Analysis Of Orwell’s “Politics And The English Language

Orwell’s thesis claims that politics is diluting our English language. This causes language to lose the quality and depth in your own thoughts. This results in a substantial decline in intelligence and communication skills.

Orwell lists some of the most prominent vices in his essay.

Metaphors that are dying: This is a common metaphor and there are many definitions. This is when an author uses the metaphor to replace the original meaning. They are often a past production and can be included in an inappropriate way.

Pretentious Diction is a collection of words used to emphasize an opinion or bias. They are toned to sound unaffiliated, objective, and fully analytical.

Meaningless terms are words that are not specific enough to be considered meaningful.

What are six questions that any serious writer must ask themselves?

What’s the point?

Which words are best to convey it?

Let me know if you’d like to add more detail.

Which image will make it more clear?

Is the image new enough to make an impact?

Is there anything you can avoid saying?

Orwell was especially concerned about the power and meaning of language in relation to political writing. This concern is best expressed in a quote.

“I haven’t here been considering literary language use, but language as an instrument to express and not hide or prevent thought. Stuart Chase, along with others, have claimed that all abstract language is meaningless. They have used this pretext in favor of a political quietism. You don’t understand Fascism, so how do you fight against Fascismm? These absurdities are not to be swallowed. However, one should recognize that political chaos today is linked with language decay and that there may be some improvements if one starts at the verbal end.

Orwell believes that there are six rules that will stop bad writing.

Avoid similes, metaphors, and other figures of speech that are not common in writing.

Use short words instead of long words

If you can cut out a word, do it.

Use active voice whenever you can, not passive.

If you are able to find an equivalent in everyday English, avoid using foreign phrases, scientific words, or jargon words.

These rules should be broken sooner than you think.

Number 3 and 6 are my favorite rules. If the rule 3 is not followed, the reader will drift further from the point being made. Rule 6 is another strong rule. Barbarous language will not only discredit a writer, but it also delegitimizes their point.

Orwell talks about language in politics, and not as literature. Explain your views on the topic of power and language in a well-written paragraph.

My assumption is that language is the source of politics’ oil. A language’s quality can determine the power and success of any particular motor. Modern politics requires that everyone keep the language professional and sterile. This will not only avoid casual biases, but it can also make it more effective. It can also be used to create empathy and help get the message across. One example: If someone declares that Malaria in Africa is a serious disease, and it can be prevented with vaccinations, this could be considered to be “political rhetoric”. This is also useful when the person is trying to convey the core facts of the message. Although this can be effective in conveying the basic message, it is not enough to get people to understand. This phrase can also be used to convey an emotional message. When the information is unclear, it is better to use a more precise language. It can be difficult to get listeners to empathize or comprehend the context.