Wordplay

Published on 10/08/2012 00:00

Daniel Wildman (Letters, 9 August) is right in stating that people should keep up-to-date with linguistic developments, even if they offend some “purists”.

In English, some nouns have become verbs. “Undergrounding” is what you do – at a cost – to avoid unsightly pylons. “Medalling” is what some Olympians do.

Raasay, birthplace of the world-renowned poet, Sorley Maclean, is an island where television (Greek and Latin) is well received, and broadband enables locals and visitors to stay linguistically aware.

Adults and kids are well up to date with developments in English language. Oh, and in Gaelic. The indigenous culture sits happily alongside the Big Brother of languages. As Conrad might say, “Only connect”.

Alasdair H Macinnes

Granton Road

Edinburgh

I AM grateful to Daniel Wildman for giving me a reason to try to explain how I feel about the English language. I appreciate the input of other languages.

I live in a bungalow but have no verandah. I enjoy lamb biryani as well as spaghetti carbonara. However, I draw the line at, “If I would have known …” much preferring our own, “Had I known…” For what it is worth, I can distinguish between “waiting for” and “waiting on” and I look forward to meeting friends later today, hoping that none of us will meet with an accident. I am not angry; indeed “au contraire”.

I enjoy the vagaries of language, spoken and written and do not indulge in “schadenfreude” at other people’s gaffes – indeed, I rely on them, increasingly, to stimulate the “little grey cells”! OK?

George Cooper

Westgate

Leslie