Published - Mon, 06-Feb-2023

ऑक्सफोर्ड स्वल्पविराम म्हणजे काय? । एक थोडक्यात!

ऑक्सफोर्ड स्वल्पविराम म्हणजे काय? । एक थोडक्यात!

ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविरामाने (Oxford Comma) संपूर्ण आधुनिक इंग्रजी इतिहासात एक जोरदार चर्चेचा विषय आहे, तरीही स्वल्पविराम योग्य आहे की नाही याविषयी अजूनही कुणाचेच एकमत नाही. या लेखात, हा स्वल्पविराम वापरणे योग्य आहे की नाही हे आम्ही सांगणार नाही (त्यासाठी खूप खोलात जावे लागेल). त्याऐवजी, आम्ही फक्त ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविराम काय आहे ते पाहणार आहोत.

तर, ऑक्सफर्ड कॉमा म्हणजे नक्की काय?

ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविराम, किंवा अनुक्रमांक स्वल्पविराम, हा स्वल्पविराम आहे जो "आणि" (And) किंवा "किंवा" (Or) या शब्दापूर्वी तीन किंवा अधिकच्या यादीतील दुसऱ्या आयटमनंतर वापरला जातो. हा स्वल्पविराम प्रथम ऑक्सफर्ड युनिव्हर्सिटी प्रेसने वापरला होता, म्हणून हे नाव.

ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविराम वापरणे, ही ज्याची त्याची स्वतःची निवड असते. तसेच, ते प्रदेशावरही अवलंबून असते. उदाहरणार्थ, अमेरिकन इंग्रजी जवळजवळ नेहमीच ते वापरण्याची शिफारस करते. तथापि, कॅनडा किंवा यूके मधील इंग्रजी लेखन शैली या 
विरुद्ध सल्ला देतात.

माझ्या वैयक्तिक मतानुसार, ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविराम अशा वाक्यांमध्ये वापरला जावा ज्यामुळे त्या वाक्यातील संदिग्धता नाहीशी होईल.

काही मनोरंजक उदाहरणांसह ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविराम कुठे वापरायचा आहे ते पाहू.

ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविराम आणि संदिग्धता

संदिग्धता म्हणजे काय? संदिग्धता असे दर्शवते की एखाद्या शब्दाचा किंवा वाक्याचा एकापेक्षा जास्त अर्थ असू शकतो. ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविराम तीन किंवा अधिकच्या मालिकेत सूचीबद्ध केलेल्या वस्तूंशी संबंधित संदिग्धतेशी संबंधित असल्याने, अशी दोन उदाहरणे घेऊ.

1. The office hires software engineers, artists, and salesmen.

येथे, "artists" आणि "and salesmen" मधील स्वल्पविराम हा ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविराम आहे. तथापि, मी ते या वाक्यातून काढले तर अर्थ अजिबात बदलत नाही. हे बघा. 

The office hires software engineers, artists and salesmen. 

सॉफ्टवेअर अभियंता आणि कलाकार हे दोन पूर्णपणे भिन्न शब्द असल्याने त्यात संदिग्धता निर्माण होत नाही. तर, या प्रकरणात, ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविराम पर्यायी किंवा अनावश्यक आहे, असे आपण खात्रीने म्हणू शकतो. 

अजून एक उदाहरण घेऊ!

2. He gave his speech to the audience, cats, and dogs.

तुम्ही येथील ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविराम ओळखू शकता का? छान! आता, मी तो स्वल्पविराम काढला तर? ते वाक्य असे असेल.

He gave his speech to the audience, cats and dogs.

ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविराम काढून टाकल्याने येथे आपल्या वक्त्याने केवळ मांजरी आणि कुत्र्यांना भाषण दिल्याचे एक मजेदार उदाहरण तयार होते. तेथे स्वल्पविराम जोडल्याने प्रेक्षक एक स्वतःचा घटक म्हणून विभक्त होईल. ज्यामुळे असे स्पष्ट होते कि प्रेक्षकामध्ये काही फक्त मांजरी आणि कुत्रेच नाही तर इतर लोकही आहेत.

अर्थात, हे वाक्य तरीही स्वतः तितके स्पष्ट नाही कारण येथे आपणास "प्रेक्षक" नक्की कोण आहेत याचा सुगावा लागत नाही. पण, किमान ते फक्त मांजरी आणि कुत्रे नाही. बघा अर्थ कसा बदलतो?

चला आणखी काही उदाहरणे पाहू या जेथे मालिकेतील तीन किंवा अधिक घटक स्पष्टपणे विभक्त करण्यासाठी स्वल्पविराम निश्चितपणे आवश्यक असेल.

a. Ms Sarita is working on two projects, designing the brochure, and preparing a speech.

b. He went there with his parents, Rahul, and Anuja.

अंतिम विचार

ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविराम वापरावरील सार्वभौम मान्यता ही अजून तरी दिली गेलेली नाहीये. तथापि, वस्तुनिष्ठपणे बोलायचे झाल्यास, स्वल्पविराम योग्य वाटेल तसे व्यक्तिनिष्ठपणे वापरणे आपल्यावर अवलंबून आहे. तुम्ही वर पाहिल्याप्रमाणे, या स्वल्पविरामाची गरज आहेचं असे नाही, खरे आहे ना?

तर, ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविरामाबद्दल आपण काय शिकलो? हा स्वल्पविराम एखाद्या वाक्यात तुम्हाला योग्य वाटेल तेथे तो योग्यप्रकारे वापरा. एखाद्या जागी ऑक्सफर्ड स्वल्पविराम ना वापरल्याने वाक्यात गोंधळ होईल असे तुम्हाला वैयक्तिकरित्या वाटत असल्यास, तेथे तो स्वल्पविराम नक्कीच वापरा. तथापि, आपण कोणत्या भाषेचे नियम किंवा लेखन शैली पाळत आहात याची जाणीव ठेवा. कारण आधी सांगितल्याप्रमाणे, काही लेखन शैली मार्गदर्शक ऑक्सफोर्ड स्वल्पविराम वापरण्यास सक्त मनाई करतात.

तथापि, लेखन ही एक वैयक्तिक क्रिया आहे आणि लेखन शैलीचे स्वतःचे व्यक्तिमत्व आहे. तर, तुम्ही स्वल्पविराम वापरावा की नाही? मी ते तुमच्या सर्वोत्तम निर्णयावर सोडेन.

तुमची कौशल्ये वाढवण्यासाठी तुम्ही काही उपयुक्त अभ्यासक्रम शोधत असाल, तर मोकळ्या मनाने आमची वेबसाइट ब्राउझ करा किंवा अधिक माहितीसाठी आम्हाला संदेश द्या!

Search
Popular categories
Latest blogs
Oxford Commas and Why are they so important?
Oxford Commas and Why are they so important?
Oxford commas have brought heated debates throughout modern English history, yet we have to reach absolution regarding whether the comma is correct. In this article, we are not going to say whether using the comma is right (or are we?). Instead, we're just going to see what the Oxford comma is all about.So, what exactly is the Oxford Comma?Oxford comma, or the serial comma, is a comma used after the second item in a list of three or more, before the word "and" or "or". This comma was first used by Oxford University Press, hence the name.Using the Oxford comma, however, is a matter of subjective preference. It depends on the region as well. For example, American English almost always recommends using it. However, English writing styles in Canada or the UK may advise against it.In my personal opinion, Oxford commas should be used in sentences that may create ambiguity.Let's see where we actually have to use the Oxford comma with some interesting examples.Oxford Comma and the AmbiguityWhat is ambiguity you may ask? Ambiguity represents that a word or a sentence may possess more than one meaning to it. Since the Oxford comma deals with the ambiguity related to the items listed in a series of three or more, let's take two such examples.1. The office hires software engineers, artists, and salesmen.Here, the comma between "artists" and "and salesmen" is the Oxford comma. However, if I remove it from this sentence, the meaning does not change at all. Look!The office hires software engineers, artists and salesmen. Since software engineers and artists are two completely different words, it does not create ambiguity. So, in this case, the Oxford comma is optional or redundant.Let's take another example!2. He gave his speech to the audience, cats, and dogs.You can already see the Oxford comma here, can't you? Good! Now, what if I remove it? The sentence will read like this.He gave his speech to the audience, cats and dogs.The removal of the Oxford comma creates a funny example of our speaker giving a speech solely to cats and dogs. Adding the comma there will separate the audience as its own element, stating the audience may consist of other people along with some cats and dogs.Of course, the sentence itself isn't as clear as the "audience" isn't properly defined. But hey! At least it's not cats and dogs only. See how the meaning changes?Let's see a few more examples where the comma would definitely be necessary to separate three or more items in a series clearly.a. Ms Sarita is working on two projects, designing the brochure, and preparing a speech.b. He went there with his parents, Rahul, and Anuja.Final ThoughtsThe universal agreement on the Oxford comma usage remains to be seen. However, objectively speaking, it is up to you to subjectively use the comma as you see fit. As you have seen above, the comma isn't distinguished and isn't necessary either.So what does that tell us about the Oxford comma? Use it wisely as you see fit in a sentence. If you personally think not using the comma would cause confusion, do use it. However, be aware of which language rules or writing styles you are following. Because as mentioned earlier, some writing style guides strictly forbid the use.However, writing is an individual task and a writing style has its own individuality. So, whether you should use the comma? I'll leave it to your best judgement.If you are looking for some useful courses to up your skills, feel free to browse our website or drop us a message for more information!

Mon, 06-Feb-2023

English grammar for beginners
English grammar for beginners
What is the first thing that pops up in your mind when you talk about the English Language in India? The English Grammar...!English Grammar? What is it?We Indians love technicality when it comes to studying the English language. Past tense, present tense, future tense... Even though you may not be studying English, we guarantee that you must have heard these terms many times before. They are not really unfamiliar to you.But what is Grammar, exactly? Grammar is basically a conventional set of rules to construct and use a language effectively--in a way that would make sense. While grammar is not absolute, it is necessary to understand and speak a language as fluently as a native.So, in this article, we will cover the three basic tenses. Apart from that, you should be aware of the English pronouns to understand the language more effectively.English PronounsWe all are aware of what nouns are, right? Nouns are basically names for things, places, persons, and other living beings (e.g. flower, leg, John, pumpkin, table, furniture, computer). Well, when we are speaking English, if we consecutively use the same nouns in different sentences, it would sound awkward and weird. Hence, we have pronouns to make up for that.What are pronouns? Pronouns are noun substitute that streamlines speaking and understanding a language. There are three categories of pronouns and each category is further divided into two categories.1. First Person Pronounsa) SingularThe first-person singular pronoun is used for referring to yourself. This pronoun is 'I/me'.For example, I am an engineer.Remember, the 'I' is always written in capital letters.b) PluralThe first-person plural pronoun is used for referring to a group of yourselves. This pronoun is 'we/us'.For example, 'We are the future!'2. Second Person PronounsThere is only one second-person pronoun in the English language, which is 'You' or 'Your'. It is used to refer to your direct listener. There is no singular or plural version of the second-person pronoun. However, the word 'you' may be followed by the word 'all', denoting that it is being used in a plural manner. Take a look at these two examples."You are a man.""You all are sailors."3. Third Person Pronounsa) SingularWhen it comes to third-person singular pronouns, we have to consider gender as a factor. Different genders have different pronouns. Take a look at this list below.He - third person singular male pronoun.He is a boy.She - third person singular female pronoun.She is a girl.It - third person singular non-gendered pronoun used for other living beings apart from humans and inanimate objects.It is a box.b) PluralThere's only one third-person plural pronoun in English and it is 'They'. This pronoun is not affected by gender, unlike singular pronouns. Also, this pronoun is not to be mistaken as an honorary pronoun to show respect to elders. There are no honorary pronouns in English.They are playing on the ground.English Grammar TensesEnglish Grammar is, of course, way more than just tenses. However, tenses affect how grammar functions the most. Hence, it is necessary for us to understand how the tenses work on the basic level. Let's see them in more detail.Like most Indian languages, English also has three basic tenses, that are further subdivided into four different categories. These tenses are Past, Present, and Future. Let's see the basic six tenses everyone should know if they are planning to learn the language.a. Simple Present TenseThe simple present tense denotes a simple statement that describes an event of the present. Simple tenses, unlike continuous tenses, are often used to deliver factual information, rather than an action that is happening in the present. The basic sentence structure follows the following formula:S + V1 + Object/ComplementFor example, Aury eats a mango. Here, 'Aury' is the subject; 'eats' is the verb; and 'mango' is the object.>Quick lesson!<S stands for Subject. The subject of the sentence is the one that does the action and is preceded by the verb (unless it is a passive construction—where the subject comes at the end, or does not come at all).V stands for the Verb in a sentence. A verb is basically an action that our subject does. In this formula, the V1 is the present form of the verb.The Object is the part of the sentence upon which the action happens. However, not all sentences have an object. Sometimes, they just bring full meaning to the sentence by providing more information about the subject. In this case, it's called a complement, or more precisely, a subject complement.b. Simple Past TenseSimple past tense talks about an event that has happened in the past. Like simple present tense, simple past tense, too, is used for delivering factual information rather than an event that was happening in the past. Let's see the syntax.Subject + V2 + Object/ComplementHere, V2 stands for the past form of the verb.For example, He was a sailor.Can you identify the subject, verb, and complement in this sentence? (There's no object here).c. Simple Future TenseThe simple future tense talks about things or facts that may occur in the future. That's all there is to it. Let's see the syntax.Subject + will/shall + V1 + Object/ComplementFor example, 'they will take the class.' Here, 'they' is the subject, 'will take' together makes the verb part of the sentence, and 'class' is the object.ConclusionIn this article, we have barely scratched the surface of English grammar basics. However, it is a good start. Understanding pronouns and the nature of tenses is what you need to understand when you begin learning English. Hopefully, this article has piqued your interest in the language. English grammar is simple to understand, yet so irregular.If you are interested in learning the language, we also invite you to take our Basic English Course for an in-depth understanding of English grammar. Please feel free to connect with us for more information!

Fri, 03-Feb-2023

Wordpress hosting options
Wordpress hosting options
Having an online presence for small businesses in India is still a fairly new concept. While not many are considering the option, some of them have started realising how important it could be for their business. A part of that realisation is to have a website in India. And to have a website, you need a host. So, how and where can I find WordPress hosting solutions in India? Let's find out!What is WordPress?Right, the WordPress. In layman's terms, WordPress is basically a tool to make your website. And for FREE!! In old days, you would absolutely need a developer to make your website. WordPress sort of eliminates that option.Even if you do not have any technical background, you can still create a basic website with WordPress. It is an EMS tool that gives you all the necessary tools and a thousand of free templates to create a website within just a few hours. Awesome, is it not? WordPress does make it fairly easy to create a website.However, you may still have to hire a developer if you want to create a unique-looking website for your business.What is a WordPress host?Even though you can freely create a website with WordPress at no cost, hosting is a completely different domain. The 'host' is basically a server that keeps your website live on the internet and makes it available to the public. To get a unique website address (domain name) for your website, you will need a host.Technically, do you absolutely need a host? No. You can simply create a website on WordPress and publish it with the ".wordpress.com" domain. However, this does not give your business the unique identity it deserves. Furthermore, it is not optimal for attracting customers or handling heavy-duty traffic on your website.So, while hosting costs, it certainly has some upsides. First and foremost, you can choose a unique domain name that creates a unique identity for your business. Secondly, even though hosting costs, it does not have to be expensive. You can pay less than what you pay for your monthly mobile data pack, and still get a quality host for your website. And third, it can handle heavy-duty traffic loads and ensures that your website stays up all the time.Also, this may be optional, but depending on your hosting package, you may also get a website maintenance service from your host provider.What determines the price of a hosting service in India?When it comes to prices, there are many determiners. While you may find a hosting option as cheap as paying 50-150rs per month, you may have to consider some options first.There are two types of WordPress hosting. One that uses a shared hosting server to host your website. This means your website will be hosted on a server other websites are hosted on. Think of this as renting an apartment with other tenants. The other one is dedicated hosting, where you get to keep the server and its resources for your website only. Of course, this is a relatively more expensive option than shared hosting.Secondly, the operating system. Hosts tend to use Windows or Linux as their operating system. Since Windows is paid software, hosting on a Windows OS server tends to get a bit more expensive. However, many experts in the industry proclaim that using Linux may be more viable for your website than Windows itself as it is open-source, free, and flexible.And third, the hardware itself. The cheaper hosting options will get you less storage space for your website, and less website performance value—which may not be optimal if you wish to publish your website globally. More expensive packages tend to give better storage space and hardware resources allocated for your website.So, it is important to remember these factors before you consider a hosting package.What are the WordPress Hosting Solutions in India?WordPress hosting solutions can cost as little as ₹59 per month. Cheaper than you expected? But, it is also essential to get a quality host for your website, right?1. HostingerHostinger is a Lithuanian-based WordPress hosting solution that is popular in India. They have the best deals for all sorts of website hosting solutions in India, starting as cheap as ₹69. The least you can get from Hostinger is 50GB SSD storage space, a free domain name for 1 year, 100GB bandwidth, 2 databases, and 1 email account—all for one website.For more information, please consider visiting the website linked above.2. BigRockBigRock is an Indian-owned hosting company that provides world-class hosting solutions to Indian websites. With plans as cheap as ₹59/month, BigRock provides quite a lucrative hosting solution.  With dedicated and shared hosting options powered by Windows or Linux OS and top-of-the-line hardware resources, your website will run like butter in no time.Find more details regarding their hosting plans on their website.3. BlueHostBlueHost is another well-known hosting solutions brand across the world that is also well-known in India. With their data centres located in India itself, BlueHost actually makes an optimal high-quality hosting solution for Indian websites. With their shared hosting options starting from ₹169/month, BlueHost allocates high-quality hardware resources and technical support for their websites, even for the cheapest plan.For more details, please visit their website.ConclusionThere are a tremendous amount of WordPress hosts in India. In this article, we have chosen the top three options for WordPress hosting solutions in India. This is our personal opinion and has not been affected by any affiliation or sponsorship by any of the hosts mentioned above. We hope that you find this information useful.If you have any other suggestions to make on this article, feel free to connect with us.

Fri, 03-Feb-2023

All blogs