Shaw's Letters to Newspapers

abstract:Between 1875 and 1950, Bernard Shaw sent frequent letters to British newspapers about a staggering range of topics—everything from international affairs to the metric system. Those letters entertained and enlightened (and sometimes shocked) the British public, who soon learned to look forward to an encounter with the fabled GBS when they sat down with their morning paper. Researchers already know that Shaw's letters are a treasure trove of resource material. In this article, the author suggests another use for them—as a tool for learning more about the language issues that hold so much interest for postmodern philosophers.