IN response to your erudite correspondent Michael N McCulloch, the loquacious guardian of our 'beautiful language', I too feel dismay at the casual destruction of our unique means of communication (Letters, June 27).
Confucius he say: "If language is not correct, then what is said is not what is meant; if what is said is not what is meant, then what ought to be done remains undone."
In Exemplum: "Wanted, a rabbit for a child with lop ears."
"Ladies who have kindly undertaken to act as school crossing wardens are reminded again that if they attempt to carry out their duties without their clothing on, motorists are unlikely to take notice of them". Want to bet?
What appears to be a sloppy or meaningless use of words may well be a completely correct use of words to express sloppy or meaningless ideas.
Robert Holmes,
Thorganby.
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