Sir, - The shock described by Peggy Reichert (August 26th) when finding a headline in The Irish Times misusing "effect" for "affect" is likely to be repeated. Such confusions are commonplace. The computer, alas, cannot distinguish between homophones and must be controlled by an operator who can. Thus, principle and principal, complementary and complimentary are often erroneously interchanged.
Before a series of shocks affects her so seriously as to, perhaps, trigger a fatal effect (which, it must be hoped, this split infinitive will not) she must relax and accept that her worthy protestations will not achieve the reformation in usage she wishes.
Or she could stop reading newspapers altogether, prescribing instead a few short essays daily from Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage, the study of which has been known to have a calming effect on those who deplore the carelessness or ignorance (to quote her words) shown by many of today's professional writers. - Yours, etc., Michael Carr,
Mount Merrion Avenue, Co. Dublin.