Cheryl asks me to explain why we call someone who is off their rocker ‘dotty’. Well, ‘dotty’ has had that meaning of being, shall we say, ‘terminally confused’ since around 1860. But before that it meant anyone who walked with an unsteady gait. That earlier meaning seems to have come from the phrase used to describe people walking with the aid of a crutch, which was said to be a case of ‘dot and carry one’ – the crutch being the ‘dot’ and the injured leg being the ‘carry one’. How this old meaning changed to mean just plain bonkers is unclear. But perhaps there was a time when someone with an unsteady walk was thought to have an unsteady mind.

‘Bonzer’ is a great old Aussie word – probably coined (say the experts) from a combination of the French word for ‘good’ (bon) and the Spanish word for ‘prosperity’ (bonanza). But because Aussie English is a living language some old expressions die out to be replaced by new, inventive Aussie coinages. However, those of us who’ve been around the block a time or two may see an expression fading away and regret its passing. Such is the case with ‘bonzer’. Hence there’s nothing wrong with trying to give it mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and breathe new life into it. If you’d like to sign up for my modest ‘save bonzer’ campaign all you need do is – use it! Use it more often! Try to work it into your conversation. This is a campaign that has no joining fee, no meetings to attend, and no forms to fill in. All you need do is say aloud the word ‘bonzer’ from time to time. In fact, you can also write it. How about putting ‘bonzer’ occasionally in an email or a text message? Instead of saying ‘good’ or ‘well done’ or ‘congratulations’ or ‘that’s an achievement’ or ‘I’m very proud of you’ just say (or write) ‘bonzer’ instead. That way you become a fully active, signed-up member of the ‘Bonzer Brigade’. And to those journalists and broadcasters who read this column – your voice is amplified: so get on board and join the Bonzer Brigade. I will try to remember to make use of it on 2GB and Sky News. But anyone can be a Bonzer Brigade activist: in conversations, on social media, when encouraging your children or grandchildren (it’s time they learned the word) anywhere, any time. The Bonzer Brigade hereby formally and officially welcomes you on board!

Speccie reader Jay has asked for the origin of the word ‘laconic’. It comes from ancient Greece and was supposed to be the name of a person – Laconicus, king of Sparta. There is only a brief account of him in the Roman historian Livy – and even, his account is not thought to be all that reliable. But if he really existed, he must have been a close-mouthed man who said little. The Gary Cooper (or Wayne Bennett) of his day.