We were fortunate enough recently to be introduced to the work of New Zealand (ex-Cambridge) journalist, Joe Bennett, who among many other things takes great delight in laying into those reasonable folk who periodically call for English to be made more phonetic. Charging them with 'an innocent arrogance', he writes: 'Not only would the simplification of language distance the language from its roots, more importantly still it would sever the people of tomorrow from the wisdom of yesterday'. Arguing further that the acknowledged vigour and richness of English can be attributed directly to the diversity of its roots (and the histories they embody), from Anglo-Saxon through Latin to Hindi, he points out that: 'Through does not rhyme with though, nor with cough or bough or enough or thorough. I find that delightful'. Who could find otherwise?