Know your English

WHAT IS the origin of the expression ``lion's share''?

(V. H. Ninoy, Cochin)

This is an expression which owes its origin to a story from Aesop's Fairy Tales. In the story, a lion and three of his friends - a fox, an ass, and a wolf - go hunting. After they make a kill the lion says that he is going to keep three fourths of the meat for himself. The reasons he provides for keeping the ``lion's share'' are the following: one fourth as his just share, one fourth for his lioness and cubs, and the other one fourth for his courage. The lion then goes on to inform his friends that he is prepared to part with the remaining one fourth provided one of them challenges him to a fight and defeats him. The three friends refuse to take him on and as a result leave the entire kill to the king of beasts. ``Lion's share'' as you can guess from the story means the larger share of something. Here are a few examples.

* Promod claimed the lion's share of the credit for winning the match.

* As usual, Vishnu took the lion's share of the pizza.

* They were supposed to divide the money equally between themselves, but Narender took the lion's share.

How is the word ``dilettante'' pronounced? (D. Devayani, Hyderabad)

* The `i' in the first syllable and the final ``e'' are pronounced like the `i' in `pit', `sit', and `hit'. The vowel ``e'' in the second syllable is like the ``a'' in ``china''. Some people pronounce the ``a'' like the `a' in `act', `pact', and `hat'. Others pronounce it like the ``a'' in ``bath'' and ``path'' (British English). The main stress is on the third syllable. Any idea what the word means? Well, a `dilettante' is someone who tries to cultivate an area of interest without really making the necessary commitment. The person may do a course in painting for example, without taking the subject seriously. He merely dabbles in the subject. Here are a few examples.

* I wouldn't take him too seriously. He is a musical dilettante.

* He often refers to his writings as the musings of a dilettante.

* The critics, as expected, did not take the young dilettante poet seriously.

What is the difference between ``corrigenda'' and ``errata''? (Chhoto Gawai, Nagpur)

Both ``corrigenda'' and ``errata'' refer to the errors - usually in spelling - that occur in writing or printing. The words are mainly used to refer to the list of errors in a book along with their corrections. Of the two words ``errata'' is the more common. The errata or corrigenda are usually appended to the book - one usually finds this page at the back. The singular of `corrigenda' is `corrigendum'; while that of ``errata'' is ``erratum''. A note about the pronunciation of ``corrigenda''. The `o' in the first syllable is like the `o' in `cot', `pot', and `hot', while the `i' in the second is like the `i' in `pit', `sit', and `bit'. The `gen' in the next syllable sounds like the `gen' in `gentle' and `gentleman'. The `a' in the final syllable is like the `a' in `china'. The main stress is on the third syllable.

In the case of ``errata'', the first ``a'' is pronounced like the ``a'' in ``cat'', ``bat'', and ``hat'', while the second sounds like the ``a'' in ``china''. The stress is on the second syllable.

One of my teachers keeps telling us to ``chill out''. What exactly does he mean by that? (Vinta Manohar, Adoor)

Well, if your teacher is asking you to ``chill out'' it says a lot about your class. Are you a noisy bunch? Do you and your friends talk non-stop in class? Do you allow your teacher say his piece? If the teacher has to use the expression ``chill out'' very often in class, then chances are you are not allowing him to talk in class! By asking you to ``chill out'', the teacher is asking you to calm down, to relax - in other words he is pleading with you to stop talking! The plight of most teachers these days! Here are a few examples.

* Most people like to chill out during weekends.

* The argument was turning nasty. So I told the guys to chill out.

* You have had a pressure packed week. Take a couple of days off and chill out.

It is also possible to say ``chill''. ``Chill out'' and ``chill'' both mean the same thing. Chillin' is another word, which is used very often in American English. Any idea what it means? It means ``great or excellent''. Here are a few examples.

* I made some chillin' friends during the holidays.

* Asmita said that she had a chillin' time yesterday.

* The movie was chillin'.

* By the way, all three expressions are used in informal contexts.

What is the correct spelling of ``whiskey''? Is it ``whiskey'' or ``whisky''? (P. Ramanujam, Hyderabad)

It depends on which part of the world you are from. I understand the Americans spell it ``whiskey'' while the British spell it ``whisky''. The English have been influenced by the way the Scots spell the word. The Americans, on the other hand, have been influenced by the way the Irish spell the brew. As you know when America was discovered, a lot of people from Ireland went to settle down there.

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``I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I hate plants.''

- A. Whitney Brown

S. UPENDRAN

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