7.10: Glossary

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Bradley H. Dowden
California State University Sacramento

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connotations The mental images and evaluations that many people associate with a word or phrase.

dysphemism The opposite of a euphemism. Choosing a word that will intentionally produce a negative effect on the reader or listener.

half-truth A deceptive technique that uses half or some other portion of the available information in order to sway your opinion. It is also called the technique of selective representation.

hedge A deceptive technique based on carefully selecting the information in order to be able later to deny what one at first appeared to have said. For example, your future employer could hedge on saying "You will make $20 per hour" by instead saying, "You will make up to $20 per hour." Then when you are hired for $13 per hour, you can’t say you were promised $20 per hour.

lie Not just a false statement. A lie is a false statement made with the intent to deceive.

loaded language Language that unnecessarily uses a word that has emotional overtones or evaluative connotations. It is language that can masquerade as objective description but in fact is slanted to introduce the speaker's own values.

push poll A poll designed to push an idea into the head of the person being polled by a careful design of the questions.

rhetorical device A technique designed to influence another person’s attitudes or behavior. The phrase is usually reserved for loaded language or slanters rather than for more legitimate methods, namely offering the person good reasons while not covering up the negative evidence.

scam Systematic techniques of deception usually aimed at making money off the unwary. They are also called cons.

scare tactic A technique of deception that uses fear to cause a particular action. An example would be an ad suggesting that you will be endangering your family if you don't buy a certain brand of tires.

selectively emphasizing the trivial Making a big deal of no big deal. The point would be to target a group who did not realize that it was no big deal. For example, you would be using this technique if you advertised that your shampoo contains the hydrogen hydroxide recommended by leading doctors and didn't mention that this is just a fancy name for water.

slanter Loaded language.

stereotype A commonly held mental image, usually of some social group.

weasel words Words that hedge.