Evasive Language Quotes

In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible... Thus, political language has to consist largely of euphemism, question-begging, and sheer cloudy vagueness... Political language [is] designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable.

Ironically, as some people become harder, they use softer words to describe dark deeds. This, too, is part of being sedated by secularism. Needless abortion, for instance, is a "reproductive health procedure, . . ." "Illegitimacy" gives way to the wholly sanitized words "non-marital birth" or "alternative parenting."

Beware of the conversationalist who adds "in other words." He is merely starting afresh.

The most meaningless term in the English language is 'I take full responsibility.' When a politician utters those words it means absolutely nothing.

The politician is ... trained in the art of inexactitude. His words tend to be blunt or rounded, because if they have a cutting edge, they may later return to wound him.

Language can be very adept at hiding the truth.

One of our defects as a nation is a tendency to use what have been called ''weasel words.'' When a weasel sucks eggs the meat is sucked out of the egg. If you use a ''weasel word'' after another there is nothing left of the other.

Without precise meanings behind words, politicians and elites can obscure reality and condition people to reflexively associate certain words with positive or negative perceptions. In other words, unpleasant facts can be hidden behind purposely meaningless language.

The moral world has no particular objection to vice, but an insuperable repugnance to hearing vice called by its proper name.

One of our defects as a nation is a tendency to use what have been called "weasel words."

Using vague, slippery or just meaningless language is not the same as lying: it's not intended to deceive so much as to preserve options, buy time, distance oneself from others, or just to sound like you're saying something instead of nothing.

I was talking to my friend and he said his girlfriend was mad at him. I said, "What happened?" He goes: "Well, I guess I, uh... I guess I said something, and, uh... and then she got her feelings hurt." That's a weird way to phrase it: "She got her feelings hurt. I said something, and then she..." Could you more remove yourself from responsibility? "She got her feelings hurt." It's like saying, "Yeah, I shot this guy in the face, and then I guess he got himself murdered. I don't know what happened. He leaned into it."

If you listen to Donald Trump speak on almost any given issue, you will hear him take both sides of that issue - in the same sentence, sometimes. It's very, very hard to pin him down in any specific way.

Henry James was our master of periphrasis -- the fine art of saying as little as possible in the greatest number of words.

Like any good shaman, professional baseball player, or politician, my mother always answered questions with questions.

British politicians used to be good at misleading people without actually lying.