Word wars: When the pen was more powerful than the sword

Next time you hear someone dismiss a language debate with “oh, semantics,” consider showing them a recent article from the Guardian.

In it, author David Shariatmadari shares nineteen language-related disputes that went well beyond a friendly disagreement.

The list is a preview of Shariatmadari’s upcoming book, Don't Believe A Word: The Surprising Truth About Language, so there’s far more to be learned about various word wars.

Don't Believe A Word comes out in the United Kingdom in August and in the United States next January.