My domain is mathematics,” said a friend on joining a PG course in business administration. It took me a minute to decode the meaning of this word domain as I had frequently read it only in analytical geometry in school. I had to update that it meant original field of study or area of expertise. He continued, “...and by default, I should take up MSc Mathematics.” This oft-repeated by default encourages us to introspect. Default is non-payment, failure or evading but this computer-related phrase has been used in plenty, maybe to mean “even by mistake” or “automatically”.
A call from the superior “on site” explaining the tension prevailing on a faulty software is now called escalation as the pressure is mounted upwards. Likewise shut down is used to close any work and sign off is used by VJs to conclude a show. I would receive brickbats if I said the techies have force-thrust their jargons, especially by default into the English language. Good understanding between actors or dancers is called good chemistry.
English has taken a new avatar in communication and spelling. The me is lost in programme and admin has replaced administration. The word “prepone”, not found in the old Webster’s dictionary, has now come to stay. The advent of “messaging” and “commenting” has already taken a toll on spelling and grammar.
Even a postgraduate spells chief and receipt incorrectly. It is difficult to convince anyone that the plural of furniture isn’t furnitures. Teachers of our times corrected us when we said we came late because our bus broke down and we came by walk. We were taught that we could “come by bus” or “come on foot” but not “come by walk”.
I was stunned to see the first e missing in the judgement in a newspaper. I was told this was the latest trend. Coming to a nearby intersection, I found a man speaking loudly on his mobile, “I have sended the cheque. My representative will touch with you.” As long as the person on the other side understood it, it was fine.
Stewardess and actress, typed using one side of the QWERTY keyboard, have been eliminated as they are gender-centric. As my professor said, the beauty of the words leopardess and tigress is lost. Flight attendant is a majestic way to describe those helping the passengers in the aeroplanes irrespective of the gender but the term air hostess would bring the image of the well-mannered neatly dressed woman to our mind.
An Asian in a bid to behave like an Englishman in England asked a citizen of the country, “Can I have the pleasure of asking you where the nearest railway station is located?” The person frowned as he thought the Asian was making fun of him. He confronted the next person and with a shaking thumbs-up close-fisted gesture asked “Station—where?” and he showed the way.