Know your english
“How did your boss react when you asked him for a raise?”
“He got on his soapbox about the importance of…”
“He got on his soapbox? What do you mean?”
“It’s an expression mostly used in informal contexts. When you say that someone got on his soapbox, you mean that the person expressed strong opinions about something.”
“I see. Since he feels strongly about it, he probably talks about it for a long time.”
“That’s right! He also talks about the subject very passionately.”
“How about this example? A week ago, my uncle got on his soapbox about the evils of the internet.”
“Sounds fine. Now then, tell me…”
“No, you tell me. What is this soapbox?”
“It’s a small wooden box in which bars of soap were once packed. In the old days, people used it as a temporary platform to stand on.”
“So once someone got on a soapbox, you knew he was going to make a speech.”
“That’s right. These people were sometimes called soapbox orators.”
“I see. Tell me, did you manage to meet your old school friend?”
“Mrinali came to the office to see me.”
“That was nice of her. What did the two of you talk about?”
“We took a stroll down memory lane.”
“Memory lane? I haven’t heard of the place. Where is it?”
“In your head, silly. When you take a stroll down memory lane, you recall some of the happy events that happened in the past.”
“I guess the two of you talked about your school days.”
“Exactly! We talked about the crazy things we did in school.”
“Looks like the two of you enjoyed your stroll down memory lane.”
“We certainly did! It is also possible to say ‘take a trip down memory lane’.”
“I see. How about this example? Whenever my mother gets together with her sisters, she takes a trip down memory lane.”
“Sounds good! I like it when my grandmother takes a stroll down memory lane.”
“So, is this Mrinali a good friend of yours?”
“A steadfast one, I must say.”
“A steadfast friend? Does it mean someone who has been your friend for a long time?”
“When you say that someone has been your steadfast friend, what you mean is that the person has been a loyal friend.”
“In other words, she has been a constant friend. A dependable friend!”
“Exactly! Russia has been India’s steadfast ally for several decades.”
“Tell me, ‘fast’ means something that moves quickly. So why does steadfast mean ‘constant’?”
“The word ‘fast’ has many different meanings. One of the meanings is ‘steady’ or ‘fixed’. For example people talk about ‘fast colours’. What do you think it means.”
“It probably means colours that will not fade when washed. They remain constant.”
“Very good! That’s exactly what it means.”
“Maybe we should ask for fast politicians.”
“Oh, we already have those! ‘Fast’ in some contexts means ‘without moral principles’.”
“Sounds like our politicians all right.”
******
“In politics, absurdity is not a handicap.”
— Napoleon Bonaparte
S. UPENDRAN