Ruth Wajnryb was a professional teacher trainer and materials writer. She had an MA in Applied Linguistics from Sydney University with research in the area of error analysis and language-learner language. She also received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Applied Linguistics/Education at Macquarie University. She received the University’s award for outstanding research in 1995.

She had worked as the Director of teacher training and professional development at a number of institutes and colleges in Sydney and had over twenty years of experience in the field of adult education in Australia, England, Israel and South America.

She had a regular weekly column in The Sydney Morning Herald ‘s ‘Saturday Spectrum’ in which she explored often offbeat linguistic topics with that lightness of touch she brought to this new project.

Her recent books were Cheerio Tom, Dick And Harry: Despatches from the hospice of fading words (Allen & Unwin, 2008) and Expletive Deleted: Poda Good Look at Bad Language (Free Press, 2011).

She co-authored an essay ‘Celebrating “selfebrity”‘ withMark Cherry for Griffith REVIEW 5: Addicted to Celebrity.