contributions
Prepared by
Sami El-Shahed
"First of all, let me express my appreciation of the didactic role of the Egyptian Mail. These philological tips are indeed good and stimulating lessons. After all, newspapers teach as well as inform", wrote Sayed Abdul Fattah, a teacher of English in Giza Governorate.
Mr. Abdul Fattah, apparently prompted by a quiz set forth in an earlier 'tip', went on to say:
"In my bedroom alone I could spot about fifty compound nouns of various types, and also nouns used as adjectives. Some of the latter are written as two separate words, or hyphenated. However, I expect that the hyphenated ones would, sooner or later, be amalgamated into single words, especially if hey are single-syllable ones.
"I simply looked around my bedroom, and could find a steel blind, wallpaper, bed cloth, light switch, pillowcases, and a big wardrobe. There are also a shoe stand, underwear drawers, an ashtray but no cigarette box because smoking is strictly prohibited upon my wife's orders.
"On the dressing table I see my wife's makeup box(s), plenty of hair pins, a medicine box and a hair brush. Close to the table are an armchair, my baby's bed, windowpanes, and a telephone set. Up the wall there are an air-conditioner, my wedding picture, and a small side lamp".
Hamdy Salah (from Alexandria) wrote:
"A hotel room is somewhat different from a bedroom at home. Before you reach the room reserved or assigned to you in a hotel, a doorman with a broad yet artificial smile receives you at the photo-cell door. Your luggage is carried into the hotel by a bellboy. You make a check-in at the front office, and then the bellboy accompanies you to your room. With a magnetic key-card, he opens the door, which has no keyhole. The bellboy places the bags on the luggage stand.
"About ten minutes later there is a knock at the door: another bellboy is bringing a fruit basket as a compliment from the hotel manager.
"The first thing you should do upon entering a hotel room is to look for the room directory. It helps
you identify the different services available at the hotel: room service, telephone calls (especially long-distance ones), message sending and message receiving, wake-up calls, safety instructions, Internet service, including the e-mail, of course. From the room directory, you can also identify the location of the business centre, the food outlets, the coffee shop, the VIP lounge, the conference hall, the rent-a-car desk, and the luggage storing service.
"Sometime, when you walk out of the room in the morning you may come across a chambermaid busy tidying up rooms, changing bed-cloth and pillow cases, providing fresh toilet paper, spraying an air- freshener É etc. She has a master key that can open all room doors.
"Perhaps you do not recognise that the walls of your room are sound-proof, and that certain wings are reserved for non-smoking guests.
"When it is time to leave, you call the front-office to send up someone to take your suitcases down while you carry your own small handbag containing your valuables. You finally check-out carrying good memories of a splendid stay at this five-star hotel which is in fact a state-of-the-art building, part of a world hotel chain known for its quality services. A shuttle bus takes you to the airport at the end of your seven-day visit to this fascinating country and its many tourist attractions"
The Egyptian Mail: Many thanks to Mr. Abdul Fattah, and to Mr. Hamdy.
Send your contributions to:
Samyshahed@yahoo.com
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