Most individuals use language improperly. This is the gist of George Orwell’s article, Politics and the English Language. Linking civilization and language, he goes on to claim the decline in the truthfulness in language is also due to the way it has been used in political and economic areas. Appropriateness of support comes most often into question when people argue by analogy or invoke authority. Each statement is examined critically supporting a claim and in the process, language is affected. This is the author’s main argument.
He supports this argument by stating that the way language is used sloppily affects a person’s thoughts and vice versa since sloppy or foolish thoughts spur one to speak most improperly. The author claims that this is reversible. He criticizes written English as full of negative content and which makes people use it carelessly, thus propagating the decline of the beauty of the language.
His solution is to act first – that is, get rid of the bad habits so that one’s mind is crystal clear and one is able to achieve clear thinking. One somehow sees that Orwell can indeed entertain these thoughts since he was involved with the poor whose causes he championed through his writings.
Orwell then jumps from this issue and states determinedly that political language is replete with vagueness and a lot of “question begging.” Use of words in politics can be loaded depending on the way words are used to depict a situation or concept. For instance, when houses are torn down and demolished, this can be labeled as “transfer of population.” This understates what people in power may want to underplay.
The Essay on United Kingdom and Language George Orwell
... read the essay “Politics and the English Language”, I automatically thought of Pastor Eddie Long. I know your ... to being hypocritical. Some people out there will say that even though Orwell was a hypocrite, he ... marching against a cause that you really support, as Stockbridge Students would say, you need ... 10th grade Stockbridge High School English, you claim to do something but actually don’t. Just ...
Even murder can be undertoned and called “elimination of undesirable elements.” In the process, hypocrisy and manipulation arises since the issues of politics deal with lies and evasiveness to truth. Orwell, thus concludes, that language can corrupt thoughts, and in like manner, corrupt thoughts necessarily prod one who speak corrupt language. Each person, thus, must be on guard as to how sloppy or so-called “corrupt” language can spur corrupt actions, creating a vicious cycle over the long haul.
Orwell, George. Politics and the English Language from Shooting an Elephant and Other Essays (1950).
