

Simon Heffer | Scarcely English: A-Z of Assaults on our Language
Fri 25 Apr 2025 | 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Join veteran Telegraph journalist Simon Heffer in conversation with Gaby Huddart for a thought-provoking exploration of the state of modern English.
In this engaging session, Heffer highlights the lazy and careless language that has crept into everyday use and makes a compelling plea for a return to precision, accuracy, and elegance. Whilst acknowledging the natural evolution of English, Heffer argues that social media and the internet have unleashed grave assaults on the language, with a lack of rules and the rise of unedited, unregulated writing.
With his signature wit, Heffer tackles common linguistic confusions—such as the misuse of “flaunt” and “flout” or “uninterested” and “disinterested” — and calls out what he describes as “terrible” neologisms, including “infotainment” and “funwashing.”
A journalist for over 30 years with senior roles at The Daily Telegraph and The Spectator, Heffer is also the acclaimed author of Like the Roman: The Life of Enoch Powell and High Minds: The Victorians and the Birth of Modern Britain. This event is essential for anyone passionate about language and its enduring importance.
Talk length: 1 hour including Q&A, followed by a book signing.
Choose your tickets:
Venue address:
The Arc,
Jewry Street,
Winchester
SO23 8SB