Weasel Words: The Dictionary of American Doublespeak (Capital Ideas)

By Don Hausrath and Paul Wasserman

Weasel Words: The colorful words that narrow the range of thought, inflate language, avoid responsibility, alleviate the discomfort of a waffling speaker, make the bad sound good, are at variance with... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1933102071
• ISBN13: 9781933102078
• Release Date: November 2005
• Publisher: Capital Books
• Length: 220 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.5" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

An excellent reference for what is the true modern vernacular

Weasel Words: The Dictionary Of American Doublespeak is an impressive and encompassing collection of thoughts and descriptively accurate views of modern American word and phrase usage. As an excellent reference for what is the true modern vernacular, sayings and understanding of what modern society has twisted the American version of the English language to elaborate or avoid political incorrectness. Very strongly recommended, especially for all non-specialist general readers with an interest in modern politics, culture and linguistics.

encyclopedic, entertaining dictionary of words from politics, advertising, etc.

You hear many of them all the time: dialogue, detainees, special event, free market, misspeak. But the authors collect numerous weasel words from government bureaucracy, the military, big business, and marketing, among other fields, that the general reader no matter how well read, is not likely to have heard of: drool-proof paper, hikikomori, MUF, helicopter parents, surgical safari. The author's define or explain each word and usually make a witty, Ambrose Bierce-type, comment on it. There's also a lot of familiar words from the news and political debate--e. g., welfare, downsizing, supply-side economics, price supports--which come in for definition according to their partisan political use. An entertaining guide to the culture and politics of the day.

Almost 1200 examples of Weasel Talk

I commend Wasserman and Hausrath for calling attention to "weasel words." You hear them in political speeches, from educators and at times, even use them yourself (a preowned car is really a used car). Wasserman, a professor emeritus at the University of Maryland College of Information Studies, and Hausrath, a colleague also with UM, try to pin down doublespeak. The intent of the doublespeak users often is to conceal reality under broad abstractions, understatements or even distortion. Instead of the word "recession," the weasel phrase "economic adjustment" is used. Compiled in dictionary form, this can be a reference book or something to browse just for the fun of seeing the gobbledygook that government and too many others use. The Table of Contents gives you an idea of the coverage: A Abdominal protector to Axis of evil B B2B to Burn rate C Cabinet to Czar D Daddy Mac to Dysfunctional family E Early adopters to Eyes Only F Fabrication to The 411 G Gaming to Gun Control H Hackademy to Hurry sickness I I feel your pain to Issues J Jack-booted government thugs to Juvenile delinquent K Kickback to Known knowns L L-word to Lulu M Machers to My fellow Americans N Nannygate to Nutraceuticals O OBE to Ownership society P PACs to Purple state Q Quaint to Quick and dirty R Racial Privacy to Rustbelt S Safe house to Synergy T T-group to Type T U Ugly Americans to Utilize V Vacation Specialist to Voluntary termination W Wake-up call to Wuss Y You can be the proud owner to Youthful figure Z Z¿s to Zippies

Funny and Enlightening!

"Weasel Words" defines words and terms used by politicians, the media, corporations, and PR pros that hide the true meaning of something. An example of a weasel word is presenteeism, which Paul Wasserman and Don hausrath define as when "your sick co-worker who insists upon coming to work sick." This book is very funny. Anyone who loves words, keeping up with current events and politics, and likes to laugh will like this "Weasel Words."