Relax, Refresh your English knowledge 72
351. How is the word ‘conscientiously’ pronounced?
The first syllable sounds like the ‘con’ in ‘concert’ and ‘conscious’; the ‘sci’ is like the ‘shi’ in ‘ship’ and ‘shin’. The ‘e’ that follows is pronounced like the ‘e’ in ‘set’ and ‘bet’, and the ‘t’ like the ‘sh’ in ‘shoot’ and ‘sharp’. The ‘iou’ is like the ‘a’ in ‘china,’ and the final ‘y’ like the ‘i’ in ‘it’ and ‘bit’. The word is pronounced ‘conshi-EN-shes-li’ with the stress on the third syllable. Politicians have real problems pronouncing this word. Understandable I guess, because the word means ‘putting a lot of effort into your work’. We all know how much work a politician puts in once he’s been elected! *Vikram is very conscientious, and I’m certain he will finish his dissertation on time. *The Minister said that he had been carrying out his duty conscientiously. *** “Learning is not a spectator sport.” — Anonymous
352. Why is the place where the pilot sits called a `cockpit'?
The word `cockpit' was in use long before the airplane was invented. Cockfighting was a very popular sport in Europe. Men would dig a small pit, drop the two feathered contestants into it, and watch as the two birds tore into each other. The original meaning of `cockpit' was a small enclosure where birds fought. With the passage of time, however, the word took on a broader meaning: it began to refer to any place, usually small, where there was a lot of fighting. Belgium, for example, was referred to as `the cockpit of Europe'. When planes began to be used during the First World War, the place where the pilot sat began to be called a cockpit because all the action was taking place in the confined space.
353. What is the meaning and origin of the expression `hair of the dog that bit someone'?
Some people think that the best way to overcome a hangover is to have another drink. This remedy is based on the principle of `likes are cured by likes': in other words, the cause of a problem is just as likely to be the cure. The headache is getting worse. I think I need some of the hair of the dog that bit me. Here, drink this. It's the hair of the dog that bit you. In the old days, people believed that if you were bitten by a mad dog, the best antidote was to place the hair from the animal's tail on the wound!
354. How is the word `paedophile' pronounced?
There seem to be different ways of spelling and pronouncing the word. `Pedophile' seems to be the common American spelling. far as the pronunciation is concerned, the first syllable is like the `ped' in `pedal', and the following `o' like the `o' in `go', `so', and `no'. The final syllable sounds like the word `file'. The word is pronounced `PED-o-file' with the stress on the first syllable. It is also possible to pronounce the `ae' in the first syllable like the `ee' in `fees', `bees', and `sees'. The word is used to refer to an adult, usually male, who is sexually attracted to children. `Paedophile' comes from the Greek `paidos' meaning `child' and `philos' meaning `loving'.
355. Is it okay to say `House: To Let'?
Yes, it is. In our country, it is quite common to see such a sign in front of houses and apartment buildings. The Old English word `laetan' from which we get the word `let' had several different meanings. One of the meanings was `to rent'. Therefore, when you see a `to let' sign in front of a house, it means the house is available for rent. In the game of tennis, when a player is serving, we sometimes hear the umpire say, `let'. In this context, the word means `obstruction'. The ball touched the net before dropping into the proper service box.
A collection from the Open Page Supplement of The Hindu Newspaper
Courtesy: Sri Upendra, the writer of the above
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