Sir, - Matt Dolan (October 10th) correctly identifies an irritating, interrogative inflection creeping into conversation, but I don't think it's all that new, or necessarily of American origin. I first came across it in Australia in 1986. There, the prevailing bar-room wisdom held that it was an affliction unique to Australian women, who, so downtrodden by their brutish blokes, spoke in this tentative manner lest they cause offence. Seems plausible, eh? - Yours etc.,Brian Whelan,Bird Avenue,Dublin 14.