20 NOVEMBER 1993, Page 41

Dot Wordsworth

I don't know about me, but my ten-year-old daughter Veronica's favourite book at the moment is Nuticulus Satyrique: olim fabula Noddy and the Goblins — modo in linguam Latinam conversa ab Elizabetha et Gulielmo Brice (BBC Books, £4.99). Veronica tells me she gets the jokes, the first of which is: Wuticulus cenulam exspectabat. "Si quid est," inquit, "quod din- go, id est ovum coctum. Immo si duae res essent quas diligerem, esset ovum coctum utrumque." ' Very funny. More funny peculiar than funny ha-ha is that the Methuen Dictionary of Clichés (£15.99) includes 'bugger off. I am familiar with the phrase but have never considered it a cliché. For this book, see targepole, wouldn't touch it with a'.