The war of words

IT seems the British versus US language debate has really got a few of you going. It appears to be a fairly emotive issue for both sides. Here are a few of your letters and thanks to all of you who e-mailed me, even for those ones that are unprintable.

Dear Betsy, I WANT to sign up for your SOBEL (Save Our British English Language) idea. I am sick of the correct use of our language being sidelined. I work just across the pond and it is even worse there since many of my colleagues use the American version of English, as many of them are from there or have studied there. But, I have stuck my little Union Jack into the midst of it all and, I must say, when I point out little language differences to them, the majority of them want to know. I tell them it's just a matter of colour and not color! Of course, life is not quite that simple. Please put me down as a member.

Jack Dear Betsy, WHO are you to tell us which use of English is correct? It is typical to try to tell everyone how to behave even when you don't know how to behave yourselves. I learned US English and it has not ruined my life or put me at a disadvantage. I am a successful businessman despite not spelling words in your Olde English cooky way. Stop living in your colonial past. US English rules the business world, just as most everything else from our country does. Why do you think it's on your PC? . JC Dear Betsy,

YOU seem to be upset by having your passports sent to Germany to be renewed. You shouldn't be.

The first two 'Brits' of the Hanover dynasty, which comes from Germany, were Hanoverian, did not speak English and married German girls.

The latest scion of this dynasty, Queen Victoria married Albert von Sachsen-Coburg, who is not from Ayrshire.

Then the Royal family had to change its name during the First World War to Windsor.

The original surname of Prince Philip (and therefore of his son the Crown Prince Charles and his two sons) is: Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-GlŸcksburg, doesn't sound typically English, does it?

You might remember that Lady Diana (who died in a German car) called her in-laws 'the Germans'.

Pierre

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