Would you like to have the first call on you?

Today’s English
August 1st, 2017

It’s time to exploit the most frequently used word “call" a little more which can be used in several other expressions to breathe new life into our spoken English.

1.Clarion call = a strong request to make others do something

A.I made a clarion call to complete the work at the earliest.
B.We have everything readily available.  We’re waiting for your clarion call to commence the programme.

2.Wake-up call = an event that indirectly gives warning to do something immediately

A.The shop took the theft as a wake-up call for setting up the cctv camera.
B.This indefinite strike is going to be the wake-up call for government.

3.(Answer) the call of nature = to go to rest room (toilet)

A.Take 10 minutes break for answering the nature’s call and come fast.
B.I felt the call of nature and stopped the work for a while.

4.Judgment call = a decision based on your own judgement since there is no clear rule

A.I had no supporting files to move ahead and felt the judgement call.
B.Do You have any g.o. regarding this? No we all have to take it just a judgement call.

5.Call a meeting = to ask people assemble for a meeting

A.The principal called a meeting to discuss the problem.
B.We expect that the management will call a meeting in this regard next week.

6.On call = to be available for work if necessary or in urgency (especially police, doctors, etc)

A.Like a policeman  and doctor, nowadays even a lecturer has to be on call for doing any work other than teaching.
B.The hospital had nearly five on-call doctors.

7.Have first call on something/somebody = to give the priority/favour first

A.Let’s have first call on senior citizens.
B.On all Sundays, she has the first call on shopping.

“The women I know with strong personalities, the ones who might have become generals or the heads of companies if they were men, become teachers. Teaching is a calling, too. And I've always thought that teachers in their way are holy--angles leading their flocks out of the darkness.”
-Jeannette Walls, Half Broke Horses

Be a Morning Person for ever.

Today’s English
July 31st, 2017

All the awakened spiritual masters live on this earth with only one mission that is to awaken people who have been asleep for several births with opened eyes.  To be conscious is to be alive and  to be unconscious is to be dead.  Those who are aware from moment to moment live in the present and those who are not conscious always think about what happened and dream about what will happen and miss the present by living in the past and future.   Here are few English expressions connected with this.

People or pupils who are not conscious of (=unfamiliar with) something need awareness programme.  If they are familiar with it, they are “no stranger to" it.

1. I’m no stranger to these rules and regulations and yet I’m a bit unwilling to follow them.
2. Why do we need an awareness programme on this? You are no stranger to this. (=you are already familiar with it)

If you “keep your finger on the pulse", it means that you stay familiar about the recent changes and developments about something.

1. Computer field is fast growing from moment to moment and it is essential that you should keep your finger on the pulse.
2. Can you do this work? Is it something new to you or have you already kept your finger on the pulse?

If you are awake and alive, you are “in the land of living.”  If you are not awake, somebody should “wake you up", knock you up or keep you up.  If you are awake and full of energy, you can be called as “a morning person" as well.

1. You are not in the land of living and let me continue this subject tomorrow.
2. It’s my duty to wake you up to what is happening here in your absence.
3. Nothing will keep up a person who has no aim in life.
4. This meditation will knock you up to realisation of truth about God and soul.
5. He is always a morning person, isn’t he?


“These things will destroy the human race: politics without principle, progress without compassion, wealth without work, learning without silence, religion without fearlessness, and worship without awareness.”
- Anthony de Mello

Which generation do you belong to- X, Y or Z?

Today’s English
July 30th, 2017

Have you heard about the phrases -Generation X, Generation Y and Generation Z?  The first one refers to people born in 1960s and 1970s, the next one stands for people born in 1980s and 1990s and the last one, those born after 2001, also known as Silent Generation or Generation Me since they always get engaged to mobiles, computers and the internet.

1. Do you belong to Generation X or Y?
2. Only people of Generation Me can understand my feelings.

What do you generally mean by “generation”? It’s defined as a period of 25 to 30 years of time during which almost(?) all human babies turn into adults and have their own babies. It also denotes people living about the same age in the same society or family.

1. For future generations, let’s preserve nature and culture which nurture us.
2. You can’t say any cock and bull stories to the younger generation who will immediately verify it online.

Because of different experiences, habits, opinions and behaviour, younger generation and elder generation often find them in a tug of war and this is what we say “generation gap".
1. It’s generation gap that my grand mother never allowed me to wear this kind of dress.
2. Any one who bridges the generation gap is a successful person in his or her own field.

Similarly if something runs in your family, it means that many members of your have it -May be a disease, nature, inborn talent, etc.  The term “pedigree" is used when you talk about a person’s family history, heritage, status, etc.

1. We inherited not only our father’s property but also diabetes that runs in most of the members of my family.
2. He seems to come from an aristocratic pedigree.
3. I’m greatly indebted to my forefathers for my interest in literature that runs in the family.

“Parenthood...It's about guiding the next generation, and forgiving the last.”
- Peter Krause

Learn Portmanteau Words and Speak Modern English

Today’s English
July 29th, 2017

If two different words with different sounds and meanings are packed up into a stylistic single word, the new word created thus is known as the portmanteau word. For example, the word “administrivia” is a portmanteau word that is a blending of “administrative” and “trivia” and refers to dull administrative activities which are to be completed. 

Sometimes the portmanteau word carries the meaning of more than two words.  For instance, the term “mechatronics” is basically a combination of “mechanical engineering” and “electronics” but it includes now  telecommunications, computer,  system and control engineering.  Here are some more examples for your everyday use:

1.Portmanteau word: chillax

Blended words: chill and relax

Meaning: relax and don’t be angry or nervous

Examples:
A.Chillax bro, I’m with you.
B.Chillax dude, the first thing to find a remedy is to be cool.

3.Portmanteau word: Workaholic

Blended words: work and alcoholic

Meaning: a person who works excessively for many hours, always thinks about his work and has no time to do other things

Examples:
A.My hubby is a workaholic and never makes a call from the office.
B.Many posts here still remain unfilled and few staff members become the victims and workaholics.

4.Portmanteau word: telethon

Blended words: television and marathon

Meaning : a very long television programme for raising money for charity.

Examples:
A.TV serials look like telethons but add revenues only to the channels.
B. Telethon 7 is a popular TV programme for Princess Margaret Hospital for children.

5.Portmanteau word: guesstimate

Blended words: guess and estimate

Meaning: an estimation drawn by guess as well as calculation

Examples:
A.Let’s make a rough guesstimate of expenditures for the Annual Day.
B.As per my guesstimate, it may take 5 days to complete the work.

6.Portmanteau word: Edutainment

Blended words: educational and entertainment

Meaning: an app, television programme, video, etc. that is both educational as well as entertaining

Examples:
A.This edutainment app will be very useful for your kid to learn the alphabets.
B.These edutainment cds are meant for elementary level students.

Let's listen to portmanteau dialogue:

Teacher 1: I don’t like people speaking Tamilish.

Teacher 2: Chillax sir, it’s a fashion and need of the time.

Teacher 3: I think, the reason is, they are fully engaged with whatsapp, Facebook and TV. Spend no time for improving their English.

Teacher 2: No, I don’t think so. All media are in one way or other offering them edutainments.  They learn more than the teachers from online sources.

Teacher 1: but, according to my guesstimate, within few years, students will totally stop listening to us and will be more and more influenced by social networks.

Teacher 3: Then we have to be only facilitators and not teachers. Ok,  It’s time and why can’t we go for a brunch now?

Don’t be a Simple Simon, nor be Aunt Sally.

Today’s English
July 28th, 2017

Man is a prisoner of circumstances, isn’t it?  A prisoner here refers to a person who has fallen a victim to certain unavoidable circumstances which force him to do something against his wish, interest, need and nature.  He is destined and so helpless that he is left with no alternatives.  How to express your feelings and experiences in such situations is a matter of concern today.

If you are tricked and deceived easily by someone, you are then “easy game" and if you are criticized by someone against whom you cannot do anything, you are fair game.  Here game means a victim of circumstances.

1. He is so innocent that he doesn’t even know that he has turned an easy game for others.
2. Politicians and celebrities are but fair game for press people.

If you are a normal human being with your own limits, weaknesses, etc. and you couldn’t fight against Destiny or circumstances, in English, it is said that you are “only flesh and flood.”
1. What do you want me to do? I’m only flesh and flood and utterly helpless now.
2. Don’t just be flesh and flood and be the master of your own destiny.

If you trick and deceive somebody, you “make a fool of them".   If you do something that makes others think that you are silly and not to be respected, it is said, “you make a fool of yourself.”  But you are “nobody’s fool" if you are aware and don’t allow others to deceive you.

1. She made a fool of me by selling that worthless product to me.
2. Why are you making a fool of yourself by behaving like this?
3. When I didn’t fall victim to the sales representative, my heart filled with pride that I was nobody’s fool.

Have you heard about the phrase “Simple Simon" and “Aunt Sally"?  If a person can be easily deceived by others, he is a “Simple Simon" and if he is an easy target for criticism by others, he is “Aunt Sally". 
1. He’s a Simple Simon and I feel very sorry for him.
2. Every husband is a roaring lion in office but Aunt Sally at home.

“Life ... is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
- William Shakespeare, “Macbeth”

Differences: features, advantages and benefits

Today’s English
July 27th, 2017

When a salesman in a car showroom describes the “characteristics” of a particular car you want to know about, he is actually explaining the “features” of the car.  If he talks about certain “special features” relating the usefulness of having such a car “based on his assumptions” of your requirements, he is telling you about the “advantages” of having that car “in comparison to" having some other car. How much the car really fulfills your need and "saves your time and money" and the “special offers/discounts” for that car are the “benefits" you have from the car.

Features versus advantages

Features are facts, information, specifications and characteristics of a product that may be an advantage to you or not. For example, a mobile phone may feature 16 MP camera but you may be concerned with internet facilities rather than taking a selfie, then it’s not at all an advantage or benefit to you. You use “advantage” while comparing with other products or person.

1. iPhone 8 is featured with eye+ finger print scanner.
2. This is an advantage that you cannot have in other models.
3. Being a senior citizen is an added advantage to you.

Advantages versus benefits

An advantage is the usefulness of a product from the speaker’s point of view. But benefit in the broadest sense refers to the fulfilment of your requirements, saving money, saving time and special concessions, gifts and offers. An advantage is something that helps you be better than others in some way. The word advantage has no verb form to be used in different tenses and no other noun form to refer to one who gets the advantage but the term benefit (noun) is also a verb and the other noun form beneficiary refers to one who is benefited.  “Take advantage of" has the negative sense but the word benefit is not having such an usage.

1. Being tall gave him the advantage of scoring more in the basketball game.
2. Many people like government jobs for the job security, leave benefits and pension benefits rather than as a service to others.
3. You should not take advantage of our friendship in the official matters.
4. Your free training programme will be of a great benefit to all our students .

Just for fun!

Sales manager: Can you explain the features to the customer?

Saleswoman: yes sir.

Sales manager: You should not take advantage of meeting the customer in person at their home.

Saleswoman: Sure sir.

Sales manager: you should assure yourself that the customer is benefited by your service more.

Saleswoman: certainly sir.

Sales manager: tell me how you will face the customer.

Saleswoman: I’ll describe my features well and I will strictly tell him not to take an advantage of my meeting at his home.  I’ll assure him of the benefits he will have from us, sir.

Sales manager: ……………….?!

How long can you be in the la-la land?

Today’s English
July 26th, 2017

Here are some new words that may interest you a great deal.  They have found their entries into Oxford dictionary and therefore you needn’t  hesitate to use them in your day-to-day speech and writing.

1. Bromance

Meaning: a close but not sexual relationship between two men

Usage:
A.The bromance of Ganesh and Sundar is known to everyone.
B. I hope, it’s only bromance and nothing more between them.

2. Truthiness (coined by American comedian Stephen Colbert)

Meaning: sounding true based on your intuition but may not necessarily be true.

Usage:
A. Is it true that they are going to get married soon? It’s truthiness, rather than truth.
B. I like the truthiness in his statement but I can’t completely rely on it.

3. La-la land

Meaning: in a dream world

Usage:
A. She talked / behaved as if she is in a la-la land.
B. If you are always in a la-la land, how will you come up in life?

4. Mini-me

Meaning: Someone looking / resembling the younger version of another person

Usage:
A. Your little daughter is exactly your mini-me and speaks as brilliantly as you.
B. He’s my mini-me and in him I find the same spirit I had when I was young.

5. Screenager

Meaning: a person in teens or in twenties and has an aptitude for computer and the internet

Usage:
A. He, a typical screenager, is always online and busy in chatting.
B. Whatever the doubt you have, you can ask Rahul, the best screenager in our group.

(Husband: See there! That boy is looking like my mini-me!

Wife: yes. That’s what I’m thinking over for a long time. Something is wrong. Tell me the truth.

Husband: …………..?!)

Are you a neophyte or a man of the world?

Today’s English
July 25th, 2017

Knowledge which is acquired from books and people may be or may not be true but experience that is your own can never be false.  An experienced person is one who is skilful, seasoned, accomplished, adept, proficient, competent, veteran, resourceful, abled and expert.  The more you are experienced, the more you are mature.  Here are some expressions which you can try to talk about somebody’s experience and inexperience.

Whenever there is a failure, we have to accept it and learn a lesson from that experience.  This is what the expression “chalk it up to experience” / “put it down to experience”means.

1. I came to know that your project ended in failure. Don’t feel anything. Chalk it up to experience.
2. Have you lost all your money in business? Don’t worry. Just put it down to experience.

If a person has a lot of experience about life and people, and can deal with any kind of situations, he is called “a man of the world" or “a woman of the world".
1. You have put a right question to the wrong person. Ask Mr.John who is really a man of the world.
2. She, being a woman of the world, settled all issues which came on her way.

If a person with no experience gives pieces of advice and suggestions to another person with no experience, the situation is known as “the blind leading the blind".  If you are speaking on the stage for the first time, it’s your maiden speech. If you are just now involved into an activity and has started to learn and gather experience, you are a neophyte.  But, after getting into a new powerful position without enough experience, if you behave in such a way as if you know more than others and irritate others in this way, you are “an upstart.”

1. He knows nothing about this. Following his words is but the blind leading the blind.
2. I’m just a neophyte. Why can’t you ask any senior staff here?
3. His behaviour, after assuming the new position, proved that he is an upstart.

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”
- Eleanor Roosevelt

Do you want to sleep on this matter?

Today’s English
July 24th, 2017

If you don’t know the details about a person or situation and make an assumption, your decision is likely to go wrong.  In such situations, people use the expression “ jump to conclusions.”

1.Don’t jump to conclusions without knowing about them.  She is actually his sister.
2.Nobody knows the ground reality here. They just jump to conclusions.

But if you make a decision or conclusion after knowing the details, it’s said that you “draw a conclusion”.   In order to see something quickly, it should be in a place where it can be seen easily and this is what we say through the expression: “be right under your nose".  (Not literally under somebody’s nose)

1.If the boss didn’t see your file, he won’t take a decision on it. So keep it right under his nose first.
2.I can draw a conclusion now that with this insufficient data, our project is likely to be rejected.

Similarly there is another expression “to sleep on it” that does not mean that you should keep it under your bed and sleep on it.  If you want to take a decision after verifying all the facts, you say that you need sometime to think about that.  This is what we say through “to sleep on it.”

1.Are you coming with us to Bangalore next week? Sorry, I have to sleep on it. Give me two more days please.

2.Have you decided to move to another company? No, let me sleep on it. I can’t say anything now.

“Waiting hurts. Forgetting hurts. But not knowing which decision to take can sometimes be the most painful...”
-José N. Harris,

English is beautiful with figures of speech, isn’t it?

Today’s English
July 23rd, 2017

Disciple: Master, Who is a master indeed?

Master: He that has found himself. A tiny drop, yet carrying the ocean within. The one who has come Home. He, like a bird, flies in the sky with liberated soul and yet his footsteps are unknown to many.

Disciple: is not a teacher a master?

Master: The former, as the sculptor does, brings a stunning statue out of the unheeded rock and breathes life into it and the latter keeps a mirror unto its soul to discover itself.

Disciple: tell me of true love, Master.

Master: When you find flowering of yourself, you find love, the fragrance of your soul.  Love that expects locks and lashes you and that which gives leaps in joy and leads you.

Disciple: How do you see power and money?

Master: Power that crowns you crucifies you. Money that promises pleasures brings you pains behind. With each brick of power and money, you build your own prison.

Disciple: Tell me of hypocrisy, Master.

Master: Which bird will come to thy tree that has the unripe painted in yellow?  Let them wear masks till the timely rain of truth showers on them and keeps them in true colours.  Pigs cannot be parrots, nor can devils be angels. Let them draw beautiful pictures on water in vain and pain.

Disciple: How should a wife or husband be?

Master: A wife, neither a product in market nor a slave to serve, is his other half. A husband, being master of home is but a slave to her love. The marriage tree planted and watered by kith and kin looks skeleton if the green leaves of love wither out and turns the heavenly home a hell.

Disciple: One more question, Master. Enlighten me of anger and ego.

Master: Expect to respect or others to be perfect and you sow the seeds of disappointments that make you jump and hit the ceiling. Anger sucks your energy and wisdom only to dig a ground for yourself and your other selves. How can wind be superior to earth and water be inferior to fire? Each in nature is unique in itself. You too carry the soul of all, of the whole world of past and future within you, yet unique in yourself. Ego that is born when you strip off yourself from others dies when you get united with all. Enough for today.

(The figures of speech used in the above dialogue are:

1.Alliteration – repetition of beginning sounds
( locks and lashes, leaps and leads…)

2.Oxymoron: contradictory terms used together
(a tiny drop, yet carrying the ocean within, crowns, crucifies)

3.Personification: giving human qualities to non-living things, ideas.
(Anger sucking your energy, digging ground)

4.Simile: comparison with the words like, as..
(Like a bird, as the sculptor does…)

5.Metaphor: comparison of two things without the words like, as
(Pigs cannot be parrots…)

6.Irony: a contrast between what is said and what is meant
(With each brick of power and money, you build your own prison)

“ Irony is Fate's most common figure of speech.”
-Trevanian, Shibumi

Do you have salad days or halcyon days now?

Today’s English
July 22nd,2017

If you have a good luck, good news or anything that makes you happy, you can say that it’s “your lucky day.”  Before congratulating your friends and relatives or delivering good news to them, you can use this expression. You can also say your joyful days as “heavenly days.”

1. It’s your lucky day Mr.Karthick. You’ve been selected for the trip to the U.S.
2. Today must be my lucky day, I’ve been receiving good news one after another.
3. The days I have spent with you all are the heavenly days in my life.

In opposite to the above, if you have a bad luck, bad news, or anything that makes you upset, you can say that it’s your bad hair day.  You can also use “dark days" to refer to days of extreme misfortunes”.

1. It seems, today is my bad hair day that everything goes wrong.
2. I’m very sorry Mr.John. It’s your bad hair day that you haven’t been selected for the next level.
3. These are the dark days and we have to pass through them with great patience and acceptance.

If you remember some remarkable days of the past which are no longer existing, you can try the phrase “bygone days". If those days had been quite successful particularly, go for the phrase “the glory days.”
1. Those are the bygone days when I used to burn the midnight oil by reading books of great writers.
2. The farewell party by students reminded her of her bygone days when she exchanged autographs with her friends.
3. Those are my glory days when I used to come first in all my participation.

If somebody’s or something’s “days are numbers”, it is implied that their chapter is going to end.

1. My days are numbered and it’s you who should take care of everybody and everything here.
2. His days are numbered and why can’t you try his place?
3. My mobile’s days are numbered and I have to look for something more advanced now.

If you have a peaceful period of time in your life, say that they are your “halcyon days".  This phrase has come into existence from the belief that the kingfisher-like halcyon bird used to calm the sea to lay and hatch her eggs on the floating nest.

1. Don’t bother about your present situations.  Everybody has their own halcyon days and you too will have them soon.
2. The days I spent there are the halcyon days and I’m greatly thankful to God for them.

Do you know what the phrase "salad days" means? It refers to the days on which you are young and inexperienced.

1. These are their salad days. Let them make fun and mischief as much as they like.
2. Your daughter is in her salad days. She needs your guidance and counselling now.

Relax!
Father: Those are my bygone days when I used to gift a costly sari to your mom every month.

Son: Don’t you have those heavenly days now?

Father: Not at all! These are my dark days. Your mom throws at me hell fires each moment.

Son: Haven’t you really been peaceful now, dad?

Father : who said so? I have my own halcyon days whenever you go with your mom to your grandma’s house.

Son: I can’t understand why your life changed like this.

Father: Leave it. You are in your salad days and you can’t understand.

Mother (from kitchen): What did you say now…? Tell me again.

Son: Dad… your days are numbered now!

Do you go to bed at stupid O’ clock?

Today’s English
July 21st, 2017

The expression “stupid o’ clock” in English refers to a time of the day which may be extremely early or late.  For example, you may go to interview as early as possible only to see that not even the door of the office is opened.  Similarly you can go to a place after the working hours or at the last moment everything is to be closed.  In such time, you can use the expression “stupid o’ clock”.

1. The customer came to bank at stupid o’ clock and irritated every official there.
2. I have an urgent work tomorrow and don’t wake me up at stupid o’ clock.

We also use “tail end” to refer to the last part of an event, situation, a period of time or anything.  It implies that you are late and therefore missing the beginning or the gone front.

1. I posted my article at the tail end of the day.
2. We heard only the tail end of the news.

If you are doing something at the eleventh hour, it means that you are doing it at the last moment and almost too late.  It implies that you should have done it earlier.  Why eleventh hour?  Twelve o’ clock at midnight is the end of a day as per English calendar.  So it originally meant late at night and now it is used for any time that is too late.  The phrase is actually taken from the Bible, “The Parable of Workers in the Vineyard”.

1. Why don’t you tell this to me earlier?  You often bring it to my knowledge only at the eleventh hour.
2. Yesterday itself you should have arranged for everything.  Why are you running here and there at the eleventh hour?

Have you heard about dilatory tactics? It means that you are intentionally doing something to cause delay.  If something is unpleasant or boring, you can delay doing that and such delay is often  mentioned by the word “procrastinate”.
1. We adopted dilatory tactics and made him come to the office the next day.
2. Do you know why I procrastinate that work?  I’m not at all interested in doing that.

“The problem with procrastination is it’s been around since the beginning of time it seems.”
― Stephen Richards, “The Secret of Getting Started”

Learn English from John Milton

Today’s English
July 20th, 2017

John Milton, “the poet of the sublime" in Dryden's words has been placed by scholars next to Shakespeare and is best remembered for his greatest epic “Paradise Lost” just as Valmiki is known for “the Ramayana” and Vyasa for “the Mahabharata.”   Many consider blindness as an intellectual death sentence but Milton lighted the world by “justifying the ways of God to man" with  his monumental work Paradise Lost which first appeared in 10 books in 1667 only after his eyesight had completely failed in 1652.  We, the aspiring speakers of English language, would be blind enough if we are not able to see his greatest contribution to English language. As John Crace says in his article “John Milton – Our Greatest Word-maker,” Milton is responsible for introducing some 630 words to the English language, making him the country's greatest neologist, ahead of Ben Jonson with 558, John Donne with 342 and Shakespeare with 229. The Oxford English Dictionary has also confirmed Milton to be the first cited author for more than 600 words and nearly 130 words have been coined by him with the negative prefix “un.” The following are some Miltonic words or expressions which can be used in day-to-day spoken English.

1.Miltonic word: pandemonium

Origin/source: Milton's “Paradise Lost"

Meaning: a situation with full of noise and confusion because people are angry or frightened. (It’s the capital of hell in Milton's work, roughly meaning “all demons")

Examples:
A.Pandemonium broke out in Tamil Nadu when the former chief minister was admitted and reported to have died in the hospital.
B.There was pandemonium till the Principal came to the spot.

2. Miltonic word: earth-shaking

Origin/source: Milton's “Comus"

Meaning: having a great effect and importance

Examples:
A.It was an earthshaking news that children of government employees should study only at government schools.
B.Do you really say you don’t want a sari? It’s earthshaking!

4.Miltonic word : lovelorn

Origin/source: Milton's “Comus”

Meaning: unhappy because not loved by the person you love.

Examples:
A.You can see lovelorn boys and girls everywhere in this college.
B.I don’t like the hero of the movie to turn into a lovelorn guy.

4.Miltonic word: unoriginal

Origin/ Source: Paradise Lost

Meaning: lacking originality, not your own

Examples:
A.The project works done by college students are totally unoriginal nowadays.
B.All postings on Whatsapp and Facebook are just forwarded by many and remain unoriginal.

5.Miltonic word: debauchery
Origin/source: Comus
Meaning: immoral behavior, involving indulgence in alcohol, sex, etc.

Examples:
A.They spent the whole night in wild debauchery.
B.He was often criticized for his debauchery.

Some of the other common words coined by Milton: space, enjoyable, terrific, sensuous, padlock, dismissive, unaccountable and irresponsible.

“The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven.” -John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book I

Difference : under, below, underneath and beneath

Today's English
July 19th, 2017

Though we use under and below interchangeably, there are significant differences between these two.

1.  Age? - use under, not below
A. If you are under 18, you cannot vote.
B. Children under 5 won't be allowed to play here.

2. Directly under another? Use under.  Not directly under? Use below.

A. Please put the ladder under the window. (Directly under)
B. Your record note has been kept under mine. (Directly under)
C. Don't write anything below the line. (Nowhere below the line)
D. The sun disappeared below the horizon. (Somewhere below the horizon)

3. Not only under but also covered by something? Use under.
A. He had worn a red shirt under his sweater. (Not below his sweater)
B. I could manage the winter under this blanket. (Not below this blanket)

4. Controlled by? Governed by? Use under.

A. India was under British rule for several years.
B. There are nearly 12 staff members working under me.
C. It's illegal to smoke here under this Act.

5. In progress? Still going on? Use under.

A. Her house is still under construction. (Not below construction)
B. His case is still under investigation.

6. Parts of the body? Use below.

A. Wearing skirts below the knee is compulsory.
B. A scar was visible just below his chest.

7. Temperature and height? Use below.

A. The temperature was below 40 degree.
B. The whole city was below the sea level.

8. Underneath is slightly more emotional than under and is mostly used to refer to the opposite nature

A. He is bad-tempered but soft-hearted underneath.
B. Underneath your father's anger, there is tremendous love and care for you.

9. Beneath is more formal than other terms and is used to mean low social position and status.
A. She married a man beneath her. (=under her status)
B. Don't behave like a king thinking that everybody is beneath you.

Do you know how Shakespeare has used the term beneath?

"The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes."
- Shakespeare in "The Merchant of Venice"

Do you feel yourself a fish out of water now?

Today’s English
July 18th, 2017

To be miserable is to be in hell.  Just as fortune knocks at your door for your virtues and the sum of good you do, misfortunes come behind to squeeze you for the evil aspects of your character and the sum of sins you commit.   The dear's death, unpredictable accident, destined diseases, failures, disappointments, separation, punishment,  loss of job, money, power, status, freedom, peace and there are millions of other things to tear your heart and soul. English expressions connected with such torment situations can be seen today.

1.Sad, unhappy, sorrowful, miserable and woeful

A.We felt terribly sad about his death.
B.Say to say (=unfortunately), he was not even allowed to meet the concerned officials.
C.We are deeply unhappy about the delay of 7th pay commission benefits.
D.What’s the matter? I’ve never seen you with these sorrowful eyes.
E.Why are you looking so miserable? / The match was a miserable failure.
F.These woeful tales will kindle your heart more.

2.Depressed, dejected, despaired and broken-hearted

A.She was terribly depressed about the result. (=sad and without hope)
B.He was so dejected while rejected by the selection committee. (=sad and disappointed)
C.Driven to despair, she committed suicide last night. (=losing all hopes)
D.He was in despair when all his search ended in vain.
E.He was broken-hearted at the loss of his whole family in a fatal accident.

3.Tragic, distressing, melancholy, agony

A.We were deeply moved to hear his tragic story. (=something with an unhappy end, failure)
B.What’s distressing me more is your utter ignorance of the basic rules. (=something that upsets more)
C.I like to listen to melancholy songs(=sad songs). / A deep melancholy prevails the whole movie. (=lasting and inexplicable sorrow)
D.Nobody helped him and he died in agony. (=extreme physical and mental pain)

4.To be(down) in the dumps = to have a dog’s life, to have an unhappy life.

A.He is a bit down in the dumps and don’t see him now.
B. What I’m having here is but a dog’s life.

5.Wish you had never been born = used to say when life is so miserable

A.I don’t know why I alone suffer like this. I wish I had never been born.
B.When problems came one after another, she wished she had never been born.

6.A fish out of water = to feel that you are in an uncomfortable place struggling against your nature and desire
A.What happened around me concerned me a little. I felt myself a fish out of water.
B.This is not the right place for you. Soon you will feel like a fish out of water.

“When sorrows come, they come not single spies. But in battalions!
-William Shakespeare, “Hamlet”

"Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought."
- Shelley, "Ode to a Skylark"

Have you ever been thrilled to bits?

Today’s English
July 17th, 2017

To be happy is to live.  Man is not merely to be a programmed computer which simply follows commands and has no feelings.  First Mark, first prize, first love, first child, first job, first house, first car  and there are thousand and one other things which make a person happy.  How to express in English one’s joy in different situations is our concern today.

1. You are looking so happy. Any good news?

2. I wish you a long and happy retirement.

3. I rejoiced at my child’s play.

4. Don’t feel anything. Come on! Be cheerful and enjoy the party.

5. See there how much she is delighted with her new car!

6. She shed tears of joy at her daughter’s marriage.

7. He is a light-hearted man working always in high spirits.

8. The excited children cried out in chorus.

9. We all jumped out of joy to hear that news.

10. I’m so glad/pleased to see you here.

11. I can still remember the blissful year I spent with her.

12. It’s a great pleasure to welcome you all this morning.

13. You are so kind enough to us. Thanks a lot. No mention please. It’s my pleasure.

14. We all cried out in ecstasy to see India win the match.

15. I was thrilled to bits (=extremely happy) to get selected in TCS.

16. He was as high as a kite with her new car.

17. They were dancing in the streets (=so happy) about the pay hike.

18. She was full of the joys of the spring (=so excited) on her wedding day.

“When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.”
- Jalaluddin Rumi

Every rose has its thorn, isn't it?

Today’s English
July 16, 2017

1.Under the weather = be ill/ feel sick

A.I’m feeling under the weather. Please leave me alone. (=I’m not feeling well)
B.She is under the weather and she can’t come with you out today.

2.Over the moon = to be pleased/ to be extremely happy

A.It seems, you are over the moon with your new car.(=you are so happy)
B.Everything that keeps you over the moon, pulls you down to the earth soon.

3.Till the cows come home = for a very long time

A.Nothing is going to happen, though we sit here and discuss the matter like this till the cows come home.
B.You may wait here for him till the cows come home, but he will never turn up.

4.Every rose has its thorn = all good things have a negative side, every cowboy sings a sad song

A.Getting a govt job is, no doubt, getting a rose but don’t you know, every rose has its thorn.
B.She is beautiful but merciless just as every rose has its thorn.

5.Every cloud has a silver lining = all bad things have a positive side, every unpleasant thing has an advantage, every night has its dawn.

A.Don’t worry about the present situation.  Every cloud has a silver lining.
B.Don’t forget that every night has its dawn. I’m sure, all your worries will be gone soon.

Master : why don’t you come yesterday?

Disciple: I was under the weather.

Master: How do you feel now?

Disciple: To be with you is to be over the moon, Master.

Master:  Any question, today?

Disciple: I’m growing sick of this material life that promises me heaven but throws me into hell.

Master: Every rose has its thorn. Don’t desire or hate the rose but go beyond it.

Disciple: I don’t know when I will come Home. It seems, I won’t attain moksha in this birth.

Master: Wait with same appetite. Every night has its dawn.

Disciple: How long should I wait, Master?

Master: for some, it is the next moment but, for many people, they have to wait till the cows come home.

Are you scattered to the four winds now?

Today’s English
July 15th, 2017

Everything including life has a beginning with an inbuilt end. People or things being with you now will no longer be with you one day.  Either you part with or get rid of someone or something in the long run and today’s English is how to deal with such situations.

When you are no longer in contact with or far away from your friends, colleagues, relatives and neighbours with whom you were close once, in English, it is said that all of you are scattered to the four winds.

1. We were actually close friends during our college days but now we are scattered to the four winds.
2. Well, the day has come. All of us know very well that we are going to be scattered to the four winds soon.

If you want to get rid of something because you think that they are useless or troublesome to you, you can use the expression “to do away with it“ or “have done with it".

1. It’s time. You have to do away with these things. (=you have to get rid of …)
2. I have decided to sell off all these things on OLX and have done with it.
3. How could you do away with your car that you loved very much?

There are three phrasal verbs – cast off, cast away and cast aside which all mean “to get rid of somebody or something.

1. You must cast aside all your ego and work friendly with others.
2. It’s time, we have to find out how to cast away these barriers on our way.
3. It has entered my blood and flesh and how can I cast off this profession?

If you remove somebody from their job for something wrong they have done or for saving the cost of employing them, you can use “fire out somebody” rather than “dismiss” because the latter means only “sending away for the wrongs of the employee” and not other reasons. On the other hand, the phrase “termination of employment” means “to put an end to the agreement between the employee and the employer" rather than dismissal by the employer.

1. As soon as the new management took charge of the company, nearly 500 employees were fired out.
2. He was dismissed for his misappropriation of the fund.
3. You should give three months' notice of termination of employment.
4. Any violation of the rules and regulations will result in termination of the contract.

“The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful.”
- Oscar Wilde, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

Have you ever had an egg on your face?

Today’s English
July 14th, 2017

Man is a prisoner of circumstances and a victim to his own desires, needs, responsibilities, feelings, emotions and hereditary imprints.    These situations are unseen and unpredictable forces which make a conscious person feel ashamed of himself for what they have done or about a particular quality in their character. How to express these situations and feelings in English is what matters today.

1. I felt ashamed of myself for hurting my parents/ colleagues / friends.

2. Why do you worry? There is nothing to be ashamed of.

3. He had a guilty conscience and couldn’t sleep.

4. They felt guilty of their poor performance on the stage.

5. I was embarrassed about my height/ black complexion/ zero knowledge.

6. He felt financially embarrassed when they collected money.

7. She felt conscience-stricken when she was arrested for getting bribes.

8. He looked shamefaced while being caught red-handed.

9. I’m very sorry for using your computer in your absence.

10. I have never been insulted /humiliated in my life like this.

If you feel stupid for something wrong you have done, people say that you “have egg on your face.”

1. He had an egg on his face while criticized for the grave errors in the project.
2. Do you know how he looked then? He almost had an egg on his face.

When you don’t have the available data or if your work is incomplete, you often “don’t know where to put yourself “especially when your boss calls you.

1. When the manager asked for the data, I didn’t know where to put myself.
2. She just kept silent and didn’t know where to put herself while the inspection committee questioned.

If you are angry with somebody and shout at them, often using offensive language, it is said in English that you “give them a mouthful”

1. The taxi driver stopped for a while and gave the cyclist a mouthful.
2. It seems, the boss has given you a mouthful. Tell me what happened.

“Soul, if you want to learn secrets,

your heart must forget about
shame
 and dignity.
You are God's lover,

yet you worry
what people
are saying.”
- Jalaluddin Rumi, “The Essential Rumi”
.

Do you have magic touch or Midas touch?

Today’s English
July 13th,2017

1. College/university achievements

Look at the following sentences:
A. She graduated cum laude from Harvard University.
B. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University.
C. She graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University.

Are you interested to do your higher study in the U.S? Then the above sentences matter you a lot.  The highest level of your achievement in a U.S. college or university is referred to by “summa cum laude”, the second highest level by “magna cum laude” and the third highest level by cum laude. (All these expressions come from Latin)

2. Teacher’s pet

A. I was my teacher’s pet during my school days.
B. The student you mention is our chemistry teacher’s pet.

The phrase “teacher’s pet” refers to a student who is liked best by a particular teacher and treated well better than other students.

3. In absentia = when the person involved being absent

A. How can a student get admission here in absentia?
B. I’m going on leave tomorrow but I can complete the work in absentia.

4. magic touch = special ability to do a work very well

A. Why can’t we assign this work to Mrs. Vinitha who has the magic touch?
B. Have you lost the magic touch? Why have you done your work like this?

5. Midas touch = ability to make financial success of everything you do

A. He has the Midas touch and he can make even hundreds into millions.
B. My wife is the Finance minister at home and she has that Midas touch.

Man: (over phone) Hello, Meenu, you will like my poetry for you. It begins like this...

“I, once my teacher’s pet, now your pet!

My deserted heart, changed into garden with your magic touch!

I, once useless rod, has turned into gold by thy Midas touch!

Why kill me still in absentia?” How is it?

Lady: What the hell you are talking! First check the number. Stupid! It’s Wrong number.

Man:………..?!

If I were you, I would not do this

Today’s English
July 12th, 2017

New learners of English or non-native speakers of English with reference to grammar rules for ordinary sentences are likely to find fault with or at least get confused with sentences such as the following:

1. He insisted that the girl sit there. (Grammar mistake?: “the girl sit” or the girl sits there)

2. It’s important that the students and parents be aware of the rules and regulations of the college. (Why “be", not "are"?)

3. If I were you, I would deal with the matter in a different way. (Doubt : I was or I were?)

But actually the above sentences are typical examples for those expressing subjunctive mood rather than ordinary mood and therefore the verbs have been used in the subjunctive form instead of indicative (ordinary) form.

When to use subjunctive forms?
1. Subjunctive forms are used to express your wish, imagination, suggestion, insistence, demand, command,  recommendation and proposal in contrary to the facts.

A. I wish I were a cine actor. (Wish)
B. If I were a bird, I would be as free as air. (Imagination)
C. He suggested that the boy stand there throughout the day. (Suggestion)
D. I recommend that we not approve his demand.
E. He insisted/proposed that they be informed about this in advance. (Proposal/insistence)

2. Subjunctive forms are used in formal writing and speech.  The subjunctive use can be replaced with normal structures especially with “should"

A. Subjunctive: I suggested that they be aware of the new government order.
Ordinary: I suggested that they should be aware of the new government order.

B. Subjunctive: She insisted that he wait there till 5 o’clock
Ordinary: she insisted that he should wait there till 5 o’clock .

3. In “that clauses” as mentioned above and after adjectives such as important, crucial, essential and necessary, the subjunctive forms are used.

A. It’s essential that the order be cancelled at once.
B. It’s important that he send a mail immediately.

4. We have to use the subjunctive forms in certain “set phrases or idiomatic expressions” as it is without any change.

A. God forbid! = a fervent wish that something should not happen
(If it rains, God forbid, is there any alternative arrangement?)

B. So be it = an expression of acceptance ( if they criticize me for being very strict, so be it.)

C. Come what may = no matter whatever happens (We will stand together, come what may)

D. Suffice (it) to say = I needn’t explain you in detail for some reasons and what I say is enough (Suffice it to say that you need not come from tomorrow onwards.

E. Perish the thought = this will never happen/ don’t think so (Perish the thought that he will listen to us and understand our feelings)

Just for relax!

(Girlfriend: I wish, I were with an iPhone and a diamond necklace.

Boy : I wish, you be safe when you go out.

Girlfriend: it’s essential that a boy be capable of saying ok to the need of his girlfriend.

Boy: If I were you, I would not demand like this.

Girlfriend: if I change my sim, God forbid, how will you contact me?

Boy: if it is the reward for my love, so be it.

Girlfriend: suffice to say, you needn’t contact me in any way  hereafter.

Boy: perish the thought that I’ll follow you without self respect. )

It’s all for the best, isn’t it?

Today’s English
July 11th, 2017

1. The word All – singular or plural?
The word all is both singular and plural.  This pronoun is plural if it refers to number and countable things/ people but singular if it points out amount, quantity and the uncountable.

A. All are brilliant in my class.
B. All is well. Don’t worry. (= everything is in good state)
C. All that you have poured out is drinking water.
D. All are speaking Tamil here.

2. All in all or all in one?

All in all means “when everything is considered” but all in one refers to something that has more uses or functions.

A. All in all, the arrangement for the function is good.
B. This mobile is all in one. You can pay whatever the price is.

3. Altogether versus all together
Altogether means in total/ completely but all together is used in the sense “all in one place or all at once"

A. We can’t altogether accept his demands. (=we can’t completely…)
B. Altogether twenty-five students attended the seminar. (=in total)
C. We assembled all together to address the issue. (=assembled all in one place)
D. When the national anthem was played, we stood up all together. (= all at once)

4. Dual use of “not at all"
The phrase “not at all” is a little more stronger than no and not.  On the other hand it can be used as a polite reply to somebody’s “thanks"

A. What he says is not at all true. / she’s not at all happy (stronger than “she is not happy")
B. Thank you very much, Mr.Arun. Not at all madam. It’s my duty/ its my pleasure.

5. All for the best = best in the long run, though appears not good in the beginning

A. The more you face problems, the more you become experienced. It’s all for the best.
B. Don’t feel anything about selling this old car. It’s all for the best.

(Wife: I’m going for delivery. I’ll return from my father’s house only after six months. Will you miss me a lot?

Hubby: Yes, but it’s all for the best.

Wife:……..?)

It’s neither a fish nor a fowl.

Today’s English
July 10th,2017

Life which itself is uncertain, now and then, makes us experience certain uncertain events.  There are thousand and one things of which you can’t be sure.  How to express uncertainties in English is certainly a matter of concern today.

If an incident is like one thing in some way and like another thing in other ways, in English, it is said , it is “neither a fish nor a fowl.”

1. We can’t really grasp what happened in hostel before dawn. It’s neither a fish nor a fowl.
2. Could you tell me what exactly happened? Sorry, I can’t. It’s neither a fish nor a fowl.

If you undergo an uncertain period of what to do next, you say that you are left “in limbo".

1. We don’t know what to do next and left the project in limbo for three months.
2. Until the court passes a verdict in this case, we have to be in limbo.

We also use the English expression “up in the air" when we are uncertain about something or if something is not yet decided.

1. The identification of the outsider is still up in the air since we don’t have CCTV camera.
2. Has he decided where to go? No, it’s still up in the air. (= Not yet decided)

Something you hear from another person but don’t know it to be true is mentioned by the term “hearsay" that is synonymous with rumour.  The phrase "rumour mill" refers to a situation in which a lot of people spread rumours about something.  But if you are sure that something is unlikely to be true and it is told only as an excuse or an explanation for something else, you can declare that it’s a cock and bull story. Then what the person sheds is only crocodile tears.

1. How can we take a decision or blame anyone  based on hearsay?
2. Don’t tell me any clock and bull story.  Tell me the fact.
3. It was a rumour mill that we were looking for evidence.
4. I doubt whether she is shedding crocodile tears.

“Always remember... Rumours are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots.
- Ziad K. Abdelnour, “Economic Warfare: Secrets of Wealth Creation in the Age of Welfare Politics”

Beware of Davy Jones’s locker!

Today’s English
July 9th, 2017

Go is a VIP in English.  It’s the most frequently exploited word, especially in spoken English.  It’s known to many as a verb but its uses as a noun are many.  Some of the expressions and uses of go which are less familiar but very fruitful are given below.

1.Go = turn

A.It’s your go. /Get ready. Next is his go. (= Its your turn./ Next is his turn.)
B.Whose go is next?

2.Go = attempt, try

A.I passed this exam second go. (=at the second attempt)
B.It’s very difficult to get through IAS exam at one go. (=in single attempt)
C.“I can start my bike.”  Let me have a go. (=let me try for you)

3.Be all go/be on the go = be very busy

A.He’s all go.  You can’t see him now.
B.Are you all go now? When will you be free?
C.She has been on the go throughout the day

4.Let go = stop holding of somebody/something

A.Let go! Leave me alone.
B.Let go of worldly affairs to attain self realisation.

5.Gone or been?
Both gone and been are past participle of go. The former means just “go" but the latter means “go and return".

A.He has gone to canteen.
B.He has been to canteen. (He went to canteen and returned now.

6.All show and no go = appealing or looking good but performing poor

A.He really made a mess of the programme. He’s just all show and no go.
B.Don’t buy these things from platform vendors. It’s all show and no go.

7.Go = be spent or used for

A.Most of my salary goes on my kid’s education. (=is spent)
B.My pregnant purse soon becomes empty. I don’t know where the money goes.

8.Go = disappear, be lost

A.How are you feeling now? I mean, your headache. Is it gone?
B.On my return, I found that my bag was gone. (=was stolen by someone)

9.Go + adjective : become /reach a state (go blind, go bald, go angry, etc.)

A.If you use shampoo, soon your head goes bald.
B.He has gone mad ever since she left him.

10.Davy Jones’s locker = place in the sea where drowning people go

A.Beware of Davy Jones’s locker. Don’t go there to swim.
B.All the four college students who went to bathe in the sea got into Davy Jones’s locker.

“ men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever. “
    - Tennyson in “The Brooke"

How to make up the expenses for makeup?

Today’s English
July 8th, 2017

A phrasal verb, by its very nature, structure and meaning, confuses most of the non-native speakers of English. Remember this first – “a phrasal verb = verb +preposition/adverb” and you should not guess the meaning of a phrasal verb by seeing the verb used in it.  Give up doesn’t mean that you give anything to anybody sitting up" and get in doesn’t merely sense that you receive anything inside of you. Verbs such as get, give, break, call, bring and turn have given birth to a great number of phrasal verbs that it’s very difficult to differentiate and remember all of them. For example, Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary has as much as 77 entries for phrasal verbs starting with “get".  Therefore new learners of English may first start with commonly and frequently used phrasal verbs such as bring up, call off, turn up and get into. Let’s try a few here:

1.Take out = borrow

A.Take the book from the table.
B.I want to take out a book from the library.
C.He has taken out a loan from SBI.

2.Make up = compensate, to invent a story (as excuse), to become friends again after a disagreement

A.I don’t know how to make up my absence there.(=compensate)
B.I made up some excuse for not attending the meeting. (=invent a story)
C.What we want now is that both of you should make up. (=become friends again)

3.Blow up = explode, to get very angry

A.The entire building blew up within a minute.
B.Don’t talk about this to your father. He will immediately blow up.

4.Bring up = to care and educate a child, to start to talk about something

A.I was born in Tirunelveli but brought up in Salem.
B.We don’t know how to bring it up to the knowledge of the principal.

5.Call in = to telephone your working place, to ask for somebody’s help/service

A.Nobody should call in sick tomorrow. (=nobody should go on leave)
B.What happened to you? Shall I call in a doctor?

Don’t forget! : If a pronoun follows a phrasal verb, you should carefully split it up.( Normal: I brought up three children. Split up: I brought her up in Chennai.)

Relax!
(Wife: When will you take me out by car?

Hubby: After I take out a car loan.

Wife: if you take out a loan, how will you make up the family expenses?

Hubby: by reducing the expenses for your makeup.

Wife: How dare! I will bring it up to my father.

Hubby: who cares? You can bring it up to your father but don’t bring up my daughter like you.

Wife: you…….?! Where is gas stove? Do you want me blow up the entire house, it’s hell!

Hubby: why do you blow up?  Let me call in a psychiatrist or your father, to give up all this nonsense.

Wife: (chasing) you…….?!)

Who is the light of your life?

Today’s English
July 7th, 2017

Light is a symbol of wisdom whereas darkness is that of ignorance.  There are several English expressions with light to light your speech and writing. Let’s see few of them here.

1. Go out like a light = go to bed and sleep quickly

A. As soon as I fell on bed, I went out like a light.
B. If you have stress and unsolved problems, you cannot go out like a light. (=You cannot sleep quickly)

2. Come to light / bring something to light = be known to public

A. The exploitation of employees came to light only after their strike.
B. By sharing that video, he brought everything to light.

3. A heavy purse makes a light heart = Have money and feel secured.

A. People want a government job because they feel that a heavy purse makes a light heart.
B. Stop talking useless philosophy and understand that a heavy purse makes a light heart.

4. A guiding /leading light = a guiding and inspiring person
A. He’s my guiding light in all my academic works.
B. She’s the leading light and let’s follow what she says.

5. To be the light of your life = to be the person you love most
A. My son is the light of my life.
B. My professor, Dr. Joseph is the light of my life.

6. To throw/cast/set light on something = to explain  something/give information to understand something better

A. He threw a great deal of light on the existing issues in the project.
B. She cast a good deal of light on the causes of students’ drop out.

“Learn to light a candle in the darkest moments of someone’s life. Be the light that helps others see; it is what gives life its deepest significance.”
- Roy T. Bennett, “The Light in the Heart”

Do you have any matter to carry to your grave?

Today’s English
July 6th, 2017

Everyone has his own other side that is kept secret to many. If you talk about certain secret affairs, you should be very careful that somebody nearby may be listening to you and later they may tell it to others.  In such time, you should remember the English expression “walls have ears".

1. Don’t talk about this matter here. Be careful, walls have ears.
2. Walls have ears, let’s discuss this later in some other place.

There is one paradoxical English expression known as “open secret.”  If something is secret, it should not be open to all. And if it’s open, it cannot be a secret. However this expression is used to refer to a secret that is known to many people. 

1. It’s an open secret that our manager and Stella are going to get married next week.
2. It’s an open secret that every new announcement by government is a blessing in disguise to the ministers.

If you confide in somebody, it means that you trust them and share your secret affairs with them. You believe that they won’t tell that to others.
1. I confided in my friend about my secret affairs with Meena.
2. Don’t confide in him anything. He will leave you in trouble.

Have you ever decided to carry a secret to your grave?  Yes, you have to, if it cannot be told to anyone in your life.

1. I cannot open my heart to anyone about that matter. I have to carry it to my grave.
2. Sorry what you asking for is what I should carry to my grave.

"If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.
- George Orwell, “1984”

Are you standing now in the firing line?

Today’s English
July 5th, 2017

One third of our daily life, in somebody’s life a little more is spent in our workplace and the expressions we are  gonna deal with today are workplace idioms.

Have you seen some people who do their office work at home even on holidays? In English, we can say that they have “ busman's holidays.”

1. Today is Sunday. But, for me, it’s only a busman's holiday.
2. Shall we go to Fun mall tomorrow? No, tomorrow is only a busman's holiday.

In office, the subordinates will work a lot but they will not be known to the public. The credit will go only to the higher officials, heads and ministers who will be in contact with media and public.  If you feel that you are one of them, then you belong to the category of back-room boys. In this English expression, boys refer to abovesaid people, not any boys.

1. I’m one of the back-room boys. I can’t say anything about that to the press.
2. Behind each box office hit, there are thousands of back-room boys.

If you know how to do a particular work correctly, in English, it is said that you have learnt the ropes. Have you learnt the ropes?

1. He’s a new staff but, no doubt, he will learn the ropes quickly.
2. He often commits mistakes. I don’t know when he will learn the ropes.

There are some important positions where the designated people have a lot of responsibilities and are likely to be criticized and blamed frequently.  If you are so, mind that you are “in the firing line".

1. I know, I’m in the firing line. Let them criticize me whatever the way they want.
2. When she became a principal, she knew very well that she was in the firing line.


“I like to reinvent myself — it’s part of my job.”
- Karl Lagerfeld

Why do you repeat it again?

Today’s English
July 4th, 2017

When will you return back from Chennai?
Return itself means “come back", then why do you say “back" again?
Correct usage: when will you return from Chennai?  (OR)
When will you come back from Chennai?

This is what we say “redundancy” – unnecessary repetition of a word or phrase.  Redundancy is a funny error that has to be avoided in spoken English as well as in formal writing. Here are some examples to make you aware of this.

1. Redundancy : adequate enough (The water is adequate enough here)

Reason: adequate = enough, so don’t use both.

Solution: The water is enough here. (OR) The water is adequate here.

2. Redundancy: but yet (he had money but yet he had no mind to help her)

Reason: but = yet, so use only one.

Solution: He had money, but he had no mind to help her. (OR)  He had money, yet he had no mind to help her.

3. Redundancy: first discovered (America was first discovered by Columbus.)

Reason: if you find first before others, that’s discovery. You can discover something only once.

Solution: America was discovered by Columbus.

4. Redundancy: repeat again (Please, repeat that word again.)

Reason: to repeat itself means “say or do something again.” So don’t use “again” with repeat.

Solution: Please repeat that word.

5. Redundancy: manually by hand (The system was not working and I prepared the key list manually by hand)

Reason: manually means “by hand".  Don’t say manually along with by hand.

Solution: It was done manually (OR) it was done by hand.

6. Redundancy: software programmes (I am skilled at these software programmes)

Reason: software itself refers to programmes used to operate a computer. Why both software and programmes?

Solution: I’m skilled at dealing with these programmes.

7. Redundancy: answer key (Have you prepared the answer key for your paper?)

Reason: key means a set of answers to certain exercises and problems. So avoid “answer" that is already included in “key"

Solution: Have you prepared the key for your paper?

8. Redundancy: and so ( He was sick and so he didn’t come to office.)

Reason: two coordinating conjunctions cannot be used nearby. And  or so can be used but not both in this context.  “And so” is correct only in sentences like “Ganesh is fat and so is his wife.” (Here so is not a conjunction)

Solution: He was sick and he didn’t come to office. (OR) He was sick, so he didn’t come to office.

Have you got it? In Tamil, haven't you heard people often say “catch pidi”? That's all about it.

Just for fun! (Ignorance is bliss!)

Girl: The messages you sent me are adequate enough. Don’t repeat it again.

Boy: You may even change your number but yet I will follow you as your shadow.

Girl: Why?

Boy: because you are so beautiful and so I can’t help it.

Girl: but Vimal also follows me too.

Boy: but it’s me who first discovered you.

Girl: I’m going abroad. I will never return back to you. Good bye!

Boy: ……..?!

Do you eat, sleep and breathe your work?

Today’s English
July 3rd, 2017

If you are so energetic, devoted to and passionate about something, it can be said in English that you eat, sleep and breathe it.  Such people are very rare, aren’t they?

1. Cricket is everything to him and he eats, sleeps and breathes it. (=he is so enthusiastic and devoted to it)

2. Whatever the work is given to her, she eats, sleeps and breathes it. (= she does it enthusiastically and sincerely)

If you work like this with a lot of energy and enthusiasm, in English, it is said that you “fling yourself into it.”

1. I’m so happy to see all your team members fling themselves into the project.
2. It’s a Herculean task.  Unless we fling ourselves into it, we can never complete it. (= unless we work with a lot of energy and enthusiasm…..)

Can you always do your work like this enthusiastically, energetically and devotedly? Yes, why not? It’s possible as well as very easy, if you “put your heart and soul into it" This expression is also common in spoken English.

1. How is it possible that you always do your work sincerely and energetically? It’s simple. I just put my heart and soul into it.
2. Today we have first year counselling work. Let’s put our heart and soul into it to complete it successfully.

“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.”
- Thomas A. Edison

Have you earned a shoulder to cry on?

Today’s English
July 2nd, 2017

When life is a bed of roses for somebody, we ask for a treat.  When life is a bed of thorns, we feel sympathy for them.  We generally become speechless, when misfortunes knock at somebody’s door in the form of death, accident, incurable disease, financial loss, failures, punishment, dismissal, suspension and so on. How to sympathize with someone and the English expressions related to them are our little concern today.

1.Empathy or sympathy?

Empathy refers to “the ability to understand and share others' feelings"  but sympathy means “to feel sorry for the suffering of someone at their misfortune."

A.I feel sympathy for the victims in the fire accident.
B.I feel empathy for you (=I understand your situation) but I have no money.
C.We have no sympathy for her, it’s all her own fault.
D.They felt empathy with him and helped him complete the work.
E.I don’t want anybody’s sympathy. Leave me alone.
F.Her suspension/death/failure aroused great sympathy from all staff members.

2.Pay homage or express condolence?

You can pay homage to somebody to show your respect both at their achievements/visit and at their death. But Condolence is used only in the meaning of “sympathy at somebody’s death”

A.Let us express our deep condolences to our manager who passed away this morning.
B.She sent a message of condolence on WhatsApp at her death.
C.We paid homage to the minister at the time of his visit to our place.
D.Let’s pay homage to her for the rest of her soul.
E.He pays homage to no one. (=he shows respect to no one.)

3.Take pity on somebody/ feel pity for = to feel sympathy at somebody’s suffering or trouble but not at their death.

A.I took pity on him and lent him the money he needed.
B.I beg you to have pity on him.
C.It’s a pity that people have more time for whatsapp and Facebook but no time to talk to their loved one nearby.

4.Regret, repent or console?
Regret means you feel sorry for something you have done or you have not done that you should have done. But repent denotes feeling sorry for the grave wrongs  you have done, mostly in spiritual contexts.  On the other hand, console is used in the sense “to comfort somebody who is unhappy about something”

A.I regret what I said. / I regret how I behaved before you.
B.We regret the inconveniences caused to you by not supplying the goods on time.
C.I repented of my sins in my young age.
D.Nobody could console him when his wife died.
E.I’m sorry to hear that you failed in the exam. Better luck next time. (Consoling)

5.A shoulder to cry on = to have someone to console you and share your feelings

A.Please stay with me. I need a shoulder to cry on.
B.When I was tortured there, I had no shoulder to cry on.

“Such actions are beyond praise: it is the perfume of such sweet and noble human sympathy that makes this wild beasts' cage a world habitable for men.”
-Frank Harris, “Oscar Wilde”