From Rod Ward
Using the phonetics of a native language to simulate English phrases (10 May, p 21) was used with great effect by Luis d’Antin van Rooten in Mots D’Heures: Gousses, Rames. Each “poem” is written in French homophones to mimic an English nursery rhyme.
I took great delight in having my French work colleagues read aloud what was to them utter nonsense, puzzled by my laughter.
Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK
Clarification, 9 June 2014: We have replaced the edited version of David Mermin’s letter with his original text.
