Tricky Words in this week's OVI
This edition's extracts about young people getting work experience at the steelworks contain various words connected with the idea of reaching a certain level or standard, and because there are
various words it is important to know how they combine with others to form typically recognized expressions.
For example achieve a standard or a result; reach a standard is OK, but not reach a result. Meet or fulfill a criterion, a condition or a requirement; take an exam (ísť na skúšku) and pass an exam
(urobiť, zložiť skúšku); pass a medical check-up is OK, but not take a check-up. Undergo (podrobiť sa) an exam or a check-up sounds too formal, but undergo training is OK. Undergo a course is not
typical, but take a course is OK. Experience (skúsenosti) is different: typical expressions are get, gain, acquire and build up (získať, získavať) experience.
Andy's Wordshop
I've been asked where the word 'blog' comes from. It's short for 'web-log', and there's 'vlog' too, which is an abbreviation of 'video-log'. A blog is a record (záznam) of somebody's ideas and
experiences (zážitky) over a period of time, a modern form of diary which is not kept private, but made public. The original log was really a piece of wood (poleno) tied on the end of a rope and
thrown from the side of a ship into the sea to measure the ship's speed.
The rope had knots tied along it to help the measuring, and 'knots' now also means nautical miles per hour. The information about the ship's speed and location was written (entered) in the ship's
log-book at regular intervals, so the log-book (the ship's log) formed a record of its voyage. Motor vehicles also have a log-book (veľký techničák) full of technical data, but I think it should
also have a record of all the owners as well.
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