One of the (many) downsides of the rise of social media is the opportunity it gives to rail away at the sidelines, often giving vent to opinions and feelings that they would not have the nerve to espouse in a face-to-face confrontation. Such people are known as Trolls, but I much prefer to use the term anonymuncule, which was used, at least in the 19^th century, to describe an insignificant, anonymous writer.

It is an amalgam of two words, anonymous and homunculus, a little man, and was used to good effect by W Lynd in The Gentleman’s Magazine in September 1882; “Rail away, my little libellous anonymuncule”.

That should keep the trolls at bay!