English Grammar & Composition

Proper Names Used in a General Sense | English Grammar and Composition

Written by Muhammad Bilal

Many interesting words frequently used in the English language come ion the works of Greek. Roman and modern writers of the first rank. When we speak  of a modern Hercules we are using the proper name in a general sense  applying it to any person who possesses the strength for which wasamed. Similarly, a Goliath among men means a man of gigantic stature and strength. Friends in  relation to each other are often said to be  David and Jonathan 01′ Damon and Phythias because of the well-known . Biblical friendship of David and Jonathan and the selfless devotion of Damon and  for each other m the Greek tale. . . The English language and literature e so vast and varied that many significant  expressions have emerged from different situations and stories in  Bible greek and Roman mythology and other writings of recognized Merit. They are not the exclusive domain of the scholar and have deserved Comments in the Revised Fifth Edition of the Concise Oxford Dictionary. A student  who neglects them would not be adequately equipped for the study of English language and literature. For more than half a century The Concise oxfords Dictionary in its successive editions has been recognized throughout the word  as an authoritative compact register of current English. Below is given a list of selected expression used in a general sense A Yahoo»: coarse brutish person. A course person possessing the instincts of a

brute. In Gulliver’s travels Swift gives the name of  yahoo’ to a race  of brutes: in human shape. Even in this age there are  detestable persons with bestial habits who are in no way better than Yahoo…

A Vandel__ who wilfully destroy works of Art  and spoils : the beauties  of  nature. The Vandals were a Germanic race who invaded the Roman Empire and destroyed many books and Work of art.

The people who damaged the Mughal monuments  to decorate there  Own Buildings behaved like Vandals.

It is a Pity that Vandalism can be seen even in this enlighten age.

A Philistines…. a man who has no interest in culture or arts; an uncultured  person whose interests are material and commonplace. The Philistines were the enemies of the Israelites who considered them more or less barbarians:

Our Philistine neighbors are all the time busy in accumulating wealth and are utterly devoid of culture and love for fine arts.

An Amazon» a strong woman of masculine character. The Amazon were a  fabled race of female warriors:

There are some women who take Pride in behaving like Amazons.

To go from Scylla to Charybdis  escape from one misfortune only to fall into a more serious disaster. Scylla was a six-headache monster living on an Italian  rock and Charybdis  was a whirlpool so placed that it was  hard  to avoid it without being caught by the monster Scylla. sailors trying to avoul one of these would come to disaster from the other.

His present situation is such that he is between Scylla and Charybdis’.

About the author

Muhammad Bilal

Leave a Comment