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About Ted Nesbitt
Expertise
I have an interest in the meanings of words and phrases, as well as how and when they became part of the English language. I enjoy researching idioms, colloquialisms, dialects, and obscurities of all kinds. I prefer short questions on a particular subject, and I will not accept lengthy research projects or term papers. NOTE: ALLEXPERTS CLAIMS THAT I TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN AND FROM LATIN TO ENGLISH. I DO NOT. ALLEXPERTS REFUSES TO DELETE THE LATIN-TO-ENGLISH SERVICE -- ONE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE. TRUST ME ON THIS: ALLEXPERTS IS WRONG. I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LANGUAGE. LOOK FOR A LANGUAGE EXPERT INSTEAD. ETYMOLOGY AND TRANSLATING SERVICES ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. ALLEXPERTS SHOULD KNOW THAT. ALLEXPERTS DOES NOT KNOW THAT. I HAVE TRIED FOR MANY YEARS TO GET THEM TO CHANGE. THEY WILL NOT. SORRY, BUT I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN.

Experience
I am the bibliographic instruction and reference librarian at a public
college. My master's thesis concerns William Faulkner's tragic novels. I formerly taught advanced placement English at two schools in the Philadelphia area.
I have been a member of the grammar and writing section of Allexperts
for more than a year.



Education/Credentials
Masters degrees in English, philosophy, and library science.

 
   

You are here:  Experts > Arts/Humanities > Writing > Etymology (Meaning of Words) > We confirm that no dues are lying to our company in your name.

Etymology (Meaning of Words) - We confirm that no dues are lying to our company in your name.


Expert: Ted Nesbitt - 9/26/2006

Question
A company writes " We confirm that no dues are lying to our company in your name ".

What does it mean ?
I have nothing to pay to the comapny or comapany has nothing to pay to me ?

Pl clarify
Rajib Dutta

Answer
Dear Rajib:

The company's statement is very strange.  It certainly is NOT good English.

The person who wrote the message is probably limited in English usage, so I am going to try to "estimate" what he means.

"no dues" = "no money"
"are lying" = "are owed"

Here is what I believe it means:  We confirm that you owe no money to our company.

In other words, they have checked their records and have found that you have paid everything you owe to them.

Ted Nesbitt

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