Yin and Yang

But it is not just the human way with words that entertains us. The Political Studies Association in Glasgow was at the mercy of a berserk computer spellchecker. PSA executive member Jeremy Jennings found himself recast as Jeremy Jenny in the programme.

Doubtless mindful that one of Glasgow's best known natives is Billy Connolly, in Scottish parlance the "Big Yin", the spellchecker thoughtfully provided him with a prospective partner in John Yang - who transpired to be John Young of Leicester University. One fears that Alastair Cole, a mild-mannered expert on French politics from Bradford University, may spend the rest of his career trying to escape the spellchecker's preferred forename of Alligator.