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Language in 1984
The official language of politiciansand the media in 1984 is newspeak. The idea of which is to destroy as manywords as possible, and rigidly
prescribe the meaning and usage of those that are left. Thus limitingthe range of thoughts and concepts to which people can give voice.
Maintaining the stability of the government by making the expressionof anti- establishment thoughts or opinions impossible.
This reduction of the language, as detailed in the novel and Orwell'sappendix on 'The Principles of Newspeak' works as follows:
1. Thereis an incresed use of two syllable abbreviations and compound
words eg.
English Socialism - IngSoc
thought police - thinkpol
ministry of truth - minitrue
ministry of plenty - miniplen
ministry of peace - minipax
Thus giving the language a short violent staccato sound.
2.The noun and the verb for an action become the same eg.thought is replaced by the word think which can function both as a verband a noun. All irregular verb forms are then abolished. Also, all abstractnouns relating to concepts oppositional to party policy,eg. truth, justice, equality, democracy etc. disappear to be covered bythe blanket term 'crimethink'.
3.Adjectives are formed by adding the suffix '-ful' to the noun-verb eg. goodthinkful etc. Adverbs are made by adding the suffix '-wise'eg.fully becomes fullwise.
Similarly if bad means the opposite of good, it canbecome 'ungood'. Horrible then as a word meaning bad but with more emphasis,becomes 'plusungood' or 'doubleplusungood'.
By the same process Very good, splendid, wonderful etc.then become 'plusgood' or 'doubleplus good'. Other adverbs and adjectivesare formed the same way.