#8325
Mentioned in 8 episodes

Politics and the English Language

Book • 1946
In 'Politics and the English Language', George Orwell argues that vague and imprecise language can obscure truth and manipulate public opinion.

He critiques the 'ugly and inaccurate' written English of his time, particularly in political contexts, where language is used to 'make lies sound truthful and murder respectable'.

Orwell emphasizes the importance of clear and concrete language, suggesting that poor writing fosters poor political thinking and is a danger to society.

He provides examples of bad writing and offers guidelines for effective writing, including six rules to avoid the misuse of language.

Orwell believes that language and thought are interdependent and that improving language can help improve political life.

Mentioned by

Mentioned in 8 episodes

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