Oh Language – a changing Scenario -3
Before getting into scenario-3, I am obliged to respond to questions
raised in connection with Oh –Language!-
a changing scenario -2
A series of questions has been raised by Dr.R. Rengarajan-one of our blog
readers. His questions are presented here and my responses appear in Italics.
1 Carrying tale and ‘drop a bit’ –explain
Carrying tale “is an old term which
means silently spreading negative opinion about someone to higher authority or
to elders. Drop a bit is a peculiar attempt
to convey the sense of Carrying tale [So invalid].
2 I gave a bit of my mind –is it correct?
It is quite a sane expression that
suggests that you gave the crux of your opinion [in minimum words] to someone.
It is a valid usage.
3 How to call a cook and a coach?
Your question itself is self-
explanatory, in that the two are referred to respectively as cook and coach.
Their occupation itself is used as their names as in the case of ‘cheat’.
[Definitely not Cooker /Coacher] A former US President [Richard Nixon] once
said “Why do we not call our cooks -
“Culinary experts” and Gardeners –“Landscape engineers” if it can eradicate any
stigma attached to these professions?”
4 Op- poil I think “half boiled” and omelette are
different
Precisely; that is what the write-up
tries to point out
5 Omelette or Omelet – which is
correct?
The first one is British and the
second is American. Both are in vogue, but certainly not ‘op-poiled’.
6 “Puncture will be done here” –is very common.
It may be common, but absolutely wrong,
because Puncture will be done means we will make a puncture.
Such questions springing up from blog readers, serve as tonic to share
more information and do greater justice through clarity and precision. Thank
you Doctor.
A changing scenario -3
In continuation with the theme relating to unauthorized expressions on
the strength of widespread usages, let us try to explore similar mistakes in
usage of even common terms. Most of what we take up now, are found in most
parts of Tamil Nadu.
Be ‘RELAX’ is a wrong expression
Except in situations like calmness/ happiness or patience, ‘Be’ is
followed by the past tense of the verb ;so, ‘be relaxed’ is the correct form as
in ‘be contended or as in ‘be satisfied’.
It is even more irritating when people mix the English word with
vernacular and write ‘relaxaa irunga [‘ரிலாக்ஸா இருங்க’] in place of ‘ரிலாக்ஸ்ட் ஆ இருங்க’ ரிலாக்ஸா இருங்க’ என்பது உளறலின் உச்சம்
KRISHNOIL
This is peculiar and exclusive to Chennai. Most people and vendors of
Chennai in earlier times used the term KRISHNOIL while in reality they referred
to Kerosene oil. I do not know if the term ‘Krishnoil’ is still being
used.
LOOSE
What is not ‘snug’ fit is often referred to as ‘loose’ meaning it is not
fully tightened. But, while referring to persons who make ‘disjoint’ statements,
they are loosely described ‘loose’. Actually, it is debatable as to who
deserves the description ‘loose’ as perceived by the users. Ironically even while writing people write
‘loose’ in place of ‘lose’ to suggest loss of something.
MENDAL
A completely unauthorized expression is “mendal” often mispronounced
‘mendalu’ to suggest that the person is mentally not stable or deranged. Mental
derailment is the right expression in the above situation.
OVER OIL
A technical act “overhaul” is mercilessly named [mauled?] over oil and
the act is named ‘over oiling’. It seems to fit the job in the sense that
mechanical frictions and rough
operations are smoothened by fluids like viscous oil and so ‘over oiling’
sounds to be in order, but what goes on is ‘overhauling’ meaning complete
restoration involving repair , replacement and proper fitting of components.
Sometimes administrations do need ‘overhauling’ to correct malfunctioning and
bottle necks.
OUT = Being away from a place or being in the open; thus, it refers to
where someone or something is at a given point of time. But to indicate
someone’s demise it is wrongly used to say so and so is ‘out’.
We have several such instances of wrong usage.
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