New slang to beat snoopers

Modern workers have created their own slang to confuse potential eavesdroppers.

Worried that their emails get intercepted and their office conversations are overheard, everyone from secretaries to surgeons is coming up with new words and expressions.

These range from the "seagull boss" - the outside manager who swoops in, makes a lot of noise, messes up everything and flies out - to doctors' term "Bundy", which stands for But Unfortunately Not Dead Yet.

Call-centre staff describe as "lineblockers" elderly people they think stay on the line without buying anything just to talk to someone.

Slang has always been around but it is spreading faster thanks to email, according to development expert Alan Chapman, whose businessballs.com website lists both real and fake terms.

He said: "There are some very funny ones around and I think email helps to take these terms out of the local environment into other areas."