[Thad E Ginathom]

In case one, believe it or not, this is the common English idiom:

For all his faults, I still like him.

In case two, my version requires correcting the question!

I will do it, whatever you say.]

These are common and correct English sayings, but it does not render any other solution wrong. Despite, or in spite of, would both be fine

<thinking as I write>

The question setter has a specific answer in mind. It is also specified that the blanks be filled with prepositions. Is it specified that the same word be used in both? In that case, my answer to the question is for.

for all his faults...
... for all you may say.

Now I want to know the textbook answer!

[Turbo_asd]

Thanks Guite, Anupmathur and Thad sir.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Now I want to know the textbook answer!

Hmm...
Your second one is right! For is what my textbook says as well!
The first one, according to the book, is with. Any way you can help reason that out?
________________________________________
With all his faults I still like him.
Sounds a little odd to me. For, in spite of, etc seemed better.

On a related note(more preposition, that is), could anyone help with the usage of the preposition in lieu of?

Despite all my confusion, I seem to be understanding this stuff better

[anupmathur]

You may freely use 'despite' in lieu of 'inspite of'. The two are interchangeable.
Of course, what Thad has pointed out sounds more elegant to me.

[faustus77]

Originally Posted by honeybee

There is also frequent confusion about the past tense of the verb 'learn'. We wete taught that the past tense of 'to learn' is 'learnt'. But often the word 'learned' is used instead. This word actually means someone who has learnt, a learned person.

Honeybee
Hi
I would go with learnt as the past tense and learned as in a learned person.
When you say it aloud to yourself you realize that learnt sounds better.
Regards
PS: Thad Ginathom sir
Banging your head against a wall as a sign of frustration is very apt. Regards

[Thad E Ginathom]

faustus, would you always pronounce "learned" as two syllables, then? It isn't... unless you are talking about a learn-ed person. Or, sometimes, reading poetry, of course.

When you say it aloud to yourself you realize that learnt sounds better.

I don't know how to write any proper phonetic notation, but, spoken, there is but a subtle difference between lurnd and lurnt. In fact, first pick your spelling, then pick your pronunciation: either will fo for either!

[tilt]

Of late, I am seeing the expression "walk the talk" more often. I wonder how many of us realise that the expression is actually "walk the walk" and not "walk the talk".

The original usage is something like "He can talk the talk, but can he walk the walk?".

Cheers

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by tilt

Of late, I am seeing the expression "walk the talk" more often. I wonder how many of us realise that the expression is actually "walk the walk" and not "walk the talk".

The original usage is something like "He can talk the talk, but can he walk the walk?".

Probably a supposedly sophisticated-sounding management jargon in the lines of 'streamlining', 'touch-base', etc.

[mroptimist]

Originally Posted by tilt

Of late, I am seeing the expression "walk the talk" more often. I wonder how many of us realise that the expression is actually "walk the walk" and not "walk the talk".

The original usage is something like "He can talk the talk, but can he walk the walk?".

Cheers

Originally Posted by silversteed

Probably a supposedly sophisticated-sounding management jargon in the lines of 'streamlining', 'touch-base', etc.

Perhaps NDTV's program "Walk The Talk" with Shekhar Gupta can be partly
blamed for this usage.

[reverse_gear]

Originally Posted by tilt

Of late, I am seeing the expression "walk the talk" more often. I wonder how many of us realise that the expression is actually "walk the walk" and not "walk the talk".

This phrase belongs to the dictionary of modern American management jargon. There are a number of such phrases which the Yanks have invented, mostly by corrupting older English phrases or by referencing their favourite sports themes.

If you are confused by "walk the talk", you may be scratching your heads at some of these...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7457287.stm

[Thad E Ginathom]

I loathe that management/marketing speak!

But, although I would never use it, walking the talk does make sense: You can say it, but can you do it? Do the deeds match the words?

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I loathe that management/marketing speak!

But, although I would never use it, walking the talk does make sense: You can say it, but can you do it? Do the deeds match the words?

Maybe they should be more "limp bizkit", and talk about writing cheques that cant be cashed by a body part?
That would spice up meetings.

[Thad E Ginathom]

I thought that Limp Bizkit was a rock band!

Originally Posted by reverse_gear

If you are confused by "walk the talk", you may be scratching your heads at some of these...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7457287.stm

There is stuff there that I really can't understand at all. What on earth is that putting fingers down the throat thing? And nodules? Putting fingers down the throat makes a person vomit: is that really what this means?

The one that used to get me was can we move on? It means, Can we forget about this bad thing I/we did and talk about something else?

Many years ago, we used to despair (and giggle) at the American pronunciation and use of the word leverage, not to mention that it is verbing a noun. How naive we were! We did not understand that that was high literature compared to the garbage that the USA would dump on us.

My boss was a hypocrite. He pretended to decry all that stuff, but just let him into a meeting with those types and he lapped it up.

The problem is that people feel unable to laugh at their managers. Laughter is the appropriate response.

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

it is verbing a noun.

I see what you did there

Obligatory C&H reference:

Source: http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2013/01/28
Copyright © 2015. Universal Uclick

[anupmathur]

^^... Ha ha, I love the concept; the concept of making language a complete impediment to understanding!

And, looking around us today, what with all the specific jargon of every profession/discipline, it seems to be happening right under our noses. The beauty is that there is nothing we can do about it!

When rape is inevitable, lie back and enjoy it.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

... there is nothing we can do about it!

You may not feel able to laugh at your boss, but there is nothing stopping you from laughing at the people who come to sell you things.

"Can you just run through that again ...in English?" is a good one, too.

Yes, I have been known to give sales people a hard time. I told one guy that he could tell me about his company, but no, he could not plug his laptop in, and no, I did not to see the corporate Powerpoint presentation.