The Term Doublespeak - Essay Example

The term ‘doublespeak’ is referred to as a language used to deceive normally by means of disembodying or keeping the truth from the clear revelation of the meaning of a word or phrase. Having come across certain definitions and details that account for how ‘doublespeak’ generally functions, it seems that such type of language has taken on the nature or role of leading expressions to ambiguity or to euphemistic, evasive, or obscure forms. The language, otherwise known as ‘gobbledygook’, is treated as such for the deliberate intention of confusing the way an individual understands an idea by tradition. One may find it amply necessary to ask ‘why would this be so when we have rules to follow in communication especially in the technical or grammatical aspect of constructing logical thought’? In my view, based on real experience, doublespeak is sometimes being applied in instances when a person needs to be subtle or mellow, say, in breaking upsetting news. In another situation, it can be utilized in campaigns or propaganda by a political party or socio-cultural organization in attempting to persuade the public into becoming interested in a belief or philosophy that represents its cause.
The degree by which ‘doublespeak’ affects a person may be evaluated at random on the basis of perceptions developed upon encounter of each language form which could emerge to be a jargon, inflated language, as well as that which similarly occurs to manifest a sound of ambiguity or groundless generalizations. Since these forms operate with distinct characteristics, doublespeak may be perceived to cause a varying degree of impact depending upon which form is involved and the type of people and event destined to interpret the information being delivered by a doublespeak source. As such, while using jargon works for a closed group with a particular set of knowledge or principle lingoes, promoting gobbledygook may otherwise serve the interest of individuals with rare tolerance and capacity to pick up any sense of the matter dealt with despite the utter meaninglessness and deceitfulness of doublespeak.
Moreover, ‘doublespeak’ has become common in use in our society at current times that it appears automatic for most people to comprehend words in their new context. This is quite evident in the frequent application of some phrases like ‘senior citizen’, ‘person of interest’, ‘detainee’, and ‘passed away’ in place of an ‘old person’, ‘suspect in crime’, ‘prison-of-war’, and ‘died’, respectively, among a long list of doublespeak items. Whether at home, at work, at school, or elsewhere, I have had more than several circumstances of the hearing, overhearing, reading, and having ‘doublespeak’ spoken of by myself. One time I gave my classmate a ring to ask about a specific lesson I missed then he responded with “Hold on please, I’m in the ‘middle of something’” rather than saying he was too busy at the moment. While having our dinner, my mother told us “I believe that guy is ‘crossing over to the other side” in reference to one of our neighbors whose good behavior was gradually turning wicked. On-campus grounds on another occasion, I heard two members of the faculty discussing ‘capital punishment’ which likewise meant ‘death penalty. Somewhere I realize that using doublespeak matters in a way that tends to make an intellectual impression so that people who reserve rich and colourful vocabulary of doublespeak must be thought of as effective communicators or masters of idioms and are thus able to express themselves in any manner they desire or prefer.
To me, nevertheless, doublespeak generally brings about perils of miscommunication which may threaten good relations and ruin affairs once mismanaged. Read More