Dec 05 2008
Orwellian Sins, Noted (Period 10)
Post ONE of your observed Orwellian sins. Note the source.
24 responses so far
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“Barack Obama will inherit a war in Afghanistan that is getting rougher, including instances of Afghan government troops turning on American GIs.”
“Getting rougher,” is basically a nice way of saying that the war in Afghanistan is getting deadlier.
Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2008/12/05/2008-12-05_afghanistan_looms_as_potential_quagmire_.html
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“The movie, based on the bestselling novel by Stephenie Meyer, has become an instant hit with tween audiences.”
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20244162,00.html
This quote has two sins! The reporter uses a verbal false limb (passive voice: “has become”) and pretentious diction (”an instant hit”). Orwell would be very disappointed in this author.
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“Surgeon General’s Warning: Quitting smoking now greatly reduces serious risks to your heath”
This is an example of an euphemism because what they are really saying is that “If you quit now, you won’t die.”
**From Camel Cigarette advertisements
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“All major airports in India ‘have been placed on high alert following threats of airport attacks and hijacking of planes,’ the department’s travel advisory said.”
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/12/05/india.threat.airport/index.html
This sentence is a sin because it contains passive voice, which according to Orwell is a verbal false limb.
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“This much later discovery is just another feather in the cap of this excellent theory.”
Source: Science News, September 27, 2008: ‘Proton Has a Strange Cousin’
“Feather in the cap” is a very overused and outdated metaphor.
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“Why the Palin Phenomenon is Doomed”
Market Watch News, September 15, 2008
Pretentious diction is not only in the title, but can also be seen in the first paragraph.
“They’ll need to move to shine a light on a fresh issue or individual.”
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“I think it is clear, to do that job you have to be ready to work 24-7″, Rendell said. “You cant’ have another job; you can’t have an avocation you’re addicted to — like golf or anything like that.”
-MSN News
-This is an euphemism because it is him trying to sound nice, because he was caught earlier saying that this woman had no life
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“Investigators believe it was the work of a highly professional group, and that the culprits were French or from elsewhere in Europe, state radio reported”
CNN Europe
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/12/05/paris.jewel.heist/index.html
This quote was to many syllables for to few words.
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Another sin = writer either has no clue what he/she is talking about, or cannot express his/her meaning clearly
“We’re making progress because we’ve got a strategy for victory.
And we’re making progress because the men and women of the United States military are showing magnificent courage and they’re making important sacrifices that have brought Iraq to a historic moment: the opportunity to build a democracy that reflects this country’s diversity, that serves its people and is an active partner in the fight against the terrorists…”
What does a strategy for victory have to do with making progress? How does the courage displayed by the military create progress?
What is President Bush talking about?!
^transcript of George Bush on the war in Iraq
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11943885/
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……”Kept in a derelict warehouse at Baghdad’s airport for months, sleeping four to a bed with poor food and no money, hundreds of would-be contract workers are stranded, claiming they were duped by unscrupulous recruiting agents into coming to Iraq for nonexistent jobs.”……
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/12/04/iraq.forgotten.workers/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
The way the author writes this article is very wordy. And overall the article would fall under meaningless words which is one of Orwell’s sins and main points that the words are abused because we chose ones too much and certain ones not enough.
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The charity, under intense media scrutiny since India blamed the Mumbai slaughter on Lashkar-e-Taiba, invited reporters to its sprawling headquarters on the outskirts of the eastern city of Lahore on Thursday to stress it had cut its ties.
“It is true we had links with Lashkar-e-Taiba in the past, but please remember, the past is the past,” said spokesman Abdullah Muntazir.
This spokesperson is avoiding coming right out and saying that the blame should be put on Lashkae-e-Taiba and trying to be politically correct and not stepping on any toes.
from yahoo news
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“We have gone from recession into something that looks more like collapse,” said Ian Shepherdson, chief domestic economist at High Frequency Economics, referring to the accelerating job losses in recent months. – New York Times
The economist does not say anything concrete. He does not go into detail about any specific economic problems, but only vaguely describes the current condition.
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“Wardrobe malfunction”
Justin Timberlake’s description of his tearing of Janet Jackson’s costume during a half-time performance at Super Bowl XXXVIII
This is a PERFECT example of euphemism because it wasnt a malfunction, her costume came off easily, (as if planned), and stunned audiences. Timberlake tried to make the situation sound better than the horrid mess it truly was.
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“Joe the Plumber”=dying metaphor by McCain
*well, its dying because it is overused. collins says it alot nd so do alot of other people. i am sick of it.
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“McNabb Should Review the Rulebook”
This title is a euphemism because it is a nicer way of saying that McNabb is playing (really) badly.
-The Cornell Daily Sun
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“Obama’s grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, passes away Monday in Hawaii.”
-CNN news, October 24, 2008
By saying Obama’s grandmother “passes away” it masks the more harsh, and politically incorrect way of saying she died.
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‘Vertically challenged’ Oakton going up-tempo
“basketball team lacks in height”
The title of the article itself is a euphemism because it is just saying in a nice way that the basketball team has many short players. The euphemism is later reiterated in others words, but it’s all the same.
source: yahoo news
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“Barack Obama won the White House with a firm promise to put an end to what critics called the Bush Administration’s use of torture on terror suspects.”
This is an example of an euphemism, because when the article states “to put an end,” it really means “stop.” Orwell would not approve of this, because he believes in the elimination of simple words.
Site:
“Rollback on Torture? Not So Easy for Obama and the Dems”
Time Magazine
Friday, Dec. 05, 2008
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It is with tremendous sadness that we must convey the news that Steve Gilliard, editor and publisher of The News Blog, passed away June 2, 2007. He was 42.
http://www.groupnewsblog.net
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“Former Bosnian Serb president Radovan Karadzic, accused of masterminding “ethnic cleansing” deportations and killings of Bosnian Muslims and Croats, has been arrested after more than a decade in hiding.”
Ethnic cleansing=euphemism for genocide
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/07/22/serb.arrest0348/index.html?iref=newssearch
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About Bronx Mowgli Wentz (Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson’s son):
“It could not be determined what, if any, connection Ms. Simpson-Wentz and Mr. Wentz had to the borough and why they decided on the name.”
Ferdandez, the writer, could have made his point of view short by saying, “It is unsure if the name Bronx had anything to do with the borough.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/23/nyregion/23bronx.html
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“In a TOUR DE FORCE that at the time could be regarded as a rich man’s self-indulgence if not an outright folly…”
“Tour de force”? Really? According to Orwell, ‘tour de force’ is use of pretentious diction; a foreign phrase. What makes ‘tour de force’ any better than saying, ‘accomplished a brilliant feat’ or even a ’skillful’ one?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/arts/music/07gure.html?ref=music
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His statement said: “I would like to remind the illegal invaders who have invaded our defenseless and oppressed people that it is a golden opportunity for you at present to hammer out an exit strategy for your forces.
Orwell would have thought that this sentence was a sin because it is too long. This statement is too long and could be said simply as “Invaders are commanded to leave”. Also, stating “illegal invaders” is another sin. Orwell would notice that obviously if people are invading they are not truly legal. The sentence could be shorter.
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His statement said: “I would like to remind the illegal invaders who have invaded our defenseless and oppressed people that it is a golden opportunity for you at present to hammer out an exit strategy for your forces.
Orwell would have thought that this sentence was a sin because it is too long. This statement is too long and could be said simply as “Invaders are commanded to leave”. Also, stating “illegal invaders” is another sin. Orwell would notice that obviously if people are invading they are not truly legal. The sentence could be shorter.
Site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7770463.stm
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