THE EDITOR, Sir:

IT HAS become fashionable these days to misuse (and abuse) the word 'fulsome', to give it a meaning that suggests 'comprehensive' or something more full than 'full'.

In the December 11 edition of Gleaner, the public defender, in response to Mr. Robert Montague's apology, was quoted as saying, "I express profound relief that it has come in such fulsome and unreserved terms". Not to be outdone, our Prime Minister was seen on television noting that he was satisfied that the apology given by Mr. Montague was "fulsome enough".

In his letter in The Gleaner of Friday, September 28, Peter Maxwell wrote that four British and two American dictionaries had confirmed that the word 'fulsome' normally describes something that is excessive, offensive or insincere. Further, a note on its usage, in the 2000 edition of The New Penguin English Dictionary, is particularly helpful:

"In its standard modern meaning, fulsome is a strongly uncomplimentary word. Fulsome praise is embarrassingly excessive or insincerely flattering. Though fulsome derives originally from a word meaning 'abundant', its use in a positive sense to mean 'copious', 'very full' or 'lavish' should be avoided for fear of misunderstanding."

I agree, Mr. Maxwell; we really miss The Gleaner's 'Mary Smith' column.

I am, etc.,

ALECIA SYLVESTER

Coral Springs, Florida, U.S.A.

patchen69@hotmail.com

Editor's Note: Read The Wordsmith on Page F6 of The Sunday Gleaner of December 9.