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A little
Un peau.
Un poco.
A little.
Three different languages, but the words carry the same meaning. Have you noticed how often we used these two words? We use these words more than we may acknowledge. And when we use them, it is usually to transmit different signals depending on the situation. These two little words can be used to showcase humility in overwhelming circumstances and even as a disclaimer while navigating murky waters. Though these words are not a homonym, these are treated like so during usage.
So far, I had seen these two little words in action when a friend explained a recipe. This friend was a good cook, though he was lazy. To his credit, his laziness was not only related to cooking but all things in life. But when he shed this perpetual lethargy, we were all treated with a mouth-watering beef dish from Kerala. It was so good that I am salivating while I write. When an acquaintance asked him the recipe, he smiled sheepishly and revealed his secret. As with any Indian dish, he used a little chilly powder, a little turmeric powder, a little coriander powder, and the list went on with a lot more “a little”s. As I had been in the kitchen a few times when these rare cooking events took place, I knew he left out the secret ingredient. In case you are wondering, the secret ingredient is whatever he can lay his hands on during the penultimate…
