Sir, – Like so many of your correspondents on this subject, what most grates with me is the adoption – in slavish emulation of our linguistically backward North American cousins – of the outmoded past participle “gotten” in place of the long established “got”.
However, I still await, with trepidation, some support of my detestation of the absurd double superlative “least worst”. I suppose it is only a matter of time until this is matched by the equally absurd “most best”. – Yours, etc,
ADRIAN J ENGLISH
Glenageary,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Perhaps you might find room in your august publication for your very own "Pedantry Corner"? Ideally, this new addition to your paper, which I daresay would go down a treat with your bien pensant readers, should appear daily in a sub-section of your iconic Letters page.
– Yours, etc,
PAUL DELANEY
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – You have recently published a number of letters lamenting the decline in standards of grammar and English usage even among professional communicators.
There is, however, one aspect of usage that is alive and well and being used to great effect by many of those giving evidence at the Banking Inquiry – the euphemism! – Yours, etc,
TONY BURKE
Baldoyle,
Dublin 13.