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What does "looking good" mean?
"HI! HOW are things?"
"Pretty good. You look happy today. What's the reason?"
"Believe it or not. Sujatha actually complimented me. She said I was handsome!"
"She needs to see an eye doctor! Did she actually use the word handsome?"
"No! When she saw me at the bookstore, she said that I was looking good. It's the same as calling me handsome, right?"
"Wrong! She said you were 'looking good'. She didn't say you were 'good looking'. There's a difference between the two, you know."
"Really? What is the difference?"
"Well, when you say that a guy is 'good looking', what you mean is that he is handsome."
"So a 'good looking woman' is a beautiful woman?"
"Exactly! When you say that someone is good looking, it is a statement of fact. There is no doubt about it in your mind."
"Aishwarya is good looking."
"My boss' son is very good looking."
"O.K, but what does 'looking good' mean?"
"Well, if I say, 'You are looking good today' what it implies is that you are looking much better than you normally do. It is a comparison. The fact that you are looking better than usual today is probably temporary. Maybe it's got something to do with the shirt or trousers that you are wearing."
"In other words, any person can look good on a certain day, but not all of us are good looking. Is that what you are saying?"
"Exactly! For example, I can say, you are looking good for someone your age! Here.."
"..talking about someone who looks good for his age, how is your friend Ramesh doing? Did you attend the presentation he gave a couple of days ago?"
"Yes, I attended his dog and pony show."
"Dog and pony show! What are you talking about?"
"A speech, presentation, or demonstration that an individual gives repeatedly is often referred to as a dog and pony show. It is usually a presentation that has no substance."
"So it is used to show disapproval?"
"That's right. A sales presentation intended to impress people can be called a dog and pony show."
"I see. So a presentation that a professor makes over and over again can be called a dog and pony show?"
"Yes! Here's an example, Geetha was there with her dog and pony show about computer maintenance."
"I've seen Dilip's dog and pony show so many times that I remember most of the words."
"That's a good example."
"Thank you. Anyway, did Ramesh's audience like his dog and pony show?"
"Yes, they loved it. He got his mojo going and the..."
"his what?"
"M.o.j.o. The vowel in the first and second syllable is pronounced like the 'o' in 'go' and 'so'. The main stress is on the first syllable. Any idea what the word means?"
"Haven't the faintest clue."
"It means charm or magic. It is a word mostly used in American English. Sandeep has to get his mojo working if he wants to win the tournament."
"Sunil got his mojo going and boy did things liven up at the party."
"We won't win unless our strike bowler gets his mojo back. Anyway, as I was saying, the audience just lapped up Ramesh's dog and pony show."
"That must have made Ramesh happy."
"Oh, yes. He was in orbit."
"In orbit? Does it mean to be extremely happy?"
"That's one of the meanings. When you say that someone is in orbit what you mean is that he is ecstatic."
"How about this example? When Meera was told she had got the promotion, she was in orbit."
"Pretty good. Here's another one. The workers were in orbit when they heard that the company had bagged the order."
"Divya was in orbit over the raise she got."
"And you were in orbit because you thought Sujatha had called you handsome."
"Well, you made sure that I didn't stay there too long. You brought me down to earth pretty quickly."
"That's what friends are for!"
***** ***** *****
"The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country." — George W. Bush
S. Upendran
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