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  #51  
Old Saturday, November 10, 2007
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Know your English

"WHY DIDN'T you attend the cultural programme yesterday? It was really good."

"Yes, my neighbour told me that it was great. But after all the work I'd put in last week, I needed some time to relax. I needed downtime."

"Downtime? What does it mean"

"It's a term that was first used in factories. A factory's `downtime' is the period when its machines are switched off."

"I see. I've heard the term being used with computers."

"That's right. It's also used with computers. A computer's downtime....."

"....is the period when it is switched off. When it is not in use."

"Exactly! So when a person talks about `downtime', he is referring to the period when he does not work. He relaxes."

"If it's downtime you want, work for a government organisation."

"That's one of the reasons why many people join Government organisations! Downtime resulted in the production costs of the movie going up."

"Downtime is something that I am really looking forward to."

"Last year we didn't get downtime between projects. It was just terrible."

"That's because you were doing projects for so many different companies. Are you doing the same thing this year"

"No, this year the boss has decided to zero in on one or two big companies."

"Zero in on? Does it mean focus on"?

"Well, yes. I can say the camera zeroed in on Sachin's shoes."

"He zeroed in on the dead puppy."

"What a terrible example! I picked up the binoculars and zeroed in on the parrots that were sitting on the tree. It is also possible to zero in on a problem or a subject."

"You give your complete attention to the problem or subject. Is that what it means"?

"Right again. For example, the opposition has zeroed in on the problem of unemployment."

"The newspapers haven't zeroed in on the local problems."

"Local problems don't always sell newspapers. Here's another example. To keep the meeting short, the two lawyers zeroed in on three clauses in the contract."

"Talking about lawyers. Does your company still retain Vasudevan"?

"No, they fired him long ago. He was goldbricking and my boss didn't like it."

"Goldbricking? I've never come across that term before."

"It means to be lazy. To avoid doing one's duty."

"Like our Government officials! I wish somebody would tell these people to stop goldbricking and do some work for a change."


"Goldbricking is what our politicians are born to do. Even those who are not goldbrickers become one....."

"....goldbrickers? Does it mean someone who is very lazy"?

"Exactly! A goldbricker is someone who spends his time doing nothing. Madhu is such a goldbricker."

"If you think he is a goldbricker, you should meet his brother."

"I have met plenty of goldbrickers in my life, but Madhu takes the cake."

"We've talked about `goldbricking' and `goldbricker'. Does the word `goldbrick' exist"

"Yes, it does. A `goldbrick' is someone who is very lazy."

"Stop wasting your time and get back to work you goldbrick. How does that sound"?

"Sounds great. Our cable operator is such a goldbrick."

"I know. He doesn't know anything. He can't answer even simple questions. He just...."

"..... George Bush is the only person who seems to have an answer to all problems."

"What do you mean"?

"You give him any problem and his answer is get rid of Saddam Hussein and the problem will be solved."

"He's zeroed in on Iraq, hasn't he? Every time he talks about Iraq he keeps saying `I am a patient man. I am a patient man'."

"Well after he had killed Caesar, Brutus kept saying that he was an honourable man!"
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  #52  
Old Sunday, November 11, 2007
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WHAT IS the difference between a "vendor" and a "seller"?



(K. Mubarak, Chennai)

The word "seller" is English in origin, while "vendor" is French. Both were initially used synonymously to refer to someone who sold things. But nowadays, "vendor" is normally used to refer to people who sell things on the street; "sellers" usually sell things in a shop. For example, we talk about an ice cream vendor or a vegetable vendor. Native speakers use the term "vendor" to refer to someone who is selling property. A vendor can also be someone who supplies goods and services to other companies. Here are a few examples.

* When I grow up, I want to be an ice cream vendor.

* The vendor of the house wants the contract signed by next Monday.


* Raju's company deals with nearly forty vendors.

"Seller" is a more general word than "vendor". Anyone can be a seller. If I decide to sell my old scooter, I become a seller, not a vendor.


How do you pronounce the word "envelope"?



(A.J. Venkatasubramanyam, Bangalore)

There are two different ways of pronouncing this word. The first syllable can be pronounced like the "en" in "pen", "den", and "hen". The following "e" is like the "a" in "china", while the final syllable rhymes with "hope", "pope", and "joke". Another way is to pronounce the vowel in the first syllable like the "a" in "father", "path", and "bath". In both cases, the main stress is on the first syllable.

The word can also be used as a verb. When used as a verb, it is spelt "envelop". The first syllable, in this case, is pronounced like the word "in", while the following "e" is like the "e" in "wet", "bet", and "set". The final "o" is like the "a" in china; the main stress is on the second syllable. Any idea what the word means? It means to cover or surround something. Here are a few examples.

* We couldn't see the house because the mist had enveloped it.


* Runa was enveloped in a dress that was obviously too big for her.

* When Atul heard the news, gloom enveloped him.



What is the meaning and origin of the expression "red herring"?



(Ranjeet Gujati, Patna)

Sometimes when you are talking to someone, he/she asks you some very embarrassing questions. What do you normally do in these circumstances? You say something which you hope will distract his/her attention. You try to get the individual to talk about something else. This ploy that you use to divert the individual's attention is called a red herring.

A "red herring" is normally used by people to divert the attention of others from something important; from the central point that is being considered. And who are the people who are well-known for introducing a red herring every now and then? Politicians, of course! Here are a few examples.

* The Minister said that he wouldn't answer the question because it involved national security; but that was a red herring to avoid a discussion of the terrible mistakes he had made.

* The detectives followed all the leads, but unfortunately they were all red herrings.

* The debate was getting really interesting, when unfortunately one of the questions the panelist raised proved to be a bit of a red herring.

A "herring" is a kind of fish. I understand it turns red only when it is "cured" - that is, when it is smoked and salted. The fish emits a very strong smell and in the past criminals made use of it to help them in their bid to escape. Convicts used the herring to help them throw dogs off the scent. Since the herring had a very strong smell, the police dogs followed the scent of the herring rather than that of the escaped convict! The original expression was "drag a red herring across the trail", but now it's been reduced to "red herring".



How do you greet someone who has just had a baby?



(N. Dharmeshwaran, Guduvancherry)

The normal expression is "congratulations". This is more than sufficient.
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  #53  
Old Monday, November 12, 2007
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Making choices is necessary, but not always easy. Many of our expressions tell about this difficulty.

One of these expressions is Hobson’s choice. It often is used to describe a difficult choice. But that is not what it really means. Its real meaning is to have no choice at all.

The Hobson in the expression was Thomas Hobson. Mister Hobson owned a stable of horses in Cambridge, England.

Mister Hobson often rented horses to the students at Cambridge University. But, he did not really trust them to take good care of the horses. So, he had a rule that prevented the students from riding his best horses. They could take the horse that was nearest the stable door. Or, they could not take any horse at all.

Thus, a Hobson’s choice was really no choice.

Another expression for having no real choice is between a rock and a hard place. It is often used to describe a difficult situation with few choices, none of them good.

For example, your boss may ask you to work late. But you have plans to go to a movie with your girlfriend. If you refuse to work, your boss gets angry. But if you do not go to the movies with your girlfriend, she gets angry. So what do you do? You are caught between a rock and a hard place.

Another expression, between the devil and the deep blue sea, also gives you a choice between two equally dangerous things.

Its meaning seems clear. You can choose the devil and his burning fires of hell. Or, you can choose to drown in the sea. Some word experts say the expression comes from the days of wooden ships.

The devil is a word for a seam between two pieces of wood along the water-line of a ship. If the seam or crack between the two pieces of wood begins to leak, then a sailor must fix it. The sailor ordered to make the repairs was in a dangerous situation. He was hanging over the side of the ship, working between the devil and the deep blue sea.

There is still another expression that describes a situation with only bad choices, being on the horns of a dilemma.

The dictionary says a dilemma is a situation in which you must make a decision about two equally balanced choices. When your dilemma has horns, a choice becomes impossible. When you are on the horns of a dilemma, no matter which horn you choose, something bad will happen.
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  #54  
Old Tuesday, November 13, 2007
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KNOW YOUR ENGLISH


"Why did you have to go? Your boss wasn't ordering you to."

"What you don't understand is that sometimes my boss' request is tantamount to a command."

"Tantamount? Don't think I have heard that word before. What does it mean?"

"When you say that one thing is `tantamount' to another, you mean that the two are equivalent. They are ... "

"So what you are saying is that your boss' request is equivalent to a command!"

"Yes, that's right! There is no difference between the two."

"How about this example? The superstar's statement was tantamount to saying that actors and politicians are above the law."

"In India they are, aren't they?"

"Yes, they are. Met Sujatha on my way here, and as usual we had a fight."

"What was it about?"

"It was about the word `timings'. She said that it doesn't exist. I told her she was crazy."


"She may be crazy, but she is right. You see... ."

"What are you talking about? We talk about `Office timings' all the time."

"True. But it's an Indianism. Native speakers would say, `working hours' or `office hours'. Anyway, what else did you and Sujatha talk about?"

"About how dangerous train travel has become these days."

"I guess the Railway Minister wants to make train travel as exciting as living in Bihar. You never know what is going to happen next."

"That's exactly what Sujatha and I were discussing about. You see, when ... ."

"You cannot say `discuss about'. You can `talk about something', but you `discuss something'. You do not `discuss about something'."


"I see. Can we discuss this matter tomorrow? How does it sound?"

"Sounds great! Here's another example. I am afraid you are all too tired to discuss the matter now. Let's wait till tomorrow. Tell me, why were the two of you talking about travelling by train?"

"Because Sujatha is going to Patna next week. Official work, she said."

"Take a train to Patna! She should sleep on it. You see, it ... ."

"Sleep on it? Sleep on what? What are you talking about?"

"When you tell someone to sleep on something, what you want him to do is to give the matter some thought before taking a decision."


"I see. How about this example? I don't want you to give an answer right now. Sleep on it, and let me know tomorrow."

"Good example. Chandu proposed to Malathi. She didn't give an answer immediately. She said that she would like to sleep on it."

"I think I understand how the expression `sleep on' is used. Tell me, we have `sleep on'. Do we have the expression `sleep in' as well?"

"Yes, we do! The expression has several different meanings. When you `sleep in' you oversleep. For example, we have all slept in one time or the other."


"My father missed the early morning flight because he slept in."

"We were late for the appointment because the CEO slept in."

"Well, if the CEO slept in, then I guess he can't blame anybody else. Anyway, what is the other meaning of `sleep in'?"

"The expression can also be used to mean to get up late on purpose. For example, we completed our project at 3: 00 a.m on Friday. The members of the team decided to sleep in on Saturday."

"Meaning that they will be getting up very late on Saturday?"


"That's right! They may decide to spend most of the day sleeping."

"That's what I would like to do. I would like to sleep in all weekend. Unfortunately, my parents think I should study."

"A hair in the head is worth two in the brush." — Don Herold

S. Upendran
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  #55  
Old Thursday, November 15, 2007
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Know Your English



``YOU WERE supposed to have been here an hour ago!''

``I know! I know! The special class was called off and I....''

``....your class was called off! Then you should have been here long ago. You have no excuse for ....''

``....will you please let me finish? As I was saying, the class was postponed and I....''

``....it was postponed, eh? Well, in that case, the class wasn't `called off', it was 'put off'.''

``You mean there's a difference between `put off' and `call off'?''

``Yes, there is. When you `put off' doing something, you postpone doing it. Here's an example. Since the flight from Hyderabad was delayed, the meeting was put off by a few hours.''

``The wedding had to be put off because the groom fell ill. How does that sound?''

``Sounds terrible.''

``You mean there's something wrong with the sentence?''

``Oh, no! There's nothing wrong with the example. I don't like the idea of a wedding being put off.''

``Then how about this example? Our Principal's visit to Singapore was put off by a couple of days because of the strike.''

``I am sure he was happy that the visit hadn't been called off.''

``What does `call off' mean?''

``When you call something off, you cancel it. The meeting had to be called off because the chairman had to leave for Paris.''

``When the boy realised that the girl's father had lost all his money, he called off the wedding.''

``Sounds like the kind of stuff people do in movies. By the way, you can also say, `The boy called the wedding off'.''

``I see.''

``Here's another example. The cricket match was called off because of the rain.''


``Many people want all cricket matches to be called off. By the way, do you think some of our cricket players actually took money from....''

``....let's not talk about cricket. Do you want to see the movie or not?''

``Of course, I do!''

``Then get out of that silly uniform! And step on it, will you?''

``Step on it? Step on what? What are you ....?''

``....when you tell someone to step on it, you want them to hurry up. It's an expression used in American English.''

``I see. But what is the `it' that you are talking about?''

``The `it' in the expression 'step on it' refers to the accelerator in a car. The `gas pedal', as the Americans call it.''

``And when you ask a driver to step on the `gas pedal', what you are telling him to do is increase the speed.''

``Exactly! In other words, you are telling him to hurry up.''

``When you are in an autorickshaw, you don't have to tell the driver to step on it.''

``You certainly don't. Most of the time I tell them to slow down.''

``The service at the restaurant that we went to last night was really bad. My sister kept telling the waiter to step on it.''

``Did he step on it?''

``No, he didn't. I guess he found it difficult to cope up with all the....''


``....cope up? How many times have I told you ....''

``....sorry! Sorry! The word `cope' should not be followed by `up'. You have told me that many times.''

``Exactly!''

``The old man wasn't able to cope with the pressure of the job.''

``How are you coping with your problems?''

``I am unable to cope with the heat.''

``The restaurant that we are going to is air conditioned. So step on it, will you?''

``I grow old, I grow old

I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.'' - T. S. Eliot

S. UPENDRAN
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  #56  
Old Friday, November 16, 2007
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Know your English



"HELLO there!"

"Where have you been? I have been waiting here for eternity."

"For eternity, indeed! Stop using hyperbole and tell me exactly how long you have been waiting"

"Stop using what"

"H..y..p..e..r..b..o..l..e. The `y' sounds like the `y' in `my', `by', and `shy'. The following `e' is like the `ir' in `first', `thirst', and `dirt'. The `o' is pronounced like..."

"...let me guess. It's probably pronounced like the `o' in `hole' and `pole'."

"No, it isn't. It's pronounced like the `a' in `china' and the final `e' is like the `i' in `sit', `bit', and `hit'. The main stress is on the second syllable `per'. Any idea what the word means"

"No. Haven't a clue."

"It's an exaggerated statement. When someone uses `hyperbole', they usually say nice things about something just to make it sound much more impressive than what it actually is."


"I see. It's something that our politicians do all the time. Can I say, our politicians use hyperbole all the time"

"I suppose you could. Here's another example. Promod is well known for his use of hyperbole.
Whenever someone comes up with an idea, he says, "That is a truly brilliant idea. One day you are going to win the Nobel Prize'."

"I guess a little hyperbole can make a speech effective."

"It certainly can. But too much of hyperbole is likely to bore the audience. So, tell me how have you been? How was the New Year bash"?

"Oh, it was just great. Naresh must have invited over a thousand people. So,...."

"...there you go again. A thousand people!"

"It was probably closer to fifty."

"That sounds more like it. Anything interesting happen"

"Nothing much. Except that Rohini's cat disappeared for some time."

"Disappeared? What happened"

"Nobody knows. We all saw it on TV around 10: 30. And...."

"...you saw the cat on TV? Which channel"

"Which channel? What are you talking about"

"You said the cat came on TV. So, what I want...."

"...I didn't say it came on TV. I said it was on TV."

"Exactly! When you say that something was on TV, it means that it appeared on television."

"Really? So, can I say I saw Bush and Blair on TV last night"

"Yes, you can. Bush and Blair are a permanent fixture these days. When are you coming on TV"?

"Probably never. But suppose I want to say that the cat was standing on top ...you know..."

"....then you say the cat was on the TV. It means that it was standing on top of the television set."

"I see. Your glasses are on the TV."

"I never leave my glasses on the TV. I always leave them on the microwave."

"Okay, I think I have got the hang of it. Other than the missing cat, the party was a blast. After the party, Naresh and his friends went out and painted the town red."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"What do you mean that you are sorry? Doesn't `paint the town red' mean to enjoy oneself thoroughly"


"Yes, it does. But it also carries with it the suggestion that you were reckless. It also...."

"....tell me what is the origin of this expression?'

"There are several theories and...."

"....one theory will do."

"OK. Everyone agrees that the expression started in America. According to some, `to paint' was originally a slang expression meaning `to drink'. And what happens when someone drinks a lot"?


"How am I supposed to know"

"When someone drinks a lot their nose and face become red!"
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Old Sunday, November 18, 2007
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What is the meaning of "pie in the sky"?




(B. Narayan, Koilpathi)

If you come up with a plan and someone says that it is nothing more than pie in the sky, what he means is that though the plan looks good on paper, it is unlikely to succeed. In other words, your plans will never be realised. A pie in the sky is the reward that you are hoping to get some time in the future. Chances are it will not happen. This is an expression mostly used in informal contexts.

*Rajeev's plans of setting up his own business are nothing more than pie in the sky.

*Jai's ideas about reforming the tax system are nothing more than pie in the sky.

It is believed that the expression was made popular in the U.S. by the radical labour union organiser, Joe Hill.





How is the word "incommunicado" pronounced?




(G. K. Karthigaikumara, Delhi)

The first syllable is like the word "in" and the following three syllables sound like the first three syllable of the word "communicate". The "a" sounds like the "a" in "bath", "path", and "half"; and the final "o" is like "o" in "go", "so", and "no". The main stress is on the fifth syllable "ca". When you are held incommunicado, you are not allowed to be in contact with others. You are kept in a place where you cannot see or talk to anyone. It's like being in solitary confinement. Very often, people choose to be incommunicado. In this case, they do not wish to be disturbed by others; they want to be left alone.

*I am told that many prisoners are held incommunicado.

*Yogesh has gone to some remote village. He will be incommunicado for a few days.


*Till I finish this project, I wish to be incommunicado.

*Benazir Bhutto was held incommunicado few days earlier.




What does "netizen" mean?




(I. Pattabhi, Mangalore)

We all know what "citizen" means. Well, a "netizen" is a citizen of the Internet; he is a citizen of the Internet community. The word was coined by Michael Hauben in 1992. Another word which has the same meaning is "cybercitizen".



Is it OK to say, "Cut jokes in class"?




(K. C. Vasudevan, Kozhikode)

In India everyone "cuts" jokes. Native speakers of English, however, do not use the word "cut" with jokes. They prefer to "tell", "crack", or "share" a joke.







What's the difference between "He is honest" and "He is being honest"?




(T. Rajendran, Poovathadi)

The first sentence implies that he is a trustworthy individual. Honesty is ingrained in him; it is not something temporary. He is a dependable being, one who doesn't lie. When you say that he is being honest, what you are implying is that he is telling the truth in this particular case. For example, if you say, "Radha is being honest about the incident," what you are saying is as far as the incident is concerned she is telling the truth. She may not be telling the truth about other things, but as far as the incident goes, she is. Radha may not tell the truth all the time, but she is telling the truth in this case.







What is the difference between "contagious" and "infectious"?




(A. R. N. Mani, Trichy)

A disease that is "contagious" is usually passed on from one individual to another through touch — the contact could be with the individual who has the disease, or with an object that the individual has touched. Measles and chicken pox, I am told, are contagious.


"Infectious" suggests that the disease is either air-borne or water-borne; one doesn't need to be in direct contact with the infected individual. The germs that invade your body multiply, causing the body to become weak. Both words can be used figuratively as well.

For example, one can talk about "infectious enthusiasm" or "contagious enthusiasm". You can also refer to someone's laughter being "contagious" or "infectious". In both these cases, the words can be used interchangeably.
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Old Tuesday, November 20, 2007
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What is the origin of "blackball"?

(L. Meenakshi, Bangalore)

If someone wishes to join your club and you blackball him, what you are doing is voting against him. You are informing the members of your club that you do not wish this particular individual to become a member of your club. The expression goes back to a practice that was followed in ancient Greece. Admission to a club/society was determined by all members of the club/society. All members had to vote; they had to indicate whether the new individual should be let in or not. The voting was done in secret. Each member had to drop a pebble in the shape of a ball into a box. The pebbles were usually of three colours — red, white and black. If all the pebbles that were put in the box were either white or red, then the candidate was admitted. But if there was even one black pebble, then the candidate was not let in.

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Know Your English



WHAT IS the difference ``in time'' and ``on time''?

(G. Natarajan, Trichy)

When you are ``in time'' for a function, you arrive a few minutes before the function begins. Here are a few examples.

*I thought I was going to be late. But I was in time for class.

*Saritha was in time to take the flight.

*The Chairman was unable to make it in time.

If you arrive an hour before an event begins, then you don't usually say ``in time''. In such situations, we usually say ``early'', ``very early'', or ``well in time''. The expression ``in time'' usually implies that you arrived a few minutes before the event began.

If you are ``on time'' for an event, you arrive punctually. If a class begins at 110 and you are on time for it, you arrive at exactly 11: 00. If you are ``in time'' for it, you arrive a few minutes before 11: 00. If you arrive at 111, you are late! Here are a few examples.

*The flight arrived on time. I was in time to receive Mohan.

*Venkat is always late. I wonder when he will learn to be on time.

*When Bala didn't arrive on time, we knew something was wrong.

What is the meaning of ``to cock a snook at''?


(Dr. M. Balakotaiah, Prakasham District, A.P)

This is something that we all probably did when we were children. When you ``cock a snook'' at someone, you place your thumb on the nose and point the remaining fingers straight up and pretend that you are playing the trumpet or something. Some people place their thumb under the nose and push it up - you end up seeing their dirty nostrils! Do you remember making these gestures to your friends when you were young? Why did you do it? You did it in order to show your contempt for that person. And that's what the expression to ``cock a snook'' at someone means - to show or express defiance or scorn at someone.
Here are a few examples.

*The arrogant rich boy cocked a snook at the principal and continued to cheat in the exam.

*Preetha cocked a snook at her parents and went with Rahul to the party.

*Raju cocked a snook at the customer and tore up her letter of complaint.

What is the meaning of ``wannabe''?

(B. Premananda Bhat, Manipal)

When ``want to be'' is said very quickly it sounds like ``wannabe''. It's like the words ``gotta'' (got to), ``gotcha'' (got you), and ``hafta'' (have to). A ``wannabe'' is someone who apes a person (usually a celebrity) because he wants to look like him. He dresses like him, gets his hair cut like him, etc. He wants to be the celebrity's look-alike
. Here are a few examples.

*There is a Hrithik Roshan wannabe in our neighbourhood.

*Seetha is a Julia Roberts wannabe fascinated by romantic stories.

*News travels fast among his wannabe friends.

Many consider ``wannabe'' to be slang. The word became popular in the 1980's when the Madonna craze was at its peak. It began to be applied to the American rock star's female fans who began to adopt her style of dress and make up. These fans began to be called ``Madonna wannabes.''

How is the word ``Quixote'' pronounced? What does it mean? (Maheshwari, Hyderabad)


``Don Quixote'' is the title of a novel written by the Spanish writer Cervantes. The ``qui'' in the first syllable is pronounced like the word ``key''. The ``x'' in the second syllable sounds like the ``h'' in ``have'', ``has'', and ``hit''. The following ``o'' is like the ``o'' in ``go'', ``so'' and ``no''. The ``e'' in the final syllable is like the ``i'' in ``sit'', ``bit'', and ``hit''. This is one way of pronouncing the name. Some people, however, reduce the name to two syllables. The first syllable is pronounced like the word ``quick'' and the second syllable ``sote'' rhymes with ``boat'', ``float'', and ``note''. This is how many native speakers of English pronounce the name.

The novel gets its title from the name of the main character. Don Quixote is a slightly crazy man. In the course of the novel, he and his servant, Sancho Panza, have a lot of adventures. It is from this man that we get the word ``quixotic''.


What is the meaning of the term ``Kafkaesque''?

(B. Jambulingam, Thanjavur)

This word is derived from the name of the Czech writer Franz Kafka. In his writings, ``The Trial'' and the ``The Castle'', he created a world in which individuals are oppressed and full of despair. When you say that something is ``Kafkaesque'', it means that it is like the work of Kafka - in other words, a world in which sinister and impersonal forces control human affairs.

Is it O.K to say, ``I am on diet''?

(M. S. K. Rao, Hyderabad)

Dictionaries say that you can ``go/be on a diet''. So you have to say ``I am on a diet.'' Here are a few more examples.

*Sunitha always seems to be on a diet.

*It's about time that Anand went on a diet.

*I don't believe in going on a diet.

``A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well known, and then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognised.'' - Fred Allen

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What is the meaning and origin of ``flea market''?

(B. C. Koshy, Palakkad)

If a fish market is a place where you go to buy fish, then a ``flea market'' should be a place where you go to buy fleas! Makes sense, doesn't it? Luckily this is not the case. Nobody has become desperate enough to buy fleas. The expression ``flea market'' was originally used to refer to a place where second- hand goods were sold. In order for a place to be called a ``flea market'', the goods sold had to be 'second hand' and they had to be sold outdoors - out in the open air, not indoors. The assumption being that the second hand goods would attract not only customers, but also fleas! Nowadays, a flea market does not necessarily have to sell only second hand goods; nor does it have to sell its products out in the open air. We have indoor flea markets as well.

Why is the word ``number'' abbreviated to ``No.'' (M. Murugan, Tiruvannamalai)


The word ``number'' comes from the Latin ``numero''. Since the first and last letters of the word are ``n'' and ``o'' respectively, the word is often abbreviated to ``no.''

What is the difference between ``nickname'' and ``pseudonym''? (S. Sheela, Mysore)

A nickname literally means ``additional name''. All of us have a registered name, but at home we may be called something else. A ``Chaithanya'' in college may be called ``Baboota'' at home. When I was in school, I had a friend named Sekhar, but my friends and I never called him by that name. Instead we used to call him ``Fats''. Fats became his nickname. A nickname is a name given to a person by someone else; it could be someone from within the family or outside.

A pseudonym means more or less the same thing as ``nickname''. It is an additional name that someone has. But unlike a ``nickname'' which is usually given by someone else, one can choose one's pseudonym. Writers often choose a fictitious name to write under. For example ``Mark Twain'' was the pseudonym of Samuel Clemens and similarly ``Lewis Carroll '' was the pseudonym of Charles Dodgson. When you use a pseudonym, you do not always use it to hide your identity; you may use it because it sounds fancier than your registered name. Perhaps it is easier to remember than your real name. Movie actors very often make use of pseudonyms. Unlike the word ``alias'', which was discussed in this column several weeks ago, pseudonym and nickname do not have a negative connotation.

A word about the pronunciation. The first syllable ``pseu'' is pronounced like the word ``sue''; the ``p'' is silent. The ``o'' in the second syllable is like the ``a'' in ``China'', while the final ``y'' is like the ``i'' in ``hit'', ``bit'', and ``sit''. The stress is on the first syllable.

* Don't call Karthick by his nickname. He doesn't like it.

* My friend Bala is thinking of writing under a pseudonym.

What is the past tense of ``telecast''? (P. Rathna, Chennai)

We often hear people saying ``broadcasted'' and ``telecasted'' in their daily conversation. These words do not exist. The past tense of broadcast and telecast are broadcast and telecast.

* The programme was broadcast by AIR last week.

* The game was broadcast live.

* I understand that the movie was telecast last week.


* The programme that was telecast yesterday was boring.

What does ``a.k.a'' stand for? (T. Krishna Kumar, Alwaye)


This is an abbreviation which we usually find when we are reading about missing persons. ``Rajan, a.k.a, Goldie has been missing since....''. The letters stand for ``also known as''. ``Goldie'' could be the person's nickname, pseudonym or his alias.

What is the meaning of ``cross one's fingers''? (Neela, Visakhapatnam)

Which fingers do you normally cross? Usually when you cross your fingers, you cross your middle finger over the pointer, often referred to as the ``index'' finger. When you cross your fingers, you are hoping that things will go according to plan and that you will succeed in whatever it is you are doing. The expression has more or less the same meaning as ``touch wood''. In both these cases you would like divine intervention-in other words, God - to help you. According to some scholars the expression ``cross one's fingers'' has been part of the English language for over a century. It is connected to the belief that when you made the sign of the cross you kept bad luck away. Here are a few examples:

* We are keeping our fingers crossed and hoping it won't rain during the picnic.

* If I get this job all our problems will be solved. So keep your fingers crossed.

* She'll win a million dollars if she answers the next question. Keep your fingers crossed.

***

``In Paris they simply stared when I spoke to them in French; I never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.'' - Mark Twain
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