Knowledge

Loaded language

Source 📝

521: 84:" carry with them something more than a simple description of a concept or an action. They have a "magnetic" effect, an imperative force, a tendency to influence the interlocutor's decisions. They are strictly bound to moral values leading to value judgements and potentially triggering specific emotions. For this reason, they have an emotive dimension. In the modern psychological terminology, we can say that these terms carry "emotional valence", as they presuppose and generate a value judgement that can lead to an emotion. 822: 836: 209:, not only is there no agreed definition, but the attempt to make one is resisted from all sides. It is almost universally felt that when we call a country democratic we are praising it: consequently the defenders of every kind of regime claim that it is a democracy, and fear that they might have to stop using that word if it were tied down to any one meaning. 132:
employ euphemisms, and study how to use them effectively: which words to use or avoid using to gain political advantage or disparage an opponent. Speechwriter and journalist Richard Heller gives the example that it is common for a politician to advocate "investment in public services," because it has
116:
such further considered judgement. Due to such potential for emotional complication, it is generally advisable to avoid loaded language in argument or speech when fairness and impartiality is one of the goals.
144:
techniques by individuals with opposing agendas. Heller calls these "a Boo! version and a Hooray! version" to differentiate those with negative and positive emotional connotations. Examples include
112:
Emotive arguments and loaded language are particularly persuasive because they exploit the human weakness for acting immediately based upon an emotional response,
783:
Walton, Douglas; Macagno, Fabrizio (2015). "The Importance and Trickiness of Definition Strategies in Legal and Political Argumentation".
1211: 56:. Loaded words and phrases have significant emotional implications and involve strongly positive or negative reactions beyond their 541: 1221: 668: 603:
Beliefs through emotions. In N. Frijda, A. Manstead, & S. Bem (Eds.), Emotions and beliefs: how feelings influence thoughts
765: 657: 638: 619: 440: 868: 121:, for example, admonishes students and writers: "In general, avoid language whose only function is to sway the emotions". 205:
have each of them several different meanings which cannot be reconciled with one another. In the case of a word like
180: 1140: 69: 101:
reasons" from "considered reasons" when discussing this. An emotion, elicited via emotive language, may form a
1206: 254: 1201: 319: 76:" is not used only to refer to a person who commits specific actions with a specific intent. Words such as " 1015: 269: 219: 17: 673: 329: 1085: 1030: 861: 797: 945: 334: 826: 1130: 1100: 1050: 975: 888: 792: 840: 757: 750: 1125: 1090: 1040: 1020: 877: 289: 140:
One aspect of loaded language is that loaded words and phrases occur in pairs, sometimes as
72:. He noticed that there are words that do not merely describe a possible state of affairs. " 1216: 1055: 965: 294: 234: 8: 1155: 985: 960: 910: 854: 229: 197:
has now no meaning except in so far as it signifies "something not desirable." The words
134: 1115: 1110: 1095: 920: 309: 1165: 1080: 1010: 905: 761: 678: 653: 634: 615: 436: 244: 141: 1180: 1135: 995: 930: 915: 802: 724: 699: 542:"The Linguistics of Mass Persuasion: How Politicians Make "Fetch" Happen (Part I)" 728: 339: 304: 259: 57: 31: 68:
Loaded terms, also known as emotive or ethical words, were clearly described by
1060: 970: 955: 900: 745: 715: 704: 687: 598: 118: 73: 1195: 1005: 1000: 314: 239: 184: 1175: 1145: 1105: 990: 324: 45: 81: 77: 1170: 1120: 1035: 1025: 980: 935: 806: 279: 97: 53: 846: 821: 105:
reason for action, but further work is required before one can obtain a
1045: 950: 894: 299: 264: 129: 249: 224: 200: 48:. This type of language is very often made vague to more effectively 44:
used to influence an audience by using words and phrases with strong
1075: 940: 274: 41: 1065: 925: 835: 284: 193: 1160: 414: 412: 410: 95:. Authors R. Malcolm Murray and Nebojša Kujundžić distinguish " 92: 49: 1150: 187:
discussed the use of loaded language in political discourse:
88: 509: 407: 713:
Stevenson, Charles (July 1938). "Persuasive Definitions".
497: 605:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 45–77. 563: 561: 485: 397: 395: 87:
The appeal to emotion is in contrast to an appeal to
30:"Power word" redirects here. Not to be confused with 558: 473: 461: 449: 749: 573: 392: 1193: 652:. McGill Queen's University Press. p. 90. 647: 418: 596: 515: 862: 782: 628: 527: 648:Murray, Malcolm; Kujundzic, Nebojsa (2005). 629:Macagno, Fabrizio; Walton, Douglas (2014). 869: 855: 876: 796: 735: 712: 703: 685: 503: 491: 479: 467: 455: 633:. New York: Cambridge University Press. 430: 203:, freedom, patriotic, realistic, justice 14: 1194: 744: 688:"The Emotive Meaning of Ethical Terms" 666: 609: 579: 567: 401: 27:Rhetoric used to influence an audience 850: 740:. Connecticut: Yale University Press. 669:"Politics and the English Language" 539: 133:a more favorable connotation than " 24: 776: 25: 1233: 1212:Propaganda techniques using words 814: 631:Emotive Language in Argumentation 614:. Pearson Education. p. 54. 181:Politics and the English Language 834: 820: 533: 756:. Hackett Publishing. p.  424: 372:language-persuasive techniques 352: 255:Language of thought hypothesis 13: 1: 1222:Barriers to critical thinking 825:The dictionary definition of 385: 63: 1141:Rally 'round the flag effect 1016:Fear, uncertainty, and doubt 589: 270:Neuro-linguistic programming 220:Code word (figure of speech) 50:invoke an emotional response 7: 785:Journal of Politics and Law 736:Stevenson, Charles (1944). 686:Stevenson, Charles (1937). 419:Murray & Kujundzic 2005 213: 124: 10: 1238: 729:10.1093/mind/xlvii.187.331 516:Frijda & Mesquita 2000 320:Thought-terminating cliché 29: 884: 528:Macagno & Walton 2014 752:A Rulebook for Arguments 705:10.1093/mind/xlvi.181.14 610:Heller, Richard (2002). 431:Lavender, Larry (1996). 345: 946:Cartographic propaganda 677:. April. Archived from 667:Orwell, George (1946). 540:Luu, Chi (2016-02-10). 368:high-inference language 364:strong emotive language 335:Variation (linguistics) 1131:Propaganda of the deed 1101:New generation warfare 1051:Historical negationism 889:Accusation in a mirror 839:Quotations related to 433:Dancers Human Kinetics 330:Type–token distinction 211: 1207:Rhetorical techniques 1126:Psychological warfare 1091:Monumental propaganda 1041:Glittering generality 1021:Firehose of falsehood 878:Propaganda techniques 290:Persuasive definition 189: 1202:Communication theory 966:Demonizing the enemy 807:10.5539/jpl.v8n1p137 612:High Impact Speeches 295:Precising definition 235:Dog-whistle politics 1156:Shooting and crying 986:Emotive conjugation 961:Cult of personality 911:Atrocity propaganda 738:Ethics and Language 650:Critical Reflection 376:rhetorical language 230:Distancing language 179:In the 1946 essay " 1116:Oversimplification 1096:Moralistic fallacy 435:. Human Kinetics. 310:Tabloid journalism 1189: 1188: 1081:Managing the news 906:Appeal to emotion 767:978-0-87220-552-9 659:978-0-7735-2880-2 640:978-1-107-03598-0 621:978-0-273-66202-0 506:, pp. 18–19. 442:978-0-87322-667-7 245:Illocutionary act 142:political framing 70:Charles Stevenson 16:(Redirected from 1229: 1181:White propaganda 1136:Public relations 1111:Overcomplication 996:False accusation 931:Black propaganda 921:Beautiful people 916:Bandwagon effect 871: 864: 857: 848: 847: 838: 824: 810: 800: 771: 755: 741: 732: 723:(187): 331–350. 709: 707: 682: 663: 644: 625: 606: 583: 577: 571: 565: 556: 555: 553: 552: 537: 531: 525: 519: 513: 507: 501: 495: 489: 483: 477: 471: 465: 459: 453: 447: 446: 428: 422: 416: 405: 399: 379: 356: 21: 1237: 1236: 1232: 1231: 1230: 1228: 1227: 1226: 1192: 1191: 1190: 1185: 1071:Loaded language 880: 875: 841:Loaded language 828:loaded language 817: 779: 777:Further reading 774: 768: 746:Weston, Anthony 660: 641: 622: 592: 587: 586: 578: 574: 566: 559: 550: 548: 538: 534: 526: 522: 514: 510: 502: 498: 490: 486: 478: 474: 466: 462: 454: 450: 443: 429: 425: 417: 408: 400: 393: 388: 383: 382: 357: 353: 348: 340:Wooden language 305:Symbol (formal) 260:Loaded question 216: 135:public spending 127: 66: 58:literal meaning 52:and/or exploit 38:Loaded language 35: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1235: 1225: 1224: 1219: 1214: 1209: 1204: 1187: 1186: 1184: 1183: 1178: 1173: 1168: 1163: 1158: 1153: 1148: 1143: 1138: 1133: 1128: 1123: 1118: 1113: 1108: 1103: 1098: 1093: 1088: 1083: 1078: 1073: 1068: 1063: 1061:Indoctrination 1058: 1053: 1048: 1043: 1038: 1033: 1028: 1023: 1018: 1013: 1008: 1003: 998: 993: 988: 983: 978: 973: 971:Disinformation 968: 963: 958: 956:Cherry picking 953: 948: 943: 938: 933: 928: 923: 918: 913: 908: 903: 901:Appeal to fear 898: 891: 885: 882: 881: 874: 873: 866: 859: 851: 845: 844: 832: 816: 815:External links 813: 812: 811: 798:10.1.1.671.407 791:(1): 137–148. 778: 775: 773: 772: 766: 742: 733: 710: 683: 681:on 2012-01-30. 664: 658: 645: 639: 626: 620: 607: 593: 591: 588: 585: 584: 572: 557: 532: 520: 508: 504:Stevenson 1937 496: 494:, p. 210. 492:Stevenson 1944 484: 480:Stevenson 1938 472: 468:Stevenson 1944 460: 456:Stevenson 1937 448: 441: 423: 406: 390: 389: 387: 384: 381: 380: 358:Also known as 350: 349: 347: 344: 343: 342: 337: 332: 327: 322: 317: 312: 307: 302: 297: 292: 287: 282: 277: 272: 267: 262: 257: 252: 247: 242: 237: 232: 227: 222: 215: 212: 150:public servant 126: 123: 119:Anthony Weston 65: 62: 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1234: 1223: 1220: 1218: 1215: 1213: 1210: 1208: 1205: 1203: 1200: 1199: 1197: 1182: 1179: 1177: 1174: 1172: 1169: 1167: 1164: 1162: 1159: 1157: 1154: 1152: 1149: 1147: 1144: 1142: 1139: 1137: 1134: 1132: 1129: 1127: 1124: 1122: 1119: 1117: 1114: 1112: 1109: 1107: 1104: 1102: 1099: 1097: 1094: 1092: 1089: 1087: 1084: 1082: 1079: 1077: 1074: 1072: 1069: 1067: 1064: 1062: 1059: 1057: 1054: 1052: 1049: 1047: 1044: 1042: 1039: 1037: 1034: 1032: 1029: 1027: 1024: 1022: 1019: 1017: 1014: 1012: 1009: 1007: 1006:False dilemma 1004: 1002: 1001:False balance 999: 997: 994: 992: 989: 987: 984: 982: 979: 977: 974: 972: 969: 967: 964: 962: 959: 957: 954: 952: 949: 947: 944: 942: 939: 937: 934: 932: 929: 927: 924: 922: 919: 917: 914: 912: 909: 907: 904: 902: 899: 897: 896: 892: 890: 887: 886: 883: 879: 872: 867: 865: 860: 858: 853: 852: 849: 842: 837: 833: 831:at Wiktionary 830: 829: 823: 819: 818: 808: 804: 799: 794: 790: 786: 781: 780: 769: 763: 759: 754: 753: 747: 743: 739: 734: 730: 726: 722: 718: 717: 711: 706: 701: 697: 693: 689: 684: 680: 676: 675: 670: 665: 661: 655: 651: 646: 642: 636: 632: 627: 623: 617: 613: 608: 604: 600: 595: 594: 581: 576: 570:, p. 54. 569: 564: 562: 547: 543: 536: 529: 524: 518:, p. 49. 517: 512: 505: 500: 493: 488: 481: 476: 469: 464: 457: 452: 444: 438: 434: 427: 421:, p. 90. 420: 415: 413: 411: 403: 398: 396: 391: 377: 373: 369: 365: 361: 355: 351: 341: 338: 336: 333: 331: 328: 326: 323: 321: 318: 316: 315:Thick concept 313: 311: 308: 306: 303: 301: 298: 296: 293: 291: 288: 286: 283: 281: 278: 276: 273: 271: 268: 266: 263: 261: 258: 256: 253: 251: 248: 246: 243: 241: 240:If-by-whiskey 238: 236: 233: 231: 228: 226: 223: 221: 218: 217: 210: 208: 204: 202: 196: 195: 188: 186: 185:George Orwell 182: 177: 175: 171: 167: 163: 159: 155: 154:anti-abortion 151: 147: 143: 138: 136: 131: 122: 120: 115: 110: 108: 104: 100: 99: 94: 90: 85: 83: 79: 75: 71: 61: 59: 55: 51: 47: 43: 39: 33: 32:word of power 19: 1176:Whataboutism 1146:Scapegoating 1106:Obscurantism 1086:Minimisation 1070: 991:Exaggeration 893: 843:at Wikiquote 827: 788: 784: 751: 737: 720: 714: 695: 691: 679:the original 672: 649: 630: 611: 602: 599:Mesquita, B. 597:Frijda, N.; 575: 549:. Retrieved 545: 535: 523: 511: 499: 487: 475: 463: 451: 432: 426: 404:, p. 6. 375: 371: 367: 363: 360:loaded terms 359: 354: 325:Truth-bearer 206: 198: 192: 190: 178: 173: 169: 165: 161: 157: 153: 149: 145: 139: 128: 113: 111: 106: 102: 96: 86: 67: 46:connotations 37: 36: 18:Loaded words 1217:Connotation 1171:Weasel word 1121:Plain folks 1036:Gish gallop 1026:Flag-waving 981:Doublespeak 976:Dog whistle 936:Blood libel 580:Orwell 1946 568:Heller 2002 546:JSTOR Daily 530:, p. . 402:Weston 2000 280:Obfuscation 199:democracy, 130:Politicians 103:prima facie 98:prima facie 54:stereotypes 1196:Categories 1046:Half-truth 951:Censorship 895:Ad hominem 551:2023-03-25 386:References 300:Propaganda 265:Markedness 166:government 146:bureaucrat 107:considered 64:Definition 1056:Ideograph 1011:Fake news 793:CiteSeerX 698:: 14–31. 590:Citations 250:Intension 225:Discourse 207:democracy 201:socialism 191:The word 74:Terrorist 1076:Newspeak 941:Buzzword 748:(2000). 601:(2000). 275:Newspeak 214:See also 158:pro-life 125:Examples 109:reason. 42:rhetoric 1066:Lawfare 1031:Framing 926:Big lie 674:Horizon 285:Parsing 194:Fascism 172:versus 170:elitist 164:versus 156:versus 148:versus 114:without 82:freedom 78:torture 1161:Slogan 795:  764:  656:  637:  618:  439:  374:, and 174:expert 168:, and 162:regime 93:reason 80:" or " 1151:Senbu 346:Notes 89:logic 1166:Spin 762:ISBN 716:Mind 692:Mind 654:ISBN 635:ISBN 616:ISBN 437:ISBN 91:and 803:doi 725:doi 700:doi 183:", 137:." 40:is 1198:: 801:. 787:. 760:. 721:47 719:. 696:46 694:. 690:. 671:. 560:^ 544:. 409:^ 394:^ 370:, 366:, 362:, 176:. 160:, 152:, 60:. 870:e 863:t 856:v 809:. 805:: 789:8 770:. 758:6 731:. 727:: 708:. 702:: 662:. 643:. 624:. 582:. 554:. 482:. 470:. 458:. 445:. 378:. 34:. 20:)

Index

Loaded words
word of power
rhetoric
connotations
invoke an emotional response
stereotypes
literal meaning
Charles Stevenson
Terrorist
torture
freedom
logic
reason
prima facie
Anthony Weston
Politicians
public spending
political framing
Politics and the English Language
George Orwell
Fascism
socialism
Code word (figure of speech)
Discourse
Distancing language
Dog-whistle politics
If-by-whiskey
Illocutionary act
Intension
Language of thought hypothesis

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.