Relax, Refresh your English knowledge 39
191. What is the difference between ‘erstwhile' and ‘former'?
First, let's deal with the pronunciation of ‘erstwhile'. The first syllable ‘erst', which has the main stress, rhymes with ‘thirst', ‘burst', and ‘first', while the second rhymes with the words ‘mile', ‘file', and ‘pile'. In terms of meaning, there is no difference between the two words. Both can be used to mean ‘previous'. Erstwhile is the formal of the two; some people consider it to be old fashioned.
*I met our erstwhile Registrar at a party last week.
192. What is the meaning and origin of ‘read the riot act'?
When you read someone the riot act, you are warning the person that if he continues to misbehave, he will be in serious trouble. Nowadays, the expression is mainly used to mean ‘to give someone a severe scolding'.
*If I don't get a haircut by tomorrow, my mother will read me the riot act.
*When the boss saw the sales figures, he read Shivi the riot act.
The Riot Act, originally called, ‘An act of preventing tumults and riotous assemblies, and for the more speedy and effectual punishing of the rioters', was a law that was passed in Britain in 1715 in order to control the angry mobs that were against the new King — George I. This Act made it illegal for 12 or more people to assemble in public places. Whenever a group gathered, it was the job of the local Magistrate or the policeman to stand in front of the crowd and read aloud the Act. The people were given an hour's time to disperse. If they did not, they were arrested and put in prison; sometimes, for several years!
193. What is the difference between a magazine that is published ‘bimonthly' and ‘fortnightly'?
The meaning of ‘fortnight' is pretty straightforward; it means two weeks. Magazines that are published every two weeks can be called ‘fortnightlies'. ‘Fortnight' has nothing to do with ‘forts'; the word is the shortened form of ‘fourteen nights' — two weeks. The word ‘bimonthly' is rather ambiguous. It can be used to refer to a magazine that is published once in two months. It can, at the same time, be used to refer to a magazine that is published every two weeks — in other words, a magazine that is published every fortnight. So, if you want to make things clear, it's better to say, ‘twice a month' or ‘once in two months'. ‘Biweekly' and ‘biyearly' are also ambiguous terms.
194. How is the word ‘acumen' pronounced?
The British and the Americans seem to pronounce this word rather differently. The former pronounce the ‘a' like the ‘a' in ‘apple', and the following ‘c' like the ‘c' in ‘cute'. The ‘u' is like the ‘u' in ‘put', and the final ‘e' is like the ‘a' in ‘china'. They pronounce the word ‘A-kyu-men' with the stress on the first syllable. The Americans, on the other hand, pronounce the ‘a' and the ‘e' like the ‘a' in ‘china', and the second syllable like the word ‘cue'. They pronounce the word ‘e-CUE-men' with the stress on the second syllable. This rather formal word comes from the Latin ‘acuere' meaaning ‘sharpen'. Someone who has a good acumen is extremely sharp; he is very knowledgeable, and is capable of taking very quick decisions regarding certain things.
*My cousin tells me that I have no business acumen.
195. Some people are in the habit of stealing pens. Is there a word for it?
Ever since the Czech President Vaclav Klaus was shown pocketing a ceremonial pen during his visit to Chile in April, the word ‘cleptopenia' has been doing the rounds. The Urban Dictionary defines it ‘as the unconscious theft of pens'. It is also possible to say ‘cleptopenamania'.
A collection from the Open Page Supplement of The Hindu Newspaper
Courtesy: Sri Upendra, the writer of the above
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