Plain English Foundation has voted "alternative facts" as its worst word or phrase of the decade. The now infamous phrase from the Trump administration stood out in a post-truth period when global politics took an Orwellian turn.
"Politicians are known for obfuscation, but 'alternative facts' was particularly worrying," said the Foundation's Executive Director, Dr Neil James. "It suggests our elected leaders can be right even when they are factually wrong. That sets a dangerous precedent for democracy."
Since 2010, Plain English Foundation has curated an annual list of the worst words and phrases to highlight the importance of clear public language.
The complete long list of the decade's worst words, including the 2020 winner, is available at https://www.plainenglishfoundation.com/worst-words. Short summaries are included in this release.
