I only speak to animals while out walking (Notebook, 19 April) if there are no people within earshot. However, I have found that the salutations between people in County Durham have changed over the past 30 years. No more pitmatic “What fettle?” or “What cheer?” and an increase in the prosaic “Alreet?”, which is used as both greeting and response. With the pits long gone and pitmen as rare as nightingales, so their language disappears too.
Tom Oliphant
Craghead, County Durham
• The photo in Monday’s Guardian of my wife, Frances Hill, and me came as rather a surprise. The article alongside it is about people living to 100. Not us, not yet. We are, alas, sitting on a bench. But on the plus side, how could one keep more mentally alert than, as my wife is, by reading the Guardian? And at least I am perusing the Paris edition of the New York Times.
Leon Arden
London
• King Canute was not “fighting … against the tide” (Unanswered questions, 23 April). He was proving to his sycophantic lords that he was not capable of controlling the sea. Every time his name is mentioned it is in support of this myth.
Madeline Weston
Norwich
• Newmarket is “a historic country town where 3,000 resident horses are so important they have priority over cars in the street” (Report, 23 April)? Could you clarify which section of the Highway Code says cars have priority over horses?
Alan Davis
Gorran, Cornwall
• Ian Jack (Opinion, 23 April) is welcome to visit this village, where he will still be able to enjoy freshly made potato pies and a fun wakes week. There’s a factory too, but I can’t vouch for the hooter.
Helen Royle
Tideswell, Derbyshire
• Spelling test 2016: 1 silly. 2 cock. 3 up. 4 egg. 5 on. 6 face. 7 foolish. 8 blunder. 9 heads. 10 roll. HMG 10/10 (Test cancelled after it was put online in error, 22 April).
Anthony Still
Copmanthorpe, North Yorkshire
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
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