Browsed by
Tag: empower

BUZZ AND OTHER NEWSPEAK NONSENSE

BUZZ AND OTHER NEWSPEAK NONSENSE

Comments 4 Comments

Nuance in dis­course is as imper­illed as chalk cliffs and sandy beach­es beset by cli­mate change storm surges. Such is the state of spo­ken Eng­lish that all you need to know are the  buzz­words. As long as you can use them in a way that sounds like it fits the “zeit­geist”, you can safe­ly avoid incon­ve­niences like informed debate.… Read the rest

AUTUMN’S MOST APT ADJECTIVE HAS TURNED AWFUL

AUTUMN’S MOST APT ADJECTIVE HAS TURNED AWFUL

Comments 12 Comments

Autumn has arrived. For the next sev­er­al weeks the inex­orable change in the colours of the for­est that envelopes us here chal­lenges descrip­tion. A fit­ting word would be “awe­some”. Unfor­tu­nate­ly, despite at least a dozen syn­onyms, it’s a rote response to every­thing from the tru­ly awe-inspir­ing to the most pro­sa­ic, which strands it in a ver­bal wasteland.… Read the rest