Whence-What the Nazi Grammarians Say

Grammar Nazi Flag

This article from Daven Haskey written in June, 2010 expalins the folly that derives from the wrong usage of such an interesting word such as whence.

I append his article in verbatim so that its clarity remains undiminished.

Here goes. 

" The Word 'Whence" is Pretty Much Always Used Incorrectly

Today, I found out that the word, 'whence' is pretty much used wrong,especially by modern day writers.

For example, (from the Lord of the Rings, spoken by Elrond):  “The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom; only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.”

So why is this wrong?  ‘Whence’ actually means “from where” or “from what place”;  so what was said above was, “It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from from where it came.”  ‘Whence’ implies a “from” already; so preceding it with ‘from’, which is commonly done, is redundant.  This is the principal advantage of using a word like “whence” instead of just saying “from where”; it implies the “from” already.

This is very similar to “hence” which, if used to refer to time or location, has an implied “from”: “from this place” or “from this time”. For example: “I shall go hence.”; meaning “I shall go from here”.

It isn’t just now-a-days that this has been commonly misused either.   Grammar Nazis have been long enraged about the “from whence” faux paus since as early as the thirteenth century.

Whence did this first start popping up?  There are numerous examples of the “from whence” incorrect usage in works by Shakespeare, Defoe, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, and even several in the King James Bible.

So just remember:

‘from whence’ = ‘from from where’ = bad

‘whence’ = ‘from where’ = good "

Though they may have lost much of their use in English currency these days, many words such as lest,hence and whence are still appropriate if used wisely in context.

Happy learning English to you!

He Has Such Quiet Eyes-Answers

When Bibsy Soenharjo talks about 'quiet eyes', what emotions did she intend to evoke?

In the first stanza, she wrote:

He had such quiet eyes (Line 1 Stanza 1)
They were two pools of lies(Line 3 Stanza 1)
Layered with thinnest ice (Line 4 Stanza 1)
Those quiet eyes were breathing desolate sighs (Line 6 Stanza 1)
Imploring her to be nice (Line 7 Stanza 1)
And to render him paradise (Line 8 Stanza 1)

When one describe the dark side of 'quiet', would it mean someone who is of unknown quantity?
Does' quiet' also means something to hide; of a scheming or sinister nature?
Is he someone we should fear?

Then Bibsy added the subjective judgmental value of  "two pools of lies"
She topped it off with the superlative value of ' thinnest' ice atop the pools.
Then she gave life to the eyes as they wake from their silent slumber.
Breathing-desolate sighs.
Imploring
Dangerous signals
Bad body language.

What can we interpret about this man?

He is a schemer.
In quietness, like a lion awaiting a gazelle in tall grasses- a prey to kill.
The eyes reflecting danger for the prey then breaks into long deep sighs
to beguile the prey.
To set the trap.

The hunter is waiting.
He is imploring
He is "un-satiated"
He is hungry for satisfaction.

Now, let us look at the innocent girl, the mark of the hunter.

Look at these lines:

She did not realise (Line 2  Stanza 1)
If only she'd been wise (Line1 Stanza 2)
And had listened to advice (Line 2 Stanza 2)
She'd be free of the 'hows and whys' (Line 5 Stanza 2)

Interpretation:

She is a  coming-of-age girl.
She is not wise
He innocence shows.
She is gullible.
She can be taken in easily by glib and sweet talk
She can be tempted with gifts and entertainment.
She is not strong and may not listen to advice
She want to experience the pleasure of life too
She is lured easily by physical attraction,songs and dance
She may be after fun, not knowing the pitfall and consequences

The result-

She fell pray to the pleasure seeking man.
On hindsight, she felt silly and began to wonder
How easily she was duped to lose her honour and dignity.

In Stanza 3, Bibsy turned wise counsel.

She has kind auntie advice for young innocent girls
Coming out into the world from protected cocoons.

Be sure that nice really means nice
Then you'll never be losing at dice
Though you may lose your heart once or twice.

What Bibsy has advocated is.

To fall in love;to lose innocence

Know your values and principles
Uphold your values, integrity, honour and dignity
Know who you want to befriend
Know as much about them;their background and history

If you do, then you will never lose at love
For you have done the necessary background search
You may be saddened that some love affairs do fail
But in the end, you will triumph in love, on your own terms.

He Had Such Quiet Eyes

Pools of Lies

Bibsy Soeharjo's poem for the coming-of-age girls is incisively blunt.

The poem goes like this:

Smoky Eyes of Sharukh Khan

He had such quiet eyes
She did not realise

They were two pools of lies

Layered with thinnest ice

To her, those quiet eyes

Were breathing desolate sighs

Imploring her to be nice

And to render him paradise

If only she’d been wise

And had listened to the advice

Never to compromise

With pleasure-seeking guys

She’d be free from ‘the hows and whys’

Now here’s a bit of advice

Be sure that nice really means nice

Then you’ll never be losing at dice

Though you lose your heart once or twice

Bibsy at Recital

Brief Description and Interpretation

An innocent, possibly naive girl, is taken up with a man who is "quietly" attractive. Being young and perhaps influenced by love stories, movies and songs, she fell in love with the man,not knowing the pitfalls that awaits her.

When she found out that he was a pleasure seeker, out for fun as he preys on young girls,she became aware on hindsight that she has been taken advantage of and in regretting, sought out answers how she has been influenced by physical beauty and sweet, glib talk.  Or was she weak and seeking for affections?  This realisation is a turning point which will make her more aware the next time around.

In the third stanza, Bibsy gave the moral advice to all coming-of-age girls. Make sure you know who you are going to be friends with. Know the men 'as fully as possible' before you commit yourself on a long term relationship or else you would fall into " thinnest ice". Be alert and wise and you will never 'lose at dice' which means you will not lose at love.

Bibsy also advise take love is not easy to find at 'first sight'. One should seek mature love-one that can last even though you may have a heart-break or two in seeking it.

Now let us do these questions

Questions :

1.   What does the word quiet imply when describing the man’s eyes?

2.   What is the man trying to do?

3.   Which line implies the woman is naïve?

4.   What do you understand by the phrase thinnest ice?

5.   In the second stanza, what quality does the woman lack?

6.   Pools of lies indicates what kind of man is this character?

7.   Would pleasure seeking men really love woman? Give reasons

8.   What does never to compromise imply?

9.   What is the poet’s warning to woman in the last stanza?

10.  How would you infer from the words, never be losing at dice?

Last Tuition Session in 2011

Today is my last tuition session for the year.

So, it will be a time of belated rest until 2012 dawns upon us all.

English is the lingua franca and this generation of Malaysians are in dire need of a good command of English not only for education purposes but also for better job opportunities to help climb the corporate ladder. The Ministry of Education's wanton flip-flopping on the use of English for Science and Mathematics and the ultra re-emphasis on BM has slowly seeped away the legendary command of English amongst Malaysian. The everyday student and job-seeker's need for good English Skills in oral and written English in academia and in business is most urgent.

Acquisition of English is key!

Go to any government department today and these operatives are ill at ease to hold even a decent conversation in English.

Case in point-I got a call from a tele-marketeer for a foreign bank yesterday intending to sell personal loans to me. He is a Chinese chap, mind you and could not carry the conversation in English beyond three short sentences verbally. It must have been to his bitter shame that he just disconnected.

Know English well and you would impress. Have personality and poise as well and you will win hands down!

So, anyone who wants to learn English can contact me at this blog.

I do one-on-one teaching and the fee is oh-so-competitive and ultra reasonable!

The Advent of Spoonerism

Have you ever notice that sometimes we say words wrongly by swapping initial consonants or syllables? For instance, instead of saying ‘slip of the tongue; we say instead, ‘tip of the slung’. Similarly, you may have heard friends saying ‘nix the muts’ when they actually wanted to say, ‘mix the nuts’

This kind of oral abberation is called spoonerism in English. Spoonerism was named after Reverend William Archibald Spooner who was prone to muddle up his words while giving sermons as he could not see properly. Some of his fumbles were extremely laughable. 

He was heard once to have said ‘It is kisstomary to cuss the bride.’ Then there was that time when he said 'Pardon me, padam, this pie is occupewed. Can I sew you to another sheet?’

Then there was this lecturer in college who was also into spoonerism. There was a time when he said to a student, "You have hissed all my mystery lectures!’ Having tasted two worms, you will have to leave by the next town drain".

Thent there was that school disciplinary teacher who chastised two boys ‘for fighting a liar’ when he actually meant ‘lighting a fire!’

And what about some people  who habitually said raining ‘dats and cogs’ when they could not attend classes at college or go out?

So, have you heard of any good spoonerisms lately?

FINAL QUIZ ON ‘THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA’

1

1.   Work on the Opera House started in 1861. How many years did it take to complete?

a)       about 8 years

b)       about 10 years

c)       about 14 years

d)       about 15 years

2.       The Phantom of the Opera has three main players. They are:

a)       Eric,Raul and Christine Daae

b)       Erik, Raoul and Christine Daae

c)       Eric, Raoul and Firman

d)       Erika,Raol and Christine Daae

3.       The Opera House has ………floors.

a)       seventeen

b)       fifteen

c)       twelve

d)       ten

4.       The Opera  Ghost was not described as

a)       A ghost

b)       A phantom

c)       A man in black clothes

d)       A yellow devil

5.       Who apparently saw the Opera Ghost in the Opening Scene?

a)       Meg Giry

b)       Annie Sorelli

c)       Christine Daae

d)       The Persian

6.       What is the name of the play in which Christine sang?

a)       Margarita

b)       Faust

c)       Fluvio

d)       Dazenga

7.       What song is sang by the female lead in the play?

a)       Bambino

b)       Margarita

c)       Simpatico

d)       Nina Rota

8.       Who is the Opera house confidante of the Opera Ghost?

a)       Madame Sorelli

b)       Madame Giry

c)       Madame Berganza

d)       Madame Firman

9.       What were the names of the two Opera Directors?

a)       Armand Munchamin and Fairman Richards

b)       Armand Richard and Armand Domano

c)       Armand Moncharmin and Firmin Richard

d)       Ahmad Mocharmin and Firmin Rrichard

10.    What was the song sang by Christine’s predecessor?

a)       Margaret

b)       Margarita

c)       Flamingo

d)       Mamachita

11.    How does the Opera Ghost describe the voice of the original singer of Margarita?

a)       like a frog

b)       like a toad

c)       like a bird

d)       like a cricket

12.    Raoul first met Christine in

a)       Britain

b)       Brittany

c)       Britannica

d)       Britannia

13.    What was the room of torture called?

a)       Mirror Room of Death

b)        Closet Room of Mirrors

c)       Torture Room of Mirrors

d)       Room of Mirrors

14.    What is the number of the box that The Phantom uses?

a)       Three

b)       Four

c)       Five

d)       Ten

15.    Who was hung by the Phantom for speaking about him?

a)       Jose Buquet

b)       Joseph Buquet

c)       Josef Buquet

d)       Joseph Buguette

16.    Who saw the face of the Opera Ghost?

a)       Madame Giry

b)       Annie Sorelli

c)       Christine Daae

d)       Armand Moncharmin

17.    How much money did the Phantom demanded from the directors?

a)       ten thousand francs

b)       fifteen thousand francs

c)       twenty thousand francs

d)       twenty-five thousand francs

18.    How do you know that the Phantom likes a worker in the Opera House?

a)       He leaves flowers for her in a viewing gallery box

b)       He writes private letters to her every week

c)       He leaves some money for her after the play

d)       He thanked her with embroidered cards 

19.    Where did Christine meet up with Raoul to tell him about the Opera Ghost?

a)       Garden of Passion

b)       The Tuileries Garden

c)       The Perfume Garden

d)       The Galleries Garden

20.    What is the name of the original singer of the opera song?

a)       Le Carlotta

b)       La Carletta

c)       La Charlota

d)       La Carlotta

21.    What is the title used by Raoul?

a)       The Count of De Chagny

b)       The Comte De Chagny

c)       The Vicomte De Chagny

d)       The Viscount  De Chagny

22.    Why was Raoul unhappy after visiting Christine’s dressing room?

a)       He was chased out of the room by the attending doctor

b)       He heard a male voice and suspected it was her lover

c)       He was not recognized by Christine at all

d)       He felt disrespected because of his position and rank

23.    When did the lights in the Opera House suddenly go out?

a)       When Christine started singing her song

b)       When the audience gave Christine a standing ovation

c)       When the huge chandelier came down

d)       When the play started

24.    How many people were killed in the falling chandelier incident?

a)       one man

b)       one woman

c)       12 persons

d)       2 women

25.    Who told Madame Giry that the Opera Ghost was dead?

a)       Christine Daae

b)       The Comte De Chagney

c)       The Constabulary

d)       The Persian

26.    What is the name of the Comte?

a)       Philip

b)       Philippe

c)       Phillippe

d)       Felipe

27.    Why the Comte discouraged his young brother from getting involved with Christine?

a)       She was too old for his brother

b)       She was only an opera singer from Norway

c)       He had a girl to introduce to his brother

d)       She was only a performers’s daughter

28.    What did Christine promised the Opera ghost so that Raoul and the Persian could live?

a)       Marry the Opera Ghost

b)       Promised to sing for him forever

c)       Leave France as his  companion

d)       Give all her earnings to him.

29.    Where was the residence of the Persian?

a)       In Rivoli Gardens

b)       In the Ritz Gardens

c)       In the Tivoli Gardens

d)       In the Iranian Gardens

30.    What evidence can you adduce from the book that The Phantom is dead?

a)       Madame Giry saw his dead body

b)       The Persian saw his dead body

c)       The Driectors saw his dead body

d)       The Comte De Chagny saw his dead body

THE LITERATURE COMPONENT FOR ENGLISH

Below is the list of the literary texts without the novels:

Form 1:

Poems 

1. The River -Valerie Bloom

2. Mr Nobody - author unknown 

Short Stories 

1. Flipping Fantastic -Jane Langford 

Form 2: 

Poems 

1. I Wonder - Jeannie Kirby

2. Heir Conditioning - M. Shanmughalingam 

Short Stories 

1. One is One and All Alone - Nicholas Fisk 

Play 

1. Rumpelstiltskin -Angela Lanyon 

Form 3: 

Poems 

1. A Fighter's Line- Marzuki Ali

2. Leisure - Willian Henry Davies

 Form 4: 

Poems 

1. In the Midst of Hardship -Latiff Mohidin

2. He Had such Quiet Eyes -Bibsy Soenharjo 

Short Stories 

1. QWERTYUIOP -Vivian Alcock

2. The Fruitcake Special -Frank Brennan 

Play 

1. Gulp and Gasp- John Townsend 

Form 5: 

Poems 

1. Nature -H.D. Carberry

2. Are you Still Playing Your Flute -Zurinah Hassan

The 3 novels for 2011 for F5 are:

1) The Curse by Lee Su Ann

2) Step by Wicked Step by Anne Fine

3) Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail

[It depends what books will be allocated by states.]

The River-An Exercise

THE RIVER-VALERIE BLOOM

 

Fill in the blanks and you will see how the  river has been personified.

The river’s a …..……, a ……...….., a ………..…..
He doesn't choose any one place to set up his camp.

The river’s a ……….…., through valley and hill.
He twists and he turns, he just cannot be still.

The river’s a ………….… and he buries down deep
Those little treasures that he wants to keep.

The river’s a ……….., he gurgles and hums
And sounds like he’s happily sucking his thumbs.

The river’s a ……….…, as he dances along
The countryside echoes the notes of his song.

The river’s a ……….…., hungry and vexed
He’s gobbled up trees and he’ll swallow you next.

hoarder,singer,baby, monster, winder, tramp, wanderer,nomad,

English-Fast and Easy

I have just finished reading an illustrated English book.

Written by Marianna Pascal,an international teacher teaching English as a second language,this book is really a primer for those who wants to quickly learn the contextual use of the language in everyday situations.

This book is mostly of English expressions and phrasal verbs. It makes interesting reading and the illustrations and sample dialogues are not only effective but amusing as well.

I recommend this book for those in lower secondary schools as well as adults.

To Excel in UPSR Exam: Section C of Paper 2

In Paper 2, Section C, you would see three pictures and have to expand from the notes to write a short essay. My advice here is to:

Use words that you need only when  the instruction reads,” You may use the words to help you”.

Take note of these:

1.                  Sentence Type

·         Write more than 2 sentences per paragraph. I would recommend three or four sentences for each paragraph.

·         Try to write a variety of sentences. For example :

Ø  A simple sentence (has only one idea)

Anand’s family gathered outside the house.

Ø  A compound sentence ( two ideas and uses connectors)

Anand’s family gathered outside the house and welcomed guests coming to their open house celebration.

Ø  A complex sentence ( a independent clause and a dependent clause)

Anand is an engineer who has just bought a house in Setia Wang.

2.                  Paragraphs.

Ø  Write three paragraphs.

Ø  Start each paragraph by beginning at least ¾ each from the margin.

Ø  Use the correct conjunctions or connectors to join the story in the three paragraphs. This will ensure smooth continuity.

3.                  Tenses

§  If you are telling about something that has already taken place, use the past tense.

§  If you are describing something happening at the time you are speaking or regularly use the present tense.

 

4.                  Subject- Verb Agreement

§  Make sure singular subjects attract singular verbs while plural subjects attract plural verbs.

For example:

ü  The dogs are fighting in the backyard.

ü  A cat is sleeping on the roof of the house.

ü  He does him howework every evening before dinner.

ü  The cows here eat the leaves from the low bushes beside grass.

5.                  Pronouns

§  Know how to use- he,him,his

§  Know how to use possessive pronouns and emphatic pronouns

ü  Possessive pronouns-mine, yours, theirs, ours,..

ü  Emphatic pronouns- myself, yourself, ourselves,..

6.                  Articles

Ø  Make sure articles such as a,an,the,__ are appropriate and correctly used before nouns.

7.                  Gender

§  Ensure you know your gender [ man versus woman]

8.                  Spelling

Ø  Check your spelling

Ø  Use words that you are sure of its spelling

9.                  Punctuation

Ø  Ensure you start a sentence with a capital letter. Also all proper nouns are in capital letters.

o   These are names of people, places, building names, rivers, oceans,etc]

Ø  All sentences must end with a full-stop, question mark or exclamation mark.

 

Model Answer:

Peggie bought some art supplies from a stationery shop near her house. She quickly went up to her room and quietly closed the door. Putting the things on her bedroom table, she relaxed a while before she began work to design a birthday card for her sister, Meggie.

With a pair of scissors, she deftly cut a red manila cardboard to carve out a birthday card. She folded the card into two and then she began to stick small dried  yellow flowers to the front of the card with glue. She also sprinkled glitter onto the glue beside the flowers. Peggie waited patiently for the glue to dry. After that, she penned a personal message for her beloved sister.

Looking about to ensure no one was looking, Peggie crept into Meggie’s room. She looked for a suitable place where Meggie would easily find the card. She then went to Meggie’s bed and put the card under her pillow. With a happy grin on her face, she left Meggie’s room with joy in her heart.

These are useful connectors.

Types	Connectors
Show  addition	and,both…and,as well as,along with,not only…but also,in addition to
Show contrast	but,however,yet,still, in spite of,despite,although
Show choice	or,or else,either…or,neither nor
Show reason	because,as,for, since
Show purpose	so that, so, so as to,in order to, in order that
Express time	as,when,while,as soon as,before,after,since,till,until
Show place	where
Show condition	if,unless
Show result	therefore,thus,so,so…that,such…that