Guest standing upside down?
Every time a friend or an acquaintance of mine invited me to their wedding reception, I would try my best to attend it, celebrate with them, to be part of one of the greatest event of someone’s life. For my non-muslim wedding reception, there would always be toasting for the newlywed where I would always grab my drinks at that time; at times mineral water in a bottle, and joined in the toast.
This makes me wonder, if a Muslim get caught drinking alcoholic beverage during the reception, would he be fined and canned? What about if the groom took a sip of red wine in a wedding reception arranged by the bride’s family who happen to be non-muslim? But then again, will any of the Islamic enforcer come and gate crash the wedding reception? On dear, I hope I didn’t just put ideas into them enforcer. No I don’t drink, nor am I saying that I saw any muslim drinking. Sometimes its hard to tell if they are drinking, after all, a cup of beer and Zapple looks the same to me.
Anyway, that’s beside the point. I’m not talking about whether any muslim drink in such occasion. What I originally wanted to write is about toasting, the time when the emcee asked guest to hold up their drinks. I attended one of Erlinna’s close friends wedding last night and the emcee said “Please be upstanding for the toasting of the newlywed”. Did he just say upstanding? Oh yes he did. Now I’m not an English scholar or anything, but I’m pretty sure there’s no such thing as asking someone to go upstanding. You ask guest to stand up, not upstanding. I got my imagination running, thinking that some guest might probably like to stand upside down which would made the emcee to ask guest to stand upright.
Turn out there is such thing as upstanding in English. Dont you love the internet? It’s a good place to search for information. According to online dictionary, the word upstanding is an adjective referring to
- of good character
- upright and vigorous in build
So I would say, the correct use of such words is when you are judging a person’s character or something that is built up. And the most appropriate word to use is to ask to stand up, don’t you think so?
I would like to congratulate the newlywed, Daniel and Olivia on their wedding. I didn’t quite manage to take a photo of them, just a few of Erlinna’s close friend.
😉 what an “upstanding” english tutor you are hun!!! :p heeeeeeeeeeeeee
and you are very “upstanding” friend hehehehe
I love to join in the toasting ceremony at weddings! Ye laa..pakai air mineral or juice saja…ikut juga tu yamseng panjang2 hehe
By the way, check this out http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/upstanding
The word upstanding can be used to mean as standing upright. I needed to check it out too after reading your entry cos I recalled that they usually do use this word in our toastmasters meeting (which incidentally is nothing to do with toasting drinks etc..)
oh i found it at http://www.yourdictionary.com/examples/upstanding
so actually you can use upstanding. but i still feel its weird. hehehe