"Your company seems to be doing quite badly. According to my cousin... "

"Have you come here to cheer me up or make me feel even more depressed?"

"Sorry! How did your boss react when people started selling their shares?"

"He didn't turn a hair."

"Didn't turn a hair, eh? How could he? Your boss is completely bald!"

"He's as bald as a coot, isn't he? When you say,..."

"What is a coot? Is it an animal of some kind?"

"It's a bird. And... "

"When you say that someone is as bald as a coot, what you probably mean is that the person is completely bald. Am I right?"

"One hundred per cent. My neighbour is as bald as a coot."

"My twenty-five year old cousin is as bald as a coot. We've been telling him to wear a wig."

"Maybe someone should tell Sehwag to wear one as well. Ever since he started losing hair, he's stopped scoring runs."

"Maybe he's related to Samson! Anyway, what does `didn't turn a hair' mean?"

"When you give someone bad news and he doesn't show any emotion, you say, `he didn't turn a hair'."

"When my boss was told that the union members were going on strike, he didn't turn a hair."

"He's a cool customer, isn't he?"

"He certainly is. I wouldn't want his job, though. He has to take a lot quick decisions. I want a job where I don't have to take any. A job... "

"Then become a Supreme Court Judge. The only time he takes a quick decision is when he has to decide whether Doordarshan should be given telecast rights for a cricket match."

"You have a point there."

"Turn on the TV, will you? I want to... "

"There's something wrong with it."

"It's not even a year old. It's still in guarantee, isn't it?"

"You don't say that something is `in guarantee', but `under guarantee'. Yes, the TV is still under guarantee."

"How about this example? I have to remind my father that the air conditioner is still under guarantee."

"Good example. By the way, the stress in guarantee is on the final syllable. Not on the first. How is your friend Sunita doing?"

"She's doing great! She's got a job in a call centre and is working alongside of Arun and Sarah."

"She works alongside Arun and Sarah. You don't say `alongside of'. For example, the children took great delight in working alongside the clowns."

"Senior citizens were seen fighting alongside soldiers."

"We jogged alongside the Olympic champion..."

"I understand how to use `alongside' now. So, please stop. Tell me, are you in the mood for a movie?"

"A movie, eh? Not a bad idea! Going out might do me a world of good. It might help me overcome my depression. Can you wait for a while? I'll take a bath, and then... "

"Take your bath? Shouldn't you say, `I'll have my bath'?

"You can either `take a bath' or `have a bath'. Both are acceptable. The British say `have a bath', while Americans say, `take a bath'."

"OK then, you have your bath. While I'm waiting, I'll write a letter."

"A letter? To whom?"

"To Sehwag. I'm going to tell him to wear a wig."

"If you want to make God laugh, tell him your future plans." — Woody Allen


S. UPENDRAN

Know Your English

"You are late again! Didn't you promise to be... ."

"... .I am sorry. I know I was supposed to come at 11o'clock, but I... ."

"... .it's one o'clock now."

"I know. I have a question. Why do we say o'clock? Where does the `o' come from?"

"The `o' I understand is actually a contraction of `of'. You see in the old days when someone asked an individual for the time, he would reply `eleven of the clock'."

"So instead of eleven o'clock, they used to say `eleven of the clock'."

"That's right! At times, they dropped `the' and shortened the reply to `eleven of clock'. After some time, people began dropping the `f ' sound in `of '. So `of clock' became `o'clock'. Now tell me, why are you late?"

"Sunil and Karuna fought again. This time it was pretty serious. Karuna was so upset that she stormed out of the house with bag and baggage."

"That sounds pretty serious indeed. But you don't have to say `with bag and baggage'."

"But I have heard many people say `with bag and baggage'."

"That's true. But the correct expression is `bag and baggage'. You don't need `with'."

"I see. So I say, she walked out bag and baggage?"

"That's right. Here's another example. Raju was thrown out of the hotel bag and baggage."

"I wish we could do the same with some of our crooked politicians. I think it's high time that we get rid of them."

"It's high time that we got rid of them. Not `get' rid of them."

"But why got?"

"Because when you use `high time' the verb that follows is usually in the past. For example, it's high time that I went home."

"I see. It's high time Vasundara got married."

"I think it's high time you began studying for your various entrance exams. Anyway, you needn't worry about Karuna. She has walked out on Sunil before. But she... ."

"... .thrice, actually. I mean three times. Tell me, what's wrong with thrice, though?"

"There's nothing wrong. It's considered rather old fashioned. Native speakers seldom use the word thrice. It's considered literary."

"So it's once, twice, three times?"

"Yes, that's right. Tell me, what did Sunil do to put Karuna out?"

"To put her out? You mean throw her out of the house?"

"No, no! When you put someone out, what you are doing is irritating or annoying the individual. That's one of the meanings of the expression. For example, Prabhakar really put me out when he walked into the house wearing his muddy slippers."

"My neighbour put me out by playing music loudly."

"That's a good example. So what did Sunil do to put Karuna out?"

"I understand that he cracked some joke about women."

"He probably did it to irritate her. He knows that his wife is a die-hard feminist."

"Does die-hard mean staunch or something like that?"

"That's right. A die-hard individual is someone who sticks to his opinions. Doesn't change them at all. In fact, he doesn't like change. For example, my neighbours are die-hard conservatives."

"Mine are die-hard Sania Mirza fans."

"It's high time she started performing on the tennis court."

"You're right. Otherwise her next ad might begin with the line, Sania Mirza ko tennis khelna nahin atha!"

"Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation leans on the doorbell." — Unknown

S. Upendran

__________________
Devil-may-care

What is the difference between "apposite" and "opposite"?

(Jeetender Singh, Hyderabad)

The two words have totally different meanings. We all know what "opposite" means. When you say that your brother is the opposite of you, what you mean is that he is very different from you. "Apposite", on the other hand, means "appropriate" or "relevant". When you say that something is apposite, what you are implying is that it is suitable to what is happening or being discussed. The "a" in the first syllable is like the "a" in "apple". The word is considered to be formal. Both "opposite" and "apposite" have the stress on the first syllable.

*The argument that the student came up with was apposite to the case.

*It was Amrit who came up with an apposite title for the book.

What is the meaning and origin of "be at sixes and sevens"?

(G. Annamalai, Cuddalore)

This is an informal expression meaning to be thoroughly confused. It has another meaning as well. When things in and around the house are at sixes and sevens, it means everything is totally disorganised; in general, things are in a mess.

*When the management changed, we were at sixes and sevens for a week.

*We moved in last week. Everything is at sixes and sevens in the apartment.

There are several different explanations as to the origin of the expression. According to one theory, in the 14th century two companies, "Merchant Taylors" and "Skinners" were set up within a few days of each other. Every year all companies in the city of London took part in a procession; the order in which they appeared was determined by the age of the company. The two companies were listed sixth and seventh, but since they were established at about the same time, the organisation in charge of the parade could not figure out which company was to go sixth and which was to go seventh. There was a lot of confusion. The matter was placed before the Mayor, and he decided that the two companies would alternate. The company that went sixth this year would go seventh the following year. This is one theory. Some others believe that the expression comes from the world of gambling — playing dice.

What is the difference between "hoodwink into" and "hoodwink out of"?

(K. Prakash, Madurai)

When you hoodwink someone into doing something you trick him into doing it. For example, salesmen often try to get you to buy things that you do not really need. They trick or hoodwink you into buying things.

*My girlfriend hoodwinked me into cleaning her room.

When you "hoodwink" someone out of something, what you are doing is taking something from him by tricking him. This is what some placement companies do. They promise that they will find a job for you somewhere abroad. They proceed to take a lot of money from you. When you give them the money, they run away with it. They hoodwink you out of your money. We read about such things in newspapers every day.

*Virender tried to hoodwink the old lady out of her savings.

__________________
Devil-may-care

KNOW YOUR ENGLISH

"Hey, did your uncle ask for seed money?"

"No, I think he was too embarrassed to. But I hinted at the fact that I would be willing to help him out. Give this letter the once-over, will you?"

"The once-over? What does it mean?"

"When you give someone or something the once-over what you are doing is taking a quick look at the person or the object. You want to see what they are like."

"I see. How about this example? The student gave the paper the once-over before handing it to the teacher."

"Sounds good. After checking the handbag, the security guard gave me the once-over before he allowed me to enter the building."

"The principal gave the students the once-over and then began his speech."

"Now that you know the meaning, please give the letter the once-over!"

"O.K. I am done. It looks fine. Tell me, why do ...."

"....why were you smiling when you read the letter? Was it funny?"

"It had nothing to do with your letter. I remembered something strange that Sujatha said this morning. She said that I had a really cute smile."

"She's been saying such things to everyone I know. She's moving to a new flat, and I think she is looking for people to help her move. That's why she is laying it on thick."

"Laying what on thick? Talk English, will you?"

"When you say that someone is laying it on thick what you mean is that they are trying to flatter you. There's too much of praise, in fact. Yesterday, Sujatha called me handsome."

"Handsome! That's laying it on thick."

"I know. Of late, Sujatha has learnt how to lay it on really thick."

"But why would she need anyone to help her move? She has her cousin, Arvind. Haven't seen him in a while, though. Any idea where he is?"

"Hey, this is April. He must be busy cramming for his exams."

"Cramming? Does it mean the same thing as mugging?"

"Well, when you cram for a test, you study very hard for it. Usually at the very last minute. For example, Narender spent the entire weekend cramming for the chemistry test."

"How about this example? My father says that if I put in an hour's work every day, then I wouldn't have to cram."

"He has a point there. But I am sure when he was a student, your father spent many sleepless nights pounding the books."

"Pounding the books? Why would he do that? There's no need to...."

"....pounding the books is an informal expression meaning to study hard. Another expression which has more or less the same meaning is `hit the books'."

"As soon as I return home from school, I hit the books. How does it sound?"

"You hitting the books soon after your return home! Please stop, it's cracking me up."

"Cracking you up? What does it mean? Are you going mad?"

"When something cracks you up, it makes you laugh. When I saw the kitten slip on a banana peel, it just cracked me up."

"The principal's new wig cracked me up."

"Did you tell him he looked ridiculous?"

"No, we told him he looked great in it. We really laid it on thick."

"Americans always do the right thing — after they have tried everything else." —

Winston Churchill

S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Devil-may-care

Know your English

WHAT IS the meaning of `heist'?

First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The ``ei'' is like the ``y'' in `my', and `by'. `Heist is a word generally used in informal contexts in American English. It can be used as a noun and a verb. When used as a noun, it means robbery or theft. Here are a few examples.

* The heist didn't go according to plan. Several people were killed.

* Jambunathan wanted to pull off one more heist before retiring.

* Did you know that there was a jewellery heist this afternoon?

When you `heist' someone, you rob him of something. The word can also mean ``to steal''. Here are a few examples.

* Ranjit heisted a car and drove it all the way to Shillong.

* The thugs heisted some of the passengers in the first class compartment.

* After they had heisted the passengers they began to kill them.

What is the plural of ``computer mouse''? (S. Krishnaswamy, Chennai)

Well, the plural of mouse is mice, therefore logically it should be ``computer mice''. But `mouses' is the word that is used by people in the IT industry - both within India and abroad. So, if you walk into a store that sells computers and ask for some ``mice'', don't be too surprised if the salesman bursts out laughing. It's also very common to hear people talking about ``e- mails'' rather than ``e-mail''.

Is it OK to say ``parapet wall''? (P. V. Srinivasan, Chennai)

The dictionary defines ``parapet'' as a ``low wall at the edge of a high roof, bridge, etc''. Since the word ``parapet'' means a wall of some kind, you needn't say ``parapet wall''. But you do hear a lot of people saying exactly that. What do you do? As the Beatles would say, ``Let it be, let it be''!

When someone says ``Would you mind repeating what you just said?'', should the reply be ``Not at all''? (S. S. Saravanan, Madurai)

Well, it depends on what you mean. If you don't mind repeating what you have just said, then the reply ``Not at all'' is correct. If, on the other hand, you say ``Yes'', it implies, ``Yes, I do mind repeating what I just said''. Many non-native speakers of English have problems with such questions. When someone asks them ``Would you mind moving over?'', they respond by saying ``Yes'' and then move over. But by saying, ``Yes'', what they are actually saying is, ``Yes, I do mind moving over''.

What is the meaning and origin of the expression `sword of Damocles'? (A. Lakshmi Kumar, Nellore)

King Dionysius the Elder ruled over the ancient kingdom of Syracuse in 4th Century BC. Damocles was one of the courtiers in this kingdom, and he spent most of his time flattering the King. Damocles was one those who believed that being a king was the easiest thing in the world. He thought the job involved eating good food, drinking good wine, and in general having a wonderful time. In order to teach this courtier a lesson, King Dionysius invited him to a banquet. The food served was delicious and music played was lovely. Unfortunately, Damocles was unable to enjoy any of these things because unlike the other guests he found himself seated under a sword - a sword which was hanging by a single horsehair! Damocles was afraid that the hair would snap at any time resulting in the sword falling on his head. This was the Dionysius' way of showing Damocles that although a king may be surrounded by luxury, he has little or no time to really enjoy them; the king's life is very precarious - as precarious as a man who has a sword hanging over his head.

So, when you say that a sword of Damocles hangs over someone, it means that something bad is going to happen to that person; although it may not happen immediately, just the thought of it causes a lot of worry for the person concerned.

When Govind was told that he had tested HIV positive, he began to feel that he was living with a sword of Damocles hanging over his head.

Salman lives with a sword of Damocles hanging over his head, knowing that the Mumbai Don was after him.

The possibility of his not getting a job hung over him like a sword of Damocles all spring.

What is the difference between `expire' and `die'? (M. Domodaran, Trivandrum)

The word ``die'' is the informal of the two. ``Expire'' is considered by many to be literary. When you ``die'' you cease to live; all signs of life cease to exist. The word can be used not only with people, but also with things; things, which have the appearance of life - echo, topic, music, etc. Here are a few examples.

* The smile that was splitting Hema's face died when she saw Arun.


* The car died on our way to the theatre.

* The firemen were waiting for the flames to die out.

The word ``expire'', on the other hand, means, ``to breathe out air through the lungs''. When you say that someone has ``expired'' what it means is, the person has expelled air for the last time! In other words, he has stopped breathing and is therefore dead. Like the word `dead', `expire' can be used with things as well. When you say that something has expired, it implies that it has reached its limit and cannot be further extended. When something `expires', its ending is usually gradual and is expected; when something dies, its ending may be sudden and totally unexpected. For example, people usually die in an accident, they do not expire in one. When you cannot extend your lease, you say it has expired; you cannot say that it has died.

* Farheen's contract with the company expired last week.

* The battery died the second week.

* The grace period given by the teacher will expire in a week's time.

* The words died on her lips.

***

``A friend in need is a pest indeed.'' - Anon

S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Devil-may-care

Know Your English

``DID YOU watch the men's final?''

``No, I didn't bother to watch it. I don't like Pete Sampras. But I knew from the beginning that he could win the event standing on his head.''

``Standing on his head? What do you mean by that?''

``When you say that someone can do something standing on his head, it means he can do it very easily. He can....''

``....he can do it blindfolded. Is that what you mean?''

``Exactly! Here's an example. Shyam is an excellent dentist. He can remove that rotten tooth of yours standing on his head.''

``Mohan said he could pass the TOEFL test standing on his head. How does that sound?''

``Excellent. Sujatha is great with computers. She can write programmes standing on her head.''

``Talking about Sujatha, what was she complaining about the other day?''

``She apparently got stood up by Ramesh and she....''

``....Ramesh stood her up? Why? Was he measuring her height?''

``No! No! That's not what the expression `to stand somebody up' means. You see, when you say that somebody 'stood you up', it means that some person made an appointment with you and failed to turn up. And it usually....''

``....in other words, you can be stood up by anybody?''

``Not exactly! You are usually stood up by your boyfriend or girlfriend. Or someone very close to you.''

``In other words, the boyfriend or girlfriend doesn't show up for the date.''

``Exactly! Here is an example. When Jyothi stood him up for the fifth time, I think Chander got the message.''

``Sekhar stood up Shyamala because he wanted to play cricket with his friends. How does that sound?''

``Great! But I would say that it's not cricket!''

``I have never been stood up by anyone.''

``That's understandable. You've never had the courage to ask anyone to go out with you!''

``That's not true! I've asked....''

``....let's not get into an argument!''

``O. K! O.K! Have you changed your mind about buying a car? Don't you....''

``....no, I haven't. I am going to stand pat on the issue.''

``Stand pat on the issue! I've never heard that expression before.''

``When you say you are going to `stand pat on something', it means that you are going to stick firmly to your position or opinion.''

``I see. Ramdas believes that some of our senior cricket players have made tons of money through illegal means. He has stood pat on this issue for the past two years.''

``Dilip decided not to get married when he was twenty one. He has stood pat on the decision for the past seven years.''

``O. K, O. K, I think I understand how the expression is used now. So you are pat on your decision about not buying a car.''

``I guess you could say that. Unless of course, I spot a stand- out which I can buy at a very low price.''

``A stand-out? What does it mean? Something very special?''

``Exactly! When you refer to a person or a thing as being a 'stand-out', it means that you think that the person or thing is something extraordinary.''

``In other words, it stands apart from the rest of the things.''

``That's right. Sachin Tendulkar is a real stand-out in our batting line up.''

``Can I say, Shane Warne is a real stand-out as a leg spinner.''

``I guess you could say that. Bharath's car is a stand-out as a speed machine.''

``While we are on the subject of Bharath, did you hear what happened to his friend Suresh?''

``Yes, I did. I believe that he stood there with his bare face hanging out during the interview.''

``What does that mean?''

``When you say that someone `stood there with his bare face hanging out', it means that he stood there looking helpless and stupid.''

``Sounds like a lot of people I know. So, can I say, `Don't just stand there with your bare face hanging out. Say something'.''

``Sounds good. Whenever my boss asks Raghu any questions, he just stands there with his bare face hanging out.''

``Some people never change, I guess.''

``That's true.''

``I am sick and tired of all this `standing'. Want to go for a jog?''

``Why are you asking me? Did your usual partner stand you up?''

``Behavioural psychology is the science of pulling habits out of rats.'' Dr. Douglas Busch

S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Devil-may-care

What is the difference between `anyway' and `anyways'?

(K. Sanchith, Bangalore)

As far as the meaning is concerned, there is no difference between the two words. `Anyways' is mostly used in American English and is considered non-standard. If you use it in informal contexts in your speech, you could probably get away with it. The word will not be accepted in writing. The word `anyhow' has the same meaning as `anyway'.

*Ashwini says that she doesn't want to get married. Not now, anyway/anyhow.




What is the meaning and origin of `wearing one's heart on one's sleeve'?

(Uthra, Chennai)

This is an idiom that has been around for several centuries. When you wear your heart on your sleeve, you make your feelings clear to everyone; in other words, you don't hide your emotions. If you are in love with someone, you make it known to everyone that you are crazy about this person.

*It's difficult to know what Asha is thinking. She doesn't wear her heart on her sleeve.

During the Middle Ages, when knights fought each other, they would dedicate their performance to a woman of the court — usually someone they were in love with or cared for. To let everyone know who they were in love with, the knights used to pin onto their sleeves a hanky or a scarf belonging to the woman.




What is the difference between `speak English' and `speak in English'?

(P. Jagadish, Sivakasi)

When you ask someone to `speak in English', what you want him to do is to use the English language. Perhaps he is speaking in a language that you don't understand, and therefore you want him to talk to you in English. This is the language that you want him to use on this particular occasion. When you say that he `speaks English', what you mean is that the individual knows and has the ability to use the language. In India, for example, many of us can speak two or more languages, and depending on the context we choose to speak in a particular language.


What does `pari passu' mean?

(Mahitha Solomon, Kakinada)

First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The `a' in `pari' is like `a' in `ask', `task', and `answer'; the following `i' is pronounced like the `ee' in `fee', `bee', and `knee'. The `a' in `passu' is like the `a' in `act', `fact' and `bat'; and the following `u' is like the `oo' in `cool', `pool', and `fool'. The main stress is on the first syllable of `passu'. This is a Latin expression which literally means `with equal footing'. When you say that two things are `pari passu', you mean that they are travelling at the same pace, and hence are side by side. The expression is also used to mean, `without partiality'.



Which is correct? `He's a teacher of English' or `He's an English teacher'?

(B. Lakshmi, Vijayawada)

Grammatically both are correct, but their meanings are somewhat different. When you say that someone is a teacher of English what you mean is that the subject the individual teaches is English. The sentence, `He is an English teacher' is rather ambiguous. It could mean that the man teaches English. It could also mean that the teacher is English — in other words, the teacher is an Englishman.


When somebody says `Sorry', we usually respond by saying `Never mind'. Are there any other alternatives?

(K. Radhakrishnamurthy, Ongole)

Yes, there are. It's very common to hear people say, `It's all right', `It's OK', `No problem', `No big deal', and `Don't worry about it'. These are just a few of the alternatives.

__________________
Devil-may-care

Know your English

WHAT IS the difference between ``The mango is too sweet'' and ``The mango is very sweet''.
(P. Velayudham, Tiruvannamalai)

The first sentence has a negative meaning. When you say that the mango is too sweet, it implies that the mango is so sweet that you have problems eating it. In other words, it is excessively sweet. Similarly, when you say, ``The candidate is too smart'', it has a negative connotation. Indirectly, you are saying that the candidate should not be hired because he may cause a lot of problems for the company. You are implying he is much too intelligent for the job and you foresee problems dealing with him.

If, on the other hand, you say, ``The mango is very sweet'', you are paying a compliment. The degree of sweetness is just right; it is not excessive. You are saying that the mango is excellent; and maybe you can eat one if not more. Similarly, when you say, ``The candidate is very intelligent'', it has a positive ring to it. You are saying that the candidate should be hired because he'll be good for the company. Here are a few more examples. Can you make out the difference between the following pairs?

The pickle is very hot.

The pickle is too hot.

I thought the movie was very realistic.

I thought the movie was too realistic.

What is the meaning and origin of ``Pandora's box''?

(K. Veena, Chennai)

This expression has its origins in Greek mythology. Zeus, the King of Gods, was fed up with mankind. (So what's new? The Gods are always angry with us!) In order to teach them a lesson, Zeus created a woman - Pandora. The King of Gods then asked all the other gods to shower gifts on her; gifts which would bring about the downfall of man! (By the way, that's how Pandora got her name; ``pan'' in Greek means ``all'' and ``dora'' means ``gifts''.) The gifts given by the gods were put in a beautiful box, and Zeus presented it to Pandora warning her never to open it. If somebody gave you a beautiful box loaded with gifts and said don't ever open it, what would you do? Well, Pandora did the same thing. She opened it and saw to her horror all the evils of this world escape. According to the story only ``Hope'' remained. You may ask, if the box contained all the bad things that the gods could think of, why was Hope inside? Ask Zeus!


When you say that something is a ``Pandora's box'', it implies that it is a source of complication, something that will create many new and unexpected problems. The idiom commonly used these days is ``open a Pandora's box''. Here are a few examples.

- The Finance Minister's reforms opened a Pandora's box of industrial problems.

- The Vice Chancellor refused to discuss the matter as he didn't want to open a Pandora's box.

By the way, there are different versions of this story. According to some scholars, it wasn't Pandora who opened the box, but her husband, Epismetheus, who did. Very convenient wouldn't you say? Now men can accuse women of being the cause of all their problems, and vice versa.

What is the meaning of Adam's ale?

(M. A. Gopalkrishnan, Tirupati)

Most animals in this world drink Adam's ale. Any idea what it is? It's nothing but water! ``Adam's ale'' is a term humorously used to refer to water. You could say, ``Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of Adam's ale!'' By the way, did you know that many of the hard drinks that some of us are addicted to actually mean water? The word ``whisky'', for example, comes from a Gaelic word meaning ``water of life''. The French word ``eau-de-vie'' meaning brandy also means ``water of life''. Any idea what the Russian drink ``vodka'' means? It means ``little water''! If your boss or your father ever asks you whether you drink, you can look him straight in the eye and say, ``I have a little water once in a while!''

What is the difference between ``preserve'' and ``conserve''?

(N. Seetha, Hyderabad)

When you ``conserve'' something, you ensure that you make use of it wisely. You make sure it is not wasted. There is a suggestion that if you do not make careful use of it, then chances are it will be impossible to replace the commodity. During the summer, the government always tells us to conserve power and water. (It's okay to waste them during the winter months, but not during the summer!) When you conserve something, you do not wish to waste or deplete any of the available resources. You attempt not to change anything drastically.

- The Minister asked the people in cities to conserve water.

- The fast bowler conserved his energy by shortening his run up.

- During the summer, theatre owners conserve energy by switching off the AC!


Preserve, on the other hand, suggests that you make attempts to keep something as it is, without making any changes. In other words, when you preserve something you keep it intact. You keep it safe, protecting it from danger.

- Our government doesn't do a good job of preserving our monuments.

- We must make an effort to preserve our forests.

- This is a beautiful old house. We must preserve it.

``Colleges teach the dead languages as if they were buried and the living ones as if they were dead.'' - Frank Moore Colby

S. UPENDRAN

__________________
Devil-may-care

What is the meaning and origin of ‘foot the bill’?

(S. Mukesh, Lucknow)

If you take someone to a restaurant and tell him that you are going ‘to foot the bill’, what you mean is that you are going to pay the bill.

I’m willing to come along if you promise to foot the bill.

The ‘foot’ in the expression has nothing to do with our feet. In the 15th century, when a waiter asked you to ‘foot the bill’, what he wanted you to do was to add up the figures and make sure that the total at the bottom or the foot of the bill was correct. The expression ‘foot up’, which is no longer in use, was used to mean to ‘count’ or ‘add up’. It was only in the 19th century that the expression ‘foot the bill’ began to mean what it does today.

What does a ‘proctor’ in a university do?

(N. Gayathri, Hyderabad)

The word is a shortened form of ‘procurator’ and its meaning varies depending on which side of the Atlantic you are from. In the U.S, the term is used to refer to someone who administers tests – he is what we in India call an ‘invigilator’.

His job is to hand out the tests, inform students when to begin and stop, and ensure that there is no cheating.

In England, a ‘proctor’ is someone who is appointed by the university and his job is to ensure that students at the undergraduate level maintain discipline and behave in a manner that does not bring the university into disrepute. He handles formal complaints by and against students, looks into accusations of cheating, ragging (hazing, as they call it), etc. In addition to this, he is present at all university functions.

What is the difference between ‘disbar’ and ‘debar’?

(Rajeev Krishnan, Trichy)

When you are ‘debarred’ from doing something, you are officially prohibited from doing it – it could be the law that prevents you from doing it or some rule. The word, which is mostly used in formal contexts, can also be used to mean ‘shut out’ or ‘exclude’.

For some strange reason, Teja was not debarred from joining the teaching profession.

The word ‘disbar’, on the other hand, is mostly used in a legal context. When you ‘disbar’ a lawyer, you expel him from the Bar. The individual has done something illegal or against the ethics of the profession, and as a result he is deprived of his right to practise.

The CEO was unhappy because both his lawyers had been disbarred.

What is the meaning of ‘mala fide’?

(Jayachithra, Nellore)

First, let’s deal with the pronunciation. The first ‘a’ sounds like the ‘ay’ in ‘may’, ‘bay’, and ‘hay’, while the second is like the ‘a’ in ‘china’. The ‘i’ is pronounced like the ‘y’ in ‘my’ and ‘by’ and the final ‘e’ is like the ‘i’ in ‘fit’, ‘kit’, and ‘pit’. The word sounds like ‘mayle faidi’, and the main stress is on ‘fi’. This is just one of the ways of pronouncing the word.

The expression comes from Latin; ‘mal’ means ‘bad’ and ‘fide’ means ‘faith’. ‘Mala fide’ means in bad faith.

A mala fide action is one that is performed with dishonest intent; a person purposely attempts to cheat or deceive you. The opposite of ‘mala fide’ is ‘bona fide’ meaning ‘in good faith’.

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Devil-may-care

Know your English

WHY DO we say, ``love all'' in tennis?

(A. Umar, Kadayanallur).

You have been watching the matches on T.V., haven't you? ``Love,'' I understand, comes from the French ``l'oeuf,'' which means ``an egg.'' The egg, as you know, has for a long time symbolised ``zero.'' So, when the umpire says, ``love all'' what he means is that the score is ``zero-zero.'' No one has scored a point as yet. This is one of the explanations. Some others have suggested that ``love'' comes from the phrase ``for the love of the game.'' In the old days people played because they enjoyed the game. They didn't play for money. Things have really changed since then, haven't they? Nowadays the first thing that most sportsmen say is, ``Show me the money!.''

What is the meaning of ``to take a dig at''?

(Vivek Srinivasan, Kerala).

This is a slang expression, which is commonly used in American English. When you ``take a dig at someone,'' you deliberately insult or annoy someone. It is also possible to say, ``to take a jab at someone.'' Here are a few examples:

* In his speech, the Vice-Chancellor took several digs at the academic staff.

* Mala loves to take jabs at people she doesn't like.

These two expressions should be used only in informal contexts.

What is a ``hen party''?

(Abdul Jabbar, Vikarabad, A.P.)

It's a party that you and I will definitely not be invited to. A ``hen party'' is a party to which only ladies are invited; the men are strictly kept out. Before a wedding, for example, the bride and her female friends usually get together and have a good time. This would be called a hen party. Know what the opposite of a ``hen party'' is? A ``stag party.'' It is a party to which only men are invited. Here are a few examples.

* Janaki refused to go to the hen party.

* There was too much commotion at the hen party last night.

Should the word ``government'' be followed by a singular or a plural verb?


(M. Muralisankar, Virudhnagar).

It can be followed by either a singular or a plural verb. For example, we can say:

* The Government have decided to call off the meeting with the terrorists.

* The Government has decided to call off the meeting with the terrorists.

Both sentences are grammatically acceptable. The meaning however is slightly different. In the second sentence - the one with the singular verb - you are thinking of the Government as a single entity. In other words, the various departments of the government form one big unit. In the first sentence, on the other hand, you are thinking of the government as consisting of distinct individual units. In this case, you don't see the various departments coming together to form a single entity. They all exist independently. So, whether you use a singular or a plural verb depends on you. It depends on the meaning that you wish to convey.

Here are some more nouns, which can be followed by either a singular or plural verb: committee, jury, staff, team, family or firm.

Which is the longest word in the dictionary?

(Y. Rajesh, Pendurthy).

The longest word listed in a dictionary is usually a disease. The longest word that I have come across is:

``pneumonoultramicroscopic- silicovolcanoconiosis.'' It is a word containing 45 letters! Please don't ask me how you pronounce it! If you come across a longer word, please do let me know.

Does one ``eat'' or ``drink'' soup?

(C. Jayaraman, Secunderabad).

It depends on the soup. If it is thin soup, then you ``drink'' it. If on the other hand, it is thick - it contains vegetables or large chunks of meat - then, you definitely eat it. So it is O.K to say, ``Eat your soup.''

What is the meaning of ``storm in a teacup''?

(M. Nagarajan, Bangalore).

Supposing a storm started brewing in your teacup. Would you get scared? Probably not. How big a storm can be created in a small teacup, anyway? Not big at all. So when you say that the commotion that someone created was a storm in a teacup, what you mean is that the excitement and commotion was over some very trivial matter. It was an uproar over practically nothing. Here are a few examples:

* The fight that Sujatha and Rosie had wasn't anything serious; just a storm in a teacup.

* Don't worry about the silly row. It was just a storm in a teacup. Americans tend to say ``tempest in a teapot.''

``My son has taken up meditation - at least it's better than sitting doing nothing.'' - Max Kauffmann

S. UPENDRAN

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Devil-may-care