Sir, – It is hard to find the rationale behind Paul Griffin’s assertion that “Someone is an escaper while he is escaping, and an escapee once he has escaped” (May 1st).
Fowler, still the big daddy for those who cherish the English language, states firmly: Escapee is a SUPERFLUOUS word that should not be allowed to usurp the place of escaper. One might as well call deserters desertees. (Fowler’s Modern English Usage, 1983 edition). – Yours, etc,