13 FEBRUARY 1971, Page 20

U-talk

Sir: Sir lain Monereiffe, in his review of. Professor Ross's new book How to Pronounce It (26 December), suggests that 'balcony'. when correctly pronounced, does not rhyme with 'pony', thereby leaving his great-aunt Eva, who thought it did, in the cold. And if he would tell us that Mr Gascoigne put his gas coin in the slot (in the old days when hotel rooms were heated only after cash payment), his accents might be open to doubt as well. No living language is logical. The very absence of logic iennghaitn.ces the enjoyment of study- :4. S. Noist Trenite Woonhuis, Kralingse Plaslaan 13, Rotterdam