***Language Dose*** 1. How is the word ‘burgeon’ pronounced? The ‘ur’ sounds like the ‘ur’ in ‘fur’, ‘purr’, and ‘curd’. The ‘g’ is like the ‘j’ in ‘jam’, ‘juice’, and ‘jump’, and the final ‘eo’ is like the ‘a’ in ‘china’. The word is pronounced ‘BER-jen’ with the stress on the first syllable. When ‘burgeon’ is used in relation to plants, it means ‘to put out leaves; sprout’. In everyday context, the word can be used to mean ‘to grow or flourish’. *After winning the first set, the champion’s confidence began to burgeon. 2. What is the meaning of ‘serendipity’? First, let’s deal with the pronunciation. The ‘e’ in the first syllable sounds like the ‘e’ in ‘set’, ‘bet’, and ‘get’, while the ‘e’ in the second is like the ‘a’ in ‘china’. The ‘i’ in the third and fourth syllables and the final ‘y’ are pronounced like the ‘i’ in ‘sit’, ‘bit’, and ‘hit’. The word is pronounced ‘serendipiti’, with the stress on the third syllable ‘di’. Sometimes, we make rather fortunate discoveries by sheer accident. This lucky tendency that some people have to find interesting or valuable things by chance is called ‘serendipity’. The word is considered formal, and is mostly used in literary contexts. *According to the artist, some of the best effects in his garden have been the result of serendipity. ‘Serendip’ is the old Persian name for Sri Lanka. In the fairy tale, ‘The Three Princes of Serendip’, the main characters make wonderful discoveries by chance. The American writer, Horace Walpole, coined the word ‘serendipity’ in 1754 in a letter he wrote to his friend. 3. What’s the difference between ‘envelope’ and ‘envelop’? The first is a noun and the second a verb. An ‘envelope’ is something in which you send a letter. Nowadays of course, not many people use ‘envelopes’ because they prefer email. When used as a noun, the ‘en’ is pronounced ‘on’ and the following ‘e’ is like the ‘a’ in ‘china’. The ‘o’ is like the ‘o’ in ‘so’, ‘go’, and ‘no’, and the final ‘e’ is silent. The stress in this case is on the first syllable. The word is pronounced ‘onvelope’. When used as a verb, the word means to surround or cover something completely. The ‘en’ is pronounced like the word ‘in’, and the following ‘e’ sounds like the ‘e’ in ‘set’, ‘bet’, and ‘get’. The ‘o’ is like the ‘a’ in ‘china’, and the main stress is on the second syllable. The word is pronounced ‘invelep’. *The fog had enveloped the airport. The pilot couldn’t see a thing. *The plan seems to be enveloped in secrecy. ******** “He knows nothing; he thinks he knows everything: that clearly points to a political career.” — G. B. Shaw
Posted on: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 07:22:17 +0000