Know your English

WHAT IS the meaning and origin of the idiom ``to bring home the bacon''? (S. Madhusudan, Tiruchy (TN)

Bacon is the salted or smoked meat that comes from the back or sides of a pig. Bacon and eggs is a popular American breakfast. When someone ``brings home the bacon'', he or she is providing food for the family. What do you need in order to buy food? Money, of course! When you say that someone ``brings home the bacon'', it means that he or she has a job and is earning a salary. He or she is the breadwinner. Here are a few examples.

* Bhaskar is married, but it's his wife who brings home the bacon.

* Prakash's parents have been telling him to get a job so that he can bring home the bacon.

In the old days, weekly and monthly fairs were very common in villages. On these occasions, farmers used to bring vegetables, meat, cattle, sheep, etc. and sell them at the market place. As a form of entertainment, a well-greased pig was let loose in the market. Any man or woman catching the pig could claim it as his/her prize. Since the animal had grease all over it, it was very slippery and hence very difficult to catch. But the person catching it could take it home. The man or woman catching the pig was literally bringing home the bacon! Nowadays, of course, you don't bring pigs home, instead you provide food for the family by bringing home a salary. But things haven't changed all that much. These days in order to ``bring home the bacon'', you often have to grease someone's palm!

Why do we call the spare tire that we carry in our car a ``stepney''? (N. Chandramouli, Hosur, Karnataka)

Although this word is quite common in India, hardly anyone uses it in Britain. The Americans, of course, have never used it. The word is not included in most dictionaries! What we call a ``stepney'', native speakers of English refer to as a ``spare''. In America, the spare wheel is much smaller than the normal wheel.

Where did the word ``stepney'' come from? Well, actually the word `stepney' is the name of a street in Wales. A mechanic in the street of Stepney in the town of Llanelly, was the first to provide the ready to use spare wheels. And the product, namely the spare wheels, began to be referred to by the name of the street where they were produced.

What is the difference between ``in the end'' and ``at the end''? (T. Sandhya, Hyderabad)

``In the end'' means ``finally''. It is normally used when you want to give the impression that a conclusion was arrived at after a lot of confusion or uncertainty. For example:

* In the end, the hero runs away with all the money.

``At the end'', on the other hand, means at the point when something stops. Here we are thinking of a single event, and not a series of events. Take for example, the following sentence. ``At the end of the song, the hero jumps into the river.'' The single event that we are thinking of here is the end of the song. When we say, ``in the end'', what we have in mind is a sequence of events, not just one event. You cannot say ``In the end of the song.'' Here are a few more examples.

* At the end of the third day, the little boy ran away.

* In the end, the little boy runs away.

It's wrong to say ``in the end of..''. It always has to be ``at the end of''.

What is the meaning of ``brownie points''? (T. R. Anantharaman, Porur, Chennai)

It is an imaginary award that you get for having done something good. When you get or gain brownie points, it is the imaginary credit that you get for having done something useful or good.

* I earned some brownie points for helping the old lady cross the street.

* How many brownie points did you get for looking after her kids?

* You are not going to get any brownie points for doing that!

Which of the following sentences is correct? ``He left for America after a three-day state visit'' or ``He left for America after a three days state visit''. (Lenin, Chennai)

The first sentence is correct. The words ``day'', ``month'', ``minute'', ``mile'', etc. are usually singular when used with a number immediately before a noun. Here are a few more examples:

* Every day he goes for a twenty-minute jog.

* Every day he jogs for twenty minutes.

* Last year he ran the twenty six-mile marathon.

S. UPENDRAN

Know your English



``WHAT IS the meaning of ``Supercalifragilis- ticexpialidocious''? - (P. Vanitha Rathnam, Pollachi, TN)

This is a word which one hears several times in the Walt Disney movie, Mary Poppins. When the nanny, Mary Poppins, comes first in a horse race, a reporter remarks, ``There probably aren't words to describe your emotions.'' To which Mary Poppins replies, ``On the contrary, there's a perfectly good word. It's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious''. The word doesn't really mean anything, it's just fun to say. Here are the first four lines of the song sung by Mary and her friends.

Super cali fragi listic expi ali docious

Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious

If you say it loud enough, you will always sound precocious

Super cali fragi listic expi ali docious.

What is the meaning and origin of the expression ``greenhorn''? - (S. Sainath, Hyderabad)


A greenhorn is an inexperienced, or naive person, someone who can be easily duped or cheated. The term, I understand, was first used in the 15th century to refer to a young ox whose horns had not matured. Around the 17th century, the word began to be used to refer to people; any inexperienced person began to be called a ``greenhorn''. In the early part of the 20th century, with the influx of immigrants, the word began to be used to refer to them. Nowadays, of course, a ``greenhorn'' is any inexperienced person. Here are a few examples.

*The Management is not planning on hiring greenhorns.

*How could you give such an important assignment to a greenhorn?

*The old man was looking for a greenhorn whom he could sell his bogus stocks to.

What is the difference between ``assassinate'' and ``murder''? - (Balachand, Kumbi, Manipur)

Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Ghandi, John Kennedy, and Julius Caesar were all assassinated. If the same thing had happened to lesser- known mortals like you and me, people would have called it ``murder''. When you ``murder'' someone, you kill him/her intentionally - it is not an accident. You can ``murder'' anyone; your next door neighbour or the beggar on the street. If you were to ``murder'' someone famous, then it would become an assassination. When famous people are killed because of political reasons, it is called an assassination. Here are a few examples.

*Nobody still knows why President Kennedy was assassinated.

*When Indira Gandhi was assassinated, there was chaos in the country.

*We have asked Holmes to investigate the murder.

*Why would anyone want to murder the poor old man?

By the way, in the word ``assassination'', the main stress is on the fourth syllable.

What is the meaning of the following sentence, ``Dollar demand pushes rupee further south''? - (T. M. Krishnan, Tirupattur, Vellore District, TN)

We always talk about ``down south'' and ``up north''. One usually associates ``going south'' with going ``down''. In the sentence that you have given, south means ``down''. The demand for the dollar has pushed the value of the rupee further down.

In American English, the expression ``go south'' is used in informal contexts. When you say that an organisation has ``gone south'', it means that though the organisation was in excellent shape once, it is in extremely bad shape now.

How do you pronounce the word ``manoeuvre''? -

(R. Chandrasekhar, Chennai)

The ``a'' in the first syllable and the ``e'' in the final syllable are like the ``a'' in ``China'', ``about'', and ``around''. The ``oeu'' is pronounced like the ``oo'' in ``cool'', ``pool'', and ``school''. The final ``r'' is silent. The stress is on the second syllable. The Americans spell the word ``maneuver''.

The word can be used either as a verb or a noun. When you ``manoeuvre'' something, you move or turn something very skillfully. For example,

*The soldier manoeuvred the tank through the giant trees.

The word does have a negative meaning. However when you manoeuvre someone into doing something or manoeuvre someone out of something, you use clever, but often illegal methods to get what you want.

*The election results were achieved through a series of political manoeuvres.

Is it OK to say, ``Join at any day''? - (Eggoni Syama Sundar, Madanapalle,AP)

No, it isn't. You can tell someone to ``Join any day'', but not ``Join at any day''. If you have a specific day in mind, then you say, ``Join on Monday''.

* * *

``Hollywood: A place where they shoot too many pictures and not enough actors.''

- Walter Mitchell

S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Devil-may-care

Know your English

WHAT IS the origin of the word ``bootleggers''? (V. Ramkumar, Chennai)

``Bootleggers'' as you know, are people who brew and sell illicit liquor. The word was first coined in the United States in the mid- 19 century. It gained popularity within America, however, when the country went through a ``dry spell'' (prohibition) between 1920-1933. People who were fond of hard drinks had to depend on ``bootleggers'' to wet their palates. Bootleggers brewed whiskey in the outskirts of towns and cities. As it was illegal to sell whiskey in the open market, the dealers had to find ingenious ways of bringing the bottles into towns and cities. One method they employed was to hide the bottles inside the tall boots they used to wear. Since they hid the bottles in their boots they began to be called `bootleggers'!

The original ``bootlegger'' was someone who sold illicit liquor. When someone ``bootlegged'', he sold whiskey illegally. Nowadays, the word is being used in a very general sense. When you say that someone is bootlegging, it doesn't necessarily imply that he is making or selling illicit liquor. He could be making copies of videotapes and selling them illegally. Video piracy is a form of bootlegging. Here are a few examples.

* Prakash was caught bootlegging Windows 2000 CDs.

* Amrit bought a bootleg CD of last night's concert.

* My friend Ramesh bootlegs videotapes in Chor Bazar.

How is the word ``alias'' pronounced? (V. Kishore, Secunderabad)

The ``a'' in the first syllable is like the ``ay'' in ``day'', ``hay'', and ``may''. The ``i'' is pronounced like the ``i'' in ``sit'', ``bit'', and ``fit'', while the following ``a'' sounds like the ``a'' in ``China''. The stress is on the first ``a''.

What is an alias? Your official name may be Kishore, but at home everyone may be calling you Ravi. Ravi is your alias. An alias is a name by which a person is also known. Sometimes, people give a false name deliberately; this can also be called an alias. Charles Shobraj, for example, had several aliases. Here are a few examples.

* Ramanujam, alias Ravi, is arriving in Bangalore tomorrow.

* The well-known criminal used several aliases.

* Shoba, alias Rama, is wanted for questioning by the police.

Which of the following sentences is correct? ``He left for America after a three-day state visit'' or ``He left for America after a three-days state visit''. (Lenin, Chennai)

The first sentence is correct. You talk about a ``three- day visit'', ``two-week holiday'', ``five-month vacation'', etc. You do not say three days visit, or five months vacation. In these examples, ``three- day'', ``five-month'', and ``two-week'' are functioning as adjectives. Here are a few more examples:

* Every day he does a twenty-minute jog.

* We are planning to go on the fourteen-day cruise next year.

* Sailaja's four-page document was well written.

Could you give some colloquial expressions meaning ``gossip''? (T. R. Anantharaman, Chennai)

There are several expressions which mean ``gossip''. Here are three which I use quite often: ``to shoot the bull'', ``to chew the fat'', and ``to shoot the breeze''. All are used in informal contexts. When you shoot the bull, or chew the fat, you ``chat and gossip''. Here are a few examples.

* Why don't we get together this weekend and shoot the bull?

* Jai and Priya spend too much time shooting the bull.

* Let's sit down and chew the fat for some time.

* Nothing much happened. We chewed the fat for half an hour and left.

The expression ``chew the rag'' means the same thing as ``chew the fat''.

When you ``shoot the breeze'', you usually end up chatting about a lot of things.

* Meera and Kalyani spent the entire afternoon shooting the breeze.

* I enjoyed shooting the breeze with Lavanya.

How is the word ``vide'' used? Can I say ``The material was dispatched vide our invoice no.....''? (Zameer, Hyderabad)

``Vide'' is a Latin word meaning ``look at'' or ``refer to''. Formal letters referring to an earlier correspondence always make use of this word. The word consists of two syllables, and not one. The ``i'' sounds like the ``y'' in ``my'', ``shy'', and ``by''. The following ``e'' is like the ``i'' in ``pit'', ``bit'' and ``sit''. Some people, however, pronounce the ``i'' like the ``ee'' in ``see'', ``bee'', and ``ghee'', and the ``e'' that follows like the ``ay'' in ``day'', ``bay'', and ``say''. The stress in both cases is on the first syllable.

Let's look at the example that you have given. Your sentence implies that you sent the material through the invoice. It is not possible to do that! You could however say, ``We have dispatched the materials as per our agreement (vide letter dated....)''. It is interesting to note that not all dictionaries include this word. Did you know that ``vide'' and ``video'' are related?

* * *

``Order your summers suit. Because in big rush we will execute customers in strict rotation.'' - In a Rhodes tailor shop

S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Devil-may-care

Know your English



``What was the name of the movie you saw yesterday?''

``It was one of those old movies. I think it was called 'White Men Can't Jump'. I really enjoyed it. It was a real entertainer. It ....''

``....White Men Can't Jump, eh? After seeing some of the decisions made by the umpires in Australia, I have decided to make a movie called ''White Men Can't Ump``.''

``That's an excellent idea! I am positive that the Indian team will finance your project. The umpiring was terrible, wasn't it? Some of the decisions made by Hair and Co. had me tearing my hair out.''

``Hair had you tearing your hair out! That sounds nice. Does 'tear one's hair out' mean to become angry?''

``Yes. 'To tear one's hair out' means to be anxious, frustrated or angry. It's an informal expression. Here's an example. An hour before the interview, Govinda sat in my office tearing his hair out.''

``When Sachin was given out LBW in the second innings of the first test, I was ready to tear my hair out. How does that sound?''

``Sounds great. Oh, look at the time! It's getting late. You had better go home. Your parents will be tearing their hair out.''

`No, they won't. They will....''

``...that was just an example!''

``I see. I don't think my parents would tear their hair out on my account.''

``Oh, I'm not so sure about that. Your mother told me the other day that you had the habit of getting in her hair.''

``I certainly do not get in my mother's hair! How could I....''

``...do you know what the expression 'to get in someone's hair' means?''

``I think I do! Doesn't it mean to irritate someone?''

``Excellent! When you get in someone's hair, you bother or irritate him/her. When I was young, I used to get in my physics teacher's hair.''

``I do that even now. I am sure Hair and Co. got in Tendulkar's hair.''

``The umpires must have given the Indian batsmen sleepless nights, especially Tendulkar. As my friend Ram Mohan put it, the umpires' policy seemed to be, 'When in doubt, give Tendulkar out'.''

``Yes, the umpires in Australia were very patriotic! How about this example? There are times when you get in my hair.''

``You're beginning to sound like my boss. He complains that I am in his hair all the time.''

``That's understandable. By the way, does the expression 'to curl someone's hair' mean the same thing as 'to get in someone's hair'?''

``No, it doesn't. When you make someone's hair curl, you frighten, alarm, or shock them. I thought that the movie 'The Haunting' would make my hair curl. It did nothing of the kind.''

``My friend, Lavanya, said that some of the special effects curled her hair.''

``Boris Becker, when he came to Chennai last year, said that the speed at which people in India drove made his hair curl.''

``Perhaps that's why he lost in the second round! He didn't want to take any more drives from the hotel to the stadium!''

``You may have a point there!''

``Some of the decisions given by the Australian umpires was enough to make my hair curl. By the way, do you remember the name of the umpire who made those terrible decisions in the first test? I've been trying to....''

``....let's forget the Australian umpires, shall we? You've been harping on about them....''

``....harping on about them? That's it! The umpire's name was Harper. He was .....''

``...please stop harping on ....''

``....what does 'harp on about' mean?''

``When you 'harp on about something', it means you keep talking about it again and again, although your listener may be sick and tired of it. Every time I meet Prabhakar, he keeps harping on about going to America.''

``Why doesn't he go, then?''

``How am I supposed to know?''

``Some of my cousins who are in 10th class keep harping on about how difficult it is get through the IIT entrance exam.''

``My friend in Bombay keeps harping on about what a great all rounder Ajit Agarkar is.''

``Poor, Agarkar. He has certainly given a new meaning to the term 'all rounder'.''

``He certainly has! An all rounder is someone next to whom you put a round figure as soon as he comes to bat!''

``I like men to behave like men - strong and childish.'' Francoise Sagan.

__________________
Devil-may-care

Know your English


WHAT IS the origin and meaning of the expression ``to bite the bullet''? (Aparna Ramachandra Iyer, Hyderabad)

Every year, after the budget speech, the Finance Minister invariably tells us to ``bite the bullet''. Perhaps it's his way of ensuring that we get the required iron into our system! What does he mean by ``to bite the bullet''? What is it that you normally do when you are in terrible pain? You usually clench your fist, grit your teeth, or bite on something. By doing all these things you don't get rid of the pain, you merely lessen it. When the pain becomes acute, it is possible these days to take a painkiller. But in the old days, there were no painkillers. When doctors operated on patients, they didn't give them anesthesia, they merely gave them something to bite on - a piece of wood or a piece of iron. This was done to help the patient endure the pain, not to get rid of it. Having something in the mouth also prevented the patient from screaming into the doctor's ears! During wars, when soldiers had to be operated on, doctors usually gave them - you guessed it - a bullet to bite on. So when someone asks you to ``bite the bullet'', they want you to accept something difficult or unpleasant and endure it. In other words, you put up with a bad situation. Here are a few examples:

*Rohan decided to bite the bullet and pay extra for the car that he really wanted.

*Housewives are biting the bullet after another increase in LPG prices.

Isn't there a difference between ``the officer concerned'' and the ``the concerned officer''? (K. G. Chandrasekharan, Cochin)

Yes, there is. When you talk about the ``concerned officer'', you are talking about the officer who is worried. The man is concerned or worried about something. When there is a plane or train accident, you will have concerned relatives/friends ringing up the airport or the railway station. When you talk about the ``officer concerned'', you are talking about the officer who is in charge of a particular department/section. For example, you might go to the sanitation department and meet the officer concerned. In other words, you meet the officer in the sanitation department who deals in the matter that you are interested in.

*When I went to school I met the concerned teacher. (The teacher was worried.)

*When I went to school, I met the teacher concerned. (I met the teacher I wanted to meet. The teacher with whom I had some work.)

*The concerned parents met the IAS officer concerned.


*The captain talked to the players concerned.

Which of the following sentences is correct? ``I met him one and a half year ago'', or, ``I met him one and a half years ago''? (S. Shyam Sundar, Tirupati)

The rule is fairly simple. In sentences like the above, we use the plural noun with fractions and decimals over 1 (one).

*You're late. I have been waiting here for one and a half hours.

*Abdul will be taking the next one and a half years off.

*We require 1.13 metres of this material.

What does the abbreviation SWOT stand for? (R. Padma, Bangalore)

SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. I understand it is a formula used in marketing analysis of new products.

What is the difference between ``home'' and ``house''? (Subhkaran, Kota, Rajasthan)



When you go through the newspaper, you find many ``houses'' for sale. Sometimes at street corners, you find signs saying that there is a ``house'' available for rent. A ``house'' is a place in which people live; it offers shelter.

There may be thousands of houses in the city in which you live, but there is only one, which you call your ``home''. The ``house'' which you choose to live in becomes your ``home''.

Your builder constructed a ``house''. When you moved in, it became your ``home''. ``Home'' is the place where your family is; it provides emotional warmth and security.

A ``house'', on the other hand, provides shelter. Usually people buy a ``home'' and sell a ``house''. People who are away from their home often complain about being ``homesick'', not ``housesick''. What they lack is not a roof over their head, but the emotional warmth and security. Nowadays, every city has a ``home'' for the aged. They are not called ``house'' for the aged because these places provide not only shelter but also emotional comfort for the old people. Other common expressions in English are: ``There's no place like home'', ``Home, sweet home'', and ``Home is where the heart is''. Nobody ever substitutes the word ``house'' in any of these expressions.

How do you greet someone on his/her wedding anniversary? Is it O.K to say ``Many happy returns of the day''? (M. T. Chari, Bangalore)

The usual greeting is ``Happy wedding anniversary'', or, ``Happy anniversary''. Both are equally acceptable. I have heard people saying ``Many happy returns of the day''. Though this may strike one as being odd, some native speakers accept it. Dictionaries however contend that ``Many happy returns of the day'' should be restricted to birthdays.


``In fact there was but one thing wrong with the Babbit house: it was not a home.''

- Sinclair Lewis

S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Devil-may-care

Know your English

WHAT IS the meaning of ``apple polishing''? (Rahul Sharma, Kota, Rajasthan)

It means ``flattery''. Believe it or not, this is an expression which owes its origin to the practice followed by school children. What is it that people do in order to win the approval of their superiors? They either give them gifts or flatter them. Some school going children did the same thing in order to be in the teacher's good books. These kids took apples to school and polished them till they gleamed. Then they presented them to the class teacher! They hoped that by doing this, the teacher would overlook their poor performance in class and instead give them good marks.

* Vani's apple-polishing didn't get her anywhere.

* Apple-polishing is something that my boss detests.

* People who indulge in apple-polishing are called ``apple polishers''.

* Venkat, the apple polisher, doesn't know how silly he looks.

* Jaya's apple polishers surrounded her as soon as she stepped out of her car.

* When he ran out of money the apple polishers left him.

Do not use this word in formal contexts. It is considered slang.


What is the difference between ``homophone'' and ``homonym''? (P.V.V.S. Lakshmi, Kakinada)

In everyday contexts these two words are used interchangeably. But there is a difference in meaning between the two. The word ``homophone'' comes from the Greek ``homo'' meaning ``same'' and ``phone'' meaning ``sound''. Strictly speaking therefore, the word homophone is used to refer to words which sound alike, although they have a different spelling and meaning. Here are a few examples: mail, male; wear, ware; metal, mettle; etc.


A homonym, on the other hand, is used to refer to words which have the same spelling and pronunciation but have a different meaning. For example May (month), may (possibility); can (be able), can (put something in container); bear (the animal), bear (to carry). As I mentioned earlier, this distinction is seldom maintained in everyday conversation. People in general tend to use ``homonym'' to mean ``homophone''.

A note about the pronunciation. The first ``o'' in both the words is pronounced like the ``o'' in ``hot'', ``pot'', and ``got''. The second ``o'' is like the ``a'' in ``China''. It's the first syllable which has the stress in both words. This is one way of pronouncing the words.

How do you answer someone who says ``Nice to meet you''? (P. Lokeshwar Rao, Mosopalli)


When you are introduced to someone and the person says, ``Nice to meet you'' the standard reply is ``Nice to meet you'' with the emphasis on ``you''. It's like ``How do you do?'' When someone says ``How do you do?'' your reply is, ``How do you do?''. Other ways of responding to ``Nice to meet you'' are ``Likewise'', ``It's a pleasure meeting you'', ``Same here'', etc.

What is the origin of ``Jeep''? (S. Sadagoppan, Chennai)

These days whenever a new vehicle is launched, it comes with a fancy name - Alto, Accent, City, Matiz, etc. The vehicle which we now call the Jeep, however did not come with a fancy name. In fact this army vehicle had no real name at all; people in the army merely referred to it as ``General Purpose Vehicle''. Since this was a fairly long name, it was abbreviated to ``GP''. From GP we get ``Jeep''. Some people argue that the word ``Jeep'' became popular because of a comic strip character who was quite popular in the days prior to World War II. The character was a tiny creature with supernatural powers and his name was Eugene the Jeep.

Is the word ``orange'' a Tamil word? (P. Somasundaram, Chennai)

Many Tamilians would like to think so! Some argue that the word orange comes from the Tamil words ``six'' and ``five'' respectively. The good news is that the word does come from an Indian language - Sanskrit. Scholars who have studied the origin of words contend that the word ``orange'' comes from the Sanskrit ``naranga''.

How is the word ``paradigm'' pronounced? (Sudha, Nellore)

The first ``a'' is like the ``a'' in ``apple'', ``act'' and ``cat''. The ``a'' in the second syllable is pronounced like the ``a'' in ``China'', ``amount'', and ``about''. The final ``digm'' rhymes with ``time'', ``dime'', and ``lime''. The stress is on the first syllable. One of the meanings of the word is ``typical example of something''. This is a word used in formal contexts.

*For many the Holocaust is a paradigm of evil.

*The incident that took place yesterday is a paradigm of the destructive side of human nature.

*As far as I am concerned, she is a paradigm of all that is good in this world.

*A paradigm is also a model which explains how something works or shows how something is produced.

Why do we abbreviate ``example'' to ``e.g.''? (Soji Mathew,

Pondicherry)

The abbreviation ``e.g.'' comes from the Latin ``exempli gratia''. It means ``for example''.

Is it O.K to say, ``What class are you reading?'' (K. Krishnamurthy, Vishakapatnam)

Although one hears this question very often in India, it is however not acceptable in standard English. ``What class are your reading?'' is a translation of how we ask the question in our mother tongue. Native speakers of English would probably say, ``What class are you in?'' or ``What class are you studying in?''

***

__________________
Devil-may-care

`HI, COME on in. Haven't seen you in a while. What have you been up to?''

``Oh, nothing much.''

``Some things never change, eh? Weren't you supposed to go to Hyderabad to write some test or something?''

``The test has been postponed because of the floods. I wasn't planning on going, anyway. My father has discouraged me to write the exam this year. He feels....''

``....discouraged me from writing.''

``What?''

``You do not say 'discouraged me to write'. Instead you....''

``... wait a minute. It's O.K to say `He encouraged me to write', right?''

``That's right. The word `encouraged' can be followed by `to'. But `discouraged' is followed by `from' and not `to'. You encourage someone to do something and you discourage someone from doing something.''

``I see. So I have to say, the little boy was encouraged to go to school, but the young girl was discouraged from going to school.''

``After the scandal many students were discouraged from talking to the Principal.''

``The money lender discouraged the poor farmer from applying for a bank loan.''

``Sounds like the kind of stuff we see in our movies.''

``I am sure it happens in real life as well.''

``I am sure it does.''

``How about this example? When I was young, I was encouraged to play tennis and football.''

``Sounds good. I am sure you were discouraged from seeing movies.''

``You are absolutely right. Hey, look at the time. I've got to go.''


``You've got to go! But you just got here. What's the hurry?''

``I've got to meet Sujatha. I've promised to her that I would meet her at 6-00.''

``I have `promised her', not `promised to her'.''

``But I have heard many people say, `promised to her'.''

``It's true that many people say it. But it's wrong. When you use `promise' as a verb, you 'promise someone', you do not `promise to someone'. For example, Madan promised Kajol that he would be on time for the function.''

``Anjali promised to have everything ready by 2-00 o'clock today.''

``My friend Ramesh promised to help me with the homework.''

``That was nice of him. Now then, shall....''

``....wait a minute! You said that the word `promise' is not followed by `to', right?''

``That's right.''

``But what about this sentence? `I made a promise to him.' In that sentence....''

``....the word `promise' is being used as a noun, and not a verb. I said that you cannot `promise to someone'. You can promise someone something, but ....''

``...you cannot `promise to someone'. So sentences like `Bala promised to Geetha' and `Anand promised to Sunita' are wrong.''

``Yes, they are wrong. You can `promise to do something'. For example, I promised to meet him at 8-00 in the morning.''

``I promised to read the book. How does that sound?''

``Sounds great.''

``Tell me, what about the word `told'? I often hear, `I told to him'. Is that correct?''

``You do not `tell to someone'. Instead you ....''

``....you `tell someone something'.''

``Exactly! Here's an example. I told Venki to go jump in a lake.''

``I told Radhika to get married.''


``That's not very good advice in my opinion.''

``I didn't ask for your opinion, did I?''

``No, you didn't. Here's an example. The IAS officer told the Minister to get his head examined.''

``I am sure the poor man was transferred. How about this example? We must tell our students not to worry about the exams.''

``Sounds good.''

``Can I go now?''

``If you promise to give this book to Sujatha, then ....''

``....I won't promise you anything.''

``Making a speech is more likely to cause clammy hands and terror in the heart of the average person than are thoughts of death or physical danger. It's number one on the 'fear' list.'' - Irving Wallace

S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Devil-may-care

Know your English

WHAT IS the meaning of the idiom ``to bite the dust''? (M. C. Subhash, Patna)

This is an expression that was made popular by old cowboy movies. When you say that someone has bitten the dust, it implies that he/she is dead. It is an expression that is normally used in informal contexts. Do not walk into someone's house and say, ``I understand that your father bit the dust yesterday. I am so sorry.'' Here are a few examples.

* The hero fired the gun and another villain bit the dust.

* When she was diagnosed with cancer, Paroma turned to the doctor and said that she was too young to bite the dust.

* I don't think the old man next door will ever bite the dust.

When referring to things, ``to bite the dust'' means ``to break or to fail''. This is the sense in which the expression is used most often these days.

* Another one of Promod's plans bit the dust.

* Balakrishna's old scooter bit the dust yesterday.

* Dolly's attempt to become the next Vice President bit the dust.

The rock group ``Queen'' has a song called ``Another one bites the dust''.

* * *

How do you pronounce the word ``hooch''? (R. Ganesan, Madurai)

The ``oo'' is like the ``oo'' in ``fool'', ``cool'', and ``pool''. The final ``ch'' is like the ``ch'' in ``chips'', ``chap'', and ``chin''. Any idea what the word means? This is a word used in very informal contexts in American English to refer to any alcoholic beverage that has been made illegally. Here are a few examples.

* He offered me some hooch, but I turned it down.

* I would like to have some more of that hooch, please.

* One could smell the hooch three miles away.

* * *

What is the meaning of ``snail mail''? (N. Mukunda Kumar, Chennai)

Are you into computers? Do you access the Internet frequently? Do you send e-mail every day? If you do, then like me, you too are probably amazed at the speed at which communication takes place these days. You can send mail to someone in America and get a reply in a matter of hours/minutes. Earlier, it used to take at least a couple of weeks to get a reply. The word ``snail mail'' refers to the regular mail - letters that we write to our friends and relations and put in a letterbox. Letters that normally take a couple of days to reach their destination - sometimes never reach at all! As you may have probably guessed, this word was coined by some computer buff.

* * *

What is the difference between ``flats'' and ``apartments''? (S. Harish, Davangere, Karnataka)

There is no difference; these are merely two words that are used on different sides of the Atlantic to refer to the same thing. Americans tend to use the word ``apartment'', while those in England prefer ``flat''.

* * *

What is the meaning of ``ad nauseam''? (N. K. Rayaguru, Chennai)

First let's deal with the pronunciation. The word ``ad'' rhymes with the words ``pad'', ``bad'', and ``sad''. The ``au'' is like the ``ore'' in ``tore'', ``pore'' and ``core''. The following ``s'' is like the ``z'' in ``zip'' and ``zoo''. The ``e'' is like the ``i'' in ``pit'', ``bit'', and ``hit'', while the final ``a'' is like the ``a'' in ``China''. Some people pronounce the final ``a'' like the ``a'' in ``act'', ``pact'' and ``fact''. The main stress is on the first syllable of ``nauseam''. When someone does something ad nauseam they do it repeatedly over a long period of time. He/she does it so often that you become sick and tired of it; very often you become irritated by it. Here are a few examples.

* For the next hour the child played the same song ad nauseam.

* Sashi went on ad nauseam about what a wonderful wife he has.

* The Director went on ad nauseam about how well the company was doing.

* * *

How do you pronounce the final `s' in ``Charles's''? (N. Ajay Roshan, Pudukkottai)

The final ``s'' is pronounced like the ``es'' in words like ``houses'', ``blouses'', and ``noses''. It sounds like the word ``is''.

* * *

Is it OK to say ``The Chief Minister is in favour with Sumalatha''? (J. Chandrasekhar, Bangalore)

The expression ``in favour'' is usually followed by ``of'' and not ``with''. You are usually ``in favour of'' something. Here are a few examples.

* The farmers were not in favour of building a dam.

* Mohan and Sujatha were in favour of the new proposal.

* Nobody was in favour of the Japanese taking over the factory.

* * *

Why is the television called the ``idiot box''? (Antony Valarkott, Vempally)

What is it that you normally do when you watch television? You keep staring at the screen. You are glued to the images that appear on it. You sit there passively with your eyes wide open. You don't even think; you just sit there like an idiot, watching. This is one of the reasons why television is called the ``idiot box''. Television kills your imagination and your curiosity and in the process makes you an idiot. By the way, another common name for television is ``goggle box'' - people just keep staring (goggling) at it like a bunch of idiots!

***

``I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation.'' - G. B. Shaw

S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Devil-may-care

Know your English

S. UPENDRAN

``HI! HOW was your day?''

``O. K, I guess. As usual, I had a fight with Sujatha.''

``What was the fight about? Your haircut? Or was it....''

``....we had a fight about my haircut last week. This one had to do with `good name'. I asked Sujatha's cousin from the U.S what his good name was and he burst out laughing. Sujatha said that his good name was Rahul and his bad name was Bala.''

``That must have made you mad.''

``It certainly did. Anyway, what was wrong with the question I had asked?''

``You see, native speakers of English don't say, `What's your good name?'. They ask you for your `name', not your `good name'. By the way, do you have a `bad name'?''

``No, I don't! You mean it's wrong to say, `What's your good name?'.''

``It's quite common within India. But native speakers of English don't use it.''

``Then why do we say it?''

``I think it's the mother tongue influence. I have a feeling that `What's your good name?' is actually a translation of how the question is asked in Hindi. Of course, there may be other Indian languages which ask you for your `good name' as well.''

``That's interesting. But do you mean to say that native speakers of English never use the expression `good name'?''

``Of course, they do. But they don't use it when they want to know your name. The expression `good name' is used to refer to one's `reputation'. For example, if someone says `You have ruined the good name of the family', it means....''

``...it means you have ruined the family's reputation.''

``Yes, you have brought shame on the family, and what not!''

``The kind of stuff one normally hears in movies. Tell me, is it O.K to say, `Mohan has earned a good name for himself as a teacher'?''

``But not as a husband, eh? Anyway, the sentence sounds fine.''

``Tell me, while we are on the subject of `good name', is it wrong to say `good self'?''

``Good self! I thought there was only one `Self' for everyone to try to realise! I didn't know there was a good self and a bad self!''

``What are you talking about?''

``Just a little philosophy. But never mind. Native speakers of English seldom use `good self'. It is considered rather old fashioned. If at all used, it is used in highly formal contexts. Usually in writing.''

``I see. When writing to my uncle or my cousin, I shouldn't use ``good self''?''

``I wouldn't. Why use good self at all? Just say `you'.''

``I see. But can I say, I am sending my bio-data to your good self to....''

``....that's another word that's not common among native speakers of English.''

``Which word are you talking about?''

``Bio-data! They usually call it a `resume' or `curriculum vitae'.''

``What?''

``R..e..s..u..m..e.''

``That's pronounced reSUME, right?''

``No, you are thinking of another word which is spelt the same way. You are thinking of the word, which means to start something again. That is pronounced reSUME. ''

``The game resumed after the break''

``That's a good example. A resume, on the other hand, is what we in India call a bio-data. That's one of the meanings, anyway. It's a summary. The first syllable `re' is like the `re' in words like `red', `reckless', and `regular'. The `s' is like the `z' in words like `zoo', `zip', and `zero'. The `u' sounds like the word `you' and the final `me' is pronounced like `may'. The stress is on the first syllable. Some people put an accent mark on both e's, while some put it on the second one.''

``I see. Can I say, I will send you my resume, next week?''

``Yes. Here's another example. I need to update my resume.''

``What's the other term which is used instead of bio-data?''

``Curriculum vitae. The `u' in the first and last syllables is like the `a' in `china'. The `i' is like the `i' in words like `bit', `kit', and `pit'. The `cu' sounds like the letter `Q'. The stress is on the second syllable. It's pronounced cuRRIculum.''

``Difficult to say the word. CuRRIculum! How is v..i..t..a..e pronounced?''

The `i' in the first syllable is like the `ee' in words like `bee', `fee', and `see'. And the `ae' in the second syllable is like the `ie' in words like `die', `tie', and `pie'. The stress is on the first syllable. The word is pronounced VItae.''

``But when you say the two words together, which word has the main stress?''

``Vitae has the main stress.''

``Curriculum vitae! That's a mouthful!''

``True. Which is why most people refer to it as CV. I would like you to send me your CV.''

``Your CV looks interesting''

``In my case, that's about the only thing that does look interesting.''

``Who steals my purse steals trash.....

But he that filches from me my good name

Robs me of that which not enriches him,

And makes me poor indeed.''

- Shakespeare

__________________
Devil-may-care

KNOW YOUR ENGLISH
about TOP BRASS
The Italians have an old saying, "Il dolce far niente." The words mean it is sweet, or enjoyable, to do nothing.

On weekends and during holidays, many of us enjoy doing nothing. But most of the time we have to work. And, to keep our jobs, we must work hard. Our employer will not like it if we do nothing.

American workers often call their employers bosses. The word boss comes from the Dutch word, baas, meaning master.

Sometimes company bosses are called the brass. They also are sometimes called top brass, or brass hats.

Experts disagree about how these strange expressions started. But, they may have come from Britain. Leaders of the nineteenth century British army wore pieces of metal called oak leaves on their hats. The metal, brass, has a color similar to that of gold. So a leader or commander came to be called a member of the brass. Or he might have been called a brass hat. Or, even the top brass.

By the nineteen forties, the expression had spread beyond military leaders. It also included civilian officials.

A newspaper in the American city of Philadelphia used the term in nineteen forty-nine. It called the most important police officials, top brass.

Other expressions that mean boss or employer have nothing to do with brass or hats. One of these is big cheese. A cheese is a solid food made from milk.

The expression probably started in America in the late nineteenth century. Some experts believe it comes from a word in the Uersian or urdu languages -- chiz. The meaning is a thing. So the meaning of big cheese may be a big thing.

Other experts say the word cheese in this expression was really an incorrect way of saying chief. The word chief means leader. So the expression may mean big leader.

An employer usually does not object to being called boss. But most workers would not call their employers big cheeses, top brass or brass hats to their faces.

These words are not really insulting. But neither do they show great respect.

Employers also have expressions to describe their workers. One of them that describes a good worker is that he or she works like a Trojan.

This expression probably comes from the ancient writings of the Greek poet Homer. He wrote about the Trojans who lived in the city of Troy. He said Trojans worked very hard to protect their city.

Now, the expression often is used to describe an employee who works hard for a company. A loyal, hard-working employee is said to work like a Trojan.

So be happy if your company's brass hats say you work like a Trojan. They may consider you valuable enough to increase your pay.
regards!

__________________
Whatever mind can conceive,it can achieve - W.Clement Stone