Dorothy Wade, of Ipswich, points me in the direction of a new Suffolk trend.

“I wondered if you have noticed the recent habit in Ipswich of repeating the word ‘no’ many times with great emphasis, ie ‘no, no, no, no, no’.

The use of seven no’s is the most I have counted so far.

“When I first heard someone use the multiple ‘no’ I thought I had really offended them. Now I hear it used regularly by lots of people.”

Now you mention it, Dorothy, I have, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Peggy Cuthbert, of Norwich, writes to correct me on the subject of catching crabs. At Walberswick, that is.

“When you say ‘crabbing’, you are really after the ‘gillies’, the soft-shelled crab. How sad these words are dying out.”

Peggy also ponders the origins of ‘larose’. “My very Norfolk mother always referred to ‘larose and medlars’. I have spent a lifetime wanting to know about the larose.”

Will we all spend our lifetimes wondering what larose/laroes are? Yes, yes, yes, yes, I think we probably will.