Tag Archives: Politics and the English Language

KSU and the English Language

In his 1950 essay “Politics and the English Language,” George Orwell wrote that the English language was in a bad way, hastening to clarify that he wasn’t talking about bad grammar. Instead, he was talking about verbosity, empty metaphors, and, … Continue reading

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I Am Beset by a Grammatical Dilemma

In the winter semester (they call it “spring,” but, um, no), I teach a writing seminar at an institution I’ll call the More Prestigious University, or MPU. It’s a choosy place, which selects students carefully based on grades and high … Continue reading

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“Annoying” by Definition

Everyone’s noting Sarah Palin’s hypocrisy in screaming for Rahm Emanuel’s firing over the word “retarded” while giving Rush Limbaugh a pass for repeating the term over and over on a broadcast. Indeed, she couldn’t bring herself to criticize somebody on her own team, … Continue reading

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