IN connection with recent correspondence about the intrusion of the word "like" in much modern speech (Letters, August 14, 18 & 24), and in view of the fact that that language is always developing, I like to imagine the following scenario, say 100 years from now:

A professor, lecturing on English language, says to the class "Do you know that 100 years ago the verb "to be like" used to be like just "to be".

James McKelvie

2 Waterside Garddens, Carmunnock.