doublespeak

Related to doublespeak: doublethink

doublespeak

Deliberately evasive, confusing, contradictory, and/or ambiguous language used to mislead or deceive the listener. Likely adapted from George Orwell's term "doublethink," from his 1949 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, meaning the ability to simultaneously hold two opposing thoughts or beliefs as being correct in one's mind. Like any successful politician, she was quite adept at doublespeak whenever confronted with bad publicity.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

double talk

1. Meaningless speech, gibberish mixing real and invented words. For example, Some popular songs are actually based on double talk. [1930s]
2. Also, doublespeak. Deliberately ambiguous and evasive language. For example, I got tired of her double talk and demanded to know the true story, or His press secretary was very adept at doublespeak. This usage dates from the late 1940s, and the variant from about 1950.
See also: double, talk
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • come it over
  • come it over (one)
  • fake out
  • fake someone out
  • damn Yankee
  • throw dust in (one's) eyes
  • throw dust in someone's eyes
  • throw dust in (one's) face
  • I don't know
  • Big Brother is watching you
References in periodicals archive
When politicians engage in doublespeak, they attempt to rob democracy and reason of the element of choice, something that otherwise they inappropriately and promiscuously endorse in an effort to evade moral clarity.
"As the BJP government allows 100 per cent FDI in single brand retail by doing away the requirement of 30 per cent sourcing through 'Make in India', the PM and FM's duplicity and doublespeak stand exposed," he said.
Like Neil Postman, I can draw a pertinent case from an experience at an NCTE convention-this one in New York in 1977.1 had been asked to chair a panel, co-sponsored by the Doublespeak Committee, on "The Language of Sexism," and I accepted in the belief that the meeting would be a forum for the exploration of different points of view on the issue.
While this tactic may help avid Snickers eaters shed a few pounds and improve corporate profits (don't expect Mars to reduce its prices when it cuts its standard 280-calorie bar to 250 calories), the Orwellian doublespeak is sure to leave a bad taste in one's mouth.
In the face of this pressure, Ukrainian authorities are responding with doublespeak. On the one hand, Yanukovych has agreed to implement the court's decisions, including the presence of foreign observers.
THE claim by Robert Norris of RenewableUK, the wind industry trade body, that turbine noise is, "more like a gentle wind going by" (The Journal, October 8) is yet another pearl for connoisseurs of wind industry doublespeak.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] After the century's doublespeak, the fog of borders and the fatigue of everything borders kept apart.
The last time such doublespeak was common currency was when Joseph Stalin ruled Soviet Russia.
Am I under-communicating or speaking in "doublespeak?"
This caliber of doublespeak is an insult to the intelligence of even a piece of wood.
It's no use hiding behind human rights laws and political doublespeak. Mr Johnson needs to show he is a man of action, not a powerless puppet.
He adds, "in the post-modern world of relativity the 'doublespeak' and 'the reading between the lines' cannot be dismissed as mere provincial peculiarity" (ii).
Kolbert also captures the inane, insane doublespeak of the Bush administration's climate policy: "We act, we learn, we act again." The US government's mantra is rhetorical gobbledygook that substitutes for action in this crisis.
Aristotle and an aardvark go to Washington; understanding political doublespeak through philosophy and jokes.
The Blairites extinguished the Socialist beacon that was the original Clause IV of the Party's constitution and replaced it with new Labour doublespeak.