There is one word that I hate to hear. It wasn't always like this. I grew up with this word, and never had any problem with it. Today, there isn't one person in a thousand, maybe 10,000, who pronounces it correctly. Sadly, no one seems to care any more.

The word?

February.

It was named for the Roman festival of purification, februa, which is the plural of februum, a means of purification. So February became the month of atonement. It's fitting that it's the shortest month, because people spend less time atoning than anything, with the possible exception of flossing their teeth.

I learned the proper pronunciation of the word in second grade, so how hard can it be? It doesn't take any longer to say it right (Feb-roo-ere-ee) than to say it wrong (Feb-yoo-ere-ee).

Unfortunately, being in the minority, I have to put up with this mispronunciation, which really grates on my ears every year until well into March, when people finally stop saying it all the time.

Yes, Webster's New World Dictionary shows "Feb-yoo-ere-ee" as a secondary pronunciation. But I don't accept this decline in standards.

I'm beginning to wonder if I'm the only one, or is there someone else out there somewhere, like me, wishing for the good old days that will never return?

-- EARL L. BROWN, Morningside

Barry A. Bryce doesn't like wishing people "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Easter" and having them reply, "The same to you" (" 'Same To You'? You Talkin' To Me?" Feb. 20 Word Watch). He feels this response is crass, like, "Your momma wears combat boots." I can understand that.

But it's worth noting that this form of greeting and response has been used in churches for hundreds of years. In religious services since the second century or so, thousands of ministers and priests have said to their congregations, "The Lord be with you," and the people have responded, "And also with you" or "And with thy spirit."

"And also with you" is a church equivalent of "the same to you," and is spoken in sincerity with no hinted meaning of "Your momma wears combat boots" or "Go suck an egg."

I hope this observation will help Mr. Bryce feel better about "The same to you" when he hears it.

-- BILL MINKLER, Bethel Park

I take issue with John Cunningham's categorical rejection of the expression "I could care less" ("It's Clear That They Do Care Very Little," Feb. 20 Word Watch).

Mr. Cunningham clearly does not understand the origin or import of the expression. He should read Leo Rosten's excellent "Hooray for Yiddish," and then he would better appreciate this understated expression of lack of interest. The expression in question is characteristic of Yiddish-English humor, which is often expressed by a statement the meaning of which is opposite to its wording (see Rosten, p. 164).

The expression is, in fact, a question ("I could care less?"), and one would think it should be pronounced with a rising intonation. In fact, in Yiddish (or Yinglish), it is usually spoken straight, but with a shrug.

It's another example of how our language has been enlivened by the speech habits of the many nationalities that have come to make up America. The purists should lighten up on this one.

-- DOUG BURNS, Mount Washington

I take exception to Therese McKenzie's suggestion that speakers use "friends" to address an audience, rather than "folks" (" 'Folks': Not Music To My Ears," Feb. 8 Word Watch)

A speaker should not presume that every member of the audience is a friend.

I believe the use of "ladies and gentlemen" would be most appropriate.

If speaking to a group of Quakers, however, you're generally OK with "friends."

-- WAYNE GREGOR, Mineral, Va. (West Homestead native)