Solly Madikwe Mabotha,: I have been following from a rather casual standpoint what I regarded as a frolicsome debate on the origins of the term "lekgowa", a Sesotho name for a "white person" - until last Sunday.

In his letter "Ticks or spit? The origins of an insult", John Shaw Diphaha commits one of the prime faux pas in language science: tactless extrapolation. Diphaha's hypothesis has no regard for existing doctrines governing the application of syntax and semantics in Sesotho in general.

Syntactically, the term " kgoa " by any Sesotho language or dialect is not and cannot be a noun. As previously argued by Professor Nhlanhla Maake, " kgoa " is a verb - finish and klaar !

Therefore "kgoa" (verb) cannot mean "tick" (noun).

This then begs the question: what is the true meaning of the word "kgoa"?

I am Mo-Pedi and my wife is Mo-Tswana and we agree that the term "kgoa" as applied in both our languages is a verb that describes the action of being boastful and mischievous, among others.

If then (credit to Diphaha) we apply the doctrine of prefixation by adding "Le" to "kgoa", then "Le-kgoa", a term referring to a white person, is formed. It is equally true, again thanks to Diphaha, that the prefix "Le" carries a demeaning connotation such as the term "Le-kwerekwere" (foreigners often of African descent).

But, unfortunately, this is where our similitude ends. For it is important to immediately note that the prefix principle is invariably applied only to verbs as opposed to verbs in the process of constructing descriptive nouns.

This makes sense. If affixation of a verb serves to represent degradation and humiliation of a person, why apply the same principle to a noun if that noun may already be carrying an undignified overtone?

For example the worst, most demeaning thing one Mosotho can call another is "mpsa" (dog), meaning someone who is considered selfish, inconsiderate, stubborn, greedy - the list is endless. Similarly, the same can be said of nouns such as "kgofa" (tick) - meaning parasite.

I would very much like to hear the position from the Pan South African Languages Board on this matter.