Know your English
``HI, COME on in! Haven't seen you in a while.''
``I was busy with my exams. What have you been up to? Good God, What's all this mess?''
``Just rearranging some of the stuff. Do you think you could....''
``....I smell Sujatha's perfume. Was she here by any chance?''
``That's some nose you have. Yes, she came in at about ten this morning and
parked herself on that stool over there.''
``Parked herself? What do you think she is? A car?''
``Even people park themselves you know.''
``Really?''
``When someone parks himself somewhere, he sits or stands in one particular place for a long time. He stays put in that place for quite some time.''
``But won't other people find this inconvenient? I mean....''
``....yes, they will. But
when you `park yourself somewhere' you generally don't worry about such things. Here's an example. Anand and Karthik parked themselves on the sofa and remained there all morning.''
``Some of the demonstrators parked themselves in the hotel lobby and refused to budge. How does that sound?''
``Sounds great. The donkeys and cows parked themselves on the road and ...''
``....so this expression can be used with animals as well?''
``It can not only be used with animals, but also with things. Many of the students I know park their chewing gum under the table.''
``I hate it when people do that. Last night Gopa came over to our place and parked his notebooks on my study table.''
``Did you ask for them?''
``Of course not! He said that he would come back for them tomorrow.''
``I see. Prema parked her suitcases in the front room and vanished. She returned in the evening after having met her friends.''
``Can one use this expression in formal contexts?''
``The expression is normally used in informal contexts alone. Usually with people you know fairly well.''
``I think I'll park myself on the sofa.''
``Oh, no you're not! I don't want you to park yourself anywhere. I need your help in carrying these boxes to the...''
``....sorry. I won't be able to help today.''
``What's wrong? Feeling
under par?''
``Under what?''
``Under par! When you say that you are feeling under par or below par, it means you are not feeling well. You don't have the energy level that you normally do.''
``I see. The Chairman cancelled the meeting because he was feeling below par.''
``That's a good example. She had viral fever last week. She feels under par even today.''
``Doesn't the expression
`off colour' mean the same thing as `below par'?''
``That's right. When you say that somebody looked off colour, it means that he/she was not in good health. For example, you...''
``....let me try. The young man looks a little off colour today. I wonder what's wrong.''
``Very good. The Chairman has been off colour for the past two or three days.''
``Is there any other informal expression which means more or less the same thing?''
``Under the weather! Bharath has been under the weather the past couple of days.''
``What's wrong with you? You look a bit under the weather.''
``Excellent. Another expression that is frequently used in informal contexts is
`up to par'. When someone says that he is not `up to par', it means that he is not feeling very good. Not his usual energetic self.''
``Can you give me an example?''
``Certainly. They invited me to come trekking, but as I wasn't up to par, I decided not to join them.''
``I am just not feeling up to par today. How does that sound?''
``Sounds good. This expression can be used with things as well. When you say that something is not up to par, it means that it doesn't meet the required standard. My teacher said that the assignment that I had submitted was not up to par. So she made me redo it.''
``Many students feel that the course that is being offered is not up to par.''
``None of the candidates who appeared for the interview were up to par.''
``As I am feeling below par today, I am going to park myself on your sofa and watch you carry all these boxes!''
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``It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.''
- Dan Quayle (former U.S. Vice President)
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S. UPENDRAN
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2000/10/31...s/13310676.htm