Politics and the English Language MOST PEOPLE WHO BOTHER with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way, but it is generally assumed that we cannot by conscious action do anything about it. Our civilization is decadent, and our language−−so the argument runs−−must inevitably share in the general blogger.com Size: 36KB Words5 Pages. George Orwell’s essay, Politics and the English Language, first published in , talks about some “bad habits”, which have driven the English language in the wrong direction, that is, away from communicating ideas. In his essay he quotes five passages, each from a different author, which embody the faults he is talking about. He lists dying metaphors, operators, pretentious diction, English, Free Essays, Language In George Orwell’s “Politics and the English Language”, he discusses the recent failures in the usage of the English language. He speaks of how this careless use of words translate to carelessness in thought and that these in turn make it easier to fail in expressing one’s thoughts through blogger.comted Reading Time: 3 mins
George Orwell: Politics and the English Language
As its title suggests, Orwell identifies a link between the degraded English language of his time and the degraded political situation: Orwell sees modern discourse especially political discourse as being less a matter of words chosen for their clear meanings than a series of stock phrases slung together. Orwell begins by drawing attention to the strong link between the language writers use and the quality of political thought in the current age i.
the s. He argues that if we use language that is slovenly and decadent, it makes it easier for us to politics and the english language essay into bad habits of thought, because language and thought are so closely linked.
Orwell then gives five examples of what he considers bad political writing. He draws attention to two faults which all five passages share: staleness of imagery and lack of precision. Dying Metaphors : these are figures of speech which writers lazily reach politics and the english language essay, even though such phrases are worn-out and can no longer convey a vivid image.
Operators or Verbal False Limbs : this is when a longer and rather vague phrase is used in place of a single-word and more direct verb, e. The passive voice is also common, and writing phrases like by examination of instead of the more direct by examining. Sentences are saved from fizzling out because the thought or idea being conveyed is not particularly striking by largely meaningless closing platitudes such as greatly to be desired or brought to a satisfactory conclusion.
Pretentious Diction : Orwell draws attention to several areas here. He states that words like objectivebasisand eliminate are used by writers to dress up simple statements, making subjective opinion sound like scientific fact. Adjectives like epichistoricand inevitable are used about international politics, while writing that glorifies war is full of old-fashioned words like realmthroneand sword. Foreign words and phrases like deus ex machina and mutatis mutandis are used to convey an air of culture and elegance.
humanlivingor romantic, politics and the english language essay. references to bread and riches in the Bible passage, and the lack of any such images in politics and the english language essay own fabricated rewriting of this passage. Orwell advises every writer to ask themselves four questions at least : 1 what am I trying to say? and 4 is this image fresh enough to have an effect? He proposes two further optional questions: could I put it more shortly?
and have I said anything that is avoidably ugly? of burning bodies in Hiroshima is actually desirable. Orwell argues that just as thought corrupts language, language can corrupt thought, with these ready-made phrases preventing writers from expressing anything meaningful or original. Writers should let the meaning choose the word, rather than vice versa. We should think carefully about what we want to say until we have the right mental pictures to convey that thought in the clearest language.
v Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent. Although Hulme and Orwell came from opposite ends of the political spectrum, their objections to lazy and worn-out language stem are in many ways the same, politics and the english language essay. Hulme argued that poetry should be a forge where fresh metaphors are made: images which make us see the world in a slightly new way.
What words will express it? What image or idiom will make it clearer? Is politics and the english language essay image fresh enough to have an effect?
Nevertheless, the link between the standard of language and the kind of politics a particular country, regime, or historical era has is an important one.
If I recall correctly, politics and the english language essay, he was wrong about a few things including, I think, the right way to make a cup of tea! In all seriousness, what he fails to acknowledge in this essay is that language is a living thing and belongs to the people, not the theorists, at all time.
If a metaphor changes because of homophone mix up or whatever, then so be it. I recall learning to make up new metaphors and similes rather than use clichés when I first began training ten years ago or more. Similarly, the use of active voice has led to unpalatable writing which lacks character.
The passive voice may well become longwinded when badly used, but it brings character when used well. That said, Orwell is rarely completely wrong. But the idea of the degradation of politics is really quite a bit of nonsense! Always good to get some critique of Orwell, Ken! Hulme camp than the Orwell — poetry can afford to bend language in new ways indeed, it often should do just thisand create daring new metaphors and ways of viewing the world, politics and the english language essay.
But prose, especially political non-fiction, is there to communicate an argument or position, and I agree that ghastly new metaphors would just get in the way. Orwell shows that at least one person was already discussing them over half a century ago!
Absolutely true! Pingback: Q Marks the Politics and the english language essay March Treasure Map — Quaerentia. My desert island book would be the Everyman Essays of Orwell which is around pages. A great and useful post. As a writer, I have been seriously offended by the politicization of the language in the past 50 years. And is optics not a branch of physics? Pingback: The Best George Orwell Essays Everyone Should Read — Interesting Literature. Pingback: 10 of the Best Works by George Orwell — Interesting Literature.
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Politics and the English Language: George Orwell (Essay)
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Politics and the English Language MOST PEOPLE WHO BOTHER with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way, but it is generally assumed that we cannot by conscious action do anything about it. Our civilization is decadent, and our language−−so the argument runs−−must inevitably share in the general blogger.com Size: 36KB Feb 28, · ‘Politics and the English Language’ () is one of the best-known essays by George Orwell (). As its title suggests, Orwell identifies a link between the (degraded) English language of his time and the degraded political situation: Orwell sees modern discourse (especially political discourse) as being less a matter of words chosen for their clear meanings than a series of stock Jul 09, · "Politics and the English Language" is an essay by George Orwell published in where he criticizes the way written English language has evolved. Orwell uses five texts from various contemporary authors to identify in them the "perversions" in the evolution of the language
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