Suhel Seth Says Oxford Dictionary Shashi Tharoor's 'Sole Mate'. Banter Follows

A fresh word banter has started between senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and author-columnist Suhel Seth, after the latter referred to the Oxford dictionary as the Thiruvanthapuram MP's "sole mate".

Not one to let such spellings pass, Mr Tharoor posted a quintessential Tharoorian response, and the banter began.

It all started with Mr Seth's post on Tuesday. Posing in front of Oxford University, he posted, "Greetings my dear @ShashiTharoor from Oxford University: behind me is the building where the Oxford Dictionary (your sole mate) was created."

Greetings my dear ⁦@ShashiTharoor⁩ from Oxford University: behind me is the building where the Oxford Dictionary (your sole mate) was created… pic.twitter.com/vY5IBce0YS

— SUHEL SETH (@Suhelseth) September 23, 2025

Mr Tharoor responded today, highlighting Mr Seth's use of 'sole mate' instead of 'soulmate'. "Dear @Suhelseth, if the Oxford English Dictionary is my 'sole mate,' then I suppose I walk in well-defined shoes. Better that than barefoot in banality! So I'm guilty as charged," he said.

Dear @Suhelseth, if the Oxford English Dictionary is my ‘sole mate,' then I suppose I walk in well-defined shoes. Better that than barefoot in banality! So I'm guilty as charged. And if you meant the OED is my 'sole' mate, I must say being wedded to the dictionary beats being… https://t.co/jSyu4eRKU3

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 25, 2025

"And if you meant the OED is my 'sole' mate, I must say being wedded to the dictionary beats being shackled to cliches. At least my 'sole mate' knows the difference between 'disinterested' and 'uninterested'," Mr Tharoor added.

'Disinterested' vs 'uninterested' is the subject of a long-term debate over correct usage. Often used interchangeably, the Oxford University Press defines 'disinterested' as impartial or unbiased, and 'uninterested' as apathetic.

Brilliant: here's wishing you the very best. As always. May the soles on your feet help you navigate people and parties and may you encounter souls who will be enriched by your intellect and find succour from your soul. https://t.co/eXAg9tumBC

— SUHEL SETH (@Suhelseth) September 25, 2025

Mr Seth praised Mr Tharoor's response as "brilliant". "Here's wishing you the very best. As always. May the soles on your feet help you navigate people and parties and may you encounter souls who will be enriched by your intellect and find succour from your soul," he said.

👋🙏😃(And you actually wrote "succour" and not "sucker", Suhel -- so you ARE capable of self-restraint!) https://t.co/qWm3wSt8Be

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 25, 2025

The Congress leader was not done yet. "And you actually wrote 'succour' and not 'sucker', Suhel -- so you are capable of self-restraint," he quipped. Mr Seth replied, "Learnt from the best...".

Earlier, the two had sparred in a banter when Mr Tharoor made a typo and wrote "concern" as "condern" in a post on X. Taking a dig, Mr Seth asked, "What's 'conderned', good sir? New word?" Mr Tharoor admitted to the error: "Concerned, when typed with a fat and careless thumb!"

But this became a running joke between the two. Days later, Mr Seth posted, "Just met Shashi Tharoor and am conderned about his throat: he's nursing a cold." Mr Tharoor replied, "Thank you for your condern, @suhelseth! Grateful that you condign to be conderned! Watch out some may condemn you for that!"

The vocabulary of Mr Tharoor, a bestselling author and excellent orator, has been a talking point. The Congress leader has admitted that he loves words and referred to himself as a "linguaphile" or "wordsmith." "I'm besotted with words; it is fair to say that I love them," he has said.