“Bush is almost always clear when he's speaking cruelly. For example, when the subject is the punitive infliction of great pain, there is no problem with his syntax, grammar, or vocabulary, even if he happens to be lying. ... On the other hand, our president is extraordinarily tongue-tied when he's trying, off the cuff, to sound a note of idealism, magnanimity or -- especially -- compassion.” IfsTryingProblemHandsHappensPainLyingSoundPresidentCompassionClearSubjectsExampleNotesTongueTiedIdealismVocabularyNo ProblemGrammarMagnanimitySyntaxCuffsTongue TiedInfliction Author:Mark Crispin Miller
“Conservatives or better, pro-corporate apologists hijacked the vocabulary of Jeffersonian liberalism and turned words like "progress," "opportunity," and "individualism" into tools for making the plunder of America sound like divine right. This "degenerate and unlovely age," as one historian calls it, exists in the mind of Karl Rove the reputed brain of George W. Bush as the seminal age of inspiration for politics and governance of America today.” MindInspirationAgeTodayAmericaOpportunitySoundBrainProgressDivineToolsCorporateLiberalismHistorianIndividualismVocabularyGovernanceDegeneratesPlunderAmerica TodayDivine Right Author:Bill Moyers
“Sound is the vocabulary of nature... noises are as well articulated as the words in a dictionary... Opposing the world of sound is the world of music.” WorldWellsSoundNoiseVocabularyDictionaryOpposing Author:Pierre Schaeffer
“Pro-choice supporters are often heard using the cool language of the courts and the vocabulary of rights. Americans who are deeply ambivalent about abortion often miss the sound of caring.” ChoicesLanguageSoundRightsHeardMissingCourtCaringAbortionSupporterVocabularyAmbivalent Author:Ellen Goodman