I join Laura Snyder in her concern for the next generation's learning to spell ("Blues," April 26), and I am happy that Bruce Bevan notes how the English language is constantly "morphing" (Letters).

I was a typesetter and proofreader for over 25 years and have despaired about the state of our language for nearly that long. The whole business of nouns morphing into verbs is a pet peeve. We have so many perfectly good words and phrases, and I see no reason to go fiddling with them.

I blame the beginning of the end on the person who didn't think the word "signs" was sophisticated enough and used "signage" instead.

I heard a television anchor in Orlando refer to the "ponding" water on Orange Avenue following an afternoon thunderstorm. (Where, exactly, does that rank in size with "creeking," "rivering" or "oceaning" water?) Why can't people "keep" a journal instead of "journaling" or "make" a scrapbook as opposed to "scrapbooking?"

As for the next generation, we can just give up now on their future spelling or grammatical skills. I'm fairly certain they no longer teach the basics in school, and with all the "texting" going on, they will never learn proper spelling. (Spellcheck is good only for spelling. Too bad there isn't a "Contextcheck.")

Don't get me started on "business speak." Is anyone else sick of "being on the same page" and hearing about the "bottom line"? I'm just very happy to know that, in addition to the Grammar Nazis, my mother and me, there are at least three other people in this area who care about our language. I'm sorry there aren't more of us!

Clare Martin

Southern Pines