“Is there any meaning whatever in the repeated words we hear? “Fantastic” and “incredible” seem to parody or refute the statements they are intended to strengthen. Many of our newly minted clichés have a touch of violence added to them – such as “kick-start” instead of the quicker, simpler “start”, and the aggressive coating of “batter” which (as if taking orders in a totalitarian restaurant) all cricket commentators suddenly began using one morning.”