“The great enemy of clear language is insincerity.
When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one
turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a
cuttlefish spurting out ink.”
-George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946
-------------------------------------------
Someone told me the other day that my writing was wonderful, which was nice but not so flattering (oh my arrogance!). Well, I had written the letter in Korean so the compliment meant something but really, words like great, marvelous, wonderful, fabulous, are not only subjective but merely denote a positive feeling towards something.
An articulate compliment per se would say that a writing is succinct, witty, or genuine. Sure, these are all subjective too, but it goes beyond "I like this." It says, "I like this because."
-------------------------------------------
Someone told me the other day that my writing was wonderful, which was nice but not so flattering (oh my arrogance!). Well, I had written the letter in Korean so the compliment meant something but really, words like great, marvelous, wonderful, fabulous, are not only subjective but merely denote a positive feeling towards something.
An articulate compliment per se would say that a writing is succinct, witty, or genuine. Sure, these are all subjective too, but it goes beyond "I like this." It says, "I like this because."
And it's so much more powerful.
I shou“The
great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap
between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were
instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish
spurting out ink.”
– George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/top-10-favorite-quotations-about-words-vol-1/clear-language.html#6W5qf4bxi4VYQA8v.99
“The
great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap
between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were
instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish
spurting out ink.”
– George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/top-10-favorite-quotations-about-words-vol-1/clear-language.html#6W5qf4bxi4VYQA8v.99
“The
great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap
between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were
instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish
spurting out ink.”
– George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/top-10-favorite-quotations-about-words-vol-1/clear-language.html#6W5qf4bxi4VYQA8v.99
“The
great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap
between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were
instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish
spurting out ink.”
– George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/top-10-favorite-quotations-about-words-vol-1/clear-language.html#6W5qf4bxi4VYQA8v.99
“The
great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap
between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were
instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish
spurting out ink.”
– George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/top-10-favorite-quotations-about-words-vol-1/clear-language.html#6W5qf4bxi4VYQA8v.99
“The
great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap
between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were
instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish
spurting out ink.”
– George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/top-10-favorite-quotations-about-words-vol-1/clear-language.html#6W5qf4bxi4VYQA8v.99
“The
great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap
between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were
instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish
spurting out ink.”
– George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/top-10-favorite-quotations-about-words-vol-1/clear-language.html#6W5qf4bxi4VYQA8v.99
“The
great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap
between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were
instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish
spurting out ink.”
– George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/top-10-favorite-quotations-about-words-vol-1/clear-language.html#6W5qf4bxi4VYQA8v.99
“The
great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap
between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were
instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish
spurting out ink.”
– George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946Read more at http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/top-10-favorite-quotations-about-words-vol-1/clear-language.html#6W5qf4bxi4VYQA8v.99
When are you going to publish a book?
ReplyDeleteWhat an articulate compliment. Thanks! :)
DeleteWell, do you think I should? Perhaps, I'm just being needy but I'm also genuinely curious of your opinion. I did have the thought, and an idea for one as a matter of fact. But it's so easy to stomp on fledgling ideas you know? They're just so fragile.
I have two ideas actually, though one has so much of 'me' in it that it's almost an autobiography. I even made up a nom de plume to go along with it. Perhaps I'll share it with you through an email (if you're interested).
I don't know. I'm vacillating.
Haha, you just need to do it, and I think you should. It looks like you already thought about it (seriously enough) to come up with a nom de plume anyway! I am not surprised at all that you want to go that route.
ReplyDeletePlease do email me.
elee1216@gmail.com