I was reading author Gervaise Phinn's column in the Yorkshire Post at the weekend and it proved a real eye-opener. He is having problems from a school headteacher who took him to task for referring to 'nit picking' and 'brainstorming', both apparently non-PC terms due to associations with slavery and people with learning disabilities.

Schools in America have refused a book about dolphins because it discriminated against pupils who do not live near the sea, a story called The Silly Old Woman was banned because of the stereotype of an elderly woman.

Similar fates befell a hen-pecked husband (sexist), past one's prime (ageist), bookworm (offensive to hard workers) and books about dinosaurs (offensive to anyone who does not believe in the theory of evolution).

You may laugh, but things are no better over this side of the Atlantic. Reports last week told of a job centre refusing an advert for a 'hardworking' person because it could be seen as offensive to anyone who was lazy!

There also seems to be a rise in the number of groups and committees being addressed by inanimate items of furniture.

I was brought up to believe that a chair was something to sit on, unless it was a verb.

It was strange enough when reference was made to chairwoman or chairperson, instead of chairman, but now just a chair?

Do I take it we are now all members of the 'hu' race and that the present football Premier League champions are Chester United?

Indeed, should members of the opposite sex be referred to as 'fe' or 'wo' to avoid any accusations of being sexist? Where will it end?

Should we fear for the future of personkind?

What do you think? Have we gone PC crazy or should we think more about what we say and write and what the words could mean? Do you have any examples or pet hates about the misuse of English?