The obvious answer is – if you want to mislead. A fascinating study published in the US Journal of Language and Social Psychology suggests that when scientists’ research turns out to be fraudulent, the language is often a giveaway. Two researchers at Stanford University, California, studied more than 250 scientific papers that had been found […]
Tributes to the much-loved broadcaster, Terry Wogan, speak of his ability to communicate with millions as if they were his friends. Many also mention his skilful use of the English language. When the BBC was taken to task some years ago for failing to police its presenters’ and reporters’ use of English, the campaigners made […]
Why do so many websites fail to tell me what I want to know? A friend recommended we meet at a certain restaurant, so I looked it up. The website had an attractive design and friendly information about who runs it and what they serve. But I needed to know whether I could get there […]
2016 is sure to throw up new words and phrases. Some will enrich the language; others will die if they don’t prove useful. I came across a delightful word, new to me, at an exhibition at the British Museum called “Celts, art and identity”: findspot. It means just what you’d expect – the place where […]
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You may have a hippo problem, but not be familiar with this wonderful way of describing it. The hippo problem occurs when you, as a web editor, designer or content strategist, come up against the views of people who are senior to you and much better paid. HIPPO stands for the Highest Paid Person’s Opinion. […]