Doublespeak
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| Doublespeak link (propaganda, word) Sourcewatch |
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Doublespeak is language that deliberately obscures, disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words - it is most closely associated with political language.
Edward S. Herman
The writer Edward S. Herman cited what he saw as examples of doublespeak and doublethink in modern society. Herman describes in his book Beyond Hypocrisy[1] the principal characteristics of doublespeak:
What is really important in the world of doublespeak is the ability to lie, whether knowingly or unconsciously, and to get away with it; and the ability to use lies and choose and shape facts selectively, blocking out those that don’t fit an agenda or program.
Origin
Doublespeak is a word believed to be derived from George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. Although the word is not actually used in the book, it is portmanteau of two of the book's central concepts, "doublethink" and "Newspeak".
Weblinks
- Doublespeak - William Lutz of Rutgers University interviewed on C-Span