What’s in a word

Published on 07/11/2012 00:39

I believe Alan Clayton (Letters, 5 November) was correct in his translation of Madame Roland’s words from the guillotine, and that Derrick McClure (Letters, 6 November) took too narrow a view of the word “what”, which can be used in ways other than that of an interrogative pronoun.

“What” is also commonly used as an interjection, as in “what a narrow-minded view” and I believe this is the context in which Madame Roland’s words should be taken.

Robert Bowers

Glassel Park Road

Longniddry

The Scotsman

Opinion

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