All the media fuss over Dominic Cummings's departure from No. 10 has only exacerbated a very real problem facing society. It's annoying enough that it needs addressing in the modern world's most annoying format.

Yes: THREAD! 1/9

Just like in January, when Cummings wrote about jobs for "assorted weirdos", much of the media has referred to him writing "a blog" about hiring people with the aim of making himself largely redundant.

Oh, interesting! He wrote a job ad spread out over an entire blog?

No.

2/9

Cummings's job ad was a BLOG POST, not a BLOG. The post was one of many posts, or entries, on his blog.

He didn't write "a 2,900 word blog" (which sounds like an interesting exercise) but a 2,900 word blog post.

3/9

The difference between a BLOG and a BLOG POST isn't a difficult one to grasp and yet many journalists, commentators and subeditors (if such people still exist) seem incapable of getting it right despite, usually, comprehending the intricacies of more complicated topics.

4/9

For example, while the Guardian's style guide has always had the definitions of blog and blog post correct, the site/paper often fails to use the terms correctly.

https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-b

5/9

I doubt you'd refer to this single 279-character message you're reading right now as a THREAD. You know it's a TWEET that's part of a THREAD.

Like an ARTICLE is part of a NEWSPAPER or WEBSITE.

Like a BLOG POST is part of a BLOG.

It's easy! Easy to get right!

6/9

"It doesn't matter, you can work out what they mean," is what some people say.

But why be ambiguous? Why require people to "work out" what you mean when it's so easy to write or speak clearly?

And in some contexts it's impossible to know which is meant.

So, please:

7/9

Cummings wrote a BLOG POST in January and, save us all, will no doubt write more yet. They'll be BLOG POSTS on his BLOG.

Thank you.

P.S. You should start your own blog (full of posts). Lots of people have blogs. It's great and easy.

8/9

P.P.S. I will block anyone who sidles in with their beside-the-point pompous descriptivist whines that "well actually" me about language changing.

9/9