THE LAY OF THE LAND (or) THE LIE OF THE LAND and WET BEHIND THE EARS:

 FROM SAMPATH’S DESK:

 

THE LAY OF THE LAND (or) THE LIE OF THE LAND and WET BEHIND THE EARS:

 

 

THE LAY OF THE LAND (or) THE LIE OF THE LAND: (often used figuratively)

 

Meaning:

 

If you get THE LAY OF THE LAND or THE LIE OF THE LAND, it means you learn or find out the details of a given situation or problem - to get the hump, idea, message, or mindset of someone - to get accustomed to the arrangement of different parts in an area of land like where things are located in place, etc. - the features or characteristics of an area - the current situation or state of affairs – the way a situation is developing

 

 

Example sentences:

 

I’m not sure what’s going to happen. That’s why I’m coming in right now. I want to get THE LAY OF THE LAND.

 

The pamphlet is about looking at THE LIE OF THE LAND and making your next move.

 

Anyway, it didn’t appeal to me, so once I got THE LAY OF THE LAND, I got out of that territory quickly.

 

Two rescue workers have learned THE LIE OF THE LAND on the spot during a joint training exercise.

 

She knew THE LAY OF THE LAND from hiking through it daily.

 

It takes time for new employees to get THE LAY OF THE LAND to learn how things are done in that department.

 

She was beginning to see THE LIE OF THE LAND with her in-laws.

 

Let’s get THE LIE OF THE LAND before we approach them directly.

 

 

WET BEHIND THE EARS:

 

Meaning:

 

If you say that someone is still WET BEHIND THE EARS, you mean that they have only recently arrived in a new place or job, and are therefore still not experienced.

 

Young, immature, naïve, novice, or inexperienced - lacking knowledge, know-how, experience, and/or expertise 

 

 

Example sentences:

 

 

I will ask the new intern to try to write the report, but he is WET BEHIND THE EARS, so I don’t know if he can do it.

 

I feel so WET BEHIND THE EARS at my new job but I am working late every day to try to learn as fast as I can.

 

Geeta was a research student but still WET BEHIND THE EARS by scientific standards.

 

I am so glad I am no longer WET BEHIND THE EARS. However, those years starting out in marketing and sales were really tough and difficult.

 

I can’t believe they decided to promote Gopal. If you ask me, I think he’s still WET BEHIND THE EARS.

 

He is just out of college, WET BEHIND THE EARS.

 

He is still WET BEHIND THE EARS and doesn’t know how to deal with co-workers and subordinates. I hope he will learn soon.

 

She was too WET BEHIND THE EARS to bear such onerous responsibilities.

 

 

 

Proverbs:

 

நீலிக்குக் கண்ணீர் நிமையிலே.
A termagant has her tears in the eyelids.

 

பொங்கும் காலம் புளி பூக்கும், மங்கும் காலம் மா பூக்கும்.
In times of plenty the tamarind tree blossoms, in times of scarcity the mango bears in abundance.

 

(R.SAMPATH)

28/5/2023