KNOW YOUR ENGLISH

Q. What is the meaning of "run with the hare and hunt with the hounds"? (N.Vijayaselvam, Srivilliputtur)

ANS: Very often when two people have an argument, they go to a third person and ask him to be a judge. If the person is timid and is afraid to take a decision, he will end up saying that both parties are in the right. He will support both sides of the argument because he doesn't want to hurt the feelings of his friends; sometimes, he does this with an ulterior motive in mind. This desire to be on friendly terms with both warring factions by supporting their arguments is what we mean by the expression, "running with the hare and hunting with the hounds." The individual is trying to be both the rabbit (hare) and the dog (hound). He wants to be the hunted as well the hunter; and this is just not possible. This idiom is considered rather old fashioned.
*Latha is a very clever person. She runs with the hare and hunts with the hounds.

Q. Is there a difference in meaning between "between "amuse" and "bemuse"?
(Jayashree, Pune)

ANS: Yes, there is a difference — a big difference. The two words are not synonymous, as some people believe. When something "amuses" an individual, it makes him laugh or smile. He finds it funny or entertaining.
*The principal found the comments made by the students very amusing.
"Bemuse", unlike amuse, has nothing to do with making people laugh. When you are "bemused" by something, you are bewildered by it. It leaves you confused or puzzled. For example,
*When the stranger walked into the classroom, the children looked at her with a bemused expression.

What is the meaning of "lost in the shuffle"? (L. Keshav, Hyderabad)

ANS: This is an expression that comes from the world of card games and is mostly used in American English. When you shuffle a pack of cards, you mix them up; you don't know where a particular card is. When a plan or an idea gets lost in the shuffle, it doesn't get the attention that it deserves. The expression can be used with reference to people as well.
*In refugee camps, orphans often get lost in the shuffle and are left without food for days.


Q. What is the meaning and origin of `Garrison finish'?
(K. Prabhakar Rao, Tirupati)

ANS: Early this year, our one-day team pulled off a couple of sensational victories. When we thought that the match had been lost, someone or the other did something incredible and helped the team win the match. This come-from-behind victory is called `Garrison finish'.
*It was a Garrison finish. Our team scored three goals in the last two minutes.
The expression comes from the world of horse racing. Edward H. Garrison, nicknamed `Snapper', was a famous American jockey who raced in the late 19th century. He was famous for his spectacular come-from-behind victories. Whenever he participated in a race, Garrison always began by staying at the back of the pack. He made his move (he speeded up his horse) only during the last stretch of the race. Since he always won his races by staying back till the last minute, a come-from-behind victory began to be called `Garrison finish'.

Q. What is the difference between `break a sweat' and `break into a sweat'?
(S. Venunathan, Kozhikode)

ANS: When you do something `without breaking a sweat', you do it without any difficulty. You find the task so easy that you don't have to exert yourself at all; you perform the task very easily or quickly. There is no need for you to sweat.
*Rahul answered all the questions without breaking a sweat.
Another expression that has more or less the same meaning is `no sweat'.
*Listen, I'll carry the two large suitcases. No sweat at all.
When you `break into a sweat', you actually start sweating. And when is it that we begin to sweat? When we exert ourselves or when we are extremely nervous or frightened about something.
*The children broke into a sweat when they heard strange noises coming from the bedroom.
*Uma broke into a sweat when she saw the policeman walking towards her.

Q. What is the difference between `I read your article' and `I did read your article'? (T. Vasanthi, Chidambaram)

ANS: The first sentence is a statement. It could be the reply to the question, `Did you read my article?' The second sentence is what you would tell someone if they didn't believe that you had actually read the article. The `did' is used to add emphasis; you are saying that you have indeed read the article. You are not lying.

Q. Is there such a word as `auto dentist'? (K. Lavanya, Pondicherry)

ANS Yes, the word does exist; it has been around for a few years now. You may be surprised to know that the word `dentist' in this case does not refer to the doctor who looks after people's teeth! As you walk along the road and look at the various parked cars, scooters and motorcycles, what is it that strikes you? What is it that the vehicles have in common? Most of them have `dents'; there are very few cars in India that do not have dents. An `auto dentist' is someone who repairs the dents and other minor damages in cars. Auto means `car' and `dentist' means `one who repairs dents'

Q. How is the word `honcho' pronounced, and what does it mean? (J. Reddy, Chennai)

ANS: The first `o' is pronounced like the `o' in `hot', `pot', and `dot'; the second sounds like the `o' in `so', `go', and `no'. The `ch' is like the `ch' in `chips', `cheap', and `chew'. The main stress is on the first syllable `hon'. The word is considered slang, and is mostly used in American English in informal contexts. It can be used both as a noun and a verb. Anyone who is the boss or the leader can be referred to as a `honcho'. The word is of Japanese origin and can be used with both men and women.
Meera, the top honcho in the accounts department, listened patiently to our problem.
When used as a verb, `honcho' means to manage or direct something.
Did Revathi tell you who is likely to honcho the project?
Amrit is honchoing preparations for the forthcoming seminar.

Q. What is the meaning of `pull the rug from under someone's feet'?
(K. M. Karthik, Vizag)

ANS: If someone were to pull the rug on which you are standing, what do you think is likely to happen? You will probably fall and hurt yourself, and in the process create problems for yourself. When someone pulls the rug from under your feet, what he is doing is taking away the support or help that you have been receiving. By taking away your support rather unexpectedly, he creates all kinds of problems for you.
Prabhu pulled the rug from under his children's feet by denying them their allowance.
The company was losing money. It decided to pull the rug from under the ill-fated project.

Q. Is it okay to say, "It took Mohan six months to recover from his fatal accident"? (B. Akshay, Pune)

ANS: No, it isn't. The word `fatal' usually has a negative connotation. An accident or an illness that is described as `fatal', usually results in the death of an individual. As you probably know, it is difficult for a person to recover from death!
The ailing chief minister suffered a fatal heart attack around midnight.
Several policemen were fatally wounded during the encounter with the militants.
The word `fatal' can also be used to mean `undesirable' or `causing disaster'.
The captain made the fatal mistake of asking Agarkar to bowl the final over.
Sahu's injury proved fatal to our plans of winning the trophy.


S.UPENDRAN

"WHAT ARE you reading?"
"An article on global warming. It says here that the weather in our country...."
".... I'm not interested in the weather. Right now I am only interested in finishing ...."
".....how do you pronounce e..q..u..a..b..l..e?"
"What?"
"E..q..u..a..b..l..e. How do you pronounce it?"
"Well, the first `e' is like the `e' in `set', `bet', and `met'. The `qu' sounds like the `qu' in `quality', `quit', and `quick'. The `a' is like the...."
"....don't tell me. It's like the `a' in `China', while the final `ble' is probably like the `ble' in `bubble', `trouble', and `double'."
"Exactly! The main stress is on the first syllable. Any idea what the word means?"
"Sure I do. People usually talk about an `equable settlement'. That ...."
"....sorry! The word you are thinking of is `equitable', not `equable'."
"What's the difference between the two?"
"When you say that something is `equable', it means it is regular, moderate, free from extremes. The word is often used to refer to the climate. For example, the climate in Rajasthan is anything but equable."
"Many people say that Hyderabad has an equable climate."
"You must be joking. Hyderabad gets really hot during the summer. I have heard quite a few people say that Bangalore is equable. But let's not get into an argument over the weather. Can `equable' be used with people as well?"
"Yes, it can. When you say that someone is `equable' what you are implying is that the person is even tempered."
"In other words, the individual has no mood swings. Like the climate, the person has no extremes."
"I guess you could say that. No matter what the situation is, the individual is calm and cheerful. Like me!"
"Like you? You must be joking! How about this example? It's a pleasure working with Gitanjali because she is so equable."
"That's a good example. His equable temperament made Bala quite a popular teacher."
"Everyone had told Venkat that his new boss was equable and that he would enjoy working with him. So he was quite surprised when the man snapped at him for coming late to office."
"Bosses are so unpredictable. Tell me, what does `eQUITable' mean?"
"The stress is not on the second, but the first syllable. It's pronounced Equitable."
"I see. What does Equitable mean?"
"It means just or impartial."
"I see. The Minister has asked the management and the union to come up with an equitable compromise. How does that sound?"
"Good. Here's another one. The lawyer ensured that there was an equitable division of property among the three brothers."
"The two parties were interested in arriving at an equitable settlement."
"It's very difficult to arrive at an equitable compromise."
"I know. By the way, how is your friend Dilip doing? Has he found a job?"
"No, he hasn't. He keeps ringing me up every day and talks to me for hours. I feel sorry for him. But there are times when he drives me up the wall."
"Drives you up the wall? One can drive into a wall. How do you drive up the wall?"
"When you say that someone is driving you up the wall, it means that the individual is driving you crazy."
"So it's the same thing as `driving someone nuts'."
"That's right. My father's aunt stayed with us for a couple of weeks. She kept asking everyone all kinds of questions. She was driving us up the wall."
"At least she asked you all kinds of questions. I have an aunt who can sit with you for hours without saying a word. She just keeps looking at you. Her silence drives me up the wall."
"The doctors told Deepak that they would give him the results in three days' time. The wait is driving him up the wall."
"The casual manner in which the new maid goes about sweeping the house is driving my mother up the wall."
"Good maids are hard to find these days."
"My mother would agree with you completely. So, have you shouted at Dilip? Have you told him not to..."
".... no, things haven't come to a boil as yet."
".... come to a boil? Does it mean to get angry or something?"
"That is one of the meanings, yes. When Geetha heard that she had not been promoted you could see that she was coming to a boil."
"Amrit was slowly coming to a boil and it was obvious to everyone that the student was going to get a dressing down."
"The Director came to a boil when he was told that the project was going to be further delayed. He ..."
"...he must have gone ballistic."
"He certainly did."
"You said that `getting angry' was only one of the meanings of `come to a boil'. What are the other meanings?"
"The expression can be used to refer to problems and situations as well. When you say that the situation has `come to a boil', it means that it has a reached a crucial or critical stage. For example, the talks between the management and the union have been going on for three days. But they say that things have come to a boil."
"When Aparna asked for a divorce, everything came to a boil."
"If I don't complete this project by tomorrow, things will come to a boil."
"In that case I shall perform the disappearing act."
"Please do. And don't reappear till tomorrow."
S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Lo! man is in a state of loss. (Al-Asr:103:2) And every small and great thing is recorded. (Al-Qamar:54:53) And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah. Then every soul will be paid in full that which it hath earned, and they will not be wronged. (Al-Baqara:2:281)

KNOW YOUR ENGLISH

"HI, COME on in. Did you get a cake from your neighbour this morning?"
"A cake from my neighbour? Why should she give me a cake?"
"Today is Christmas, that's why! Doesn't she usually give you a nice big cake?"
"Yeah, she does. But this year, she's celebrating Christmas in Goa. A family get-together or something."
"That's nice. But is that the reason you're looking so grumpy? The fact that you didn't get a Christmas cake?"
"No, I am not angry about that. I am angry with your friend Sujatha. We had another one of our fights."
"You and Sujatha fighting again! Nothing new in that, I suppose. What was the fight about? Was it about some silly movie?"
"No, it was about the word `handsome'?"
"The word `handsome', eh? What did she do? Did she insult you by calling you `handsome'?"
"Even if I were the last man on earth she would never call me that and you know it. No, the argument was over whether a woman could be called `handsome'. I said that the word handsome could be used only with men. She argued that a woman could be called handsome as well. So, tell me. Is she right? Or am I right?"
"She is, actually."
"What? You mean I can tell someone that Shanti is a handsome woman."
"Well, I wouldn't use the word handsome with a young girl like Shanti. You see, mature women can be called `handsome', not young girls."
"I see. So when you call a woman handsome are you implying that she is manly?"
"No, no! Handsome does not mean manly. When you refer to a woman as being handsome, what you are implying is that her features are fairly large and regular rather than pretty and delicate. She is...."
"....in other words, she is not much to look at."
"On the contrary, she is very pleasant to look at. The famous Swedish actress Greta Garbo was often referred to as being `breathtakingly handsome'."
"So a woman who is fairly well-built, has big eyes and a big nose is more likely to be called `handsome' rather than pretty?"
"You know what they say, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder."
"That's true. The next time I see Sujatha I have to tell her that she was right. I hate doing that. Tell me, what have you been up to?"
"Oh, nothing much actually. I have been trying to psych my new boss out.''
"Psych your new boss out? What are you talking about?"
"The expression has several different meanings. One of the meanings of `psych someone out' is to try and figure the person out."
"In other words, you try and understand the person. How his mind works. Is that what you are saying?"
"Exactly! Here's an example. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't psych Janaki out. She's a bit...."
"...I don't think anyone can psych her out. How about this example? The bowler tried to psych out Tendulkar, but he...."
"....Tendulkar probably smashed the next three balls to the fence. Don't try and psych me out. I am an enigma."
"You are anything but an enigma. Anyway, tell me what are the other meanings of psych out?"
"When you psych out about something, you become very excited about it. You may even lose control over your ability to think. For example, when Janani heard that Hrithik Roshan was coming over to her place, she psyched out."
"When the students came to know that Sachin was to be the chief guest at the Annual Sports Day event, they all psyched out."
"But later when the students came to know that it was going to be the Chief Minister and not Sachin who was going to be the chief guest, everyone was disappointed. No one psyched out."
"That is to be expected, I guess. My father psyched out when he saw last month's telephone bill.''
"Pretty high, eh?"
"Very high! By the way, you have the expression `psych out'. Do you have the expression `psych in' as well?"
"No, we don't have `psych in', but we do have `psych up'."
"What does it mean?"
"When you psych someone up, you get them mentally prepared to do something. It..."
"....you mean like taking a test or something?"
"Yes, that's right. It could be a test. It could be taking part in some event. Or it..."
"....OK, I think I understand. How about this example? We have an excellent coach. Before every game he psyches us up."
"It's always a good idea to psych players up before an important game."
"Our Indian cricketers seldom look psyched up when they enter the field."
``I don't even want to talk about those guys. Here's another example. The psyched up musicians were waiting for the curtains to go up."
"Savitri is psyching herself up for tomorrow's interview."
"Savitri has been called for an interview? That's nice to know. I am sure that if she gets the job, her parents will be so happy that they will psych out."
"She will get the job provided the interviewers are unable to psych her out in the twenty minutes she is with them."
"You have a point there."


S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Lo! man is in a state of loss. (Al-Asr:103:2) And every small and great thing is recorded. (Al-Qamar:54:53) And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah. Then every soul will be paid in full that which it hath earned, and they will not be wronged. (Al-Baqara:2:281)

Know your English

WHAT IS the origin of the expression ``lion's share''?
(V. H. Ninoy, Cochin)

ANS This is an expression which owes its origin to a story from Aesop's Fairy Tales. In the story, a lion and three of his friends - a fox, an ass, and a wolf - go hunting. After they make a kill the lion says that he is going to keep three fourths of the meat for himself. The reasons he provides for keeping the ``lion's share'' are the following: one fourth as his just share, one fourth for his lioness and cubs, and the other one fourth for his courage. The lion then goes on to inform his friends that he is prepared to part with the remaining one fourth provided one of them challenges him to a fight and defeats him. The three friends refuse to take him on and as a result leave the entire kill to the king of beasts. ``Lion's share'' as you can guess from the story means the larger share of something. Here are a few examples.
* Promod claimed the lion's share of the credit for winning the match.
* As usual, Vishnu took the lion's share of the pizza.
* They were supposed to divide the money equally between themselves, but Narender took the lion's share.

Q How is the word ``dilettante'' pronounced? (D. Devayani, Hyderabad)
* The `i' in the first syllable and the final ``e'' are pronounced like the `i' in `pit', `sit', and `hit'. The vowel ``e'' in the second syllable is like the ``a'' in ``china''. Some people pronounce the ``a'' like the `a' in `act', `pact', and `hat'. Others pronounce it like the ``a'' in ``bath'' and ``path'' (British English). The main stress is on the third syllable. Any idea what the word means? Well, a `dilettante' is someone who tries to cultivate an area of interest without really making the necessary commitment. The person may do a course in painting for example, without taking the subject seriously. He merely dabbles in the subject. Here are a few examples.
* I wouldn't take him too seriously. He is a musical dilettante.
* He often refers to his writings as the musings of a dilettante.
* The critics, as expected, did not take the young dilettante poet seriously.

Q. What is the difference between ``corrigenda'' and ``errata''? (Chhoto Gawai, Nagpur)

ANS Both ``corrigenda'' and ``errata'' refer to the errors - usually in spelling - that occur in writing or printing. The words are mainly used to refer to the list of errors in a book along with their corrections. Of the two words ``errata'' is the more common. The errata or corrigenda are usually appended to the book - one usually finds this page at the back. The singular of `corrigenda' is `corrigendum'; while that of ``errata'' is ``erratum''. A note about the pronunciation of ``corrigenda''. The `o' in the first syllable is like the `o' in `cot', `pot', and `hot', while the `i' in the second is like the `i' in `pit', `sit', and `bit'. The `gen' in the next syllable sounds like the `gen' in `gentle' and `gentleman'. The `a' in the final syllable is like the `a' in `china'. The main stress is on the third syllable.
In the case of ``errata'', the first ``a'' is pronounced like the ``a'' in ``cat'', ``bat'', and ``hat'', while the second sounds like the ``a'' in ``china''. The stress is on the second syllable.

Q. One of my teachers keeps telling us to ``chill out''. What exactly does he mean by that? (Vinta Manohar, Adoor)

ANS: Well, if your teacher is asking you to ``chill out'' it says a lot about your class. Are you a noisy bunch? Do you and your friends talk non-stop in class? Do you allow your teacher say his piece? If the teacher has to use the expression ``chill out'' very often in class, then chances are you are not allowing him to talk in class! By asking you to ``chill out'', the teacher is asking you to calm down, to relax - in other words he is pleading with you to stop talking! The plight of most teachers these days! Here are a few examples.
* Most people like to chill out during weekends.
* The argument was turning nasty. So I told the guys to chill out.
* You have had a pressure packed week. Take a couple of days off and chill out.
It is also possible to say ``chill''. ``Chill out'' and ``chill'' both mean the same thing. Chillin' is another word, which is used very often in American English. Any idea what it means? It means ``great or excellent''. Here are a few examples.
* I made some chillin' friends during the holidays.
* Asmita said that she had a chillin' time yesterday.
* The movie was chillin'.
* By the way, all three expressions are used in informal contexts.

Q What is the correct spelling of ``whiskey''? Is it ``whiskey'' or ``whisky''? (P. Ramanujam, Hyderabad)

ANS It depends on which part of the world you are from. I understand the Americans spell it ``whiskey'' while the British spell it ``whisky''. The English have been influenced by the way the Scots spell the word. The Americans, on the other hand, have been influenced by the way the Irish spell the brew. As you know when America was discovered, a lot of people from Ireland went to settle down there.


S.UPENDRAN

__________________
Lo! man is in a state of loss. (Al-Asr:103:2) And every small and great thing is recorded. (Al-Qamar:54:53) And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah. Then every soul will be paid in full that which it hath earned, and they will not be wronged. (Al-Baqara:2:281)

Know your English

"HOW WAS your trip to Madras? Was your sister happy to see you?''
"I don't know if she was happy to see me or not. But she was definitely happy to note that my water bottle was full."
"Your water bottle! What was so great about...''
"...there's an acute water shortage in Chennai. Things are really bad. If you were to walk into a stranger's house with a couple of bottles of water, he would welcome you with open arms!"
"It's that bad, eh? It's nice to know that your sister was happy to see your water bottle at least. Did you inform that you were planning to take up a job in Bombay?""No, I didn't. Besides, I haven't really decided whether..."
"...you should have informed that you were...."
"....informed her."
"What?"
"You should have informed her. You cannot say 'You should inform' or 'She informed'. You don't merely 'inform', you 'inform someone' of something. You have to let the listener know who that someone is. Here is an example. I informed Bala that there would be a meeting tomorrow."
"Would it be wrong to say 'I informed that there would be a meeting tomorrow'?"
"Yes, it would."
"I see. Then how about this example? The Principal informed some of the students that there would be no school tomorrow."
"Wishful thinking on your part. But the example is fine. The Manager informed Madhuri that he was taking the rest of the day off."
"The teacher informed me that I had done fairly well in the test. How does that sound?"
"Sounds great! I must say that you cotton on fast."
"I `cotton on' fast. What's that supposed to mean?"
"Why don't you try and guess the meaning?"
"Well, let me see. I gave you an example and then you said that it was right. And then....Does cotton on mean that I understand things quickly?"
"Well done. When you `cotton on' to something, you begin to understand it or realise it."
"Is it an expression that is used often?"
"It is an expression used by native speakers of English in informal contexts."
"I see. How about this example then? At long last Harish cottoned on to the fact that Chitra wasn't interested in him at all."
"That's a pretty good example. Most of the students cottoned on to what the teacher was trying to say."
"That never happens in my case. Especially when it comes to Physics. Whenever my Physics teacher says something, it takes me at least half an hour to cotton on to what it is she is saying."
"That's because you don't cotton to physics like some of your other classmates."
"Cotton to? You mean cotton on to, don't you?"
"No, I mean `cotton to'. Here is an example. Jaya doesn't cotton to Karunanidhi."
"That example makes everything clear. Everyone knows that the two can't stand each other. So does `cotton to' mean to like someone."
"Very good. When you `cotton to' someone or something, you like the person or thing. Here's another example."
"Wait, wait! Let me come up with one. At the meeting the Manager came up with an excellent idea. Unfortunately, the Chairman didn't cotton to the idea."
"The heroine of the film didn't cotton to all the attention that the new hero was getting."
"It's not at all surprising that Namratha and Krishna didn't cotton to each other."
"That's a pretty good example. Now then, how about..."
"....by the way, how is your friend Namratha doing? Last I heard she was trying to find a job. Has she found one?"
"Didn't I tell you about Namratha? She won the lottery about six months ago. And since then she has been in tall cotton."
"Not cotton again."
"You don't cotton to expressions with the word cotton, do you? Anyway, any idea what 'in tall cotton' means?"
"Not a clue."
"When you say that someone is in `tall cotton' it means that he or she has life made. The person is fairly successful and has absolutely no problems with money."
"I wish I were living in tall cotton."
"Who doesn't? The two Ministers were in tall cotton till the CBI figured out what it was that they were doing."
"Can I say the two Ministers were in tall cotton till the CBI cottoned on to what they were doing?"
"You certainly can."
"How about this example? Twenty years from now I hope to be in tall cotton."
"Sounds good to me. By the way, the expression 'in tall cotton' is considered to be slang. So it should be used only in informal contexts."
"I'll try and remember that!"
"Hey, where are you off to?"
"Nagu's brother is leaving for Chennai tomorrow. Apparently he and his mother in law just don't get along."
"So how are you going to solve their problem?"
"Simple. I am going to ask him to carry about ten bottles of water."
"You have just given me an idea. I think you and I can become rich by selling water to our relatives in Chennai!"
"We'll be in tall cotton then."


S.UPENDRAN

__________________
Lo! man is in a state of loss. (Al-Asr:103:2) And every small and great thing is recorded. (Al-Qamar:54:53) And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah. Then every soul will be paid in full that which it hath earned, and they will not be wronged. (Al-Baqara:2:281)

KNOW YOUR ENGLISH

WHAT IS the meaning and origin of the word ``laconic"? (Y. N. Murthy, Hassan)

If you want to know the meaning of the word ``laconic" all you have to do is to recall those old Amitabh Bachchan movies where he played the role of the angry young man. Remember movies like Deewar, Zanjeer, Sholay and Trishul? In these movies Amitabh hardly spoke; he was laconic. Whenever the heroine or villain spoke at length about something, Amitabh's usual response was a one liner. The word ``laconic" is usually used to refer to a person who speaks very few words. He is usually blunt and brief in what he has to say. We have at some time or the other met such a person in our life. Here are a few examples.
*The scientist's laconic replies were driving the reporter up the wall.
*A laconic politician! That is an oxymoron.
*Das' laconic speech left everyone wondering if something was wrong.
The word comes from the name of a place in Greece - ``Laconia". The Spartans who lived in this region were known for their ability to ration their words. (An ability, which I wish all our politicians, would acquire!) Whatever they said, it was to the point. The story goes that Philip of Macedon sent a message of warning to the Laconians. The message was: ``If I enter Laconia with my army, I shall raze Sparta to the ground. I will destroy it." The Laconians' terse response to this threat was ``If"!
Finally, a word about the pronunciation of ``laconic". The ``a" in the first syllable is like the ``a" in ``China", ``about", and ``announce". The following ``o" sounds like the ``o" in ``cot", ``pot", and ``hot". You can probably figure out how the final syllable is pronounced. The main stress, by the way, is on the second syllable.

Is there a word for someone who fears thunder and thunderstorms? (V. Shyamala, Bangalore)

Many of us as children were afraid of thunder and thunderstorms. So it would be rather surprising if the English language didn't have a word to refer to someone who is scared of thunder and thunderstorms. The Greek word for thunder is ``bronto". We all know what ``phobia" is. So the fear of thunder and thunderstorms is ``brontophobia". A person who suffers from this phobia is a ``brontophobe". Here are a few examples.
*Bala had to share a room with a brontophobe during a thunderstorm.
*I am told that Prakasham suffers from brontophobia.
*I wouldn't take Meera out on a night like this. She is brontophobic.
These words however are not used very often.

What is the difference between a ``robber" and a ``thief"? (Giri, Kurnool)

A thief is someone who takes things from you without your being aware of it. A pickpocket, for example, is a thief. He comes up behind you and takes away your wallet without your knowledge. A thief doesn't threaten you with a gun or a knife. In fact, in most cases, you are hardly aware of his presence.
In the case of a robber, on the other hand, you are aware of his presence. You usually come face to face with him. A robber takes things from you by threatening you; he may have a gun or a knife. In the case of a robbery, you are aware of the fact that things are being taken from you. People who force you to part with your belongings are robbers; those who take it away from you without your knowledge are thieves.

What is the meaning of the expression ``talk through one's hat"? (N. Subramanian, Chennai)

This is what our politicians do most of the time. And what is it that our elected officials are famous for? They have the tendency to give lengthy speeches/talks on subjects that they know nothing about. So when you ``talk through your hat" what you are actually doing is talking about something as if you know a lot about it, when in fact you know nothing about it. When you talk through your hat, you talk nonsense. Here are a few examples.
*Our not so beloved Professor was as usual talking through his hat.
*Jayashree was talking through her hat. She doesn't know anything about chemistry.
*Stop talking through your hat Sunila!
This expression is considered to be rather old fashioned. Another expression, which has the same meaning, is ``talk through the back of one's head". Here are a few examples.
*Sidhu talks through the back of his head most of the time.
*Pooja as usual was talking through the back of her head.

Can the first Principal of a college be called the ``founder Principal" - though he is not the one who founded the college? (Dr. C. Venkatramaiah, Tirupati)

The word ``founder" is normally used with people who have established a business, school, college, etc. In your example, the Principal did not establish the college; he was merely appointed its first Principal. Perhaps the ``founder" appointed him Principal! You can refer to the individual as the ``first Principal" and not the ``founder Principal".

What is the meaning of ``bimonthly" (S. Gopalan, Coimbatore)?

The word ``bimonthly" can mean different things. A magazine or journal that is published once in two months can be called a ``bimonthly". The word can also be used to refer to a magazine that comes out twice a month. So when someone refers to a magazine as being a bimonthly, find out from him whether it is twice a month or once in two months. A magazine that comes out once in four months is called a ``quarterly". A ``fortnightly" is one that is published once in two weeks.


S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Lo! man is in a state of loss. (Al-Asr:103:2) And every small and great thing is recorded. (Al-Qamar:54:53) And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah. Then every soul will be paid in full that which it hath earned, and they will not be wronged. (Al-Baqara:2:281)

Know your English

``I HAVE a doubt.''
``You always have one. You should be called `Doubtmaster'.''
``Like `Beastmaster'! I was watching a Hollywood movie yesterday. One of the characters kept saying A S A P, A S A P. At least, that's what I think he was saying. Any idea what it means?''
``It's an expression which Americans use quite often in speech, and also in informal styles of writing. A S A P stands for `as soon as possible'.''
``I see. But how does one use it? Can you give me an example?''
``Certainly. I would like to meet you A S A P.''
``When he heard that his father wasn't well, he returned A S A P.''
``So whenever I use the expression, I have to say each letter, right? I mean....''
``....that's what a lot of people do. Say each letter out loud. Some however, merely say the letter `A', and ....''
``....what happens to S A P?''
``It's made to sound like the word `sap', which by the way, rhymes with `nap', `map', and `lap'.''
``That's interesting. So A S A P stands for `as soon as possible'.''
``That's right! Sometimes a common expression has been reduced to a single word. Take for example, `hi', and `bye'.''
``What about them?''
``Tell me, how do you normally greet someone?''
``You normally say `hi'.''
``In formal contexts?''
``In formal contexts we generally say `Good morning. How are you?'. And then....''
``.... exactly! In the old days it was standard practice to say `How are you?' when you ran into someone. Since this greeting was so common, nobody really bothered to say the words clearly.''
``When somebody said something when they saw you, you just assumed that they were saying `How are you?'. Is that it?''
``Exactly! Since everyone knew what the other person was going to say when they saw him/her the first time, they started saying ``How are you?' very indistinctly. Some of them started saying it very fast. And when said very quickly `How are you?', sounds like `hiya'.''
``And from `hiya', we get `hi', is it?``
``That's right. So when you wish someone `Hi', what you are actually asking him is, ``How are you?''.
``So, when someone says, `Hi, how are you?', what he is actually saying is, `How are you? How are you?'''
``Right again! He's merely repeating himself. It's like the expression `D-day'.''
``The `D' in that expression stands for `day'. So what you are saying is `day day'. Now what about goodbye?''
``In the old days, just as it was common for people to say, `How are you', when they met each other, similarly the expression that they used when they took leave of each other was `God be with you'.''
``And just like `How are you?' when said quickly got reduced to `hiya', `God be with you', when said quickly' was reduced to `goodbye'.''
``My! My! Aren't you in cracking form today! Some people thought that `goodbye' was too long, so they reduced it to `bye'.''
``That's interesting. You know Americans tend to use `so long' when they wish to bid goodbye to someone. Is this expression also a ....''
``....no, no. `so long' is not a reduction of anything.''
``Then why does `so long' mean 'good bye'?''
``There are many theories to account for that. I'll tell you about one of the theories. I understand that when Jews meet or take leave of each other, they use the expression `shalom'.''
``What?''
``Shalom! The `a' is like the `a' in China and the `o' in the second syllable is like the `o' in `hot', `cot' and `pot'. It means `peace'.''
``The stress is on the second syllable, I suppose?''
``Correct. Native speakers of English when they heard the Jews using this expression, thought they were saying `so long'.''
``And they started using this expression too!''
``That's right! So, when you say `so long' what you are actually attempting to say is `shalom'.''
``Well, I guess I'd better make a move. Shalom.''
``God be with you.'


S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Lo! man is in a state of loss. (Al-Asr:103:2) And every small and great thing is recorded. (Al-Qamar:54:53) And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah. Then every soul will be paid in full that which it hath earned, and they will not be wronged. (Al-Baqara:2:281)

``HI, SORRY I'm late.''
``I have been waiting for an hour. Where have you been?''
``I went to see my cousin Vishvanath at the nursing home. He is going to be operated tomorrow. His appendix is being removed.''
``Doctors usually perform an operation on someone. They don't `operate' someone, they `operate on' someone. Your cousin is being operated on for appendicitis tomorrow.''
``Operated on, eh? I see. How does this sound? The surgeon said that he planned to operate on the Principal some time next week.''
``Why don't you leave your poor Principal out of your examples! Last week my best friend's mother was operated on. Tell me, who is the doctor who is going....''
``....I heard this morning that the doctor who is going to operate on my cousin isn't very good.''
``Who told you that?''
``Madhu. He said that the last person that this particular doctor operated, died on the...I mean that the last person that the doctor operated on died on the operation table.''
``That's terrible. Did you tell your cousin about this?''
``Yes, I did. But he is not at all worried. According to his opinion, if someone....''
``....you cannot say `according to his opinion'. You can either say, `according to him/her', or `in his/her opinion'. You are not allowed to mix the two expressions.''
``I see. According to the doctors the operation is a minor one.''
``In the doctors' opinion the operation is a minor one.''
``According to my cousin, the operation is so minor that even a medical student could perform it with his eyes closed.''
``Perform an operation with one's eyes closed! Good grief! In my opinion your cousin isn't taking things seriously enough.''
``That's what my father thinks too! According to me, both of you....oops, sorry! You cannot say, `according to me', right?''
``That's right! It's always `according to someone else'. If you want to express an opinion, then you have to say....''
``....in my opinion. In my opinion you correct me too often.''
``That's a good example. Or you could say, `If you ask me, you correct me too often'.''
``If you ask me, there is too much corruption in this country of ours.''
``Let's not start talking about corruption please. People in this country only talk about it. They don't do anything about it.''
``There's nothing we can do about it. India wouldn't be India without the corruption. Any way, what were you doing before I walked in?''
``I was listening to some Minister talking about how to prevent AIDS.''
``AIDS! That doesn't sound very interesting. How was the talk by the way?''
``It was flabby.''
``The Minister's speech was flabby? What are you talking about? You mean that the Minister was flabby, don't you?''
``One of the meanings of `flabby'....''
``....I know what the word flabby means. When you say that someone is `flabby', it means that his muscles are soft and loose. For example I can say, the woman who came to deliver the flowers was quite flabby.''
`` That's a good example. My cousin Karthick has become very flabby. But what I ...''
``...but in your first example, you referred to the Minister's speech as being flabby. What is the meaning of the word in that context?''
``When you say that someone's speech was flabby, it means that it was very weak or ineffective.''
``I see. Can I say, when I asked him why he hadn't done his homework, he gave some flabby excuse.''
``Sounds O.K. My favourite author's latest book was released last week. Most critics have said that the plot is flabby.''
``Meaning that the book has a very weak plot. Can I say the corruption in this country...''
``....corruption again! Why are you so fixated on corruption?''
``Fixated? What does it mean?... Wait, wait, don't tell me. Let me guess. When you are fixated on something, you are always thinking about it. Am I right?''
``Excellent. You don't merely think about it, but you constantly talk about it as well.''
``Like our friend Raja. He is constantly talking about cricket.''
``Exactly! When you are fixated on something, it becomes your obsession. You are thinking about it excessively. You can be fixated on a person as well. My friend Janaki remains fixated on things which keep reminding her of her dead grandmother.''
``The jury was informed that the defendant was fixated on the victim.''
``I don't want to be fixated on anyone or anything.''
``Neither do I.''
``But in the opinion of many people you are already fixated on something.''
``Me fixated on something?''
``That's right. According to your parents you are fixated on the idea of making tons of money without really having to work for it. How do you plan on becoming rich without....''
``....buy plenty of lottery tickets.''

S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Lo! man is in a state of loss. (Al-Asr:103:2) And every small and great thing is recorded. (Al-Qamar:54:53) And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah. Then every soul will be paid in full that which it hath earned, and they will not be wronged. (Al-Baqara:2:281)

Know your English

WHAT IS the origin and meaning of the expression ``to kick the bucket''? (Subhashini, Chennai)

The idiom ``to kick the bucket'' means ``to die'' and it is normally used in very informal contexts. You will never find a newspaper headline screaming, ``Local M.P kicks the bucket''. Similarly, it would be unwise to ask someone ``I understand your father kicked the bucket yesterday. How did it happen?'' The idiom should not be used with people who have suffered a recent loss in the family. Here are a few examples.
* Sunitha told me that our former Principal kicked the bucket last week.
* Several people in their family kicked the bucket last year.
* They expect him to kick the bucket next week.
People have come up with different theories as to how this expression came into being. One of them is the following. In the old days, when someone wanted to commit suicide or when people wanted to hang someone, they made use of a bucket - an article that was readily available in all houses. What they used to do was to tie a rope to a tree and under the rope they used to place an empty bucket. The bucket was then turned upside down and the man who was to be hanged was made to stand on it. The noose was slipped around the victim's neck and the bucket was then kicked away. Result? A slow and painful death.

How is the word ``collage'' pronounced? (Basheer Kutty, Kollam District)

The ``o'' in the first syllable is like the ``o'' in words like ``hot'', ``pot'', and ``cot''. The ``a'' in the second syllable is like the ``a'' in ``bath'', ``path'', and ``cart''. The final ``ge'' is like the ``s'' in ``measure'', ``treasure'' and ``pleasure''. The stress is on the second syllable. Some people pronounce the ``o'' in the first syllable like the ``a'' in ``China''. Both pronunciations are acceptable.
A collage is a picture that you create by sticking various materials/objects onto a hard surface. People often make use of pieces of cloth, paper, and metal to create this picture.

Which of the following sentences is correct? ``None of them is any good'' or ``None of them are any good''? (P. Vani, Pollachi)

Both are acceptable. There was a time, however, when it was recommended that the word ``none'' be followed by a singular verb. But times have changed, it is now possible to use either a singular or a plural verb when ``none'' refers to a countable noun. For example it is possible to say:
* None of the telephones is/are working.
* None of the students have/has turned up.
* None of the children is/are happy.
People who are extremely fond of grammar insist, even today, that a singular and not a plural verb should follow ``none''.

What is the difference in meaning between ``many friends'' and ``many a friend''? (M. Sridhar, Bangalore)

As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference. ``Many a'' is mainly used in a literary context; it is best avoided in informal ones. ``Many'', on the other hand, is used in both formal and informal contexts. The expression ``many a'' is always followed by a singular noun, the meaning however is plural. Here are a few examples.
* Many girls were forced to drop out.
* Many a girl was forced to drop out.
* Many players are suspected of taking bribes.
* Many a player is suspected of taking bribes.
* Many men behave childishly.
* Many a man behaves childishly.

What is the meaning of ``Que sera sera''? (Y. Mrinalini, Nellore)

It means, ``what will be, will be''. There is a well-known song by that title. Here are a few lines from it.
When I was just a little girl, I asked my mother what will I be?
Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?
This is what she said to me.
Que sera sera, whatever will be will be,
The future is not ours to see,
Que sera sera, what will be, will be.

S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Lo! man is in a state of loss. (Al-Asr:103:2) And every small and great thing is recorded. (Al-Qamar:54:53) And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah. Then every soul will be paid in full that which it hath earned, and they will not be wronged. (Al-Baqara:2:281)

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.


S.UPENDRAN

__________________
Lo! man is in a state of loss. (Al-Asr:103:2) And every small and great thing is recorded. (Al-Qamar:54:53) And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah. Then every soul will be paid in full that which it hath earned, and they will not be wronged. (Al-Baqara:2:281)