Culture

Sorry Not Sorry - The art of the political fauxpology, from Bill Clinton to Boris Johnson

The art of the fauxpology has long been practised by politicians the world over, but what makes for a memorable political ‘sorry’? Is it rivers of tears, rending of pinstripe suits, abject language or just brazen chutzpah?

In early July, an audience of millions watched British prime minister Boris Johnson make his resignation speech

What’s the hardest word in the English language? Certainly, ‘pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis’, an incomprehensible dollop of alphabet soup which relates to a lung disease is a head-scratcher, but it’s best ignored, given its primary raison d’être is to be the longest word in an official English dictionary.

Or maybe it’s one of the words which looks innocent enough in print, but is a nightmare to pronounce and/or spell, such as ‘anemone’ and “mischievous’? Or – god be ...