<I>The British Council?s language clinic with ?Dr Danny? </I>

Hello and a very warm welcome to the English Language Clinic. Today is something of a ?mile stone? (something that represents an important marker in the progress or development of a person?s life or a project); this is the twenty first Dr Danny article. It would be wrong to describe this as an ?anniversary?; ?Anniversary? literally means ?turning yearly?. There are many different types of anniversary celebrated and commemorated every year. (A ?celebration? is always enjoyable, whereas a ?commemoration? is usually more serious and thoughtful; we would ?celebrate? the end of a war, but ?commemorate? those who had lost their lives in the war.) The most common type of anniversary is probably the birthday. In English this event is always referred to as a ?birthday?, never as an anniversary. The presents which are given are known as ?birthday presents?, if you are lucky enough to have a party, it will be a ?birthday party?, possibly with a ?birthday cake? and your friends might sing the song ?Happy Birthday? to you.

The expression ?happy anniversary? (in English) is nearly always used to refer to a wedding anniversary (?wedding? describes the whole occasion, including the celebrations that usually follow whereas ?marriage? is the legal/religious ceremony of becoming a wife or husband). It is traditional to give your ?spouse? (the person you are married to) gifts of increasing value on each successive anniversary.

So, ?happy anniversary? to all those who are remembering their wedding day and ?happy birthday? to all those who are one year older today (I hope that you will all be celebrating, rather than commemorating these important events!).

Please send your comments, queries and questions to ?Dr Danny? by emailing the following address [email protected]

If you are interested in registering for an I.E.L.T.S. preparation course, starting next week, please attend a short placement test at the British Council: Weds 16th ? Fri 17th (14:00-16:00) Sat 18th (13:00 ? 15:00).