Collins Gem English Dictionary (Collins, £3.99).

LET's hear it for uptitling, targetitis, deskfast and me-time.

Words that sound so awful they must be made up or, even worse... American (a sure sign that the world as we know it is on the slippery slope of dumbing down).

But no, they have all made it into the latest gem of a wordbank (is that a word?), are in use by some sections of society and so have to be recognised as fully paid-up members of the English language.

Of course, language constantly evolves - otherwise we might all be speaking like Chaucer - and Collins certainly drives the point home by dedicating a whole chapter to new words for 2004 as a footnote to its current lexicon.

How about coof (the sound a pigeon makes when you kick it). Coofer (a person who kicks pigeons). Or, dilchwid (a cloud that has formed the shape of a person or thing). Dilchwid? Whatever will they think of next?

David Chapman