1. What is the difference between ‘take part’ and ‘partake’?
(Rahul Nair, Trivandrum)
The word ‘partake’ which comes from the Middle English ‘part taking’ has several different meanings; one of them is ‘take part in’. When you ‘partake in’ something, you are taking part in it. You are participating in some activity along with others. The word ‘partake’ is not frequently heard in everyday conversation as it is considered to be rather formal. Some people say that it is old fashioned. The word is pronounced ‘par-TAKE’ with the stress on the second syllable.
*Sujatha and Ramesh refused to partake in the games we had planned.
When people ‘partake of’ something, they share their food or drink with their friends or guests.
*We were invited to partake of their simple meal.
2. What is the meaning of ‘as good as it gets’?
(Sarojini, Coimbatore)
When you tell a person that something is ‘as good as it gets’, what you mean is that his present situation is the best that he can hope for. His situation is not going to improve in any way, and therefore he shouldn’t hope that things will change for the better in future. If he continues to keep his fingers crossed, he is going to be very disappointed.
*There is no point in shouting and getting upset. This is as good as it gets.
The expression can also be used to mean ‘the best’.
*Some people say that when it comes to vacation, Goa is as good as it gets.
3. How is the expression ‘nolens volens’ pronounced?
(R. Saranyaraj, Coimbatore)
The ‘o’ in the two words is like the ‘o’ in ‘no’, and ‘go’; the ‘e’ is like the ‘e’ in ‘set’, and ‘get’. The final ‘s’ sounds like the ‘z’ in ‘zip’, and ‘zoo’. The word is pronounced ‘no-lenz VO-lenz’ with the stress on ‘vo’. This Latin expression means ‘whether unwilling or willing’. One is compelled to do something whether one wishes to or not.
*When the market crashed, the CEO was compelled nolens volens to quit his job.
4. Which is correct: ‘close proximity’ or ‘closed proximity’?
(S. Ananthan, Warrangal)
The first is preferable to the second. You don’t say ‘closed proximity’. It is always ‘close proximity’, ‘close lipped’, and ‘close minded’. We often hear people using the expression ‘close proximity’. Careful users of the language, however, frown upon this: as far as they are concerned, both ‘close proximity’ and ‘closed proximity’ are wrong. They feel that the word ‘close’ in ‘close proximity’ is redundant: after all, the word proximity means ‘near’. Another common error we all make is ‘herewith enclosed’. ‘Enclosed’ will do; you don’t need ‘herewith’.
5. What is the meaning of ‘noisome’?
(T. Kasturi, Hyderabad)
First, let’s deal with the pronunciation of the word. The ‘oi’ in the first syllable is like the ‘oy’ in ‘toy’, ‘boy’, and ‘coy’. The ‘o’ in the second syllable is like the ‘a’ in ‘china’, and the final ‘e’ is silent. The word is pronounced ‘NOY-sem’ with the stress on the first syllable. When you refer to something as being ‘noisome’, what you mean is that it is very disgusting or offensive.
*The noisome odour made quite a few guests throw up.
The word can also be used to mean ‘harmful’ or ‘dangerous’.
*The scientists did everything they could to stop the spread of the noisome fumes.
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“It is better for civilization to be going down the drain than to be coming up it.”
— Henry Allen
S. UPENDRAN
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