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To answer Karin Koller (Letters, 23 June), the French for bra, soutien-gorge, is masculine because compound words, consisting of a noun preceded by a verbal prefix, are nearly always masculine. The exceptions are when denoting women: for example, garde-malade, a home nurse. Nowadays, dcollet would be a more correct translation of cleavage.Gisle EarleOxford

Quantum physicists understand bras better than most thanks to Paul Dirac, whose analysis showed that the bra and the ket work together to form a special product, which was named bra-ket (derived from bracket). So the bra is a product of quantum mechanics.Prof Brian JosephsonDepartment of physics, Cambridge University

The English bra comes from brassire, which is feminine, but now means a babys sleeved vest. Its older meaning was chemise de femme trs ajuste a tight-fitting garment that could have lifted the breasts. In the 1950s, I remember bra and brassire being used, and my embarrassment at seeing brasserie emblazoned on the outside of a restaurant.Jenny MoirChelmsford, Essex

Karin Koller should not be too worried that the French for cleavage, dcollet, is masculine. Of greater importance is vagin. The Latin word it comes from, vagina, is feminine.Michael BulleyChalon-sur-Sane, France

It surely remains only to say BRAva! to Karin Koller. The crossword setter who caused this fascinating thread now knows what theyre up against.Jenny SwannBeeston, Nottingham

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Lost and found in French translation - The Guardian