With reference to the mnemonic designed to help with the spelling of “separate”, which appeared in your Writers Toolkit (TES, Teacher, January 21), it was interesting that a professor emeritus of linguistics and a head believe there is an “etymological link” between “separate” and “part”. Any intelligent pupil with two years of Latin would be able to spell “separate” and deduce that (se)parare and pars-partis-f do not share the same root.
Moral: if governments want pupils to spell, they should make sure they receive a dose of Latin.
Alec Taylor 146 Mead Way Hayes Bromley