As new needs arise, the mother tongue responds. A story in yesterday's New York Times on the Tyco megapeculation (see what I mean?) says, "Mr. Breen has hired forensic accountants to undertake a review of the company's accounting for the last three years."

To the best of my knowledge this is the emergence not just of a brand new term, but of a brand new profession as well. Or has everybody else known about forensic accountancy all along?