arun’s blog

I am not a voracious blogger unlike my other very good friend Perumal. You can see his 4 blog links on my Blogroll! In spite of his capricious delete-join spree associated with Orkut , he has been actively and elegantly blogging for quite a long time now. How he finds time to write amidst his schedule is a wonder. But, it instills in me the quality of perseverance to continue to blog for the reasons I actually started this in the first place. I say this because, usually, I start to blog with all the will power one can have and then quickly it vaporizes into thin air. Not this time! I have always had a particular jones to English language and have always been trying to learn new words to express my thoughts with better clarity. It gives me a greater sense of satisfaction. Blogging serves every purpose, including the compromise for the evil “laziness” (which is of course good). Some connoted that my writing or narration is good in addition to my vocabulary. Thank you! And I certainly don’t deny that I sometimes make the wrong usage for a particular word I learnt. Correct me if you find any.

I get reminded of a particular incident I would like to share. I was taking part in an English oratorical competition back in 1996/97. The topic was something related to my country India and its patriotic leaders who struggled for independence. I sought the help of my father, a major in Physics, whom I admire for his extraordinary oratorical skills and his command of English language in spite of studying in a pure Tamil medium. So, I approached him and asked to write 2 pages of worthy content with magniloquent English that would fetch me a first prize. He insisted on me writing the 2 pages as a rough draft and bringing it back to him and that he would paraphrase it. Of course it was the right approach, but back then, I was pissed off. I insinuated in him that I knew zilch about the leaders and the struggle, I was in my 7th grade. Then, he complied on writing the “script” if I sat along with him. After numerous editing and proper juxtaposing of the content for proper continuity, WE finished it . He asked me to memorize it and then perform in front of him with adequate gesticulation (which shows the involvement), before the competition. He has always asked me to read newspapers, for it helps in keeping up with the current events and also learning English. Come on, who reads it at age 12?? He has bragged a gazillion times about how he used to read the newspaper and referred the dictionary for improving his English . I remember vividly, while writing, he told me how beautiful it would be to express one’s thoughts with clarity, with command over language, and also the importance of vocabulary. He is certainly no Shakespeare. But, I was impressed with the way he explained it. He asked me, how would you say this in English?

I have to write this in Tamil.

“rendu thoguthiku naduvila vizhaivukal puriyama kazhlpunarchi (virodham) naala sandai”. Roughly translated means, There is a fight because of enmity between two societies without awareness of the aftereffects.

Certainly, it was not difficult to translate. I was preening after I translated it with a minimum effort (worse than the rough translation above). He replied,

or you can say it like this. “Exasperated by vituperation, our antagonists have inaugurated hostility in our locality unintimidated vaticination of catastrophe.”

When I heard it back then, it certainly left me awestruck. I started laughing boisterously and was filled with delight. I badly wanted to know more words. I asked him to write it down for me. I memorized that even before starting with the script to boast to my friends at school. It worked . With maturity over years, more than preening, the purpose let me learn better.

The End .