Skip to main content

English Edification Enrichment (4)


What is the meaning and origin of "between Scylla and Charybdis?

First, let's deal with the pronunciation of the two words.

The "sc" in "Scylla" is pronounced like the "s" in "sit", "sip", and "set", while the following "y" is like the "i" in "it", "is", and "hit". The final "a" is like the "a" in "china". The main stress is on the first syllable.

The "ch" in "Charybdis" is pronounced like the "k" in "kit", "kill", and "kiss". The following "a" is like the "a" in "china", while the "y" and the final "i" are like the "i" in "kit", "pit", and "sit". The main stress is on the second syllable.

Scylla and Charybdis are two rocks located in a narrow sea passage in the Straits of Messina. Scylla is located on the Italian side, while Charybdis is on the Sicilian side. In ancient Greek mythology, Scylla was a female monster with twelve feet and six heads. She had razor sharp teeth and was capable of ripping apart sailors who had the misfortune of coming too close to her.

Charybdis was a whirlpool. It was seen as a monster, which gulped down huge amounts of water and in the process sucked in sailors who accidentally got close to it. When Ulysses tried to make his way through this narrow passageway, Scylla managed to kill six of his sailors.

When you say you are between Scylla and Charybdis what you are implying is that you are between the devil and the deep blue sea. You are being threatened by two dangers at the same time and in trying to avoid one you fall victim to the other. The two dangers are often seen as representing life. Trying to avoid one mistake, we often end up making another. Shakespeare used this expression in his "Merchant of Venice".

* When I shun Scylla your father, I fall into Charybdis your mother.
* Revathi wanted to be on good terms with both her in laws and her parents. But the effort of pleasing one without offending the other was like steering between Scylla and Charybdis.

Thanks & Regards
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

English Edification Enrichment (12)

What is the meaning and origin of the expression "once in a blue moon"? When something happens "once in a blue moon" it happens very rarely. Here are a few examples, * My brother George lives in Russia. I see him once in a blue moon. * We have visitors once in a blue moon. * How often does Tendulkar come to office? Once in a blue moon. There are several explanations as to the origin of this expression. According to scientists, whenever a volcano erupts, the sulphur and dust particles that are thrown up into the atmosphere often cause the moon to appear blue for some time. When the volcano on Krakatoa (an island between Java and Sumatra) exploded in 1883, rocks were hurled thirty miles high into the air and dust from the volcano fell nearly three thousands miles away. After this eruption the moon looked blue for several days. Luckily for us, volcanoes don't erupt every day, so a blue moon continues to be a rare phenomenon. Another explanation offered by scholar...
Post a Comment
Read more

Growth & Development

I've noticed that the more sternly I speak to my kids — for example, after they've run into the street without looking — the more distraught they get. How can I make sure they understand the seriousness of certain situations without making them feel worse? As the saying goes, "Desperate times call for desperate measures." When your child's safety is at risk — whether he's run into the street, reached for an open flame, or gotten dangerously close to a pool — yelling, screaming, or crying out is a perfectly normal (and necessary!) response. After all, at that moment, you would do anything possible to get your child's attention and get him out of harm's way. After an episode like this, it's natural for kids to cry — and for you to want to apologize. But the truth is, your kids are likely crying in response to the fear and urgency in your voice, not because you've been "too stern." At times like these, it's OK to comfort them without...
Post a Comment
Read more

English Edification Enrichment (17)

What is the difference between "plump" and "fat"? When an individual is plump or fat, he is overweight. The word "fat" has a negative connotation associated with it. When you say that someone is "fat", what you are implying is that he is overweight and doesn't present a pleasant sight. It is considered impolite to call someone fat to his face. The word "plump", on the other hand, is normally used to indicate approval. When you say that someone is plump, what you are implying is that the individual is overweight in a pleasant sort of way. In other words, you approve of the soft rounded body that the individual has! The individual though overweight is not unpleasant to look at. In the 60s and 70s many of our movie heroines were plump. Thanks & Regards.
Post a Comment
Read more