Snt,—I read with interest Mr. John Neill's article, " A
Gentleman-at-Arms." Perhaps my own experience in corrobora- tion of what he says about the constant stream of " bad " language being an ever-increasing irritant may be interesting.
Whilst waiting for better things to do, I worked as a carpenter in a military camp that was in course of construction. I also was struck, not so much by the " bad " language, but by the constant repetition of one word.
During one " dinner " interval three or four of us were eating our sandwiches, and a young plasterer was relating some experiences in Lancashire. This particular word came into his sentences so often that I decided, whilst pretending to take a lively interest in the conversation, to count how many times the word occurred in ten minutes.
The result was fifty-seven! It was the only adjective us and somehow or other was worked in as many other parts of speech as well. It must also be realised that he was tot " holding the floor " the whole ten minutes ; his actual speak:' time was probably not more than six or seven.
More than once I travelled in a 'bus with this same yet., man, and it was interesting to notice that he never " fort, himself " on these occasions.—Yours, &c.,
x8 levington Gardens, Eastbourne. H. P. STEPHENSON.
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