doublespeak etymology

Etymology:

• Double + speak

Meaning:

Doublespeak is a type of language that uses euphemisms, jargon, and other ambiguous terms to conceal or distort the truth. It is often used in political and corporate contexts to make controversial or unpleasant statements sound more acceptable.

Origin:

The term "doublespeak" was coined by American author William Lutz in his 1983 book of the same name. Lutz argued that doublespeak was a growing trend in American society, reflecting a decline in the quality of public discourse.

Historical Usage:

Doublespeak has been used throughout history, but its prominence increased during the Cold War era. Both the United States and the Soviet Union used doublespeak to justify their actions and demonize their opponents. For example, the United States referred to the Vietnam War as a "police action" and the Soviet Union called its invasion of Afghanistan a "fraternal assistance."

Examples:

• Collateral damage: Civilian casualties during military operations.
• Enhanced interrogation techniques: Torture.
• Downsizing: Layoffs.
• Peacekeeping force: Military force used to suppress civil unrest.
• National interest: Justification for questionable actions.

Criticisms:

Doublespeak has been criticized for:

• Obscuring the truth: Using ambiguous language to make lies or exaggerations sound plausible.
• Manipulating public opinion: Shaping public perception through the use of sanitized or biased language.
• Undermining trust: Eroding public trust in institutions and leaders who use doublespeak.

doublespeak relate terms

• double

  Etymology The word double has two possible etymologies From the Middle English dob

• doublethink

  Etymology Doublethink is a neologism coined by George Orwell in his 1949 novel Nineteen

• double

  Etymology The word double has two possible etymologies From the Middle English dob

• think

  Etymology Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words It involves tracing

• speak

  Etymology The word speak originates from the Old English word specan which means to

• equivocation

• muster

  Etymology and Origin The word muster has its origins in the Old French word monstre

• adolescent

  Etymology The word adolescent comes from the Latin word adolescēns meaning a young

• usher

  Etymology The word usher is derived from the Old French word huissier which means

• denizen

  Etymology Late Middle English in the sense dweller in a city or town from Old

• perspective

  Etymology Perspective comes from the Latin word perspicere which means to see throu

• wood

  Etymology and Origin The word wood comes from the Middle English word wude which is

• citizen

  Citizen Etymology Meaning The process of altering the pronunciation or spelling of a wor

• mess

  Etymology The word mess comes from the Middle English word messe which in turn come