Politics and English Language – Asha Ighodaro

In Orwell’s thesis he explains that the english language is so far gone as an effect of politics that many words and phrases used have lost their original meaning due to their over saturation in modern language. He delves into the idea that in many of the works of modern writers you can identify when the author has an idea and is unable to put that idea into words, so instead they imitate phrases of others creating an article lacking in “imagery; [….] precision.” 

One quote from the essay that appears significant to me is when Orwell says “The appropriate noises are coming out of his larynx, but his brain is not involved as it would be if he were choosing his words for himself. If the speech he is making is one that he is accustomed to make over and over again, he may be almost unconscious of what he is saying,” in reference to politicians and their way of words. This made a lot of sense because politicians are just regurgitating words and phrases to keep their voters in continuous support of them, obviously they don’t say the same exact phrase day after day, but each time they speak there’s a new way of saying the same idea. In this quote Orwell is stating that this is basically what’s happened to the english language people have gotten so used to saying words that sound good that they forget those words have to mean something. 

I think Orwell’s critique of the modern english language is extremely valid. One example is when he said modern writers often lack an ability to write imagery or make you understand or feel the topic. There are examples of this lack of imagery or extreme bias in imagery in many political articles. I will admit a lot of my writing does include what Orwell is denouncing using and words and phrases that someone has already thought of because of an inability to create new phrases. 

I think there are two specific instances in which language has been manipulated for political gain. One example of this is the term or phrase Black Lives Matter, now, many people who don’t agree with the term, or rather, don’t support the idea say that the term is counter intuitive and that it’s racist in itself. I assume the confusion lies with saying “black lives matter” those who don’t support the idea believe it’s not inclusive of all races but fail to see the context of the term. The second instance is with a term or terms is “pro-life” if perpetuates the idea that people who are pro-choice don’t value human lives, if someone were to come along a conversation about abortion without knowledge on the topic of abortion and hear “pro-life” they’d assume that the opposing group did not care for, or value human lives, the term can be a bit manipulative. Yet the term pro-choice doesn’t mean that once the idea is implemented all women will get to have an abortion, it means if the time should come a woman would have the choice over what she can so with her body without restrictions from the law, this term pro-choice is better than pro-abortion because the term cannot be used to demonize those who support a woman’s choice over her body.