Loaded language
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| + | "If you wish to understand the [[essentialism|essential nature]] of [[murder]], you do not begin with a discussion of something complicated or emotionally [[Loaded language|loaded]], such as [[assisted suicide]] or [[abortion]] or [[capital punishment]]. Assisted suicide may or may not be murder, but determining whether such [[Dispute |disputed]] cases are murder requires first that we are clear on the nature and logic of [[Dispute|indisputable]] cases; we move from the [[controversy|uncontroversial]] center to the disputed remote territories. The same principle holds in [[aesthetics|aesthetic theory]]." --''[[The Art Instinct]]'', p. 50 | ||
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| '''Loaded words''' are words or phrases which have strong emotional overtones or connotations and which evoke strongly positive (or negative) reactions far beyond the specific meaning of the word which is listed in the dictionary. | '''Loaded words''' are words or phrases which have strong emotional overtones or connotations and which evoke strongly positive (or negative) reactions far beyond the specific meaning of the word which is listed in the dictionary. | ||
Revision as of 12:30, 4 April 2018
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"If you wish to understand the essential nature of murder, you do not begin with a discussion of something complicated or emotionally loaded, such as assisted suicide or abortion or capital punishment. Assisted suicide may or may not be murder, but determining whether such disputed cases are murder requires first that we are clear on the nature and logic of indisputable cases; we move from the uncontroversial center to the disputed remote territories. The same principle holds in aesthetic theory." --The Art Instinct, p. 50 |
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Loaded words are words or phrases which have strong emotional overtones or connotations and which evoke strongly positive (or negative) reactions far beyond the specific meaning of the word which is listed in the dictionary.
A language construct, such as a word or a question, is said to be loaded if it carries meaning or implications beyond its strict definition (its denotation). Use of the phrase loaded language to describe the writing or speech of another implies an accusation of demagoguery, or of pandering to the audience.
Some loaded language is used in ways that are deliberately ambiguous or even contradictory. Loaded language as an umbrella term is sometimes used to describe spin, euphemisms and doublespeak.
Questions, on the other hand, do not need to contain any "loaded words" to be considered loaded questions. They are usually said to be loaded if they make a presupposition. For example, the question "Do you still cheat on your taxes?" makes the presupposition that the subject of the question at one time did cheat on his/her taxes. Common examples of loaded questions arise in interviews where the interviewer wishes to make a biased statement while keeping a guise of unbiased journalism.
Value-laden, value-free
A word or phrase that is 'loaded' is said to be value-laden. It has deep associations, often emotional ones.
Its converse, a value-free word, has no evident associations, at least to those who use it.
See also
- Bias
- Code word
- Connotation
- Fallacy of many questions
- freedom of speech
- Journalism and Free press
- Landmark Education jargon
- morality and ethics issues
- political correctness
- Power word
- Rhetorical device
- Scientology terminology
- semantics
- Sophism
- Thought Reform (book)
- Unspeak (book)
