Letter: A living language

Sir: No one denies that language evolves in ways that are not definable in terms of "worse" or "better"; this is far, however, from characterising all uses, abuses and misuses of language as "evolution".

Most grammatical rules exist for the purpose of enabling language to be used effectively and unambiguously. Those well-enough educated to be pedantic grammarians will do a great disservice to those who are not if they permit the "democratisation" of language to progress to a point where much of the population is talking, or inferring, gibberish.

In the meantime, Philip Hensher is certainly entitled to be bored by us. Just let me find the appropriate tool.

ALEX GREY

Richmond, Surrey