Frown your face?

While drafting today’s article, I recalled a plethora of repetitive expressions we have in our vocabulary as English speakers. At the beginning of this column in the Peoples Daily newspaper, I revealed some of these wrong expressions and their corrections in detail. I also recommended the Oxford English Dictionary for confirmation.

A woman asked her friend, “Why are you frowning your face?” According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a frown is “a wrinkling of the forehead with the eyebrows brought together, typically indicating displeasure, severity, or concentration.” In simpler words, a frown is a facial expression that shows anger, sadness and displeasure. While teaching my online students, I explained that since frowning is all about one’s face, it is a repetition to use ‘frown your face’. I deployed my sense of humour by asking rhetorically, “Can you frown your leg?”

Study the following expressions.

The child was rebuked by his father because she frowned her face. (Wrong)

The child was rebuked by his father because she frowned. (Correct)

Mr. Segun frowned his face throughout the meeting. (Wrong)

Mr. Segun frowned throughout the meeting. (Correct)

The emphasis is, whenever you want to use the word ‘frown’, avoid the temptation of adding ‘face’ to it, i.e., frown your face.

BLINK YOUR EYES

After I consulted my dependable dictionary for the meaning of ‘blink’, I observed that it has ‘eyes’ embedded in its meaning. You should be familiar with this finding because of our lesson on  ‘frown’. As a verb, it means “to open and reopen one’s eyes quickly”. In its noun form, it is the act of closing both eyes and opening them again. Therefore, it is redundant to re-echo ‘eyes’ while using ‘blink’ in your sentences.

Reminiscent of the past, my parents used to blink (note: I ignored ‘eyes’) whenever we had visitors in our apartment. The major reason was to avoid receiving monetary gifts from them. This method is a sign language that is rampant among several parents and guardians to comport their children around strangers and guests.

Review the following sentences.

The lady who blinks her eyes every time just left here. (Wrong)

The lady who blinks every time just left here. (Correct)

I blinked my eyes to warn Femi against buying from the man. (Wrong)

I blinked to warn Femi against buying from the man. (Correct)

INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT

One of my friends phoned me for an opportunity to work with a scholarship organization in Nigeria. I gladly accepted the offer and attended an interview with the CEO. A few days after, I received a mail announcing the job offer with euphoria. However, I puzzled over the use of  ‘international passport’ on the company’s website. I expected a valid word instead of the term displayed recurrently. I guessed it was because some Nigerian students might find it difficult to ascertain the exact one required for their scholarship adventures. Moreover, we have passport photographs too.

A passport is a document officially designed for international trips. If I want to apply for a scholarship in Canada today, applying for a passport is mandatory for visa application. The appearance of ‘international’ in the meaning of ‘passport’ is enough. It is tautological to continue using ‘international passport’ instead of ‘passport’.

Examine the following sentences.

Alhaji Musa just received his international passport. (Wrong)

Alhaji Musa just received his passport. (Correct)

My friend’s international passport has been stolen by thieves. (Wrong)

My friend’s passport has been stolen by thieves. (Correct)

One of my students was inquisitive about this topic in a message forwarded to me on WhatsApp: Mr. Sam, what is the difference between a passport and a passport photograph? I answered, “A passport is used for international trips while a passport photograph is used for the form you submit to schools or offices for admission or other official purposes”. I hope I have figured out the puzzle in your mind regarding this term through this illustration.

Assignment

Choose the right answer to each of the following questions.

1. Zainab ..……….. at the playful children. (a) frowned (b) frowned her face (c) franked her face
2. The boy……….throughout the meeting. (a) blinked his eyes (b) blink (c) blinked
3. Have you got your..……..? (a) passport (b) international passport (c) international passports

Kindly forward your answers to: samueltolulopealimi@gmail.com or 07049203179

Names of those who answered the last questions correctly

Pitan Rasheed, Fatah Rasheed, Soneye Oluwabusola, Ibrahim Bukola, Jerry Eze, Chinedu Emmanuel,    Adamu Lawal, Olive Alimi, Sodiq Sulaimon, Victory Praise, Adewale Victor, Solomon Fred and Yusuf Temitope.