Unit Activity: Analyzing an Essay https://app.edmentum.com/content-delivery/gradedactivity/7695f78f-48e... Task 2 Analyzing an Essay In this task, you will read George Orwell’s Politics and the English Language . You will write your reactions to the parts of the essay that cite rules for writing or state methods for preventing the decline of the English language. Part A Choose one point from Orwell’s essay “Politics and the English Language” with which you agree and one point with which you disagree. Include reasons for your arguments. Write your response in the space provided. Answer: I would say that by not using language correctly we can give incorrect meaning to our words and language has the power to influence people and to stir people to action if used properly, so I agree with Orwell in that sense. I would say though that I disagree that language is not well used in politics as there are many examples of powerful language like Martin Luther King's speech of I had a dream which stirred many Americans to support the civil rights movement of the '60s and early '70's for example or the poetry of Muhammed Ali to poke fun at his opponents and also to show that he had no quarrel with the Vietnamese. 15px I would say that by not using language correctly we can give incorrect meaning to our words and language has the power to influence people and to stir people to action if used properly, so I agree with Orwell in that sense. I would say though that I disagree that language is not well used in politics as there are many examples of powerful language like Martin Luther King's speech of I had a dream which stirred many Americans to support the civil rights movement of the '60s and early '70's for example or the poetry of Muhammed Ali to poke fun at his opponents and also to show that he had no quarrel with the Vietnamese. Characters used: 625 / 15000 Part B George Orwell gives examples of bad writing in the essay “Politics and the English Language.” Choose two 1 of 6 1/31/2022, 8:26 AM Unit Activity: Analyzing an Essay https://app.edmentum.com/content-delivery/gradedactivity/7695f78f-48e... examples from the essay and discuss how you feel about the quality of writing. Do you think Orwell’s criticism is valid? What other comments would you make about his examples? Do you think people write in similar ways now, and if so, is that a problem? Write your response in the space provided. 2 of 6 1/31/2022, 8:26 AM Unit Activity: Analyzing an Essay 3 of 6 https://app.edmentum.com/content-delivery/gradedactivity/7695f78f-48e... Answer: 1. In my opinion, nowadays the quality of writing declined due to wider and more accessible platforms and lack of literary authorities which enables basically anyone to write and publish a book. Authors of modern prose or poetry don’t pay attention to the text, they attach together words or phrases which are cliché: “…prose consists less and less of words chosen for the sake of their meaning, and more and more of phrases tacked together like the sections of a prefabricated hen-house.” Apart from using clichés, modern time writers strip word from their real meaning and degrade language and art, unlike in Russian Realism, for example, where Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky kept low level writer out of literary scene: “…there is a huge dump of worn-out metaphors which have lost all evocative power and are merely used because they save people the trouble of inventing phrases for themselves.” 2. I believe Orwell’s criticism is valid. Speaking for myself, Orwell’s criticism in essay “Politics and the English Language” is valid. This is not only the problem in English language and literature, but in all of the world’s languages and literatures. If not nourished, language becomes full of bad habits which are spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble. Therefore, Orwell has the right when criticizing modern society for letting language degrade. 3. I believe his examples are given systematically and accurately. In this essay, Orwell systematically and accurately points out the problems in English language and modern literature and gives adequate examples to prove them. For each of his reproaches, Orwell quotes or writes examples to prove their point and explains how and why authors make those mistakes. 4. I do believe that people are writing in similar way now and that mostly is a problem. Most of the Orwell’s biggest fears about society’s development came true and one of those is this degradation of language and are, which is not incurable. The literary scene became swamped with various works due to wide platforms and public. But, most of them write clichés that sell well, but the problem is that they have no true literary worth. 1/31/2022, 8:26 AM Unit Activity: Analyzing an Essay https://app.edmentum.com/content-delivery/gradedactivity/7695f78f-48e... 15px 1. In my opinion, nowadays the quality of writing declined due to wider and more accessible platforms and lack of literary authorities which enables basically anyone to write and publish a book. Authors of modern prose or poetry don’t pay attention to the text, they attach together words or phrases which are cliché: “…prose consists less and less of words chosen for the sake of their meaning, and more and more of phrases tacked together like the sections of a prefabricated hen-house.” Apart from using clichés, modern time writers strip word from their real meaning and degrade language and art, unlike in Russian Realism, for example, where Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky kept low level writer out of literary scene: “…there is a huge dump of worn-out metaphors which have lost all evocative power and are merely used because they save people the trouble of inventing phrases for themselves.” 2. I believe Orwell’s criticism is valid. Speaking for myself, Orwell’s criticism in essay “Politics and the English Language” is valid. This is not only the problem in English language and literature, but in all of the world’s languages and literatures. If not nourished, language becomes full of bad habits which are spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble. Therefore, Orwell has the right when criticizing modern society for letting language degrade. 3. I believe his examples are given systematically and accurately. In this essay, Orwell systematically and accurately points out the problems in English language and modern literature and gives adequate examples to prove them. For each of his reproaches, Orwell quotes or writes examples to prove their point and explains how and why authors make those mistakes. 4. I do believe that people are writing in similar way now and that mostly is a problem. Most of the Orwell’s biggest fears about society’s development came true and one of those is this degradation of language and are, which is not incurable. The literary scene became swamped with various works due to wide Characters used: 2226 / 15000 Part C 4 of 6 1/31/2022, 8:26 AM Unit Activity: Analyzing an Essay https://app.edmentum.com/content-delivery/gradedactivity/7695f78f-48e... Language changes with time and context. What is your opinion about what constitutes good or bad usage? Is it necessary for speakers or writers to follow a particular standard of correctness? Do such standards vary with the audience and the situation? Do you think an individual or a group of individuals can actually maintain a certain quality of language and usage? If your answer is yes, state how these rules can be applied e�ectively. If your answer is no, then state the reasons why such control should not be exercised. Write a short essay to state your position on these questions. Write your essay in the space provided. 5 of 6 Answer: Language is like a chameleon: it changes its colors according to the place where it is. What can be considered as good use is using language with certain standards in mind. Such standards do not necessarily have to do with grammatical correction; it is actually a matter of social context. Depending on where one is and whom one talks to, language will certainly have to be used differently, that is, in a particular, sometimes even peculiar way, if one's goal is to get himself or herself across. A certain level of grammatical correction is necessary, sometimes more, sometimes less, but it has to be there. After all, certain elementary rules must be followed so communication can be achieved. There are language conventions that cannot be taken for granted if one wants to be understood. A certain quality of language and usage must be maintained. That does not mean one has to talk like a scholar who is giving a lecture all the time. One should simply bear in mind the various situations of communication, the many different contexts in which individuals from all walks of life interact and talk. The rules of context correctness can be applied by always using common sense. Language effectiveness requires sensibility and empathy. Depending on the context, this or that approach must be used. 1/31/2022, 8:26 AM Unit Activity: Analyzing an Essay https://app.edmentum.com/content-delivery/gradedactivity/7695f78f-48e... 15px Language is like a chameleon: it changes its colors according to the place where it is. What can be considered as good use is using language with certain standards in mind. Such standards do not necessarily have to do with grammatical correction; it is actually a matter of social context. Depending on where one is and whom one talks to, language will certainly have to be used differently, that is, in a particular, sometimes even peculiar way, if one's goal is to get himself or herself across. A certain level of grammatical correction is necessary, sometimes more, sometimes less, but it has to be there. After all, certain elementary rules must be followed so communication can be achieved. There are language conventions that cannot be taken for granted if one wants to be understood. A certain quality of language and usage must be maintained. That does not mean one has to talk like a scholar who is giving a lecture all the time. One should simply bear in mind the various situations of communication, the many different contexts in which individuals from all walks of life interact and talk. The rules of context correctness can be applied by always using common sense. Language effectiveness requires sensibility and empathy. Depending on the context, this or that approach must be used. Characters used: 1307 / 15000 6 of 6 1/31/2022, 8:26 AM
