Know your English

``WHAT IS the meaning and the origin of the idiom ``grinning like a Cheshire cat''? (D. Geetham, Madurai).

First, let's deal with the pronunciation of ``Cheshire''. The ``ch'' is like the ``ch'' in ``cheese'', ``cheap'' and ``chit''. The ``e'' is like the ``e'' in ``wet'', ``set'' and ``met'', while the following ``sh'' sounds like the ``sh'' in ``sheep'', ``ship'', and ``shape''. The final ``ire'' is pronounced like the ``a'' in ``China''. The stress is on the first syllable. When you say that someone is ``grinning like a Cheshire cat'', it means that he/she has a broad smile on his/her face. Here are a few examples.

* Divya obviously knows something. She has been walking around all morning grinning like a Cheshire cat.

* When Leya walked in grinning like a Cheshire cat, I knew that she had come first in her class.

* The child was unaware of what had happened. He continued to jump around grinning like a Cheshire cat.

* Cheshire is the name of a county in England. Before you jump to any conclusions let me assure you that the cats from this county aren't famous for their grins! The place however, was famous for its cheese.

The cheese makers from this place used to draw the figure of a smiling cat on a special type of cheese. People who bought this type of cheese saw the face of a cat with a broad smile.

So the cat in the idiom ``grin like a Cheshire cat'' is not a real cat, but the figure that was found on cheese. Although the idiom has been around for several centuries, it was the author of ``Alice inWonderland'', Lewis Carroll who made it famous.

In the novel, Alice runs into a large cat with a big smile. When Alice asks why he is grinning, the Duchess replies, ``It's a Cheshire cat and that's why.'' In the story the cat begins to disappear slowly; it's the tail that disappears first and the smile fades last!

So at one point all that Alice sees is the face with a big smile. There are several other explanations about the origin of this idiom, but this is the one that is generally agreed upon.

What is the meaning of ``Gandhi's revenge''? (P. Balasubramanian, Chennai)

Ever heard the expression ``Montezuma's revenge''? It means diarrhoea. Tourists who went to Mexico invariably ended up with an upset stomach - they attributed this to the spicy food and also the water. Here are a few examples.

* Satish had a little touch of Montezuma's revenge on the second day.

* Poor Krishna couldn't go anywhere because of Montezuma's revenge.

You can now probably guess what ``Gandhi's revenge'' means. It's an attack of dysentery that some people experience after eating spicy Indian food. Of course, one doesn't have to visit India to experience ``Gandhi's revenge''; you can suffer the consequences after eating in any of the restaurants abroad! This is an expression that is mainly used in British English.

My friend claims that the word ``latrinogram'' exists. Is it true? (P. Harish, Hyderabad)

We have all come across the words ``telegram'', ``phonogram'', and what have you. But ``latrinogram''? Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? But your friend is right, the word ``latrinogram'' does exist. As you have probably guessed it, consists of two words - ``latrine'' and ``gram''.

A ``phonogram'' is a message that you receive over the phone. So, what do you think a ``latrinogram'' is? Yes, it's a message that you receive in the latrine! In this case, it is a rumour which originates in the latrines of offices - working people have a tendency to exchange a lot of information (gossip!) in bathrooms. Here are a few examples.

* There was a latrinogram yesterday about the boss being asked to resign.

* Sudha is marrying Sudhir! No way! That's just another latrinogram.

By the way, the stress is on the second syllable ``tri''.

What is the response to ``What have you been up to?'' (Maneesh Goel, Haridwar)

The answer will to a very large extent depend on you. You could for example say ``Oh, nothing much'', or ``Keeping myself busy''. There are lots of possibilities. Here are a couple more: ``Trying to finish my assignments''; ``Trying to keep myself sane in this heat''!

``My advice to you is to get married: if you find a good wife, you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a philosopher.'' - Socrates

S. UPENDRAN

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