In the article, “Doubts about Doublespeak” by William Lutz addresses the language we call “Doublespeak.” The obscure language that is intended to communicate, without being straightforward. For example, a job companies manager telling employees they are downsizing the company, instead of saying we are firing are few employees. Doublespeak is to tell someone something, without being blunt about it. Even though doublespeak is affecting use, we continue to use it in or everyday lifestyle. Although we may not recognize it social media is one way we continuously use it. In the article Lutz provides four types of doublespeak, euphemism, jargon, gobbledygook, and inflated language. I do agree along with support William Lutz ideas about doublespeak.
A Pulitzer Prize is an award for an achievement in American journalism, literature, or music. Paul Gigot, chairman of the Pulitzer Prize board, described the award as a “proud and robust tradition”. How does one carry on this robust tradition? By mastery of skilled writing technique, one can be considered for the awarding of this prize. Since its creation in 1917, 13 have been awarded annually, one of which, in 1939, was given to Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings for her novel, The Yearling. Rawlings is an American author from Florida known for writing rural themed novels. Consequently, The Yearling is about a boy living on a farm who adopts an orphaned fawn. Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings procured a prestigious Pulitzer Prize for her effectual use of figurative language, sensory details, and syntax.
There are several times in life where people have to be determined to surmount their challenge. Paying the monthly rent, trying to get a promotion, or shooting the game winner to win the finals or to get in the playoffs. There are some downfalls from being determined, but being determined is a crucial character trait that people need. That's why being determined is a common theme in writings. Common themes are explored in literature because they can be explained in different ways of forms, and there the most important lessons to learn. Nobody wants to read a book with an unnecessary and unsatisfying life lesson since they are common they are used more than once.
In today’s society, we heavy rely on media to get information. After reading the last few chapters from Language in Thought and Action by S.I. Hayakawa (1990), I learned the importance media plays in our daily lives. In chapters 12-16, Hayakawa talks about advertisements, television, and scientific attitude.
Miscommunication is a struggle that lives within the world everyday. Being able to understand what another person is trying to convey is an essential part of the way humans interact with one another. When a message is not translated correctly from person to person conflict arises and heated battles rage within a relationship; whether it is a mother and daughter, or two quarreling lovers, or strangers upon the street. All humans are created differently, with diverse upbringings, perspectives, and mindsets. Particular forms of communications may mean different things to various people. When talking about the concept of miscommunications, one must also address the concept of communication itself.
With the economy beginning to rebound, many companies are looking for every way possible to save money and/or maximize profits. One of the biggest costs incurred by any business is labor. Consequently, employers sometimes attempt to minimize this expense by utilizing independent contractors instead of employees. There are potential risks for employers who mischaracterize an employee as an independent contractor, because, while it may save payroll taxes and other benefit costs in the short term, it may lead to penalties on such taxes as well as other inadvertent violations of worker’s compensation laws, FMLA, etc, which each hold separate penalties for violation.
There are many reasons why people use euphemism as mentioned by William Lutz in “The world of Doublespeak” states that “euphemism is an inoffensive or positive word or phrase used to avoid the harsh, unpleasant, or distasteful reality” (390). However as mentioned by Lutz in “The world of doublespeak” when a euphemism is used to mislead or deceive, it becomes doublespeak” (391). For example instead of saying we killed three people they would use the phrase we exterminated three intruders to mislead and confuse people especially the uneducated. Also as stated by William Lutz in “The World of Doublespeak” indicates that “when you use a euphemism because of your sensitivity for someone’s feelings or for a recognized social or cultural taboo, it is not doublespeak” (390). For instance, imagine someone told you I heard your grandpa died that would sound harsh, but if someone said I heard your grandpa passed away that sounds more respectable which is not considered doublespeak. Lutz finds the People who are responsible for euphemism doublespeak tend to be people that try to cover up the unpleasant, which are mainly the government, armies and the news. Next as stated by Lutz “it is a language designed to alter our perception of reality”
For example, using sarcasm †̃well thatâ€TMs just greatâ€TM most often used in a sarcastic tone but taken literally it would be interpreted as amazing. The language we use can be confusing we must adapt our verbal communication accordingly.
Through the manipulation of language, deception and control are facilitated. A clear demonstration is uttered by Syme to Smith: “Do you know that Newspeak is the only language in the world whose vocabulary gets smaller every year?...Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought?” (Orwell 46). The attenuating language represents an additional barrier preventing contradictory thoughts from even existing. With a limited and insufficient language, the complexity of thought is considerably reduced along with a person's aptitude to formulate or express ideas thus preventing threats to the all-powerful government. As a result of the shrinking language, the future will be affected in such a way that “By 2050- earlier, probably- all real knowledge of Oldspeak will have disappeared. The whole literature of the past will have been destroyed” (Orwell 47). The changing of the language would have serious repercussions in any future, real or fictitious. Without knowledge of a different world, people will know no better than to blindly and obediently follow their strict, totalitarian government, never becoming aware of the power it holds over them. The...
Language always conveys a message. Language can convey a message that is full of manipulation. In Robin Lakoff’s essay, “Everybody’s a Politician”, she discusses how manipulation is used in day to day conversations, even if one is not intentionally trying to manipulate. Language can be used to dominate others. In the essay, “the Language of Oppression” by Haig A. Bosmajian, he explains the power of using names to define others. Language can change the way a person thinks. In the same essay, “the Language of Oppression” by Haig A. Bosmajian, he also discusses the way someone thinks can be changed by language. Lastly, language has the power to degrade an individual. In another essay, by Robin Lakoff, “You Are What You Say”, she explains how
There are many instances of countries and societies falling at one point because of rejection to human exceptionalism. The perfect society that some of the leaders have envisioned does not exist, but yet, history keeps repeating itself in different forms. The video, Kristallnacht German pogram of 1938, is an example of the German’s society fear of failing, and because they were sinking into a depression along with some of the other nations within the world, they chose to blame those who were unique and had a different faith, the Jews. The German people had stood by and let the synagogues burn without a fight. The radical measures that people take, such as the Nazi’s did, by executing millions of Jews because they were different, as well as expanding their radical measures to the deaths of millions of more homosexuals, gypsies, non-Jewish interracial spouses, as well as other religions that were
An example of this misunderstanding and linguistic difference is found in body language. Body language is one of the most important obstacles in a discussion between men and women. Women like to speak face to face “their eyes anchored on each other’s” (342). As for men, they like sit “at angles from each other and look else where in the room” (342). So when both genders use these specific conversation habits with each other, it causes irritation and an unpleasant impression for both parties. The woman assumes the man isn 't listening to her speak, and the man believes he’s being scrutinized under her intense stare. This linguistic difference creates a blockade between both genders, and doesn 't allow communication to flow between the
Throughout the essay, Thoreau uses polysyndeton to express the simplicity that came from going to the woods. All over this essay, Thoreau uses polysyndeton many times, he uses it to emphasize that people should choose the simple path of life over the common complex path. For example, Thoreau uses polysyndeton to explain that people must be smart about how to live their lives to the fullest or end their lives never accomplishing their goals. Furthermore, Thoreau uses polysyndeton to express that working hard and making things simple, is the only path to fully live your life. Thoreau chooses to use polysyndeton to emphasize that it is up people, if their actions help them to simplify their path to fulfillment or if their actions cause them to
How can it be that something so uniquely human and commonplace in our everyday existence as language, could transcend the limits of our immediate understanding? We all know how to speak and comprehend at least one language, but defining what we actually know about that language an infinitely more demanding process. How can a child without previous knowledge of the construction and concepts of language be born into the world with an innate ability to apprehend any dialect? Mark Baker, in his book The Atoms of Language, seeks to address these unsettling questions, proposing as a solution, a set of underlying linguistic ingredients, which interact to generate the wide variety of languages we see today.
Throughout human history, many have believed the key to a utopian society is egalitarianism. In Harrison Bergeron, Kurt Vonnegut comments upon the ridiculous and inconceivable aspects of total equality through highly controlled diction and development.
Words are used daily. Conversations occur frequently. Interpretation is key. But are you sending the right message? Single words hold so much power, but do you hold it or does the interpreter? People change words and words affect people. There will always be a speaker and a listener. The speaker needs to think about the listener when talking. If the communication between the two is mistaken it could affect the relationship. This is why I would like to teach a class on connotative word choice.