It is not often, that I am moved to write about something negatively, but enough is enough! If I read one more bloody series of doubled nouns - "information deduction (no kidding)", instead of even "information-deduction" with a hyphen, which at least gives a nod in passing to correct syntax - I'm probably going to explode. But why not "the deduction of information", for example? Tell me that! Well, I know the answer already. It's lazy, uses fewer words (not "less" words, you notice), so it's easier, and it's everywhere, which makes it more difficult to resist. However, it permanently fudges the issues of clarity and precision. And yes those are two separate terms and have separate meanings! Oh dear, am I coming over as teacherly? Too bad! 

I'm absolutely fed up with the mauling of the English language that passes as prose at the moment. And another thing. One more instance of the use of the word "like" instead of the words "as if" and believe me, I'm going to commit some heinous act of revenge. Is it really so difficult to add one more little word, you imbecile? So we have the delights of: "I feel like I am going to die!" (which I wish the person would, and if I find out who you are, well...there shall be such terrors. I know not yet what they are, but they shall be the terrors of the earth) instead of, "I feel as if I am going to die," (but fear not, I'll save you!). This is ubiquitous now, and I doubt my ravings are going to stem the tide. But I shall continue to use "as if" instead of "like", and if this puts me out of step with the word crunchers (argh, it's got me!), then so be it.

I feel as if I deserve a break at this point! The picture gives you an idea of what I would like to do to similar Destroyers of the English Language (nearly wrote "English Language destroyers" there, dammit! It's a virus, and I'm infected too. Oh dear... And I've just read: "Systems Communication Processes Network". That's it, I'm going to implode!

More anon. Moira