10 JUNE 1978, Page 18

Waugh's English

Sir: Before expatiating on the mote in the eye of his brother Evans, the Sage of Combe Florey might care to consider the beam in his own.

First, he quotes (27 May) Evans's phrase 'magazine men of different countries and experience' and comments that the 'zeugma' is inelegant. Evans's term is in fact an example not of zeugma but of syllepsis. These two figures of speech are quite distinct, although they are often confused by the ignorant. Second, perhaps Waugh would care to explain why in the same issue in his statement'. . . as one of the few people in this country who finds sport even more boring than politics. . . ' he employs a singular verb after the word 'who'.

S. P. Jennings

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