26 AUGUST 1978, Page 15

Germaine's German

Sir: Reference Germaine Greer's article `Cheechee and bandicoot' the past participle of the German verb 'be ten' (to pray) is `gebetet', 1) beten, betete, gebetet — to pray. 2) bitten, bat, gebeten — to ask. 3) bieten, bot, geboten — to offer.

I.L. Robertson

23 Drummond Place Edinburgh