Know your English

“Will O’ the wisp (Dhandapani, Coimbatore)”

“‘Will o’ the wisp’ is ‘a bluish light that may be seen on marshy ground.’ It misleads people who try to follow it. The light is the result of combustion of gases from vegetable matter. Figuratively, it means ‘a person or thing that is impossible to catch or reach.’

Ministership is a will o’ the wisp for him. ‘Will o’ the wisp’ is a delusive hope or goal. ‘Will’ is a contraction of ‘William.’ Originally, it was ‘Will with the wisp.’ ‘Wisp’ originally meant ‘a marshfire.’ It now means a small separate bunch or bundle as of straw.

Believe it or not, he tripped on a wisp of grass.

It also means ‘a small streak or ribbon.’ I was alarmed when I noticed a wisp of smoke coming out of the switch.

It is also used with something small, frail or delicate.

She is a wisp of a girl.

There was a wisp of a smile on her face. ‘Wispy’ is the adjective of ‘wisp.’

It is a wispy plant.

In some dialects of Britain, ‘wisp’ is used to mean ‘a small twist of straw used to rub down a horse.’ According to Russian folklore, the flitting lights over marshy areas are the spirits of stillborn babies moving between heaven and hell.” “Thanks to (S. Sasi Joan, Dindigul)” “‘Thanks to’ means ‘because of somebody or something’.

Thanks to his timely help, I was able to pay the fee in time.

It is also used ironically sometimes. Thanks to his tuition, I failed in the examination.

‘Have oneself to thank for’ means ‘to be the cause of (one’s own misfortune).’

He must only thank himself for his failure in the examination.

Here ‘thank’ is used ironically. ‘Thank God’ or ‘thank goodness’ or ‘thank heavens’ is an ‘expression of relief or pleasure.’

Thank God, he is safe.

Thank goodness, he has left.

‘Thank one’s lucky stars’ means ‘be or feel especially fortunate.’

You must thank your lucky stars for your present position.

When somebody offers you something and you accept it, you say, Thank You. If you decline it, you must say, ‘No, thank you.’ ‘Thankless’ means ‘not feeling or expressing gratitude, unappreciated (of an action), not likely to win thanks or appreciation or reward for the person performing it.’

They are thankless children. ‘Thanksgiving’ is an expression of gratitude, especially to God. Thanksgiving Day is a holiday in America observed on the fourth Thursday of November as a day of giving thanks to God. It commemorates the Pilgrim Fathers’ celebration of the good harvest of 1621. Pumpkin pies and turkey are part of the traditional fare. ‘Thankyou’ is used as a noun to mean ‘an instance of expression of thanks.’

He left without so much as a thank-you. Please go and say your thank-you to auntie.

‘Thankyou’ can also be used as an adjective.

He sent me a nice thank-you card. Published in The Hindu on July 30, 1991.