* Alphabet Farm

 from

George Orwell's

Politics and the English Language

. . . Now, it is clear that the decline of a language must ultimately have political and economic causes: it is not due simply to the bad influence of this or that individual writer. But an effect can become a cause, reinforcing the original cause and producing the same effect in an intensified form, and so on indefinitely. A man may take to drink because he feels himself to be a failure, and then fail all the more completely because he drinks. It is rather the same thing that is happening to the English language. It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts. The point is that the process is reversible. Modern English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble. If one gets rid of these habits one can think more clearly, and to think clearly is a necessary first step toward political regeneration: so that the fight against bad English is not frivolous and is not the exclusive concern of professional writers . . .

·  Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.

·  Never use a long word where a short one will do.

·  If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.

·  Never use the passive where you can use the active.

·  Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

·  Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.