Nowadays my wife June is busy with her MGS (Methodist Girls School) Alumni. Alumni are the former students or graduates of a school, college or university. Hence MGS Alumni comprise of the former students of that school.
It is quite interesting to note that where before, alumnus (singular) and alumni (plural) referred to male graduates of academic institutions, alumni has now evolved to mean former men and women graduates of coeducational institutions. Most dictionaries define alumnus as a male graduate or former student. A new term alumna has now been coined to refer specifically to a female graduate or former student of the school, college or university (alumnae plural). Hence David is an alumnus of UNSW and Sarah an alumna of UTS.
Usage has changed over the years, and the words now also refer to former employees of organisations, and former inmates of prisons. It is quite interesting to note that many terms are now being rephrased into sex-neutral language, for example stewardesses are called Flight Attendants, Freshman to First Year Student, and Coed to the gender-free Student. Graduate is preferred in a non-sexist world. (Dictionary Of Confusing Words by William C Paxson, Penguin Books USA Inc., 1990).
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Biannual, Biennial, Bimonthly and Biweekly
I used to get a bit confused when the words biannual and biennial were mentioned. Biannual means twice a year and bienniel means every two years. Thus we go back to our home town biannually, for Chinese New Year and for Christmas. We take a vacation abroad biennially, that is once every two years.
Biennial can also mean lasting for two years. Thus a bienniel plant is a flowering plant that takes two years to complete its lifecycle. It bears leaves, stems and roots in the first year, and then flowers, produces fruits and seeds and dies in the second year.
Now there are confusion where bimonthly (or bi-monthly) is concerned. Bimonthly means occurring every two months, but is often taken to mean twice a month! A similar error is encountered with biweekly (or bi-weekly). I guess to be clear, we should say "twice a month" or "every two months".
Biennial can also mean lasting for two years. Thus a bienniel plant is a flowering plant that takes two years to complete its lifecycle. It bears leaves, stems and roots in the first year, and then flowers, produces fruits and seeds and dies in the second year.
Now there are confusion where bimonthly (or bi-monthly) is concerned. Bimonthly means occurring every two months, but is often taken to mean twice a month! A similar error is encountered with biweekly (or bi-weekly). I guess to be clear, we should say "twice a month" or "every two months".
Monday, March 14, 2011
Split or Spit Image
Today our first grandchild is home (she's two month's old). Welcome home, Kaitlyn!!
At breakfast I mentioned that in her latest movie, Meryl Streep looks very much like Margaret Thatcher..the split image of the then British Prime Minister. June (my wife) said the phrase should be "spit image". Wow, I was caught there for a second and insisted that split image was the correct term.
A search in contemporary English dictionaries reveal that "spitting image" was the more likely, and correct idiom for "someone who looks exactly like another person" [Macmillan English Dictionary]. "Split image" was not mentioned at all in all the dictionaries available in my library.
However, for fear that I might be splitting hairs or spitting in disgust over which is the correct phrase, those interested in a discussion on the origin of the above phrases, the following websites should be enlightening:
http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/8509/spitting-image-or-splitting-image
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/spitting-image.html
There is even an amusing webpage http://www.splitting-images.com/celebrity_list.html on clones of your favourite personalitites.
At breakfast I mentioned that in her latest movie, Meryl Streep looks very much like Margaret Thatcher..the split image of the then British Prime Minister. June (my wife) said the phrase should be "spit image". Wow, I was caught there for a second and insisted that split image was the correct term.
A search in contemporary English dictionaries reveal that "spitting image" was the more likely, and correct idiom for "someone who looks exactly like another person" [Macmillan English Dictionary]. "Split image" was not mentioned at all in all the dictionaries available in my library.
However, for fear that I might be splitting hairs or spitting in disgust over which is the correct phrase, those interested in a discussion on the origin of the above phrases, the following websites should be enlightening:
http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/8509/spitting-image-or-splitting-image
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/spitting-image.html
There is even an amusing webpage http://www.splitting-images.com/celebrity_list.html on clones of your favourite personalitites.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Soulmate
Recently, a well known artiste got married and the newspaper headline screamed "...... Found His Soulmate At Last". It got me thinking about the misleading usage of the word.
My Macmillan English Dictionary defines soulmate as someone who you have a special relationship with because you share the same feelings, attitudes, and beliefs. For example a political or philosophical soulmate.
A soulmate can be of the same gender or opposite. Having said that, your spouse may or may not be a soulmate (can be a nightmare sometimes). Although, ideally, a spouse should be your soulmate.
My Macmillan English Dictionary defines soulmate as someone who you have a special relationship with because you share the same feelings, attitudes, and beliefs. For example a political or philosophical soulmate.
A soulmate can be of the same gender or opposite. Having said that, your spouse may or may not be a soulmate (can be a nightmare sometimes). Although, ideally, a spouse should be your soulmate.
Believers, Fanatics, and Bigots
Nowadays, these three words are quite often (there are more, actually) inferred to some followers of the major religions of the world. I will limit this mini-discussion to the usage of these words in this aspect although one can be a believer of health food or fashion, another a football fanatic, and yet another a racial bigot.
Generally, these words are an indication of the depth (rightly or wrongly) of the follower's conviction in his particular faith. A believer then is a person who has a religious belief (or who has the confidence in something good). He could be a Christian, a Muslim or a Hindu, for example.
Let's have a look at the Christian believer. He could be a passive follower, meaning that he professes the faith in name only and rarely engages in the rituals of the faith. About the only time that he exhibits his particular faith are during the festive occasions, when he gets married, or when he gets buried. An active follower, on the other hand, attends church on Sundays, participates in the various activities of the church such as welfare for poor and needy, visitations of the sick and elderly, prayer meetings, helping out with the Library, or sings in the choir. Passive or active devotees do not make them fanatics or bigots.
A fanatic is a believer filled with excessive and often misguided enthusiasm for his particular faith. For example, fanatic Christians wear thorny crowns and carry heavy wooden crosses during Easter in the Philippines. A fanatic talks incessantly about his faith and indulges in wild and extravagant notions of the religion. A zealot is a fanatic who has extremely strong beliefs, and is too eager to make other people share them. Being a fanatic, enthusiast, or zealot do not make one a bigot. They are still friendly people, if you know them.
Who then is a bigot? Webster's New World Dictionary defines bigot as a person who holds blindly and intolerantly to a particular creed or belief. He thinks that anyone who does not hold the same beliefs is wrong. In particular, a bigot is one who exhibits intolerance and animosity towards one of another creed or belief (Wikipedia).
However, take note that he may not be a true believer, devotee or fanatical about his belief. He just takes an active part in showing his displeasure claiming to be a loyal, ardent and firm believer of his superior creed or belief.
Generally, these words are an indication of the depth (rightly or wrongly) of the follower's conviction in his particular faith. A believer then is a person who has a religious belief (or who has the confidence in something good). He could be a Christian, a Muslim or a Hindu, for example.
Let's have a look at the Christian believer. He could be a passive follower, meaning that he professes the faith in name only and rarely engages in the rituals of the faith. About the only time that he exhibits his particular faith are during the festive occasions, when he gets married, or when he gets buried. An active follower, on the other hand, attends church on Sundays, participates in the various activities of the church such as welfare for poor and needy, visitations of the sick and elderly, prayer meetings, helping out with the Library, or sings in the choir. Passive or active devotees do not make them fanatics or bigots.
A fanatic is a believer filled with excessive and often misguided enthusiasm for his particular faith. For example, fanatic Christians wear thorny crowns and carry heavy wooden crosses during Easter in the Philippines. A fanatic talks incessantly about his faith and indulges in wild and extravagant notions of the religion. A zealot is a fanatic who has extremely strong beliefs, and is too eager to make other people share them. Being a fanatic, enthusiast, or zealot do not make one a bigot. They are still friendly people, if you know them.
Who then is a bigot? Webster's New World Dictionary defines bigot as a person who holds blindly and intolerantly to a particular creed or belief. He thinks that anyone who does not hold the same beliefs is wrong. In particular, a bigot is one who exhibits intolerance and animosity towards one of another creed or belief (Wikipedia).
However, take note that he may not be a true believer, devotee or fanatical about his belief. He just takes an active part in showing his displeasure claiming to be a loyal, ardent and firm believer of his superior creed or belief.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Cantab or Cant
It's 2011 and let me start off the year by shedding a bit of light on pretentious abbreviations after people's names, in particular, the abbreviation 'Cantab'. The University of Cambridge is the second oldest university in England and one of the most prestigious university in existence. Hence, for the toffee-nosed graduates of this university a business card or letterhead may have the following after their names. E.g. Mark Chew BA (Hons)(Leeds), MA (Cantab).
That's fine. However, being a graduate of the University of Canterbury from New Zealand, I find it rather amusing when fellow alumni use the Cantab after their qualifications. This may be out of ignorance. It Should be Cant. (NB: This in no way suggests that the University of Canterbury is inferior).
Degrees from The University of Kent (formerly the University of Kent at Canterbury) are followed by the abbreviation 'Cantuar', e.g. B.Sc (Cantuar). The abbreviation for Oxford degrees is 'Oxon', e.g. MA (Oxon).
That's fine. However, being a graduate of the University of Canterbury from New Zealand, I find it rather amusing when fellow alumni use the Cantab after their qualifications. This may be out of ignorance. It Should be Cant. (NB: This in no way suggests that the University of Canterbury is inferior).
Degrees from The University of Kent (formerly the University of Kent at Canterbury) are followed by the abbreviation 'Cantuar', e.g. B.Sc (Cantuar). The abbreviation for Oxford degrees is 'Oxon', e.g. MA (Oxon).
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Graduand and Graduate
Sarah received her Bachelor's Degree on 27th September last week. So what is the difference between graduand and graduate?
A graduand is simply a student who has passed all the examinations required for a particular degree (or diploma) and has qualified to graduate. The student becomes a graduate when he or she receives the degree or scroll during the graduation ceremony (or convocation, if you like).
Hence, it is incorrect to address graduands as graduates before they receive their degrees.
Quite subtle, I must say.
A graduand is simply a student who has passed all the examinations required for a particular degree (or diploma) and has qualified to graduate. The student becomes a graduate when he or she receives the degree or scroll during the graduation ceremony (or convocation, if you like).
Hence, it is incorrect to address graduands as graduates before they receive their degrees.
Quite subtle, I must say.
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