One may not understand that their use of words is powerful and have implications that affects all individuals. In the book, Illegal by, Jose Angel N. the readers read about how words people in the United States use to describe the author in American political discourse and how the laws that constrain the author are linked to specific vocabulary. In the forward section of the book the author talks about how phrases people use affects the undocumented community in the United States. As an example, Jose wrote that, “The language used to characterize undocumented immigrants has cast them almost exclusively in the form of lawbreakers” (xi). In that specific
He explains that the words themselves are not the problem, but it’s the meaning being put on the word by the users that can make them have a negative connotation. There are many words that have multiple meanings that can be repurposed for negative or positive meanings. Fairman gives us an example of this in his article. “For
In Jon Hooten's editorial "fighting Words: The War Over Language," he argues that we relate almost everything to war subconsciously. We are unwillingly more attracted to things associated with war because they bring excitement to the topic. It if for this reason why I agree with Hooten's argument. In the article, he writes:"Our popular culture thinks nothing of invoking the language of conflict to describe most any topic. "This is relatable to almost anything on social media.
This before and after/then and now pattern exemplifies the whole style and flow of the book along with showing the way the authors commentate on the
In his essay “The World of Doublespeak,” William Lutz define doublespeak as “a blanket term for language which makes the bad seem good, the negative appear positive, the unpleasant attractive, or at least tolerable” (2013). Lutz goes on to claim “It is language which avoids, shifts, or denies responsibility” (2013). He explains the purpose of doublespeak is to “mislead, distort, deceive, inflate” (2103). Based on many of his examples, such as wording an airplane as an airplane that has had “uncontrolled contact with the ground,” or referring to a city slum as the resident of the “fiscal underachievers,” I feel he may overstate his own definition of doublespeak. While, the play on words in these examples does attempt to deceive the read and
Linguistics Being supposedly made up on the spot, Noah S. Sweat did not have time to compose an eloquent speech about a controversial topic. He instead spoke a purely unfactual and highly descriptive banter using doublespeak to voice his opinion of whiskey. Both sides of his argument include impactual adjectives to describe the drink. Or as Mr. Sweat would say on line 6, “the devil’s brew,” or on line 12, “the philosophic wine”. Each side of his argument is entirely one sentence long, implying that he emotionally fuels his speech as he works out his thoughts with the audience as one thought flows to the other.
Allusion can be seen various times throughout the article. In the introductory portion
Although this article focuses on the decline of big words and the author’s prejudiced love for them, Bernstein uses phrases that are colloquial. Referencing dichotomous relationships, she states, “Add to this list language junkies
“…I also survived circumcision, a barbaric practice designed to remind you as early as possible that your genitals are not your own,” (Carlin 6). George Denis Patrick Carlin known for his comedy being especially polemical and vulgar went against society, with his beliefs and words. He was known for speaking out about politics and religion, and how he disagreed with basically all of them. Whether it be his stand up or his autobiography, he delivered his messages in comedic ways, always throwing some humor at his mix of depression, anger, and rebellion against the world he grew up in. Carlin criticized daily life from the actions of society, to religion, and politics, but was able to make them laughable.
Words are very powerful. They have enormous power to convey with a purpose of insult which may have a devastating impact. The most astonishing characteristics about words is they can mean completely different from one person to another person. In Nancy Mairs, "On Being a Cripple" she uses the words cripple to describe herself. Nancy is a powerful women who insist that this word is her choice and a way of accepting the fact of her disables.
For example, saying that one is a proponent of the enhanced interrogation program of the United States sounds a lot less harmful than saying that one supports torture. This is structurally done in political statements, speeches and campaigns. They have pacified instead of bombed, they are liberating instead of invading, or troops came upon friendly fire instead of troops were bombed by their own allies. These alternate phrases, these euphemisms, make the inexcusable appear to be
In Politics and the English Language, Orwell writes, “In certain types of writing, particularly in art criticism and literary criticism, it is normal to come across long passages which are almost completely lacking in meaning. Words like romantic, plastic, values, human, dead, sentimental, natural, vitality, as used in art criticism, are strictly meaningless, in the sense that they not only do not point to any discoverable object, but are hardly ever expected to do so by the reader” (Language that Manipulates, 238). Orwell asks the reader to evaluate a scenario in order to point out one or more of the ways society takes words for granted. Orwell carefully exaggerates the issue of vocabulary apprehension and usage, thereby drawing light to the impending consequences of a seemingly small societal issue.
Even one small expression can change the meaning of what is being said. Example when
There’s an old saying that “sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” In reality, that saying is wrong. Words hurt a person as much as punch or a kick can. It may not hurt someone physically, but it can scar someone mentally and emotionally. Due to the topics they are associated with, certain words or phrases can elicit strong reactions; some are positive, while others are negative but nonetheless, they all leave an impact on people.
Language comes naturally, and as time as passed, we have been more inclined to say whatever we want. Unfortunately, recently we have seen more offense being taken to words we say. This is because language can affect people in different ways. In other words, some
