'Jai ho' set to be millionth English word

NEW DELHI: 'Jai ho', 'cuddies' and 'slumdog' are among the 73 other finalists from across the globe to become the millionth English word. 

The Global Language Monitor, an Austin, Texas-based firm that analyses and catalogues the latest trends in word usage and word choices with a particular emphasis on English, will choose the millionth word June 10 at 10.22 a.m. GMT.  At present, there are 999,927 words in their 'English language world clock'.  According to the firm's site languagemonitor.com, 'cuddies' - the Hinglish word for ladies underwear or panties; jai ho - used as a term of praise in Hindi that became popular through the Oscar winning "Slumdog Millionaire"; as well as slumdog - a disparaging description of slum dwellers - are all in the race to becoming the millionth word in the English language.  "The million word milestone brings to notice the coming of age of English as the first truly global Language," said Paul J.J. Payack, president and chief word analyst of the Global Language Monitor.  According to the site, owing to the "global extent of the English language, the millionth word is as likely to appear from India, China or East Los Angeles as it is to emerge from Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare's home town)".  Payack who authored "A Million Words and Counting" also said that there were three major trends involving the English language at present.  "First - an explosion in word creation - English words are being added to the language at the rate of some 14.7 words a day. Second is a geographic explosion where some 1.53 billion people now speak English around the globe as a primary, auxiliary, or business language. Third - English has become, in fact, the first truly global language."  Other English millionth word finalists are Australia's alchopops - sugary flavoured mixed drinks; bangster - a Polish combination of gangster and banker, de-friend - Internet lingo for no longer following a friends update on sites, sexting - texting of sexual content, quendy-trendy - British youth slang for hip and up to date, and mobama - relating to the fashion trends of US first lady.  Another word in the list is 'OK' - called "the most recognised English word on the planet".  Global Language Monitor has been tracking English word creation since 2003.  In Shakespeare's time, there were only two million speakers of English and fewer than 100,000 words. He himself coined about 1,700 words.  Former US president Thomas Jefferson invented about 200 words while George W. Bush created a handful, including misunderestimate. US President Barack Obama's surname passed into the word list last year with the rise of obamamania.

Salman dumped Katrina for Asin? Asin denies…

Bollywood Gossip : There’s a bit of worry for gorgeous Katrina Kaif as the rumours doing the rounds is that Asin and Salman Khan’s off-screen chemistry is really working very well.

It’s been said that Asin’s room is full ofSallu’s poster so that she can see his face, the first thing in the morning. Not only this, recently a Mumbai based tabloid reported that Salman has gifted a flat to Asin in Mumbai suburbs, Lokhandwala, so that Asin could have a permanent residence in the city of Bollywood.

The duo is working in London Dreams and it seems that their closeness would surely be bringing horrible dreams to Kat baby. But again Sallu Mia is known for his generosity so it can be that it is his yet another generous gesture towards the southern star.

But the Ghajini girl rubbishes all the speculation. She says that it’s nothing more than a professionalrelationship. She has clearly said that Salman didn’t enter her room, as reported by the tabloids.

She said, ”No one has access to my room.”

She tried her best to clear the air about the Bollywood bad boy: ”I am working with Salman in a film. Nothing more or nothing less than that.”

Big B sports a bald look in Pa

Believe it or not this is Amitabh Bachchan's new look in his upcoming movie Pa. Taking a cue out of AamirKhan's look in Ghajini  Big B has will be sporting a bald look in the movie. But unlike Aamir  the 66 year old actor hasn't really shaved his hair but is using a high quality mask. The movie directed by Balki also stars son Abhishek Bachchan  and vidya balan .

Both Balkia and the Amitabh had tried their best to prevent this new look from leaking in the media. Amitabh was entering and leaving the sets like an undercover agent to keep his looks under wraps. The shooting for the movie is currently going on in Delhi some of the shooting took place in Rajpath and Dwarka and the producers have even hired a metro for the shoot.

he movie will be a role reversal for Amitabh and Abhishek as Junior B will be playing Big B's father in the movie. Amitabh plays a man suffering from a peculiar disease in which he ages at a faster pace and thus looks much older than his actual age and even older than his father. The movie is expected to hit the theatres by the year end or early next year.

Shahrukh to have eight pack abs now

When Shahrukh Khan was sweating it out to build his six pack abs for Om Shanti Om many had ridiculed his act. But the actor had the last laugh when he amazed everyone by getting a perfect six pack at the wrong side of 40. If you thought that was a herculean task Shahrukh is all set to leave you speechless when he flaunts his eight packs in his upcoming movie Happy New Year. 

Buzz up!

This time again Om Shanti Om director Farah Khan has requested the actor to work on his abs for Happy New Year. She said that that it will be a very physically challenging film for which Shahrukh and he will and his body has to endure a lot. Farah added that Shahrukh will pump up himself and this time they were going for an eight pack.

It will be a nice opportunity for Shahrukh to score a point over his arch rival Aamir Khan. The Ghajini star had built an eight pack ab and went one up on the battle with Shahrukh Khan. The actor though is tight lipped about the entire project and does not want to disclose any details. The shooting for Happy New Year is slated to begin by the year end.

Tags: shahrukh khan, happy new year, om shanti om, farah khan, aamir khan, ghajini, subhadeep bhattacharjee.

Perez admits to secret Wenger talks

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has admitted that he held secret talks with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

The recently installed Madrid supremo is a known admirer of Wenger and had moved to bring the Frenchman to the Bernabeu following the dismissal of Juande Ramos at the end of the Primera Liga season.

Perez, who already has plans in place to splash the cash and sign Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribery, has since appointed former Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini after finding that Wenger was totally committed to Arsenal.

"From the beginning we have worked on two possibilities - Wenger and Pellegrini," Perez said of Wenger in French publication L'Equipe.

"We have always been attracted by the Frenchman and we talked to him several times.

"He didn't come because he feels very responsible about what has happened and what will happen at Arsenal.

"He didn't want to abandon the club that he has given such a lot to.

"But as our director general Jorge Valdano said: 'Pellegrini is the Wenger of Spanish football'."

Wenger had been criticised in certain quarters for failing to land a trophy with Arsenal last season.

Comeback king Federer downs del Porto

Roger Federer stayed on course for a first French Open title after coming from two sets to one down to beat Juan Martin del Potro.

The Swiss, bidding to complete his haul of the grand slams, recovered from a slow start to claim a 3-6 7-6 (7/2) 2-6 6-1 6-4 victory in three hours and 28 minutes in the Roland Garros semi-finals.

The second seed will meet Robin Soderling in Sunday's final after the Swede defeated Fernando Gonzalez 6-3 7-5 5-7 4-6 6-4 earlier today in another thrilling five-setter to continue his remarkable run in Paris.

It was Federer's second five-set win this tournament - he was also taken the distance by Tommy Haas in the fourth round - and he has squeezed through to his fourth straight final here without being on top form.

When Federer, 27, lost the third set to Del Potro, the Argentinian was serving consistently and his powerful groundstrokes were proving too much for the world number two.

By that stage, Federer had only earned two break points, converting neither of them, but he turned that around to finish the stronger.

He is now just one win away from becoming the sixth player to complete a sweep of the Majors. The title here would also move him level with Pete Sampras on a record 14 grand-slam crowns.

Federer, installed as title favourite after Soderling dumped out reigning champion Rafael Nadal in round four, had won all his previous five meetings with Del Potro, not even dropping a set.

But he was broken in the fifth and ninth games to lose the first set here and Del Potro was dictating the rallies, feasting off Federer's weak and short backhands.

Del Potro played a poor second-set tie-break, sending four shots into the net to gift the Swiss the leveller, but he still held the whip hand and sped through a 36-minute third set during which he broke twice more.

As the South American tired, Federer found an extra gear, as he has done so often this past fortnight, and suddenly dominated Del Potro's serve.

Two breaks were sufficient to win the fourth set convincingly and he broke early in the fifth too.

Del Potro grabbed one himself as the light started to fade on Philippe Chatrier court, but he double-faulted in game seven to put Federer back in front.

This time, the Swiss did not falter.

Soderling had earlier come from 4-1 down in the fifth set to sink 12th seed Gonzalez in a riveting battle of the big hitters.

"My first feeling was relief because it was a long match and I was tired, but after a few seconds I got really, really happy," said Soderling, who was cheered on today by legendary Swede Bjorn Borg.

"If you'd have asked me a couple of years ago which grand slam I'd be playing a final in, I wouldn't have said Roland Garros."

The 23rd seed, who entered the history books after slaying Nadal last Sunday, went two sets ahead but was pegged back by Gonzalez, who showed great opportunism to nick the third and fourth on his only break points in those sets.

The Chilean forged 3-0 then 4-1 ahead in the decider, but Soderling reeled off five straight games to claim a superb win.

Gonzalez, a barrel-chested, bandana-wearing slugger, had left his previous opponents, which included Britain's Andy Murray, punch-drunk with his booming forehand but he met his match today, Soderling hitting 74 winners in total.

"I never felt comfortable on the court against him. He was playing at a really high level," said the 28-year-old, who, unhappy at a line call going against him at 4-4 in the fourth set, rubbed the alleged mark with his backside in a bizarre moment as the tension mounted.

"At 4-4 (in the fifth), I was really exhausted, both physically and mentally."

Soderling had never previously made it past the third round at a M

Federer happy to avod Nadal

Roger Federer is relieved he will not be facing clay nemesis Rafael Nadal in tomorrow's French Open final.

The Swiss has lost the last three Roland Garros showpieces to Nadal, but the Spaniard was knocked out in the fourth round this year by Robin Soderling.

And it is Sweden's Soderling, the 23rd seed, who is now standing in between Federer and a first title on the Parisian clay.

"It's nice to play against someone else," Federer said.

"I'm not really going to miss him. Maybe you (the press) are going to miss him but not me."

The world number two, who also lost to Nadal in the semi-finals here in 2005, is one win away from completing a sweep of grand slam titles. He would be the sixth man to achieve such a feat.

Federer made the final after coming back from two sets to one down to defeat plucky Argentinian Juan Martin del Potro 3-6 7-6 (7/2) 2-6 6-1 6-4.

Del Potro, the fifth seed, started in unforgiving mood but tired after winning the third set.

Federer, as he has in every match so far this tournament, finished the stronger and finally got on top of his opponent's serve.

It was his second five-setter this past fortnight - he was also taken the distance by Tommy Haas in round four.

"It feels great to come through hard matches like these," said the 27-year-old.

"It is more emotional, more satisfying. And I still feel fine."

Soderling needed five sets to win his semi-final too, claiming a 6-3 7-5 5-7 4-6 6-4 win against 12th seed Fernando Gonzalez.

The Swede was 4-1 down in the final set but reeled off five successive games to continue his remarkable run in Paris.

Soderling had never previously made it past the third round at a Major.

Indeed, prior to the French Open, Soderling had not won more than two matches at any tournament since netting a title in Lyon in October 2008.

"If you'd have asked me a couple of years ago which grand slam I'd be playing a final in, I wouldn't have said Roland Garros," Soderling said.

Top seed Dinara Safina will this afternoon battle it out with Svetlana Kuznetsova, the seventh seed, in an all-Russian women's final.

Spanish high in Women's doubles

Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual successfully defended their French Open women's doubles title.

The third seeds, who beat Casey Dellacqua and Francesca Schiavone at the same stage 12 months ago, dropped just two games as they hammered 12th seeds Victoria Azarenka and Elena Vesnina 6-1 6-1.

Spaniards Medina Garrigues and Ruano Pascual converted five of the 14 break points they created in a one-sided final, with their Belarussian and Russian opponents failing to secure even a solitary break of serve.

The victory brought a sixth doubles title for Ruano Pascual at Roland Garros having won this event four times with Argentine Paola Suarez before teaming up so successfully with her countrywoman.

Netherlands stun England in opener

England suffered their biggest humiliation in limited-overs history as they were defeated by minnows Holland in the opening match of the World Twenty20.

Expected to progress comfortably past the Dutch, who only have 5,000 players in their country, the hosts instead slumped to a four-wicket defeat in steady rain under the lights atLord's.

It is one of their most shocking defeats since losing by nine runs to Zimbabwe, who were then still an Associate nation, at Albury during the 1992 World Cup, although England had already qualified for the semi-finals by then.

Watch the match here

Friday's defeat, which was sealed off the last ball when Edgar Schiferli scrambled a two off the last ball after Stuart Broad's throw missed the stumps at the non-striker's end, means England must beat Pakistan at the Oval on Sunday to prevent being knocked out of the tournament just three days into the event.

The tournament had threatened to get off to a damp start with steady rain forcing the organisers to cancel the opening ceremony and delay the start by 20 minutes.

Even England's innings rarely threatened to provide the thrills and spills promised in the brochure after they failed to hit a single six in their innings and added only 22 runs in the final three overs.

It's all about numbers

But after recording a respectable 162 for six despite their late stutter, England quickly realised the scale of their task and the tournament sprang to life with Holland's stunning triumph.

They celebrated by running to the corner of Lord's where their fans were most populated and slid on the turf in a football-style celebration while England's shattered players made their way to the Lord's dressing rooms.

Images from the match

There was no hint of the drama to come when England, put into bat, began their innings and Ravi Bopara and Luke Wright once again laid the foundations for a far bigger total with a 102-run stand off 73 balls.

It was England's highest ever opening stand in a Twenty20 international from the 12th pair they have tried in just 16 matches and seemed to hint at a comfortable victory for the hosts.

Relive the ICC World Twenty20 in Facebook

Instead of build on that foundation, though, England stuttered and struggled to overcome the absence of Kevin Pietersen with a recurrence of his Achilles problems.

Having forged a stunning 119-run stand in the warm-up match against West Indies, England's openers took that form into this match and at the halfway stage they were looking at a massive total on 89 without loss.

But Bopara holed out to long on to begin a collapse of five wickets for 51 runs in 7.3 overs including Wright in identical fashion for a superb 71 off 49 balls in the 18th over, prompting a sluggish finale when England were only able to score one four in the final three overs and were unable to hit a boundary off the final 17 balls.

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It was a scrappy finish which backfired badly on England later in the evening when the Dutch completed one of the greatest shocks in recent years to leave the hosts scrambling to maintain an interest in their own tournament.

Straight away, Holland made their mark with opener and part-time debt collectorDarron Reekers achieving what no England player had done by launching two sixes in the first three overs of the innings.

England had begun brightly with James Anderson striking with the fifth ball of the innings to remove Alexei

Kervezee and Broad having Reekers caught in the deep in the fourth over.

But it was the innings of middle order batsman Tom de Grooth which gave Holland the self-belief that they could spring a surprise in the opening match, who particularly took a liking to young leg spinner Adil Rashid after he was surprisingly preferred to Graeme Swann.

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He lashed 49 off 30 balls, adding 50 off just 30 balls with Bas Zuiderent, to leave Holland needing an achievable 47 from the final seven overs after driving Paul Collingwood to mid off.

Peter Borren picked up the mantle and hammered 30 off 25 balls, including a slog sweep for six off Collingwood, to take Holland even closer to their dramatic victory when he was also caught in the deep to become the second of three victims for Anderson.

Perhaps the moment which turned the match in Holland's favour, though, was in the penultimate over when Essex all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate was dropped by Anderson at full stretch on the cover boundary and allowed the ball to trickle for four.

It left Holland needing 12 runs off nine balls to finish and when Broad began the final over, the target was seven to complete a stunning triumph.

Click here to follow all the action as it unfolded

England thought the game had turned back in their favour when Schiferli seemed to have been run out attempting a quick single when Broad collected and threw down the stumps, but television evidence proved he had broken them with his hand before the ball.

It was the reprieve which Holland wanted and, needing two for victory, Schiferli pushed the final ball back down the pitch and Broad collected again but his throw missed the stumps and allowed Holland to seal victory from an overthrow.

Collingwood demands improvement

Paul Collingwood has urged England to bounce back quickly from one of the most humiliating defeats in their history.

Collingwood has urged England to bounce back quickly if they are to avoid an early exit from the ICC World Twenty20 tournament.

Friday night's stunning six-wicket defeat by Holland at Lord's has left England needing victory over Pakistan at the Oval on Sunday if they are not to suffer an embarrassing departure from the event.

Having scored a competitive 162 for five against the Dutch minnows, England were humbled when Edgar Schiferli scrambled a second run to secure victory off the final ball of the match after Stuart Broad missed with his throw at the stumps.

Collingwood: Defeat was hard to take

As Holland celebrated deep into the night, England retreated to the dressing room but captain Collingwood has underlined the need to shrug off their disappointment if they are not to become the first casualty of the tournament.

"The boys are very disappointed but we have to bounce back, it's as simple as that," stressed Collingwood.

"We're still in the tournament, we have 24 hours to get our heads around it and we have to play a hell of a lot better on Sunday.

 

"Pakistan are obviously a very good side. They got to the final of the last Twenty20 World Cup, they're very skilful and we're going to have to be at our very, very best to beat that side but we can do it."

England hope to have Kevin Pietersen available again after he sat out last night's defeat with a recurrence of Achilles tendon problems and Collingwood insisted: "It's not out of the realms of possibility that we can win and we believe we can win that game.

"I think as individuals we have to pick ourselves up because there were some sad faces in that dressing room last night but we've got 24 hours to do that, we'll get our heads together, see what we can do better in the next game and hopefully take it onto the park."

England not going to risk Pietersen

Pietersen, who missed the one-day series against West Indies to rest his Achilles, had a scan and injection on Friday in an effort to cure him of the ongoing problem.

But with the Ashes series due to start in five weeks at Cardiff, Collingwood stressed they would take no risks with Pietersen - or anyone else - in the coming days.

"He woke up this morning and felt very sore and it was a surprise to him and more of a surprise to the rest of us," revealed Collingwood.

"The medical staff have had a good look at him and seen what they need to do for Sunday and I'm hoping he's going to be fit.

"We're obviously not going to take any major risks because we've all got a big year ahead of us, but this is now a must-win game for us on Sunday and if he's fit he'll be playing."