What is the meaning of ‘thorough’ in ‘no thoroughfare’? (Ramesh, Vizag)
The word ‘thoroughfare’ is used to refer to a road/street that the public can use to get from one place to another; it usually functions as a route between two places. One of the meanings of ‘fare’ is ‘passage’, and till the 14th century, it was possible to use ‘thorough’ and ‘through’ interchangeably. ‘Thoroughfare’ originally meant ‘through passage’. So, when you say, ‘no thoroughfare’, you are warning the person that he should not enter, for there is ‘no through passage’.
* Traffic has come to a halt on all major thoroughfares in the city.
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Both words are used to show disapproval; ‘nosy’ is the informal of the two. When you say that someone is nosy, you are suggesting the individual likes to meddle in other people’s affairs. He likes to gather as much information as he can about them, and is more than willing to poke his nose into their affairs to get it. He may be very forthright in his demand for information; in other words, he may not adopt sneaky methods to get what he wants.
* I chose to move because all my neighbours were nosy.
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* Whenever I ask my daughter questions about her friends, she accuses me of being nosy.
Now, let us deal with the pronunciation of ‘officious’. The first ‘o’ and the final ‘iou’ sound like the ‘a’ in ‘china’. The second syllable ‘fic’ is pronounced like the word ‘fish’. The word is pronounced ‘e-FISH-es’ with the stress on the second syllable. While a nosy person seeks information, an ‘officious’ individual takes great delight in giving unwanted advice to people. He is a busybody who involves himself in the affairs of others by forcing himself on them — he offers unwanted advice, help, etc. He takes himself and his position a little too seriously, and as a result, tends to boss over people.
* Most people find the new Manager rather officious.
What is the meaning and origin of ‘caviar to the general’? (C. Vinita, Bangalore)
The ‘a’ in the first syllable of ‘caviar’ is pronounced like the ‘a’ in ‘cat’ and ‘bat’, while the second sounds like the ‘ar’ in ‘car’, ‘park’ and ‘dark’. The ‘i’ is like the ‘i’ in ‘hit’, ‘bit’ and ‘sit’. One way of pronouncing the word is ‘KA-vi-aar’ with the stress on the first syllable. Fish-eggs, especially those of a large fish like the sturgeon, are usually referred to as caviar. It is considered a delicacy and people pay a lot of money for it. The ‘general’ in the expression refers to the hoi polloi — the common people. Therefore, when you say that something is caviar to the general, you are suggesting that it is something classy that is likely to remain unappreciated by the masses.
Shakespeare used this expression in Hamlet.
Which is correct: He is on/in the team? (S.K. Jayanthi, Nagpur)
In terms of grammar, both are acceptable. According to books on usage, Americans tend to say ‘on the team’, while the British prefer to use ‘in’.
* Do you think you’ll be on/in the team?
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“The play, I remember pleased not the million; ‘twas caviar to the general.” — Shakespeare
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