31 OCTOBER 1931, Page 16

ENGLISH AS SHE IS WRITTEN

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]

Sta,—The review headed " Native Dietaries " tempts me to revert to this subject. It is, of course, useless to protest against the gradual change and development in the meaning of various words, since that process is an essential charac- teristic of a living. language. I make bold to say, however, that the word " native ", still retains its native meaning, and that it is execrably wrong to apply it only to people with black skins.—I am, Sir, &e., THEODORE D. LowE. Earith, West Kilbride, Ayrshire.