Know your english

WHAT IS the origin of ``red tape''?

(T. Malavika, Bangalore).

The complaint that most people have against all government organisations is that there are too many bureaucratic procedures to be followed. There are so many rules that nothing ever gets done quickly - everything happens in slow motion. This is what we mean by red tape; official rules which make it impossible for things to get done quickly. Here are a few examples:

* My leave application has been held up by red tape.

* Bharath had to put up with lots of red tape.

* Vijay says he knows how to cut through the red tape.

Why ``red'' and not some other colour? The idiom owes its origin to the practice began by government officials in England in the 17th Century. They were in the habit of tying official documents with a ribbon that was red in colour - some people argue that the ribbon was closer to pink than red! The expression ``red tape'' was introduced by Charles Dickens and made popular by Thomas Carlyle. By the 19th Century the idiom began to mean ``official sluggishness''. If you have a ``red tape mind'', you apply rules blindly.

How do you address a woman who is divorced?

(Pradeep Desai, Chennai).

There is no strict rule regarding this. Some women revert to using their maiden name, while others keep their former husband's name. Find out from them how they would like to be addressed. Should you call them ``Mrs.'' or ``Miss.''? Take the easy way out, call them ``Ms.''. The word is pronounced like the word ``Miss'' except that the final sound is like the ``z'' in ``zip'', ``zoo'', and ``zing''.

What is the difference ``battle'' and ``war''?

(M. Deepa, Chennai).

The word ``war'' is normally used to refer to the duration of fighting between two factions - it could be two countries, states, etc. A war may last a few days or a few years. We talk about the Hundred Years War, etc. Usually in a war we have very heavy casualities. A ``battle'' on the other hand, is usually fought between two armies or two groups. A battle doesn't usually last as long as a war. A war can consist of several battles. An army may lose several battles, but ultimately win the war. During World War II, Germany won many battles, but ended up losing the war.

What is the difference between ``its'' and ``it's''?

(P. Mahadevan, Mysore).

Many people have a problem with these two words. The word ``it's'', which is normally used in informal writing, is the abbreviated form of ``it is''. For example, we can say, ``It's a wonderful day'', ``It's a boy'' to mean ``It is a wonderful day'' and ``It is a boy''. ``It's'' is also used as a short form of ``It has''. Here are a few examples.

* It's been a lovely day. (It has been a lovely day).

* It's been hard work. (It has been hard work).

The word ``its'' is used to indicate possession - just like the word ``hers.'' Here are a few examples.

* The little baby fell off its chair.

* This house is old. Its roof is leaking.

* It's about time that the horse had its dinner and went to bed.

How do you pronounce the word xenophobia?

(M. P. Chinnaraj, Erode).

The ``x'' is pronounced like the ``z'' in ``zen'', ``zoo'' and ``zip''. The first syllable ``zen'' rhymes with the words ``ten'', ``men'' and ``hen''. The first ``o'' is like the ``a'' in ``China'', while the second is like the ``o'' in ``go'', ``so'', and ``no''. The final ``ia'' is like ``ea'' in ``dear'', ``near'', and ``fear''. The stress is on the third syllable ``pho''. The word means extreme fear or dislike of people from other countries. If you hate foreigners, then you could say that you are xenophobic. Here are a few examples.

* The present government is adding to the xenophobia already existing.

* Malathy is too xenophobic to go abroad.

* Bala's xenophobia prevented him from meeting some interesting people.

Newsreaders say ``main stories''. Is it OK to use ``stories'' when referring to news?

(Parimala James, Tirunelveli).

I understand that ``stories'' is a word used in newspapers to refer to news items. Since radio and television came long after newspapers, many of the terms used by journalists were adopted by radio and television professionals. The word ``stories'' is used by newsreaders all over the world.

In one of the episodes in ``Law and Order'' the detectives kept saying ``DOA''. What do the initials stand for?

(N. Prabhakaran, Trichy).

DOA is an abbreviation for ``dead on arrival.''

Is it O.K to use the word ``thrice'' to mean ``three times''?

(A. Anand, Secunderabad).

It is very common to hear people in our country use this word to mean ``three times''. For example, we often hear people say, ``I saw the movie thrice'' and ``I have read the book thrice.'' Native speakers of English seldom use this word; it is considered rather old fashioned. Native speakers would say ``once, twice, three times.'' Is it wrong to say ``thrice''? Not really. You will sound old fashioned that's all.

``Relations are simply a tedious pack of people who haven't got the remotest knowledge of how to live, nor the smallest instinct about when to die.'' - Oscar Wilde

S. UPENDRAN

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : Some visits that spell significance
Next     : Honesty in politics