16 SEPTEMBER 1949, Page 18

" ANY OLD WORD "

Sts,—Apropos of the comments of " Janus " on the use or misuse of words. The advocates of the theory " any old word in any old sense" will find their views most aptly expressed by Humpty Dumpty in Through the Looking Glass. " When I use a word," said he, "it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less."

" The question is," said Alice, " whether you can make words mean so many different things."

" The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, " which is to be the master— that's all."—Yours faithfully, G. R. RUDOLF. Iligh Elms, Offington Gardens, Worthing.