I don't necessarily agree with everything the author says—I rarely see such extreme cases, even in academia—but I certainly aspire to write with clarity and simplicity. Brief summary of the...
I don't necessarily agree with everything the author says—I rarely see such extreme cases, even in academia—but I certainly aspire to write with clarity and simplicity.
Brief summary of the recommendations:
Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
Never use a long word where a short one will do.
If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
Never use the passive where you can use the active.
Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
By my estimation, Orwell breaks this rule about 1000 times. I read this essay this summer and was found myself thinking "wrap it up George! this is taking forever."
If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
By my estimation, Orwell breaks this rule about 1000 times. I read this essay this summer and was found myself thinking "wrap it up George! this is taking forever."
I am curious how the author of the book with Newspeak and a vastly debased language would (double-plus good etc.) would also write an essay railing against long, florid words. Orwell's argument...
I am curious how the author of the book with Newspeak and a vastly debased language would (double-plus good etc.) would also write an essay railing against long, florid words. Orwell's argument about communicating clearly using simpler terms is a good one and I agree with it. I just wonder how he reconciled that with the concepts underpinning the lingua franca (fuck your rules Orwell!) of INGSOC in 1984.
There's a difference between concise clarity and outlawing terms to remove people's ability to express or even think certain concepts, no? I feel this essay and 1984 are quite consistent with each...
There's a difference between concise clarity and outlawing terms to remove people's ability to express or even think certain concepts, no?
I feel this essay and 1984 are quite consistent with each other as pleas for using language effectively, honestly, and in the service of freedom.
OH YES, that's right. Correct indeed you are. I had forgotten that words were stricken from the dictionary by law in 1984. Your point about consistency is well made. If anything, I'm sure Orwell's...
outlawing terms to remove people's ability to express or even think certain concepts, no?
OH YES, that's right. Correct indeed you are. I had forgotten that words were stricken from the dictionary by law in 1984. Your point about consistency is well made. If anything, I'm sure Orwell's meditations on language helped him develop that bit of sci-fi world building. Thanks for clearing that up for me!
I don't necessarily agree with everything the author says—I rarely see such extreme cases, even in academia—but I certainly aspire to write with clarity and simplicity.
Brief summary of the recommendations:
By my estimation, Orwell breaks this rule about 1000 times. I read this essay this summer and was found myself thinking "wrap it up George! this is taking forever."
I am curious how the author of the book with Newspeak and a vastly debased language would (double-plus good etc.) would also write an essay railing against long, florid words. Orwell's argument about communicating clearly using simpler terms is a good one and I agree with it. I just wonder how he reconciled that with the concepts underpinning the lingua franca (fuck your rules Orwell!) of INGSOC in 1984.
There's a difference between concise clarity and outlawing terms to remove people's ability to express or even think certain concepts, no?
I feel this essay and 1984 are quite consistent with each other as pleas for using language effectively, honestly, and in the service of freedom.
OH YES, that's right. Correct indeed you are. I had forgotten that words were stricken from the dictionary by law in 1984. Your point about consistency is well made. If anything, I'm sure Orwell's meditations on language helped him develop that bit of sci-fi world building. Thanks for clearing that up for me!