When inexplicable habits of speech kick in

SIR – When did start become kick start (Letters, March 30)? Richard Gray

Marlborough, Wiltshire

SIR – We no longer have resistance, it has become pushback.

Patrick Brennan

Market Rasen, Lincolnshire

SIR – When (and why) did Sunday, in the language of weather presenters, become the second half of the weekend?

John Wainwright

Wakefield, West Yorkshire

SIR – Why did Personnel become Human Resources?

Alan Shaw

Halifax, West Yorkshire SIR – When did include become factor in? Clifford Baxter Wareham, Dorset SIR – When, in almost any type of retail outlet, did “Hello, may I help you?” become “Are you all right there?” Rick Emerson

Bagshot, Surrey

SIR – My pet hate is the use of the verb grow to mean increase as in “We aim to grow the sales.”

Mike Chandler

Newport, Isle of Wight

SIR – I still fill forms in, but everyone else now seems to fill them out.

Dr David Shoesmith

Easingwold, North Yorkshire

SIR – Marie Millar (Letters, March 29) asks when in the past became back in the day.

The former is factual, the latter has a violin player and swinging lamp in the background.

Stephen Fyles

Watford, Hertfordshire