Please can we sink for ever the notion of David Beckham’s “misspelt Sanskrit/Hindi tattoo” (Inking big: is Becks “addicted” to tats?, G2, 2 May)? Both languages are written in the same Devanāgarī script. As a Sanskrit scholar, I can assure you that, as seen in your very clear photograph, the tattoo spells “Vhikţoriyā”, which is exactly the way Mrs Beckham’s name would sound to a Hindi speaker. It’s not exactly an unfamiliar name in South Asia, after all! Without the “h” after it, the “V” would be pronounced more like a “w”.
Dr Valerie J Roebuck
Manchester
• At least the wrong versions of Ailsa’s name are inoffensive (Letters, 2 May). Whenever I email my Vietnamese student, Lien, on my iPhone or iPad, her name is automatically changed to “Alien”. It seems Apple is very much in tune with the ethos of Home Office immigration policy, including the outrageous inclusion of students such as Lien in net immigration figures.
Jennifer Jenkins
Southampton
• Sometimes I receive letters that forget about my initials and assume I’m Scottish.
MC Smith
Guildford, Surrey
• I remember a small cul-de-sac of housing for the elderly being built in my home village and being named Evans Close, and often spelt with an added apostrophe (Letters, 2 May).
Ron Brewer
Old Buckenham, Norfolk
• I always found the best way to avoid timewasting at meetings was to remove all the chairs (The new rules for a successful meeting, G2, 2 May).
Jim Waight
Hertford
• I will be toasting the amazing Amelia Gentleman with Windrush Ale, the Camra champion beer of Warwickshire 2012.
Eric Clubley
Stourton, Warwickshire
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters
