Formal Language Examples Flashcards
Doublespeak Examples
Chinese government calling prison camps “reeducation camps”
“Shark mitigation strategy” for shark culling
2024 Opposition Budget: Peter Dutton getting Australia “Back on Track” and “addressing supply pressures”, “congestion on our roads”
Inclusive Language examples
“person with disabilities” rather than “disabled person”
“accessible toilets”
Qantas booklet: “Husband and wife” should be replaced with “spouse” or “partner”
Anthony Albanese: “I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging.”
Jargon Examples
“focused approach ensures a systematic cadence that adds velocity to benefit realisation”. (ANZ bank) Use of nominalisation (realisation) adds lexical density. Was so jargonistic that few people were able to understand the meaning, language obscured the meaning.
“Spasticity” deteriorating from a medical term to a slur/derogatory term for people with disabilities
9News- “With its made in China 2025 roadmap, Beijing has set a target for China to become a global leader in a wide range of industries, including artificial intelligence (AI), 5G wireless and quantum computing.”
Euphemism Examples
Anthony Albanese: “We remember two dear friends we have lost”
Clarifying Examples
RMIT Emergency Procedure sign: “At the assembly area -account for people missing from the building -Report any person missing to the Fire Brigade”
Rhetoric examples
Jargon Linguist Quotes
Kate Burridge: “Jargon enables successful communication on one hand, but erects quite successful communication barriers on the other.”
David Crystal:
“Formal language is necessary because it allows us to communicate in situations where we need to be clear and concise.”
Vocative example
During press conference 23/3/23, Albanese refers to various senators as vocative “Thank you, Senator.”
Taboo language linguistic quote
Don Watson- “Words are bullets”
Kate Burridge- “All taboos serve different human interests by avoiding those things which threaten to cause offence or distress”
Euphemism linguist quotes
Kate Burridge: “Taboo and euphemism are closely entwined with the concepts of politeness and face.”
Kate Burridge: “Underhand euphemisms are used, not so much to conceal offence but deliberately disguise a topic and deceive.”
George Orwell:
“Language designed to make lies more truthful”
Identity linguist quote
Kate Burridge-
“‘Bloody’ has now become an important indicator of Australianness and of cultural values such as friendliness”
