Oh Language -25

 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 19^th 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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