Political Dictionary online

This blog, being a fan or Orwell, is indeed interested in the use and perversion of the English language by certain individuals, used to propagandise debate and discussion. Orwellian language refers to, in my opinion, a dishonest or downright incorrect usage of language. For example, calling religious fundamentalists who target civilians with suicide bombings are terrorists under the dictionary definition. But yet huge swathes of the media continue to refer to them as "militants" or "guerillas". Another widespread example is how some more extreme types refer to Israel's democratically elected government as a "zionist regime", or worse.

Tim Blair has a hilarious dictionary online - my favorite definitions here:

• Disproportionate, adj. Any response at all from Israel to the kidnapping or murder of Israeli citizens.
  

• Globalisation, n. System of interlinked international trade opposed by interlinked international anti-trade movement.

• Context, n. Something no Australian Islamic leader is ever quoted in, i.e. “A spokesman for the sheik said that his demand for a tsunami of infidel blood had been quoted out of context”.

• Australian Film Industry, n. Body that ensures the funding, making and distribution of Australian films. But not the viewing.

• Charismatic, adj. Punishingly dull, i.e. “Charismatic Greens senator Bob Brown spoke for three hours again yesterday on the importance of alternative non-carbon energy sources.”

• Global warming, n. Scientifically observed phenomenon whereby scientists the world over receive warm, toasty funding to talk about the weather.