This is quite a simple one, but so often misused.

The word reform means to improve or remove fault, as any good dictionary will tell you. It is not a synonym for change. Yet it is far too often used as one. Continue reading →

As an English grad, trained journalist and writer, I have an enduring love of words. A well-crafted sentence is a thing of beauty; a deft use of an unexpected word can lift a hitherto mundane phrase from the page.

Language changes through the years. I'm a bit of a conservative on this front, as all too often it's due to naiveté or ignorance on the part of the user. Examples of this are fulsome to mean full, or diffuse rather than defuse. Occasionally I correct people, but often it's easier not to bother.

Modern life has introduced some ugly words and phrases. I started thinking about this when I heard the word 'skillset' earlier today. Continue reading →