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I plug this every time George Orwell comes up. A Fantastic piece on writing, language, and how language influences thought. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intr

I plug this every time George Orwell comes up. A Fantastic piece on writing, language, and how language influences thought. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm

ATB 18y ago
The popular linguistics blog "Language Log" had some interesting commentary on "Politics and the English Language" written in a calmly analytical style (interspersed with some judicious jibes) that I think many YC.HN readers will find rather agreeable: http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=992 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=992 The entire 'Prescriptivist Poppycock' category at Language Log is generally good reading: http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?cat=5 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?cat=5
- nazgulnarsil 18y ago
  I think all the things criticized were intentional. It's hard not to think that a writer of Orwell's caliber would say something without meaning exactly what he said. A careful read becomes: "these are good general rules, and in describing them I'll also show you how to break them when appropriate". It would be fitting with Orwell's style in his fiction writing.
Radix 18y ago
I just read that today. It's fantastic. I submitted it thinking there must be some number of people (ducks) who haven't read it. I would have done better to just upvote you. I like the formatting here better: http://www.orwell.ru/library/essays/politics/english/e_polit#fnt_2 http://www.orwell.ru/library/essays/politics/english/e_polit...
- ableal 18y ago
  You may want to check it out at another very good e-book library: http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/o/orwell/george/o79e/part42.html http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/o/orwell/george/o79e/part42.ht... The U. Adelaide guy has been doing a great job for quite a few years. I confess I hadn't visited recently - they have redecorated (with blog instead of "what's new" page, etc.)

ATB 18y ago

The popular linguistics blog "Language Log" had some interesting commentary on "Politics and the English Language" written in a calmly analytical style (interspersed with some judicious jibes) that I think many YC.HN readers will find rather agreeable: http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=992 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=992 The entire 'Prescriptivist Poppycock' category at Language Log is generally good reading: http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?cat=5 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?cat=5

nazgulnarsil 18y ago
I think all the things criticized were intentional. It's hard not to think that a writer of Orwell's caliber would say something without meaning exactly what he said. A careful read becomes: "these are good general rules, and in describing them I'll also show you how to break them when appropriate". It would be fitting with Orwell's style in his fiction writing.

Radix 18y ago

I just read that today. It's fantastic. I submitted it thinking there must be some number of people (ducks) who haven't read it. I would have done better to just upvote you. I like the formatting here better: http://www.orwell.ru/library/essays/politics/english/e_polit#fnt_2 http://www.orwell.ru/library/essays/politics/english/e_polit...

ableal 18y ago
You may want to check it out at another very good e-book library: http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/o/orwell/george/o79e/part42.html http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/o/orwell/george/o79e/part42.ht... The U. Adelaide guy has been doing a great job for quite a few years. I confess I hadn't visited recently - they have redecorated (with blog instead of "what's new" page, etc.)