When I see anyone for whom I entertain such inherent
reverence as a Warden of All Souls using the word " Britisher," I am almost, for a fleeting moment, reconciled to the hideous term. But only for a moment, for the thing is plainly indefensible—as indefensible as Irisher or Frencher. There is a noun " Britain." From it is formed an adjective, " British." On what analogy, and with what excuse, can the termination " -er " be affixed to this ? And what would the natural meaning be if it were ? The answer, I take it, is that there would be no natural meaning. But what, it may be asked, are you to call people who live in Britain, since Scotsmen object to be included in the convenient "Englishmen " ? Well, a perfectly good word—" Britons "—exists, and it happens to mean people who live in Britain. Failing that, " Britishmen," on the analogy of English- men and Irishmen, would be a great deal better than " Britishers " on no analogy, and with no conceivable justification, at all.
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