Know your English 06/11/2013

Idiom of the day: Chew the fat | chew the rag

                             

Meaning: If you chew the fat, or chew the rag, you have a long, friendly chat with someone.

For example: 

• I sometimes call Wendy late at night and we chew the fat for an hour before going to sleep.

• Why don't you come over on Sunday morning and I'll make some breakfast and we can chew the rag for a couple of hours?

 

Phrasal verb of the day: jot down

 

Meaning: If you jot something down, you quickly write it down on a pad or piece of paper.

For example:

 

•   Jot down sth  - Just a minute while I jot down your address in my address book.

•  Jot sth down  - I saw you jotting something down while you were talking to her. What were you writing?

Proverb of the day:  Beauty is only skin deep

Meaning:  Don't be led by the exterior. Give more atten­tion to what lies beneath the skin.

Illustration: Ranadil was the begum of Dara, the eldest son of Emperor Shah Jahan, and hence the rightful heir to the throne. But his hopes were dashed when his brother Aurangzeb rose in revolt. Dara went out to quell the revolt. Both the princes knew that it was a fight to the finish.
Aurangzeb emerged the winner. Dara was killed. The news reached Ranadil. She wept inconsolably. She too had lost all.
On his return to Agra, Aurangzeb detained Emperor Shah Jahan at the Agra Fort and seized power. He remembered that victor took all. Why should not he claim Ranadil as his own?
He sent a message to Ranadi I through a courtier. The courtier told her, "Accept the offer. Enjoy life. You are young. You are beautifu I." Ranadi I rejected the proposal. The courtier went back to Aurangzeb and reported the result of his mission.
"Go again. Tell her I can't live without her. She has bewitching charms. What bright eyes! What rosy skin! Her face is indeed her fortune," Aurangzeb sang in praise of Ranadil.
The courtier met Ranadil again and appealed to her to accept his master's offer. She smiled, wanly. "Your master says that my face is my fortune. Is it really so? Let me check," she signalled to the courtier to wait and ran to the full-length mirror in her bed room. She surveyed her face. "The face is indeed my fortune. But I don't need this fortune any more," she mumbled, picked up a dagger and ran it several times across her cheeks.
Bleeding from every pore, she walked back to the presence of the courtier. She wiped the blood with her dupatta and handed it to the courtier and said, "Give this to your master. Tell him that my face is no longer my fortune. That fortune was only for my Lord, my dear Dara. So I have destroyed it. Now, I have a face bleeding from cuts. Soon these cuts will turn into scars."

The courtier turned his face away, unable to stand the gory sight. It took him time to regain his voice. Then he told her, "You are great, Oh daring Begumsahiba. Prince Dara would be proud of you and your loyalty."
She watched him till she could see him no more. Then she ran back and collapsed into the bed and cried her heart out. Thus Rana held Aurangzeb at bay by sending him the message that beauty was only skin deep. He did not bother her again.

Conclusion:  Appearances are deceptive.

Common errors in English

Sentence: 

• The jury was divided in this case (in correct)

• The jury were divided in this case (correct)

 

Explanation: collective nouns such as jury, public, team, committee, government, audience, orchestra, company, etc. are used both as singular and plural depending on the meaning. When these words indicate a unit, the verb is a singular, otherwise the verb will be plural.

English blues 

 

Which is correct: ‘I have toothache’ or ‘I have a toothache’?

 

In terms of grammar, both are correct; which sentence you use will depend on which side of the Atlantic you are from. In British English, words ending in ‘ache’ — ‘toothache’, ‘earache’, stomach ache’, etc. — can be treated as countable or uncountable nouns. It is therefore, possible to say, ‘I have earache/toothache’ or ‘I have an earache/a toothache’. Americans, on the other hand, treat these words as countable nouns, and therefore always include ‘a/an’ before them. ‘Headache’ is an exception to this general rule. Both the Americans and the British treat this word as a countable noun; therefore, the indefinite article ‘a’ always precedes it. It is always ‘I have a headache’; one cannot say, ‘I have headache’.

Know your English 31/10/2013

Idiom of the day: A drug in the market

Meaning: unsaleable from lack of demand.

For example:

• Typewriters are a drug in the market today

Phrasal verb of the day: to go back

Meaning: to withdraw from

For example:

• Don’t go back on your commitment

Proverb of the day:  All are equal in the eyes of the law

Meaning:  The law is supreme. It treats all as equals. It applies to the rich and the poor, the ruler and the ruled alike. Nobody is outside the law.

Illustration: Emperor Jahangir hung a bell at the entrance of his palace. Drummers went round, telling the people, "Have you any complaint? Come and ring the bell at the entrance of the palace. The emperor shall hear you and do justice."
The news went round. The people hailed the emperor.
One day. Nur Jahan was practising archery. She shot arrows at chosen targets. Before closing the day's session, she sent an arrow, whizzing through space, towards the river bed, which lay close by. Then she walked back to the harem.
A little later, someone rang the bell. The sentry found a washer­woman, sobbing with grief. In her hand she held an arrow. "I want justice." She wailed. The sentry led her to the emperor.
The woman bowed. She placed the arrow down on the carpet and said between sobs, "Someone killed my husband with this arrow. Who will now look after me and my children?"
The emperor picked up the arrow. It had the royal stamp. Someone from the palace had caused the tragedy. The emperor sent the sentry to find out who had practiced archery, on that day. The sentry came back, soon enough. He hesitated. The emperor pressed. Almost in a whisper, the sentry named Nur Jahan, the queen, as the guilty.
The emperor sent for Nur Jahan. She appeared, soon enough. The emperor pulled out a dagger from his belt and held it out to the woman. "The empress made you a widow. Kill me with the dagger. That will meet the demand of justice."
The woman shied away, "Oh, no, Badhshah. I can never do that."

The emperor granted her a pension. She thanked him and left. He turned to Nur Jahan who sulked, "You took a grave risk. What if the woman had carried out your command?"
The emperor replied, "I would have died. But justice would have been done. For all are equal in the eyes of the law. Be careful in future," said the emperor.

significance: The law takes its own course.  Nobody is beyond the law.
 

Conclusion:  everyone in the world is equal, everyone has a rights and freedom, law made for people it must be impartial. Before law everyone is equal.

 

Common errors in English

Sentence: 

• This house is our’s (in correct)

• This house is ours (correct)

Explanation: ours, yours, hers, theirs, are correct.

 

English blues

Is there a word to refer to people of the same age?

Yes, there is. The word that is sometimes used to refer to people of the same age is ‘agemate’. 

For example:

• Vasantha had no agemate in the colony she was living in.

Know your English 26/10/2013

Idiom of the day: red tape

Meaning: Strict adherence to rules and regulations so that a procedure seems to take longer than necessary.

For example: It takes a long time to set up a company in some countries because of all the red tape involved in getting government permits.

Phrasal verb of the day: run through

Meaning: to quickly read something like a list or a speech in order to check the details or look for mistakes.

For example: run through sth Run through the list and see if you can find anyone called Xavier on it.

Proverb of the day:  Haste makes waste

Meaning:  Act patiently. Plan every action in advance. Analyse the plan thoroughly. Alter and amend it wherever necessary. Never act rashly. That's how one increases the chances of success.

Illustration:   Shivaji, the Maratha chief, was on the run. He had suffered a set­back in a battle with the Mughals. He and a few of his close associates got away in time. The party moved through the jungle. After a long trek, they reached a junction. Shivaji turned to his men and said, "If we move in a group, we will be easily identified. Let each of us follow a different route. We shall meet three days hence, in the old rest house near Rajgarh Fort."
The men protested. Shivaji overruled their objection. He moved on, all by himself. By dusk he was tired. He needed food and shelter for the night? The flicker of an oil lamp, at a distance, roused his hopes. He moved faster till he reached a hut.
An old woman was watching a pot, boiling on the fire. She raised her head on hearing footsteps. She saw a stranger at the door. She asked, "Who are you?" Shivaji did not introduce himself. For danger stalked him, all around. So he said, "A poortraveller. Ma, I seek help from you. I am terribly hungry. I had been on my feet all day long and had nothing but some nuts and fruits I took from the trees."
"Come, sit down. I will get you a plate of hot, fresh boiled Kodi (grain eaten by poor people). Nothing more. I am poor. I can't serve a grand feast," she made place for Shivaji to sit close to the fire.

Shivaji thanked her. Hewashed hisfaceand handsandsatdown. The woman placed a plate before him and served the- hot steaming food. Shivaji picked up a handful of food from the centre. He wrung his hand in pain. Quickly he dropped the food and waited.
The old woman, who watched him, said, "You are like Shivaji."
"Shivaji! Why?" he asked.
"Shivaji leaves aside small -forts and hurries to capture big ones. He is terribly hasty. He doesn't know that he must move step by step, gain control over the small forts and then attack the big ones. Haste makes waste. It gets one into trouble. You were hasty too. Food, when served hot, cools faster at the edges. Instead of taking food from the edges, where it is cold, you picked up a handful from the centre. And hence, got your fingers burnt."
Shivaji got the message. He thanked the old woman. He cleaned up the kodi. He washed the plate and waited till the old woman had eaten. He helped her clean up the pots. Then she spread a mat on the floor for him to sleep.
Next day, at dawn, he took leave of the old woman. He told her, as he left, "I assure you, I won't be hasty. I know haste gets one into trouble. Thank you for teaching me that lesson."
"Good. I wish Shivaji also learns that lesson. I wish I live to see Shivaji holding absolute power," the old woman said.
"He has got the message, Mataji," Shivaji fell at her feet.
"What!" the old woman was confused.
"I am Shivaji. Bless me, Mataji. You have shown me the way to succeed," Shivaji reached for the old woman's right hand and placed it on his head. She smiled and said, " Vijayi Bhava" (May you be victorious).

Conclusion:  Act in haste, repent at leisure. Look before you leap.

Common errors in English

Sentence: 

• Mohan lives in a boarding (in correct)

• Mohan lives in a boarding house (correct)

Explanation: boarding is wrong; boarding house is correct.

We often confused and commit the mistake in use of certain nouns.

English blues

What is the difference between ‘womanish’ and ‘effeminate’?

Both words are often used with men to show disapproval. The word ‘effeminate’ is used exclusively with men. When you label a man ‘effeminate’, you are suggesting that the individual is not at all manly; everything about him — his behaviour, taste, habits, looks, etc., — is very feminine. Unlike the word ‘effeminate’, ‘womanish’ can be used with both men and women. When used with a woman, it means the individual has all the characteristics of her sex; she looks and behaves in a manner that befits a woman. In this case, it is used as a compliment. When used with a man, the word suggests that the individual is rather feminine. It shows contempt.

For example:

• The students took great delight in imitating Ram’s effeminate walk.

• Jeetender had the womanish habit of breaking down when things went wrong.

 

 

Know your English 19/10/2013

Idiom of the day: (like) water off a duck's back

Meaning: You can say an insult or criticism is like water off a duck's back if it doesn't upset you.

For example: I asked Amy if she got upset when journalists wrote negative things about her, and she said she didn't care what they wrote - it was like water off a duck's back.

 

Phrasal verb of the day: fall in

Meaning: If a roof or a ceiling falls in, it falls to the floor because it's been weakened or damaged.

For example: fall in There was a loud crash, and then the ceiling fell in.

Proverb of the day: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing

Meaning: Good knowledge of an art or profession is essential to be successful in life. A man with insufficient knowledge will always cause harm to himself and others.

Illustration:
It was a fine Sunday afternoon. Nine-year-old Rohit helped his mother clear the table, after lunch. "Ah, that's a job, well done, my boy!" his mother patted him. Then she said, "Grow up quickly, my boy. Then you too can do many other things like carrying out minor repairs as your father does. How I wish your father were here! But, no, he is on tour most of the time. I now have a leaking tap. The plumber never turns up for odd jobs, even if I tell him a dozen times.
"I can do it, Ma/' Rohit offered.
"Oh, no," she yawned and moved to the bedroom for a nap. Soon she was fast asleep.
Rohit told himself, "Setting the tap right should be easy. I have watched dad doing it a number of times." He remembered the steps, "Pick up a spanner. Tighten it round the neck of the tap. Unscrew the tap. Replace the washer. Put the head back in place and screw it tight."
It looked quite simple. Rohit tip-toed to the shelf at the rear veranda, picked up the tool box and ran to the bathroom. The tap was leaking.
Rohit pulled out the wrench, set it round the neck of the tap and tightened its jaws. Then he tugged, with all his strength. The head refused to budge."What would dad have done?" Rohit thought. Then he remembered, "He would hit the free end of the spanner with a heavy stone."
He did that. The stone landed on his thumb. He winced with pain. Tears welled up in his eyes. Then he controlled himself, "I must do this job. Mamma expects it of me." He hit again. This time he was successful.
The tap turned. Water gushed out. Rohit got drenched. But he did not mind that. Then he got a real shock when the head of the tap, pushed by the gushing water flew in to space. It hit the wall and bounced back into Rohit hitting him on the tip of his nose. "Ouch!" he sobbed. Meanwhile the head of the tap dropped down, rolled along with the water and got stuck into the outlet.
Rohit groped around, as the water began to rise in the bathroom. He tried to prise the head out. But he could not. Water gathered in the bathroom. Soon his feet were under water. "What shall I do now?" he wondered.
He decided to use the screw driver to prise the head out. That was when he heard his mother bellow, "Hey, Rohit. What are you up to?" She caught hold of him firmly and dragged him out, saying, "What do you know of this job?"
"But, Ma, I have seen dad doing it, several times," Rohit mumbled.
"So what your knowledge is incomplete. You should have done this first," she cut off the supply of water by closing the main valve. Then she managed to clear-the blockage. Water drained out.

"See the mess you have created...." She stopped on noticing the swollen thumb and the red nose and growled, "The bathroom is now a pool. And your thumb and nose are a bloody mess." She led him to the medicine chest and dressed up the wound telling him, "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Remember that Always."

Significance: we must learn everything completely, it may be a small thing if we try to anything without complete knowledge It will lead us a unpleasant situation.

Conclusion: An empty vessel makes much noise. We should make our self with complete knowledge then only we can succeed in our life.  

Common errors in English

Sentence: 

• Ramu has applied for freeship (Incorrect)

• Ramu has applied for free- studentship (Correct)

Explanation: Freeship is wrong usage, free- studentship is the correct usage.

We often confused and commit the mistake in use of certain nouns.

English blues

What is the difference between ‘I have two brothers and a sister’ and ‘I have got two brothers and a sister’?

 

In terms of meaning, there is no difference between the two. In both cases, you are telling someone that you have three siblings. The two sentences, however, would be used in different contexts. Native speakers of English would limit the use of the second sentence (have got) to informal contexts. Also, in the case of ‘have got’, native speakers generally prefer to use the contracted form of ‘have’. 

For example: “I’m sorry I’ve got no money on me”. “You’ve got to help me.”