Objective considerations of contemporary phenomena compel the blah blah blah
by CMB
on 12/14/2006 at 12/14/2006 11:14:00 PM.
I have a favourite essay.
I'm always a bit uncomfortable sharing this sort of thing because I am pretty self conscious and don't want to come over as the sort of conceited, pseudo-intellectual idiot that roams the earth just bringing up the oh-so clever things they know, and overwhelmingly clever things they think about.
That said. This is my blog and I'm allowed to be all self-indulgent sometimes* so today I'm going to talk about George Orwell's Politics and the English Language (1946, full text in link). The essay is essentially about the way in which the english language is used and abused both incompetently (laziness) and competently (sophistry).
Firstly it is important to emphasise the difference between the ever-evolving state of language (which L>T has written about very nicely), and what this essay discusses. Here, I am concerned only with how the english language is used in unclear, ambiguous, misleading and emotionally charged writing. Like when you hear a politician speak. I'm often taken in by their long words, acronyms, catchphrases and ambiguities to the point that I almost can't remember what the original question they were answering was.
Overall though, I take away two main points from this writing:
a) Language is twisted by those with an agenda (everybody, I guess!) in order to make their points. Describing something with an overused buzzword like 'free' or 'democratic' doesn't necessarily make it 'good'.
b) In your own writing it is important that you remain clear and concise. If you want to be understood then say it using understandable words and say it using as few words as possible.
At the end of the essay Orwell offered six rules for writing that, if followed, do a lot to help with the clarity of writing. They are:
"These rules sound elementary, and so they are, but they demand a deep change of attitude in anyone who has grown used to writing in the style now fashionable"
I always strive to bear this in mind when writing, to varying degrees of success. I'm just as guilty as every other blogger of sometimes using a long word when a short one would suffice; I use tired metaphors, which have lost all emotional impact and sometimes I'm verbose for the sake of it.
Still, one can only try!
*also the essays I enjoy aren't impressive or difficult, so I don't really feel bad bringing them up. I'm much happier reading some really trashy fiction most of the time.
I'm always a bit uncomfortable sharing this sort of thing because I am pretty self conscious and don't want to come over as the sort of conceited, pseudo-intellectual idiot that roams the earth just bringing up the oh-so clever things they know, and overwhelmingly clever things they think about.
That said. This is my blog and I'm allowed to be all self-indulgent sometimes* so today I'm going to talk about George Orwell's Politics and the English Language (1946, full text in link). The essay is essentially about the way in which the english language is used and abused both incompetently (laziness) and competently (sophistry).
Firstly it is important to emphasise the difference between the ever-evolving state of language (which L>T has written about very nicely), and what this essay discusses. Here, I am concerned only with how the english language is used in unclear, ambiguous, misleading and emotionally charged writing. Like when you hear a politician speak. I'm often taken in by their long words, acronyms, catchphrases and ambiguities to the point that I almost can't remember what the original question they were answering was.
Overall though, I take away two main points from this writing:
a) Language is twisted by those with an agenda (everybody, I guess!) in order to make their points. Describing something with an overused buzzword like 'free' or 'democratic' doesn't necessarily make it 'good'.
b) In your own writing it is important that you remain clear and concise. If you want to be understood then say it using understandable words and say it using as few words as possible.
At the end of the essay Orwell offered six rules for writing that, if followed, do a lot to help with the clarity of writing. They are:
- 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.
"These rules sound elementary, and so they are, but they demand a deep change of attitude in anyone who has grown used to writing in the style now fashionable"
I always strive to bear this in mind when writing, to varying degrees of success. I'm just as guilty as every other blogger of sometimes using a long word when a short one would suffice; I use tired metaphors, which have lost all emotional impact and sometimes I'm verbose for the sake of it.
Still, one can only try!
*also the essays I enjoy aren't impressive or difficult, so I don't really feel bad bringing them up. I'm much happier reading some really trashy fiction most of the time.
