If or Although .
Sia.—Mr. J. A. Nelder, in your issue of March 23rd, quoting from an article in which I had written, The hotels, if simple, are attractive and clean." asked whether it was pedantic 4o protest at the growing habit of writing "if" for "although." He added that it was difficult to see how a construction which led to such ambiguity could be justified and said that it was discouraging to find it appearing in your columns. I do not myself feel that the meaning in the example quoted was in any doubt. Murray's English Dictionary gives the equivalents " even if, ofen though, though or granted that " as the fourth of eight possible meanings of the word " if," and quotes an example from as early as the year 1340. In the circumstances, I think that those who object to the growth of this usage are in fact being rather pedantic.—Yours faithfully, NEVILL BARBOUR.
4 Warwick Avenue. W.2.
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