Oh Language -25
In response to “Oh Language”-24, Dr. R Rangarajan has sought specific
clarification, even as he has expressed happiness over the value of such
postings in ‘keeping at bay the age-related brain disorders like Alzheimer, Parkinsonism,
Dementia and loss of memory in senior citizens like me [‘himself’]. Now kindly
clarify
1 Intend-Intent –Indent 2 Formal-Informal- Casual 3 Inspite of /
Irrespective of and 4 Refrain /Restrain
In the first cluster [Intend*-Intent* –Indent] Intend and Intent have
been explained [in the episode -24.] Only “Indent” needs being looked into. * refer episode -24 of Oh language.
‘Indent’ may indicate different features or functions.
Indent – refers to the ‘official request’ for certain supplies for the
working of an office like Stationery items [paper, pencil, eraser or similar
items]. With computers in offices, objects like printer ribbon/ printing ink
/pen drives etc., may be also items of supply from stores. An example “We have
placed our ‘indent’ for computer peripherals to the store keeper”
Indent
In computer-based writing it is customary to refer to the margins as
‘Indent’ and also a slight shift of the first word in a paragraph to a more
right position indicating a new paragraph.
2 Formal-Informal- Casual
The above cluster is a recent usage of ‘casual’ being considered along
with Formal, Informal –the two mutually opposed states. The use of ‘casual’ in
this series is a neo-tradition from apparel industry who classify dress
material for the situations –Formal [serious/Official and to abide by
stipulations of dress code, foot wear etc.,]
Informal is a slightly more relaxed state with no rigid stipulations of
dress or protocols in conversation or addressing.
Casual refers to a state of freedom in the dress worn, colours /
paled out or torn fabric [at times deliberately
torn as a fashion to claim being ‘casual’].
Casual is not an official state while ‘Formal and ‘Informal’ have
associations with protocol. I intend stating that ‘casual’ is a casual
insertion since it has nothing to do with officialdom.
3 In spite of /Irrespective of
The two are completely unrelated and I do not recognize the spirit behind
their clubbing.
“In spite of” is invariably a reference to some failure as in ‘In spite
of rigorous practice he failed to succeed in the selection for the playing
team”. ‘In spite of repeated cautioning he failed to take care of his health
and was hospitalized during the examinations”.
Irrespective of
It is a ‘condition’ being expressed or implied. Irrespective of your long
stint of teaching, the University stipulates publication of research articles
in refereed journals of international standing. [It simply means –‘your
experience means very little , unless it is supported by publication from
quality research].
4 Refrain /Restrain
Both terms represent a state of regulating doing something. But ‘Refrain’
indicates one’s personal control as in ‘Refrain from drugs to keep good
health’. Restrain means a regulation imposed by rule of law Government has
stipulated rules ‘Restraining smoking in public places including in train
coaches’. ‘Refrain’ is a mental control and ‘Restrain is controlling by rule of
law.
Thank you Doctor, for evincing interest. K R
In the present episode, we try to bring out details on ‘Post-mortem’- a common
term for which a commitment to explain it was given in the previous write-up.
‘Post-mortem’ is a Latin phrase that literally means ‘after death’. Since
a review over the cause of death can happen only after death, the term
‘Post-mortem’ came into vogue. The term is ‘self-explanatory in that “post”
means after and ‘mortem’–death. The usage is said to have entered English
sometime during 19th century as an expression to ‘review’ a piece of
study or research, like reviewing a project report. That also is a ‘post’ act as the review can
begin only after a study or report is completed.
However, far beyond the territory of ‘reasoning’, terms get to imply
connotations that have come to enjoy wide acceptance [A case in point is that of ‘Encounter’ which has nothing
whatsoever to do with killing , for. encounter
means to ‘come face to face’. ‘Yesterday I encountered our senior
Professor in the library’. Does it mean that I killed the Professor?] So,
without considering the true intent of an expression, we go by popular notions
and notions are just notions and may not give the correct meaning. Another
common error in usage is to name the trouble monger as a trouble shooter. A
trouble shooter is one who shoots down or destroys trouble. But many wrongly
name a trouble maker a trouble shooter – a thorough misnomer.
Getting back to our basic topic ‘Post-mortem’, the term can simply mean
an examination of facts after an event. It could be any exercise like reviewing
a drama or movie or searching the reasons for failure in an examination and so
on. Strictly speaking ‘post-mortem’ is a vague expression and need not necessarily
mean the examination of the dead for ascertaining the cause of death. A term
with greater precision for determining the cause of death of someone is
‘Autopsy’ [unlike Biopsy done on live individual to establish the pathological
state of specific tissue]. Autopsy is
performed on the dead and Biopsy on live persons. Another expression [=autopsy]
is ‘INQUEST’.
Inquest is the official process of investigating the cause of death =
autopsy which has come to be crudely called ‘post-mortem’.
Well, ‘Quest’ another word means long search to establish some truth.
Thus ‘Quest’ and ‘Inquest’ are etymologically related. Both relate to
‘seek’, search or ‘inquire’. In the present context, Quest and inquest are
pursuits of truth behind death. So,
language per se is a well-organized
system, with appropriate relevance for terms. Without according the right value
to the terms, we tend to use them unmindful of the possible repulsion by native
speakers. Hope my attempt is
intelligible [at least seemingly so].
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