“What happened yesterday? Weren’t we supposed to go to a movie?”
“Sorry, but I was helping my grandmother get rid of some of her old things.”
“So, your grandmother was doing death cleaning! Now, before you ask me what it is, let me tell you. During one’s lifetime, people accumulate a lot of things.”
“You don’t have to tell me that. My grandmother had all kinds of junk in her room.”
“I am sure you do too! In the case of ‘death cleaning’, what you do is to give away or throw away things that you don’t need anymore.”
“Everyone does that! Last week, I gave away shirts that no longer fit me.”
“Yes, but death cleaning is something that you do when you are old or when you think that you might not live too long. You get rid of things you no longer need because if you don’t, your family will have to do it after you are gone.”
All that junk
“So, death cleaning is a way of ensuring that your family is not burdened with the task of going through all the junk you have accumulated.”
“You are saving them a lot of trouble. Also, by getting rid of things, you have a lot of space for yourself. The expression is actually a translation of a term used in Sweden — ‘dostadning’. So tell me, how’s your preparation for the interviews coming along?”
“I haven’t started thinking about the interviews. The three companies want me to send them letters of recommendation from three people.”
“You should have no problem with that. I am sure many of your teachers and...”
“I don’t remember if it was a recommendation letter they wanted or a reference letter. Is there a difference between the two?”
“Most people use the terms interchangeably. In both cases, the writer of the letter evaluates the ability and character of someone whom he knows really well. But careful users of the language maintain that a reference letter is one that’s very general in nature. For one thing, it ‘s not addressed to any particular individual.”
“I see. It is one of those letters where at the top, the writer merely says ‘to whomsoever it may concern’. It is like a character certificate.”
Testimonial
“That is right! It is like a testimonial. The recommendation letter, on the other hand, is addressed to a particular individual, and in it, the writer is much more specific. He argues why the candidate will be a good fit in the company he’s applying to.”
“Or why the candidate should be given admission in a particular college or school.”
“That’s right! But as I said earlier, not everyone maintains these distinctions these days.”
“At least I know the difference now. How was the movie you went to yesterday?”
“Didn’t particularly care for it. All the main characters come to a sticky end.”
“What does ‘come to a sticky end’ mean?”
“The expression is mostly used in British English in informal contexts. When you say that someone came to a sticky end, you are suggesting that he died a horrible death. It is usually violent. The expression can also be used to suggest that a person’s actions brought about his downfall. The King came to a sticky end. Killed by his own guards.”
“How about this example? As expected, the drug peddler came to a sticky end.”
“Sounds good! It’s also possible to say, ‘meet a sticky end’. If Kundan doesn’t change his ways, he’s very likely to meet a sticky end.”
* * * * *
I don’t mind dying; the trouble is you feel so bloody stiff the next day. George Axlerod
The author teaches at the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. upendrankye@gmail.com
