Word of the Day : March 10, 2019

newspeak \NOO-speek\ noun, often capitalized

Definition

: propagandistic language marked by euphemism, circumlocution, and the inversion of customary meanings

Did You Know?

The term newspeak was coined by George Orwell in his 1949 anti-utopian novel 1984. In Orwell's fictional totalitarian state, Newspeak was a language favored by the minions of Big Brother and, in Orwell's words, "designed to diminish the range of thought." Newspeak was characterized by the elimination or alteration of certain words, the substitution of one word for another, the interchangeability of parts of speech, and the creation of words for political purposes. The word has caught on in general use to refer to confusing or deceptive bureaucratic jargon.

Aired March 10, 2019

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