LOST FOR WORDS by John Humphrys (Hodder, £7.99): HEADLINES recently highlighted a speech in which John Humphrys, right, Radio 4's Today presenter, said: "All you have to do is say John Prescott and people laugh".

But Mr Prescott escapes lightly in this heartfelt protest by Humphrys against what he detests as "the mangling and manipulation of the English language". To some, Mr Prescott might seem a prime suspect. But not to the perceptive Humphrys, who remarks:

"He is not one of the guilty men. I am not suggesting for a moment that he would be anyone's first choice to conduct delicate negotiations on a new treaty that required subtle, deliberately ambiguous wording.

"His problem - and his strength - is that you know exactly what he means. Because of his difficulties with the language, Mr Prescott has never mastered the art of concealment or, by extension, manipulation".

It is that cynical misuse of language that provokes Humphrys. As he points out, Bill Clinton's "I didn't have sex with that woman" "is either a downright lie, or a brilliantly creative definition of sex".

Humphrys gives the shortest of short shrifts to the soundbite too. Take Tony Blair's "tough on crime: tough on the causes of crime".

"How can anyone argue with such a sentiment? But every police officer and mugger's victim will tell you that the way to be tough on crime is to catch the criminals. The problem with 'catch more crooks' as a soundbite is that it promises a specific action. Hurrah words are safer."

Journalism, broadcasting and business also come within the scope of this stimulating look at the abuse of language to mislead or conceal. Humphrys' guiding principle was laid down by the Roman Fabius Quintilian, who advised: "One should aim not at being possible to understand but impossible to mis- understand."

"I'd be happy to see him in working in any newsroom or government office today," says Humphrys. Pity he brackets the two together. Newsrooms are full of people who sweat blood and guts to achieve perfect clarity. Government offices sweat blood and guts to frustrate them.

IN OTHER WORDS: The Meaning and Memoirs of Euphemisms by Dominique Enright (Michael OMara, £9.99)

'WORSE for wear', 'hard of hearing', 'senior citizen': clapped out euphemisms. Today we have 'tired and emotional', 'hearing-impaired', 'wrinklies'. Under headings like Death and Dying, Religion and Superstition and The Naughty Bits ('How's your father'... 'roll in the hay') Dominique Enright presents a tabulated guide through the jungle of alternatives and evasions with which we shroud or colour our speech. It's amazing how often we fail to call a spade a spade.

SHAGGY DOGS AND BLACK SHEEP by Albert Jack (Penguin Reference, £10)

SHAGGY dog - from a story, itself suspected to be shaggy, of how a wealthy American, feeling sorry for a dog owner who had lost his "shaggy" pet, turned up at the distraught owner's home with what he thought was a matching dog, only to be told by a snooty butler: "Not as shaggy as that". Black sheep? Well, find out yourself in this compendium explaining the origins of scores of popular phrases. These include such relative newcomers as 'toe rag', 'Gordon Bennett', and 'takes the biscuit'.

Published: 21/03/2006