"Duckspeak is a Newspeak term meaning literally to quack like a duck or to speak without thinking. Its original literal introduction comes in the form of a dictate from Big Brother announcing that the word "quack" is too specific to be useful and that from this point on, "Quack" is no longer a word, and never was a word, and should instead be replaced by the two independent words. Later in the novel, Orwell continues to pun on the turn of phrase. Duckspeak can be either good or ungood (bad), depending on who is speaking, and whether what they are saying is in following with the ideals of Big Brother. To speak rubbish and lies may be ungood, but to speak rubbish and lies for the good of "The Party" may be good. In the appendix to 1984 Orwell explains it:
“ Ultimately it was hoped to make articulate speech issue from the larynx without involving the higher brain centres at all. This aim was frankly admitted in the Newspeak word duckspeak […]. Like various words in the B vocabulary, duckspeak was ambivalent in meaning. Provided that the opinions which were quacked out were orthodox ones, it implied nothing but praise, and when the Times referred to one of the orators of the Party as a doubleplusgood duckspeaker it was paying a warm and valued compliment. ”
—Orwell, 1984
An example of a skillful duckspeaker in action is provided in the beginning of chapter 9, where an Inner Party speaker is haranguing the crowd about the crimes of Eurasia when a note is passed into his hand - whereupon he continues the speech with nothing changed in his voice or manner, but according to the changed party line he now condemns the crimes of Eastasia, which is Oceania's new enemy."
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Please post any choice examples of duckspeak gleaned from these forums or from the world at large here.
Originally posted by Bosse de NageOne of the most powerful scenes in the book, if you ask my opinion.
An example of a skillful duckspeaker in action is provided in the beginning of chapter 9, where an Inner Party speaker is haranguing the crowd about the crimes of Eurasia when a note is passed into his hand - whereupon he continues the speech with nothing changed in his voice or manner, but according to the changed party line he now condemns the crimes of Eastasia, which is Oceania's new enemy."
Originally posted by zeeblebotFunny, because I was thinking of the utter tripe that global warming deniers come up with to support their argument, some of which would require major adjustments to the laws of physics to true.
i was thinking AGW, but no need to search for them, just close your eyes and they will appear, magically.
We have a small window to look at things, that window is right now!
We can see several things and make judgments about the past and
the future, we can try to predict the way things are going to play out
in the here and now, or suggest how we think they did play out in the
past. Right now you see life as is, you project into the past and the
future what life will do or has done. None of that touches the here
and now, looking at living systems and cars in the now show us
traits, the way they behave that do not just occur, and if you were
going to build something that does what life does now it would be a
major undertaking. I think you are avoiding the comparisons for
whatever reasons you may have.
Kelly
http://www.playtheimmortalgame.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=91440&page=16
Originally posted by kmax87That's the original, but I tried to make an allusion to Orwell's take on it:
??.. the village smithy stands.. ??
"Under the spreading chestnut tree
I sold you and you sold me
There lie they, and here lie we
Under the spreading chestnut tree"
It's from the same scene, if I remember correctly.