Blowing in the Political Wind

By Geoffrey Pullum. The Economist has a weekly commentary page, under the pseudonym “Lexington,” about events in the U.S.A. The July 13 Lexington column entitled “The War of the Words” is about politics and language. Predictably, therefore, it begins by quoting you-know-who: Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give the appearance of solidity to pure wind. Read more...