Watch That Loaded Language

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Watch That Loaded Language!

• A Presentation
• For
• The Fayetteville Observer
• By John Rains

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Using loaded language is part of the writers
art.But in news and features we must avoid words
and phrases that

• Betray the writers bias or opinionlanguage that
  editorializes in the guise of reporting
  
• Set the wrong tone for a story
• Cause hurt the writer didnt intend, or shouldnt
  have intended
  
• Tell the reader what to think about the news

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Loaded language can be blatant or subtle. Often
the context makes the difference. A word may be
fine in one sentence, inappropriate in another.

• Finally The police finally showed up.
• OnlyThe tickets cost only 10.

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Mild words that should raise red flags

• posh
• cheap
• expensive
• reform
• admit
• scheme
• spiel
• tout

• loophole
• technicality
• need
• for
• fortunately
• unfortunately

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Be careful of labels

• radical
• extremist
• racist
• fanatic
• hired gun
• vigilante
• liberal

• conservative
• victim
• scab
• redneck
• bureaucrat
• cult
• militant
• deadbeat dad

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Positive labels may be inappropriate, too

• expert
• moderate
• environmentalist
• child advocate
• consumer advocate

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Attributive verbs may be loaded

• Pointed out and noted are less neutral
  than said. Both imply that something is fact
  and the speaker is merely taking note of it.

• Claimed implies that we think the speaker
  lied.
  
• Admit implies reluctant yielding.

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Be aware of tone

• The county commissioners refused to give one
  cent in next years budget to a program that
  helps battered women.

• Revised
• The county commissioners voted not to give
  money next year to a program that helps battered
  women.

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Flippancy or attempts at cleverness can spoil the
tone

• TRENTON, N.J. (AP) Like children who didn't
  find that coveted gift under the Christmas tree,
  Wall Street threw a tantrum Monday over
  lackluster holiday sales reported by Toys R Us
  Inc.

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Trying to write in dialect can be insulting and
patronizing.

• dont drop gs
• dont translate into dialect such ordinary
  slurring as gonna for going to, gotta for
  got to
  

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• RALEIGH, N.C. The 300 hand-clappin',
  foot-stompin' Confederates had no idea it was
  somebody's else's funeral.
  
• They were too busy carryin' on and whoopin'
  it up to notice the Great Whale had beached and
  expired in the hot Carolina sun.
  
• They were making too much noise to hear the
  desperate, final squeals. They were too busy
  sniffing the sweet smell of their own region's
  success to detect the stench of a distant
  market's decay.
• And, really, who could blame these zealots?

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A terrible attempt at cleverness

• From The News Observer
• McGee's CrossroadsConstruction worker Lee
  Hooks gave a whole new meaning to the phrase
  intestinal fortitude Sunday.
  
• Doctors say Hooks, 37, of Apex, has a good
  chance of recovering completely from a 30-foot
  fall onto a two-by-four sticking out of the
  ground.
• (He was impaled by the 2 x 4)

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Loaded firearms terms

• weapon of mass destruction (when applied to
  sawed-off shotgun)
  
• arsenal (gun collection)
• assault rifle/weapon
• powerful gun lobby
• cop-killer bullets
• gun violence

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Where people live

• trailer
• compound
• modest home
• stately home
• silk-stocking district

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Sexual, racial bias

• Watch out for language that belittles either
  sex or any racial or ethnic group.
  
• When it is practical, use neutral
  languagefirefighter instead of fireman, guard
  instead of watchman.
  
• Note, though, that being sensitive does not
  require us to commit absurdities or to sanitize
  the past.

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• A Presentation
• By John Rains
• johnrains_at_hotmail.com