What is the Difference Between
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What is the difference between µinterpreter' and µtranslator'?
(A. Umar, Kadayanallur) Many people tend to use the words interchangeably. Both a translator and an interpreter have command of two or more languages. According to most dictionaries, an interpreter is someone who deals with the spoken word. When Atal Bihari Vajpayee gave a speech in Hindi at the UN General Assembly in 1977, interpreters speaking in different languages (French, English, Spanish, etc) let the audience know what our then Min ister of External Affairs was saying. This sort of interpretation where the speaker and the interpreter talk at the same time is called µsimultaneous interpretation'. We also have µconsecutive interpretation'. In this case, the speaker talks for a few minu tes and stops, giving the interpreter time to inform the audience what the speaker has just said. Unlike the interpreter, the translator mostly deals with the written word; he rewrites documents from one language to another.
What is the difference between µdisguise' and µguise'?
(Guru, Chennai) A celebrity often wears a disguise when he wishes to go unnoticed. In order to make sure that nobody recognises him, he makes a conscious attempt to alter his looks. He may decide to sport a wig, wear the kind of clothes that he normally doesn't, etc. By changing his appearance, he is pretending to be someone that he is not. People usually wear a disguise in order to fool or trick others. *In many of our old movies, the King always used to disguise himself as a beggar. The word µguise' has a negative connotation as well: it suggests that the individual is pretending to be something that he is not. In this case, he doesn't necessarily alter his appearance; he changes his manner or behaviour. He puts on a front. *She got him to tell her all his secrets under the guise of friendship.
What is the difference between µup to' and µuntil'?
(Pinto, Madurai) µUntil' and µtill' are usually used with time. In terms of meaning, there is no difference: µuntil' is considered to be the more formal than µtill'. *There are no tickets available until/till September. µUp to', on the other hand, is used to refer to distance, and not time. *The students walked up to the gate and started throwing stones. The word can also be used to talk about quantity. *You can earn up to Rs.10, 000 sitting at home.
What is the meaning of µpelf'?
(S. Rajesh, Thiruvayur)
The word rhymes with µself' and µshelf', and it is mostly used in informal contexts to mean µmoney or wealth'. It comes from the Old French µpilfre' meaning µbooty or spoils'; it is from this word that we get µpilfer'. In English, µpelf' means wealth gained by dishonest means: the kind of money that politicians make in our country. Needless to say, the word is mostly used to show disapproval. As expected, the young politician wanted to keep the pelf for himself.
What is the meaning and origin of µthe boot is on the other foot'?
(R.V. Ramgopal, Nellore) This is an expression which is used in everyday contexts to mean the situation is the opposite of what it was earlier; the tables have turned. It is also possible to replace µboot' with µshoe'. When I joined the company five years ago, Jai was my boss. Since my recent promotion, the boot is on the other foot. Nowadays, even a little child can easily identify which shoe he should wear on his left foot, and which on his right. The shoe for each foot has been designed differently. Before the 18 {+t} {+h} century, however, the idea of having a shoe specially designed for a specific foot did not exist. A shoe was designed to fit either foot. You could wear a shoe either on your left or right foot. The shoe you wore on your left yesterday could be on your right foot today. As you can imagine, it wasn't very comfortable walking in such shoes.
(A. Umar, Kadayanallur) Many people tend to use the words interchangeably. Both a translator and an interpreter have command of two or more languages. According to most dictionaries, an interpreter is someone who deals with the spoken word. When Atal Bihari Vajpayee gave a speech in Hindi at the UN General Assembly in 1977, interpreters speaking in different languages (French, English, Spanish, etc) let the audience know what our then Min ister of External Affairs was saying. This sort of interpretation where the speaker and the interpreter talk at the same time is called µsimultaneous interpretation'. We also have µconsecutive interpretation'. In this case, the speaker talks for a few minu tes and stops, giving the interpreter time to inform the audience what the speaker has just said. Unlike the interpreter, the translator mostly deals with the written word; he rewrites documents from one language to another.
What is the difference between µdisguise' and µguise'?
(Guru, Chennai) A celebrity often wears a disguise when he wishes to go unnoticed. In order to make sure that nobody recognises him, he makes a conscious attempt to alter his looks. He may decide to sport a wig, wear the kind of clothes that he normally doesn't, etc. By changing his appearance, he is pretending to be someone that he is not. People usually wear a disguise in order to fool or trick others. *In many of our old movies, the King always used to disguise himself as a beggar. The word µguise' has a negative connotation as well: it suggests that the individual is pretending to be something that he is not. In this case, he doesn't necessarily alter his appearance; he changes his manner or behaviour. He puts on a front. *She got him to tell her all his secrets under the guise of friendship.
What is the difference between µup to' and µuntil'?
(Pinto, Madurai) µUntil' and µtill' are usually used with time. In terms of meaning, there is no difference: µuntil' is considered to be the more formal than µtill'. *There are no tickets available until/till September. µUp to', on the other hand, is used to refer to distance, and not time. *The students walked up to the gate and started throwing stones. The word can also be used to talk about quantity. *You can earn up to Rs.10, 000 sitting at home.
What is the meaning of µpelf'?
(S. Rajesh, Thiruvayur)
The word rhymes with µself' and µshelf', and it is mostly used in informal contexts to mean µmoney or wealth'. It comes from the Old French µpilfre' meaning µbooty or spoils'; it is from this word that we get µpilfer'. In English, µpelf' means wealth gained by dishonest means: the kind of money that politicians make in our country. Needless to say, the word is mostly used to show disapproval. As expected, the young politician wanted to keep the pelf for himself.
What is the meaning and origin of µthe boot is on the other foot'?
(R.V. Ramgopal, Nellore) This is an expression which is used in everyday contexts to mean the situation is the opposite of what it was earlier; the tables have turned. It is also possible to replace µboot' with µshoe'. When I joined the company five years ago, Jai was my boss. Since my recent promotion, the boot is on the other foot. Nowadays, even a little child can easily identify which shoe he should wear on his left foot, and which on his right. The shoe for each foot has been designed differently. Before the 18 {+t} {+h} century, however, the idea of having a shoe specially designed for a specific foot did not exist. A shoe was designed to fit either foot. You could wear a shoe either on your left or right foot. The shoe you wore on your left yesterday could be on your right foot today. As you can imagine, it wasn't very comfortable walking in such shoes.
