The Use Of Language

Front 1

A word or expression that can be understood in more than one way.

Back 1

Ambiguity

Critical Thinking Tip: if the intended meaning of an ambiguous word or expression cannot be determined, avoid making judgements.

Hint 1

e.g. "Lying expert testified at trial." Is the expert a liar or is the person an expert on identifying when someone is a liar?

Front 2

These expressions are those that disarm you from questioning the validity of an argument.

Back 2

Assuring Expression

Critical Thinking Tip: disregard assuring expressions and instead focus on facts and reasoning that support arguments.

Hint 2

e.g. Expressions such as "As everyone knows..." and "Common sense tells us that..." can often lead a person to believe something that is not true.

Front 3

This includes language that implies something is superior but retreats from that view.

Back 3

Meaningless Comparisons

Hint 3

e.g. An advertisement claiming that a battery lasts "up to 30% longer, but does not say it will last 30% longer." If a battery lasts up to 30% longer...what is it lasting longer than?

Front 4

This is the use of technical language to make the simple seem complex, the trivial seem profound, or the insignificant seem important, all done intentionally to impress others.

Back 4

Doublespeak Jargon

Critical Thinking Tip: try to recognise the cognitive (factual) content or jargon words and expressions to avoid this hindrance.

Hint 4

e.g. Would be referring to a family as "a bounded plurality of role-playing individuals" or a homeless person as a "non-goal oriented member of society."

Front 5

The intentional use of words to arouse feelings about a subject to bias others positively or negatively, in order to gain influence or power.

Back 5

Emotive Content

Critical Thinking Tip: Learn to recognise and distinguish the emotive (emotional) content of language.

Hint 5

e.g. Naming detergents "Joy" or "Cheer" (positive), not "Dreary" or " Tedious" (negative) and the military using the phrase "neutralising the opposition" (less negative) than saying something like "killing."

Front 6

This is the use of language that is clear and accurate but misleading b/c it suggests something false.

Back 6

False Implications

Hint 6

e.g. Is when the dairy industry cleverly expresses fat content as a percentage of weight, not of calories. Thus, 2% "low fat" milk really has 31% fat when fat is measured as a percentage of calories.