My hearing daughter learned sign language to communicate with her school friends during silent assemblies at her Quaker school. I had no idea she had this skill until on an family outing we were forced to take shelter in a mountain hut during a blizzard. Sharing our table was a silent and rather sad-looking man. We were told by his companion that he was unable to speak, so my daughter started signing. I shall never forget the joy on his face as he realised he was able to communicate with us. I for one will be signing the Let Sign Shine petition (Letters, 31 December).
Sarah Noble
Kirkby Overblow, North Yorkshire
• We are now on an even split between men and women in the honours list (New year honours 2015: the full list, theguardian.com, 30 December). About time. Puzzling, then, that women who have no other title are still listed with indicators of their marital status. If relationship status is relevant to achievements warranting honours, then surely we should be given this information for the men too? To do otherwise would surely be illegal discrimination.
Naomi Standen
Birmingham
• The best aphorism in the Guardian of 2014 (Review of the year, G2, 30 December) was by Barney Ronay – he defined God Save the Queen (sung by England fans) as “a plea to an entity that doesn’t exist to preserve one that shouldn’t” (Sport, 20 November). Brilliant.
James Herring
Dunbar, East Lothian
• When I went into the central London branch of my old bank to close the last account, the cashier gave me £3.83, which emptied the account, but said I would need to make an appointment if I wished to close it (Letters, 31 December).
Angela Frampton
London
