Sir, - While Frank Flanagan's support for Fr O'Hanlon (November 21st) may place him in a minority (as Fr O'Hanlon bashing seems to be a popular sport), his accurate use of the word "refute" certainly does. This word means to disprove by argument and not emphatically to reject or deny as it is all too frequently misused (e.g. "I utterly refute that suggestion"). One could make the case that precision of language is an indication of clarity of thought, with the converse also holding true. - Yours, etc.,
Malcolm Ryder, St Mary's Road, Galway.
