Politics and The English Language

-George Orwell

George Orwell

Q) How is Language Related To politics .How do politicians use Language to defend the indefensible?

Account for the degradation of English language as illustrated by George Orwell in His Essay .

Ans:

Politics and the English language is an essay by George Orwell,A famous English Novelist ,essayist ,journalist and Critic .His work is Mainly Marked by social Injustice, Totalitarianism ,and outspoken support of Democratic socialism .

Politics and The English language was published in 1946 in Horizon , a literary magazine edited by his former schoolmate Cyril Connolly .

In this essay George Orwell offers critique of causes responsible for the degradation of English Language.There are argument in this content suggesting that the prevailing decadents of the civilisation on the 20th century is largely responsible for this degradation .

This argument proceeds from the assumption that language is a natural process of growth and evolves in responses to the circumstances .Orwell however, believes that language should be considered as instruments of tool of communication ,which can be certainly controlled or shaped.

Politics and The English language

Orwell believes that ,in the post war England there has been a sharp decline in the political

Thought due to which English language has been corrupted in a large extent.The decline in the political culture has generated substandard thoughts which in turn has degraded the Language.

In the contemporary times political writings has assumes great significance ,The nature of the Political writings has become too orthodox .in most of the Political writings and speeches there is a repeated use of familiar Phraseology and clichés mostly in the form of attaches on the Government or on the opposition.

Orwell says that in such political writings and speeches there is hardly any originality or expression of personal opinions.orwell maintains that this kind of political communication consisting of off repeated phrases like - “Beastial, odrocities ,iron-hill, blood-stain tyranny,free People of the world stand shoulder to shoulder etc” cause a dangerous effect on the general nature of languages ,such unnecessary uses of adjectives should be avoided and the language should be kept simple & clear.

Orwell also accuses the contemporary politician and political writers for trying to defend the indefensible.on to him the stage of politics has deteriorated to such an extent that the politicians have nothing to defend or argue.

In trying to defend certain action like the continuation of British rule in India,Russian purges , deportation or the use of nuclear weapons in Japan ,the politicians use arguments,which are deliberately confusing and misleading.orwell says that many of these political situation and debate can indeed be defended but the argument used would be too brutal and unpalatable for the common people.Orwell tries to explain this trend of using language” too conical rather than reveal”by giving examples of certains actions carried out by the politicians in Russia and their attempts at justifying the actions.The act of killing innocent people and driving them from their homes by the authority is justified as pacification.Orwell contends that beneath all these action there is a considerable amount of brutality and inhuman suffering.this truth is effectively concealed by using such euphemistic terms and phrases like pacification, eliminate of unreliable elements ,as they do not evoke the mantle pictures brutality and suffering generally associated with such action.

Political writings has acquired an artificial inflated style which by itself is a kind of euphemism.orwell believes that such trends of conceding the truth has become permanent because the politicians has always intended to maintain the gap between the desired intention and declared aims the only effective way to carry on with such insincerely and subtle is by crafty use of language designed to conceal the truth .

Orwell says that under such corrupt political atmosphere language is bound to be debarred.

The only solution that he can offers is that writers to be conscious of such errors and avoid them as far as possible.

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