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Author Topic: Semantics, and the new Orwellian Nightmare  (Read 7832 times)

Rob C

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Semantics, and the new Orwellian Nightmare
« on: September 05, 2015, 05:44:43 am »

http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=6770


Thanks Slobodan for the link from what is today a locked thread. This is not an attempt to restart that one, which had clearly run its course, rather is it an attempt to investigate the power of words to distort and to inculcate new attitudes and skewered perceptions in otherwise innocent minds. Innocent does not equate with stupid in this context.

This link is amazing stuff, and my amazement comes from the fact that there seems not to be a countering reaction from the top of that university!

Orwell was right in so many ways.

In this specific case, there isn't even the excuse of the doubt about the definition or legitimacy of the two words being used together to define a status: anyone from another country is an alien when that person is in another country – as a Brit, I am an alien in Spain, though not an illegal one - and you are clearly either legally where you are at any one time or you are not. There's no conflict of terminology there. I derive no sense of injury when referred to as 'alien' and in my view, anyone who does is simply claiming preferred status and playing his/her special card, and boy, there are some canny players out there!

As dangerous as motivated individuals might be, let's not forget the even greater danger posed by the enshrinement of newspeak in reference books that can innocently be assumed guardians of fact:

"Paki: slang offensive Pocket Oxford Dictionary 1992"

(The above is a quotation from the closed thread, by the way.)

The devil in the detail, in this instance, turns out to be an angel: observe the date: 1992.

By that time, the newest P.C. move politically to disfigure and subvert the meaning of words had already become visible, even to me, living far away from the English language zealots carrying their assorted burdens of self-imposed guilt and/or resentment at the hand Fate had dealt them. And as you already know, from the original quotation at the start of this post (ain't the man in the street wot compiles dictionaries), the halls of academia breed lots more than you might think.

I also discovered something else:

“But you knew that.”

The line above is from the same locked thread, and is a link to a post of 16th Feb. 2013.

I quote it from a poster known as “Isaac”, and again, the devil's in the detail, but sans angel. There is no human around who could remember such a detail and its location from so long ago, never mind attribute it with any importance that would make it memorable so much later on.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are dealing with software!

;-)

Rob C

michael

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Re: Semantics, and the new Orwellian Nightmare
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2015, 08:09:11 am »

Rob,

Semantics aside, words carry an emotional charge, regardless of political correctness.

Using what are offensive words (by most contemporary standards) and defending doing this by putting them in quotes and citing a source, doesn't impress me. In fact in annoys me.

It also depends on who's saying them and the context. Two ghetto kids can call each other "n----r", because that helps them destigmatize the word. But I suggest that you not walk down the street in any American city and say that to any black man.

Intent and context matter.

The previous thread was closed because it crossed the line.

Let's leave it at that, shall we?

Michael
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Justinr

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Re: Semantics, and the new Orwellian Nightmare
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2015, 09:21:53 am »

Words convey a meaning which is generally understood by the recipient, the problem arises when said recipients choose to misinterpret them to suit either their prejudices or beliefs.
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elliot_n

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Re: Semantics, and the new Orwellian Nightmare
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2015, 10:16:28 am »



"Paki: slang offensive Pocket Oxford Dictionary 1992"

(The above is a quotation from the closed thread, by the way.)

The devil in the detail, in this instance, turns out to be an angel: observe the date: 1992.

By that time, the newest P.C. move politically to disfigure and subvert the meaning of words had already become visible, even to me, living far away from the English language zealots carrying their assorted burdens of self-imposed guilt and/or resentment at the hand Fate had dealt them.


Your attempts to defend the use of this word are ridiculous and offensive. As you know very well, the term was used prolifically by the National Front in the 1970s as an incitement to racial hatred. Here in East London, young Bengali men were beaten and killed by fascists chanting this word.

 
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Rob C

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Re: Semantics, and the new Orwellian Nightmare
« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2015, 10:33:27 am »

Okay, closed minds - I'll go with that.

Rob C

Christopher Sanderson

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Re: Semantics, and the new Orwellian Nightmare
« Reply #5 on: September 05, 2015, 11:08:54 am »

If you come to this thread to muse on our tribes, our languages & our cultures, perhaps you might care to read something really worthwhile:

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/09/rubble-palmyra-syria-isis/403921/
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