Know your English
WHAT IS the meaning of ``sting operation''?
(B. Premananda Bhat, Manipal)
A sting operation is a well-planned scheme used by law enforcement agencies to entrap a criminal. It usually involves a lot of undercover work. Often the term is reduced to ``sting''. Here are a few examples.
It was a well-planned sting operation.
The sting, as expected, went off without a hitch.
The sting required a lot of manpower.
The word ``sting'' has another meaning as well. It is often used in informal contexts to mean ``to cheat or overcharge someone''. (Remember the Robert Redford and Paul Newman movie called ``The Sting''?) Here are a few examples.
The fruit vendor tried to sting me.
The supermarket next to my house makes it a point to sting its customers.
The mechanic tried to sting me, but I put him in his place.
What is the difference between ``while'' and ``whilst''
(S. Anand, New Delhi)
As far as meaning is concerned there is no difference between the two words; they can be used interchangeably. ``Whilst'' is considered by some people to be rather old-fashioned. It is mainly used in British English; Americans seldom use it. I understand that even within Britain, ``whilst'' is more common in the north than in the south. As far as the pronunciation is concerned, the final `st' of `whilst' is pronounced. Here are some examples. The Police entered the former Chief Minister's house while/whilst he was sleeping.
Shakunthala called up while/whilst I was having dinner.
Who is a ``psephologist''?
(Murali Krishnan, Ernakulam)
First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The first `p' is silent. The `se' in the first syllable sounds like the `se' in `set', sent', and `sell'. The `ph' is pronounced like the `f' in `fit', `feet', and `food'. The vowel `o' is like the `o' in `got', `not', and `lot'. The `o' in the third syllable sounds like the `a' in `China' and the following `g' is like the `j' in `jam'. You can probably guess how the final `ist' is pronounced. It is the second syllable which has the main stress.
Psephology is the scientific study of the way in which people vote in elections.
A `psephologist' therefore is someone who studies how people vote - he comes up with the statistics, the trends, etc. These are the people you see on TV during elections telling us about the `swing factor', etc.
Several psephologists were interviewed a day before the elections.
My cousin Mohan wants to be a psephologist when he grows up.
How does one become a psephologist?
What is the meaning and origin of the expression ``to hit the sack''?
(A. J. Venkatasubramayam, Bangalore)
This is an informal expression
meaning to `go to bed'. Here are a few examples.
Ranjani hit the sack early last night.
It's been a long day. I am ready to hit the sack.
Although it was well past their bedtime, the children weren't ready to hit the sack.
The expression became popular during World War II when American soldiers began referring to the sleeping bag/blanket that they were carrying as ``sack''. Later, the word ``sack'' began to be used for anything that one could sleep on - a bed, a table, a bench, etc. The earlier expression that was commonly used was ``
to hit the hay''.
Does the word ``history sheeter'' exist?
(P. Venkat, Saligramam)
The words
`history sheeter' and `rowdy sheeter' are often used in India to refer to a person who has a long criminal record - someone who has been arrested several times. The word however does not find a place in dictionaries. There is a word however -
`rap sheet'. A `rap sheet' is a term used by native speakers of English, to refer to someone's criminal record. In this case, the reference is to the sheet itself and not the individual.
Some of our politicians have a rap sheet that is a mile long.
Her rap sheet is pretty impressive. She'll be our next Chief Minister!
The lawyers asked if there was a rap sheet on their client.
What is the meaning of ``We fear the president may be buying a lemon here''.
(N. Balasubramanian, Kaveripakkam)
Have you ever bought a second hand car? Sometimes the person selling the car tricks us into buying something absolutely worthless.
When you have been tricked into buying something worthless you have been sold a lemon. When you say that something is a lemon it implies that it is useless because it fails to work properly. So in the sentence that you have given, you are afraid that the president is buying something that is absolutely useless. (Isn't that what most presidents do?). Here are a few more examples.
Promod has a car which is real lemon.
I wouldn't borrow Madhavan's VCR. It's a lemon.
Rajeev bought a radio last month. It's turned out to be a real lemon.
By the way,
``worthless'' is the meaning of the word `lemon' in American English. In British English, it's people who are referred to as a lemon. The word is used in informal contexts to mean a silly person.
I felt such a lemon when I tripped over the carpet.
Many of the students think that the Dean is a bit of a lemon.
Usha has no intentions of meeting that lemon Ganpat.
``I am free of all prejudices. I hate everyone equally.'' - W. C. Fields
S.UPENDRAN