In response to last week’s dig around the roots of dignity, an astute reader commented on how the word “furlough” is increasingly employed by employers when they are dismissing employees to save money.

When and why did furlough replace retrenchment? It seems to have happened overnight. It’s like going to sleep in a normal world and waking up the next morning to find everyone using strange new words and wearing masks.

I suspect the reason is simply because soft, furry “furlough” sounds nicer than hard, spitty “retrench”. ..