Some women protested when the BBC used words they thought were inappropriate in the early morning.
To the Daily Mail
The poor girls who were upset at the use of the phrase “bastard trenches” on the BBC Breakfast show should steer clear of ironmongers and plumbing supplies shops.
These places will sell them stop cocks, drain cocks (heavy duty), ball cocks, short screws, long screws, bastard screws, bastard files, bent male-to-female connectors, u-bends, male-to-female unions, male-to-male unions, male nipples, male-to-female nipples, female elbows, male-to-female elbows, two-inch male-to-male bends and, of course, nuts.
But if they’re feeling a little soiled after that, they can also buy washers.
William Neil, Reading, Berkshire
(The letter has been edited)
To The Daily Telegraph
“Bastard” is a perfectly respectable word. As a term of abuse, it was gloriously misinterpreted when General Templer berated a battalion of mutinous Chinese troops during the Malayan Emergency.
Templer: “You’re a lot of bastards!”
Interpreter: “His excellency informs you he knows that none of your mothers and fathers were married when you were born.”
Templer: “Now tell them that I can be an even bigger bastard!”
Interpreter: “He does, however, admit that his own mother and father were not married also.”
John Bromley-Davenport, Malpas, Cheshire
I would love to see the “edits” in the letter quoted. Adding a platoon of “Interpreters” to all human groups, whatever their composition, could only help. And, yes, my parents were married, or so family lore has it.