I used to work for a guy who could barely string a coherent sentence together and was an endless source of malapropisms, both spoken and written. Of course, this semi-illiteracy didn't stop him becoming the Head Of Technical Writing for a large corporation. He once sent an email to the Board Of Directors opining that some of the company's documentation contained "serious floors".

But he was at his most entertaining when he decided to be adventurous and pepper his speech with metaphor and idiom. He once addressed a room full of writers explaining that "what we don't need on the project is a Maradona". Blank looks followed. "Oh sorry, it's a football saying" he patronisingly explained, directing this fatuous explanation to the female members of the audience. Eventually someone tactfully asked him "Do you mean prima donna ?", at which point all became clear.

Chuckling all over again at that one. A lovely little tale - a considerable step above the 'you had to be there' type because it instantly reminded me of many idiots I have known.... I'm sure we can all stick the faces of people we know on the head of that chap in our imaginations!!

S

PS I think I work on a silly floor...