Kevin's Korner - newsletter no. 0 (April 2012)

Kevin Rowe, our native English teacher and our dear friend, will start a column on this number about particularities of the English language.

Have a peep and just fall for it. If you have suggestions for topics or any burning questions, just email him (kevin@ipb.pt).

Ramblings about the English language.

Some time ago I came across the following list somewhere - do you agree with it? What would you put there instead?

1.The five most important words in English…

I admit I was wrong.

2. The four most important words in English...

You did really well.

3. The three most important words in English...

Could you please...?

4. The two most important words in English...

Thank you.

5. The most important word...

We.

Now some questions to tease your brain.

A. If you "exploded with laughter", would you titter, giggle, guffaw, chuckle or snigger? They are all words for laughing, but only one answers the question.

B. When you're on a boat, if left is port, what is right? Is it fore, aft or starboard?

C. Who is the Patron saint of England, and when is his day?  Which countries have St. Patrick and St. Andrew?

D. If I'm beside myself, do I have an identical twin?

E. You can't take it with you is something people say - what? where?

Answers:

A. To guffaw means laugh loudly.  (To giggle is laugh to yourself in an uncontrolled way, especially for girls. To titter is to laugh quietly in a nervous way. To chuckle is to laugh quietly with pleasure or satisfaction. To snigger is to laugh quietly in a rude or unpleasant way.)

B. Right on a boat (or aircraft) is starboard. (fore refers to the front of the boat, aft refers to the back of the boat).

C. The patron saint of England is St George. His day is today ... 23 April. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland.

D. To be beside yourself is often followed by "with anger" or "with grief", so therefore refers to being almost crazy with emotion.

E. People say You can't take it with you when they mean that material possessions don't go with you to Heaven (or Hell) when you die.

Kevin Charles Rowe