Take care with English: How expressions get distorted

Would you say English is a careless language? I think the opposite is true. English is a careful language in that its most practiced users choose words with specific intent, to ensure their purpose of meaning is clear.

I love a red herring. And no, I don’t mean because it’s an ideal protein in a low-carb high-protein diet. It’s also great for breakfast.

At school I had a maths teacher who was fond of colouring her teaching with idioms. A red herring was one of her favourite idioms.

She would use the phrase as a defence against answering a question she believed to be irrelevant.