Another week, another prompt.
Orwell's famous essay "Politics and the English Language" is at once a style guide for powerful and effective communication and an indictment of the use of language that obscures meaning instead of illuminating it.
He writes:
Modern English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble. If one gets rid of these habits one can think more clearly, and to think clearly is a necessary first step toward political regeneration: so that the fight against bad English is not frivolous and is not the exclusive concern of professional writers.
Politics is elsewhere defined as "social relations involving authority or power," What is the relationship between politics and language that Orwell describes here?
10 comments:
I think the point he's making are the writing habits people make, like mistaking there for their, constantly writing a word wrong, or internet slang like lol, wtf, etc., are pretty much from people who watching other people doing those stuff because they are influenced by them, so it's like people those who follow them are being influenced by their social relations with people, but can also be seen as being influenced by an authority or power. (If you don't understand what I wrote, I don't blame you, I'm in a rush to leave my house.)
I agree with Andrew and also think that Orwell is trying to point out that most people use passive rather than active voice. It is easier to write in the passive voice that is why it is used the most. Most people just go in circles around their point, which isn't effective.
For example: politicians use it all the time. If you listen carefully to their speeches or answers to debate questions then you can tell that they don't give a straight answer. They use big words that no one really knows the meaning to and make it sound fancy, which makes people completely lost.
I actually find myself going around my point especially when telling someone about my sexuality. I don't just tell them that I am a lesbian, but say that I like girls. I do this because I don't really like using the word lesbian.
The concept that I understood from the essay was Orwell is trying to say that when you speak clearly and concisely people are spending less time trying to understand what you are saying (i.e. not understanding big words, or trying to follow a complex train of thought) but the audience can spend the time digesting the concepts that the speaker is trying to convey.
For example, politicians like to dodge direct lines of questioning by evading the question and changing the subject which confuses 95% of the listeners. Orwell is making the point that if they just answered the question quickly and to the point with the most common language and not political "jargon" then 100% of the audience would completely understand and be "politically regenerated" as Orwell puts it.
Today, everyone has some sort of "bad" english, because of slang words .. One word i say a lot is "hella" . Eventually people are influenced by words and they become part of everyday language. He says basically if you take the time, and think, we can weed the words out...
I agree with both Andrew and M&M. Orwell is just showing us the flaws we make and what results from that. I find myself using the passive voice a lot and I think it is because that I hear the people around me use it. It just becomes normal after hearing it for so long. Also, I can never understand the abbreviations in internet slang. I usually spell everything out I need to say because sometimes I cannot understand what people are saying. Orwell says that language reinforces politics I guess. I don't know.
Well... i think orwell is trying to get across is to use simple, meaningful, and thought out explanations when it comes to speaking and writing. We spend more time thinking about what other people may think of you than worrying about what is important. Instead you have this mumbo jumbo bullshit that sounds smart, instead of something simple where everyone can understand.
I don't know if that's the reason why politics is confusing. Nothing is ever straight forward and it's always a guessing game (to some extent).
On another note, FOOD: So I went to this restaurant called THIRSTY BEAR on Howard for a friends birthday. They served spanish food and tapas. Everything there is organic, even the beer.
Food: Sucked!
Booze: Awesome... except the Sangria.
Atmosphere: Mixed
Recommendation: Stay away unless you plan on spending beaucoup dinero. I for one will go back
I think the point he is trying to make is that we all have such hectic lives doing everything that we are supposed to d in a given day, and most of the time the way we speak, our english, is put to shame. We all are guilty for using poor grammar and slang words, which, according to Orwell, clouds our ideas and thoughts. We need to take the time, slow down, and speak correctly, in order to think correctly!
I agree with Scott,M&M, and Ashley...
Slang is a big part of what Orwell wants to fix in the everyday language as well as past voice. I disagree with him and that probably means with all English teachers because I love the easy way in conversations, especially via internet.
I love talking in slang and present voice because it's just easier, and half the time why not do it?
As long as it's not for a writing assignment or something you're going to be graded in or has to do with getting the JOB or NOT during an interview than don't use it. Online I say "u" instead of you, lol, wtf, hahha,lmao,lmfao,idk - i don't know, because it saves time and people understand it.
I understand the clearer words better than the higher tech definitions for words people use and that's why I like it.
For example, Maxwell has a thread up on the BLOG about class being canceled and having extra time. he said "Next Write what you infer the answer to the question." - That "infer" confused me, because the word is a higher advanced word than a more "clear" word I/People may understand. I rather have it say - "write what you think the answer to the question is". Think over infer.
The only way I agree with Orwell is as when I said above if the writing /talking dealt with a essay/writing assignment you are being graded on or if it's the difference in getting hired for a job or not during an interview with a boss.
I would have to agree with Ken. I feel his thoughts on how politicians like to vear away from the question they are presented with is so true. Why is it that whenever a politician or a regular person is asked a question they never really answer it rather they circle around the question and talk about other topics that have nothing to do with the question. Perfect example is me answering this question. With everything Ive written i have yet to answer the question. HAHA
What i understood from it was that Orwell is telling us that most Americans are uneducated and have a very small vault of words at their disposal. Therefore related to Politics the Politicians must dumb down their messages so that they can get the support they need to run this country, of well idiots. The news even is dumbed down to an eighth grade level just so America can understand.
Post a Comment