Doublespeak is a term rooted in George Orwell’s writings, defined by Edward S. Herman, and influenced by Orwell’s views on political language. It refers to intentionally ambiguous or misleading language used to disguise the true meaning of something. This deceptive language is frequently employed in various domains, including politics, advertising[1], comedy, and social media[2]. Politicians often use doublespeak in speeches, while advertisers employ it to hide their real intentions. Comedians incorporate it for satirical commentary, and social media platforms use it to bypass content moderation. Doublespeak can manipulate communication patterns, impact consumer[3] behavior, and even influence comedy. It’s a concept that reflects the complexity and potential dangers of language misuse.
Doublespeak is language that deliberately obscures, disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words. Doublespeak may take the form of euphemisms (e.g., "downsizing" for layoffs and "servicing the target" for bombing), in which case it is primarily meant to make the truth sound more palatable. It may also refer to intentional ambiguity in language or to actual inversions of meaning. In such cases, doublespeak disguises the nature of the truth.
Doublespeak is most closely associated with political language.