Of all the predictions it is possible to make for this coming year one of them is a standout cert.

The ‘language police’ will redouble its efforts to keep us all herded in a little corner with any sign of dissent automatically stamped out.

A new study of spoken English reveals that a raft of phrases have gradually been eliminated from normal discourse.

These include: ‘sexy woman’, ‘daft woman’, ‘blonde woman’ and ‘pretty woman’.

Perhaps, I have led a sheltered life, but I can honestly say that in almost 50 years I have never heard any of these phrases used apart from the latter which was the name of a 1990 romantic comedy film.

In fact I can only imagine using ‘sexy woman’ as a tongue-in-cheek, jokey reference to one’s own girlfriend when she emerged from the bathroom after a couple of hours looking stunning ready for a night out.

There is no doubt that the leering builders of the 1970s and 80s firmly belong in the same consigned-to-history locker as Benny Hill, Dick Emery, the Carry On films and many more of that ilk.

Nowadays, I would have to be feeling particularly courageous before I even dreamed of complimenting a woman upon her appearance.

Perhaps this will, like many social trends, come full circle and one day we will read of women complaining that men are too terrified to approach them. Stranger things have happened.

It is not just out-and-out sexist banter or should I say ‘abuse’ that is disappearing though.

At one time it was possible to affectionately greet a young woman you knew reasonably well as ‘hello, sweetheart’ and ‘hello, gorgeous’ in the pub.

Probably best to avoid that but what about ‘feisty’? That is now a ‘gender-loaded’ term which has become synonymous with ‘bossy’. Ditto; ‘ambitious’.

And don’t even think about describing a woman as sounding ‘shrill’. And calling someone a ‘lady’ can be seen as patronising ... It really is a minefield, Guv!