Mousewives and Muffintops: Euphemisms and Buzzwords for Today

by : S.J. Hartland 

This entertaining guide decodes the infuriating buzzwords and jargon that pepper life today. It exposes corporate doublespeak, political spin, journalistic euphemisms and all those trendy phrases that are intended to baffle and mystify. It also includes a good selection of witty one-liners, insults and put-downs so you will never be lost for words again. Do you know what a mousewife is? No, it's not a houseproud rodent but a woman who spends all her time on the computer instead of getting on with those tedious chores. The muffintop is sadly more familiar nowadays and that unlovely roll of fat can be seen bulging over tight trousers in any shopping centre around the country. These are two of the sharp and funny new words that have been coined to sum up our changing society. Not all the invented words and phrases are quite so benign, however, as politicians, corporations and spin-doctors use obscure language to hide the truth. Join us in a wry ramble through the comical and sometimes ridiculous 'lace curtains' of the English language where words are used to conceal meaning.