ENGLISH -32
Dear Friends,
The episode ‘English-32’, is an
extension of the episode ‘English-31’. Here in, I have furnished clarification
to all the questions or discrepancies presented last time. More participation
from readers has been both conspicuous and encouraging. Learning languages is
among the easiest of tasks, provided the learner chooses to perceive
differences between one’s native tongue and that in the language we choose to
learn. However, Indian languages differ from those of the West in that, a
culture of ‘silent letters’ is unknown in Indian languages. So, all words in
native tongue can be read by pronouncing all letters in their order of
occurrence except in some conjugate alignment in some languages. Otherwise, a
mere reading of letters suffices in
pronouncing words; phonetic alteration of words by vowels and the hiding of
sounds of a few letters make English learning a bit baffling to the beginner.
Our problems are compounded further by ill-trained teachers who themselves
require being apprised of to keep off ‘misguiding’ the learners. In the final
reckoning, if we settle for the habit of making use of appropriate dictionaries,
possibly, we are on a safer path in picking up right pronunciation –a tool for
captivating the audience in general and learners in particular. Another domain
of importance in language is the ‘structuring’ of statements in English as
against the patterns in our own language[s].. Structuring of sentences has to
be accorded high priority for mustering and mastering the skills of marshalling
our ideas to the delight of listeners/ readers. Keep these in mind and make
right efforts to succeed as a good communicator.
Good luck
Read on to identify the items of
discrepancies presented in the previous blog post of 18th Feb
Amended versions appear in colour.
SOME GLARING DISCREPANCIES IN WORD
PLAY
1 Although it was a very cold noon,
but, we played cricket
1Although and But mean the same by
effect and one of the two can be dispensed with. Although it was a very cold
noon, we played cricket
2 Despite of best efforts, the
letter did not reach on time.
2 Despite of is wrong
Despite is enough
3 One of my friend is an engineer;
he lives at Bangalore
3 One of can be
understood as one among, So, one of my friends is the correct form -----, he lives in Bangalore. [‘at’ is used to specify a small territory .[He lives at Peenya in Bengaluru.]
4 None one does not know the
whereabouts of the borrower
4 None one is wrong.
Either none or no one is correct NONE OR NO ONE can be followed by ‘does not’.
So, none knows or no one knows is correct as, two negatives cannot be used
5 He is ready to not accommodate
the lady here but don’t want to pay the rent.
5 He is not ready to
accommodate and does not want to pay the rent ---- is more precise. [‘does not’
for singular noun –He]
6 They doesn’t know to speak in
English-
6 They do not know to speak English [“in”
is redundant]
7 We die for you; please wait to
get died
7 We dye [your hair = apply
pigment] please wait to get dyed.
8 The lift is for 4 people; for
hire number it is unbearable.
8 unbearable is a
remark. So, the lift can carry only 4 people at a time. , [avoid overcrowding]
9 We take care of your childrens up
to 6.00 pm daily. Sunday holiday.
9 Children is the
correct plural [not childrens] . We take care of your children up to 6.00 pm on
week days; Sunday is a holiday
10 We sell dog biscuits. You can
eat dog biscuits here
10. We sell dog
biscuits. You can feed your dog here
The following statements use wrong
[irrelevant] words
11 Can you provide an illusion for
your idea/?
11 Can you provide an
‘illustration’ for your idea?
12 It is a good case of allergy
12 It is a good case of
allegory
CONFUSING FORMS
13 A woman without her man is a
savage [What sense does it make?] It can make more than
one sense
14 A woman without her man is a
savage [punctuate]
A woman- without her,
man is a savage [man is a savage without a woman]
A woman without her
man, is a savage [woman is a savage without a man]
Placing comma[s] [,] in
the correct spot can do wonders.
15 Yesterday only I beat him
[punctuate]
15 Yesterday, only I
beat him. [no one joined me]
Yesterday only, I beat
him [it was just yesterday]
Yesterday only, I, beat
him [I DID IT NEVER BEFORE]
16 I look forward to meet you.
16 I look
forward to ‘MEETING’ you.
17 You can be able to solve it [LACKS
CLARITY]
17 You can
solve it [or] You will be able to solve it.
[CAN and “BE ABLE TO”
mean the same]
18 You speak English good
18 You speak English
well
English cannot be ‘good
or bad’. Users differ in their attitude to language. Some are appealing while
some are appalling. So, ‘you speak good English’ fails to convey the intent.
All the statements presented IN THE
PREVIOUS WEEK were defective in a way –
The rewritten forms convey the idea
better in a correct form. There can be other correct ways of writing them as well.
Thank you Prof. K. Raman
Thank you
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