Exercise two: What are they trying to say?
What is really being said in the following real-world writing samples?
- A doctor records on a patient’s chart: "Patient failed to fulfill his wellness potential.”
- U.S. Army talks about "vertically deployed anti-personnel devices."
- Civilian mechanics at a McClellan Air Force base in California are placed on "non-duty, non-pay status.”
- The Massachusetts Department of Public Works speaks of "ground-mounted confirmatory route markers.”
- A store in St. Louis advertises "semi-antique" rugs.
From the Quarterly Review of Doublespeak
When you're done, continue to Exercise two takeaways
