Bala should do just fine. In fact i think that is the way to put it.

Bad for My Health!

I have a feeling that that The in 'The Health' just might have been my mistake.

Now... where's the Blush smiley that I can't use more than two of in a post on this forum?


rjstyles... that use of the word revert, like my dislike of the call-centre confirm described above is not, in my view, English at all.

When the steam cooled, it reverted to water

It means returning to what it was before.

You cannot revert to me; you never were me.


A piece of nonsense: please avoid!

You are right, revert is derived from reverse, which means to reverse the status of something. It cannot be used in this context. Instead the right way to say it would be "mail me back' or even just 'mail me about the outcome'.

or, simply "reply". Note: "Reply back" is another no-no.

Ok can anyone explain me the difference in usage of:

1. Despite and Inspite
2. Though and Although

Thanks

I used to do the Sunday Indian Express Scramble quite regularly. But now, since i get TOI, i casually take a look at it occasionally. The other day, one of the words was "INAPT". I thought the opposite of APT was INEPT, and there is no such word as INAPT.
Turns out i was wrong, as per dictionary.com.
Inept : Without skill or aptitude.
Inapt: Also the same as inept.

So, when did this happen? was my english teacher wrong?

There is no word inspite.

But one can say, "in spite of".

I think the following are equivalent...

He did the journey in good time, despite the bad road conditions

He did the journey in good time, in spite of the bad road conditions

And I am not just saying this to spite you; I am not a spiteful person!

... How confusing, the different uses of the word!

Indian usage of English has a tendency to run some words together, and split others apart. Thus in India there is the incharge, but not in England, where one would say, "person in charge," or, more likely, manager, supervisor, etc. I cannot persuade one of my friends in UK that he lives in Middlesex --- not Middle Sex! Maybe this is the origin of "inspite"?

With though and although --- I think this may be an evolution, that although got shortened to 'though, and now has become a word in its own right so needs no apostrophe. Just my theory ---- Sam?

apt means appropriate. Inept means incapable (do we have a word "ept"?).

So I share Amitoj's confusion about the online definition he saw.

Wow, this is news to me too. I wonder if it's an Americanism like "flammable"

I think that you are right Thad. Although I must add, Although sounds more refined to my ears. Of course depending on the context.

A hugely popular mistake!

Affect: A verb. An clear action. Cannot be used as a noun.

She affects my peace of mind. I was affected by a strange virus. The size of your throttle body will affect your mileage.

It is wrong to say "Sorrow does not effect me". Wrong!

Effect: is almost always a noun. A thing.

She has this effect on me. An enlarged throttle body can be used with great effect.

Effect is also used in a strange way. The plural is used to denote personally owned things, personal effects.

Also used to show that a particular act/ law is operational: The new law is now in effect.

Effect can be a verb, but not the same way as Affect: The prime minister effected a budget cut.

You cannot say affected in the above case, unless the above cut affected the budget.

flammable; inflammable.

Both acceptable British English, I think. Both meaning the same.

English is like that: lots of choice!

Effect/affect. Often, indeed, misused and misunderstood.

One word I never encountered before coming to India is challan. Can somebody tell me the origin of this word; is it from English, or from an Indian language?

I think it has its origin in Hindi. Challan in Hindi is same as traffic Ticket (eg. ticket for overspeeding).

Challan is a hindi word. I do not think it means traffic ticket.

Challan is used for a legal document. For example, a delivery receipt is called a Delivery Challan. A tax computation when put into legal form, is a tax challan. We have court challans too.

Challan I think is a broad term for legal document of any kind. But I am open to learning on this one.

Challan simply means receipt.