, excite, and expel. The following e is like the e in test,pest, and best; the o is like the a in china. The final e is like the i in pit,bit and sit. The word is pronounced extemperi with the stress on the secondsyllable. When you give a speech extempore, you give it without really preparingfor it. Its an impromptu speech, and its usually given without the help of anynotes.

*You must be out of your mind if you think Im going to speak extempore.

What is the meaning of the expression to separate the sheep from the

goats?

(S. Naik, Pune)

This is an expression that comes from the Bible. When you say that you are goingto separate the sheep from the goats, what you mean is that you are going toseparate the good from the bad. It is also possible to say, sort out the sheepfrom the goats. These two expressions have the same meaning as to separate

the wheat from the chaff.

What is the difference between sojourn and journey?

(T. Karthik, Hyderabad)

When you take a journey, you travel from one place to another. The distance maybe covered in a matter of few hours, or it may take several days or months. Ajourney may or may not involve a brief halt or stop somewhere along the way.The original meaning of journey was a days travel.

*The two drove like crazy and completed the journey in five hours.


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As for the word sojourn, first, lets deal with the pronunciation. The o in the firstsyllable is like the o in hot, got, and pot. The j that follows is like the j injam, jack, and job; the final ourn is like the urn in burn and turn. Thestress is on the first syllable so. A sojourn is a not a journey of any kind. Whenyou sojourn somewhere, you stay in that place for a short while; the stay isusually temporary.

*Dravid sojourned at his brothers home on his way to Mumbai.

The word is mostly used in formal contexts.

How is the word kiosk pronounced?

(Kamana, Coimbatore)

The ki in the first syllable is pronounced like the word key, and the following osounds like the o in pot, hot and got. The final sk is like the sk in skip,skit, and skid; the stress is on the first syllable. This is just one of the ways ofpronouncing the word.

A kiosk is usually a small structure where newspapers and light refreshments likesandwiches and soda are sold; you usually buy these items through an openwindow. Thanks to cell phones, telephone kiosks are slowly disappearing.

*Sarita usually buys sandwiches at the station kiosk.

Is it okay to introduce myself in the following manner? I am Mr.

Thomas.

(Yesudasan Thomas, Kollam)

When James Bond introduces himself, he says, My name is Bond. James Bond. Hedoesnt say My name is Mr. Bond. Mr. James Bond. We often hear Indian menintroduce themselves as Mr. Sharma, Mr. Rao, etc. When you introduceyourself, there is no need for you to include Mr. before your name. Nativespeakers of English do not include the word Mr. when they introduce themselves.

The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on. Robert Bloch

What is the meaning of modus vivendi?

(C. K. Arjun, Bangalore)

First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this Latin expression. The m..o..drhymes with load, showed and toad, and the u that follows is like the a inchina. The first i in vivendi is like the i in kit, bit and sit, while the secondis like the ee in see, bee, and fee. The e in ven sounds like the e in set,bet and pet. The main stress is on the second syllable of vivendi. This is justone of the ways of pronouncing the word.

A modus vivendi is a practical arrangement which allows two people who have adifference of opinion about something, to work or live together while waiting fortheir dispute to be settled. This arrangement is usually temporary.


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In order to complete the project on time, a modus vivendi was achieved betweenthe two countries.

What is the origin of the word magazine?

(L. Kanchana, Secunderabad)

The word magazine has several different meanings. A publication containingarticles, ads, stories and photographs that comes out on a regular basis is called amagazine. The part of the gun which contains the bullets is also called amagazine. How did this word acquire such different meanings? According toscholars, the word magazine comes from the Arabic makhzan meaningstorehouse. The original magazine was a place where grain and other goodswere stored. I guess this explains why the part of the gun which contains thebullets is called a magazine it is a storehouse for the ammunition. Did you knowthat before the 19th century even ordinary books were called magazines? Afterall, books are a storehouse of knowledge, arent they? It was only in the 19thcentury that the word magazine began to refer to periodicals.

What is the difference between missive and letter?

(M. Ganesh, Chennai)

First, lets deal with the pronunciation. The first syllable of miss is pronouncedlike the word miss, while the second sounds like the ive in massive andpassive. The stress is on the first syllable. A missive is a longish letter, oftenofficial, sent by someone. It is usually sealed and contains private information.The word is considered rather old fashioned, and is mostly used in literarycontexts; in informal contexts, it is used humorously.

After the meeting, the Ambassador sat down and wrote a five page missive to thePresident.

The word missive comes from the Latin missus meaning to send; missives areusually sent to individuals. Letter, on the other hand, is a general term and it canbe sent to individuals, companies, organisations, etc. It may deal with business orprivate matters.

What is the meaning of the expression thanks but no thanks?

(Ishan Malik, New Delhi)

If someone offers you something, and you respond by saying thanks, but nothanks, what you mean is I appreciate the offer, but I decline. The expression isone way of refusing or turning down an invitation; it is always used to convey arejection.

When Rahul offered to help me with the project, I told him, Thanks, but nothanks.

He was a dreamer, a thinker, a speculative philosopher...., or as his wife would have it, an idiot.

Douglas Adams

March 2008Know your English


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Where were you? Ive been ringing the bell for over five minutes. Were youtaking a bath?

Taking a bath so early in the evening? No way! I was in the arms of Morpheus.

You were in the arms of another man? When...

Relax, will you? When you tell someone that you were in the arms of Morpheus,what you mean is that you were fast asleep.

I see. Who is this Morpheus?

He is the god of dreams in Roman and Greek mythology. So when you are in hisarms, you are in the land of dreams.

Do you want to return to the arms of Morpheus? I can always come back later.

Not really! Ive been in his arms most of the afternoon. Do you know that it isfrom Morpheus that we get the word morphine?

Guess that explains why people who are given morphine have the feeling theyare in a dream world. So, how was lunch with your boss?

O.K, I guess.

What do you mean, O.K, I guess. Didnt it turn out to be the dream lunch youdhoped for?

Not really. It turned into a nightmare the moment he asked me to pick up the

tab.

Pick up the tab? What tab?

A tab is the bill. When somebody asks you to pick up the tab...

They want you to pay the bill.

Exactly! Its an informal expression mostly used in American English. Usually,when you go out with someone, it is the person who invites you who picks up thetab.

Even I know that! And thats the reason, I dont invite anyone. How about thisexample? Since the accident took place in the office, the company was willing topick up the tab.

Sounds good! Whenever I go out with my friend Govind, we take turns picking upthe tab. Sometimes, we go Dutch.

You and Govind go Dutch! Why dont you go Indian?

Not very funny, Im afraid. When you go Dutch with someone, you share the bill.You pay for what you have eaten, and he pays for what...

For what hes eaten. Understood. Whenever my friends and I go out, weinvariably go Dutch.


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Thats what most students do. I thought my boss would pick up the tab fortodays lunch. The least he could have done is...

Forget about your silly boss, will you? Did you hear about Harish and Mythili?

Yes, I believe they have called off their wedding. The news of the cancellation hitme right between the eyes.

Hit you right between the eyes? What are you talking about?

When you say that something hit you right between the eyes, it means, itshocked you. This weeks article on how corrupt our politicians are hit me rightbetween the eyes.

Corruption and politicians go together. Why should the news hit you between theeyes? How about this example? The filthy condition of the hospital hit them rightbetween the eyes.

Thats a wonderful example. Are we going to the new ice cream parlour on M.G.Road today?

Why dont we go after dinner?

Sounds like a good idea.

Will you be picking up the tab?

Nice try. Lets go Dutch.

Women like silent men. They think they are listening. Marcel Archard

What is the meaning of serendipity?

(B. Suresh Kumar, Coimbatore)

First, lets deal with the pronunciation. The e in the first syllable sounds like thee in set, bet, and get, while the e in the second is like the a in china. Thei in the third and fourth syllables and the final y are pronounced like the i insit, bit, and hit. The word is pronounced serendipiti, with the stress on thethird syllable di.

Sometimes, we make rather fortunate discoveries by sheer accident. This luckytendency that some people have to find interesting or valuable things by chanceis called serendipity. The word is considered formal, and is mostly used inliterary contexts.

*According to the artist, some of the best effects in his garden have been theresult of serendipity.

Serendip is the old Persian name for Sri Lanka. In the fairy tale, The ThreePrinces of Serendip, the main characters make wonderful discoveries by chance.The American writer, Horace Walpole, coined the word serendipity in 1754 in aletter he wrote to his friend.

How is the word idiosyncrasy pronounced?


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When you say that someone is in la-la land, what you mean is that they are outof touch with reality. The person has no clue whats going on. For example, I haveno idea whats going on with my cousin Ganesh. He seems to be in la-la land.

Tell me, where does the expression la-la-land come from?

As you probably know, LA is the short form of Los Angeles. People living in thiscity are thought to be odd or eccentric. Hence the expression la-la land.

Thats interesting. So, you dont think cricket is a gentlemans game?

Look, you know Im really not into cricket. So, ...

Just answer the question. Do you think that cricket...

Cricket is no longer a game. Its become a business. Look at the people runningit.

I dont agree with you. I think cricket is a wonderful game. Its still...

Look, the two of us can argue until the cows come home and we still wont be...

Whose cows? What cows? What are you talking about?

The expression until the cows come home, means for a very long time.

Is it because the cowherd takes the cows out for grazing early in the morning,and brings them back only in the evening? Hes out the whole day and ...

Thats right. When the expression was first used, it meant entire day. Now itsused to mean for a very long time.

I see. How about this example? You can keep asking till the cows come home,but there is no way that you are going to get a new laptop.

Thats a very good example. You are waiting for my boss to come up with areasonably good idea? Then Im afraid youll be waiting until the cows comehome.

The two parties debated the issue till the cows came home, but for some strangereason they just couldnt reach an agreement.

Its never easy to reach an agreement. Anyway, other than watching cricketplayers insult each other, what else have you been up to?

I saw a film called Taare zameen par. It was pretty...

A couple of my friends saw it, and they said it knocked their socks off.

Knocked their socks off? Does it mean they enjoyed it?

When you say that something knocked your socks off, what you mean is that youfound it to be really exciting or good.

In other words, it pleased you very much.


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You were extremely pleased or happy with it. You were just blown away by theexperience.

I see. You should see Narenders new car. Itll knock your socks off.

The new restaurant is a very small place. The decor isnt great, but the food willsimply knock your socks off.

You must try this new brand of ice cream. Itll knock your socks off.

Its also possible to say blow the socks off someone. When the little girl beganto sing, she blew the socks off everyone.

One advantage of talking to yourself is that at least you know that somebody is listening.

Franklin P. Jones

April 2008

Know your English

Hi! You dont look too good. Is anything the matter?

Problems at the office, Im afraid. The workers have been on strike for a weeknow. They have been raising Cain and we...

Raising Cain? I have no idea what it means.

It means to protest angrily about something. The person who raises Cain usuallybehaves in a disruptive manner. He creates problems for others.

Heres an example. When the parents were informed that the children wouldntbe allowed to write the exam, they raised Cain.

Thats what many parents do. You should see what...

What are you doing here anyway? Shouldnt you be at home swotting for yourexams?

What should I be doing?

Swotting for your exams. The word is spelt s...w...o...t. The o is like the o inlot and pot.

I see. Tell me, what does swot mean?

It means to study very hard. The word is normally used in the context of exams.

Thats the only time when people like me study hard!

I know! Its true of...

So when you swot, you attempt to learn as much as you can, as quickly as youcan about something. Is that right?


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Well, you could say that. Its a word that is mostly used in informal contexts inBritish English. Let me give you an example.

Wait! Let me give it a try. Right now, Archana is sitting at home swotting for herBoard exams.

Thats a good example. Its also possible to say swot up on. For example,Sekhar spent several hours in the library swotting up on his chemistry.

The word swot can also be used with people as well. When you call someone aswot, what you mean is that he studies very hard. Other than this, he is notinterested in anything else.

So by calling a person a swot, you are making it clear that you disapprove ofhim.

Exactly! Heres an example. Whatever you do, please dont invite that swot Dilipto the party.

In school, Im surrounded by swots.

I seriously doubt that. I wouldnt call any of your friends, swots. Tell me, what areyou going to do once the exams get over?

Im planning to go to Mumbai. What about you? Are you going anywhere?

I dont know. Im terribly busy negotiating with the workers right now. I hope toget some downtime next week.

Downtime? I dont think Ive heard that expression before. What does it mean?

Its a period of time when you dont do anything. You just...

You sit back and relax. You basically chill out. Isnt that the expression?

Very good! Thats exactly what you do. Ive been working 15 hours a day for thepast month. I need some downtime.

Lets borrow some DVDs and have some downtime at my place.

No chance of that happening. Your mother would raise Cain if she saw you

watching movies.

Youre right! Id better go and start swotting for my exams.

Good luck.

Thanks.

I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me. Fred Allen

What is the meaning of take up the cudgels for someone?

(K. Panchapagesan, Mumbai)


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The first syllable of cudgels rhymes with budge, nudge, and grudge, and thefollowing e is like the a in china. The word is pronounced kajelz with thestress on the first syllable. A cudgel is a club; it is a short heavy stick that isoften used as a weapon. When you take up the cudgels for someone, what youare doing is coming to the defence of an individual. The expression can also meanto argue strongly in favour of someone or something. In British and Australian

English, it is also possible to say, to take up the cudgels on behalf of someone.

*The association should take up the cudgels for the two men who have beendismissed.

When you take up the cudgels against someone, you fight against him.

*Its about time that we took up the cudgels against crooked politicians.

Does the word nomophobia exist? What does it mean?

(A. Ananthan, Nellore)

Yes, it certainly does. A lot of young people have this phobia. What is the thingthat most teenagers and people in their 20s are addicted to? What is the gadgetthat they love the most? Something that they cannot do without? Its the cellphone, of course! Many people are overly dependent on this particular gadget.When they dont receive a signal on it, or when they receive a message sayingthat the battery is low or their credit is almost over, they have a panic attack. Thisfear they have that they might be out of cell phone range or their cell phone maydie on them is called nomophobia. Nomo is short for no mobile!

Is it OK to say, The students were baffled with the teachers

instructions?

(Dilip Das, Chennai)

No, it isnt. People are usually baffled by something, not with something. Whenyou are baffled by something, you find it very difficult to understand; it puzzlesyou.

*According to the reports, the police are baffled by the murder.

How is the word aplomb pronounced?

(N. Bhavani, Erode)

The a is like the a in china, and the following o sounds like the o in hot,pot, and cot. The final b is silent, and the main stress is on the secondsyllable. The word is pronounced aplom. When you do something with aplomb,you do it in a relaxed manner and with a great deal of confidence. The word ismostly used in formal contexts.

*The young couple handled the difficult situation with aplomb.

Is there a difference between I plan to re-cover the old sofa and I plan

to recover the old sofa?


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(T. Harindranath, Salem)

Yes, there is. Sometimes, the presence of a hyphen can bring about a change inthe meaning of a word. In the first sentence, re-cover suggests that you aregoing to cover the sofa again with something. The old sofa may already have acover, but chances are you are not happy with it. So, you intend to put some

other cover on it, and make it look good.

The word recover, on the other hand, suggests that the old sofa is no longer withyou. Perhaps you have lost it or someone has stolen it! Whatever be the case, youare now planning to find it and bring it home the place where it belongs!

You dont stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.

Michael Pritchard

What is the difference between robber and thief?(D. Vincent, Vellore)

Of the two, the thief is more subtle! When a thief takes something from you, youare not usually aware of it. You dont even notice his presence, and when hedisappears with something that belongs to you, he seldom leaves a trail behindhim. He steals without attracting too much attention to himself, and he is neverviolent.

*The thief entered the house and walked away with the laptop.

A robber, on the other hand, is someone who comes face to face with his victimand forces him to part with his valuables. He threatens his victim with grievousinjuries, if he doesnt do as he is told. Unlike a thief, a robber may resort toviolence he may kill or injure the person being robbed.

*The robber tied the man to the tree and ran away with the suitcase.

What is the meaning of paddle ones own canoe?(M. Kishore, Hyderabad)

This is an expression that is mostly used in American English. A canoe is a smallboat which Native Americans made use of. The a in the word is like the a inchina, and the final oe is like the oo in cool, pool, and fool The word ispronounced ke-noo with the stress on the second syllable.

When you paddle your own canoe, what you are doing is steering your own boat.In other words, you are charting your own course. The expression paddle yourown canoe is used to mean self reliant or independent.

*Listen Naresh, you are 25 years old. Its time you started to paddle your owncanoe.

What is the past tense of quit?(R. Ashwini, Secunderabad)

When the verb is used to mean to leave, it has two past tense forms quit andquitted. For example, it is possible to say, Jai quit/quitted his job last month. The

word quitted is seldom used in American English, and in British English, it islimited to formal styles of writing. Many people regard quitted as old fashioned.When the verb is used to mean to stop, then quit and not quitted is used as


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the past tense form. We say, Yogesh has quit playing tennis, not, Yogesh hasquitted playing tennis.

How is the word succinct pronounced?(Sudhesh Kumar, Palampur)

The u in the first syllable is like the a in china, and the first c is like the k inkiss and keep. The following cinc is pronounced like the word sink and thefinalt is like the t in table and tin. The word is pronounced sek-sinkt with thestress on the second syllable. This is just one of the ways of pronouncing theword.

This is a word that is mostly used in formal contexts to indicate approval. Whensomeone is succinct, you mean he speaks clearly and concisely. He says what hewants to say without wasting too many words; he is to the point.

*The reporters were rather unhappy with the Mayors succinct reply.

What is the meaning of flip out?(M. N. Vibha, Nagpur)

When someone flips out, he loses control of himself; he suddenly goes crazy. Theexpression is mostly used in informal contexts.

*When Lina heard that she hadnt been promoted, she flipped out.

Another expression which has the same meaning is flip ones wig.

America believes in education: the average professor earns more money in a year than a professional

athlete earns in a whole week! Evan Esar

How is the word awry pronounced?

(T. Chandrasekhar, Pune)

The first syllable aw is like the a in china, and the y in the second syllable islike the y in my and by. The word is pronounced erai with the stress on thesecond syllable. The word has several different meanings. When things go awry,they dont go the way that you had intended them to. Nothing goes according toplan.

The plans went awry because the Chief Guest arrived two hours late.

When something is not in its normal or proper position, it is said to be awry. It issomewhat crooked.

Abhai looked as if he had been in a fight. His shirt was torn, and his tie wastwisted awry.

What is the meaning of the expression to make sheep eyes at someone?

(S. Rajendran, Chennai)


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This is an expression that is not heard very often nowadays; it is consideredrather old fashioned. When you make sheep eyes at someone, you make it ratherobvious to the individual that you are attracted to him/her. No one is really sureabout the origin of the expression.

Some of the girls in class have been making sheep eyes at the new teacher.

What is the difference between perhaps and maybe?

(M. Nirupama, Bangalore)

In terms of meaning, there is no difference between the two; both can be used tomean something is possible. Of the two, maybe is considered to be informal. Itis frequently heard in speech, but is seldom used in formal styles of writing.Maybe always comes at the beginning of a clause; perhaps, on the other hand,can come in different positions.

Maybe you should tell them that you dont really like the job.

Perhaps you should tell them that you dont really like the job.

You should perhaps tell them that you dont really like the job.

Make sure to maintain the distinction between maybe and may be.

What is the meaning of the expression put past someone?

The expression is normally used to show disapproval. When you say that youwouldnt put something past someone, what you mean is that the individual in

question is quite capable of doing something wrong; at least, something whichyou dont approve of.

I wouldnt put it past Velu to deny all knowledge of the incident.

Is the following sentence grammatically correct? He has a car, hasnt

he?

(M. Muhammad, Kannur)

No, it isnt. It should be He has a car, doesnt he? Take a look at the following

sentences. She is beautiful, isnt she? The students can go home, cant they?They do want to help, dont they? He has walked three miles, hasnt he? In all theexamples, the question tag makes use of a be verb, or a helping verb like can,do, has, etc.

In the sentence that you have given, has is the main verb; the sentence does notcontain a helping verb. When has is the main verb, you cannot make use of it inthe question tag; you have to make use of some form of the verb do.

For example, you cannot say, He has five children, hasnt he? The question tagshould be doesnt he? He has five children, doesnt he?

The first time I sang in the church choir, two hundred people changed theirreligion. Fred Allen


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What is the meaning and origin of Tinseltown?

(Anirudh, Houston)

Tinseltown is an uncomplimentary term that has been used to refer to Hollywood

for quite some time now. Tinsel consists of long strips of shiny material whichpeople use to decorate Christmas trees. It is something that glitters, but is of novalue. The word tinsel has been used in the English language for severalcenturies to describe something that is rather showy and gaudy. When you referto Hollywood as Tinseltown, what you mean is that although the place glitters, likethe people in it, it does not have any substance. On closer inspection, you realiseit is merely some cheap foil which falls apart at the seams.

What is the difference between biannual and biennial?

(B. Laxman, Bangalore)

Both words are derived from the same root: bi meaning two or twice andannus meaning year. The two words, however, have very different meanings.An event that takes place biannually happens twice a year; perhaps, every sixmonths. A biennial event, on the other hand, takes place once in two years. Thestress in both words is on the second syllable.

*The company will be publishing its biannual report next week.

*The editor is planning to bring out the new journal biennially

What is the meaning and origin of throw the hat into the ring?

(Ganesh, Varnasi)

When you throw or toss your hat into the ring, what you are doing isannouncing to the world that you are ready to compete with other people forsomething it could be for the post of the Vice Chancellor, a place in Cabinet,etc.

The expression nowadays is mostly used in relation to politics. When someonethrows his hat in or into the ring, he is informing everyone that he iscontesting in the coming elections. The expression comes from the sport ofboxing. In the old days, when wearing a hat was common practice, when a manthrew his hat into the boxing ring, it implied that he was challenging the boxer; he

was willing to fight him.

What is the meaning of vox populi?

(T. Uma, Chennai)

First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this Latin expression. Vox rhymes withpox, socks, and fox, and the first syllable of populi rhymes with hop andtop. The following u sounds like the u in useful and united, while the final iis like the ee in seed, feed, and need. It is also possible to pronounce thefinal i like the y in by and my.


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The word is pronounced vox popyulee with the main stress on the first syllableof populi. The expression means voice of the people, and it is often reduced tovox pop or vox pops.

The vox pop technique is normally used in radio and television broadcasting.Every day on the various news channels, we see reporters interviewing people on

the street. They ask the common man to give their opinion about something.What do you think of the budget or Do you like Dhonis new hairstyle? Thismethod of recording the opinions of people talking informally in public places iscalled vox populi or vox pop.

*To make the programme interesting you need vox pop.

When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first thing to be bought and sold are

legislators.

P. J. Rourke

May 2008

Know your English

Did you watch the movie on TV last night?

Yes, I did. It was...

What did you think of it? Wasnt it just great?

I wouldnt say that. I thought it was fair to middling.

Fair to middling? What does it mean?

When you say something was fair to middling, what you mean is that it wasneither very good nor very bad. Its an informal way of saying, it was so-so.

So if someone asks me how good my English is, can I say, its fair to middling?

Thats a very good example.

Tell me, what does middling mean? I know what fair means?

Well, believe it or not, when this expression began to be used, middling meantfair.

So youre basically saying, from fair to fair. Its neither good nor bad. Itssomewhere in the middle.

Very good! Its just OK. Now then, how...

Hey, what happened to the dining table? Did you sell it?

It needed some polishing. So the carpenter has taken it to the terrace.

So, where do you eat?


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In the kitchen! A bachelor breakfast is what...

I know you are a bachelor and you have breakfast. But what is bachelorbreakfast?

Its when you eat something standing in the kitchen, instead of sitting at thedining table.

Is this expression only used in relation to someones breakfast? Can it be usedwith...

The expression bachelor breakfast can be used with any meal. The importantthing is that the meal is eaten while you are standing.

I see. When we have a lot of guests at home, I prefer to have an early bachelorbreakfast and leave for college.

Thats a very good idea.

My cousin Sujatha doesnt think so. According to Sujathas opinion, when oneeats...

You cannot say, according to Sujathas opinion.

But you can say, according to Sujatha, right?

Thats right! But if you want to use opinion, then you have to say, in Sujathasopinion. For example, in Rams opinion, more money should be spent ondevelopment.

Or I can say, according to Ram, more money should be spent on development.

Good! In my opinion, you need to get a haircut.

You sound like my mother! Youre supposed to have lunch with your boss today,arent you?

Yes, in another hour or so. How do I look?

Youre wearing faded jeans and an old T-shirt. You cant meet your boss wearingthose clothes!

Why not?

Because youre not dressed to the occasion. Thats why not!

Its dressed for the occasion, and not dressed to.

I see. Youre not dressed for the occasion.

Do you know what dressed for the occasion means?

Of course, I do. When someone is dressed for the occasion, he/she is suitably

dressed. The clothes the person is wearing are appropriate.


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Exactly! My boss and I are having lunch in the old Udipi restaurant down thestreet. Were discussing the menu for next weeks annual party.

In that case, you are dressed for the occasion.

Thank you.

I wanted to take up music, so my father bought me a blunt instrument. He told me to knock myself

out. Jay London

How is the word schedule pronounced?

(Madhu, New Delhi)

The Americans and the English pronounce this word differently. The Englishpronounce the first syllable like the word shed, and in the case of the second,they rhyme it with the words fuel, duel, and mule. The word is pronounced

shed-yule with the stress on the first syllable. The Americans, on the other hand,pronounce the sch in the first syllable like the sk in skill, skit, and skip. Theypronounce the word skedule.

What is the meaning of po-faced?

(V. Tara, Bangalore)

This is an informal expression mostly used in British and Australian English. Theword po rhymes with no, so, and go. When you say that someone is po-faced, what you mean is that the individual looks very serious and ratherunfriendly.

The po-faced principal didnt allow the students to write the exam.

What is the meaning of epithet?

(G. Lavanya, Hyderabad)

Originally, the term meant a word or phrase attached to the name of anindividual. Take for example, Solomon the Wise and Alexander the Great. Inboth the examples, what comes after the name is an epithet: the Wise and theGreat. Epithets referred to the most important quality of an individual, and in theold days, they were invariably used after the names of saints. Later, epithets

began to be used as descriptive substitutes for the names or titles of individuals.

We Indians, for example, use the epithet Father of the Nation to refer toMahatma Gandhi. Not all epithets, however, are complimentary; most, in fact, arederogatory. Nowadays the term epithet is used to mean term of abuse.

Harbhajan was accused of hurling racial epithets at Andrew Symonds.

Does the word ta-ta actually exist?

(Pavithra, Salem)


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Yes, it does. Like the word cheerio, it is used mostly in British English in informalcontexts to mean goodbye. Ta-ta is mostly used by children. Americans do notuse either ta-ta or cheerio.

When do you say good evening and good night?

(M. Gopalakrishnan, Chennai)

Good evening is a way of saying hello to someone in the evening. Some peoplestart using this expression at 5 pm, others wait till 6 pm; there seems to be nofixed time as to when you start wishing someone, Good evening. When you runinto someone at eleven oclock in the night, you can still wish him Good evening.The standard response to Good evening is Good evening. You normally wishsomeone Good night when you are taking leave of someone in the evening not in the morning or afternoon! Its another way of saying goodbye. People alsosay Good night before they hit the sack.

What is the difference between lightning and lightening?

(C. Ekambaram, Kancheepuram)

A heavy downpour is sometimes accompanied by thunder and lightning it is theflash of brilliant light that we see in the sky. One cannot hear it, one can only seeit; what we hear is thunder. Lightening comes from the word lighten. Whenyou attempt to lighten something, you are attempting to make it lighter; inother words, you are trying to reduce its weight. This is just one of the meaningsof the word.

A telescope can magnify a star a thousand times; a good press agent can do even better. Fred

Allen

How is the word alibi pronounced?

(M. Rangaswami, Trichy)

The a in the first syllable is like the a in cat, bat, and sat, while the i in thesecond is like the i in sit and bit. The final syllable is pronounced like the wordby. The word is pronounced a-li-by with the stress on the first syllable. Alibi isa word mostly used in legal contexts. In many movies, when the villain is accusedof murdering someone, his sleazy lawyer tries to prove that his client couldnthave possibly committed the crime as he was elsewhere when the murder was

committed. This evidence that people provide is called an alibi.

*The husband has a cast iron alibi. He was not in the country when the crime tookplace.

Punctuality is the virtue of the bored. Evelyn Waugh

What is the meaning of rattle someones cage?

(T. Mukund, Pondicherry)

This is what children sometimes do at the zoo when they find the animal sound

asleep inside the cage. To wake up the animal and get its attention, the kids oftenpick up a stick and keep hitting the cage with it. How does the sleeping animal


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react to this unwelcome rattling? It usually gets annoyed or angry. When yourattle someones cage, you are deliberately trying to get the person annoyed orangry. You are attempting to get the individuals attention.

*Shyamala tried to rattle Harishs cage by asking him questions about his formergirl friend.


Which is correct? Make or take a decision?

(Rex Arul, Georgia)

You can take a decision or make a decision; both are correct. Which one youdecide to use depends on which side of the Atlantic you are from. Make adecision, I understand, is mainly used by the Americans, while the English prefertake a decision. In terms of meaning, in most contexts, there is little or nodifference between the two.


What is the difference between fatal and fateful?

(Vivek Kumar, Nagpur)

The word fatal is always associated with something negative; its use suggestsdeath or disaster. If you say that your neighbour had a fatal heart attack lastweek, it means that he died of a heart attack last week. Similarly, when you say,Ram struck the robber a fatal blow, what you mean is that Rams blow killed the

robber. A sentence like, Ganeshan took the fatal decision to marry Rima,suggests that Ganeshans decision had disastrous consequences.

Unlike the word fatal, fateful need not always be associated with somethingbad. Fateful means controlled by fate, and in this case, the result can be eithergood or bad. You may make the fateful decision to join the police force: you mayhave some luck, and quickly become a DIG, or you may end up getting killed in ashootout on your first day at work!


Know your English

Hi! Come on in. Your mother tells me youve done really well in your exams.Thats great.

Ill know how well Ive done when the results come out. Right now, Im enjoyingmy break. Im not touching my books for another two months.

Really? Arent you preparing for any of the entrance exams that...

No, Im not! My friend Parthiv is planning to write the IIT entrance exam, and heis...

Parthiv is trying to get into IIT? Somebody must tell him hes chasing rainbows.


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He is chasing rainbows? What do you mean by that?

When you say that someone is chasing rainbows, what you mean is that he istrying to achieve something that is impossible.

In other words, he is trying to do something which he is not really capable of.

My uncle chased rainbows all his life. He never amounted to anything.

I guess thats what happens when you chase rainbows. Can I use your computerfor a couple of minutes? I need to ...

Sorry. The computer bit the dust last night. I dont know...

Bit the dust? Did it fall off the table or something?

No, it didnt fall off the table. When you say that something bit the dust, what

you mean is that it has stopped working.

I see. How about this example? I want that old scooter my dad has to bite thedust really soon. That way, I would...

You want to drive a new scooter, do you?

Yes, I certainly do. There are many things in my house that are ready to bite thedust. So...

The expression bite the dust can be used with people as well. When you saythat someone has bitten the dust, what you mean is that the person is dead.

I see. It has the same meaning as to kick the bucket?

Thats right! Bite the dust is mostly used in informal contexts. Kunthalasgrandmother was nearly 90 when she bit the dust.

The two brothers wanted to sell the property. They were hoping that their fatherwould bite the dust soon.

Thats a terrible example. Talking about property, how is your friend Yuvrajdoing?

Hes doing great! Business is booming and he...

Did he marry the girl he was going out with? What was her name?

Padma. He asked her to marry him, but she got cold feet and...

Cold feet? What are you talking about?

When you get or have cold feet about something, you lose your courage. Youend up not doing what you had planned to do. Originally this idiom was used onlyin relation to marriage.

I see. Ganesh and Jyothi were planning to get married next month. But Ganeshgot cold feet and called off the wedding.


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Thats a good example. The idiom is now being used in other contexts as well not just weddings. Avinash agreed to sing at the local club. But he got cold feetand cancelled the event.

Last week I was asked to make a presentation. I thought Id get cold feet, but Ididnt.

Thats good to know. Ive got to make a presentation next week. Maybe, you canmake it on my behalf.

Talk about chasing rainbows!

Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer, but we wish we didnt. Erika Jong

June 2008

What is the meaning of final nail in the coffin?

(S. Pooja, Mavelikara)

A coffin as you know is something that people are buried in. In the old days, thelid had to be nailed in. The act of hammering in the final nail, signified that thebody inside the coffin was ready to be buried. Therefore, when you say thatsomething was the final nail in the coffin, what you mean is that it is the end ofsomething. It could be an event that causes harm or helps bring about thedownfall of something or someone.

*The report in the newspaper is another nail in the coffin of the corrupt Minister.

What is the plural of aircraft?

(L. Rajeev, Chennai)

Aircraft is an uncountable noun; the plural therefore is aircraft, not aircrafts.The plural of aeroplane, on the other hand, is aeroplanes. In American English,this word is spelt airplane.

*The Minister said that the government was planning to buy three more aircraft.

*The company was planning to buy two more aeroplanes by the end of the week.

Whats the difference between nonetheless andnevertheless?

(M. K. B. Nambiar, Mahe)

This is a question that is frequently asked. In terms of meaning, there is nodifference between the two; both are generally used in formal contexts to meanin spite of.

*The children had been up all night. Nonetheless, they continued to work on the

project.


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What is the meaning of back answer?

(Imbisath Bano, Hyderabad)

I think the expression you have in mind is answer back and not back answer.

When you answer back someone in authority, you reply rather rudely to them.

*The teacher was shocked when the student started answering him back.

*The father became extremely angry when his daughter answered him back.

We Indians tend to say back answer instead of answer back; similarly, we saytimepass rather than pass time.

How is the word severed pronounced?

(S. Sohini, Chennai)

Sever rhymes with the word never, and the final ed is like the d in dip, dishand dab. The stress is on the first syllable se, and the word is pronouncedseverd. When you sever something, you cut it off completely. The word is mostlyused in formal contexts.

*The impact of the collision was such that the drivers head was severed.

When you say that you have severed your relationship with someone, what youmean is that you have ended your relationship with that individual. The ending isusually sudden. It is also possible to sever relations with things as well.

*I think we should sever diplomatic relations with China.

Some people are scared of the number 13. Is there aword for it?

(Balram Choudry, Sedam)

The word that you have in mind is triskaidekaphobia. In Greek, tris meansthree, kai means and, and deka, as you have probably guessed, means ten.There are several ways of pronouncing this word. The i in the first syllable is likethe i in it and bit, and the following kai rhymes with why and bye. The

dek is pronounced like the word deck, while the e that follows is like the a inchina. The word is pronounced triskydeckephobia.

******

Public speaking is the art of diluting a two-minute idea with a two-hourvocabulary. Evan Esar

Know your English

Why didnt you tell me you were going to play a practical joke on Sujatha?

If I had told you, Sujatha would have figured out we were up to something. We allknow you cant keep a straight face.


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You mean to say that I have a crooked face?

No, thats not what I mean. When you keep a straight face, you dont allow youremotions to show. You try your best not to laugh. Even though

Even though the situation you are in may be funny.

Thats right! When my boss fell off his chair, I found it difficult to keep a straightface.

It was hard to keep a straight face when I was talking to Sujatha today.

Thats the reason we didnt tell you about the practical joke.

I guess I understand. Did you manage to see your favourite heros latest movieyesterday?

I certainly did. It was like watching grass grow.

Watching grass grow! What are you talking about?

Have you ever taken time off to watch grass grow?

You think Im crazy? Why would I waste my time watching grass grow? Itll be soboring.

Exactly! When you say that some activity was like watching grass grow, whatyou mean is that it was very boring. According to Sujatha, watching people playgolf is like watching grass grow.

I dont agree with that. If you ask me, watching people fishing is like watchinggrass grow.

Its supposed to be relaxing. O.K, so you didnt like the movie. But I understandits a big hit.

It certainly is. All the theatres are just packing them in. I understand it

Packing them in? Dont think Ive heard that expression before. What does itmean?

When you say that a theatre or a restaurant is packing them in, what you meanis that the place is attracting a lot of people. For example

Let me give it a try. The old Udipi restaurant still manages to pack them in.

Any restaurant that serves good food at a reasonable price is likely to pack themin.

I know. There was a time when the zoo used to pack them in. Nowadays, youhardly find anyone there.

I think people prefer to watch animals on TV nowadays.

You have a point there. I see that you have managed to do some cleaning here.


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Yes, I did do some cleaning. Gave the bookshelves a lick and a promise.

A lick and a promise? What are you talking about?

When you say that you gave something a lick and a promise, what you mean isthat you did the job very hurriedly. You didnt.

Since you didnt spend too much time on it, you probably didnt do a good job ofit.

Exactly! And what little you did, you did it without enthusiasm. You are hoping tocome back to it later, and complete it.

Thats what most people do, I guess.

Thats true.

How about this example? Every morning I put on my uniform, give my shoes alick and a promise and rush to school.

Sounds good! Ill give the car a lick and a promise before going to the station.

Good luck!

******

When God sneezed, I didnt know what to say. Henry Youngman

What is the difference between damage and damages?

(K. Jagdeesh, Hyderabad)

You are driving your friends new car and as luck would have it, you end uphaving an accident. You get out of the car and notice that the headlights arebroken and the fender has more or less come off. You have damaged your friendscar; in this case, you have spoilt the looks of the vehicle. The word damage ismostly used with things. You can harm, break or spoil something.

*During the recent earthquake, thousands of buildings were badly damaged.

While cars, houses, and roads can be damaged, a person, on the other hand,

cannot be. You cannot say, Roshni was damaged in the blast. The word,however, can be used with things that are seen to be a part of the individual:organs, reputation, etc.

*This will certainly damage the reputation of the Chief Minister.

If your friend is angry with you and drags you to court, then damages is what thejudge will order you to pay for having ruined the new car. In other words, its themoney you will pay your friend as compensation. This word is mostly used in legalcontexts.

How is the word tawdry pronounced?

(D. Kumar, Chennai)


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The aw in the first syllable is pronounced like the aw in law, claw and flaw,while the final y is like the i in bit, hit, and kit. The word is pronounced taw-dri with the stress on the first syllable.

When you refer to someones clothes as being tawdry, what you mean is that theylook rather cheap and gaudy; in other words, they are rather tacky. It suggests

that the individual has little or no taste.

You cant expect me to go around wearing this tawdry piece of jewellery.

The word can also be used with stories and events as well. When you say thatsomething was tawdry what you mean is that it contained rather unpleasantdetails.

The lawyer wasnt keen on listening to his clients tawdry motives.

Tawdry actually comes from the name of St. Audrey, a queen who ran away fromher mean husband and started her own monastery. Although she had renounced

everything, she had one great weakness: she loved wearing beautiful scarves andnecklaces. When the queen died and was later canonised, the local villagersdecided to have a festival in her honour. Beautiful scarves were among the itemssold during this festival. These scarves were called St Audreys lace. With thepassage of time, the name was reduced to tawdrys lace. This was furthershortened to tawdry. Later, the meaning of the word changed as well; it nolonger referred to something beautiful, but something cheap.

What is the meaning and origin of lock horns with?

(Sanjana Sukumar, Tiruchi)

When you lock horns with someone, you argue or fight with that particularindividual in a very determined way. Deer, when they fight, invariably lock horns.

The two parties locked horns over the recent price hike in petrol.

Is it OK to say, Hardly had we entered the room, than the .....?

(S.K. Rao, Warangal)

No, it isnt. In such sentences, the word hardly is invariably followed by whenand not than.

The children had hardly started playing when the power went off.

Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone. Anthony Burgess

How is the word vignette pronounced?

(B. Arpitha, Vishakapatnam)

The g and the final e are silent. The first syllable rhymes with the words win,bin and sin, and the ett in the second syllable is pronounced like the wordyet. The word is pronounced vin-yet, with the stress on the second syllable.Vignette comes from the Old French vigne meaning vine. Originally the termwas used to refer to the drawings of vines that one found at the beginning of


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every chapter of a printed book. Nowadays, the word is used to refer to anything:it can be a short piece of writing, a photograph or a drawing which captures thetypical characteristics of a person or thing.

*You certainly dont expect a city-bred girl to write a vignette of small-town life.

What is the meaning and origin of sledging?

(K. Siva Rama Rao, Bareilly)

This is a word that is mostly used in the context of cricket. Nowadays, it iscommon practice for fielders to try and disturb the concentration of batsmen.They achieve this by constantly talking to them or by abusing them. This practiceof talking to the batsmen in order to undermine their confidence or disturb theirconcentration is called sledging.

There are many people who believe that sledging should be banned.

Ian Chappell believes that the term sledge, a shortened form of sledgehammer,began to be used in Australia in the early 1960s. (A sledgehammer is a heavy,long-handed instrument which is mostly used to break stones and drive in wedgesand stakes)

In those days, a player using foul language in the presence of a lady was said tohave been as subtle as a sledgehammer in other words, not subtle at all. Sucha person was often nicknamed Sledge because Percy Sledges song, When aman loves a woman was popular at that time!

What is the meaning of touch?

(Maria Anjani, Chennai)

First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this word. The ou in the first syllable islike oo in cool, pool, and fool, while the following ch sounds like the sh inship and sheep. The final e is pronounced like the ay in say and bay. Theword is pronounced too-shay with the stress on the second syllable. This is oneway of pronouncing the word.

Touch is a word of French origin, and it is mainly used in the sport of fencing. Itcomes from the Old French touchier meaning to hit. When two people arefencing (fighting with swords), and one of them scores a hit, he immediately

shouts touch, meaning that he has scored a point.

Nowadays, the exclamation is used in everyday contexts as well. When you arearguing with someone and the individual makes a good point against you, you cansay touch; by doing so, you are acknowledging that he has scored a pointagainst you.

*You are saying that if he really loved me, he wouldnt be asking for dowry.Touch!

No, it isnt. An individual doesnt avail of something; he/she availshimself/herself of something. The sentence should read He should avail himselfof this opportunity to learn English.


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The key to being a good manager is keeping the people who hate me away from those who are still

undecided. Casey Stengel

July 2008

What is the meaning of shoestring budget?

(Anjali Anirudh, Bangalore)

What we call shoelace, the Americans call shoestring. As we all know,shoestrings are pretty inexpensive; one doesnt really have to spend too muchmoney to buy a pair. Therefore, when you say that something was done on ashoestring budget, what you mean is that it was done using a very small amountof money; you had very little money to spend.

*My father says well be making our next film on a shoestring budget.

How is the expression Mot juste pronounced?

(J.V. Reddy, Nellore)

The t in mot is silent, and the o sounds like the o in go, so, and no. The jin juste is like the j in jam and juice, and the following u is like the oo incool, pool, and fool. The st is like the st in stop and step, and the final eis silent. The word is pronounced mow joost with the stress on juste. Mot inFrench means word and juste means right; when you say that something ismot juste, what you mean is that the word that you used is appropriate or exact.

What is the difference between lease and rent?

(N. Gurumurthy, Chennai)

When you lease something, it always involves a written contract it is a legalagreement. In the case of property, you draw up a contract which specifies theduration of the stay and the amount of money you will pay the landlord eachmonth as rent. During this period of lease, the two parties are bound by thecontract; unless both parties agree, the terms of agreement cannot be changed.The landlord cannot suddenly increase the rent, and the tenant cannot vacate theproperty as and when he likes. Should the tenant decide to leave before the leaseexpires, he may have to pay the rent for the remaining period or find another

individual to take over his lease.

When you rent a property, it doesnt always include a written contract. As a result,both parties can change the terms of agreement: the landlord can increase therent whenever he wants to. He can ask the tenant to vacate the premises givinghim a 30-day notice. The tenant too can leave whenever he wants to.

What is the meaning and origin of the expressionbolt from the blue?

(R. Balakrishnan, Chennai)


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When you say that something was a bolt from the blue, what you mean is that itwas totally unexpected; the result was something that surprised you very much.

*The fact that Rahul had failed the exam was a bolt from the blue.

The word bolt refers to the thunderbolt that we often hear during heavy rain, andthe blue refers to the blue sky. On a beautiful day, when there are no clouds,and the sky is blue, we generally dont expect to hear the sound of thunder. If wedo hear one, it comes as a total surprise.

******

We dont bother much about dress and manners in England, because as anation, we dont dress well, and weve no manners. G. B. Shaw

What is the meaning and origin of riding roughshodover someone?

(K. S. Sundaram, Bangalore)

When you ride roughshod over someone, you dominate the person quiteruthlessly. You just walk all over him. You do what you want to, and you dontreally care what the other person thinks. If the circumstances demand it, you usebrutal force to get the desired results.

The new boss is a bully and rides roughshod over everyone.

The term roughshod refers to the type of shoe that was often mounted on ahorses hoof. The word shod, as you probably know, is related to the word shoe;

in order to ensure that the horse didnt slip, the shoes were often kept rough. Tomake sure that the animal had good traction, what the blacksmith did was toleave the nailheads projecting from the shoes. During times of war, horses werearmed with these projecting nails on their hooves; the nails provided better gripon slippery ground, and they enabled the horse to injure or kill fallen enemysoldiers. It was during the 18th century that the idiom began to mean to bullysomeone.

What is the meaning of fashionably late?

(Dilip Saxena, Kanpur)

When you arrive at a party fashionably late, what you are doing is making anappearance a few minutes after the scheduled time. You dont turn up an hour ortwo after the event has begun, you are late only by a few minutes. This is yourway of telling others that you are a busy or popular person. Most actors andpoliticians are fashionably late for events in order to create the impression thatthey were busy elsewhere.

As expected, the children arrived fashionably late for the party.

Is it OK to say, She pleaded with her daughter tonever go there?

(K. Madhusudhan, Vizag)


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No, it isnt. In such constructions, careful users of the language would place thewords never and not before the infinitive to not after it.

It is very dangerous. I promise never/not to do it again.

What is the meaning of qualm?(Murali Pillai, Thiruvananthapuram)

The word rhymes with calm and arm; the qu is like the qu in quit and quickand the l is silent. It is pronounced kwaam. This is one way of pronouncing theword. When you have qualms about something, you have misgivings about it; youhave this feeling of doubt as to whether you are doing the right thing or not.

The man had no qualms about stealing from his own parents.

What is the difference between squash and quash?

(B. Hamsa, Coimbatore)

Quash is a term which is used quite frequently in legal contexts to mean to setaside or annul. When a judge, for example, quashes a conviction, what he isdoing is stating officially that the earlier decision taken is no longer acceptable orvalid.

As expected, the ministers conviction was quashed.

When you quash something, you forcibly suppress it.

The dictator sent his army to quash the rebellion.

When you squash something, you apply so much pressure on it that you make itlose its shape.

The children had fun squashing all the clay models.

Like the word quash, squash can also mean to forcibly suppress something.

If you owe the bank $100, thats your problem. If you owe the bank $100 million,thats the banks problem.J. P. Getty

Know your English

"Hi, come on in! Is something wrong? Please don't tell me you're going to cry."

"Cry? Why would I do that?"

"I haven't the faintest idea. If you're not going to cry, then why the sad face?"

"Haven't you heard? The Left has withdrawn its support, and there are..."

"It was expected, wasn't it? Would you say that this decision of the Left came out

of left field?"


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"Left's decision came out of left field! What are you talking about?"

"When you say that something `came out of left field', what you mean is that itcame as a total surprise. You were not really prepared for it."

"I see. So, when something comes out of left field, it is totally unexpected."

"Exactly! Here's an example. The hailstorm, which lasted more than an hour,came out of left field." "The two slaps that Surabhi gave Rahul really came out ofleft field."

"That's a good example. The Principal's decision to start new courses withoutconsulting his teachers came out of left field."

"My friend Deepa thinks..." "Please, I don't want to talk about her. She is a nutcase."

"No, she isn't."

"If you ask me, she's way out in left field."

"What's with you and the word `left' today? Way out in left field? What does itmean? Wait, wait. Let me guess. My friend Deepa is a nice person. But mostpeople find her odd. Does `way out in left field' mean odd or crazy?"

"Very good! That's exactly what it means. The word can be used with things aswell. For example, don't pay any attention to the Principal. Most of his ideas areway out in left field."

"You should meet some of my classmates. They are way out in left field."

"The Minister talked about how we could keep our population under check. Therecommendations he made were way out in left field."

"That's expected, isn't it? When was the last time a politician talked sense?"

"I can't remember. Tell me, why do you look so sad? It can't be because of theLeft. There must be some other reason. Come on, out with it." "You're right. It hasnothing to do with politics. You see, my friend and I have been working on aproject. We have to make a presentation next week. Yesterday my friend rang upand..."

"Let me guess. He wants you to make the presentation on your own. He doesn'twant to be involved."

"Exactly! He says he's going to be out of town and..." "He's left you holding thebaby."

"Left me holding the baby? What baby? What are you talking about?"

"When someone leaves you holding the baby, they inconvenience or burden youwith additional responsibility." "The person who is supposed to help you,disappears."


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"You are on your own. The other person doesn't want to deal with the problem.And you end up being responsible for something that you..." "And if things gowrong, you are blamed."

"That's right! Here's an example. When the company went bankrupt, all thepartners ran away. My poor cousin was left holding the baby." "I want everything

in writing. I certainly don't wish to be left holding the baby.

* * *

"The whole point is guys aren't thinking much. They are what they just appear tobe. Tragically." - Dave Berry

What is the meaning of laissez-faire attitude?

(Madhav, Hyderabad)

First, lets deal with the pronunciation of this French expression. The lai ispronounced like the word lay, while the sez in the second syllable ispronounced like the word say. Faire sounds like the word fare. The word ispronounced lay-say fare with the main stress on fare.

A laissez-faire policy is one based on the idea that the government should notinterfere in business and trade practices of individuals or companies. Theexpression means let do, and in this context it means that the governmentshould let people in trade and industry do as what they want to. Nowadays, theexpression has taken on a general meaning as well; it means non-interference inthe affairs of others.

*Im afraid your laissez faire approach is likely to create more problems for theuniversity.

Does the word staycation exist?

(V. Balakrishnan, Trivandrum)

Yes, it does. The word was coined recently in the United States, and you donthave to be a rocket scientist to figure out that it is a combination of two words:stay and vacation. A staycation is a vacation you spend relaxing at home or aplace very close to home.

*What some of our cricket players really want is a staycation.

What is the meaning and or

Documents

2008_know You English