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| Photo: www.outlookindia.com |
A life-sized statue or image is one which is of the same size as the subject is in real life. The bronze statues in Noida, hence, are not life-sized but larger-than-life.
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Life-sized vs larger-than-life
According to a news report on ibnlive.com, the recently-inaugurated Dalit Prerna Sthal in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, has 12 life-size statues of Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram and the UP Chief Minister herself. However, it has been reported elsewhere that these bronze figures are about 12 feet tall, which is more than twice the height of Chief Minister Mayawati. (see photo below)
A life-sized statue or image is one which is of the same size as the subject is in real life. The bronze statues in Noida, hence, are not life-sized but larger-than-life.
A life-sized statue or image is one which is of the same size as the subject is in real life. The bronze statues in Noida, hence, are not life-sized but larger-than-life.
Friday, 7 October 2011
A cool blog, a unique temple and some fascinating words
A few days ago I came across the website Know Your English, a compilation of a weekly column by the same name in the newspaper The Hindu. Each week the column explains the correct use, meaning or pronunciation of a different word or expression, or the subtle difference between two similar words.
Monday, 22 August 2011
Fast
Anna Hazare has been on a protest fast for almost a week and public support for him and for the Jan Lok Pal has been growing by the day, throughout India. I don't know what his confrontation with the government will lead to but it has certainly made the tv-news more interesting.
But what does all this have to do with the English language?
Well, the other day I began thinking about the word fast and I was wondering how it came to acquire this meaning. So I decided to investigate.
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the original meaning of the verb to fast was "to hold firmly" which evolved into "firm control of oneself" and then to "holding to observance".
The verb to fasten now makes sense: "to close something such as a piece of clothing or a bag using the buttons, zip, clip etc. on it", as Macmillan Dictionary says.
And so does the meaning of the adjective fast: "firmly fixed, steadfast, secure, enclosed", from which we get fast friends, meaning "firm friends".
As an adverb it means "quickly, swiftly", which evolved from its original meaning: "firmly, strongly, vigorously", hence the phrase fast asleep.
But what does all this have to do with the English language?
Well, the other day I began thinking about the word fast and I was wondering how it came to acquire this meaning. So I decided to investigate.
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the original meaning of the verb to fast was "to hold firmly" which evolved into "firm control of oneself" and then to "holding to observance".
The verb to fasten now makes sense: "to close something such as a piece of clothing or a bag using the buttons, zip, clip etc. on it", as Macmillan Dictionary says.
And so does the meaning of the adjective fast: "firmly fixed, steadfast, secure, enclosed", from which we get fast friends, meaning "firm friends".
As an adverb it means "quickly, swiftly", which evolved from its original meaning: "firmly, strongly, vigorously", hence the phrase fast asleep.
Sunday, 7 August 2011
External links
Here are links to some interesting articles that I came across recently:-
1. Not all adverbs end in -ly.
2. The subjunctive in English; you could forget about the article but do read the comments.
3. A very clear spelling mistake.
1. Not all adverbs end in -ly.
2. The subjunctive in English; you could forget about the article but do read the comments.
3. A very clear spelling mistake.
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Mondegreen
Sticking to the world of music, today's word is mondegreen. You may have never heard or read this word before but it refers to something that you are certainly familiar with.
A mondegreen is simply a word or group of words that a person mishears in a song. (You can listen to the pronunciation of the word here).
A famous example of a mondegreen is the title of the well-known series of travel guides, Lonely Planet. The founders of this series, Tony and Maureen Wheeler, gave their guidebooks this name after they heard the words lonely planet in a song. It was only later that they realised that the real lyrics were lovely planet.
Take a look at this hilarious Youtube video of Nelly Furtado's I'm like a bird:
And this video of Livin' la vida loca by Ricky Martin.
A mondegreen is simply a word or group of words that a person mishears in a song. (You can listen to the pronunciation of the word here).
A famous example of a mondegreen is the title of the well-known series of travel guides, Lonely Planet. The founders of this series, Tony and Maureen Wheeler, gave their guidebooks this name after they heard the words lonely planet in a song. It was only later that they realised that the real lyrics were lovely planet.
Take a look at this hilarious Youtube video of Nelly Furtado's I'm like a bird:
And this video of Livin' la vida loca by Ricky Martin.
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