Randula M. Abeywardene has written on a subject most relevant to today's youth and society in general. This form of address has spread through society except to some private institutions. On several occasions, I expressed my disapproval of it and had to write to two bank managers asking them to educate their staff on how to address their customers.

To me, 'oya' is even more offensive and repulsive than 'uncle'. Today it seems to be more widely used than uncle and aunty. Watch any teledrama and you will find parents addressing their own and other children as 'oya' and vice versa. In an advertisement a child who prepares some sandwiches and takes his share says, "Ammi, meka oyata".

Most TV presenters also address the viewers as 'oya', 'oyala' or 'ogollo'. Some teachers address their pupils as 'tamuse', a term used only among equals.

In English any stranger is a Sir or a Madam. In Sinhala they are invariably uncles, aunties, amma or 'oya' and though old ladies are ammas old gentlemen are not thaththas for obvious reasons.

We can and should protest against this form of address but the problem arises when you are at the mercy of these 'nephews' and 'nieces', say, at a government hospital where any disapproval of the form of address can land you in a lot of trouble.

Unfortunately, it is only the people of our vintage who think of such niceties, but for most young parents and youth, anything is acceptable because they have not been educated and trained in proper manners by their parents and teachers.

What is largely accepted by society becomes the norm. Protests by a few like BMA and myself will have no impact because the majority are prepared to tolerate them. Isn't TV largely responsible for this decadence?