David Shariatmadari is a British journalist and author. He is the Commissioning Editor for Comment at The Guardian, and has written for publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Financial Times. He is the author of the book Don’t Believe a Word: The Surprising Truth About Language, which explores the history and science of language. He is also a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and BBC Radio 3’s Free Thinking. He has a degree in English Literature from the University of Oxford and a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. He is a passionate advocate for the power of language to shape our lives.