Merriam-Webster's grid of words Photo: Merriam-Webster/ X
Join The Detail's Alexia Russell, Newsroom's Tim Murphy and RNZ's Jeremy Rees in a look at the words we find the most confusing, satisfying, irritating, beautiful, and just plain revolting.
It doesn't matter if it's a headline, an editorial, a news story or a book review, Murphy says written words need to be brief and clear, "and need to be shorn almost of any fake or faux erudition."
"I think it comes across very poorly in written text if someone's trying too hard, because it actually makes the reader stop. And the key thing to be able to read text I think is to be able to flow, and to have your neurons keep connecting and keep understanding, and keep getting to the point that you need to."
He says with the spoken word, tone, pace, emphasis and expression help the listener's understanding, and sometimes you can get away with more florid expression.
"Whereas I think the eye trips, and stops."
Murphy believes great communication shouldn't challenge ... but find out which word from a notable book reviewer escaped his virtual red subbing pen this week.
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