Outline 1: Politics and the English Language

Politics and the English Language

I.    Causes of the decline of language
       A.    Foolish thoughts
       B.    Bad habits that spread by imitation
II.   Common faults in writing
       A.    Staleness of imagery
       B.    Lack of precision
III.   Habitual tricks in dodging prose-construction
        A.   Dying metaphors
        B.   Operators or verbal false limbs
       C.   Pretentious diction
       D.   Meaningless words
IV.   Other faults
        A.   Too many negatives
        B.   Not knowing the meaning
        C.   Not knowing what one wants to say
        D.   Parting of words and meaning
        E.   Reasons
              1.    Having a general emotional meaning
                      2.    Being not interested in the detail one is saying
V.    Six questions a scrupulous writer asks himself
VI.    The cure in the decadence of our language