the hindu 2010

8/4/2019 the hindu 2010

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The Hindu 2010 Word

What is the difference between `flip out' and `flip over'?

The expression `flip out' is considered to be slang, and is therefore mostly used in informalcontexts. When someone `flips out', he loses control of himself, and simply goes crazy. Theexpression usually carries a negative meaning.

*Gupta flipped out when he saw his young daughter wearing make-up.

*The young mother flipped out when she saw the mess the children had made.

When you flip something over, you turn it over very quickly. The expression can also beused with people as well.

*Usha flipped over the dosa before picking up her cell phone.

*The hero flipped over, grabbed the stool, and used it to protect himself from the blow.

The expression has another meaning as well. When you flip over someone or something,you like the person or thing very much; you become crazy about the person or thing. Theexpression is mostly used in a positive sense.

*Mohan flipped over Kamana the first time he saw her.

*Everyone flipped over the sambar my mother had made.

Is it okay to say, `The students are awaiting for the principal's reply'?

No, it isn't. It is okay to say `wait for something', but not `await for something'. The word`await' is not usually followed by `for'. In the example you have given, you can either say,`The students are waiting for the principal's reply', or `The students are awaiting theprincipal's reply'.

Know Your English

“Understand your boss has built a new house. What’s it like?”

“Fantabulous is the word that Sujatha used to describe it.”

“Fantabulous?”

“It’s a combination of ‘fantastic’ and ‘fabulous’. It means, unbelievably good or great.”

“When I went to Goa, the view from my room was fantabulous.”

“What was the view like from your boss’ new house?”

“Haven’t a clue. Never been to his house.”

“Well, if you didn’t go to your boss’ party, where were you on New Year’s Eve?”

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“I went for a drive.”

“I understand you were stopped by the police.”

“News travels fast. Who told you?”

“Does it really matter? Were you speeding?”

“No, I wasn’t. The policeman thought I was intexticated.”

“I didn’t know you drank. When did…”

“I didn’t say ‘intoxicated’. I said ‘intexticated’.”

“Don’t think I’ve heard that word before.”

“It’s when you try to send a message on your cell phone while you’re driving.”

“In other words, you are driving and texting at the same time.”

“That’s right! According to this newspaper article, more accidents are caused byintexticated drivers than by intoxicated ones.”

“There are many intexticated drivers in our country.”

“That’s true. Tell me, can the word be used with people who walk and message at the sametime?”

“Yes, it can. Rajeev was so intexticated that he didn’t see where he was going. He fell into a

manhole and broke his leg. He’s been advised to take it easy for three months.”

‘Oh, the poor chap. I hope he has insurance.”

“Don’t worry about Rajeev. He’s flush.”

“Flush? What do you mean?”

“One of the meanings of flush is abundant. In this context, it means the person is rich. Forexample, at the beginning of every month, I feel flush.”

“We are not exactly flush, but we manage to live a comfortable life.”

“That’s what most people want.”

“That’s true. According to my father, the best thing…”

“Talking about your father, has he returned the laptop to the dealer?”

“He’s been talking to him on the phone and...”

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“Nothing will come of it, I’m afraid. Tell your dad to stop pussyfooting around and...”

“Pussyfooting around? What does it mean?”

“It means to do something in a cautious or timid manner. When you…”

“In other words, you walk or tread carefully like a cat?”

“Exactly! The person is unwilling to commit to any course of action. Listen Radha, you’vebeen pussyfooting around for over six months now. I want a decision by the end of theday.”

“If I were you, I wouldn’t promote him. He’s incapable of taking decisions. He’ll pussyfootaround and not get on with anything.”

“That’s a good example. We have a crisis on our hands. You need to take action. You can’tpussyfoot around.”

“I’ll talk to my dad about the laptop.”

“You’re leaving? That’s fantabulous!”

What is the difference between ‘eminent’ and ‘famous’?

When it means, ‘widely known’, the word ‘famous’ can be used with both peopleand things. ‘Eminent’, on the other hand, is mostly restricted to people . ‘Famous’ suggests that the individual is widely known for a particular reason: it can be for good orbad. For example, Aamir Khan is a famous actor. Someone like Monica Lewinsky is alsofamous; perhaps, not for the right reasons.

‘Eminent’ is a stronger word than ‘famous’. It comes from the Latin ‘eminentem’ meaning ‘to stand out’. An eminent person, therefore, is someone who stands apart from others; inother words, he is an outstanding and distinguished member of his profession. He isrespected by both the public and the members from his own profession. India has producedmany eminent artists.

What it the meaning of ‘cut loose’?

The expression has several different meanings. While watching cricket, we often hearGavaskar and Bhogle say, ‘Sehwag has cut loose’. In this context, the expression means

‘free and relaxed’. In other words, the batsman is not holding back; he is going for hisshots, and is thoroughly enjoying himself. He is batting without restraint. He is like ananimal that is no longer tied up.

*When Prahlad, Bala, and Rakesh get together, they really cut loose.

What is the meaning of ‘kitchen cabinet’?

Every head of state is believed to have his/her own ‘kitchen cabinet’. It usually consists of asmall group of people whom the Prime Minister or President turns to for advice. These

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unofficial advisers are not politicians, and the head of state implicitly trusts them. It isbelieved that sometimes the kitchen cabinet has a greater influence on the head of statethan the official cabinet. This is understandable, I guess, because the official cabinetconsists of politicians, and as everyone knows, politicians are not meant to be trusted —even if they happen to be from your own party!

The expression ‘kitchen cabinet’ was coined in the United States in the 1830s during thepresidency of Andrew Jackson. He had three friends whom he depended on for advice. Sincehe wanted to keep their visits a secret, he usually had them ushered in through the kitchendoor. It is believed that most of their meetings actually took place in the kitchen: hence theterm ‘kitchen cabinet’. Other expressions which have more or less the same meaning are

‘brain(s) trust’ and ‘think tank’.

What is the difference between `revue' and `review'?

Don't let the spelling fool you. `Revue' is pronounced the same way as `review'; both wordshave the stress on the second syllable. Their meanings, however, are very different.

A `revue' is a form of theatrical entertainment. It is not a full length play; it is a multi-actform of entertainment, which usually includes songs, dances, and short sketches. Peopleenjoy going to revues because they are satirical in nature; they make fun of politicians,actors, writers and other public figures. This form of entertainment was very popular in theearly decades of the 20th century.

Ashok wants me to write a political revue for his theatre group.

The word `review' has several different meanings, but I'll be dealing with only one here.When someone writes a review of a book or a film, for example, he gives his opinion of it.He tells us what he liked and didn't like about the film/book.

The reviews that the film got weren't particularly good. My friend has been asked to write areview of my favourite author's latest book. * * *

"Rogues are preferable to imbeciles because they sometimes take a rest."

- Alexandre Dumas

What is the meaning of `scuttlebutt'?

This is a word which comes from the world of sailing. `Butt' means `barrel' or `cask', and`scuttle' refers to the hatch on the deck of a ship.

A`scuttlebutt' was actually a barrel containing the day's supply of drinking water for theship's crew. Since this barrel (butt) of water was placed near the hatch (scuttle), thecontainer began to be called `scuttlebutt'. What do you think happened when the membersof the crew got together to drink water? The same thing that happens today whencolleagues in an office gather around the water cooler or the coffee machine. They gossiped!The sailors drank water, and gossiped about what was happening on the ship. In informalcontexts, the expression `scuttlebutt' is used to mean `rumour' or `gossip'.

Have you heard the latest scuttlebutt about my new neighbour?

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I don't pay too much attention to the scuttlebutt around here.

What is the meaning and origin of `set the ball rolling'?

According to some scholars, the idiom comes from the world of football: the game startswhen the ball is set rolling.

When you set the ball rolling, you do something which starts an activity. You make abeginning. It is also possible to say, `get the ball rolling' and `start the ball rolling'.

Ajit set the ball rolling by putting up posters in the nearby supermarkets.

You can get the ball rolling by talking to your classmates.

Know your english

Hi! You don't look too good. Is something bothering you?

"I complained to my boss about Hemant yesterday."

"Why did you do that? Do you have a problem with him?

"You know that I've had a beef with him for a long time."

"You've had beef? Do you parents know?"

"I didn't say I ate beef. I said that I had a beef with Hemant. When you have 'beef with' someone, you ..."

"You probably have a complaint against the person."

'That's right! The expression could also mean 'grudge'. You are itching for a fightor an argument."

"I see. Well, in that case, your next door neighbour has a beef with you."

"I hope that was just an example. Otherwise, I'll..."

"It was an example, that's all. I don't think your new neighbour would recognise you even if he saw you."

"That's true! In most universities, students have beef with teachers."

"And I'm sure teachers have beef with the students as well."

"You're probably right. 'Beef with' is mostly used in informal contexts.

Also, we..."

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"What did your boss say when you complained against Hemant?"

"He said I was at fault."

"What?"

"That was my reaction as well. Apparently, Hemant had already complained about me, andhe..."

"Is Hemant related to your boss?"

"I don't really know. But they are pretty close. According to Sharma, the two are in cahootswith..."

"In what? What did you say?

"C..a..h..o..o..t..s. The 'a' is pronounced like the 'a' in 'china', and the'oo' like the 'oo' in'pool' and 'cool'."

"So, the word is pronounced ke-HOOTS with the stress on the second syllable."

"Very good! That's exactly how the word is pronounced."

"But what does it mean?

"When you are 'in cahoots with someone', you are conspiring with another person. You arescheming or plotting with someone to get something."

"An expression with a very negative meaning!"

"You could say that. The two individuals are up to no good."

"I've been told that the Principal is in cahoots with the dealer who supplies our school withcomputers."

"I understand that some of our Ministers are in cahoots with organised crime."

"Given the kind of politicians we have, the news shouldn't surprise anyone.

What are you going to do about Hemant?"

"I really don't know. I seem to have fouled my own nest by complaining to the boss abouthim."

"Fouled your own nest? What does it mean?"

"When you foul your own nest, you end up harming or hurting yourself."

"I see. It's not surprising that Yuktha wasn't promoted. She fouled her own nest byspreading wild rumours about her boss."

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"Uday complains that his wife doesn't respect him. He fouled his own nest by constantlymaking fun of her in front of others. And now, she..."

"Now, she has beef with him!"

* * *

"A woman in love can't be reasonable - or she probably wouldn't be in love." -

What is the difference between ‘co brother’ and ‘brother in law’?

People in India, especially South India, use the terms ‘co-brother’ and ‘co-brother-in-law’ torefer to one’s wife’s sister’s husband. Native speakers of English do not use these terms.Instead, they prefer to use ‘brother-in-law’. This term is usually used to refer to one’s wife’sbrother, or one’s sister’s husband. It can also be used to refer to one’s wife’s sister’shusband. In the past, the plural of ‘brother-in-law’ was ‘brothers-in-law’. Nowadays,

‘brother-in-laws’ is also being used.

Which is correct: He is taller than me or I?

Both are correct. Old grammar books, however, would claim that the correct option is `I'and not `me'. The understood meaning is, `He is taller than I am.' Although sentences like`He is taller than I' and `She is smaller than he' are grammatically correct, they soundrather bookish. Native speakers of English do not consider them to be idiomatic. Thisexplains why in everyday conversation, native speakers say, `He is taller than me' and`She is smaller than him.'

What is the difference between `lonesome' and `lonely'?

Most dictionaries claim, that in terms of meaning, there is no difference between the twowords. `Lonely' is preferred by the British, while the Americans prefer `lonesome'. Whensomeone is `lonely' or `lonesome', he is very unhappy because he is alone.

*Sharada called up her parents to tell them how lonely/ lonesome she was.

*I'll go with you. I don't wish to spend a lonesome/ lonely evening at home

What is the meaning of `many a mickle makes a muckle'?

This is an old Scottish saying, meaning, when small amounts are put together, they add upto a big amount. The interesting thing is that the two words, `mickle' and muckle', areactually variants of each other. They originally meant `amount'. With the passage to time,the words began to acquire a different meaning. Mickle began to mean `small amount', and`muckle', `large amount'!

What is the meaning of ‘bucket list'?

It is a wish list. Some people, as they get older, draw up a list of things they wish to dobefore they die: this may include places they would like to see, people they would like tomeet again, etc. The list of things that the individual wants to do before he actually kicksthe bucket is called ‘bucket list'.

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The expression comes from the title of a film starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.

*I have one more thing to add to my bucket list.

What is the meaning of ‘splitsville'?

This is an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts in American English. Whenyou tell someone that you are ‘splitting', you mean that you are leaving. Therefore whenyou say ‘splitsville', you mean that you are exiting quickly or escaping.

*In movies, by the time the detectives arrive, the crooks are splitsville.

When a couple splits, they break up or separate. The expression ‘splitsville' can also be usedto refer to a breakup or separation.

*If you ask me, their relationship is headed for splitsville.

******

“It was very good of God to let Carlyle and Mrs. Carlyle marry one another, and so makeonly two people miserable, instead of four.” —

Know Your English

“My mom tells me your nephew will be spending a week with you.”

“Wow, news really travels fast around here.”

“It certainly does. Tell me, what's your nephew like?”

“Oh, you two will get along famously. Like you, he's a confirmed vidiot.”

“Did you just call me an idiot?”

“I didn't say, ‘idiot'. I said, ‘vidiot'.”

“What does it mean?”

“What is it that you do most of the time?”

“Play video games, of course.”

“And that's what a vidiot does as well. He plays video games all the time. You could say thathe is addicted to video games. The word is a combination of video and idiot.”

“Many of my friends are vidiots.”

“A vidiot is also someone whose intelligence level has decreased because he has beenconstantly playing video games or watching too much TV. If you ask me, the youngergeneration is full of vidiots.”

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“I don't agree with that at all. Your friend Harish is a vidiot, isn't he?”

“He certainly is. He is waiting for approval from corporate to buy some new game. I believeit's really expensive.”

“Approval from corporate! You mean your company allows you to buy video games?”

“Of course, not! The expression ‘approval from corporate' is used to refer to one'ssignificant other. The spouse who controls the purse strings.”

“So in Harish's case, it's his wife who looks after the finances. Therefore, he has to get herapproval before he buys anything.”

“Exactly! Usha is waiting for approval from corporate to buy a new sofa set for the house.”

“Do you think she'll get approval from corporate? What do you think Raghu will say?”

“I don't know. Getting approval from the likes of Raghu is like herding cats.”

“I've heard of people herding cows, not cats.”

“One can round up cows quite easily. But cats are rather difficult. Getting all of them tomove in the same direction is next to impossible.”

“Therefore when you say that something is like herding cats, it means that you aretrying to achieve the impossible. You are attempting to perform an impossibletask.”

“Good job. Getting my boss to commit to something is like herding cats.”

“How about this example? Getting our students to hand in their project on time is likeherding cats.”

“Sounds good. Did your cousin manage to get to Delhi?”

“Yes, he did. Apparently, he travelled for some time in the pantry car.”

“That must have been pretty exciting. Did he get to eat a lot of bread?”

“Bread! What are you talking about?”

“The word pantry comes from the Latin ‘panis' meaning, ‘bread'.”

“I see. So a pantry is a place where people make bread.”

“Exactly. And a companion was...”

“It also has the word ‘pan' in it.”

“As I was saying, a companion was someone with whom you shared your bread.”

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“Really? Hey, there's some bread on the table. Can I be your companion for the day?”

“I don't share my ‘panis' with vidiots like you!”

How is the word ‘ersatz' pronounced?

There seem to be different ways of pronouncing this German word. The ‘er' can bepronounced like the word ‘air', and the following ‘s' like the ‘z' in ‘zip' and ‘zoo'. The finalsyllable, ‘atz', sounds like the ‘ats' in ‘bats', ‘rats', and ‘cats'. One way of pronouncing theword is AIR-zats with the stress on the first syllable. Some people, however, put the stresson the second. The word comes from the German ‘ersetzen' meaning ‘to replace', and inEnglish, the word is used to mean ‘substitute'. Since the replacement is usually muchinferior to the original, the word ersatz is used to show disapproval.

*I'm told that during the war, my grandmother had to make do with ersatz chocolates andcoffee.

What is the meaning and origin of ‘stalking horse'?

When you ‘stalk' someone or something, you follow the person or animal very closelywithout being spotted. You do this in order to track, catch or kill the individual/animal. Now,let's deal with the origin of the idiom. In the old days, when people went hunting for birds,they took a well trained horse with them. They did this because they found whenever asolitary animal like a horse or cow approached the birds, they didn't fly away. On the otherhand, whenever a human being was seen approaching, the birds promptly flew away. Inorder to trick the birds into believing that it was only a solitary animal walking around,hunters trained their horses to walk very slowly and noiselessly towards the quarry. Thehunter walked alongside the animal, and ensured he stayed out of sight by keeping low.When he was within range of the prey, he came out of hiding, and proceeded to kill thebirds. In this case, it wasn't the horse that was doing the stalking; it was being used to

divert the attention of the birds. The hunter was using the animal as a decoy. Somethingthat is used to disguise one's true intention or objective is usually referred to as ‘stalkinghorse'. The idiom is quite frequently used in politics and business. A candidate who is putforward by a party in order to split the opposition is often referred to as a ‘stalking horse'.This person may also be someone whose name has been proposed in order to conceal thecandidacy of a much more important figure.

*The party leader wanted me to play the stalking horse.

What is the difference between ‘former' and ‘erstwhile'?

First, let's deal with the pronunciation of ‘erstwhile'. The first syllable ‘erst' rhymes with thewords ‘burst' and ‘first', and the second sounds like the word ‘while'. The word ispronounced ‘ERST-while' with the stress on the first syllable, and it comes from the OldEnglish ‘erst' meaning ‘before' and ‘while' meaning ‘time'. The word literally means ‘of former time'. In terms of meaning, there is no difference between ‘erstwhile' and ‘former'.Of the two, erstwhile is considered old fashioned, and is mostly used in rather formalcontexts. Some books on English usage claim that ‘erstwhile' is a ‘pretentious' word for

‘former' and is best avoided.

*Gayathri, my erstwhile colleague, has become the Vice President of the new company.

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* * *

“If you understand English, press 1. If you do not understand English, press 2.” —Australian Tax Helpline

What is the meaning of the expression ‘scrimp and save'?

When you ‘scrimp on something', you attempt to save money by spending less than what isrequired on it. If a company scrimps on security during times of recession, it is reducing theamount that it normally spends on security, and in the process putting the company at risk.The idiom, ‘scrimp and save' means ‘to economise'. You spend very little money onthings, so that you can save up enough in order to buy something that you reallywant . You wish to spend the money that you have so carefully saved on something that isfairly expensive. The expression ‘pinch and scrape' has the same meaning.

*The young couple scrimped and saved to buy a motorcycle.

What is the meaning of ‘shoulder surfing'?

Nowadays, whenever we go out, we not only need to be on the lookout for the pickpocket,but also the ‘shoulder surfer'. This person will stand behind you, and look over yourshoulder to see what numbers you are punching in when you take money from the ATM. Hewill also frequent cybercafés, stand behind people while they are typing in their password.

The word ‘shoulder surfer' is frequently used in computer security to refer to people whouse such observational techniques to get information about others.

******

“I hope you go before me because I don't want you singing at my funeral.” — Spike Milligan

What is the difference between a ‘prolonged meeting' and a ‘protracted' one?

Both words are used to refer to the duration of something. Of the two, ‘prolonged' may beconsidered a neutral term. If you have a ‘prolonged meeting', you have a lengthy meeting;a meeting which went on longer than expected. Perhaps there were many items on theagenda, as a result of which the meeting went on for a long time. The use of ‘prolong'suggests that there might have been reasons why the meeting was extended. ‘Protracted',on the other hand, is usually used to show disapproval. It suggests that the duration of themeeting was needlessly extended. The meeting was drawn out to such an extent that it wastedious.

Which is correct: Revathi is engaged to/with Ravi?

Just as one is ‘married to someone', and not ‘married with someone', one is always ‘engaged to' someone, and not ‘engaged with' someone. It is also possible to be ‘engaged insomething'.

*The young couple were engaged in a heated argument with the hotel manager.

What is the meaning and origin of ‘to go haywire'?

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This is an expression which is mostly used in informal contexts. When you say thatsomething has gone haywire, you mean that it has stopped functioning or working properly.It has become rather erratic.

*Rajeev tells me that Gayathri's old computer has gone haywire.

*When a person goes haywire, he goes slightly crazy; he becomes confused and startsbehaving oddly.

*When he didn't get the promotion, Harish went haywire

A ‘haywire' was a thin piece of wire that was used by farmers to bind together bales of hay.The hay was rolled, and a haywire was used to tie the bundle together tightly. It was woundso tightly that when the wire was cut, it behaved in an unpredictable manner: sometimes, itwould spring back at the person cutting the wire, injuring him in the process. According tosome scholars, this is the origin of the expression.

Is it okay to say, ‘The student was impersonating as a police officer'?

No, it isn't. When you impersonate someone, you make an attempt to deceive other peopleby pretending to be someone you are not. This is just one of the meanings of the word. Youalways ‘impersonate someone'. You do not ‘impersonate as someone'.

*The terrorist tried to impersonate a police officer.

******

“He had the sort of face that makes you realize God does have a sense of humour.” — BillBryson

What is the meaning of ‘put a hex on someone'?

Whenever the home team plays at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad, it always loses.The Deccan Chargers haven't won a single game there, and neither has the Indian cricketteam. Some people believe that the ‘vasthu' is all wrong, while others think that someonehas put a hex on the stadium. In other words, someone has put a curse or a spell on thestadium. A few months ago, the Hyderabad Cricket Association performed a puja to removethe curse. It seems to have worked, because the Deccan Chargers have started winning ontheir home ground. The only problem is, the team is not playing in Hyderabad anymore; ithas moved to Cuttack!

*Sania has lost in the first round again. I wonder if someone has put a hex on her.

What is the meaning of ‘rambunctious'?

First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this word. The first syllable rhymes with the words ‘dam', ‘ham', and ‘Sam', while the second is pronounced like the word ‘bunk'. The ‘ct' is likethe ‘sh' in ‘ship' and ‘shape', and the ‘iou' is like the ‘a' in ‘china'. The word is pronounced

‘ram-BUNK-shes' with the stress on the second syllable. When you refer to a child or apuppy as being rambunctious, you mean that they are full of youthful energy, and therefore

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somewhat difficult to control. The word can also be used to mean very noisy and disorderly.Some people say that the word is an alteration of ‘rumbustious'.

*The rambunctious entertainer collapsed during the first scene.

*There was a lot of drinking, and it wasn't surprising that the students becamerambunctious.

KNOW YOUR ENGLISH

“What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be studying for your final exams?”

“I'm taking a break. What's that in your hand?”

“A novel.”

“Life isn't fair at all. I have to study, while you get to read a novel.”

“You don't need to feel jealous. The novel is nothing to write home about!”

“Nothing to write home about? Does it mean it's not very good?”

“When you say that something is ‘nothing to write home about', you mean that it ismediocre. It's not something to get excited about.”

“In other words, it's not as good as you'd expected it to be. Supriya's party was nothing towrite home about.”

“Good example. I got a raise yesterday, but it's nothing to write home about.”

“You got a raise? Then we must celebrate. Let's go to that new restaurant on MG Road.”

“Let's do that after your exams.”

“After my exams! All my friends would have visited the place by then. They…”

“Why are you so hung up on eating in new restaurants?”

“What does ‘hung up on' mean?”

“It means to be obsessed. You are constantly thinking about the thing or person.”

“Can I say, my friend Ramesh is hung up on Kajol? He just can't get her off his mind.”

“That's a very good example. Don't know if Ajay Devgan will be happy about it, though.Quite a few politicians in our country are hung up on getting statues of themselves made.”

“These are people who probably didn't play statue when they were kids.”

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“You may have a point there. Now then, you'd better...”

“I'm hung up on new restaurants because I love eating good food.”

“That's not true. You never really enjoy what you are eating. You order something, and thenwhen you see what someone else is eating, you have dish envy.”

“Dish envy? Does it mean being envious of something that someone else is eating?”

“Very good! Dish envy is something that we experience all the time. I order a plate of idli,and you order a butter masala dosa. When your dosa comes, I feel I should have ordereddosa too. I feel that my idli is inferior to your dosa.”

“It's true that I feel dish envy once in a while. But it's not...”

“All of us have experienced the anguish of dish envy sometime or the other.”

“That's true. Anyway, tell me, what's the novel about?”

“It's like a typical Indian movie. Boy meets girl. Boy is poor, girl is rich. They fall in love,yada yada yada.”

“Yada yada yada? Never heard that expression before.”

“It means, so on and so forth. It's an expression that is mostly used in informal contexts.”

“I see. So, when you say ‘yada yada yada', you mean that everything else is understood.”

“That's right! The listener can figure things out for himself because everything is so

obvious.” “Every time I show my report card to my father, he tells me the same thing. That I shouldget up early in the morning, be more disciplined, work much harder...yada yada yada.”

“All parents give such lectures. You will too when you have kids.”

* * *

“I hate to spread rumours, but what else can one do with them?”— Amanda Lear

What is the difference between ‘alongwith' and ‘along with'?

The main difference is that the word ‘alongwith' does not exist. It is always written as twowords, and not as one. If you find it written as one word, it means the editor fell asleepwhile going through the article.

The children, along with their two teachers, went to the zoo.

* * *

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“I have been complimented many times and they always embarrass me; I always feel thatthey have not said enough.” — Mark Twain

What is the meaning of the expression ‘two to tango'?

The complete expression is ‘takes two to tango', and it is mostly used in informal contextsto refer to a bad situation. The tango is a dance form which originated in South America;two people are required to perform this rather intricate dance. When two people findthemselves in a bad situation, and you say ‘it takes two to tango', you are implying thatboth individuals are to be blamed for the current mess they are in. One person alone cannotbe held responsible for their present misfortune.

Don't blame the fight on me. It takes two to tango, my friend.

Ajit believes Sunitha forced his son to elope with her. But you know what they say. It takestwo to tango.

The expression became popular in the 1950s, thanks to a song by Pearl Bailey.

What is the meaning of ‘perspicuous'?

First, let's deal with the pronunciation of the word. The ‘e' in the first syllable, and the ‘ou'in the final syllable are like the ‘a' in ‘china'. ‘Spic' rhymes with the words ‘stick', ‘pick', and

‘chick', and the following ‘u' sounds like the letter ‘u'. The word is pronounced ‘pe-SPIK-yu-es' with the stress on the second syllable. The word comes from the Latin ‘perspicuus'meaning ‘transparent'. When you refer to someone's writing or speech as being

‘perspicuous', you mean it is very clear, and easy to understand.

The critics say that he was a writer of perspicuous prose. I don't agree at all.

I'm looking for a perspicuous professor who will create an interest among the students.

Why do we say ‘o'clock'? What does ‘o' stand for?

In the old days, people didn't say ‘six o'clock' or ‘ten o'clock'. When they wanted to indicatethe time, they said ‘six of the clock' and ‘ten of the clock'. The expression ‘of the clock' wasused to mean ‘according to the clock'. With the passage of time, the definite article ‘the' wasdropped; later ‘of' was reduced to ‘o'. So, when you say ‘o'clock', what you are actuallysaying is ‘of clock'.

What is the difference between ‘memento' and ‘souvenir'?

Let's deal with the pronunciation of ‘souvenir' first. The ‘ou' in the first syllable is like the ‘oo' in ‘pool' and ‘cool', and the ‘e' in the second is like the ‘a' in ‘china'. The final syllable ispronounced like the word ‘near'. The word is pronounced ‘soo-ve-NEAR' with the stress onthe final syllable. It comes from the Latin ‘subvenire' meaning ‘come to mind'. When wevisit a well-known place, we usually buy ‘souvenirs'. For example, when people visit Agra,they usually buy picture postcards or a replica of the Taj. These things will later remindthem of their trip to Agra. Souvenirs are usually manufactured on a large scale, and visitorsto the place spend money on them. Most places of tourist attraction have ‘Souvenir Shops'.

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*When we went to Goa, my wife spent a lot of money on souvenirs.

A ‘mi-MEN-toe', on the other hand, is not something that you buy. It is usually an objectgiven to you by an individual, and you keep it in order to remember the person. Somepeople, for example, keep their grandfather's watch or pen as a memento. A ‘memento' canalso be an object like a stone or a leaf, something which you have picked up – and notbought – during a trip. The word comes from the Latin ‘meminisse' meaning ‘to remember'.

*The coloured stone is a memento of our trip to Scotland

Know Your English

“Congratulations! I understand your neighbour has become the Vice Chancellor. Everyone inyour building must be really proud of her.”

“I'm not so sure. Someone said the only reason she's become a VC is because she hasfriends in high places. I understand my neighbour excels in the art of brown-nosing.”

“Brown-nosing? Is it a kind of art that someone with a brown nose excels in?”

“ A brown-noser is someone who flatters people in order to get his work done.”

“In other words, he is a sycophant. He does everything possible to keep those in power,happy.”

“Exactly!”

“Sumitra keeps brown-nosing all the time, but her boss ignores it.”

“Brown-nosing doesn't get one very far with my boss either. She puts a brown-noser in hisplace.”

“Have you congratulated the new VC?”

“I stealth-called her about an hour ago.”

“A stealth-call! Never heard that expression before.”

“There are times when someone leaves a message on your cell asking you to call back. Youdon't actually feel like doing it...”

“Because you're not interested in speaking to the person.” “Exactly! So, what do you do? You ring her when you know that she won't be able to takeyour call. This morning, I saw that several TV news channels had come to interview myneighbour. I stealth-called her then!”

“That was rather mean of you. You must congratulate her in person. And don't forget to buyher a gift.”

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“I plan to get her something that won't break the bank.”

“Break the bank? What are you talking about?”

“If you break the bank in order to buy something, you spend a lot of money on it.”

“The thing that you are buying is so expensive that you end up spending all your savings.”

“That's right! You have no money left. You exhaust your resources.”

“It'll hardly break the bank if you buy her a dozen roses.”

“You have a point there. My uncle is planning on sending his son to study in the U.S. Hesays it'll break the bank to do it.”

“I don't like to spend money. But I guess an occasional movie and dinner won't break thebank.”

“That's a good example. Now then,...”

“Has your cousin graduated?”

“Not yet. He's still a graduand.”

“A what?”

“G..r..a..d..u..a..n..d. The first two syllables are pronounced like the word ‘graduate', andthe final syllable like the word ‘ and'.”

“So the word is pronounced GRA-ju-and. But what does it mean?”

“A graduand is someone who is about to graduate. He has completed all the necessaryformalities.”

“In other words, he has finished his course work, and written the exams. He's...”

“He's finished all that. He hasn't been awarded his degree as yet. He hasn't taken part inthe formal ceremony that...”

“Formal ceremony? Oh, you mean where people wear those ridiculous caps and gowns?”

* * *

“A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that ‘ individuality' is the key to success.”—Robert Orben

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What is the meaning of ‘the be-all and end-all'?

The expression ‘the be-all and end-all' is mostly used in informal contexts to mean the most importantthing; the only thing that matters.

*Vinita's adopted children have become the be-all-and end-all of her existence.

*My uncle believes that profit should not become the be-all and end-all of business.

Shakespeare is believed to have coined this expression in his tragedy ‘Macbeth'. The hero, Macbeth, realisesthat the only way he can become the King of Scotland is by killing Duncan. Macbeth says, “that but this blowmight be the be-all and the end-all'.

Which is correct: whereabouts are/is?

The word ‘whereabouts' can be used either as a noun or an adverb. When used as a noun, it means, ‘theplace where a person or a thing is'. The word can be followed by a singular or a plural verb.

*The whereabouts of the famous film star is/are unknown.

The word can also be used to mean ‘in what area or location'.

*Whereabouts in Hyderabad does the author live?

*Whereabouts did the buffoon find the treasure?

What is the difference between ‘utensil' and ‘vessel'?

The word ‘utensil' comes from the Latin ‘utensilia' meaning ‘things for use'. It is an umbrella term foranything that can be used in the kitchen: a plate can be called a utensil, and so can a cup and a spoon. A

‘vessel', on the other hand, is usually a hollow container which is used to hold liquids or other things. Cups,bowls, and pitchers are all vessels. Milk and water are usually boiled in vessels. All vessels are utensils, butnot all utensils are vessels.

Does the name ‘Ferrari' mean anything?

Till a couple of years ago, whenever we heard this name, we immediately thought of Michael Schumacherand Formula One racing. Enzo Ferrari was the man who came up with the idea of ‘Scuderria Ferrari' or

‘Team Ferrari'. The name ‘Ferrari', like the name ‘Smith' in the U.S and the U.K, is a very common familyname in Italy. It comes from the Italian word ‘ferraro' meaning ‘blacksmith'.

KNOW Y0UR ENGLISH

“How was dinner last night?”

“We decided not to go to the new restaurant. We had dinner here.”

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“Your friend Rahul had a vegetarian meal! Unbelievable!”

“Rahul has been an economic vegetarian for a month now.”

“I know what vegetarian means. But what does ‘economic vegetarian' mean?”

“Someone who is forced to become a vegetarian because he cannot afford meat.”

“I see. When Guhan lost his job, he decided to become an economic vegetarian.”

“Several months ago, when there was talk of job cuts, a few of my friends became economic vegetarians.”

“That's understandable. They must have been...”

“What are you doing here so early?”

“Don't you remember? Our college elections. I am...”

“Oh, that's right! You must be pumped for the elections. What are the chances of...”

“Pumped for the elections? What do you mean by that?”

“When you say you're ‘pumped for' or ‘pumped up for' something, you mean that you are tense and at thesame time very excited about something.”

“I see. In other words, you are nervous and at the same time eager. Like a player before a big match.”

“Exactly! Our captain says that the team is pumped up for Sunday's big game.”

“Unfortunately, our Indian team never seemed pumped up for any of its matches.”

“Well, according to the coach, our overpaid underachievers were only pumped up for the IPL matches.”

“Don't forget the parties. The waistline and double chin of some players make that pretty obvious. Tell me,why ‘pump up'? What is being pumped?”

“I understand it is adrenaline. Do you think your candidate has the smarts to win the election?”

“Smarts? You mean ‘smart', don't you?”

“No, I mean ‘smarts'. The word is frequently used in informal contexts to mean ‘intelligence'.”

“I definitely have the smarts, but not the confidence. How does that sound?”

“Terrible.”

“What's wrong with the example?”

“You don't have the smarts. You know it, and I know it.”

“Not very funny, I'm afraid. Have you finished your project?”

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“Almost. We're on the home stretch.”

“Home stretch? Does it mean you're almost done?”

“That's right. When you say you're on the home stretch, it means you're in the final stages of something. Itcould be a journey, a project, a...”

“Ok, ok, I understand. Pankaj told me he is on the home stretch with his dissertation. Another two weeks,and he'll be done.”

“Wow, that was quick. He must have spent the last two months writing. It is also possible to say, ‘in thestretch'. We would have arrived earlier, but our car broke down in the stretch.”

“What does ‘home stretch' refer to?”

“The expression comes from the world of horse racing. The distance between the last turning on the racetrack and the finish line is called the ‘home stretch'. Do you think your candidate will win?”

“Not sure. He is trailing right now.”

“Let's hope he moves ahead in the stretch.”

*******

“Gossip is what you say about the objects of flattery when they aren't present.”— P.J. O'Rourke

What is the difference between a ‘homophone' and a ‘homonym'?

First, let's begin with the pronunciation of the two words. The ‘o' in the first syllable is like the ‘o' in ‘hot', ‘got', and ‘pot', while the ‘o' in the second is like the ‘a' in ‘china'. The words are pronounced ‘HO-me-fone'and ‘Ho-me-nim'; in both cases, the stress is on the first syllable. Though there is a difference in meaningbetween the two words, people tend to use them interchangeably. ‘Homophone' comes from the Greek

‘homo' meaning ‘same' and ‘phone' meaning ‘sound'. Careful users of the language use the term to refer towords which sound alike, but have a different spelling and meaning.

Examples of homophones are: bear, bare; fair, fare; and where, were. A homonym, on the other hand, isused to refer to words which have the same spelling and pronunciation, but have a different meaning. Forexample, ‘ball' (dance), ‘ball' (something to play with), ruler (scale), ruler (king), and rock (music), rock(stone). This subtle distinction is seldom maintained in everyday conversation; of the two, ‘homonym'seems to be the preferred term.

What is the difference between ‘stumble over' and ‘stumble on'?

When you stumble over something or someone, you trip over the object or person. You lose your balance;you may or may not end up falling.

At the party, Harish stumbled over the chair and fell into the swimming pool.

There are several people sleeping in the drawing room. Don't stumble over any of them.

The expression ‘stumble on' can also be used to mean to trip over someone or something.

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Gayathri stumbled on the step and hurt herself quite badly.

When we find something quite accidentally, we can say, we stumbled on/upon it. The expression can beused with people as well.

The children were looking for the ball when they stumbled on the cute puppy.

How is the word ‘trenchant' pronounced?

The first syllable rhymes with the words ‘French', ‘drench', and ‘wrench'. The following ‘a' is like the ‘a' in ‘china'. The word is pronounced ‘TRENCH-ent' with the stress on the first syllable. It comes from the OldFrench ‘trenchier' meaning ‘to cut'. When someone presents a trenchant argument, he makes one which isforceful or vigorous. The word can also be used to mean ‘caustic' or ‘critical'.

*The writer's trenchant argument for a unified state made interesting reading.

What is the meaning of ‘annus horribilus'?

First, let's deal with the pronunciation of this Latin expression. The first syllable of ‘annus' is pronounced likethe name ‘Ann', while the second sounds like the word ‘us'. The ‘o' in horribilus is like the ‘o' in ‘hot' and

‘got', while the following ‘i' is like the ‘ee' in ‘fees', ‘sees', and ‘bees'. The ‘i' and the ‘u' in the final twosyllables are like the ‘i' in ‘kit', ‘kid', and ‘sit'.

The expression is pronounced ANN-us ho-REE-bi-lis. It literally means ‘horrible year'.

*According to experts, 2009 was an annus horribilus for the corporate sector.

The opposite of this expression is ‘annus mirabilis' meaning ‘year of wonders'.

What is the difference between ‘fragile' and ‘frail'?

Both words come from the Latin ‘fragilis' meaning ‘easily broken'. The word ‘fragile' can be used with boththings and people. When you say that the contents of a box are fragile, it means that the things inside arerather delicate and can be easily broken. The contents need to be handled with care.

*Please don't let Madhav handle any of the fragile plates.

When used with people, the word means physically or emotionally weak.

*Don't make fun of her. She's very fragile.

The English pronounce the final ‘ile' like the ‘ile' in ‘mile', ‘while', and ‘pile'. The Americans pronounce the ‘i'like the ‘a' in ‘china'. In both cases, the stress is on the first syllable.

‘Frail' is used with people, usually old, who are in poor health. When used with things, it refers to objectswhich can be easily damaged.

*After two weeks in hospital, Janaki was too frail to climb the stairs.

*Given the frail economy, it is not surprising that people are not investing.

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What is the meaning and origin of ‘clean bill of health'?

When you visit the doctor and he gives you a clean bill of health, you should be happy because it is anassurance that there is nothing wrong with you physically. The doctor is informing you that you are in thepink of health! When used with things, the idiom means that the object is in good condition.

*Of the 20 buildings inspected, only four were given a clean bill of health.

The ‘bill' in the idiom has nothing to do with the amount of money you have to pay the doctor. Such billsseldom bring happiness! In the old days, the captain of a ship was handed over a document by the portauthority which certified that there was no infection or epidemic at the port from which the vessel set sail.This document was called the Bill of Health and unless it was presented at the next port, the ship wasrefused entry.

Who or what is a ‘fax potato'?

We have several different types of potatoes these days. A ‘couch potato' is someone who sits in a chair or asofa and watches TV all day; he eats and drinks sitting in front of the tube. A ‘mouse potato' is someonewho spends his time sitting in front of a computer, surfing the web. A ‘fax potato', another addition to thegrowing list of human potatoes, is someone who specialises in sending faxes to people: the receiver may beless than a hundred feet away, but instead of getting out of his chair and talking to the person concerned,he sends him/her a fax. Like the couch potato, the fax potato is rather lazy and remains glued to his seat.

What is the meaning and origin of ‘wing it'?

The expression is mostly used in informal contexts. When you get up on stage and ‘wing it', you give animpromptu speech. You have had no time to prepare, and therefore end up speaking extemporaneously. Theexpression has more or less the same meaning as ‘off the cuff'.

Shanthi left her notes in the taxi. In class, she had to wing it.

The expression comes from the world of theatre. The sides of a stage which cannot be seen by the membersof the audience are called ‘wings'. Actors often wait here before they make their entry. Sometimes, actorsgo on stage without really knowing their lines. In such circumstances, they depend on the prompters hidingin the wings to whisper the lines to them. If they cannot hear the prompter, they make up their lines. Theywing it!

What is the difference between ‘momentary' and ‘momentous'?

Something that is ‘momentary' lasts for a very short period of time. The word is pronounced ‘MO-men-tri'with the stress on the first syllable.

There was a momentary pause before the child started screaming again.

The word can also be used to mean ‘constant' or ‘present at every moment'.

Revathi lived in momentary fear of being found out.

‘Momentous', on the other hand, means very important. When you make a momentous decision, you makeone which has serious consequences.

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The signing of the treaty was a momentous occasion for both countries.

The word is pronounced ‘me-MEN-tes' with the stress on the second syllable.

Is it okay to say, ‘His condition got deteriorated on Saturday'?

Careful users of the language would avoid using ‘got' with ‘deteriorate'. If you are keen on using the word ‘got', you can say, ‘His condition got worse on Saturday'.

The ageing star's condition suddenly deteriorated on Sunday.

* * *

“Balancing the budget is like going to heaven. Everybody wants to do it, but nobody wants to do what youhave to do to get there.” — Phil Gramm

Is it okay to say, `She was terminated by her publisher'?

In terms of grammar, there is nothing wrong with the sentence. It suggests that this person was killed byher publisher! Of course, given the times we are living in, authors getting bumped off by their publisherwouldn't be considered unusual. If you want to say that the publisher didn't kill, but merely fired theindividual, then the sentence should be written in the following manner: `Her services were terminated byher publisher.' Not all publishers are like Arnold Schwarzenegger; they are not `Terminator(s)'.

What is the difference between `nervous' and `edgy'?

A person who is nervous or edgy is tense or worried about something. Of the two, `nervous' is the moregeneral term. Someone who is nervous need not necessarily show that he is worried about something. Hemay be outwardly very calm, but on the inside, he may be extremely agitated. A person who is `edgy'shows he is worried; the tension is there for all to see. He is anxious and is therefore very irritable. Smallthings set him off; he may argue or fight with those around him.

*Gayathri said she was nervous, but she certainly didn't look it during the presentation.

*The soldiers were edgy as they waited for their orders from the Captain.

What is the meaning and origin of `turncoat'?

In India, when a politician is denied a `ticket' to contest in an election, he usually quits the party, and joinsanother. People who switch allegiances or change their opinion radically whenever they find it convenient todo so are called `turncoats'. The word is mostly used to show disapproval.

*Why would you want that political turncoat to preside? In the old days in Europe, people used to wearreversible coats. When one side of the coat became dirty, the owner turned the coat inside out and wore it.According to one story, it was the Duke of Saxony who made the word `turncoat' popular. This individuallived very close to the French border, and therefore made it a point to keep both the Saxons and the Frenchin good humour. The Duke's reversible coat was blue on one side, and white on the other. Traditionally, bluewas the colour of the Saxons. Whenever a Frenchman visited his place, the Duke was seen wearing a whitecoat. When he wanted to please the Saxons, the Duke turned the coat inside out, and wore the blue side

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Is it okay to say, ‘bouquet of flowers'?

Some people would argue that ‘of f lowers' is unnecessary because bouquet means an attractivearrangement of flowers. But there is nothing wrong in saying ‘bouquet of flowers'. The ‘ou' in the firstsyllable, by the way, is like the ‘oo' in ‘fool', ‘cool', and ‘school'. The following ‘q' is like the ‘k' in ‘king' and

‘kiss', and the final ‘uet' rhymes with ‘say' and ‘bay'. The word is pronounced ‘boo-KAY' with the stress on

the secondsyllable.

What is the meaning and origin of ‘windfall'?

The amount of money that you win or receive from someone rather unexpectedly is called ‘windfall'. It's asudden stroke of luck.

*When Gayathri visited her uncle after her marriage, she got a windfall of Rs. 75000.

Fruit that falls down from a tree because of heavy wind is also called windfall. In this context, we can alsosay ‘windfalls'.

*Sameer's garden was covered with windfalls.

In the old days in England, landowners were not allowed to cut down trees which were on their property.The law stipulated that all trees were the property of the Royal Navy, and the wood was to be used in thebuilding of ships. If however, heavy wind made a tree fall, the ‘windfall' became the owner's property. Sincein the old days such ‘windfall' was not common, the word began to mean unexpected good fortune.

What is the difference between ‘demise' and ‘death'?

While both words mean ‘end or ending of life', demise is mostly used in formal contexts to refer to the deathof someone or something very important or well known. One usually talks about the demise of a PrimeMinister or a celebrity; the word is seldom used with ordinary people.

*The sudden demise of the Prime Minister created a political vacuum.

The word can also be used to indicate the failure of an enterprise.

*The demise of the well-known company had many investors worried.

‘Death' is a much more general term, and unlike ‘demise', can be used with things and animals.

*Neelam became very upset when she heard about the death of her puppy.

*It was the death of all her plans.

Know your english

“What is the meaning of New York minute?”

“An extremely short period of time. It's actually less than a minute. It took the students less than a NewYork minute to find a solution to the problem.”

“The new CEO arrived at a decision in a New York minute.”

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“Tell me what you want. I'll give you a New York minute.”

“But why New York and not some other city?”

“When people from other cities came to New York in the late 19 {+t} {+h} century, they found that life inthis city was extremely fast. New Yorkers seemed to be constantly rushing from one place to another

without having any time to relax.”

“It's the same feeling that some of us have today when we visit Mumbai. Anyway, did you take a look at thedocument I gave you? Are the instructions clear?”

“The instructions are clear as mud.”

“Clear as mud? But mud isn't very clear.”

“It isn't, and that's the point. When you say something is clear as mud, you mean it isn't clear at all.”

“So what you are saying is that the instructions are difficult or impossible to understand.”

“Exactly! The directions that Sujatha gave to reach her house were clear as mud.”

“I've read his chapter twice, and it's as clear as mud to me.”

“Alok's presentation was clear as mud.”

“Talking about mud, there is some good news! The weatherman says we'll have a heavy downpourtomorrow.”

“If the weatherman says that, it'll probably rain kittens and puppies.”

“Kittens and puppies? You mean cats and dogs, don't you?”

“When you say it's raining cats and dogs, you mean that it is pouring or raining heavily. When the rain islight, it is possible to say...”

“You can say that it's raining kittens and puppies.”

“That's right! Now then...”

“Does the expression really exist or are you trying to fool me?”

“The expression does exist.”

“I see. How about this example, then? Forget the umbrella, it's just raining kittens and puppies.”

“That's a good example. To solve the water problem, we need it to rain cats and dogs. Not kittens andpuppies.”

“That's true. By the way, why are you home so early? Not well or something?”

“I'm fine. I've taken a couple of days off.”

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“You've taken a couple of days off! That's rather unusual. What do you plan on doing?”

“I'll probably be kicking it at home.”

“Kicking it? Looks like the World Cup fever has got to you too. You'll be kicking the ball around...”

“No, no, no! When you say you'll be kicking it, you mean you'll be relaxing.”

“In other words, you'll be chilling at home.”

“I guess you could say that. For example, after a hectic two weeks, the champion kicked it on the beachwith his family.”

“My friends and I are kicking it at the mall tomorrow. Would you like to join us?”

“You must be joking. Arvind's new job doesn't allow him to kick it in the mornings.”

“That's too bad.”

“Yes, it certainly is.”

* * *

“I just need enough to tide me over until I need more.” — Bill Hoest

TILL 12 JULY

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