Still on the subject of political word usage, one of Malcolm Turnbull's favourite terms is "agile". He loves saying it as much as exhorting us all to embrace "innovation" and remember that this is such "an exciting time to be an Australian".
Given his huge and pervasive profile as the nation's leader, and his obvious ruthlessness and cynicism, the meaning of the word agile has changed radically for me. Whenever I hear it I think of the man himself, deftly sidestepping Abbott as he walks by so he can knife him in the back.
I hope that if and when Turnbull does have the favour returned to him -- either by Abbott himself or another of the party's more genuinely conservative members -- the word regains it's traditional, more positive meaning.
I suspect that agile's synonym nimble has soured for many Aussies as well, albeit for different reasons.
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