Charlie Rose on asking an expert on China to describe the host of the Olympic Games and the world’s third largest economy:

“I know you can’t speak with a broad brush…”

That is correct, Charlie. In fact, no one can speak with a “broad brush” which is used for painting, not speaking. The correct verb even for a figure of speech would be “paint” or perhaps “make strokes” in describing China while using perhaps “colorful” words which provide “texture” and therefore a better “picture” of the Asian power.

Velthemia Bracteata (from Evie's garden)

Tags: Apt metaphors, bad, diction, esl, grammar, mixed metaphor, pronoun abuse, usage