4 ms·
1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print. 2. Never use a long word where a short one will do. 3. If it
by aristus 12y ago
1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
-- Orwell, "Politics and the English Language"
- madaxe_again 12y agoI was referring more to newspeak, as Orwell's thinking progressed over the intervening five years, but the above are perfectly valid editorial rules. The thing is, note "will do" in (2). There are many cases where a short word really won't do, lest you lose nuance and meaning.