Going forward, I give up. Until a month ago I thought the way forward was to protest at the use of this horrid phrase. But now it is time to admit defeat. “Going forward” is with us on a go-forward basis, like it or not.

The defeat became plain last month in a speech given by Christopher Cox, the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He was trying to persuade the financial sector to drop its traditional prose style, which has become so convoluted, legalistic and boring that retail investors routinely sling all documents in the bin unopened. Instead, he urged them to try short, clear and profound instead. They should aim at the style he once used when talking to a young woman. In just four plain words he said: “Will you marry me?” With even more impressive brevity, she replied: “Yes.”